Polka Spots and Freckle Dots Turns Ten!

Today, my little place on the Internet turned ten years old! 

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe I've been blogging here for a whole decade. Okay, not quite a whole decade; days and weeks have passed in between posts, especially over the last few years, but  I've blogged at least once a month since I started my blog, and I think that's an accomplishment to be proud of. There aren't many hobbies I've committed myself to for so long- probably because it's had a different purpose to most of the others.

When I created Polka Spots and Freckle Dots a decade ago, I didn't dream of making money from blogging, accumulating 'freebies', or becoming famous. I simply needed a distraction from living housebound with chronic pain, and wanted something to throw myself in to every day so that I had a reason to get up in the morning. I'd been housebound with chronic spinal pain for six months at that point, and, as you can imagine, I was frustrated, and going stir crazy. There's only so much reading and watching day time TV you can do day after day before you start losing the will to live.

I began reading body positivity and plus size fashion blogs soon after I got sick as a way to pass the time, and it was those blogs that inspired me to start sharing my own outfits online, hopeful that maybe it could also help me work towards finding some body confidence and self-acceptance. So, one late March evening in 2012, I finally swallowed my nerves, signed up to Blogger, wrote a quick introductory post, and hit publish before I could change my mind. And the rest, as they say, is history.

I never thought for a moment that I would still be blogging here an entire decade later, but I didn't think my life would turn out the way it has, either. Life is full of surprises.

Since the start, my blog has been so much more than just a hobby to me. At the risk of sounding cheesy, it's been a life line for me during ten of the most difficult years of my life. It's helped me cope with having chronic pain and illness, and the God awful symptoms that come along with it. It gave me an outlet while I came to terms with having my whole life turned upside down, and learned to get used to a new reality. It was there while I fought for diagnosis, went through scans and treatments, got diagnosed, and had frustrating or upsetting appointments with doctors and the DWP.  It's kept me occupied during countless lonely hours spent on bed rest, and given me something to throw myself in to every day; helping to keep the boredom at bay, and my brain working. It's provided me with a place to express myself and use my creativity, learn new skills, and challenge myself. It led me to some wonderful friends and readers I would never have known if it weren't for blogging, and helped me cope with the isolation and loneliness of living housebound. And for a while, it even helped me gain some body confidence, before I gained weight, and went back to square one. It's been so many things to me over the years, and I'll always be grateful for what it's done for me. I don't know how I would have got through the last ten years without it.

My blog has changed a lot during the last decade, morphing from a mostly plus-size fashion and beauty blog to an everything blog, as my health and finances declined and posing for outfit photos became too painful. I still miss blogging my outfits, but I rarely have the pennies for new clothes these days, so there's little hope of that pastime being revived any time soon.

Over the last ten years, I've written and published 1,642 blog posts- 1,643, if we count this one. That's a whole lotta posts on fashion, beauty, life, adventures, books, crafts, chronic illness, pets, and so much more. I could've churned out a lot more of them, but I've always strived for quality over quantity, and I'm proud of what I've created here. I've not always written the most interesting content, but I've always put 110% in to every blog post, and I like to think the quality of my writing and photos has improved a lot over the years. Of course, there's always been room for improvement, and as long as I'm blogging, I'll never stop working on it.

I may not have become a rich and famous influencer with a huge following, earning millions from my blog and gaining countless sponsorships, but that was never my goal. As nice as they are, likes and money aren't important to me. I've always blogged because I enjoy it, and needed a creative outlet, and would've kept blogging if I was writing for myself. I'm so grateful for the fantastic brands I've worked with and small following I do have, though, and I'm still amazed that anybody wants to read my posts and hear what I have to say. You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for your support and encouragement over the years, and all the kind comments and messages you've left for me. It means a lot.

I know I've not been the best blogger over the last few years, and have posted so sporadically- usually because I've not felt up to it or my brain fog has stolen my ability to string a sentence together- but I'm here trying almost every day. I've come to realise that I just can't create content at the same rate that I used to, no matter how hard I try. I want to keep blogging, and bring Polka Spots back to life with interesting content, and add more lifestyle posts, and reviews of the products I've used and enjoyed, but a few posts a month might be my limit now.  Either way, I'm not planning on going anywhere just yet, and while I have to put my health first, I'll do my best to keep creating whenever I feel up to it.

I've no intention of retiring Polka Spots just yet.

