I believe in happiness, I believe in love, I believe she fell to earth from somewhere high above

2009 began, as every year does, with the frightful abomination that is January. However this January was different because this year the devil's month saw an angel move in with me. And so began a year so awesome, so joyous, so full of unmitigated bliss that I still expect to receive a bill for it. Not only did I continue to bathe in love's clearest waters but I also got another promotion at work. I was driving a half decent motor as well (by my usual standards anyway)! Highlights included a smashing night out in Bristol with my dear friend Phil & our respective Natalies where he took us to a simply fabulous place called Karaoke Me where (as the name suggests) you get a private room for your party & you sing to your heart's content. A trip to Lincoln for Nat's birthday which did involve some disappointment as the 5 star hotel I'd booked had to put us in a room without a 4 poster bed in it. (Grrr). A blistering night out in Derby, where we drank the most fantastic cocktails in what was once the local of old blog friend Charby (I seem to remember texting her to tell her at the time, not sure, I was very, very drunk) & ended up taking a bottle of quite expensive champagne back to our room & having an immoral amount of fun. Then there was our anniversary of being together for a year. We went to Brussels & had a long weekend of drink & debauchery in Belgium's capitol. This also included my personal highlight of 25 years of sexual activity. They were just the notable highlights though, the real pleasure was just in us being together, day after day, night after night. The shine couldn't even be taken off the year when, in November, work, family & logistic pressures meant that Natalie had to move out & return to her native Bedford. It should have though for, unbeknownst at the time, that was the beginning of the end. Still at the time it didn't & we brought in the 2nd decade of the new millennium together at a house party with her friends in her (rather posh) home village outside Bedford. I'm sure other stuff of note happened during 2009 but I'm buggered if I can remember anything but the glorious year of Me, Natalie & our shared ecstasy. And history being what it is, that can never, ever change.