Source: etsy.com

Today is my 29th birthday.  The other day I made a particularly negative comment to my boyfriend about 28 being “the worst year I’ve ever had”.  Can’t wait for it to be over.  He pointed out just a couple of things that had happened before this January, in the rest of my 28th year.  And he had a very good point (don’t tell him that).  So, in that spirit, I’ve decided to weigh up the positives and negatives of being 28.

Negatives:

• Had cancer

Crazy Nendaz mogul field

Positives:

• Went snowboarding in Switzerland the day after my birthday
• Five very close friends had healthy babies
• Became a Godmother
• Completed the first year of Teach First
• Recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (outstanding)
• Brother got engaged
• Stayed in an incredible villa in Ibiza
  

  Could get used to life in Ibiza

• Went to Biarritz and San Sebastian
• Tried to surf
• Had a fantastic first term as an NQT
• Celebrated several friends’ 30th birthdays
• Went to Zanzibar
• Swam with wild dolphins
• Ate at The Rock restaurant
• Started Bikram yoga
• Went to a close friend’s hen-do and wedding
• Tried clay pigeon shooting
  

  The Rock Restaurant, Zanzibar

• Had a glorious Christmas
• Got a Nutribullet
• Got an Unlimited Cineworld pass and saw 3 films on the first day
• Went to boyfriend’s sister’s wedding
• Stayed in a spa hotel
• Had pioneering, robotic surgery
• Met amazing nurses at the Royal Marsden
• Got an Emma J Shipley shirt
• Started a blog
  

  Emma J Shipley (scarf, not shirt)

• Became an incredible baker (work in progress…)

Surviving cancer wasn’t on my list of things to do before I’m 30, but here we are.  The great thing about it all (!) is that it makes any other negative things seem really trivial, whereas the positives just shine even brighter.

On reflection: 28, not so terrible.  Bring on 29.

Caroline Crimson x