I don't know what the next ten years have in store for me or my blog, but here's hoping I'll still be here blogging, and finding comfort from it for many years to come.

Thanks again for supporting Polka Spots and Freckle Dots over the last decade.

Here's to the next ten years!

Want to go down memory lane with me? Here is a selection of posts from the last ten years:

The Muppets Christmas Carol Christmas Cards by Jenny Grene Illustration

Ten Years With Chronic Pain and Illness

An Accessible Birthday Trip to Whipsnade Zoo

Erstwilder Woodlands Collection

A Socially Distanced Trip to The Cotswold Wildlife Park

Erstwilder Care Bears Collection

What's in my Christmas Eve Box? 2019

Vendula London La Bicyclette de Vendula Box Bag Review*

The World in Stitches Modern Spectrum Mandala Cross Stitch

Cath Kidston Disney Alice in Wonderland Haul

My Handmade Felt Spring Flower Wreaths

How to Make Money Online By Answering Surveys

Cornish Adventures: St Michael's Mount

Cornish Adventures: St. Ives and Seal Island

Urban Decay Full Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette Review

My First Holiday With Chronic Pain

One Year With Rosie

Puppy Spam: Rosie 12-16 Weeks Old

My Quirky Brooch Collection 2016

Puppy Spam: Rosie 10-12 Weeks Old

Book Review: 642 Things to Write About Me

Once upon a Time in London

My Huge Cath Kidston Collection 2015

My Novelty Bag Collection 2015

What I Wore in 2014

Outfit: Red and Yellow Polka Dots

Zatchels Polka Dot Satchel Review

What an MRI Scan is Really Like

Outfit: Hearts and Polka Dots

Cut Make Trim Leather Barrel Bag Review*

Dressing Table Tour 2014: Make Up Storage

Zatchels Classic Satchel Review

Outfit: Coral, Turquoise, Flamingo and Pearls

The One Where it All Began

Six Years With Rosie

On the 1st of March, we marked six years since Rosie, our Tibetan terrier, joined our family.

Six years!

I can't believe how much time has passed since the day we brought our tiny ten-week-old black and white puppy home for the first time. It only feels like a minute since we became first-time dog owners and were enjoying the chaos of life with an adorable hyperactive puppy- or more accurately, a whirlwind with fluff and teeth. Those challenging early days when Rosie loved running off with anything not nailed down, stripping branches off of bushes in the garden, and creeping up on us to nip us with her tiny razor-sharp puppy teeth feel like they happened yesterday. It's crazy that it was over half a decade ago already.  In nine months, she'll be a senior. Can someone please slow down time just a little bit?

She often tilts her head back to watch you while you give her back rubs.

People weren't the only ones with awkward lockdown hair dos when the salons were shut!

The last six years have gone so fast, but it also feels like Rosie has been a part of the family forever. I'd swear she's always been here shadowing every meal, hogging three-quarters of the bed with a leg in my armpit, barking at every squirrel that has the audacity to scurry across her garden, and demanding games of fetch from everyone the moment you enter the house. I can barely remember what life was like before her, and I don't really want to. Life must have been so quiet and dull without her.

Demanding I held her paw

Happy pup after opening presents on her 6th birthday.

Six-year-old Rosie is, thankfully, less hyper and much more chilled than she was as a puppy, but she hasn't lost any of her sass or personality over the years. She's a little weirdo who sits on the sofa like a person, climbs like a mountain goat, and often sleeps with her front legs rigid in the air like no creature I've ever seen. (Does anyone else's dog do this or is mine just weird)? She loves sweetcorn and marrowfat peas, ripping the squeakers out of toys, sleeping on the back of the sofa, and opening presents, and would sell her soul for a tennis ball if she knew what a soul was, or how to bargain with the devil.

'Draw me like one of your French girls.'

I have no idea.

Smiling after opening presents and making a mess on Christmas morning 2021.

She also loves a good cuddle, and would do anything for a back rub or belly rub- but hates her face being touched when she's trying to concentrate on getting a piece of whatever you're eating. There's no time for affection when there's food involved. Priorities, and all that. She's my little snuggle buddy, joining me for a nap when I'm in too much pain to get out of bed- though, she also loves to kick me in the stomach or leg while she's dozing and trying to get comfortable. I'm forever covered in bruises from where she kicks off from my legs, pushing me closer to the edge of the bed each time. I think she's really just trying to kick me off the bed to claim it for herself.

