December started with a celebration – a fantastic lunch with my very old friend and fixed wing flying instructor, Alan and his (albeit unofficial at this stage) ‘intended’, Liz. It was a perfect day – both because I haven’t seen him that happy since before he lost his wife to cancer 15 years ago, but also because he had (finally) fallen on his feet big time with a perfect match (I know, despite protestations, I’m a romantic at heart and love it when I’m proved right!).
From there it was on to Norway. Seeing the Northern Lights has long been on the bucket list of both me and another old friend, Katie. What I hadn’t expected was the breathtaking beauty of the country – which you can only see in the all-too-short days (it was pitch dark by 1.30pm which took a bit of getting used to).
Every single Norwegian we met was charming, and yes… we did see them. Incredible! The snow was knee deep, the views spectacular and we also saw moose and reindeer, which was a bonus.
We booked through a fantastic new company run by Magnus and Anders. They have a big, glass walled room at the ‘Observatory’ so you can stay toasty warm, drinking coffee and chatting (albeit in darkness so as not to miss what might be starting) while you wait for the lights to appear, at which point you pile on layers of clothes and dash outside. I thoroughly recommend these guys and might well return in a couple of years when they have built accommodation on their farm (we stayed at a hotel in town). Find out more here.
No major excitements after that until my birthday, which was spent with Growler and included a scrumptious lunch at The Duck in Stanhoe. A few more suppers and drinks (fell off the waggon totally!), some murderous work out classes and a wonderfully quiet christmas followed, before the crushing news that Alan had suffered a fatal heart attack less than 3 weeks after our lunch.
The wind has very much been taken out of my sails.