That awkward bit between Christmas and New Year and End of year meme

So the difficult bit between Christmas and New Year is now over. It feels like it's been more difficult than usual as I was so tired after all of the celebrations. Mr W was back at work and because we had so many leftovers I didn't even get to do any of the cooking that I would usually do on the holidays. I've done a fair amount of reading although nothing terribly brilliant and some swimming and tried not to feel too bored! Which is silly because as soon as I'm back at work I'll be wanting to be on holiday again. Mr W and I are going to the seaside tomorrow for the night so I'm looking forward to that excursion.

Anyway, I'd like to wish all of you a very happy New Year, and here's an end of year meme for you.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Got married. Swam 10k. Ran 10k. Had mumps. Had a wisdom tooth extracted. Bought a house. Cycled 4.5 miles to work and back. Made a three tier wedding cake.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can't remember what I resolved last year. This year is certainly to do better with fruit and vegetables, and try to balance out my life better.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.

5. What countries did you visit?
Austria and Germany.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Better health and a bit more zen.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2nd August - wedding!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Swimming 10k and raising more money for Mind.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Failing to complete the OU course that I started owing to house move stress.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I started the year with swine flu, spent some of June off work with stress, had several irritable bowel episodes, had mumps in September, a wisdom tooth out in November and a nasty virus in December.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A house!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Keri-Anne Payne winning the openwater swimming world championships and being the first British person to qualify for the Olympics.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Rioters.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage and wedding.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My wedding.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
Howard Goodall's arrangement of Love divine, all loves excelling. Beautiful, until I heard it on the radio in June, I hadn't heard it since we sung it at school. Played it on repeat a lot!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
about the same

b) thinner or fatter?
Much fatter. Some of it muscle mass I hope!

c) richer or poorer?
Poorer, thanks to house purchase.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Being sociable.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my husband, and then with our respective families.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Carried on being in love.

22. How many one-night stands?
Absolutely none.

23. What was your favourite TV program?
Don't tell the bride.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope.

25. What was the best book you read?
It hasn't been a vintage year for reading one way and another - I've still read a fair amount but not as copiously as in previous years and I'm struggling to think of anything that has really stuck if I'm honest.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Trans Siberian Orchestra.

27. What did you want and get?
A husband.

28. What did you want and not get?
Some jewellery for Christmas (sore point, husband bought me some lego instead...)

29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Haven't seen many - the most recent one I enjoyed was Arthur Christmas.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 27 and we were in Cornwall, and I went swimming in the sea! I also slept a lot.

31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Retirement.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
My husband is supposed to do my ironing but has just been too busy.

33. What kept you sane?
Remembering to breathe. Swimming. And later in the year running. And trying to do some mindfulness.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Libraries, and potential closure.

35. Whom did you miss?
As ever, I missed the wonderful Emily, especially at my wedding. I missed my husband's stepfather, again also at our wedding.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
The lovely Fiona who also did the 10k swim with me and is now my online swimming buddy; also my new bloggy friend Yvann.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
Not quite sure what I learned really; I suppose a reminder again about making sure I take space when I need too.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"I'm getting married in the morning"...technically, that only sums up August 1st, but it was the feeling behind most of the early part of the year.

39. So in as few words as possible, how would you sum up your year?
Mrs W!