2018 in pictures

Happy New Year everyone and I hope 2019 has been good to you all so far.

My last blog was my review of 2018's music offerings so I thought that a fun way to tell you about 2018 would be through my other favourite medium; photos! I hope you enjoy 😁

The only polite and proper place to start would of course be photos of Esme! With the beautiful summer (that stopped conveniently in time for Airbourne, but more of that later) it meant I was able to spend most evenings in the run with her (much to Esme's delight).

Really Mum?

We also had lots of fun in the snow that came in March, she rediscovered her love of playing in the white stuff (even if she didn't have Stelly to kick it at!) with the benefit of being able to scamper back onto her heat pad and toast her butt!

I see you taking photos, that must mean you're about to feed me!

Is there anything cuter than bunny prints in the snow?

She made good use of the snow .....

Taking matters into her own paws

At the end of March I was lucky enough to be able to go to two 30 Seconds To Mars concerts in a week in London and Birmingham. It was the first time I'd been to Birmingham and I thought it was a really lovely city, particularly the museum. You can read my waffling and see the photos from the shows in my blog 'My Mission To Mars'.

O2 Arena London

Barclaycard Arena Birmingham

In my other main geeking past time I was lucky enough to go to the Air Tattoo again and even have them read and 'like' my review of it on Twitter.

Ready to geek (anorak just out of shot)

Me and a Tornado - some things never change ...

617 Sqdn Past, Present & Future (L-R Tornado, Lancaster & Lightning)

Unfortunately when it came to Eastbourne's turn to host our annual Airbourne air display later that summer the weather decided to give up on it's glorious weather and soak us in downpours and low cloud. Sunday was completely written off by low cloud, Friday and Saturday thankfully went ahead and some idiot decided to brave the heavy rain on Thursday on the off chance of seeing a Typhoon ......

That would be me then ....

...... Saw my Typhoon though.

The most important aviation event of 2018 was, however the RAF's 100th birthday celebrations that included a mass flypast over London.  I'm really glad I took the decision to go up to see it as it was awe inspiring and filled me with pride, I can also boast that I was there when the RAF flew 22 Typhoons down The Mall in the shape of 100. The noise of the crowd cheering in delight nearly drowned out their engines, no mean feat!

The RAF's new F35B Lightning II's made their debut over London days after touching down on UK soil.

Yay for Tornados

Such an amazing spectacle

The weather did however put on a good show for the day Bente came down to visit. Mum and I gave her a whistle-stop tour of Eastbourne taking in our oldest pub The Lamb Inn, Beachy Head, cuddles with Esme, a castle and finally a beer garden - all the British essentials!

I managed to get a few snaps in 2018 that I'm pretty pleased with -

Lightning between clouds back in May during the craziest storm I've ever seen.

What can I say? I love snow!

A really lucky 'phone snap' early one morning on a coach trip

I upgraded my phone just after Christmas to a Huwawei P20 and the camera is outstanding. This is Orion's Belt the other night.

Another excuse (if I ever needed one) for me to snap away throughout the year was Helen, Mum and I getting National Trust Membership meaning that we can explore as many pretty houses and gardens as we like! 

Pulling some kind of strange pose in my unicorn skirt  in the garden at Bateman's (now far too big since you ask) I could probably smell scones.

Found them!

We've had trips to Nymans.

Mum, Rach and me.

Rach, Helen and me

There was a trip to Bodium Castle on my birthday -

My favourite destination so far is Wakehurst Place (not just for it's gift shop I'll have you know!). We went in the spring and were stalked by ducks and pheasants. 

I discovered the wonder of giant mushrooms

And again in the Autumn (with slightly further away pheasants) 

Sheila, Me, Mum and Rach

Helen and Rach

I absolutely adore this photo that Rach took of Helen and me.

Speaking of lovely photos I was spoilt for choice when Helen and I went to Stratford-Upon-Avon during some gorgeous Autumn weather. I loved it so much that we've booked to go again in April *crosses fingers for good weather*. 

 A walk along the river.

 

Making friends with Arwen the owl!

Helen's gentleman loves Bill and Ben

A slightly unflattering photo of me conveying my appreciation of 'unicorn gin'.

Whilst Helen and I were in Stratford Dad very kindly got cracking on clearing my room ready to be decorated. I documented the process in a few blogs. I now have a Halloween hideaway with room to put all my knick-knacks on display properly. 

There's been some fantastic gin-fuelled nights out -

Old Daves with my work ladies and gents

Wetherspoons for my birthday

Tulley's Farm Fright Night

And of course Cinqo De Mayo!

  My deliberately awful outfit!

 Aldi have answered all my summer prayers with their Gin ice lollies

  Lydia, Jamie, Tone, Barry, Hilary & Luke

  Lydia, Jamie, Tone, Barry, Hilary and Me

Finally I feel that I should be commended that towards the end of the year I made the effort to get into the Christmas spirit with only a few mutters of "humbug" a day. I put a tree up in my room and didn't swear too much at the fairy lights and am now the proud owner of a Christmas jumper (the fact that it's a 30STM one is purely co-incidental). 

Snapchat was of great assistance

Post-Thai Christmas Dinner (hey it worked!) with Rach, Helen and Amanda

Gastro Office Secret Santa!

Christmas lunch at the Berwick Inn (L-R) Jamie, Lydia, Hilary, Me, Tone, Luke and Barry)

Some sensible Christmas Day photos -

Luckily that didn't last long!

2018 was so much fun and I want to thank all of you who've contributed to so many special moments for me. Here's to 2019 and more disapproving rabbits, music, plane geeking, trips, gin sessions and fun!

Love Jen

XxxX