Monthly Updates, The Changing Seasons

What’s been happening? January 2021

Suzanne

Sizzling summer temperatures, low key sunrises, gardening, cycling, swimming, ice creams, reading and afternoon siestas, pretty well sums up the month of January for me. In between the sweating and ice creams were other goings on, such as:

Twiggy the Kunekune Pig

Miss Twiggy who’s camera shy

She lives on a property situated on a well used cycling route, we exchange a snort and a hello whenever I pass. Until, one day I didn’t. Oh well, obviously pork was a highlight for that household over the festive season. But, I was wrong and early January I was ecstatic to see Miss Twiggy, and her wider girth. I have now come to the conclusion she is a beloved family member and won’t be seen with an apple in her mouth on a Rotisserie.

The Deactivation of Facebook

It had to happen sooner than later, and January was the month I took stock of my time on Social Media. No longer do I get annoyed daily trying to sift through all the “crap” to obtain “real” news from family and friends. Now, I can spend more time writing and reading blogs/books with the aim of hopefully improving my writing. It is about quality over quantity when it comes to social media and for us it needs to be applied to all aspects of our life.

Yes, I can still keep in touch with folk by taking time to chat in real-time or various other forms of communication. Now with extra time up my sleeve, I shall use it wisely.

Two Birthdays and an Anniversary

It hasn’t only been the sunrises that have been low key so have we as the Squire’s energy level and sense of well-being haven’t been the best at all during January, which meant no trips away that was okay as we enjoyed being together at home. For some reason I had no inclination to take photos, so here are a few moments that I did capture alongside thoughts on growing a year older.

Changing of the last digit and bingo we are both another year older. Time is going too fast, and I didn’t want it to be another year, simultaneously, I did as it means more time together.

Each time life has thrown its impermanence at us, we have launched our hopes into the universe, and this year we plead more than ever for more time. We want as much time as possible which inevitably means growing older.

We can look at ageing as something that happens and is beyond our control. The way we like to view receiving a badge of honour each year is indeed a privilege.

Each one of us can either focus on the destination or the journey.

The wear and tear of ageing are evidence of all the living we’ve done; marking our bodies with keepsakes and reminding us of where we’ve been. Our scars are souvenirs from times we tested boundaries, pushed personal limits, and learned about caution, risk, and judgment.

Our freckles are relics of the carefree, sun-filled summers of our youth. Tanning our skin [or in my case more like burning my pale skin!] on the long sandy beaches or the seas. Where time has stood still and savoured as there was nowhere we needed to be.

The lines on our faces tell the stories of our lives. Happiness, gratitude, sadness, fear and bits of everything in between are the rivers of emotion that, over time, formed lines around our eyes and mouths, leaving signs of how this life has shaped us individually and differently.

We shall continue to welcome the candles and embrace the privilege of age. Each birthday is another year we get to be together. For me, with a husband who supports and loves me unconditionally. Which I know the Squire acknowledges I do for him. 

Hopefully, we have luck on our side; we shall indeed have more time to enjoy those belly wobbles, develop more wrinkles and treasure quality time together. Of course, all of these will come with more wisdom and hope.

When we blew out those symbolic candles this year, my wish for both of us is the same as always, for us to share another trip around the sun together, creating more memories and adding more candles to our birthday cake.

Joining in with Su from Zimmerbitch and the rest of the crew for a review of January.

Published by Suzanne

Travel and Life Musings from New Zealand and Beyond. . . . . . .

46 thoughts on “What’s been happening? January 2021”

  1. Pingback: What’s been happening? June 2021 – Life at No. 22

  4. What a beautiful and heartfelt post. Indeed those lines and inevitable wear and tear are evidence of a life well lived. Glad to hear too that Miss Twiggy is still around. Gorgeous photos!

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  5. Looks like a beautiful summer and a great time to have a birthday. Best wishes.

    I don’t blame you for shutting down FB. I was just reading about the “attention economy” and its zero-sum aspect. It’s important to “pay attention to what we pay attention to.”

    Cute pig!

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    1. Thanks, Eilene for your wishes. So pleased and so will Ms Twiggy at the mention of her, she looked happy eating as I went past her the other week. As far as FB goes I just wanted less time on SM and more on writing.

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  6. Happy birthday and anniversary to you both!
    I like this very much: “Each time life has thrown its impermanence at us, we have launched our hopes into the universe, and this year we plead more than ever for more time. We want as much time as possible which inevitably means growing older.” indeed a conundrum.

    Ms Twiggy has such lovely coloration! I am glad she is back to greeting you when you venture past.

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  7. I add my birthday wishes to you both – as others have said it’s better than the alternative and I have always felt that growing old is just a state of mind. Me? I am still 25 yrs old. I ignore what the mirror tells me. And who needs to travel anywhere when they live in such a beautiful place as you do? ice creams in the sun with a view of the sea? Perfect.

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    1. Thanks, Jude and agreed age is just a number, and I have met many over 60 who have more energy and life in them than people half their age. Good on you for staying at 25. I on the other hand life was far more interesting after 40, all the energy, more wisdom and money to go off and have adventures 🙂 You know that I think you live in a fabulous place and us humans always think that the grass is greener on the other side, sometimes we are correct.

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      1. Hopefully the plot will remain productive. How good a summer have you had so far? Are you seeing much by way of higher average temperatures as we are even if ours are moderate compared with the mainland of Europe.

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        1. Yes, the plot is being very productive. The North Island has had a mostly dry and hot summer so far, and it was last year. At the moment the East Coast, Bay of Plenty and further north are on high alert [fire danger] due to dryness. Our weather has never been consistent and perhaps a degree or two warmer overall? Will wait for the statistics at the end of the summer.
          Wellington and the lower parts of the South Island have had cooler weather with the odd warmish day. I think the weather is just very unpredictable and depending on what theory you believe as to whether our climate has changed and becoming warmer or it’s cyclic.

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  17. Pingback: The Changing Seasons, January 2021 | Zimmerbitch

    1. Thanks Janis for the honest comment and yes we don’t always agree to what aging does to the exterior of our bodies. As the old saying goes use it or lose it, so with that in mind time to get my day going.

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