2014 In Retrospect

For our country, 2014 has been a dramatic year to say the least - to the point that by the end of the year I refused to listen to or watch the news.  I have also found world news too much to bear. I have therefore made a conscious effort to not comment, in my blog, on many current news events throughout the year.

So I sit here, with only minutes left to this year, and, for the first time since I started this blog, I have decided to do a year in review.  I will not do a month by month review but rather pick out what I believe to be major highlights of my and my family's year.

In January, I made a new year's resolution for the first time in decades; to speak less and listen more.  This has been, at times, difficult, and only this morning, during a reflective moment, told myself I need to continue with this discipline, so I will.

In January, I also read Gone With The Wind for the first time when a friend offered to loan me her copy of the book.  I loved the book and regret not reading it a long, long, time ago.

In May my sister visited Sydney and extended family to celebrate her 60th Birthday.  It was a special time for us all.

Mr Honey Pie and I headed off to the desert in July...winter being the only time to spend time in the desert and although we visited some exotic places, it made me feel so appreciative of our home comforts. 

August saw the family pull together as we moved our Mum out of what had been the family home for the past fifty three plus years.  Poor Mum suffered a mini-stroke the week of the handover.  It was an experience we would have wished she never should have experienced. Especially at her age.

In September our second son had a piece of his jewellery selected for a prestigious exhibition called A Fine Possesion at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.

Mr Honey Pie's side of the family had another addition to the family in November (and so another quilt was created)

I think one of my disappointments would have to be how nature failed Sydneysiders in 2014

each time there was some exciting happening in the night sky by filling it with clouds.

Clouds are not as exciting as an eclipse.

We missed out every time. 

Happy New Year to all my blogger friends.

May 2015 be everything you want it to be.

Wild Weather

Our spring this year has seen exceptionally wild weather and summer seems to have kept on trend with one December week experiencing storms each day.

On Sunday 7th December, Mr HP and I drove through three storms as we made our way from one end of the city to the other and back again.

We had an invite to my sister's partner's 50th celebrations only to receive a phone call early in the day to let me know that my dearest aunt and God mother was seriously ill in hospital.  I knew I would never forgive myself if I had not made an attempt to see her for what might be the last time.  Thankfully she is on the mend but have no regrets that Mr HP and I fought the elements three times that day to make sure we not only visited my favourite aunt, but that we also managed to make it to the 50th party.

Here are some December weather snapshots.

Thirty minutes of hail fell on the 5th December while I was visiting my Daughter and Grand daughter.  Thankfully no damage was done.

When I returned home later in the day, there were some very strange cloud formations in the sky above our house.

Two days later we head into the first rain storm as we head out to visit my aunt in hospital.  

Christmas eve in Leura...a whiteout. (Photo taken by Mr HP).

On Christmas Day, we had a wild electrical storm after lunch. We had to rearrange the tables to keep the wind-swept rain off the food, the children had to hop out of the swimming pool and eventually, the lanterns were blown away into the wind.

The one positive from all this precipitation is that the garden is doing wonderfully and the flowering plants are the best I've seen them for years.

Better Late Than Never

Finally set up the Christmas Tree this morning.

Mr HP helped me, it's not often he helps with the Christmas tree but Little Miss Seven is hard to get a hold of these past few weeks. I've had three days of flu so he helped with assembling the tree and adding the lights.  I finished off the decorations while he set up the fairy lights on the verandah.

We'll have a tame Christmas this year as two of our boys and their partners will not be able to visit this year.

Guess How Much I Love You

Finally...my GHMILY quilt is ready for gifting!

I love this idea of using a vintage doily as a label.  I'm quite happy with how it turned out.  I bought a pair of the doilies years ago with the intention of using them as I have for this quilt but until now the opportunity hadn't presented itself.

Baby Charlotte is a month old now so Mr HP and I thought we really should make an effort and visit the new addition and her family.

So after a spot of Christmas shopping we visited the happy family.  After two little boys, the entire family is in love with the new princess.  She is Mr HP's sister's sixth grandchild and the first grand daughter.  Need I say more?