Up and down professionally. Year ended a helluva lot better than the mean, which fluctuated between unpleasant and intolerable for the majority of the time. Not sure I want to go through that again, but overall I come away with my head held high, even if some don't appreciate me.
The middle of the year went absolutely bonkers when I stood for office in May and unexpectedly won - thanks largely to my wife and sons who worked their asses off getting leaflets out for me. It's genuinely surreal when the returning officer announces you - it's something you see on TV that happens to other people. Doing my first radio interview with BBC Radio Essex in the car park 20 minutes later was *definitely* the scariest moment of the year. Didn't exactly cover myself in glory, but wasn't enough of a car crash to make the national news either, so I'd call that acceptable for a beginner.
The following months were an absolute blur - as well as holding down a demanding full-time job in The City, I was in and out of training courses in Epping, working out what I was legally obliged, allowed and forbidden to do, joining new committees, trying to help my residents where they had problems - my word. I can honestly say I have never been so all over the place in my entire life. Finally settled down to a routine by about September/October.
Have created a whole new blog devoted to that job, but it's not quite ready to be published yet - more on that story later.
Family wise it was good, as we all stayed healthy for once. Nick made the change from primary to high school - it was tough for him leaving all his friends and starting somewhere where he knew nobody but his big brother. He seems to have done okay though. Chris is gearing up for GCSEs in the summer - mocks and college interviews on the immediate horizon for him. Lex will shepherd him through it as always, although as IT becomes more and more of a focus, I am having to get more involved than I have been.
Exchange rates recovered to the point that we could go back to Cyprus to see the in-laws for the first time in 3 years, and we got a great villa for a song, so that was a good holiday.
Social event of the year was the Andy/Lone Curtis wedding. I don't think he'll mind me saying this, but being an "unconventional" sort of chap, I never thought I'd see the day, and therefore I was so pleased for him. It was a fantastic day out, with a bunch of old friends it was great to spend time with again, our boys conducted themselves so well, and I never realised Andy was such a dab hand at public speaking.
Sporting wise, not a lot going on. The annual football tour was to Dortmund - I am too old and broken to play now, so I'm just a drinking tourist, but it was still fun. Stick to what you're good at, that's what I say. Quiet year spectator wise, but still managed days out at Lord's, Twickenham, Oval and Wembley, so can't complain.
And that was 2014. Or as much of it as I'm prepared to reveal. A look forward to 2015 will be coming shortly.
