C
Clare
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This time Last year as a fairly new blogger and cacher I wrote about my hopes for 2015. Check them out here if you are feeling nostalgic.
As 2015 reaches its conclusion it seems the perfect opportunity to look back on some of my favourite adventures of the year and to start planning great awesomeness for the year ahead.
My biggest wish had been that 2015 would be a year of geoadventures.
It certainly was.
I was hoping for thrills, spills and a dash of adrenalin with my Tupperware.
Awesome Cache owners you did not let me down.
The best bits:
My children have explored places which I’m sure have made others question my parenting credentials.
This is still one of my favourite days out. We had so much fun. Here’s a recap.
I’ve discovered incredible, secret places that have taken my breath away. I’ll share the secret with you here. Don’t tell everyone though…
I’ve scaled heights, whilst simultaneously taming Lions.
I’ve even ventured underground through a teeny tiny little hole in the earth. It was terrifyingly amazing!
Oh and let’s not forget, I went well and truly out of my comfort zone (and nearly froze to death in the process.) for a wild camp.
Is it strange that I’m considering booking it again?
In short I’ve been spoiled with amazing experiences. The thing is now, I’m hungry for more!
Blogging:
I also wanted this year to grow in blogging confidence. It’s safe to say that’s been a big fat fail.
I’m as surprised as anybody that I’m still here
I am purely kept going by kind friends, and now also a little virtual world of support, of people who strangely seem to value what I have to say.
If you read, comment, share or join in with the utter nonsense that comes out of my mouth, I really do sincerely thank you. It absolutely means the world to me.
My biggest achievement here is that I am now mostly ‘out’ as a blogger. *cringe*
It’s also meant I’m slowly killing off Muddy Mum. I have a name and I’m no longer afraid to use it. (It’s Clare, just in case you’ve missed that bit. Would be embarrassing to have to ask at this stage right?)
I’m also still very much toying with the idea of self hosting. To stamp my little muddy corner of the web with a little more personality.
All that’s currently stopping me is the thought of it makes my brain spin. I’m fairly tech savvy but that’s purely from being a bit geeky and a love of staying up too late fiddling around on the net. I’m sure I have a steep learning curve ahead of me, A T5 if you will. In fact I’m pretty sure I’ll need ropes and a harness.
Should Mud and Nettles disappear in the not too distant future…sorry I broke it!
Geocaching:
2015 was also the year I Went from very casual cacher to weirdly obsessive. Not helped at all by the very daft decision to try and fill my Geocaching calendar.
As challenges go it was a ridiculous one to start. Especially when I only had 66 days filled previously. I’m stubborn though so as much as I resent it, I’m still hanging on in there.
Check this out though, it’s looking good right?
I’m a geocaching badass!
Well As badass as a thirty something year old woman who spends far too much time hunting in bushes for Tupperware can possibly be.
I’ve also succeeded in hiding my own caches. Again, I want more. Honestly, the random stuff I buy thinking ‘That’d make a cool cache!’.
It’s not really helping though when it’s all still sitting in my bedroom. Only Mr Muddy can find those and well, I managed to turn him muggle.
Once the calendar is out of the way however, I will be scouting out hiding places once again. Exciting!
I’ve learnt that favourite points really are subjective. I no longer look at The amount of points a cache has.
It invariably leaves me feeling disappointed.
In fact whilst visiting the Peak District this year we completed one of the countries most favourited trails.
I thought it was pretty awful. I may even have had a teeny tiny Instagram altercation with another cacher who did it around the same time I did. They loved it. As did Mr Muddy. Different strokes for different folks.
Once the calendar is over I’m very much looking forward to returning to casual caching. A shift from quantity to quality. To seek out those special caches and rather than sticking them on watch or a bookmark, getting organised and finding them.
Road trip anyone?
The great outdoors:
But above all else to continue to encourage my children to embrace and enjoy an outdoors lifestyle.
As they grow ever older their love and devotion to gadgets, minecraft, YouTube and Netflix deepens. (The fruit did not fall far from this tree!)
I endevour to instill In them a natural longing to enjoy the great outdoors, that they too may walk into woodland, coast or countryside and instantly feel peace, calm and contentment.
To ensure they appreciate the amazing world around them and that they continue with their thirst to explore it.
If I can inspire that in them and anyone else who also may happen to read this blog, then I will be a very happy bunny indeed.
Oh and one more thing. I really must keep away from my geocaching stats page.
It gives me rather silly ideas.
Wishing you a wonderfully wild New Year.
Love Clare x