The end of 2010 approaches and what a year! At the start of this year I thought that my first year at Uni would be a huge challenge, but nothing compared with what I had to face on June 18th.

I didn't want Cancer and if I could, I would give it back. Hopefully I won't see it for a long time to come and maybe never; who knows! The experience brought a clarity to my life that I didn't know possible, and if I could put this in a bottle and sell it, I could make a fortune. Facing the possibility of death when you feel so well, is something that you can only experience; don't even try to imagine it, that won't work. Your priorities suddenley reshuffle, and what you thought seemed important one day, becomes trivial when you look back. Other things that you have always taken for granted slide up to the top of the list, and you become glad that such an event happened, giving you a sort of 'slap' or wake up call.

Happy Birthday to my great brother Andre on 1st January.

We had Chantal, James & Joe, David & Laura at various stages over Christmas and it was great to see them all. Now there's the lull before New Year as everyone rushes out to the shops to stock up on more food, just incase! Northern Ireland has run out of water, I hear on the news. That's a pretty neat trick hey! Have you ever seen it on the map? Yes, Loch Neagh is the largest freshwater lake in the UK and is that big blue puddle right in the middle! It's full, go see, or head over to Fermanagh!

Some countries in the world still don't have clean water available at anytime, so sorry if I don't cry for you Northern Ireland; your problems are small!

I remember one Xmas Eve, seeing the sherry that my mother had left out for Santa, I mixed into it, a cocktail of chemicals from under the kitchen sink. I didn't want to poison Santa, just make him be sick a little so that I could run down and suprise him. The drink was all gone in the morning. I didn't even relate it to my Mother being in bed ill for the next week, or the doctor calling on Boxing Day!

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year and give you a simple message.......Don't waste time. It is so precious, but sometimes we live nearly all of our lives before we realise this.

"Life is short, don't waste time worrying about what people think of you, hold on to the ones that care, in the end they will be the only ones there!"