Started the year with walkies on the beach, and enjoyed Scottish Dancing at Burns Night. Jem auditioned for High School Musical and MT4UTH.
In February Max had to go to the vet’s for his shoulder to be X-rayed, and Jem went skiing on a school trip. In March we went to see Flashdance, and Jem sang I’m Still Hurting at her school concert. During April we went on a bike weekend to Kesh, and saw Evita. At Easter Jem went to a course at Bird College, and was awarded the hardest working student cerfickatick. I went to a weekend Scottish dancing course in my alma mater, Coleraine High.
In May, my nephew did well with his goats at Balmoral Show, and I received my favourite text of the year from my sister: “Cld u get some cabbages, and if so cld u bring 6?” We went to the North West 200, which was badly disrupted by accidents and weather. We went to see Fame and Cabaret, and I ran a 10k run for action cancer. At the end of the month my son turned 18; we celebrated with a family party in the Hilden brewery, and I made a montage of photos from throughout his life.
In June, Jem got to meet the President of Ireland, and appeared as Martha in High School Musical. In July, we went to see Never Forget, and Evelyn Glennie, before heading to China for an amazing trip. The high point for me was seeing that glorious diamond ring of the eclipse, although dancing on the Great Wall was rather fabulous, and the whole trip was truly magnificent.
In August, Jem appeared on the stage of the Grand Opera House in Godspell, and my sister described her when she dances as looking as though it’s the most wonderful thing she’s ever been asked to do. She got her photo on the front of the local paper. Mum and Dad celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary, and we had a wonderful party with cake and a song wot I wrote: I’d converted some old camcorder tapes onto DVDs for them, and had fun making covers and and labels. At the end of August I rode my new bike, Zucchero, to Skye, and only dropped it once! And was able to pick it up myself. In Skye we visited Calum’s Road, where R and a group of about a dozen bikers will be setting off next year to ride to The Gambia.
In September Harry started university, and Jem auditioned for Guys and Dolls. She also did a photo shoot for the pantomime, and her picture was used many times for publicity. We looked after my sister-in-law’s dog, Mack, when she had to have breast surgery.
During October, Jem played the Narrator in her school production of Blood Brothers, and had her Just Dance audition. I visited old friends in Luxembourg and Frankfurt. November brought parents evening, where for the first time I got nothing but glowing reports! She then totally wowed the audiences with her charming portrayal of Miss Adelaide . In December we went to London and saw Legally Blonde, and I decided to do something about the 2 stone I’ve put on since I stopped smoking 2 years ago, and re-joined the gym. I also decided that the deteriorating atmosphere at home, which had included many flouncing outs, 3 day sulks, and a laptop flung across the room, was untenable, and I found a little apartment for Jem and I to move into in the New Year.
I’m approaching the new decade with a positive attitude – I will lose some weight, I’ll be visiting The Gambia in February, and help Jem get through her GCSEs. Come September who knows where we’ll all be!
Dancing At Lunacy 
That’s a mighty busy year. I hope the year ahead brings lots of good things and as few bad things as possible.