She still makes me smile and laugh every day with her quirky little mannerisms, and all the different barks and noises she makes, chattering to us as if she thinks we speak the same language. She always lets you know when she wants something, be it your food, her daily Denta Stick, when it's time to go out before bed, a random sock on the bench, or the twelfth game of fetch of the day, and each alert is different. If there was an award for the chattiest, most demanding dog, it would go to Rosie, no question. 

Smiling because I had food.

I'll admit, she can be a pain in the butt at times, especially when she won't stop barking, but I wouldn't trade her. She's brought so much to my life these past six years, and makes every housebound day less dull and lonely. She might not always be the best behaved dog, but she's the best, funniest, and most affectionate doggo, and I love that crazy little bark machine, quirks an' all. 

Happy 6th Gotcha Day, Rosie Roo. I hope we get to celebrate many more together.

Other Rosie Posts You Might Enjoy

Four Years With Rosie

Two Years With Rosie

One Year With Rosie

Snow Day 2019

Rosie's First Snow Day

Puppy Spam: Rosie 4-6 Months Old

Puppy Spam: Rosie 12-16 Weeks Old

Puppy Spam: Rosie 10-12 Weeks Old

We're Getting a Puppy!

My Goals For 2022

Last year was not my best year for achievements. I didn't visit many places, I wasn't able to meet any new people, I didn't reach any milestones, and the less said about how little I blogged, the better. I can blame some of it on pain, illness, Covid and lockdown, but I admit I was also unmotivated and uninspired, and felt a bit 'meh' towards life in 2021. But then, who didn't?

I hope 2022 will be a much better year, and that I can find the motivation and pain tolerance to achieve more this year. As usual, there are loads of things I would like to make time for during the year ahead, from visiting new places and going to gigs again, to crafting more, and smashing my Goodreads reading goal, and much more. I'm going to talk about some of my goals for 2022 with you today, to make myself accountable, and hopefully motivate myself in to achieving at least some of them before the year is through. (Yes, I know it's a bit late to be talking New Year's resolutions, but hey, when do I ever do anything on time?!)

So, here are some of my goals for 2022:

Read 40 Books

After reading 42 books in 2021, I want to keep up my reading pace again this year, and make time to read (almost) every day. (I say 'almost', as there's always a few days when it's just not possible). I've set myself a new Goodreads reading challenge of 40 books for 2022, but I hope to read more, and beat last year's tally. I'm only on book five of the year so far, so I need to pick up the pace if I want to make it.

Take a Holiday to Cornwall

If I can get one thing out of 2022, it would be a holiday to Cornwall. We've just booked a week in Perranporth for early summer, and I can't wait for a week of sun, sea, sand, and sight-seeing. I'd love to fit in visits to St. Ives, Portreath, Mawgan Porth, and the seal sanctuary while we're there, and also take a tour bus along the coast again, either down to The Lizard or along to Land's End, as I've not seen much of those parts of Cornwall. I also want to paddle in the sea at Perranporth, walk on Porth Beach, take a boat trip to spot some sea life, and return to Gridl for breakfast. The reality is, I'll probably be spending most of the time in the caravan resting because it'll be painful and exhausting, but I want to be optimistic, and believe I can have some fun, too. 

Go to a Concert

Thanks to Covid, it's been over two years since my last concert, and it's been torture. Gigs are life. I'm having major withdrawals, so I hope I can satisfy my cravings with at least one gig in 2022. I need a live music fix.

Do More Cross Stitching

I love cross stitching, but I did very little of it in 2021, and only finished one piece all year. I just couldn't find the motivation. I'd like to find my groove with it again this year, cross stitch regularly, and make lots of pieces. I've already been working on some retro Christmas bauble designs I didn't have time to finish over Christmas, so I'm off to a good start.

Do More Painting

I want to make more time for water-colour painting. I didn't dig out the paints often in 2021, but it's something I enjoy and find relaxing, so I really should try to do more of it.

Make Something With a Loom

I bought a small circular loom a few years ago and still haven't made anything with it, so it's about time I did. I don't have a clue what to make with it, but I always thought weaving looked like fun. Maybe 2022 will be the year I find out if I'm right. Or maybe it won't.

Explore More Local Places

I've lived in The Cotswolds all my life, but there's so much of it I've never been to or explored properly, and I'd like to change that. I want to do more exploring close to home this year, and see what cool places we can find.

