We enjoy keeping a family record of what we do during the year
As a family with four kids life can get pretty hectic! We have to keep a wall-chart with all the sporting events and drama clubs listed, all the school stuff – and, of course, my husband’s all-important five-aside football league (they should know better at their age!). Otherwise I can’t imagine everyone being where they’re supposed to be, when they’re supposed to be there.
But keeping a diary of these events after they’ve happened is much harder. Sometimes I jot something down on paper when I get a few minutes to myself, just in case anyone asks me about results or who went to some sporting thing or other, but then the bit of paper gets used for a shopping list or a note and eventually ends up in the bin.
So when I found Your Year in a Nutshell I was thrilled – it brought some kind of routine to writing up the things we get up to, and in a really fun way. Whenever one of the kids gets the chance they pop online and upload pictures or results or reviews of the weekend’s activities, and we all enjoy looking back over what we’ve been up to.
In the old days we used to write a long letter at the end of the year and post it to all our family and friends with a card, but it always seemed a bit impersonal writing it to ‘dear friend’. And the printing out and posting took time and there were usually arguments about what was to be included.
Now we can invite those same people by email to look at whichever bits we want them to share – and it doesn’t have to be once a year, if something interesting happens. Like when John’s team finally won the league, after all those years of trying (I don’t know who was more surprised, him or the kids) it was great fun to share the ups and downs of the season with his old school mates he’s stayed in touch with.
Anyway, the Nutshell gets archived at the end of the year and we start with a clean sheet. I can’t wait to compare month with month in different years, we can even record what the weather was doing to stop those inevitable arguments about last year being hotter or wetter or whatever.
It's easy to think you'll live forever when you're young.
But now we have a growing family, we realise it's vital to put our affairs in order; if one of us is taken ill, the other will know where everything is and what to do.
But my grandchildren have been interviewing me on their phones and on video, and now they've recorded my memories in a Nutshell - I can't wait to see it.
Lots of things are hard to talk about - at any age.
But now we've recorded our last wishes we can get on with enjoying retirement together, knowing that those left behind will have greater peace of mind.
