Reflections on 2024 ... what a year. (Part 1)

  2024

I know I need to reflect on 2024, Why it was a Milestone year and I noticed that I only blogged less than a hand full of times.
I meant to have at least one post every single month, but as always life got in the way & work of course.

Let me go back to the beginning, 

January .... Sick and tired you've been hanging on me 

Not too much happened on the Social Scene, we played Tennis (Workclub) and we started a brand new project that was going to take the guts of over a year to complete, we are finishing Milestone 3 at the end of Jan '25 and will have the final hurdle before we go live ... exciting times. 

February .... google says  - the second month of the year in the northern hemisphere, usually considered the last month of winter ... really???  

We have a bank holiday the first Monday in Feb, it's a new one they brought in from 2023, St. Brigid's day.   So we took the day and went off to Kilkenny with my half grand niece (long story) and her husband to have lunch and do some exploring. 

March - Britannica says "March, 3rd month of the Gregorian Calendar.  It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war. Originally March was the first month of the Roman calendar. 

The month before I was due to take the whole of April off, my birthday month!  It snowed on the 1st, it always seems to snow at the start of March!  

Played more tennis, and it was Mothers day and St. Patrick's day.   The VP came over from the US and we had a night out at the Church, free bar (haven't had those in a while). 

We also took the opportunity to go up to Newcastle in Northern Ireland for a night at a lovely 5 star hotel that was having a special deal, the Slieve Donard hotel. 

We then left for South Africa on the 30th of March and arrived on the Sunday 31st. 

April -  April is a spring month in the northern half of the world and a fall month in the southern half. It might be named after Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

1st of April, I had arranged a "Birthday Branch" at "Proud Mary" in Rosebank my favorite restaurant when I come to Jo'burg.  A group of my old life long school friends as well as my Best friend and her mum and sister, my MIL and a few other friends.   It was a great day catching up with everyone. 

We did so much in the April we were there, a few days in Mabalingwe Nature reserve, and another birthday party at the Greek restaurant.   My BFF's mum who was supposed to come away with us to Mabalingwe was diagnosed the day we left with liver cancer, so she could not join us which was so disappointing. 

We went down to Mossel Bay and onto Cape Town, did the helicopter ride, caught up with so many friends and family members and had an awesome time.  Stayed in the Winchester Hotel in Sea point, that was amazing, not so much the service but lovely hotel. The place we stayed at in Mossel Bay was amazing, do try it if ever you are down that way ... it's called "Baylodge" and if you pre book and pay with them they give you a special rate, you step out from the boutique hotel straight onto the beach. 

We got back to Jo'burg on Friday 19th of April, so we had a week to relax and see friends, before leaving to go back to Ireland.   The week whizzed past.  It was Irene's 86th Birthday on the 21st of April, and had it not been for us taking over my late father in laws wheelchair she would not have managed to join us even for the brief time she did. 

We then went over to her on the Wednesday to spend time with Irene, it was probably the most amazing time I had with her on a one to one basis even though we had, had plenty, we spoke about everything.   She had a nurse looking after her, and when the nurse told her it was time for her to rest, she told her to sod off as she had guests... us.   We eventually left.    The next day on the way to the airport G did a video call with Irene and the way she was speaking was like she was saying Goodbye permanently - I was so upset I cried all the way back to Ireland. 

On Tuesday morning the 30th of April at 2:30 am I got the dreaded call from Gwen to say she had passed away.

I knew right then I had to go back. 

May ... It was named after Maia, a Roman fertility goddess.

Luckily while I was away for the month of April, the project at work had been put on hold due to a Security issue which had to be rectified with all the current systems, so I hadn't really missed much, and we would really only be starting again later in May, it was my opportunity to tell my boss that I was going back to South Africa for 2 weeks.  

The 2 weeks flew, it was eventful - I flew EgyptAir and managed to get an upgrade so it wasn't too bad, but no, never do Cairo on my own again.  I spent the first few days helping Sheila with the memorial service arrangements and then took my MIL through to the memorial service.   I had gone with G & A to the crematorium a few days previously which was probably worse than the service. 

I spent another week, just being with the family - too much happened that wasn't great so I am not going to reflect on that period anymore.   

Oh I forgot to mention, I met cousins and family I had never met before, through the My heritage DNA match I found some family on my mother's side "de Villiers" and had the great pleasure of meeting them.  Antoinette, Ollie, Caryn and Megan from the "Botes" side of my moms family. 

The rest of May was just work, work, work. 

June ... Named after Juno, the goddess of youth.

My Baby's 21st birthday!  Wow, what a lady she has become and started Uni this year as well. 

We played more tennis ... then my cousin's wife and her nephew arrived from SA for a couple of days, it was awesome, I took them sightseeing and we had such a great time.

I then thought I would have a nice break before my MIL was due to arrive from SA in July, however there were other secret plans happening...

I had been out with the guys from Tennis for dinner and got back home around 8:30 or 9:00 pm only to be surprised by my BFF from Australia sitting in my lounge all the way from Perth, I had not seen her in 5 years, what a surprise.   

to be continued ...