What a decade

We're nearly half way through this year already and I find it a little worrying that each year seems to pass more quickly than the last; one of the effects of getting older, I suppose. Whereas at one time, my years were divided into three parts, following the pattern of the academic year, now I tend to look only a week or two ahead as I book in my clients for their next appointments.
But yesterday, I fell to thinking about the events in my life over the last ten years and I was quite surprised at all that has happened. Since New Year 2000 was rung in:
  • I have become a grandmother three times over, although I only have access to one of my grandchildren for reasons that I still don't understand.
  • My mother died, after a long time in poor health but I am glad that, as a family, we were able to keep her at home until the end.
  • My two daughters graduated and began their careers, one as a doctor and one as a teacher.
  • My marriage ended and I set up home on my own, which was strange after so many years.
  • I continued to become more disillusioned with the world of teaching, stepping down from my position as deputy head of a primary school and eventually leaving full time teaching for a few years of supply teaching.
  • I retired from teaching, having stuck it out until a few months before my official retirement age.
  • I became interested in counselling and embarked on four years of training before qualifying as an integrative humanistic counsellor.
  • I met Keith and moved to North Wales, where we set up home together. That was the high point.
  • I lost my elder son when he took his life last year - most definitely the lowest point.
I always see myself as living a quiet, uneventful life, but looking at the list above, I seem to have done a lot of living over the last ten years, some good, some not so good and some devastating but life goes on.
It's probably just as well that we can't see into the future though!

10 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

One of the things you didn't include was that you had re-designed your blog! Most impressive!

Jennytc said...

It's very easy these days with the new Blogger Design feature, YP. (No, they're not paying me for saying that.) ;)

Silverback said...

....and you met me. Why wasn't that a highlight of your decade ?? Pah.

And speaking of not seeing into the future, your blog seems to be doing that quite nicely. The time against YP's comment is 12:36 today and that's over an hour from now and you've replied to him at 8:36 this morning, 4 hours BEFORE he posted his comment.

Methinks something is afoot in the land of Jennyta. Or maybe in N. Wales time really does roll backwards.!!

Jennytc said...

You've heard of parallel universes, haven't you, Ian? But of course, I knew I would forget to include something! Abject apologies, innit. ;)

Anonymous said...

You've certainly had a roller-coaster decade! Mine has been much more sedate but on reflection has certainly flown by! Flighty xx

Jennytc said...

There's a lot to be said for a sedate life, Flighty! ;)

Liz Hinds said...

That is quite a decade! Hope things only go up for you from now on. Especially as you're in God's own country!

I came to visit you from ... oh, I've been on a blogging trail; it was something to do with Yorkshire. Oh yes Yorkshire Pudding.

Jennytc said...

Thanks, Liz, I hope so too. :)

©gloop said...

That is a strangely uplifting list. Regardless of it's low points. It speaks of fortitude. It speaks of resilience.

It's the Human Condition Jenny.

Thank you for the post.

Jennytc said...

Thanks for that, Steve. Human Condition indeed, just a bit more of it than in previous decades. ;)

Plaster board and dust

So, we're still no further forward on the British Gas smart meter front and I've given up making non-existent appointments with them...