The ANGQ is back! It’s the first post of 2024, will it be the last? Only time will tell…
1 What did you do in 2023 that you’d never done before?
Attend a summer solstice retreat. Go cold-water swimming. Write a succcessful grant application for our local swimming pool. Make a cats in a hot tub with calculators birthday cake. Craft a flower crown. Enjoy a bottomless brunch. Visit the Bristol Light Festival. Join in a magical full moon outdoor swim. (A lot of water-themed stuff this year!)
2 Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I said I wanted to do more swimming, which I definitely did – both open water and pool, but I failed miserably at group bike rides as I did precisely zero. I definitely used social media less, and my phone overall, and did a lot of crocheting so hopefully that covers being more creative!
The old habit is still sadly here but I’ve not given up on kicking it to the kerb.
So resolutions for 2024: even less phone time, even more creativity, being patiently present with my family.
3 Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, three friends had babies, which meant more crocheted blankets and toys.
4 Did anyone close to you die?
My great aunt died in December, but we hadn’t seen each other for years. I did go to the funeral, which as well as being the chance to pay my respects was a good opportunity to see older relatives I’ve also not seen for years.
5 What countries did you visit?
It was a year for the low countries – The Netherlands and Belgium. We had a Dutch week in August with the lad, and then S and I had a glorious three days in Brussels in September to celebrate our anniversary. We also had a lush long weekend in Chagford in Devon, and a week in Yorkshire with S’ family.
6 What would you like to have in 2024 that you lacked in 2023?
More variety of work. I’ve been doing a lot of freelancing for one company, but a lot of this is coming to an end in March 2024. So onwards and upwards with finding a new range of businesses to work with.
7 What dates from 2023 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
1 November, when S and I celebrated 20 years together.
8 What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Workwise, it was launching a project that took over 12 months to come to fruition. In gardening terms it was finally growing a sweetpea wigwam!
9 What was your biggest failure?
Still not kicking my long-term habit. But I haven’t given up giving up, if you see what I mean.
10 Did you suffer illness or injury?
I feel I got off pretty lightly in 2023. Here’s hoping that continues in 2024.
11 What was the best thing you bought?
A digital piano. It was hard to pass on my upright piano, but I wasn’t playing it because it was right next to the lad’s bedroom, and also because I’m so out of practice I didn’t like people hearing. So I invested in a Roland digital wooden piano that I can use with headphones and which takes up way less space in the spare room. I love it and I’ve already played the piano way more in 2023 than I did in the previous five years combined.
A close second is the green velvet Nancy Mac jumpsuit I bought after lusting after it for 18 months. I’ve only worn it twice but had so many compliments, and it’s one of the items of clothing I know I’ll wear until I drop off my perch. And a close third is a candle in a scent called Library. It smells divine, and the product description is a masterclass in creative copywriting.
12 Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The volunteers at our local pool for keeping this amazing community asset afloat.
13 Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
As per, our government. So much corruption, lies, contempt and incompetence. I cannot wait for them to fuck off this year. (Fingers crossed, and if anyone votes Tory this year, you are an idiot.)
Also drivers who cut me up when I’m out on my bike and do dangerous close passes. I love that you consider shaving 10 seconds off your journey as more important than my life.
14 Where did most of your money go?
Just general living, really. And most of that food.
15 What did you get really excited about?
Celebrating 20 years with S. We had a glorious mid-week trip to Brussels where we did all the things we used to love pre-child — wandering around a city in the sunshine with coffee and beer stops, and just talking about everything and nothing.
Also seeing my close friend B and her family, who visited us from Germany, as I hadn’t seen her since 2016. We had a wonderful long weekend in Dartmoor and then a few days at our house, and it was just the best. And the full moon open air swim I did was amazing. I definitely want to do another.
16 What song will always remind you of 2023?
‘The Mother We Share’ by Chvrches – I saw the band perform it at Glastonbury and it’s such a catchy song. The blood-drenched outfit was pretty striking too.
17 Compared with this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder?
Happier. The fallout from my mom’s death is easing. I feel more content, and more confident and comfortable in who I am.
– thinner or fatter?
About the same – I’d worked hard last year to up my fitness and reduce my drinking, which has paid off.
– richer or poorer?
About the same.
18 What do you wish you’d done more of?
Swimming outdoors, although I did do loads more than the previous year. It really is lush. This year I took dips in Eastney, Studland in Dorset, West Country Water Park in Bristol and Porlock in Somerset. I also braved Cleveland Pools outdoor lido in November with temperatures at 10.5, lasting 15 minutes which I was very proud of.
