So here's some of our news from 2012. Click on the photos to make them bigger...
Ellie started secondary school in September - a big change from the small primary school but she seems to have settled in well, made friends and according to a recent parent-teacher evening is doing well academically. She's singing as part of the choir in the school show (January) and also plays basketball for the school.
Back in March, the Tulla St Patrick's Pipe Band which Steve belongs to were invited to Huddersfield UK to head up their St Patrick's Day parade - so a family trip was organised and it was great fun and we enjoyed catching up with some of our friends from Yorkshire as well.
Steve has also been discovering his thespian tendencies - earlier in the year taking a major part in a small independent local film (due for release soon)
A small "making of" clip is available on YouTube for those interested
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnpxDVDxvLU
He also took the part of Major General Stanley in the East Clare Musical Society production of New Pirates of Penzance (the Australian comedy version) that had a very successful 4 night run last week. All the cast and crew worked tirelessly and it was incredibly successful.
Ellie is still rock-climbing. She had trips to France and the UK with the Ireland Youth Team to climb outside this year and is still entering competitions. Great results in the Bouldering World Cup in Sheffield this summer and the Youth Climbing Series in Edinburgh. Also winning first place in the Irish Lead Competition in the Under16 female category in Dublin in November.
Home-wise it's been a particularly poor year on the fruit and veg front - mostly down to the prolonged wet weather and lack of sun we've had very poor harvests (except for raspberries)
Hopefully next year will be better - we have a handful of parsnips and sprouts that we're saving for Christmas dinner (one of the few things that the slugs and caterpillars have left us !!!)
Autumn saw the final completion of the sand arena at the front of the house. It replaced a boggy and useless patch of ground so after a lot of consideration, yards of drainage, hours of work we have a fully functioning piece of land. Instead of surfacing it with sand we were able to locally source finely ground recycled glass which is a marvellous and eco-friendly alternative with over 87000 ground bottles per lorryload (and we had 4 lorryloads)
Bracken seems to enjoy it anyway. Look - it WAS sunny at some point... I'm wearing a T-shirt !!!
...and then 5 days later when Ellie and I were out riding on a deserted country lane, we heard a squeaking sound coming from the ditch. Ellie crawled into the ditch and emerged with a tiny female kitten that was soaked through and crying. We took her home with a view to warming her up and then taking her to an animal shelter, but who could resist such a sweetie ? She's still very small but healthy and very affectionate.
Ellie christened her Saoirse which is Gaelic for "freedom"
Luckily work has taken off a bit more for both of us lately - I've managed to get some more regular locum work which keeps me busy (and my mind stimulated).
Sadly Steve's mum is in declining health so he's over in the UK visiting and sorting out continuing care for her.
Dad is much the same as usual, doing volunteer work all over the place and generally enjoying life to the full.
Our plans for Christmas - assuming Steve gets back from the UK, just relaxing in front of the fire and enjoying some family time off together. What with the demands of work, school, singing, acting and sports we are rarely in at the same time these days. I'm working over Christmas but get Christmas Day and Boxing Day off so we're looking forward to it.
Best wishes to all of you in 2013.
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