Welcome and come on in. Pull up a chair and I’ll put a brew on. Tea? Coffee? Who would believe that this is the last weekend we’ll be having coffee in 2018. Next week we’ll be pulling up our chairs in 2019. This year has flown and we have done a lot and if we were having coffee I’d be looking back on the year. Reflecting as you do as the New Year dawns.
In February we had a visit from our godchildren and their parents and went for a trip to Australia Zoo. That is the one where Steve Irwin (dec) and his family have their animals. Although it is a bit like a religious experience going to this zoo and Steve Irwin is an almost godlike figure they do a lot of good work saving the animals and returning them to their native habitat.
© irene waters 2018
Shortly after their visit we cruised to New Guinea which gave us memories into our time spent on Tanna although parts were sublimely beautiful.
© irene waters 2018
© irene waters 2018
© irene waters 2018
Then in May we celebrated my mother’s 90th birthday. A couple of her old friends from Sydney came to Noosa to celebrate with us and that was the best birthday present my Mum got.
© irene waters 2018
Roger’s best friend Bundy died at 15 years
© irene waters 2018
and when I was in Sydney and the Blue Mountains in June
© irene waters 2018
© irene waters 2018
Roger found a house for us to move to.
© irene waters 2018
© irene waters 2018
Before moving in we changed the kitchen from blue to white
© irene waters 2018
had a new floor put down, painted the entire house inside ourselves
© irene waters 2018
and had the pool resurfaced. We moved in on the 21st September and Marley came to live with us on the 22nd September.
© irene waters 2018
In November we headed to Egypt. Having said I felt perfectly safe whilst we were there the bombing this week that left two tourists dead has made me feel very sad. Egypt, I still maintain, is no more dangerous to visit than Paris, London and the United States but when something happens in Egypt tourism seems to drop off whereas when it happens in the other places there seems to be a banding together with everyone saying we will not change our lifestyle and let these terrorists win in that way.
© irene waters 2018
On our return from Egypt I found my book Nightmare in Paradise had been published.
© irene waters 2018
Now we have family from Switzerland and Germany staying with us making us eight in all. Just wonderful. Of course in between these events we lived our life – I became President of Noosa Toastmasters, I did the final edits on my book, I read and blogged and frequently visited my Mum. As I look back over the year I can understand how I became overwhelmed and had to stop blogging for a few months.
I’d love to know how you spent the last year. Your favourite book of the year. Your favourite film? I saw Bohemian Rhapsody with my brother yesterday and it moved me to tears. Of course I knew all the music and I thing they told the story in a very considerate way. I didn’t need to see the debauchery Freddie Mercury got up to to know that his lifestyle had hit rock bottom (which was one of the critic’s comments. If you haven’t seen it – go.
I wish you a Very Happy and Safe New Year and I hope the year allows you to follow your dreams. See you Next Year for a cup of coffee. Thanks for dropping by this year and thank you to EclecticAli for hosting our weekend Coffee Shares.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
You’ve certainly lived a momentous and interesting year, Irene. Happy New Year to you, Roger, and your Mum.
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I hadn’t realised until I listed it like that just how much we had done in the year. Happy New Year Sharon to you and your family.
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A very busy year, Irene. No wonder you needed a blogging break. I look forward to sharing 2019 with you.
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Thanks Robbie. Here’s to 2019. Happy New Year.
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You’ve had quite a year, Irene—I’m impressed! I followed your posts about Egypt, and popped in here and there to keep up with you…not easy to do! Happy Birthday to your mum on her 90th. Congratulations on having your book published! And last, but not least, congratulations on surviving so many renovations! Happy New Year—see you in 2019!
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Thanks Diane. Look forward to seeing you in 2019 and I wish you a good writing year ahead.
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Hi Irene, Loved your photos! And moving to a new home the way you did it – wow, what a project that must have been. I had a wonderful 2018 in many ways, but to stay where you might be interested, I had only 2 goals: 1) to get my story blog up and running and 2) create content – about 50 stories to get it going. Done and done and I made a bunch of new blogging friends which was unexpected, but so welcomed. I hope you have an amazing 2019 and that I get to experience more of your work. Blessings.
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It looks like you have achieved last years goals – what for 2019. I popped over and read the first in your series. You probably know I enjoy memoir which is why I put up a monthly memoir prompt. I enjoyed your story immensely and will be back to read more in the series. Have a wonderful 2019. Cheers Irene
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Wow you had a busy and productive year. Cheers to a fantastic 2019.
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Hope you have a great 2019 also Antionette.
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That seems like a fabulous year! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the bits and pieces that you’ve shared with us. Happy New Year!
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Thank you very much. Hope you have a good year also. Cheers irene
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Thank you Irene 🙂
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Sounds like a good and eventful year. I hope you have a wonderful year in 2019 🙂
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You too Trent.
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