Visit the Bluebell Woods

I'd love to go for a walk in the woods when the bluebells flower this spring, especially as we never made it last year. There's a woods near Faringdon in Oxfordshire called Badbury Clump which gets carpeted with a sea of violet bluebells from late April or early May, and it's so beautiful. It's well worth a visit if you're in to nature.

Go See the Lavender, Confetti, and Sunflower Fields

I'd also like to do a few things I've never done before, and visit lavender, sunflower, and confetti fields in my area. Mostly to take photos, but also to enjoy the general prettiness of a sea of colourful flowers. The confetti fields are fields of flowers like delphiniums and cornflowers that are grown and harvested for wedding confetti, and it sounds so lovely. It's at Wyke Manor Estate in Wick, near Pershore in Worcestershire for anyone who's curious.

Visit the Zoo

I'm a big animal lover, so I love a good trip to the zoo, and hope to visit a few this year. I would love to pay another visit to Whipsnade Zoo this summer to do all the sections we didn't fit in last time, and I really want to visit Longleat Safari Park to see the koalas and wombats, as I've never seen either animal in real life. It's a bit of a drive from Oxfordshire, though, so I'm not sure it would be possible without an overnight stay nearby. I'm also planning to fit in at least one day out at my local zoo, The Cotswold Wildlife Park, although, I'm sure we'll squeeze in several. It's such a lovely, relaxing place to walk around, and get some exercise while enjoying the animals, and I think it's good to challenge myself to push through my chronic pain every now and then to make it to the end. 

Take a Trip to the Seaside

I'd really like to take at least one day-trip to the coast this summer, and spend some time at the beach, paddling in the sea, watching the waves, and eating salty fish and chips straight from the paper on the sea front. (My holiday to Cornwall doesn't count). I grew up with multiple day trips to the beach every summer- usually to Poole or Woolacombe- which I haven't done much of as an adult, and I miss it so much.

Have a Good Clear Out

I feel the need to have a good declutter, so I want to gradually go through my stuff- clothes, bags, books, craft supplies etc- and clear out anything I no longer want or use. It'll probably take me most of the year with my health, but if I can cull some stuff by the end of the year, I'll be happy.

Reorganise My Bookshelves 

Reorganising my bookshelves was on my list of autumn goals, but I never found the time or spoons to see to it. It's definitely on my list of priorities before spring because the shelves are over-run with books I've read piling up towards the ceiling, and it's all such an eye-sore that it's actually stressing me out to look at it. I need to clear everything off, put my DVDs in to folders and store the cases, get rid of any books I don't want, and reorganise everything. Hopefully then my bookshelves will look pretty again, and I might even have space for new books.

And those are some of my goals for the year ahead. 

I don't know if I'll be able to achieve them all and I'm probably being a little too optimistic, but I'm going to give it my best shot anyway. 

Wish me luck!

Have you set any goals or resolutions for 2022?

What I Got For Christmas 2021

Today, I thought I'd show you the lovely presents I was given for Christmas last year.

I know, I know; Christmas was ages ago now, but I'm lagging behind with my blog posts as I've been unwell a lot lately. I still want to document them to look back on, so I hope you'll indulge me as I chat about the cute things I was given. I promise it won't get too festive.

If you're still reading this, I guess you're curious to see what presents I got under the tree, so let's get cracking before you change your mind.

My parents got me this amazing mint green Robin Hood mini backpack from Loungefly, which had been on my wish list for ages. I was so excited when I unwrapped it on Christmas morning, as Robin Hood has always been one of my favourite Disney films, and I was pretty obsessed with it when I was growing up. It's the cutest little backpack, and the best part is that it has Sir Hiss with his head in a balloon on the back, with the same image used for the lining. I love it!

If anyone wants me to do a full review of the backpack, just let me know.

As you've probably noticed by now, I'm a little addicted to Animal Crossing, so one of my sister's got me an Animal Crossing jigsaw. The funny thing is, I bought her the exact same one! We're going to have to have jigsaw wars to see who can complete it first. I haven't done a jigsaw since I was about ten, so this could end badly.

My little sister also got me the cutest Animal Crossing Poppy bookmark from Mollie Crossing Studio on Etsy., which is perfect as I was down to my last bookmark. Where do they disappear to? Someone please tell me.

