I am getting further and further behind with this thing. But here is the third installment of “2025: The Year in Review.”

December 10 – A moment you felt proud this year and why

I made a bucket hat!

Earlier in the year, I connected with a local charity sewing group. Every week, an eclectic bunch meets to sew up items for a range of charities. Things we make include: baby items for young disadvantaged mothers and clothing, pencil cases and library bags for children entering foster care. One of the more challenging items we make is a bucket hat. Every time I went to sewing I would choose other options to sew rather than a bucket hat!! Including a pencil case.

A few weeks ago, in the spirit of end-of-year challenges, I chose to make a bucket hat. I was very proud of my first effort. Turns out they are much easier than a pencil case!!!

December 11- List as many places you went that you can think of

Travel was one of the key reasons for my choice to step back from full-time work. This year hasn’t exactly been what I imagined when I made that decision back in 2024, but we did cover a bit of ground as we journeyed through the real Outback of Western Queensland. Pictured above is a small selection of images from some places we visited. From left to right;

Carnarvon Gorge: stunning sandstone formations creating cool, damp microclimates in an otherwise arid landscape.

Lara Wetlands: a birdlife haven on a station with a colourful past.

Barcoo River at Windorah: one of the rivers that feed the network of channels that water vast tracts of land before draining into Lake Eyre, the last remnant of the prehistoric Eromanga Sea.

Betoota Hotel: literally a pub on the side of the road between Windorah and Birdsville. Like many places in this remote area, the history is littered with colourful characters.

Birdsville: almost as far west as you can go in Queensland. It is also home to the iconic Birdsville Races

Simpson Desert: a landscape defined by long parallel red dunes that burst into flower after rain.

Boulia Camel Races: another iconic outback event.

Age of Dinosaurs, Winton: Since a farmer stumbled across a femur of a giant dinosaur while mustering his sheep in 1999, this organisation has excavated thousands of fossils and identified a number of new Australian Dinosaurs

Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail: Where can an artist who lives in the middle of nowhere and creates huge sculptures from junk metal display their work? On the side of the road, of course! 300 kilometres of dirt road, about 20 sculptures can be spotted if you have a keen eye. I loved the details in some of the sculptures and, as always, am in awe of the mind of a person who can create things like this.

December 12 – Milestones, traditions and events I’ve celebrated.

The most significant event in 2025 for our family was the wedding of No. 1 Son to his Princess. It was a perfect day! Although the days leading up to it were rather stressful. A couple of weeks before the big day, the baker cancelled their wedding cake order! Unknown to the bride, the groom had to find another person to create their cake! Lucky he has a mother with a few cake decorating skills.

The following Hypnosis and Training Materials below are recommended training enhancements to this blog post.