All About ... The Year in Review

 What did you do in 2024 that you've never done before?  It's been mostly medical things in 2024. I experienced my first ever full knee replacement, which was nowhere near as painful as I was expecting so, while I'm not exactly looking forward to having the other knee done, I'm not fretting about it either. I also had the cataracts in both eyes sorted out. Thankfully this won't have to be done again as one went well and the other resulted in a serious infection which could have resulted in losing my sight in that eye. 

I can't really think about anything else that I've never done before but am sure that I will remember something as soon as I publish this post!

Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year? I don't set the traditional resolutions but choose to set myself specific goals to achieve during the year. 2024's goals haven't gone as well as I was hoping, all down to the health issues. Hopefully 2025 will be better. I'll write about my new goals in a separate post.

Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes. I have a new great niece born in February and a new great nephew born in July. My friend's daughter gave birth to her first child, a gorgeous boy born in February.

Did anyone close to you die? No, not this year, thankfully.

What countries did you visit? 2024 has been another stay at home year. 

What would you like to have in 2025 that you lacked in 2024? I'd like my health to improve! I'd like to do some travelling but that may have to go on the back burner as I will be moving soon and I'm sure the majority of my money will go on sorting out my new home. 

What date from 2024 will remain etched in your memory and why? Obviously the birth dates of the three babies. Also, October 7th when I agreed the price offered to buy my house and the selling/purchasing process began.

What was your biggest achievement of the year? This has to be designing and building a new website for the u3a group I belong to. I now maintain it, so it's an ongoing responsibility but I enjoyed the challenge and am glad that I took it on.

What was your biggest failure? As I always say, I don't like to look at things in terms of failing as it's too negative and I am trying to live a positive life. One aspect of life that hasn't gone as well as I would have liked is actually the same as the last two years and this is what I wrote then:

"I repeatedly plan to do something the next day and then don't do it. This is simple things like going out to take some photos, maybe treating myself to elevenses at The Nursery Cafe, going to the cinema ... just ordinary everyday stuff that at one time I would have done and now I don't and it makes me feel that I'm missing out." 

It's continued to be the same throughout 2024, mainly due to ill health, but it is an aspect of life I want to focus on and improve in 2025. 

Did you suffer illness or injury? Yes, but I've written about some of it in the first paragraph so I won't repeat it here. I have continued to get daily migraines, which isn't much fun, and am continuing with treatment for the eye infection. Thankfully my sight has been saved but the treatment will continue until April, when the final thing will be some laser treatment. 

What was the best thing you bought? I didn't buy much this year. I exchanged Christmas and birthday vouchers for jigsaw puzzles and I got a lot of pleasure from doing those.

Where did most of your money go? I can't think of any big purchases this year. The only big expenses have been to do with the new home and that's the costs of the survey and the local searches.

What did you get really, really, really excited about? Choosing a new home. I wrote about the trials of finding a new place in my previous post so I won't repeat it here, but I've ended up purchasing a bungalow that will be perfect for me. Completion should be in January 2025, fingers crossed.

Compared to this time last year are you:

• Happier or sadder? happier. Much happier!
• Thinner or fatter? definitely fatter!
• Richer or poorer? about the same

What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I'd done more of everything... socialising, photography, reading, blogging ...

What do you wish you’d done less of? Being ill and not making best use of my time when I could have done more.

How did you spend Christmas? I spent some time on my own and then had friends to stay for a couple of nights. I cooked my Christmas meal on Christmas Eve as in previous years which made visiting on Christmas Day much easier for me. It was similar to last year really.

Did you fall in love in 2024? No, I didn't fall in love but I have continued my friendship with the "someone special" I mentioned last year.

What was your favourite TV show? I've hardly watched any of the regular TV shows this year.  Instead I've been binge watching old series: Manifest, Homeland, The Blacklist, Reacher and have just started watching Black Mirror. I've enjoyed all of them and can't really pick out a favourite.

What was the best book you read? It hasn't been a good year for reading, something that I plan to rectify in 2025. Of the few books I've read, I can't really pick out one to name as the 'best'.

What was your greatest musical discovery of 2023? I don't have a 'discovery' this year. I've been enjoying classical music mostly, but only listening to pieces I know rather than exploring new things ... maybe next year!

What did you want and get? Once I made up my mind to move I wanted a property that would be (as much as it is possible) future proof for my needs. Although the purchase won't complete until January, I have been lucky enough to find a big three bedroomed bungalow which will be perfect for me. 

What did you want and not get?  I wanted to get my second knee replacement done and out of the way before the end of the year but it had to be postponed because of the eye infection. It won't be done now until after I move so it means that the first part of 2025 will continue to be tied up with medical issues. 

What was your favourite film this year? I haven't been to the cinema at all so I've not seen any of the new releases. 

What did you do on your birthday? It was supposed to be the date of my second knee replacement operation but that was postponed at the last minute, so I had an appointment at the eye department instead. We had a nice meal on the way home though.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Less ill health.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2023? I don't really have a fashion concept - whatever I wear just has to be comfy.

What kept you sane? As in previous years, it's the support of friends and family. 

What political issue stirred you the most? The state of the economy. The behaviour of the government. Some of the decisions of our new Labour Government. Ukraine. Gaza. 

Who did you miss? Ced. Always.

Who was the best new person you met? I've already mention him earlier in this post.

I'm not in a position to give out too many details except to say that he has made a huge difference

and my life is immeasurably better since I met him.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2024. I am more capable than I think.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. I can't think of one so I will say the 

usual ... Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life!