Farewell for 2011

The festive season is upon us. Christmas is a few days away and just around the corner from that, a new year beckons. Like many lucky Australians I'll spend the last days of 2011 and the first of 2012 at the beach - with a two-night stopover in the Southern Highlands for a wedding in between. Wedding jaunt aside, I'll be at a coastal town in northern New South Wales where I've had the great fortune to have spent virtually every Christmas holiday of my life with a clan of extended family and friends, spanning several generations, who do the same. It is a time and place I treasure every year.

Among the unforgettable friendships I've forged in Yamba is one that sparked seven years ago with a lovely man who I went on to marry. As I say, it's a lucky place. And the luck continues as the clan expands and we can now watch a new generation of beach babies making it their own. Having spent many years being among the resident babysitters, it's lovely and mind-boggling, to be engaging babysitters to mind babies that belong to us. Mind. Boggling. At least we know what to expect.

2011 has been a big year. Oppressive regimes have been toppled in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, inspiring citizens of Syria, Yemen, Jordon and Algeria to fight the same cause in their own countries. Death prevailed for dictators Osama bin Laden, Muammar Gaddafi and Kim Jong Il. Great minds in Steve Jobs and Christopher Hitchens were lost. There was a beautiful royal wedding and my other favourite royal gave birth to twins.

On a personal note I gained a darling new niece, acquired a sister-in law, got a wave from the Duchess of Cambridge and had two close friends meet their beautiful sons. Another BFF discovered she is carrying not one, but two, precious peas. My own baby started walking, talking, turned one, lost her toys, learned to sing and finally sprouted a tooth. In that order.

I started a blog, started back at work and started saying the F word. I blogged in Barcelona, survived the motorways in France, roamed Rome and bid Oxford farewell. I avoided packing up our little home for as long as I could, survived the long haul flight and battled bureaucracy to re-establish life on this side of the world.

But, the beauty of a blog is you might already know that. And if you don't, but you want to, simply click through the pretty pink links.

I'm taking a break from technology and will sign off from Not Another Blogging Mother until I return to Sydney in January. Thank you so much for reading, commenting on and encouraging this little project. I wish you a fabulous festive season, the happiest of new years and a relaxing break. Who knows what 2012 will bring.

Georgie