2018 has been a hellava year! Probably one of the hugest years I have ever experienced. I sit here at the end of the year feeling a little shell-shocked to be honest.
So without further ado - 2018, what was it all about?
3 words to describe 2018: stressful, exciting, huge
Biggest lesson learned: I can't plan everything and I can't always be in control, sometimes I have to surrender.
TV series I was hooked on: I don't actually watch TV as such, but I do binge-watch series on Netflix and my favourite this year was "Grace and Frankie" - can't wait for the next season!
Favourite movie: Mamma Mia Here we go Again
Favourite song: "Shotgun" George Ezra
Favourite meal: every meal I shared with the whole family, sitting out on the deck in Kloof
Best place I visited: Dorset in general and Durdle Door in particular.
Number of countries visited: South Africa and the UK (and Dubai airport, but I'm not claiming that one!) Definitely not a huge year travel-wise!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018 month-by-month:
The year started with a bang - Paula moved to Newcastle on the 1st of January to begin her Community Service year, working as a Speech Therapist at Newcastle Hospital. It was dreadful leaving her in Newcastle where she knew literally no-one. As it turned out, we were SO incredibly blessed in that she rented a granny-flat from the most wonderful landlady who has turned out to be so so much more than a landlady, she has been a surrogate mom to Paula this year and has ensured that our girl has been loved and cared for in the most special way. Even her dogs welcomed Paula wholeheartedly and one of them has chosen to sleep with her every night! Over the course of the year we spent a number of weekends in Newcastle and found it to be a really lovely place. Paula has flourished at the hospital and has thoroughly enjoyed her work there. She has made some fantastic friends too. So although it has been a challenging year in some ways, it's also been a very special and rewarding year for Paula.
 |
| A view from Grey Goose in Newcastle |
I celebrated my 50th birthday in January. FIFTY! How the heck did that creep up on me so quickly...? We spent a lovely weekend in the Berg to celebrate my birthday and I got spoilt rotten by the family - couldn't have wished for a better birthday.
Our little Danny-boy turned 1 in January as well, quite the birthday month!
Grant and I did loads of walking in January and February, as at that point we were expecting to be walking another Camino this year.
 |
| This pic was taken on our regular walk in Kloof |
 |
| This pic was taken on a lovely walk we regularly did at Grey Goose in Newcastle |
April was another big month. Grant turned 50 - we celebrated with a lovely family weekend in the Midlands.
The other big event of April was Paula's graduation - what a proud moment to see our girl officially awarded her degree in Speech-Language Pathology, and she got the award for Best
Final Year Community-based Rehabilitation Speech Therapist too. So proud!
After all the excitement of April, May was a relatively quiet month - we just chilled out... sometimes with chickens ;-) And we planned for our trip in June!
 |
| Our precious chickens, Elizabeth, Catherine and Charlotte.. see what we did there... LOL! |
In June Grant, Roxy and I headed to the UK. After much soul-searching in the latter half of 2017, by early 2018 we had firmly committed to emigrating to the UK and were feverishly making plans. The aim of our trip in June was to decide on a place to settle. (Our original plan to walk the Camino Portuguese in June was cancelled in favour of this trip)
We had a really good trip. Rox was with us for the first week and we successfully found a village that we decided to move to. After Rox left, Grant and I spent a weekend in the Cotswolds, a few days with Lisa and Trev in Surrey and then we had a week-long holiday in Dorset (so, so beautiful!). We also managed to squeeze in quick visits with our friends Heidi and Charlie.
 |
| Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotswolds |
 |
| Witney, Cotswolds |
 |
| Dorset |
 |
| Durdle door, Dorset |
 |
| Dorset |
Once we were back from the UK it was all-systems-go to get our house sold. Putting our house on the market was absolutely gut-wrenching. I loved that house SO much.
July was a huge month for me personally. Through a long and convoluted series of events, and thanks in a large part to my friend Adri (who I subsequently discovered is actually my cousin!) I made contact with my cousin, Lindy, and then with my father - both of whom I last saw when I was 11 years old! Once we were back from the UK we booked tickets for the whole family to fly to East London in July, to spend a weekend with my father. It was a really remarkable weekend!
 |
| Dad, Paula and Bobby at Kaysers Beach |
 |
| Rox and the kiddies on Kaysers Beach |
August was yet another big month in our family. Paula and Cal left for a holiday in Dublin -
- and they came home ENGAGED! Much excitement all round! Add wedding planning to the mix!
Nothing momentous happened in September (thankfully!), but there was loads of stress as we prepared to emigrate, had endless show houses and I finished working. A super-stressful month indeed!
The beginning of October saw Jonathan flying to the UK to start his new job and Rox and the little ones moved in with Grant and me. It was a really busy month! We sold our house and our goods were packed for shipping at the end of the month.
 |
| St James Church Greytown. |
Totally unrelated, but I just love this photo of my Issy-boo, taken in October, amongst the Jacaranda petals in the driveway of our home in Kloof.
November was upon us really quickly and it was time for all the good-byes...
 |
| (I was having a VERY bad hair day!) |
 |
| Grant and his Dad with Issy |
 |
| Impi and Issy |
 |
| Impi and Dan |
Rox and the children flew out 2 weeks ahead of us. Those last two weeks were a whirl of activity - Grant finished work, we packed up our remaining worldly goods, sorted out all the loose ends and then suddenly it was our turn to fly. Final good-byes were said (saying good-bye to my Impi nearly did me in!) and soon we were at the airport. Paula flew over with us to spend a week sussing out the scene in our new home town.
What felt like 100 hours later, we were reunited with our babies!
Our first week in the UK was lovely.
 |
| Covent Garden, London |
 |
| My precious Paulz at Covent Garden |
And then December was upon us....we are feeling quite exhausted! This month has been really strange - stressful too - being 50 and literally homeless and unemployed takes its toll! It was wonderful to be able to stay with Roxy and Jon in their new home for the first 3 weeks of the month, and to find our feet with their help and guidance. Grant's been on a bunch of courses to convert his South African qualifications to UK ones and is actively trying to find a job (not the ideal time of year for job-hunting!) We have found a temporary home - a little 2 bedroomed flat that is....cosy..... but ideally located.
 |
| The windows on the bottom floor... that's us. |
We moved in a week ago and are working at making it homely. I think if Grant sees another box of flat-pack furniture arrive he'll burst a blood vessel!
We are finding our way in our new home town - we've found some lovely walks, good shops and we have a local pub!!! Yay!! It's a short walk from our flat, which is fun.
 |
| Our local pub |
We have been to some amazing places this month, some of which are definitely going to become our new "happy places" . Here are a few pics of our favourites.
 |
| Waddesdon Manor - this was the Christmas market |
 |
| Chessington |
 |
| Chessington |
 |
| Hughenden - this is a short drive from where we live and we will spend many hours here for sure! |
And then there is Cliveden... oh boy, I fell in love! I can see us spending many a day wandering around the forests and gardens at Cliveden. It's a half hour drive from us.
 |
| Bourne End |
So that brings me to today! Shew, what a year it's been! I sit here, on the last day of 2018 and I feel so many emotions.... exhaustion, joy, sadness, peace, uncertainty, love... very mixed emotions! But I'm optimistic about 2019. I have a feeling 2019 is going to be a good year. Not easy - is there ever an easy year once you start adulting?! But I think it will be a good year for our family. I think 2019 is going to have a positive energy about it.
So thank you 2018 for all the experiences, for the lessons I learned, the places I visited, the people I loved, the people I met and those people and pets (I can't even go there!) I said good-bye to, for the heart-ache and joy, the music and the memories.... What a year!
