What 2019 held for us and the year ahead.

Lots of travel this year. January was the only month I didn't get on a plane. In total I've clocked up 132 hours of flying time to the UK, Dubai, Sydney and South Africa. I've lost track of the hours spent in taxi's and airport lounges.

January
I started the year on a roof top in Dubai, having watched the New Year Eve's fireworks, with my mum and Peter. After mum went home, I marshalled at the HSBC Championships and the Omega Desert Classic golf as part of the European Tour.

February
Child 2 and 2a came out for a visit, it was our Daughter in Laws first trip to our home. Great excitement a few days later after the holiday when they phoned to say they were having a baby.

I started the lengthy, painful and expensive dental surgery to have dental implants. It was a huge decision to make as I had to have a front tooth removed and wear a plate for several months until the implants took and I could have a permanent tooth fitted. I had 3 implants in total and I'm saving up for another 3 hopefully in October 2020.

March

There was a trip to the UK and sadly during this visit my Uncle died and I extended my stay to take Mum up to Blackpool for his funeral.

April
Our youngest child turned 20 and we were no longer parents to a teenager. Peter and I made another
trip to the UK to renew his passport.

May
I went over to South Africa to stay with friends and work with a couple of charities.

June
A trip to Ireland for a week with a friend, then to visit our daughter in law to be and her family. Child 4 was away with work. Met my great nephew for the first time at 16 days old.

July and August
A visit to see child 3 in Australia. I flew to Sydney for 3 weeks and road tripped to Melbourne with my son child 3 who has been living over there for 2 years.

Our great niece Thing 4 was born.

September
Off to the UK for the arrival of our first grandchild, a little girl and the wedding of child 4 and 4a. Dental surgery complete. An endoscope revealed I have a wheat allergy, that was causing internal bleeding in my small intestine causing the iron deficiency anaemia and still no explanation to a high white blood cell count. Signed off from the oncologist.

October
Busy with the new baby, Peter had joined me for the wedding, then spent 2 weeks with our granddaughter. Decided to evict our tenants from our family home. We started our repatriation journey.

November
The Race to Dubai was on and I marshalled again for the 2nd year. Then a quick trip to the UK to get our house back, to say the last lot of tenants hasn't treated it well is an understatement.

December
Booked a last minute trip to South Africa for a week, whilst Peter is working out there. Obtained my Transfer of Residency and cat, dog and furniture move is booked and all paperwork is in place to get moving in 2020. I was also diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder.

2020

January
Mum and child 5 visiting. HSBC and Omega golf marshalling, flying back to the UK. Need to sell the car. Repairs and redecorating being carried out on UK home repairing damage after the tenants.

February
Cat and dog arrive in the UK, Peter visiting for a week.

Everything after the 14th of February is open to change.
I'm back in Dubai for a week or two in March as we have friends visiting, I also need to:

• Sell the garden
• Find an apartment for Peter to move into in May

One Daily Positive - Week 25 Dublin

I've spent the week on the West Coast of Ireland.

The weather in Ireland has been amazing, even with some rain. I've spent most of the week at a lake side house my friend and her husband purchased recently. Whilst she's been sorting out workmen, repairs, installation of utilities and measuring for furniture I've been helping where needed, driving and chilling out reading my book and typing up name lists for the Christmas charity I'm involved with in South Africa.

I really haven't been at all well, from a migraine related to the flight and driving and stomach problems from buying and taking aspirin thinking it was paracetamol. The migraine was understandable but the stomach problems have made me really irritated with myself for not reading the label properly. There's a lesson to be learnt by everyone here.

167 Sunday Recovering from a migraine and being sick during the night. Took a walk around the area, a light lunch and coffee. The evening was spent snacking and watching TV.

Monks fishing hut

168 Monday I was so sill throughout the night with sickness and diarrhea. Then from mid morning I had horrendous stomach cramps. It was also very cold during the day and whilst I was able to spend the day with my friend while she met various people in relation to the house she's bought over here, I really wasn't good company and went to bed early.

The old and unfinished canal in Cong.

169 Tuesday Felt much better today however I still had horrendous stomach cramps that had me doubled in pain at times. Saw a pharmacist who thinks it could be the medication I took for the migraine as I'd accidentally bought aspirin and not paracetamol. Had some soup in the evening having followed the BRAT diet (banana, rice, applesauce and toast)

View from the deck.

170 Wednesday Final day at the house after checking out the air b&b, drove to Dublin in the afternoon to return the car hire and spend the night at an airport hotel.

If there aren't any photos, then did it happen?

171 Thursday We said our goodbyes as my friend flew off to London to meet her husband . I had a flight and a coach trip and spent the weekend with son.

172 Friday Spent the day with child 4's Mother in Law to be, shopping, coffee and cake, lovely family meal in the evening.

Rhubarb and Ginger G&Ts.

173 Saturday Off out for the day with 4a and her mother. Child 4 is on a training course till the end of July, meal out in the evening with their friends.

The wedding invites are are their way

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One Daily Positive - Week 24 Dubai to Dublin

When I started my dental treatment back in February I had to avoid eating any foods that required me to bite and/or chew. As a result I lost 5kg and felt much better for it. However after the surgery healed I started eating chocolate, bread and chips again. my headaches have returned and I've put 2kg back on. We've also been eating out quite a lot and I've decided to make an effort from now on with what I eat.

Over the weekend we were talking about how we must've have adapted now to the summer in the Dubai as the temps hit 40c and it actually wasn't that bad, but on Monday night the humidity hit full force adding 10-12c to the 'feels like' actual temp.

My chronic pain isn't abatting, it doesn't prevent me from doing things, I'm just in pain the whole time. I flew business class to Ireland, I managed 5 hours before the pain got too much, but at least I didn't cry on this flight.

I'm finishing the week with a friend on the West Coast of Ireland for a week.

160 Sunday Spent the day tidying and cleaning the house and scrubbed all the rugs to rid them from pet hair. Popped out for coffee and a swim late afternoon. The chair pod has been moved indoors to protect it from sun damage.

161 Monday Day Lots of bits and bobs to do around the home today, headed out to the Marina Mall for coffee, the bench was so hot, it burnt me through my jeans.

162 Tuesday A day at the dog park with friends, did some more washing and cleaning. The afternoon was spent cleaning and I popped over to the pool.

163 Wednesday Started the morning dropping the cat and dog off in boarding as Peter is also away on Friday with work to Turkey. Had blood tests and a trip to the hairdressers for a cut and mani and pedi.

164 Thursday Early morning flight to Dublin. Collected car hire and made our way to the West Coast to the air b&b for the week. Found a lovely pub for dinner and ale.

165 Friday My friend and her husband have bought a property here, we're here to sort out the heating, setting up utilities, purchasing furniture and household items, see solicitors, bank accounts etc. Had a pub lunch, did a food shop and relaxed in the evening. The view from their property.

166 Saturday Headed out to Westport for the day, we then spent the evening with her husbands family. This was the drive back to the accommodation.

I've been losing interest in blogging, don't feel I really have much to say about anything these days and it's not enjoyable when it becomes forced. Blogging is my hobby.

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