I have planned out all of my posts for Blogmas, and have decided to have a look back over the past year. It’s been a funny old year with some of the highest highs and the lowest of lows. January certainly set the pace for the rest of the year.

We started the new year with a wet walk around Ruislip Lido with our little furball and my (now) father in law. We had a lovely day together, embracing the blessing of a bank holiday and bursting with excitement for the year ahead. We had so many exciting things planned and I was really looking forward to 2015.

  
 
My Grandad and Uncle share a birthday on the 9th of January and with mine being on the 11th, we always have a family meal together to celebrate. This year we had our meal on the 8th of January. My Grandad has been unwell for a little while and we have to choose carefully about where we go so that we can cater for everybody and have a fun and relaxing time. We all had a lovely evening together and at the time, we didn’t realise just how precious that evening was going to be. We were completely unaware that this was going to be the last time that we could enjoy such an evening and didn’t know what would be coming our way in a few days’ time.

  
The next day Phil and I headed off with two of our friends to spend my birthday in Pisa.  We both absolutely adore Italy and were excited to explore Pisa, Florence and Livorno.

   
    
    
 
Once we had found our hotel and unpacked, we went out in search of food and our first glimpse of that iconic tower. We had a really fun evening and planned the details for the rest of our trip.

We decided to explore Florence and Livorno as they aren’t too far from Pisa. It was such a lovely trip, and the perfect way to spend my birthday. Even in the depths of winter, Italy is such a warm and inviting place. 

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 
A few days before our departure, our dear neighbour Bernard passed away. I was devastated because he was such a kind and friendly person and I knew how much he would be missed. Unfortunately, the day after we returned from Italy, Grandad had a fall, which resulted in him being hospitalised. We knew that he was unwell, but it was only when he was admitted to hospital that things really changed. We knew that if he was going to come out he wouldn’t be the same and it was really tough. I found that my best way of dealing with things was to try to carry on as normal, continue the routine of work and hospital visits. I still managed to have a birthday meal with friends at our local Ask Italian in Northwood, but it was literally between visits and wasn’t as jolly as I had hoped it would be.  

   
The rest of January consisted of work and trips to the hospital with dinners from Costa Coffee. It was a tough old month, but we all got through it eventually. Although it was riddled with some really sad times, we also had our lovely trip to Pisa that remained untarnished and that special meal all together on that Thursday evening, so it wasn’t all bad!

L x