Dark times

If you're wondering why I've been silent for a bit, well, there's a reason for it. Completely out of the blue, my husband's airline went bust - and that was it, nada. No pay for the month, no redundancy - in fact, nothing.

We find ourselves completely at sea. The industry in the UK is really in trouble at the moment (even the big boys are making big losses and redundancies) so my husband's chances of getting a new job over here in the near future are slim.

I heard a quote on the radio this morning that I really related to - "the darkest hour is the hour before the dawn". Well, that's how I feel now, that when you hit rock bottom, there's nowhere further to go. I hope and pray we see a little speck of light soon.

And, in that spirit, I thought I'd compile a list of ten things that make me happy, money or no money.

1) My husband. I still thank God every day that I met him and that we're together. He makes every day magic, even in the darkest of times.
2) Our parents. We're so blessed to have loving, caring parents who we know will be there for us whatever happens in life. They will always be on our side, and we know it.
3) Our dog. Animals are so wonderful, aren't they? When you need them most, they just seem to know.
4) Music. It's free to make and free to listen to, and it brings us both a lot of joy.
5) Food. Well, obviously it costs a little to buy, but it's a huge pleasure to craft and a delight to eat. And who can beat chocolate and crisps?!
6) Snow. I love snow, and frost. Frosty English days when the sun's shining are among my favourites.
7) Sun. In the same vein, of course, there's nothing quite like standing with the sun on your face, feeling all that energy getting inside you. Totally rejuvenating.
8) Christmas. I totally love Christmas. The music, the decorations, the food, and yes, the pressies, although they're no biggie. I wish the atmosphere stayed all year long.
9) Reading - there's nothing like the escapism you get in a book.
10) And last but definitely not least, my friends. Wow, they're an amazing bunch of people, and they've been supporting us so incredibly since the news came through. I can only hope that if they ever need my help, I come through for them like they've come through for us. It certainly is true that you find out who your true friends are in a crisis.

And there's another phrase that keeps running through my head at the moment - "if you're going through hell, keep going".

That's exactly what we're going to do.