A reflective look at the past year
January 10, 2006 at 10:16 AM
by Ashleigh
Today is my last day of being 31. I feel unusually contemplative today so I thought I'd write a bit about our past year and my stitching achievements. Part of this post is lifted from our Christmas letter of course - no way do I want to re-write all that! Of course, this is why I could never be a 'real' writer ...
I'm far too lazy! Here's a slightly amended version of our Christmas update letter:
Our household has been a busy one this year. Updates on everyone:
Sebastian, who will be six in March, completed his first year of school in August and started the second. Thankfully he has the same teacher as previously as the classes are mixed between Group 1 and 2. He learnt to read fluently in Dutch and English this year all on his own! Sebastian is learning piano, goes to judo classes once a week and is learning to swim. He was very proud recently to be awarded the first step in his swimming diploma, for learning to float on his stomach and keeping his face underwater for 10 seconds! He also rides his bike without trainer wheels!
Joachim, who turned three in August, started in preschool in January and although he found it hard to settle in he is enjoying it now. His Dutch language is coming along in leaps and bounds and if pressed he speaks grammatically correctly in full sentences. Of course, the need has to be particularly urgent, such as when requesting sweets! His English is good and he speaks very well and very clearly for his age. He looks like a cherub with his blonde curls, but we tell everyone its just a disguise! He will enter primary school in the Dutch system in September 2006
Brad is still employed at Irdeto Access BV here and the 23rdSeptember marked his three year anniversary of being employed there and also our three year anniversary of living in Holland. Brad and I have both joined a gym and are working hard at stopping the mid-30s spread! We enjoy it as the gym has a good program for kids, a crèche and lots of children's activities that they can enjoy while we work out, plus it gives us some alone time together and we get to use the pool as a family.
I have been learning to drive and continuing playing piano from where I left off 10 years ago. The driving has been an interesting procedure to say the least and I hope to finally pass the third stage of the three part licence (theory, pre-test and test) tomorrow! The piano is a better experience and I just completed my Grade 2 ABRSM exam. Ive volunteered as computer parent in Sebastians class now that my Dutch is fluent enough and I also baby sit a couple of afternoons a week which means the kids have someone else to play with.
In March we visited Disneyland Paris for Sebastians birthday and during the four days we were away the heavens opened dumping 50 cm of snow on our home town here in Holland! We returned to chaos! It was great at Disneyland though as there were very few people and very short queues. No-one else wanted to brave the weather!
In November we had a short break in London which was lovely, and allowed us to stock up on Christmas goodies. I got to indulge my needlework passion with a class with CA Wells and we all got to sightsee with a trip on the London Eye, a bus tour on an open-topped bus and a visit by Brad and the kids to the Natural History Museum while I attended my course. It was also great to meet up with my brother Richard, and our friends from Chelmsford, Ian and Gill, who came down to spend the day with us on the Sunday.
We bought a special kind of bicycle called a bakfiets which is basically a bicycle as long as a tandem bike, but instead of another saddle and handlebars it has a special box in the front with a bench with two three point seatbelts on it. This will be perfect for our trips to the forest and along the Amstel River next summer! We try toplan a trip every weekend and we cycle on average about 20 km at a time. Perhaps next year well go further afield -we might even try getting a trailer for Brad's bike and going on a bicycle vacation, but we'll see!
Brad and I will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary in January 2006! Its unbelievable how much time has passed and all of it interesting and surprising! Who would have thought ten years ago that we would now live in Holland and have two such wonderful children!
Personally, I lost 15 kilos this year, started having acupuncture to help me with weight loss and have decreased the dosage of my anti-depressant to half of what it previously was. I feel much more comfortable in Holland and even when the possibility of moving elsewhere was presented, decided that perhaps our possible future might be better here. My stitching life is good - I have curbed my enthusiasm for buying stash and I seem to be finishing more things than I start, which is always good, right? I am now co-moderator on the Aion board and have become involved in the SBEBB board too moderating some exchanges. I enjoy it!
Today's photos are of me as a baby, taken between 1974 - 1975, and are some of the rare ones I have of me with my parents. See how dry it is in Africa? And can you believe, my father is still driving that same Land-Rover?
Current Projects and 2005 Achievements!
Here's my list from 2005 of finished projects and current stitching:
Current Stitching
I just started the French Alphabet Sampler on 1 January, personalised for our family!
Current WIPs
Judy Dixon Mixed Stitch Sampler
Eileen Bennet's Band of Many Colours
Lavender and Lace Celtic Christmas
Chatelaine Mini-Mysteries
CA Wells Whitework Project
Emie Bishop Linen Band Sampler
Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers Spring Fling
Amy Mitten Forgery #1 Margaret Muir 1859
Indigo Rose Photo Album
Permin Celle Sampler
Hillside Samplings Strawberry Fields Stitching Bag and Accessories
Completed 2005
French Mystery Garden
Hillside Samplings 'Stitching Chair Necessaire'
Chatelaine model (still unpublished)
Full Circle Designs 'Perfect Gifts' Christmas Ornament
With My Needle 'Bunnies in the Garden'
Drawn Thread 'Heart Throb'
Erica Michael's 'A Winter's Nap'
Pine Mountain's 'Boo Crew'
Debbaworks 'Pomegranate Pin Pillow'
Aion Designs 'Heart Sampler'
Chatelaine 'Sampler Mystery 1' (model)
Indidgo Rose 'Silent Night' Christmas Ornament
Historic Stitches 'Acorn Thread Keeper'
Prairie Schooler Freebie finished as a pillow
Fancy Work's 'Quaker Sewing Kit'
Elegant Stitch 'This too shall pass pinkeeper'
With My Needle 'Strawberries so Faire sewing case'
Aion Designs 'Friendship Sampler Needleroll'
Indigo Rose 'Nantucket Limited Edition pincushion'
Victoria Sampler 'International Hearts - Holland'
Mosey and Me 'Essy's Friends #1 - Flower for a Friend'
Teresa Wentzler 'Cottage Garden Ornament'
Victoria Sampler 'Christmas Heart Bellpull and Ornament'
Victoria Sampler 'Love Blooms needleroll'
Periwinkle Promises 'August Sampler Accent'
Blackbird Designs 'Home for Christmas' Ornament 2005 JCS
Heart in Hand 'Noel Tuck Pillow'
Redwork Purse
Sue Hawkins 'Anemone Scissor Fob'
Its been a great stitching year for me!
Comments
Wow! What a year! Active and happy.
Happy Birthday and good luck on the driver's test!
Er is er één jarig, Hoera, Hoera,
Er is er één jarig, HOERA!!!
Hieperdepiep Hoera!!!
Hartelijk Gefeliciteerd!
En heel veel sterkte met je rijexamen!
Groetjes Juul :o)
Wow Ash, you certainly have had an enjoyable year despite everything else that has gone on. BTW congratulations on passing your driving test, a major achievement. These days I think it is a priority to be able to drive. :))
Sorry I missed your birthday - I've been a bit sporadic on the PC this week! I enjoyed reading your modified Xmas newsletter - sounds like you're really settling into dutch life :) You have had some beautiful stitching triumphs in 2005, and have some gorgeous projects still on to go - look forward to seeing 2006's progress :)
Ash, Happy Birthday!!!
January 10, 2006 2:27 PM