Hello 2014

I’m definitely not superstitious, but I’m starting to think that there is something to this “unlucky number thirteen” thing.

In a lot of respects 2013 was indeed a pretty unlucky year. There were many health challenges in my close family / friends. My dad was hospitalized in ICU for over a week with pneumonia and had to have a potentially dangerous hernia repaired and my mother in law broke both her arms at the same time.  Two of my close friends were diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have double mastectomies. Another friend had a cancerous tumour in her brain removed. Two friends lost their fathers, and another their brother. And not to forget the mother of all health scares: Gary’s cancerous kidney that now lives in a lab somewhere. Not only were there medical issues, but relationships ended too: two close friends went through unpleasant divorces / breakups, and Craig broke up with his girlfriend of five years.

A nasty year all round.

I realise that this is starting to sound like the blog post of doom and gloom… Let’s just say that by the time December rolled around, we all NEEDED a holiday, to put it mildly!

So enough of that already!

2013 wasn’t all misery and sadness, and despite the hiccups along the way, it was also a pretty good year:

Caris turned two!

We went to Mauritius for a very brilliant ten days at Club med!

Alex turned five!

Alex lost his first tooth! (and his second!)

I turned 40… but I’m not sure that is a good thing!

We built a house! (which is pretty damn amazing, and the whole process went surprisingly smoothly)

Stuart got his Civil Engineering degree! (Had to steal this photo from his FB page, as he is currently in New Orleans partying it up – been there since November and didn’t go to his actual graduation)

Craig finished his articles, and is now officially a qualified attorney!

So here’s to an amazing 2014. May it be prosperous, happy, and above all HEALTHY for everyone. (And here’s hoping I will find more time to blog this year!)