2006

After 2004 I didn’t do another summary for 2005 because I couldn’t bear to relive that year again. In 2005 I started the year off with losing my Grandfather and things went down hill from there. Professionally it was a tough year because I stopped enjoying what I was doing, that then had a flow on effect to other things in my life and I didn’t like the negative person that I was becoming (don't get me wrong the year wasn't all bad but I was glad when it ended).

My friends will have heard me say time and time again that a person is only allowed to complain about their job for so long before they must do something about it. I wasn’t particularly looking for a new job, it all just happened and for all the times that you hear people say ‘things happen for a reason’ well I'm living proof.

2006 started off with a Bang! I didn't know at the time, but my photos on the night captured the building where I would start working 2 months later.

Changing jobs changed my life! The pay was fair and shorter travel time plus shorter core hours meant that I now reclaimed back 15 hours a week. This gave me back a lot more ‘me’ time and restored the balance back in my life. I caught up with my old manager some time in May and she couldn’t believe the change in me, my happiness beamed from within and nothing could wipe the stupid grin from my face.

It was in February that I had ‘That Talk’ with Mum and 4 months later Jacky and I made an offer on our first home. In June we celebrated our 8 year anniversary and in July we moved in together. Learning to live together wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be, the first couple of months was challenging, but now that we have settled in moving out has been everything that I dreamt it would be and more. I love our house and I love being home.

I was just so content with everything….and then came the proposal.

In a period of 9 months both Jacky and I changed jobs, bought a house, moved out and are now getting married...a big year? A massive year! I am so grateful for everything that has happened.

Other highlights of 2006 include:

• All my regular eating & market adventures (Growers Markets, festivals, fellow foodies).
• My trips to Melbourne for work.
• Di's 21st @ the Shangri-la Hotel
• Helping Matty & the team pull off a pretty amazing suprise 21st.
• Celebrating Christmas in July at the Westwoods.
• Running Kids in the office day and then given a $200 Myer voucher from the firm to say thank you and later winning 'Employee of the quarter' for my efforts where I was given another $250 to put towards a holiday.
• Roula's Kitchen tea - the most awesome bridal shower that I have ever seen!
• All the weddings that we went to.

• Good food and wine fair 2006.
• Kanye West @ Horden Pavilion & U2 @ Telstra Stadium.
• My first Deacons work X'mas party.
• My first Arup party.

A few small thank yous...

• Mum, you taught me to work hard and aim as high as I can.
  
• Sophia for keeping me grounded and never being afraid to speak your mind.
• Ex Hudson Guys - what would I do without you all??
  
• Mingo & Angii - for just always being there.
  
• Grumpy Face - glad to see you smiling, serendipity indeed!
  
• Tash - for always cracking me up.
• Mark - for letting me laugh at you =P and being a good sport.
  
• Sarah - for reading all my crazy emails and not pressing delete.
• The girls - we're growing up & growing old together.
• Helen - for all your wonderful food posts! Something I always look forward to reading.
• All the Xanga Guys and Gals, you know who you are! - new friends and old.
• Muz - not being bored to death when I talk about food & knives for hours.
• Tim - your cartoons.
  
• Jacky - You are my rock.
  

So that's it for another year, I almost scared for 2006 to end but you know it only gets better from here. My goal for 2007? I'm going to try slow things down a bit and really take time out to enjoy things and focus on experiences.