It’s New Year’s Eve, so today I’m taking a look back over 2010 and all of the things we Burdetts got up to in the last 12 months.
Back on 1 January, the world was full of optimism after the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century – which really did become known as the Noughties. Oil was being happily extracted from the Gulf of Mexico, Derrick Bird was a friendly taxi driver in Cumbria, and Raoul Moat was a humble tree surgeon living in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. But the world was blind to the dramas that would unfold over the next 365 days: too busy with the hangovers felt on the morning after the night before.
We enjoyed a lovely day with family on 2 January, when my aunt, uncle, cousins, cousin’s boyfriend, and great aunt came down to Maidenhead.
Days later, on 6 January, Britain was covered in snow. Me, my siblings, and some family friends made a giant igloo using the cuboid recycling bins as brick moulds for the snow blocks.
Towards the end of the month, on 23 January, it was the annual church social evening. This year, the theme was ‘A Night In Rio’, so a fantastic steel band accompanied a dancer wearing next-to-nothing, in the most ‘exciting’ church social yet.
In mid-February, I starred in the school musical, HONK!, which follows the untold story of the Ugly Duckling. It was tremendous fun: very hard work, but a fantastic experience.
On 2 to 3 March, Matthew headed to Belgium with Bristol University. He saw the European Union’s famous headquarters, and had a great weekend in Brussels.
In mid-March, Matthew celebrated his 21st birthday with friends and Lego at university.
On 13 to 14 March, I was invited to join my best mate Jake Smith and his dad, as they cycled around part of the Isle of Wight. The blog is an interesting read, and has some more pictures. Reach it here.
On Mothering Sunday, 14 March, my Dad was on business in America, Harriet was away, and Matthew was at uni in Bristol. So, as soon as I returned from the Isle of Wight, I took my Mum out to Cliveden for a cream tea.
Over the weekend of 26 to 28 March, Dad went to Madrid with friends from church, meeting up with Luke Darracott (a former St Luke’s Church, Maidenhead parishioner) who, at the time, lived in Spain.
From 4 to 28 April, Harriet had an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Costa Rica with the Girl Guides; she was one of just 20 Guides lucky enough to go. There, she did a mix of exhilarating activities such as abseiling and a zip-wire, and also community work. The trip was extended due to the volcanic ash cloud which prevented air travel into Europe.
Over the Easter school holidays, I was busy editing the Furze Platt Dance Show into an ABSstudios DVD.
On 10 April, Dad and Mum took me to Kew Gardens. I loved it. The weather was glorious, and the flowers were beautiful. You can read a beautiful poem, written by A. E. Housman and see another photo from the day here.
Our own garden was looking lovely in spring 2010. Dad had worked hard to achieve its divine aesthetics, and had returfed a section of the lawn.
In late-April, I celebrated my 14th birthday.
Over the Bank Holiday weekend of 1 to 3 May, Mum and Dad took a St Luke’s party up north to Yorkshire. The diary/blog is well worth a read, with plenty more photos and a full recount of what we got up to. Access it here.
On 8 May, I was photographing Carter’s Steam Fair’s road run as they rolled up in Maidenhead, when I saw my scoutmaster Tony Doolan in one of the trucks. When they pulled over, he beckoned me to join him, so we all squeezed up with the driver as they drove to Pinkney’s Green – the site of the fair. Again, it’s another blog worth a scroll through.
On 31 May, a Bank Holiday Monday, we met Matthew at Reading Station and then drove to Swanage in Dorset. We had a brilliant day, which was somewhat sentimental due to it being similar to day trips taken when we were children.
In the summer half-term, on 2 June, Jake Smith (my best friend) allowed me to join his family on a canal boat trip – to the pub!
Over 4 to 5 June, Harriet co-led a group of Maidenhead Guides as they went to Disneyland Paris. In this picture, she’s in the pink shirt in the centre of the bottom row.
My brother, Matthew (far-right in this photo), co-organised the Will’s Hall Ball for his third and final time. His efforts came to an end when, on 11 June, the all-night party at the Bristol University hall-of-residence kicked off.
On 19 June, I was locked in the stocks and soaked – all in the name of Scout Jamboree fundraising. Cookham Scouts kindly gave the Maidenhead Jamboreers (including myself) a space.
Mum and Dad were treated to a day of races and fantastic hospitality, when neighbours invited them to the Henley Royal Regatta on 3 July.
On 4 July, Jake and I ran the sound system for Furze Platt Scouts’ summer fair out of the back of my dad’s car.
And then, the Saturday after (10 July), we rigged and operated the PA for St Luke’s summer fete.
On 14 July, Matthew graduated from the University of Bristol, with a 2-1 in Politics and Economics.
This year’s church parish outing was to the Roman city of Bath. Mum, Dad, and I attended the trip, held on 17 July.
The next day, 18 July, Harriet held a concert in St Luke’s with friends and her clarinet teacher, Mrs Jane Forder, after years of Tuesday night music lessons.
Over 22 to 26 July (the first days of the school summer holiday), I visited France on a school trip. Check out the full blog with many more photos here.
Mum took my great aunt Gladys to Norfolk for three days: 31 July to 2 August.
And then, on 3 August, Gladys came to Legoland with my Birmingham uncle, aunt, and cousin, and Matthew and Mum.
I helped organise and run the church’s summer arts project: ‘Living Faith: Now In Colour’. It ran from 4 to 8 August, and you can read the full write-up here.
Harriet was bridesmaid for her friend Sandra’s wedding, on 14 August.
We all enjoyed a lovely summer holiday to Cornwall in August 2010.
Matthew visited Budapest and Sarajevo on 2 to 6 September, and stayed with friends he met whilst out there.
I was caked in Welsh mud on 17 to 19 September whilst supposedly ‘training’ for the World Scout Jamboree.
And, as fundraising for the Jamboree, the Maidenhead Jamboreers took part in the Lion’s Club of Maidenhead’s ‘fund-run’ on 25 September.
And, as more fundraising, we took part in the Maidenhead Boundary Walk on 3 October.
Also on 3 October, Harriet started at Homerton College, Cambridge.
On 3 November, Revd Richard Holroyd (former vicar of St Luke’s Church, Maidenhead) was licensed to two new parishes in Bristol.
On 17 November, my granddad celebrated his 84 birthday with twin brother Bernard. He died on 8 December.
On Christmas Day, we had an enjoyable day, which began with our traditional Christmas Morn walk down by the river.
On the whole, it’s been a fantastic year. I’m looking forward now to 2011. Who knows what it will bring?!