Happy New Year!

I’ve been rubbish at getting time to blog this year, but I had to make sure to write a post before the end of the year. I hope anyone who still reads this has a great Christmas. I did!

Nicky came up for Christmas for the first time, and it was great to have him around. It was probably busier and noisier than the Christmasses he’s used to, but quieter than usual for us since my brother wasn’t home, and my very Christmassy cousin Leah is working in Hong Kong so two of my aunts were visiting her. I stayed in my house on Christmas eve for the first time, but I had a very excited phone call from my nephews in the morning telling me what Santa had brought them. We had dinner in my sister’s on Christmas day and boxing day, and it was great to spend the time with the boys. They make Christmas special for me.
I got some great presents, even though part of Nicky’s and one from my sister which were both bought in River Island didn’t arrive. Nicky gave me a Cool Discs voucher that I have spent in my head already! The most unexpected present that I got was from my parents, who gave Nicky and I tickets for Arcade Fire and The Pixies in Dublin in June. They never get me tickets for gigs, so it was a big surprise for me.
We spent the next few days with friends, either in their houses or on nights out with them. One of my friends got engaged which made things exciting. There was an event in Scoil Mhuire as part of the gathering, so we all spent a couple of hours in the school looking at photographs and meeting teachers I hadn’t seen in years. There was a disco on that night, and it was really good. Two nights later, our year, (the class of 2003) had our own ten year reunion, and I loved seeing people I hadn’t talked to in years. Some people’s accents have changed, which was a bit confusing for me!

This time last year Nicky and I were enjoying Darragh and Emma’s wedding in Drogheda. I’m in Carlow now, and it’s hard to believe the year is over already. That wedding seems like six months ago! Since then we were invited to seven weddings, and went to five of those. We’ve had a very busy but brilliant year. A few highlights I can think of from 2013 were:

Visiting my cousins in Scotland and finally getting a chance to visit my uncle’s grave.
Spending lots of time with the girls at weddings and hens, and having so much fun.
OJ working well, being his usual happy self, and staying healthy, apart from one time. Let’s just say he was sick enough that day to make up for three years!!
I’ve been lucky enough to have had work all year, and a chance to expand the disability training I do to an older age group. Will spend the second half of next year job hunting for definite, but I’m thankful for the work I’ve had and the great people I work with.
I loved our graduation in December, especially since it seemed like we were never going to get to Maynooth at times.
The musical highlight of the year had to be David Gray in An Grianan Theatre in Letterkenny. It was probably my ideal dream gig in that theatre, so when it happened, it was so brilliant.

I hope everyone else had a great year, and that 2014 is another happy, healthy and fun year. Thanks for reading, and to the people who leave comments, thanks for all of them. I want to keep blogging until O.J retires, and the people who read it will help to motivate me to do that.
Happy new year.
Jen x