Happy New Year 2015

Well, I'm back. Rich and I went to Birmingham, then Stafford to visit the in-laws. All those jokes about them simply don't apply to us, we get along very well. On Boxing Day (26th Dec) we went to Birmingham to Richard's brother David's house, where we spent the night. David is a skilled driver, which is just as well as they'd had some snow and the roads were quite slippery.

The following day we went with David's family and the mother and father in law to see Paddington at Cannon Hill Park's cinema. Highly recommended. Horrible Histories fans may notice actors Simon Farnaby and Alice Lowe in small roles. After that we went to Stafford with the parents in law, Richard's sister Sue and her two little girls. The following day all of the ladies except myself went to see the BFG at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Richard, his dad, and myself went to the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery to see the Staffordshire Hoard and other wonders of the ancient world. I bought a book of WWI myths and legends there and Richard's dad made us a present of the explanatory booklet about the Hoard. On the way back we passed the field where it was found.

After that we just relaxed and on the 29th we went back to Birmingham to get the Megabus back to Manchester. Two hours later we were home.

Christmas had been busy what with six dinner guests to cater for (and a good time was had by all). New Year's Eve, by contrast, was dead quiet. Rich and I watched Jools Holland's Hootenanny and wished each other a happy new year when the countdown stopped.

Turns out my dad and brother got the hampers I ordered from Irish Gourmet; I'll be ordering again from them next year. The items may be pricy but they do go down well with the family. There's an English version which I might be using for people over here. The thing is, for people over here, particularly if I'm going to visit them in person, it's actually easier to make up my own hampers and bring them myself. I've got a lot more control over what goes into the baskets and can pick and choose items; you can't really do that by mail order.

It seemed a bit strange to be going back to work on a Friday but that's where I was on 2nd Jan. We moved from Wheel Forge Way in Trafford Park to Pall Mall, Manchester City Centre and that's where I'll be first thing tomorrow. I said I'd be in half an hour early to help out with anything that needs doing, though we're already live.

Something weird happened. I've received an invitation from an old web design client to connect on Linked In. The thing is, he's the subject of this comic I did (he's the client of someone who subcontracted a website redesign and migration to me, then asked me to liaise with a team in India who hadn't done their side of the job propertly) so I'll decline. Besides, I don't do web design for a living any more.

Mind you, I have been asked to help with the graphic design and social media side of my church's Women's Day event. The theme is "Like clay in the hand of the Potter." I've already got some ideas for the graphic, I just need to start testing fonts with it. Oh, I'm excited. This will, of course, end up on Linked In and on my CV.

2015 is already heating up for me. I can't wait to see what else it has in store.