Sunday, January 23, 2022

Friday 31 December – The end of 2021, 11 years later

11.11am.

I've been thinking a lot about this blog recently. I think when the baby arrives, it might just be a good time to let it naturally come to an end (or at least, let it rest for the foreseeable future). I started it in June 2010, which means I have now been writing it for 11 years (and a bit), and for a blog called Eleven Eleven, that seems fortuitous. 

In that time, I have: 

written 2,997 posts (an average of 272 a year)

had 177,186 views

lived in 4 countries

got married (twice)

moved house a LOT (and bought our first property)

and am about to have a baby. 


Those stats don't come anywhere near to describing the richness of the past 11 years. So many people, so many memories, so many photos. So many houses we've lived in, jobs we've done, holidays we've taken. We've lived through a global pandemic, lost much-loved people in our lives, had illnesses, injuries, down times, and so many highs. Reconnections, time spent with family, and with friends who feel like family. New people, new music, new films, so many new books, adventures and walks, exploring where we live and deciding to go further afield. 

The first blog post 11.5 years ago, when I had just moved to Berlin, doesn't feel like any time ago at all, but I look at all that was to come for me in that next 11 years, and I can't believe how lucky I have been and how much goodness has been in my life. Having Andy by my side for it all has been just the best; I am so glad he's featured in every one of those 11 years and I am in no doubt that the good times wouldn't have shone so brightly without him. We are a team, and about to embark on expanding that dream team, so it feels a good time to let this blog settle now. 

Another year ended, a new one beginning, and with it, who knows how many more years of the richness of the life we've built and been lucky enough to live. It feels a bit sad ending this, but I am just so glad I persevered with writing it, and now have memories from my 20s and 30s that will never go away. 

Thank you to everyone who's featured in it – both on the blog and in my life in general! – and, while I wrote this post just before New Year's Eve 2021, I will wait until our little boy is here to post it. 

So... introducing: Sunny Dylan Walker Lawrence; born 10.01am on Tuesday 4th January 2022, in Truro, Cornwall. Our biggest accomplishment, our next adventure! 











Thursday, December 30, 2021

Wednesday 29 December – Family hangs










11.11am, At Mum and Dad’s. The Harrisons are staying there and so we headed over this morning to exchange Christmas pressies and go some jigsaws and hang out. At lunchtime we grabbed some pasties and went to Sennen, where we met the colourful smiley Pyrahs for a mizzly but lovely fresh air walk, complete with random dead fish, some games of Eggy Peggy and some rock climbing. So many good people in our life/fam, I feel very lucky.


Afterwards, the Harrisons came back to ours for cinnamon scrolls, playing (including Meg’s fave game of piling all the cushions on the bed and pretending she’s in a bird’s nest) and chatting, then we went to see the murms, which were a bit sparse and disappointing! But lovely to have a whole day seeing family, including the funny, noisy, gorgeous Harrison fam, who never fail to make me laugh and feel loved! Thanks for coming down! By the evening I was pretty tired out, so Andy and I had a really quiet night of watching Russell Howard and eating Kiev and wedges. 

Tuesday 28 December – Girl gang







11.11am, At the Pyrahs, having my third brekkie of the day. We popped in to give my lovely nephew Zac his birthday pressies (he is 13 today!). The Reeses left this morning boooo, but this afternoon the Harrisons are arriving yippee!. In the middle I went for lunch with my schoolfriends, at the Old Forge in Lelant. Sadly Lily couldn’t make it (stupid Covid) but the other five of us had a lovely old catch-up and I ate sooo much delish lunch (yes, even after three brekkies!). When I got back, the Harrisons had arrived so I went to Mum and Dad’s to hang with them - it was so lovely to see the kids who were all excited about Christmas and just so cute and fun. 

Monday 27 December – Hazy mid-festive times

 



11.11am, Having a walk along the prom with Andy? I can't really remember much detail, due to it being that hazy time between Christmas and new year (what day is it?!). At lunchtime, I went to Mum and Dad's  to have lunch with them, Kate and Uncle Mike, who is down visiting for the day from his home in Tregony. We tried to go for a walk but the weather was awful so Dad came to rescue us in the car from Lidl (we didn't get far!) and then we had a chill at their house for the afternoon. Kate and Jim came round in the evening for some drinks and I stayed up way past my bedtime, which meant I actually slept for once!

Sunday 26 December – Boxing Day bash


11.11am, At home, before heading to the Pyrahs for lunch. We made a quick pitstop at Lovetts en route, for Bloody Marys, then arrived at the Pyrahs for lunch and more festive fun! The next few hours were a fun blur of pressies, playing with the nieces and nephews, eating jacket potatoes, and watching a film (Encanto, which I napped through) and then we all gorged on cheese and crackers for tea, as well as boozy Christmas cake and festive vodka (not me)! 

Saturday 25 December – A very merry, quiet, lovely, fun, family Christmas












11.11am, At Sennen, doing the Christmas swim. It’s always one of my favourite parts of Christmas Day, and we couldn’t do it last year (it wasn’t on due to the pandemic), so we were super happy to get there for it this year. I managed about 10 seconds in the sea (which made my belly go a bit purple!) and then we had a bit of time catching friends, playing with their kids and generally having a merry old time. We went home and I actually had a little festive nap, then woke up for bacon and avocado bagels (my fave!) and to open some pressies from Andy. It was all so relaxed and so enjoyable!


In the afternoon, we went to Mum and Dad’s, and opened more pressies with them and the Reeses, before an amazing Christmas dinner! A good few hours of festivities and laughs and general loveliness, it’s so so nice to have them down for Crimbo. Andy and I went home at about 9pm, opened a few more pressies and I got started on a book Kate had got given for Christmas that I am now trying to speed-read before they go back to London!

Friday 24 December – The festive fun begins








11.11am, Heading over to Gwithian. The Reeses Pieces arrived last night, so today we went on a big beach walk with them and the Pyrahs (the longest walk I’ve done in a long while, and that was after a little prom stroll this morning too!). In the arvo, Andy and I still needed to do a couple of last-minute Christmas bits so we popped to town and then did our Christmas Eve tradition of curry and a horror film. This year we watched Host, which was actually a really good concept and done pretty well (all on Zoom!). Quite cheesy but loved it.