I know everybody always says this but 2015 has bloody flown by hasn't it? For me it has been a real mixed bag of ups and downs. Ronan wasn't wrong when he sung about life being a rollercoaster was he?! I thought it would be nice to look back over the year however I didn't blog too much this year so it has been tricky to piece the months together. Note to self for 2016: must blog more than once a month!
January
In January I made lots of important decisions which would shape the rest of my year. I packed my things up ready to move house. I started studying for my HR qualifications. And I was ready for a fresh start!
February
February was the month I moved from Rotherham to Sheffield to live with my friend, who was also going through a break-up. I set myself a few goals (
here) and I managed to smash them all! I really got into going to the gym. I learnt how to cook meals for myself that weren't beans on toast. This was the start of the new more confident and independent Victoria. I turned 30 in this month too! And I changed my hair from full blonde highlights to ombre (and loved it!)
March
March saw the build-up to my skydive which I had signed up to do in April, for Rain Rescue (a South Yorkshire animal charity). Lola needed an operation to remove some stones from her bladder. I started to explore Sheffield (
here) and got settled in my new house (
here) and started going out a lot more. The hermit was no more!
April
April consisted of going up and down the motorway to see my mum and dad in Leeds every weekend. I got back into cross stitching and was on the look-out for a new big project to start. I did my skydive which was amazing, terrifying and mind-boggling, and left me feeling incredibly proud of myself for doing something so far from my comfort zone. I also raised a lot of money for charity. Hurrah!
May
May was tough! My housemate was away for a large chunk of the month so I spent a lot of time alone, which probably wasn't a wise idea! I ended May with a visit to the Isle of Man to see my sister (
here), which was lovely. While I was there I ordered a cross stitch kit for a sampler which would be a gift to my niece when she was born, and I got cracking with some stitching. I also got my nose pierced there! And I got a few pep talks from my sister ("PMA = Positive Mental Attitude") and I tried to focus on the positives instead of feeling sorry for myself.
June
In June I reached 4000 subscribers on Bloglovin' and I am grateful for every single one of you. I got into running in a big way and managed to run 5k non stop for the first time ever, after years of trying! And in other news I went on a date on the 22nd June and met the man I would fall in love with shortly afterwards, so I guess you could say things started to look up from this month! That PMA stuff seemed to be working!
July
Sadly in July I had to move out of the house with my friend as she was selling up, so after 6 months of living together we waved goodbye to our daily gossip sessions, wine and Dominos evenings, and being able to share clothes, jewellery and hair products. I was heading out to live alone (with the Pugs of course) from the end of July. The end of an era but the start of another. Learning to live alone!
August
This is the month I got Glandular bloody Fever, although I didn't know it was that at the time. I started to experience hot sweaty flushes, sore glands in my neck, and fatigue, but it would come and go and I put it down to being run down. Little did I know it would hang around for the remainder of the year and try to ruin everything! In between feeling poorly we celebrated Paul's birthday by heading for an overnight stay at Titanic Spa (
here) which was wonderful. But most importantly, on the last day of the month... MY NIECE WAS BORN! Mabel Lucy came into the world at a very healthy 8lb 1oz and I could not wait to meet her!
September
I popped over to the Isle of Man for one weekend in September to meet Mabel. She was so tiny and precious. I enjoyed two days of cuddles and important Auntie duties before heading home to get ready for a week in the sunshine with Paul. At the end of September we went to Lanzarote (
here) where we spent a week doing nothing but sunbathing, eating, drinking, reading and sleeping. It was bliss! It was our first holiday together and the first of many more!
October
October was the month my Glandular Fever hit me like a ton of bricks. I was really struggling to do anything and a full week of work would wipe me out, leaving me unable to move or speak. I was in a real pickle! After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing to the doctors some blood tests confirmed what it was. I was relieved that I wasn't going crazy but devastated because there's no treatment for it. It was one of those things I would just have to ride out. I had to take most of October off work as I was massively poorly and all I did was rest, rest and rest!
November
November was all about taking one day at a time, trying not to overdo it. I dabbled in a bit of baking and had the energy to do things like housework again. I tried to focus on the little things that made me happy (
here) and focussed on getting better.
December
And here we are, the end of the year! December has been all about Christmas shopping and counting down to a 2 week break from work in the hopes that it will get my health back on track. I am in the process of moving my things to Paul's house so from January we will be living together and I just can't wait! There couldn't be a more perfect way to end the year.
I am SO ready for 2016. A full year with Paul. Moving in together. Weekends away. Planning holidays (New York next December hopefully!) Lots of time with the Pugs, going on some nice walks and exploring new places. Getting back into exercise. Seeing family. And being happy/content.
