Monday 30 December 2013

Goodbye to 2013

As 2013 nears its end, it is time for me to look back over the year. My driving force is my bucket list which motivates me to find ways to achieve my goals. This year I have tackled some challenging tasks such as swimming 1 km of front crawl and walking the 184 miles of the Thames path.Other highlights include cheering Andy Murray on at Queen's and seeing him play in the semi-finals at Wimbledon; sailing across Windemere, the largest lake in England; fossil hunting on the Jurassic coast; seeing inside Lloyds of London. Visiting places such as Holy Island and the Farne Islands, Berlin and New York were wonderful highlights. The continued exploration of Kent villages and National Trust properties filled many sunny days this year. Having started voluntary work during the Olympics I was keen to continue and now spend time helping the blind and partially sighted to take an active role in different sports. I also joined a new group in the U3A playing table tennis which I love.









Half of the challenges on my list have now been achieved since retiring in 2011. As time goes on it will become more difficult if not impossible to achieve some of them, but then what's the point of setting targets if they are all easy to achieve.



Bring on 2014 for the next new chapter in my life.


                 Happy New Year bloggers



31 comments:

  1. Wow! I am impressed with what you accomplished in 2013. I've got nothing like that to add to my own list. In February I'm traveling to Florida to be with my sister and I will try to match your 1-km swim! :-)

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  2. Well, I am surely impressed with your accomplishments as well!! What a terrific year you have had and I have no doubt that the coming new year will be even better!! Thanks for sharing with us!! Have a wonderful and very Happy New Year!!

    Sylvia

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  3. I like the sounds of the tasks you completed this year and the great places you visited. I wish you a great year for 2014 and may you accomplish all you hope to!

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  4. You certainly had a busy year full of good things. I'm loving reading all the blogger recaps. Happy New Year!

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  5. Wow. Good for you meeting all those goals. Happy New Year.

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  6. I'm impressed with how much yo accomplished in 2013! May 2014 be a very good year too!

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  7. Wonderful photography and accomplishments ~ Keep up the great progress ~ Happy and Healthy New Year to you ~ carol, xxx

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  8. Congrats on meeting your goals.. I wish I could say the same! I love the last photo!
    Wishing you all the best in 2014, Happy New Year to you and your family!

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  9. It seems like a very full year that you have just completed, and I hope 2014 proves to be just as much fun. Happy New Year to you and your family.

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  10. Happy New Year and it has been great to share your travels and adventures.

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  11. It sounds like a productive and fun year. Happy New Year, hopefully 2014 will be just as good!

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  12. Happy New Year. Thank you for all the lovely photos you shared this year.

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  13. Well I for one am glad I found your blog, you have opened my eyes to new parts of London & the places you visit and taken me all the way up the Thames which I still have to do. Have a Happy New Year & thanks for Following.

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  14. Wow! You have been busy with many worthwhile challenges and escapades to keep your mind and body active. That's my excuse for birding, blogging, travel and photography too. More power to both of us and Best Wishes from Lancashire for 2014.

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  15. Indeed, it is a new chapter for all of us! Warmest best wish to you for 2014...! Have so enjoyed your photos...looking forward to many more!!!!!!

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  16. Wow - you've really achieved so much! Here's to you reaching even more goals next year.

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  17. Well you did your bucketlist very well, it is a good thing. Have a very nice and happy New Year!
    Marianne

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  18. Indeed! You've made impressive progress on your "bucket list"!
    All the best to you in 2014!

    «Louis» invites you to link this post to his Sunday Bridges meme. It opens at 22h00m central Europe time each Saturday evening. You've two bridges in your photos, so this post would be a nice addition to the meme. :-)

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  20. You accomplished a great deal in 2013! I wonder if life lasts longer if we just keep adding more goals to our bucket lists.

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  21. That was a good 2013. Wish you more happiness in 2014!

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  22. Wish you and yours a brilliant 2014!!

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  23. You did some very nice travels too ! I think it's very important to keep oneself busy with interesting things and enjoy the time we have now to do so !
    Have a happy New Year !

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  24. Happy 2014 to you and yours. My wish for you is a year full of lots of JOY, PEACE, LOVE and BLESSINGS.

    Happy New Year.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  25. Happy New Year to you, dear Bloggie Friend! Somehow I mostly end up with projects that take a few years, so for now I dropped the yearly goals. Except for finding another house in 2014:)

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  26. Love that closing shot across the Thames at dusk! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share in your adventures throughout the year. May 2014 bring you good health and the ability to continue ticking off those "bucket list" entries!

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  27. Dearest Fun60;
    Oh, I ADMIRE you for your challenge. I don't have any talent for sports p;) And, I also LOVE the closing shot across the Thames at dusk♡♡♡ Wishing a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!!
    Lots of Love and hugs form Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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  28. Hi there - well done on the bucket list items - which will probably kick the bucket a bit further down the road if you see what I mean.

    Thanks for all the comments this year - looking forward to more in 2014

    Cheers and have a good New Year - Stewart M - Melbourne

    PS: Cricket?? OMG!

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  29. Happy New Year and Well Done!!! You have a great bucket list. I am impressed. Thanks for sharing the challenges you meet (they'd be fun to read about wherever you were) but I LOVE that most of them take place in London .... where I'm sure I lived in another life ;>)!!!

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