Farewell to 2011 and all that

Well not long now until we say goodbye to 2011 and welcome in 2012.  My main feeling about the year is that I will be pleased to see the back of it, for it has not been a good year for us here.  My husband lost his job around Easter time,  and my father in law died in August.  My husband has struggled with both situations and it's been tough all round.  But it's easy to focus on the bad and I intend to redress the balance here and concentrate on the good bits.  Highlights of the year include:

1. My daughter met her boyfriend and within the year has bought a lovely new house with him
2. She 'adopted' the cutest little puppy
3. My son graduated with a 2:1 degree in Politics in the summer and we so enjoyed his graduation ceremony
4. He's now embarked on a Masters degree in African Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies which is part of the University of London 
5. He started a weekend job at Stansted Airport so is now financially solvent again!
6. I became Godmother to my niece's daughter
7. My sister and brother in law celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary
8. My niece discovered she is expecting another baby in February
9. We've already booked our flights to spend a week at my sister's house in Portugal in July 
10. We had a wonderful Christmas with all our family together, no stress, no arguments, good food, good wine and lots of laughter

So just one day to go ... we're not socialising this NYE.  The first year in absolute ages that we haven't gone out somewhere.  Our daughter and her boyfriend are hosting a fancy dress party at their house and so we have the puppy coming to sleep over - she would be mightily confused to see her 'dad' dressed up as Buzz Lightyear and her 'mum' as the Queen of Hearts, not to mention the 20 others taking over her house in various disguises, I think she is better having a quiet night in with us!