That was the year that was - Good Bye 2018 - Hello 2019

It would appear our 2018 was "life is a beach", I didn't really think we did that much this year, but when I look back and really think about it, we didn't really stop and most things revolved around beaches, days at Volunteer Marine Rescue, taking our own boat out and then finding new 4WDing beaches to do. I really don't blog that much any more and that is probably due to the fact that life is just life.  We have learnt to enjoy short holidays more often in our own back yard this year and I have blogged about those, and our 4WDing adventures so won't bore you with those again.

I don't feel we have stopped though, it is just different to other years, we have done a lot more family type things this year as well as well as learning and growing as individuals.

If I look back to this time last year, we have changed quite a lot including:

• Loosing weight - we have both dropped about 8 kilos this year - it was a goal we had since we retired, but just never really got around to addressing - me I still have a few to go but I do go up and down a bit but that journey started around April this year and I know we both feel better for it.
• Reducing Dereks sugar levels - it is an on going trip for us but we are trying to keep his sugar levels into a more moderate range - some days are better than others however we keep plugging away at this.
• Changing our smoking habits - it is what we do unfortunately, but I will say we have been able to make advances in changing this habit, from 2K a month to less than  $500 per month so that in itself is a big change for us.

It was a year of leasurely pursuits.

January:  Tennis ( it is our summer of tennis after all), and our first little 4wD trip to the border ranges

February:  North Straddie and lots of beach 4WDing as well as our 14 River Crossings of the Condamine

 

March/April :our 30th Wedding Anniversary and travels to Yamba/Cresent Heads and Mums 86th Birthday

May/June: Mothers Day, D1's Birthday, My Birthday, Foster and Tuncurry plus painting Mums house

July: Lots of boating, Port MacQuarie

August:  Bribie Island and Training for VMR

September:  Dereks Birthday, Rainbow Beach

October:  D1 moves back home and D2's Birthday

November:  We find our little hide away at North Straddie and do several over nighters in the Wallaby tents

December:   Xmas and a nice week at Ballina  

So lots of beachy things, lots of 4Wding, lots of lovely country drives, and we never seemed to lack for things to do.

While these are not big things, we did make a concerted effort to make lifestyle changes which we hope to continue through to 2019.

We tried to learn new things like 4WDing, painting, Derek got a Drone and has been learning how to concur that, as well as becoming a full MSQ Coxswain.

So life is changing for us, it isn't all about where we have been to any more, it is about where we as individuals want to be as people and that is a bit of a different journey.  Yes we could jump on a plane and fly somewhere, do a tour etc but again we there isn't a lot of places we haven't been to , but right now it is about us finding US and the people we want to become, not about the places we want to go to.  WE have leant to find nice little hide aways that provide us with a balance to our lives.

Family is a big focus for us right now, being there for those we love and as Mum becomes older it seems more and more important to spend time doing things for her and with her.

D1 and D2 also now need our support in more ways than they did a few years ago and that fills the heart with so much more than       travelling, helping them and doing things with them gives us so much pleasure right now that being here for them is important to us.

What does 2019 have in store, who knows at this point in time - will tell you same time next year.