So, it’s reached that stage of proceedings when I feel that I ought to jump on the annual band-wagon and review my year in some meaningful way. There’s a lot that could be said: It’s been busy, it’s been undeniably tough, but ultimately it’s mostly been amazingly good fun and potentially life-changing.
This was the year when I truly began my Master of Wine studies in earnest, swapping guilt-free spare time for shelves of new wine-related books, journals and exercise books of hurriedly scribbled notes. It’s been a challenge trying to fit the study in alongside parenthood and a fulltime job, but I am still genuinely enjoying it. Plus, I’ve also gained a whole heap of lovely new friends along the way and have had some amazing opportunities to boot (where does that phrase come from, by the way?).
I suppose the highlight, in many ways, came right at the end, in my scholarship visit to Marlborough in New Zealand, an area with which I think I have fallen irrevocably in love. It was an astonishingly enjoyable three weeks and I did get red-carpet treatment and was able to visit great wineries and taste fabulous wines, but ultimately it was the people, the scenery and the general atmosphere that made it so enjoyable. I am absolutely determined to return…
Anyway, this all sounds unbearably smug. It has not all been plain sailing by any means, believe me, but ultimately I end the year feeling very grateful for all the people I’ve met and everything I’ve been able to do…
Do I have any New Year’s resolutions? No. Not really. But I’ve decided to stop trying to persuade people that I’m shy. No-one believes me…
So, thanks to everyone – it’s been fun! Happy end-of-2012 to you all and wishing you all the very best for an exciting, fulfilling, peaceful and wineful 2013!
The Winekat’s 2012 in numbers (and a few words):
Countries visited (apart from UK) – 6
Approximate miles flown – 30,000
Wine regions visited – Various Austrian, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Jerez, Marlborough
Wines consumed – countless
Corked wines - 8 that I can remember
New nephews born – 1
New jobs begun – 1
Exams passed – 1
Ends of the world survived – 1
Blog posts written – 89
Twitter followers at 30/12/12 23:09 – 1552
Pairs of shoes owned: 12 (I reckon that’s less than most people think)
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Today’s stuck-in-head-song – Ride on, Christy Moore
Today’s dinner – very naughty curry and oodles of lime pickle
Today’s drinks – 2011 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc, 12 YO Dalmore Whisky
Today’s footwear – slippers
Er, what about Tuscany? Did that trip mean nothing to you, Kat “I’ve fallen irrevocably in love with New Zealand”? Pish posh!
I’m a fickle child… or maybe just happy to share the love around…
On the origin of “to boot” – I believe it’s from the same root word as “better”, thus imparting a sense of goodness rather than just “as well as”. It’s quite old – see this quote from Langtoft’s Chronicle, 1330:
“A hundreth knyghtes mo… and four hundreth to bote, squieres of gode aray.”
Excellent knowledge!