So far, the 2020s are gaining a reputation for being difficult. Heck, even the memes have starting latching onto this, where kids in the future will spend months trying to even understand the year 2020, never mind when the aliens invaded in 2025…
…I really hope that doesn’t end up becoming prophesizing.
Anyhoo, 2022 wasn’t quite as awful as its older siblings, though we still had some rough rides throughout the year as we tried to manage the ever-increasing flow of utter chaos, lunacy/stupidity, and constant change, notably:
- Hey, look, Twitter’s turned into a veritable dumpster fire!
- Russia tries to invade Ukraine but continually gets its ass kicked and threatens nuclear war if it doesn’t get its way
- Conservatism (somehow) continues to dominate politics and the rest of us wonder why
- COVID continues to kill, but meh, apparently no-one cares anymore
I’m sure 2023 won’t reverse any of those trends, but maybe I’ll be surprised.
On with the review!
- Returned to paying attention to my site again, which was long-neglected
- Had our annual New Years Tea at Banff Springs
- Started to wrestle a lot with resourcing needs at work
- Started to wrestle a lot with overall processes at work
- Saw many a lovely sunrise walking along the rover to the office
- Remembered the 20th anniversary of my father’s passing
- Celebrated Choo Choo’s 12th birthday, just before…
- We Went to London, England
- Landed at Gatwick (another airport on my list)
- Stayed in Whitechapel (which until then seemed like I place I wouldn’t want to stay…)
- Spent more time on the south side of the Thames than all previous visits, combined
- Saw Tower Bridge at night (which I don’t think I’ve seen before?)
- Went to the Natural History Museum and saw a Dodo (among many other things)
- Saw the Albert Memorial (and the Royal Albert Hall) and had a picnic in the park
- Touched a piece of the Roman Wall
- Went to Greenwich
- Toured the Cutty Sark
- Stood on the Prime Meridian
- Saw parrots flying in an English park
- Walked under the Thames River
- Visited Westminster Abbey and went into the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries
- Took the tube a lot (Monkey learned very quickly how to navigate it)
- Went to Dover
- Went into the tunnels under Dover Castle (of which there are many), both Napoleonic era/Operational Dynamo and the hospital tunnels
- Tried to see across the English Channel to France, but it was too hazy
- Saw (and touched) the Roman lighthouse still at the castle
- Ate ice cream on the stony beach
- Went to Leavesden Studios for the Harry Potter Tour
- Rode a double decker bus
- Went to Spittalfields Market
- Saw Wicked in London’s West End
- Rode the London Eye
- Had Willy Wonka Tea at 1 Aldwich
- Walked through Leicester Square
- Visited the Tower of London (for the third time)
- Saw the Tower Bridge lift
- Went to Borough Market, ate a toastie!
- Went inside the Tate Modern
- Walked across Millennium Bridge
- Drank beer at Brewdog
- Nearly lost Choo Choo when we got separated on the Tube and had my heart stop a few thousand times (entirely my fault; still gives me the willies)
- Probably came within a breath of divorce as a result (eep!)
- Went on a “Ghost” tour of Green Park, Buckingham, Westminster, and a little bit around the Tower of London
- Walked (and jogged) 30 km on the last day
- Worst ever experience checking into our WestJet flight home (2+ hours), including terrible security line (45 mins), and another wait to get on the plane (1+ hours), plus a delay (2 hours) due to the aforementioned delays
- Went to Three Valley Gap
- Helped Cathy find a hotel in Vancouver at the last minute during a major rush after her flight was delayed 6+ hours
- Visited Ruskin (twice)
- Took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo for the first time in 20+ years
- Had the World’s Slowest Vietnamese lunch in Nanaimo
- Rushed to get to Tofino as soon as possible to see my family
- Got too drunk. Threw up the next day. Then drank more.
- Had a campfire on the beach after a sunset
- Went whale watching, saw a whale (singular)
- Visited Cathedral Grove for the first time in 25 years (ish)
- Saw Dame Jane Goodall at the Jubilee
- Celebrated Choo Choo graduating Grade 6
- Rented a small trailer
- Went camping in Kinbrook Provincial Park
- Visited Dinosaur Provincial Park for the first time(!)
- Went to Glenwood for an abbreviated DI weekend, but left early to…
- Celebrated my 50th birthday with the best party EVER
- Went to the single busiest Stampede I’ve ever witnessed to see a Dean Brody concert, and…
- Caught COVID. Ugh.
- Went to Lake Country north of Kelowna (which I’d never known even existed until that point)
- Rode my bike lots in the ~34C temperature
- Went to Summerland, but didn’t see the train (boo!)
- Went to Victoria with Jeremy and Duane for a “guy’s weekend” to celebrate my birthday
- Got very, very drunk.
- Ate amazing food.
- Went for a long walk around Victoria the next day to find a cache for Alex (fail), and saw a lot of Victoria that I’d never seen before (win!)
- Took a water taxi tour of Victoria Harbour
- Took the long way to Vancouver: Bus, ferry, bus, Skytrain
- Met up with Jen and Rob for a brilliant (albeit long) evening
- Worked for a week in Ruskin while Alex cached
- Went to my first Calgary Pride Parade
- Found out that my company was being merged with others (shhh! it’s no longer a secret)
- Went to Toronto to learn about this merger and all the details
- Went to Fairmont Hot Springs (probably for the last time)
- Went to Banff (a lot)
- Saw Heart and Styx at the Jubilee
- Went to Major Tom Bar (twice) and had great conversation, drinks, and food!
- Saw The Arkells at the Saddledome
- Had the rear passenger window of our car smashed; never parking in Edworthy Park again
- Got a new camera for Christmas
- Made a lot of Christmas meals
- Went partially deaf after seeing Big Sugar at The Palace
As crazy as all the other things that went on in 2022, I have to say that I had a good year. I hope 2023 is up for the challenge…