19 What do you wish you’d done less of?
Getting frustrated. Being mindlessly on my phone. Worrying about getting things done.
20 How did you spend Christmas?
Due to events of the last two years, I had a pretty low bar for a good Christmas: no-one end up in hospital. Well, we definitely achieved that, and more. We had Christmas Eve to Boxing Day at home with my dad and my brother, and all of us were in a much better position that last year. My dad really embraced the festive season, which was lovely. Then we had a few days with S’ parents, which included some evening walks to admire the local lights and a trip to the pantomime, which was WAY smuttier than I thought it would be.
The last two festive seasons have been awful, for obvious reasons. This year I decided I was going get back into all the things I love about Christmas, but not do anything just for the sake of it. So I painted cards, made a wreath, burned Christmas candles, and cooked frangipane mince pies. And it was truly lovely.
21 Did you fall in love in 2023?
Only more than ever with my husband and my son.
22 What was your favourite TV programme?
As always, I watched some great TV this year. The programme I recommended to everyone was The Bear. Series one was good but series two was sublime. I eagerly anticipated weekly episodes of Sort Your Life Out, because I absolutely adore Stacey Solomon. I loved Daisy Jones and the Six — a rare occurence of an adaptation being nearly as good as the book. After watching the film version, I really enjoyed the TV series of Boiling Point. I also watched more And Just Like That and Emily in Paris with two good friends, wine and snacks, which is the best way to enjoy TV like that.
23 What was the best book you read?
I keep a list of books I read and last year I started putting asterisks next to the ones I truly loved. So 2023 asterisks were Hamnet (superb, superb writing), Station Eleven, Once Upon a River, The Whalebone Theatre and Lessons in Chemistry.
Honourable mention also goes to the Eerie-on-Sea mysteries, a five-book series the lad and I started in February. We read them out of sequence but loved them all, especially Festergrimm, and when the final book Mermedusa came out in September I got the lad a signed copy.
24 What was your greatest musical discovery?
I took a bit of a Harry Styles deep dive this year, and also dived a bit deeper into Taylor Swift after watching Eras at the cinema.
25 What did you want and get?
Functioning solar panels. A sweetpea wigwam. A green velvet jumpsuit. And another magic six-week summer break with the lad.
26 What did you want and not get?
A return to trapeze. (But it’s here in 2024!)
27 What did you not want and not get?
A Christmas with hospital trips. Yay!
28 What was your favourite film of this year?
Boiling Point — it had S and me gripped from the start to the finish. I loved the one take concept as well. I also went to the cinema for the first time in about four years to watch Eras, which was fab. As the price was the same wherever you went, I picked the gorgeous Everyman to watch it in, where I thoroughly enjoyed a pint delivered straight to my seat.
29 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 41 and it was truly glorious weather. S, the lad and I went to my dad’s place in Southsea along with my brother, and we went to the Isle of Wight on my actual birthday for a delicious lunch at a pub with its own private beach (read: shingle strip). The next day S and I had a wonderful swim off the beach at Eastney. S made me his now-annual amazing cake, which this year was mint chocolate-themed.
30 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less worrying about the small things.
31 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2023?
I embraced the jumpsuit and bought a long-coveted velvet version. Late last year I bought my first pair of paperbag trousers which I really liked and which are super flattering, so I’ve now got a couple more pairs. I used Vinted more for both buying and selling. After an ill-fated attempt to try a different cut of jeans, I realise skinny jeans still hold my heart after 15 years. And I still love pink hair.
32 What kept you sane?
Hypnotherapy, yoga, gardening, red wine, my husband and good friends.
33 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No-one lit my lemon this year.
34 What political issue stirred you the most?
Nationally, the general awfulness of our government. Internationally, the war in Gaza. I’m not qualified to speak on the latter but as most of us think, how can such a thing be happening?
35 Who did you miss?
My mom, as always. And after seeing my close friend B and her family in April, I really missed being able to see her as much as I’d like.
36 Who was the best new person you met?
The people I met through volunteering at the pool have been so passionate and so engaged. It’s really great to see such commitment.
37 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2023.
Paying more attention to the seasons and cyclical living is really rewarding, and helps you appreciate the little things in each day.
Postcards from the Edge (of the West Country) 