December 31st 2009

Just like my Christmas entry, I refuse to call today 'New Year's Eve' for the simple fact I'm in work today and tomorrow. It's simply December 31st followed by January 1st.

It's been a strange year. To save you the task of going back through this blog, here is a brief summary of what has happened to me in the past twelve months.

January: Started the New Year flying to Shannon for Tara's 30th birthday. I made my first visit to Malta at the end of the month, still unaware I was going to decide to move here on a more permanent basis.

February: Half of it I was still in Malta, and while there, I found out I was going for a quiz show audition in Bristol (an audition that might have got me a walk on part in Casualty too). The month ended with the news I was going to be living alone in Southampton (and paying double the rent). I also found a pair of ladies knickers on the train!

March: A strange month. Lots of depression, but also highs as I met up with Jackie in Bournemouth and was made a formal offer to move to Malta.

April: Busy bee time. Jackie came to visit me, I spent another week in Malta and then went off to London to film a weeks worth of quiz shows. Quite an important month as I met lots of new friends through the recordings, and ended up two thousand pound richer!

May: The month ended back in Malta again, this time I experienced something approaching the hot weather too. I returned to Wembley for a quiz show reunion and officially agreed to move to Malta full time.

June: My birthday month. Went to the cricket with Jackie, and horse racing with some friends from the Isle of Man. I also managed to pay my own visit to the rock, spending some quality time with old friends. Spending a day in Peel with Ali was an especially high point of the trip. I was supposed to be hosting Tara in Manchester at the end of June, but sadly plans fell apart at the 11th hour. I still went home and took my 2nd cousin to another race meeting in Pontefract.

July: Another strange month, only one month to go until I move away. I spent one weekend in Brighton at a quiz show reunion. A wonderful few days, and more importantly, the 'birth' of Bob the Duck.

August: The moving month. Also managed to fit in a race meeting in Haydock and a quiz show reunion in Norwich. By the end of August I was living and working in Malta.

September: I moved out of the staff flat into my own place in Sliema. This was a month of experiencing Malta common occurences, but for the first time. My first thunderstorm, first downpour, and a whole month of being eaten by mosquitoes. It was also the month I almost destroyed my insides by eating a whole jar of curry paste!

October: A quiet month for me really. Experienced my first full Malta power-cut, but of course October 2009 will be in my head as it maks the birth of Jackie Junior, little Emily, my star :) It was also the month I realised light-bulbs are not only rare over here, but bloody expensive! I also managed to make successful omelettes on a regular basis thanks to a new frying pan.

November: If my blog is to believed nothing happened in November! Mt parents visited and the quiz show finally got broadcast, but other than that, I did nothing!

December: I managed to get over to the UK for the first time since I moved here. Met up with friends in Derby for an ice-hockey game and travelled down to Bournemouth to meet Emily (and Jackie of course!) Christmas was spent in work and I've been there ever since...

...Happy December 31st/January 1st to you all and hope 2010 brings you everything you desire.