What will 2012 bring?

Last year (well, December 2010) I wrote a little review of the year and my aspirations for 2011. They were in no way New Year Resolutions – why set yourself up to fail? – but I thought I’d give it a go this year as well. Here goes…

2011 was not an easy year for anyone. We are still in recession. Maybe not in official terms, but things have been crap since Northern Rock committed suicide in 2007, which coincidentally was the year we decided to move to the North East. I can’t help feeling 2012 is not going to be the year that things get better. But enough about the gloom. Did I do what I said I would?

Let’s start with the successes. I passed my driving test (only six months after I thought I would) and so did my Taller Half. We bought a car. My photography has gotten better. We haven’t got any chickens yet, but we have at last decided where in County Durham we want to live.

I have a head full of excuses, but I didn’t write as much as I wanted to, and I didn’t do as much foraging as I had planned. On the plus side, I have learned how to make rowan jelly, refined my sloe gin and sloe gin truffle-making, and I can now make cheesecake.

I am now house hunting again, and I very much hope that we will be able to buy our own house before the summer kicks in. Mainly because our house at the moment has a rubbish garden and just one lonely blackbird. I will start pining soon if I don’t get a garden I can do things in.

What else have I got planned for this year? Firstly: to not be scared of my car. I mean, to be a confident and safe driver. If we get our house, I plan to spend the summer gardening. I also need to learn a new foraging patch. I need to find new photo spots too – I’ve already found lots of horses to photograph so I think I’ll get some good shots. I will try and write more: I like writing, but I need to be in the mood or it isn’t fun. I’d also like to start horse riding again. This comes with a caveat: I’m not sure we’re going to have any money for luxuries this year.

That’s it I think. I hope 2012 will be a good year for me. I hope it will be for you too!

Looking east from Crook, County Durham

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