2020 Year In Review

When I wrote my first year in review post 6 years ago, I had no idea that it would become an almost yearly tradition, but also the one post each year that I really enjoy creating.  I find it so refreshing looking back at everything I have done over the year, and now that I can look over multiple years it just makes it all the better.  Although it does go to show how quickly the years are passing by, some of the things I've done only feel like they were yesterday.

 

I never got around to publishing one of these posts for 2019 which I'm a little gutted about now, but I'm back and ready to share 2020.  Yes, to many 2020 may have felt like a bit of a nothing year, but I feel like I've still made the most of it.  Here is what I got up to.

 

January

 I started off the year with a short break to Bristol.  Somewhere I've never visited before, but also a trip I would later in the year become grateful for as it was one of the few times I was able to travel away from home in 2020.  I loved exploring the hometown of Banksy and seeing all the street art around the city.  I tried my hand at axe throwing, lets just say I can't wait to try that again, it was great fun.  I walked across the Clifton suspension bridge, an amazing piece of engineering.  And a highlight was driving through Cheddar Gorge, something I was pleased to cross off my 40 Before 40 list.  January also saw a trip to the seaside for a walk long the seafront, perfect for a wintery day.  Breakfast at Bills, one of my favourites and a couple of shopping trips to Lakeside.

 

February

A girl’s night out for my friend Irina's birthday, both the first and the last in a very long time.  We enjoyed a gorgeous Chinese feast at a great restaurant in Chelmsford, Zenxi.  I'm looking forward to return once things get back to some form of normality.  I enjoyed seeing the snowdrops appear outside my little home, a true sign that spring is not far away.  We also celebrated my aunt's 60th Birthday, a lovely opportunity to spend some time with family.

 

March

 The month I moved back in with my parents.  An opportunity for me to save and figure life out.  Little did I know that lockdown would give me plenty of time for that.  Thankfully a night in with Leigh, a dear friend of mine watching Netflix with an Indian takeaway was enjoyed before going into national lockdown.  I said goodbye to my desk in my office at work and started working from home.  A puzzle was started with my parents, not done that in so many years.  A couple of small craft projects were completed.  Lots of organising was done and a good ole clear out was started, complete with a nice bonfire.  So therapeutic.

 

April

I settled into life working from home.  The Netflix and Disney+ binging began, watching the entire season 2 of You, and season 3 of 13 Reasons Why.  I started watching the Marvel films in chronological order virtually with Leigh.  The clear out and organising continued and some chilled out time was enjoyed.

 

May

 The Marvel marathon continued.  We celebrated VE Day by having a street party with our neighbours.  I discovered Fete a vintage coffee van a couple of roads away from my parents, which became a regular spot to visit.  It was great to get a decent coffee and support a small, local business.  I picnicked in the park with Iri as we enjoyed the sunshine.  I honestly felt so grateful for the beautiful weather we were blessed with.  I can't imagine how much harder things would have been had the weather not been so kind to us.

 

June

June felt like quite a social month even though I continued to work from home.  I met some colleagues in the park for a Five Guys takeaway.  Walks were enjoyed with Leigh, which included coffee dates and a visit to a beautiful field filled with sweet peas.  I enjoyed my first Starbucks since the start of lockdown, this did involve a fair old drive to get there but it was so worth it.  We also welcomed some new members to our household after discovering hedgehogs visiting our garden each night.  It was so lovely to see them each evening as they popped in for their dinner.

 

July

July was a month filled with lots of adventures, I could almost have forgotten there was a global pandemic sweeping the earth.  I celebrated my birthday which was made extra special by Leigh who treated me to a drive in movie to watch Birds of Prey, a film I had wanted to catch at the cinema when it came out but missed.  He also treated me to a day out at Thorpe Park.  It felt so good to be doing normal things again, it made me realise how much I had missed doing such simple things that ordinarily I'd have taken for granted.  I took a trip to Hitchin Lavender farm with Iri, that is a place I don't think I'll ever tire of visiting.  We packed up a picnic with us to enjoy while we were there which was perfect for a beautiful summers day surrounded by lavender fields. I ate out in an actual restaurant, we celebrated this with ice cream of course.  And my brother and sister in law bought a puppy, so we had lots of fun welcoming her into the family.

