The highlights of 2015: July to December

Having looked at the highlights from January to June, we’re back to have a nose at July to December 2015. The month kicked off with POD learning to swim by herself for the very first time. She loved the water when she was a baby but got the fear after a break. It’s taken a while to build her confidence up again and seeing her swim by herself in armbands was pretty special. I love this photograph which perfectly captures that moment.

We had the most amazing time in Corsica with Mark Warner. POD loved Mini Club, just as much as she had at the Levante Beach Resort in Greece. We all got to play more tennis, try out a few watersports and the childcare was excellent.

While there was much to do on resort to keep us busy, we explored a couple of spots locally too. Cervione is an enchanting village with stone houses, cobbled alleyways and astonishing views. It’s a stunning place that’s quiet and relatively unspoiled. More popular, but equally just as wonderful, is the Cascade de L’Ucelluline located on the border between the villages of Santa Maria Poggio and San Nicolao.

Back in the UK, the graduation ceremony POD’s pre-school held marked the end of an era. She’d started there when she was just a year old. It was such a lovely occasion with all the children in gowns and motar boards watched on by their parents. The photograph of POD blowing through her scroll and laughing always raises a smile. With her pre-school chums heading to different schools, POD had them over for her ‘un-birthday’ party celebration later that month.

Fun times after that included the brilliant GoFest, the UK’s first festival of sport, and pony riding at the National Trust’s Hatchlands Park. POD also spent time in Suffolk where she embarked on a spot of Spanish dancing and we made it to Legoland too.

With the start of school fast approaching, we took advantage of near thirty degree temperatures and headed to the coast. A visit to the National Trust’s Frensham Little Pond and Hatchlands Park followed. And we loved the Elephantastic event at Whipsnade Zoo.

A trip up the Côte d’Opale in France saw us take in Cap Blanc Nez, Cap Griz Nez, Ambleteuse, Audreselles, Wimereaux and Wissant, Not forgetting of course the beautiful Bolougne-sur-mer.

Autumn brought hues of red, orange and gold at the National Trust owned Winkworth Arboretum. With superb views at the Devil’s Punch Bowl and stunning scenery at Mottisfont. A trip to Devon followed, a fabulous cottage near the village of Kilkhampton and Bradworthy.

Finally, Christmas Day arrived along with it POD’s 5th birthday. She’s grown so much over the past 12 months, both in terms of character and the way she looks. She seems to have got so much older since she started school in September. I guess that’s inevitable though isn’t it. One thing’s for sure, she’s itching to have many more adventures in 2016.