January 2022 - December 2022

So here we are again time for another post in our Annual Walsh Whereabouts blog... 2022 has been a year taking us back to normality and getting us out and about again!

My Motto for the Year was "You're never too old for anything! - Betty White" ... so I tried to keep that in mind. I sometimes struggle with the concept of getting older as it sounds quite negative at times - as well as can be quite depressing to see how our parents and loved one's lose their independence, health and quality of life - and there is no turning back or stopping the clock on aging!

I was looking for a positive spin on getting older and I think I recently found it... 

I am not old, I am a Queenager! .. What is a Queenager? A mature woman (probably over 46) with the wisdom and experience of years but with the will to be active and have fun like a teenager!

Some 2022 Highlights:

13 Jan - First day of holiday care for Grace at her new after care called Jungle Tots - Owned & run by Silvana. The after care has worked out really well as they collect her after school and do her homework which is fabulous for us! If all goes well, then Grace will continue here for the rest of her primary school hopefully.

19 Jan - First day of Grade 1 for Grace. She is in Grade 1E4 at Panorama Primary with Teacher Colleen Clarke. It has been an amazing year at school and in this Sunflower class. This year Grace has taken up Athletics & Netball as her Summer & Winter sports. Played her first netball matches at school and away at other schools so also her first bus ride from school to the other schools. 

She also continued with swimming lessons. 

She started and attended Gymnastics for the year - and received 3 gold medals for the 3 competitions she competed in. Also ended up with a trophy at the end of the year as best Gymnast in her Level 1 category.

She continued with cooking classes with Mother Ted and loving this!

 

6 Feb - Happy Birthday to Grace who turned 7 years old. She had a Flamingo themed party at home.

16 Feb - She also moved up from Teddies to Brownies this year. Grace enrolled as a Brownie!

7 - 23 Mar - Jordan and Annaissia arrived for a holiday. Beautiful couple and lovely to see them so happy! We even managed to get a picture of Grace & Jordan after a delicious meal cooked by Annaissia. Yummy!

18 - 21 Mar - Annual Panorama Witzenberg camping weekend.

11 May - I hardly ever get sick and definitely need to be seriously sick to take a sick day off work, so when I came down with a serious fever I thought it very strange! We confirmed it was Covid and I stayed in bed & away from work for a full day! The next day the fever had subsided and luckily I was working from home and resumed work again while still isolating for 10 days.

6 - 12 Jul - Road trip to Wilderness, Outdshoorn & Knysna with Elsa, Jack, Sam & Grace to support Elsa at the Knysna half marathon on the weekend. We stayed in a gorgeous house at Brenton on Sea. 

31 Jul - Grace started her first Catechism class with Teacher Diane at the Milnerton Catholic Church. She also started dancing in the Liturgical Dancing group at church - and danced her first one in the group on 19 Nov at 3pm at the First Holy Communion.

9 Aug - Total sports 10 km fun run, ending at the Grand Parade. It was fun and proved that it's still possible with little training... probably would be better with a lot more training though:-)

28 Aug - 28 Sep - Jordan arrives for a month holiday. Whoop whoop!

8 Sep - Happy Birthday to Mike. We went to a fabulous steak restaurant to celebrate, called Turn n Tender - their fillet steak with the black charcoal rub is to die for!

10 Sep - Rugby Sevens at the Stadium - attended with Mike, Jordan & Grace.

18 Sep - Went back after 21 years to our wedding venue, Suikerbossie, for their Sunday lunch buffet. Divine! The place has not aged one bit ... it is perfection!

5 Oct - Our pets usually live with us for life or pass on naturally after a long life anyways... Unfortunately, there was one who stayed for a short period only... We adopted 2 love birds in Oct 21 name Yoshi & Bean. We took them to the Exotic Animal Hospital to have them checked and wings clipped and only Yoshi returned. Bean stayed as she had pneumonia, so had to be treated in an oxygen tent. Unfortunately there was no improvement after 2 days and she did not make it. I am hoping that she is flying freely and happily in another life. Rest in peace, Beanie.

20 - 23 Oct - Our annual ladies scrapbooking weekend at Simondium where we eat, drink and be merry all weekend. Always fabulous!

12 Nov - Grace's first swimming gala at Durbanville High School. Also my birthday so we went for my annual crayfish spoil and lunch at Burger & Lobster in town. Whoop Whoop! 

30 Nov - Made use of my birthday voucher: Cobra 8 hour self drive car experience. We drove along the coast and ended up at Bistro 1682 for lunch and then at Chappies Hotel for their legendary calamari. Epic trip! Next time, I think I'll ask for a quieter exotic car, maybe a Ferrari or Lamborghini:-)

17 Dec - Friends Christmas Dinner at our place with 29 people attending. Plenty of food and merriment to go around! Thanks to all our amazing friends for all their contributions and presence.

18 Dec - Uncle Willy's Christmas party... It's only up to age of 9 years that Father Christmas delivers gifts and Grace is turning 8 this year. I think this might have been our last one... let's see if she still believes next December:-)

General:

I attended a few Tjhoko paint workshops. So easy to refurbish old furniture with this option.

Joined a new breakfast club. Thanks to Jemima for the invite:-)

Also continued with:

- KKC

- Monthly Dinners

- Moms Night Out

- Edgemead Bootsales - the decluttering is endless, but have not lost hope of having a minimalist house sometime again:-)

My motto for 2023:

"Think like a Queen. A Queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness." - Oprah

I recently saw this wish and sharing it with you: "May the tears you cried in 2022 water the seeds you planted for 2023." May 2023 be a year of new and happy beginnings for all of us.

PS. I think I need to add an overseas trip to this year's goals as I miss the travel so much!