I also got some Animal Crossing presents from one of my lovely friends, including some adorable bath fizzers, a Flurry figurine, and a fun summer jigsaw. They're all so cute! My friend also sent me an awesome pair of Alice in Wonderland studs, but I haven't been able to get them to photograph well.

My younger sister, Sarah, got me a copy of Two Point Hospital to play on the Switch. I haven't played on it much yet as I've been too fatigued and brain fogged to figure it out, but I'm sure it won't be long until I'm addicted. I remember spending hours playing Theme Hospital on the PS1 in the early noughties, and it looks like the same sort of thing.

I love getting books as presents, and I was pleased to receive a few for Christmas from my parents, and my older sister. I got the Shadow in the Glass by JJA Harwood, which sounds like a new take on Cinderella; The Deep by Alma Katsu, a psychological thriller and gothic ghost story set on board the Titanic and Britannic; and a beautiful Barnes & Noble leather bound edition of six of H.G. Wells' most famous books. I've only ever read War of the Worlds, and have wanted to try some of his other stories for years, so I'm pleased to finally have this book in my collection. It's been on my wish list for years. The cover is gorgeous, with a flying saucer, solar system, and clock faces entwined on cobalt blue, and if the design isn't enough to tempt you, the pages are gilded in gold. 

I naturally had a few Erstwilder brooches on my Christmas list, and my parents bought me the King of the Coast brooch from last year's Jocelyn Proust collection. It's a beautiful red and green Australian king parrot, and it's made from some stunning red, green, and pearlescent white textured resins. It's a beauty, and I love it.

Speaking of jewellery, I also got the cutest pair of scalloped-edged, hot pink Fossil heart earrings from my parents. I always seem to get things from Fossil as my Mum's obsessed.

One of the coolest, most meaningful presents I got was a Pound Puppies basset hound teddy, from my sister and brother-in-law. It's just like one I had when I was little, except my childhood version also had a Velcro pouch in its belly with three puppies inside. I used to take them everywhere, and still have them packed away in the loft somewhere. As it was a childhood favourite, I was thrilled when I discovered that some of the old eighties and nineties Pound Puppies had been brought back, even if the Mums and pups weren't included. I added this almost identical one to my wishlist ages ago, thinking of buying it for myself at some point for the nostalgia, but never expected anyone to buy it for me. I was really excited to unwrap it on Christmas morning, and it now brings back lots of childhood memories. Pound Puppies were the best. Did anyone have one?

My parents and sister stocked me up on chocolate with a couple of selection boxes. I also got a Chocolate Orange, which is a tradition in our family at Christmas, but it didn't last long enough to make it in to photos. They're just too yummy.

My best friend sent me a thoughtful box of American chocolate from Planet Candy... luckily filled with some of the few American chocolates I actually like. Who knew the white Reese's were so good?!

And I was also gifted some hot chocolate goodies from another of my lovely friends, including the sweetest gingerbread man spoon with my name engraved on it. I'm looking forward to trying the hot chocolate bomb and stirrers soon. They'll be perfect for a chilly evening in front of the TV.

I also got a few other small bits and bobs I haven't photographed, and some Christmas money from a couple of my relatives, which I put towards some goodies from The Body Shop (mostly body butters, and shower gels), as well as a navy polka dot Lyra dress from Lady Vintage I got in the sale.

I love everything I was given this Christmas. My friends and family gave me some really cute and thoughtful gifts, and several that I'd been coveting for ages. I'm so grateful for their generosity, and still feel spoilt. Thanks to everyone who gave me a present; you guys are the best!

What was the best present you got for Christmas?

You Might Also Like

Christmas Haul

What I Got For My Birthday

Looking Back on 2021

Goodbye 2021, hello 2022, and Happy belated New Year to you all!

I can't believe we're already four weeks in to the new year. This month has gone so quickly, which is weird since I've been unwell for most of it, and I've only left the house twice since Christmas for boring medical appointments. It's going to be Christmas again before we know it.

I don't know about you, but my year hasn't got off to the best start. I haven't been so well over the last few weeks- I've had some pretty nasty chronic pain and tachycardia flares, and have just been diagnosed with an ear infection, so, yeah... Happy New Year to me. I've just been hibernating and looking after myself, so I'm so behind with my blog posts. It's taken me a month to get this post written, but I'm back, and I'm going to try to catch up over the next week or two, starting with a look back on the delightful year that was 2021.

