My years been full of wonderful moments...

30th December 2016

Slower...Slower...Concentrate on one thing, one thing!

Nearly the end of the year, it's been a very calm one for me really, looking through my Facebook photos it's been full of member success, food, sunrises and sunsets.   When I look a little harder though I see lots of giggle moments, quite a few memories that aren't there because we were just too busy enjoying the moment to record it with a photo or there wasn't anyone there to capture the moment for us.

Mom and me have had some wonderful days out this year, we've loved Weston Park the best I think because it's so close, easily accessible and beautiful grounds.  Just scrolling through the images for a few minutes are bringing back so many memories, the Dementia walk on Cannock Chase was a fantastic day and raised lots of money.  The not so big moments are making me smile, walking to the Tesco garage with my bestie and walking back in the rain, then there was the day we walked home through the fields from the pub, proper giggle worthy both of them. 

Just found one of mom eating an ice-cream in Bridgnorth, that was the day she used her dementia to get two ice-creams!  Then there's the ones of us in our HUGE glasses on the way back from poundland, that was a brilliant morning.  See life isn't only about the big moments, it's about making the most of the small ones.  I'm actually going to sort some of these photos out into a separate album, put them on a disk and get them printed, they can be 2016 memories that bring a smile to my face.  I must remember to take even more in 2017. 

At this time of year it's easy to get stuck in a misery rut, the whoop whoop of Christmas is done, the nights are dark, the days are cold, you're skint, you're bored, life sucks!  But really it doesn't, it's just winter and you're having post Christmas blues, it's a great time to look back over your year, get those photos out and off your phone, make plans for what you'll do in the year ahead. 

Were you happy to be in photos in 2016 or don't you like seeing yourself in a picture?  Remember people see you as you are every day, don't worry about what you see in the photo, when I look at photos of me and my loved ones all I see are the smiles, all I notice is the love and all I remember are the memories of that day, I never remember what I or anyone else weighed! 

I love the idea of an Ugly Photo Album, we all have those photos we say "Oh my god, no, I look awful, you can't put that one up!"  Every family needs one, we can't all be photogenic and even if we are, there's always moments of 'Oh dear', so why not put those photos all in one places so that you can all laugh and giggle at the awful photos that have been take over the years.  That would be a real giggle album!

If you're feeling a little flat after the holidays, sit and go through your photos, it's just really lifted me this morning.  I was feeling a bit flat the last few days and what lifted me was a chat to my bestie, I never realised how important she would become to me when I met her for the first time.  Who knew one day she would be my crazy rock, my go to on a bad day, my lager giggles girl, my talk myself out of a bad mood bird.  Yep who knew....

I'm still scrolling through my pics, whilst writing, I've just got to the day we drove to the beach because I hadn't seen the sea for a few years, it took us just over 2 hours and we were on the sand all of ten minutes when mom said "You don't like being here do you Alfie, you've had enough and want to go back to the car", it's a thing she does these days, talks to me through Alfie, rather than just saying 'this is rubbish, I've had enough" she uses Alfie :).  We did get chips before driving back though.

So next time you're feeling a little low, remind yourself it's a bad day, not a bad life and look back over those photos you're going to start taking if you don't already. I'm back as far as January 2016 on my timeline now and my mood is good, I'm ready for a mug of tea, I'm going to sort those pics that I want printing and I've got a nice day planned, got me a massage treat this afternoon that my brother and his wife treated me too, not my usual place she's enjoying her Christmas break like me.

Here's to a wonderful day, focusing on the good, focusing on the happy and healthy, enjoying what we have, being happy about nothing in particular, you up for that BeYOUtiful. xx