August

My trips to Fete coffee van continued, their bio-degradable coffee cups are just the cutest. I had my first evening of puppy sitting, I took my auntie duties seriously as we settled down to watch Netflix.  Chilled out evenings at home were enjoyed with lots of candles.  We experienced a couple of thunderstorms which gave me all the autumnal feels.  I ended the month with a drive up to West Yorkshire to stay with one of my cousins and her husband for the bank holiday weekend.  We enjoyed a beautiful walk with their dog and just an all-round good weekend filled with good company and lots of laughs, it was so nice to be surrounded by different scenery for a change.

 

September

September took an exciting turn, as I started dating someone.  We visited the Gaia exhibition in Greenwich and ate brunch at Grind, a really cute place I'd seen and wanted to try out, it didn't disappoint.  Home cooked dinners were enjoyed al fresco, made lovingly by Irina.  More time was spent with my brother and sister-in-law, we took a walk around Epping Forest.  I visited my first Pumpkin Patch of the year, Leigh had never been before so it was only right that I showed him how it is done as we ran around the patch in Colchester owned by Foxes Farm Produce (what are best friends for?).  And I FINALLY got to taste my first Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte of the year, better late than never guys.

 

October

 The month of all things pumpkin.  I visited a new pumpkin patch this year, The Pumpkin Village located in South Woodham Ferrers at Marsh Farm in Essex.  They had so many great spots for photo opportunities, perfect for those Instagram-able shots.  A day spent in Leigh-On-Sea with Irina. We stopped for lunch in a cute little tea room and sat outside on their terrace to enjoy the sunshine.  Went for a nice walk around Hanningfield Reservoir, can't beat an autumnal walk among all the crunchy leaves.  And of course October wouldn't be complete without pumpkin carving.  We made ourselves a little autumn themed feast, put Hocus Pocus on and set to work carving our masterpieces.  I loved Irina's Jack Skellington creation, I went for something simple this year and just soaked up the moment.

 

November

I clung to pumpkin season during November, I wasn't quite ready to let it go, especially as we headed into a second lockdown.  I baked Pumpkin muffins and enjoyed hot chocolates in my favourite mug topped with pumpkin marshmallows and sprinkles while watching Get Out and Us (I've never been one for scary movies but wanted to give these two a go, no idea why I'd put off watching them till now, they weren't even scary).  Just before heading into lockdown I finally got to visit Fete at Graysyard, the little coffee van that saved me during lockdown opened up their own little coffee shop and I'm so here for it.  We ventured out for a gorgeous walk in the South Downs through the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, the view from the top of the hill was amazing.  The winter weather really set in during November, but I wasn't complaining, driving past the reservoir on the way to work and seeing the mist rising, a moment of pure tranquillity.

 

December

The final month of 2020 and time to get festive af.  Definitely a different December to what we are used to, there were no dinners out or Christmas parties, we had to make the best with what we could do.  We watched Home Alone at the drive in cinema.  Spent an afternoon in London checking out all the Christmas lights, it seemed so strange seeing the city so empty compared to how it would usually be, especially around this time of year.  Festive films were watched from home with all the snacks and cute chocolate reindeer drinks.  I rocked the Christmas jumpers, has to be done through December right.  And the year was finished off at home, pretty much how a lot of the year was spent, with my best creation yet with an epic grazing board and cocktails.  I will definitely be making more of these boards in 2021. 

In a year that seemed pretty bleak I'm so thankful to have been able to find lots of moments of joy and happiness.  It is a year that has allowed me to heal and find myself once again.  It wasn't without its low points.  A lot of tears were cried and here were moments of sheer despair but it is all part of the journey and a part of my story.

~ Gem x