I'm grateful that I can say that despite the lockdowns and restrictions, 2021 was not the worst year of my life. It wasn't a particularly interesting or exciting year for me; I didn't achieve much, go to many new places, meet any new people, or even leave the house often, but if that's the worst I can say about a year when a contagious virus took thousands of lives, I consider myself lucky. 

I got through the year without myself or anyone close to me catching Covid, we didn't lose jobs or businesses or miss weddings or funerals like many did, and lockdown life was a piece of cake as it wasn't any different to my normal life of living housebound with chronic illness. I know others weren't so lucky, and most people found lockdown challenging, so I'm choosing to be grateful. My year could've been so much worse.

Between Covid and chronic illness, it was not a year of adventures, but I got to take my first holiday in four years, to Cornwall in September, which was a welcome break from normality, and the highlight of my year, We had a great time exploring more of the Cornish coast by car and tour bus, revisited Padstow, ate ice creams on the sea front, paddled in the sea at Perranporth, had a fun day out at Newquay Zoo, and sampled lots of delicious local food. (I'll be blogging about some of those Cornish adventures soon). We spent most of our time resting and couldn't take as many day trips as we would've liked, but it was just the break we needed after a year and a half of Covid life. 

Most of my other escapes from captivity were just visits to the supermarket, with the occasional trip in to town with my sister, but I did take a few fun day trips to The Cotswold Wildlife Park and Whipsnade Zoo in the summer, which were good for the soul. We also squeezed in a visit to The Appleton Christmas Barn in December, but that is about as exciting as 2021 got for me. I'd hoped to get out and about a lot more, and take more fun, socially-distanced visits to local places, but for various reasons- Covid restrictions, chronic illness, funds, life- it just wasn't possible.

The reality is, I spent most of the year at home in my PJs, playing Animal Crossing and FarmVille 3, trying and failing to blog, reading a lot of books (I smashed my Goodreads reading goal and got through 42!), watching TV, falling in to fatigue-induced naps, and just trying to get through each day with chronic pain, tachycardia, and all my other symptoms kicking my ass. It wasn't an easy year health-wise, but I got through it, a day at a time.

2021 was also the year I marked ten whole years of living with severe chronic pain and illness (2.0). Ten whole years of living in constant pain, battling fatigue and a plethora of other symptoms, dealing with my life being turned upside down, living housebound, diagnosis', medical appointments, scans, treatments, and all the usual hurdles that come with having chronic pain and illness. It was a weird milestone to reach, and hard to get my head around, but I also felt proud of myself for reaching it, and coping with all that I had. I was lucky enough to be on holiday when the anniversary arrived, so I was able to make the day much more pleasant than the one a decade ago by going out for breakfast, and spending time by the sea. I was far too relaxed and content to lose any sleep over it, which was a win for me.

As for blogging, 2021 was not my best year.  I was terrible at posting- mostly because of brain fog and just not feeling up to it- and I blogged less than any year since I began blogging here in 2012. It wasn't for lack of trying, as I tried to write almost every day, but the words wouldn't come, and the posts were still few and far between. I found my groove again for a while in December, and hoped I could continue the pace this year, but as you may have noticed, I've not exactly got off to the best start. Must do better.

Sadly, the year didn't end positively for my family, after we lost my Uncle very suddenly in early November. Since childhood, I only really saw him at family gatherings as we didn't live nearby, but he was a lovely guy, and nobody had a bad word to say about him. His death has hit my parents hard, and I feel awful for my Auntie who's now all alone. I know it's a cliché, but it makes you realise how short and precious life is, and how you should never take it for granted. You never know what's around the corner.

I think the last two years with Covid have taught us that, too.

Except for the loss of my Uncle, I know my year could have been a lot worse, and I'm grateful that, for the most part, all I had to worry about was illness and boredom. Despite Covid, I still had some great times, and made some happy memories with my family. There was some good in every day, and I did my best to appreciate the little things in life, like good books, sunny days, and cuddles with my dog.

I'm glad 2021 is over, though, and I'm hopeful that 2022 will be a better year for us all, free from lockdowns, harsh restrictions, and Covid-19. Here's hoping it brings a lot more adventures, good times, health, wealth, and happiness. It can't be any worse than the last two years, right? (Y'know what, don't answer that).

Goodbye 2021.

Hello 2022. I'm ready for you, but please be kind.

What's the best thing that happened to you in 2021?