In 1999, as Prince did his thing and everyone else was quaffing champagne and wondering if we were about to encounter a digital apocalypse, I was laid up suffering my own version of the Millenium Bug, replete with Aloe laden tissues and an untouched glass of Bucks Fizz. In a strangely apt balancing act, NYE 2010 sees me gestating another flu-bug, but hopefully this time round I’ll muster enough energy to down the fizz and retain my Just Dance 2 crown.
The end of a year, especially one that bookends a decade is always a time for reflection. I have a shockingly bad memory for dates but I can at least recall that I got married and gave birth in at least 3 of the years in this decade – 2002, 2004, and 2006. So I was pregnant for half a decade?! Bloody hell! At least that explains the stretch marks.
Geographically I’ve moved further north, graduating from St Albans to the wilds of North Bucks. London is no longer a half an hour train ride away and with that fact comes the knowledge that the pace of life really has slowed down considerably in the last 10 years.
In the last year I’ve discovered a wonderful online fraternity and with that my love of blogging has developed and grown. I’m very grateful for all the friendships and opportunities that this has brought me, and regardless of how often I manage to commit my rambling thoughts to the screen it’s definitely not an outlet that I’ll be giving up in a hurry.
In the next decade I will celebrate acknowledge ignore my entry into my fifth decade of life and look to shift my focus once more. The last 10 years have been primarily about children, working in a piecemeal sense around their needs and generally putting all vestiges of my career very much on the back burner.
The next 10 are where I intend to resurrect some sense of ambition, still focussing on the needs of my family but also looking for ‘me’ – not sure where she is really, she might be languishing down the back of the sofa along with a multitude of beads, barbie shoes and freddo wrappers.
So, I’m looking forward to 2011, wishing you all a happy, healthy, successful year and resisting the pressure to make any resolutions. It is what it is…..
Aw, I could’ve written this! I too am hoping to rediscover myself after nearly 15 years of full on parenting! Sorry you’re buggy again, throw back the Bucks Fizz and chin chin to you! Happy New Year from the Moslers with much love. I am very glad we linked up online and met in RL and am looking forward to seeing you again in 2011! xxx
I still have you to thank/blame for your support in me getting The Blog Up North off the ground in 2010. It has been a pleasure making your online acquaintance this year.
Best wishes for 2011, P.
You think you have problems – I’m going to start my age with a 6 in this decade (early on too!!). This year has been fabuloous for me & my online life & much of it is down to your support P. I do hope 2011 brings everything you wish for & a meeting where we can have that chat!!
Happy New Year P, i hope 2011 rocks for you and your family.
M2Mx
I hope 2011 brings you everything that you want it to xx
A strange decade. It lasted 11 years. Like you we spent most of it building our family.
I hope that you chieve everything you aim for in the next decade.
Happy New Year my gorgeous girl! You are a bloggin’marvel, sure your next decade will be fantabulous
MD xxxx
Gorgeous. I was smiling as I read you post and was about to comment about the line when you say you were pregnant for a half a decade because that made me smile, then like a commuter train to London it hit me – mid post – that I too will be celebrating, acknowledging, ignoring my fifth decade of life.
Now I need to sit down in a quiet corner for a while, preferably with a glass of something strong.
Make that a pint.
Wishing you a very happy new year. Looking forward to meeting you again.
This comment is a bit long isn’t it? First one of the new year don’t you know. xx
Here’s to 2011, hope it brings you all health and luck and happiness and freddos and all sorts.
Oh no sorry to hear you have the lurgy again. I hope that the next decade is kind to you all. Much love Jxx
Happy New Year Xx
Good luck with your plans for the new year and I hope it’s a fabulous new year, and decade, for you 😀
Good luck with your plans – you’ve made me think about how things have changed in the last decade, doesn’t time fly!
I think we need a vixens night out to help you rediscover you – have been blogging along similar lines this evening
I’m in a similar place to you, with Missy being at school now too. I have no idea what I really want to do but I do know I need to get on with trying out a few things.
All the best for 2011.
I started the last decade in employment and married. I start this one unemployed but in a lovely relationship with someone I didn’t know in 2001. In many ways this is an improvement, albeit not income-wise.
I had budgies last decade, this one I have cats. I may move onto cattle by the time I am 60.
I was already in my 30s when the last decade started, unsurprisingly I am now in my 40s. This still shocks me. I have clothes from before I was 30 that still fit me. This astounds me.
I was hideously in debt in 2001, I am now debt and bank account free. I also get less weird looks now when I say the reason I don’t have a bank account is because I don’t trust banks.
I have less living relatives than I did, but I see the survivors more regularly than I have done since the 1980s.
I still have no career ambitions, and hope this continues until the inevitable lottery win.
In 2011 I am in contact with more people I went to school with than I was in 2001. This is weird and I blame the internet.
I still do not trust the Government.
I haven’t found “me”, but I suspect I’d want to punch me if I did happen upon me.
I hope your 2011 is whatever you want it to be, or whatever you make it be makes you happy when you look back on it.