Temperatures in Mexico over December 2012 are surreal and average 75F every day with blue skies and cool evenings. the temp outside in Ohio was 7F(-14C for those metric folks). It feels like your pants are cardboard and will break after walking 500m in that temperature. It is amazing your ears go numb instantly and breathing burns to at that temp. Yet there are people out walking dogs and runners out on the sidewalks as I drive to work in the morning. Not all of them are sane of that I am sure!
In the past year I have travelled the vast majority of the 50 states in the USA for business and pleasure. Been to Mexico twice, bought a home out in Columbus Ohio and got a promotion at work to a new piece of the business. I worked most of January on television shoots out in California, February I have travelled to Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Fullerton, Charlotte and St Pauls MN. Mid Feb to San Diego for the week and then a 3 day visit to Detroit in the dead of winter. (I think I caught the short straw on that trip). March I got to go to Texas and then back to Atlanta.
I volunteered at the Memorial golf tournament this year and spent three days watching the PGA players work the course. They are a very talented bunch and even the bad golfers are really good. Good to see that they can land in trouble too.
We decided to get a puppy in April and could not have wished to get a better dog. She is a Westie and has been an absolute joy since the day we brought her home. At 6 weeks she was a ball of fluff but now at 8 months she is running around the house and the yard as if she owns the place.
In May I made a decision to make a career choice back into financial services and joined the largest US bank in June of 2013. I have travelled to the west coast and Florida in the first few months of joining the bank. So travel is a lot less frequent and being home has helped my tennis game too.
June was also a BIG milestone for Lesleigh and I as we were granted citizenship in the USA. we also got our passports over the summer. Recollecting what has taken place this year is making me tired thinking of how much we have done!
Lesleigh and I have had a year of DIY with the new house. When we moved in Lesleigh literally painted the interior. Lesleigh and I watched a lot of DIY television and decided to try our hand at tiling the laundry, looks great, updated a bathroom, also looks fantastic, although Lesleigh did choose all the materials and even did the tiling around the counter top (very talented wife). We had a great summer and as the minister of lawn management of the house the garden was in fine shape. Planted a vegetable garden and did a bit of landscaping outdoors too. sold the hot tub and cut down two trees.
At the end of summer Lesleigh and I took a long weekend break and headed to Chicago. What a city. If not the most scenic we have been to in the US. We walked Chicago flat and saw most of the tourist sites. What a place, I would highly recommend taking a trip out there in the summer, apparently the
Lesleigh decided to become a vegan and yes that means my food changed too. But so far its been a great experience and I have tasted some of the finest dishes whilst losing weight and getting back into better shape. My wife has also become quite the chef since watching food network and experimenting in the kitchen adding her own creative touches to each dish.
I am playing some of the best tennis I have ever played and energy levels are good for a 3 hour match. I got to represent our team in Districts for mixed doubles and got through to the mens finals of the doubles. My season ended with a 7-2 wins over loses which felt like I improved from the previous season. Lesleigh got to play golf in a ladies league and the girls did have a lot of fun. Summer means long daylight hours so you can go out at 5pm and still get 18 holes in before sundown.
We went to Epcot for our Anniversary for the Food and Wine festival and ate some really good food and got to tour the Hollywood studio's, the magic Kingdom and Epcot.
This past weekend we got to go and watch the presidents cup. Unfortunately the Internationals did not hold up against the US team but it was good golf to watch. The course was amazing but we did have rain showers on and off all day which made for a long day out on the course.
The weather is turning and fall has started. The leaves are turning, the temps are dropping and it wont be long now before we need to go indoors to play tennis.
We have our end of year trip planned to go and see the family and friends back in South Africa. Cannot wait, I have not been to see the family in two years.
To all our friends and family out there wishing you safe travels, eat and keep healthy and those in the N hemisphere stay warm, those in the South go to the beach!
Stay in touch and remember life's an journey not a destination. Go out there and create memories to share for years to come!
