Happy New Year 2017

It's been very very very busy since Christmas!  Boxing day I was still at Matt's parents, and we went out for dinner to the local curry house.  On the 27th I saw these wonderful girls, my two best mates from school.  We had a good catch up in London in the coffee shops, before having an impromptu photoshoot on the beach of the south bank.  Very silly, and lots of fun!  I had been unsure of whether or not I was going to the chums party this year because of the long journey from Matt's parents house, but since I was in London anyway, I decided to hang around for an hour (at the Natural History Museum, looking at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition), then head to Sunbury for the party.  I'm so glad I went, as it was one of the best we've had for a good few years.  We did a music quiz and my team came last, but I knew more than I thought I would and we didn't lose by too much, so I was in good spirits!  Sam and Amy turned up at about 9, and I decided to stay with them for the night instead of travelling across London late at night.  It was lovely to catch up with them.  Poor Sam had to work the day after the party though, and we didn't go to bed until 2am!

 On the 28th, I went back to Matt's parents house for the cinema (Rouge One) and dinner (Italian).  Then on the 29th I headed to the beautiful Hanbury Manor hotel to meet my cousin the day before her wedding for a look around the hotel.  I took her wedding photos!  We had a nice catch up in the café before my brother Simon picked me up.  I stayed with him that night and it was so lovely to see the kids.  We played lots of games, including 'Don't take Buster's Bones' where you have to pick bones out of a dog bowl without the electronic dog jumping up and barking at you.  I screamed every time!  Then we played 'Say it don't spray it' with the boys where you have to put this plastic thing in your mouth and try to say phrases.  Very funny.  I'll post the photo once Simon sends it to me.  Lots of videos were taken too!

I was back at Hanbury Manor at 9.15 the next morning for the wedding.  I was very nervous the day before, but as always on the day  I really enjoy myself, although it was exhausting.  I took some photos of the bride getting ready, then the groom, ceremony, group shots etc.  The bride and groom didn't want many photos of the two of them, and the bride was determined not to go outside, but I managed to persuade her, for all of 3 minutes!!  They were the only photos they let me take of the two of them, so lucky that they have turned out well!  It was a lovely day, and it was even better when Matt, Sam and Amy and Simon and Sarah came for the evening party.  We danced the night away.  No photos of the wedding yet, as I need to get them colour corrected and sharpened, and then send them off to the bride and groom. 

We stayed the night of the wedding in a B&B down the road, so it was nice having breakfast with everyone the next morning.  Matt went off early to go to a football match, then home to his parents, and I went back to Mum and Dad's.  I'm here now for a couple of days.  We went home via Nanny and Grandad's where I got this lovely photo of a blue tit...

I didn't even make it to midnight on new years eve.  It had been too much of a busy week.  Today we went down to Highcliffe to watch the crazy New Years Day swimmers, who go in the water for about 30 seconds.  It was fairly mild today too!  This afternoon we went to the cinema to watch Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which was really good.  Tomorrow we will pop to the shops to mooch about the sales.  I feel exhausted!  But also very positive about 2017.  I want to get my photography business up and running with a website, we are looking for new jobs and I want to get back to the gym.  Lots to work towards and look forward to.  It's going to be a great year.