As per established tradition (and mostly for my own benefit so I can remember what happened), here is a brief summary of 2013.
January: Megan turns 21! We move back into our freshly EQC-renovated house, there is a lot of family time, and skating.
February: A lovely getaway to Queenstown for Stephen and me, we get our gardens done, a fun trip to Tekapo to watch inline hockey, lots of work, family, skating. The 2nd anniversary of the Feb 2011 earthquakes – not much has changed in a year.
March: Our 2nd wedding anniversary – celebrated in style at Rotherhams. We come 2nd in our ice hockey grand final, I graduate roller derby freshmeat and into the league.
April: We go to Dunedin to celebrate Granddad’s 96th birthday. We put the finishing touches on the house. Roller derby.
May: Megan moves out, and in with Blair. Lots of working, family time, roller derby training.
June: Bronwen gets braces. The Mt Albert Thompsons come for a visit. I go to Blenheim for a derby bootcamp, Bronwen NSOs (officiates) her first derby bout. Derby, derby, derby.
July: New roller skates for me and for Stephen! A fun-filled hockey weekend in Tekapo with my Rangers. My first big roller derby bout (Superheroes v Supervillains).
August: Raro! A blissful week of sun, sand, scooters and family. Wyatt starts playing ice hockey and LOVES it. The league takes a much-needed mid-season break from roller derby.
September: After several months of planning, work begins on the roller rink. I have an enforced break from derby after rolling my ankle, then come back with a vengeance in the bout against Dunedin’s Bonnie Brawlers (beat them 238-108). Hockey kicks off for another year – the Rangers kick ass. Life and work is intense. Little Arlia turns 3.
October: Bronwen turns 13, a teenager at last. We move the roller rink from Tuam St to Peterborough St and building progresses in earnest. TEDx is inspiring. Roller derby nationals are EPIC! Work is scary-intense.
November: Antony turns 25 (OMG!) and gets roller skates of course. Wyatt turns 5. I learn the basics of skate jamming with Danger Danger. We finish the roller rink (AWESOME!!). We have the last bout of the season – Rocky Horroween. Junior derby kicks off, Bronwen is fast and furious. Derby awards night, and I take away the Hard Yards award – super proud.
December: A visit from Gillian, lots of motorway skating, the derby girls play some ice hockey (LOL), Bronwen graduates from Chisnallwood Intermediate and we mentally prepare for high school. I get an iPad mini and a Pebble watch (lucky girl, me!). Christmas comes and goes and the whole family takes a much-needed break from the fast lane.
I’m not gonna lie, in many ways it’s been a tough year. We had some fun and joy in there, but overall it’s been hard work. There have been several projects going on at once that have made life pretty intense at times. I took on the job of league secretary for roller derby, and returned as secretary of the Senior League for ice hockey. Stephen took on the chair of the Senior League and the secretary of Canterbury Ice Hockey Assoc. There was a lot of unpaid administration work going on in our house this year. Building the roller rink was a HUGE undertaking – it occupied most of our spare time for the latter part of the year. Roller derby was very intense – three 2-hour training sessions a week, plus going to the gym, plus ice hockey. It was a bit relentless. And then once I added in three of the busiest months I think I’ve ever had at work (in Sept, Oct, Nov) and it just about broke me.
What kept me going this year is the intense joy I get from all the things I did. I love skating (can you tell??), I love my job, I love spending time with my family, I am hugely proud of our roller rink, I love ice hockey. I’ve indulged my passions this year, just binging a little too much at times.
2014 will be about finding the balance. It will be about saying yes and no more carefully – so I get to do the things I love, but not so they become work.
The Secret Life of Bebe 