The year that was

We had two terrific holidays this year, one in Sydney, but especially our European cruise where we began with a couple of days respectively in Dubai, Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona where we were joined by R's English sister and brother in law for a cruise of the Mediterranean. We visited Pisa, Marseille, Olympia, Naples, Mykonos, Santorini and the most surprising place which we all loved, Montenegro.

Holidays in 2018 will be rather more tame. We are getting old and saving ourselves and money for a big trip to the UK in 2019.

As we have both discovered this year, physically getting old is not a lot of fun but mentally, we don't mind at all. Friends too are having their own medical issues, and we rather miss our dyke friend who moved to Launceston in her home state of Tasmania with Dog Jack.

Around home not a lot was done. The bathrooms are on the list this year, but then they were in 2017 too. We'll get there.

Around the world and here in Melbourne, some rather nasty stuff has happened in public spaces. But the odds of you being a victim are very low. Nevertheless, when we took Little Jo into town earlier this week, I was hypervigilant, not just checking for cars when we crossing streets, but checking streets themselves. Sad really.

We so much enjoyed family time, especially at the wonderful country wedding of our nephew. Sister and Bone Doctor are to be married in 2018, along with our oldest niece to her partner. That Little Jo's mums can get married was somewhat a highlight of the year, even if the process was not. The delightful twins were born to the middle niece, and there were issues but things seem ok now. Mother and her house electric wringing caused us a lot of stress and cost. She is becoming increasingly frail, but still sharp as a tack.

Yeah, it was not a bad year really and I continue to treasure the online company of my blog mates.

My very best wishes to you for 2018.