2012. What a year.

So, here it is. New Years Eve 2012. What a year.

I’ve not blogged for what seems like months, actually, it is months, but I thought I’d finish 2012 with a blog so sum up the past 12 months. So here goes.

January.

Truth be told, I totally had no idea about anything that happened in January until I rolled back on my FaceBook timeline to see what I did. January saw me coming out of a relationship that ended on Boxing day the previous year. January was a bit rubbish from what I remember but the NTAs were in January, which was good. I had exams at uni BUT I did get my VISA granted for New Zealand and Australia in early January, who knew then what that’d lead to.

February and March seemed to pass with little activity. As always. April, again boring, but May... oh May. May meant that I finally met, who I would soon find out, would be the boy that I’d intend to spend the rest of my life with. Henry and I met on the 6^th of May and, without sounding cheesy, it was love at first sight. I won’t go on about him much more, but he’s my gorgeous boy and I love him (and miss him) very much.

June saw me finally leave the place that I’d worked for, for five years. Ragdale was well and truly my home from home and some of the guys I met there I’m sure will remain my friends for the rest of my life. Ragdale and I saw some massive things together and it was such a huge part of my life. I was truthfully sad to leave and still miss it a lot. I don’t think I cried on my last day.

That was a lie.

I did. I was fine all day until it came time to go home. I’d made sure Nicky (who wrote the rotas) had put all my favourite staff and friends on my last shift. We all gathered at 9pm to leave and as the clock hit nine all the staff gathered around me in a big circle and gave me a massive group hug. I’ll remember it forever.

July was a bit of a pissy month for me. I didn’t work and just messed around a lot, seeing friends and saying goodbye to everyone. It went so quickly and as soon as I knew it, it was July 29^th and I was boarding a plane to see the world. (see below blogs for more info on these)

August started well, but by the 19^th, the world came crashing down around me. My Grandad died on Sunday evening, surrounded by his family, excluding me. I still am upset that I wasn’t there to say goodbye, but my goodbye was three weeks previously when he was still healthy. That image is still vivid for me, and I still think about him a lot. I flew home to a family that was utterly devastated, but I don’t regret my decision to continue travelling. I know it’s what my Grandad would have expected me to do, and where I went, and what I did after that, has been amazing.

I flew from home straight to Sydney in what might have been the most uncomfortable seat in the world. 34 hours went by, 34 hours of my life that I’ll never get back, but when I finally got the Oz, it was lovely. Again, see previous blogs.

I realise that I’ve blogged very little since I got to New Zealand, but October, November and December have been basically me settling into “living” in New Zealand. I’ve got a job that I love, friends that I like (sorry, truth!) ;) When I first arrived, I intended to fly home in January, but since then, have decided to stay until July for my cousins wedding.

I’m flying home at the end of March for a friend’s wedding in the UK and bringing Henry back with me (to New Zealand) for 6 weeks, then he flies home, then Mum and my brother fly out for the wedding, and then we’ll all fly home together.

So that was the summary of 2012, thinking about it, prior to travelling, not much else happened, but I suppose it’s the things I remember that matter.

So here’s to 2013, I wonder what I’ll be writing this time in 365 days time. Happy New Year boys and girls.