2018 in Review

As I often do at this time of year, I take some time to go back through all the photos I have taken and assess everything I’ve done and achieved. On a daily basis it can feel like I haven’t done much, or I’m just treading water. But the overview shows my just how full my life really is. Some of these pictures you may have seen before, I ask for your patience!

January – was full of making. I got back into my love affair with miniatures by putting together a tiny library that James bought me, and then played with water colours using the new paints I’d received for Christmas. There was a trip with a friend to the Rijksmuseum, and on a separate trip to the Maritime Museum. We also went to our first concert of the year; Depeche Mode!

February – Saw me take James on a surprise excursion to Rotterdam where I’d found him a Pinball Museum where he could play all the games. We had a visit from Mr Polley, who we took out to see the windmills. There was also a visit from Charlotte, and we had a snow fall!

March – there was a race to finish my blue Celtic Knot shawl in order to get it ready for its intended recipient. Sharon invited me to an art class where I re-discovered my love of acrylic paints. I finished another shawl for myself which had been intended as travel knitting, but I was having so much fun that I just finished it! Then off we went to New Zealand so we could have a tour of the South Island!

April – We followed this with a flying visit to Australia in which we laid Dad to his final rest in the Blue Mountains, and then attended a friends wedding in the Southern Highlands (giving the bride the aforementioned blue shawl!) Once home it was warm enough to get the bikes out of storage! We were on the road again as the weather was warming up. I helped out at Sharon’s first market and had an absolute ball in showing others her amazing pieces. I volunteered again at the Eye Film Museum helping them with their Nitrate Vault. Then it was time for Kings Day and for the first time we spent it on the canals in a boat!

May – I spent a day out on the town with Emma, and prepared myself for the extravaganza that is Wave Gotik Treffen. Obviously I needed new make-up and some more accessories. It was also the season of BBQs on rooftops, and we are ever grateful to our friends who have rooftops for inviting us over! Road tripping into Germany with friends on our motorbikes is an excellent way of getting to Leipzig for WGT. WGT itself was the mind blowing experience that it always is. Must be why we keep going back!

June – involved a trip to the Botanic Gardens as both James and I needed some down time and to just have a break from routine. It was lovely to have a day where our brains could slow down. I spent time making the first (of many) miniature kit, which I had procured online. It was so much fun that I may have found myself a new obsession!

July – James went off to the USA for work and left me all on my own to entertain myself! Of course I behaved myself admirably! Got my labret piercing back, went for some walks, caught up with Marjoleine when she was in town, and Cathy when she was in town (lots of visitors in summer!), there was also the annual trip to Hoorne for some fibrey goodness! Then we were off on the bike back into Germany for our next festival in Cologne! Amphi, where we were able to catch up with Pixie and Lyndon.

August – The heatwave continued and brought with it more visitors. This time my beloved schoonzus Ceciel. It’s really lovely to be able to show her around my city which I love so much. But another festival was calling our name, and back off to Germany we headed. This time to camp at M’era Luna, where I was fortunate enough to finally meet the wonderful Jessica and we became fast friends! I also knit my first miniature socks!

September – and there were more visitors, though these ones unplanned as we randomly bumped into some ex-neighbours from Sydney while walking through Amsterdam. We said good bye to our oldest cat Oscar, as he reached the end of his life. There was the anniversary of Dad’s passing, and we finally (after years of planning) made it to Spain! Beginning in Madrid, across to Valencia, then on to Barcelona. We ate, drank, cooked, and art galleried until our feet fell off!

October – we were off to the theatre to see the inestimable Dita VonTeese performing. We’d never seen her on a big stage before, and it was as amazing as you would expect. An old friend lost his battle with mental health, that was unexpected and upsetting. I finished another shawl, this one in green. There was a group trip out to Zwolle for more fibre and yarn (it never ends), another concert with a different group of friends (VNV Nation, with Miro and Marina).

November – I attempted to knit a sweater in a month. I didn’t make it, but it was a fun challenge and I shall try again next year. Possibly with thicker yarn. We went to our first ever Thanksgiving, and gave thanks for our friends who have become our family.

December – found us in Berlin! Catching up with more friends. It is just slightly easier for us to get to Berlin than Perth to see them, so there we were! I ate a Berliner, we went to a Christmas Market, there were museums (we like them), and lots more food and catching up. Home to put up our decorations and prepare for the season here, we had a little snow, I worked another market with Sharon, caught up with Charlotte during her flying visit, and we rang in the new year, safely tucked into our apartment with our cats and some champagne, as WW3 went off outside our window.

So there you have it! Oh WOW did we do a lot! No wonder it felt like we never stopped! This year is ramping up to look just the same with visitors and trips and courses we both want to do, and new skills we both want to learn. Wish us luck, and we shall wish you the same!

All our love to all of you!

Us