Microblog 2

Oh man. I'm terrible at this blogging lark. Let me start with a Facebook status I wrote summing up 2017:

For me when i think of 2017 I think of uncertainty, instability, injuries and not the greatest mental health (I went a bit weird when I turned 30). But I just had to scroll through my timeline to check on something and it reminded me that 2017 was also about a LOT of love and support (that sometimes came from the most unexpected of places), adventures, surprise and not surprise visits, new friends and additions to the clan. I love my UK and kiwi family and wish we could all be together all the time and not separated by time zones and lots of water.  I hope 2018 will be more stable, filled with even more love and less injuries - this is my hope for both me and the world. Haha. Happy New Year peeps.

And an update on previous entries:

We survived the swim! 1h30 which is super slow and the winner did it in 36mins. Mad. But I didn't do it to win, I did it to do it and I was proud of myself. I didn't freak out- Dan being there calmed me down and at the beginning 2 people needed rescuing by lifeguards which a bit evily, made me feel better.

I'm back home for 3 weeks. Well in fact I'm nearly back in New Zealand as I only have a few days to go. It's had me all weirded out emotionally. I was my usual grumpy self at Christmas - I wonder when I'll get over my hatred of this time of year.  I burst into tears when mum showed me my stuff I had left behind - it felt like I had left in a rush and expected to come back but never did. It was odd.  I've spent the 3 weeks clearing out my stuff - I've got rid of a lot of things but it's been hard to part with some things...I've kept my prized fridge magnet collection and one day I'll send for it! I've been catching up with friends too.  I've managed to see most people but some people it's only been a lunch here or a dinner there which is sad - I'd have loved to have spent more time with everyone.  I have been to a wedding, Surrey and Oxford and Paris and London and the Peak District but I still feel like I could have done more with my time here. It was lovely to catch up with work people too - though my old boss is very sad I want to stay in New Zealand.  It's amazing that 90% of the staff were the same too.  Says a lot for the company.  Annoyingly after Paris the lack of sleep and walking about in the cold caught up with me and I was in bed for 2 days with a cold.  I can't wait for the next time I'm back in the UK- life admin will have been done so I can bring Aric and it will be more of a holiday than this was. Plus hopefully we will come in nicer weather. It's crazy how much it affects my mood - today was gorgeous and sunny and I was all "I love England!" But the rest of the time it's been dark and grey and brown and I've hated it.  
New Years was spent at a friend of Sepha's - people had split into pre arranged teams and hours, and chosen a country that turns midnight for their selected hour.  Then each hour the team who's hour it was dressed in somethijf delayed to that country, and served food and drinks from that country.  I didn't have any time to prepare so joined in with Brad and Sepha for Russia and we served moscow mules and salmon blinis and told a Russian folklore tale.  It was fun.  Also oddly despite fpinf to sleep at 2am I  a room shared with 4 others and a booming party going on downstairs this was the night I slept the best since landing. I've had bad jetlag and haven't slept properly since being here. 

I'm looking forward to going back to New Zealand but also feeling sad.  I'm looking forward to seeing Aric and the weather and getting back into the swing on things, and having my room back.  But catching up with friends and family here has made me miss them dearly and I'm sad I won't see everyone until God knows when.  The comforting thing is everyone is the same as I left them - their lives may have changed but their personalities remain the same and I know they're friends for life.