30. Learn Dutch (Part 3)

A couple of months ago I was perfectly happy that I had completed my Dutch course and I was just refreshing my lessons regularly and then the format changed. They added extra lessons and a "crowns" system whereby you get crowns when you level up. Most of my levels were reset to levels 2 and 3 and new lessons were at stage 0.

In other news I reached 365 days!

I also came across a fun new phrase which Matheus thinks is hilarious (we joke that he's a turtle).

You have to be a little crazy to talk to a turtle

I'll keep on the learning and keep level-upping!

16. A-Z of cuisines (eat in the restaurants) (Part 2)

Matheus and I have been enjoying trying out various cuisines from the alphabet.

We worked out what we would do for "B" when we saw this restaurant on Masterchef: The Professionals.

B = Basque (a type of cuisine from Spain)
Eneko, One Aldwych, London WC2B 4BZ

We went to this restaurant last week and the food was exquisite. One of the best restaurants I've been to. I'd never heard of the Basque cuisine before. The staff were so friendly as well. The ambience was perfect. I have to say, I never liked tomatoes until I tried these heritage ones!

The menu

Traditional Talo

Txipirones en su Tinta

Suckling Pig Tempura

Trigo

Braised Pork Cheeks

Dessert menu

Torrija

Basque Cheesecake

The outside of Eneko

J = Japanese
Tokyo Diner, 2 Newport Place, London WC2H 7JP

Matheus and I ate at a quaint Japanese restaurant in Soho, I think Matheus had eaten there before. It was before going to see something at Leicester Square Theatre. Nice little place - authentic Japanese.

Tokyo Diner

K = Korean
Little Korea, 2-3 Lisle Street, London WC2H 7BG

Another time we were in Leicester Square, we decided to go here. I was keen to try Korean because I'd seen the contestants on Masterchef USA make a Bibimbap and hadn't ever seen one before. The best bit is obviously the crispy rice at the bottom of the bowl.

Little Korea

Advice on other cuisines most welcome!

21. Do something special with my niece, Lexie, every year (Year 3)

A bit belated, as we didn't get to have time together last year, I finally got to take Lexie out last week, however, it wasn't a 1 on 1 as Matheus wanted to come along too (he also wanted to spend time with his soon-to-be niece). We were planning to go to the Lego Store in Leicester Square. We travelled in by train which Lexie was excited about. We had lunch in a cafe and then went to the Lego Store.

Lexie excited by being on the tube

Lexie and Matheus at lunch

Me and my beautiful niece

Lexie's bagel was HUGE

After lunch, on the way to the Lego Store, there were street artists which fascinated Lexie. There was a guy on a tall unicycle and a guy with a skeleton puppet that was singing along to Mambo No. 5.

Great core strength!

Skeletal puppetry

We also came across Lester from the Leicester Square Lego branch and we got a photo of him with Lexie.

Lexie and Lester

In the Lego Store we saw the Lego version of Lester and a number of other Lego structures which Lexie hadn't seen before.

Lexie with Lego Lester

Lexie with Shakespeare, being guarded by the Queen's guard (on the tube)

Lexie and Matheus in a Lego phone box

Lexie and Sherlock Holmes with a sneaky Matheus creeping up behind them ("he's behind you"!!)

After the Lego Store (complete with gift for Lexie (and myself of course)), we decided to pop into the M&M Store before going home.

Just walking down the road, with an M&M

We may have only been out a few hours but Lexie was pretty knackered but had enjoyed her day out. Apart from a rude man on the tube who wouldn't give up his seat for her.

I'm looking forward to the next outing - which might be with Eden in the summer.

23. Lose 40lbs (Part 2)

A month after my last blog on this topic (May 2014) I was admitted to hospital for a week with an infection related to chronic pain I had been having since August the previous year. After months of blood tests, seeing consultants, x-rays and ultrasounds, I finally received my diagnosis - Crohn's Disease (of the small intestine and terminal ileum) - an inflammatory bowel disease which attacks the immune system if not managed appropriately.

When I came out of hospital I had lost a lot of weight but I was also told there were certain foods I should avoid and most of it was healthy foods that normal people should be eating. I felt really good about how I looked despite my hospital stay being the main reason for it. However, as time went on it became difficult to manage my diet with the restrictions. Don't get me wrong, I was so pleased that my condition wasn't as bad as many other people who have Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis. I am a member of a number of Crohn's and Colitis support groups on Facebook and when I see what those sufferers have to go through with stomas and constantly in and out of hospital I often feel guilty.

I was started on a variety of medication but bad side effects meant I had to stop one of them. I was then put on an injection - an immunosuppressant - that I have to administer myself every other week.

Aside from this I began to put on the weight I had lost. It was difficult to keep to a diet that cut out the foods that would help me to lose weight and I'm not particularly a fan of the vegetables that are fine for me to eat. I then started to get depressed about it which, for me, means eating to make myself feel better - to enjoy the taste.

It got to a point where I was told I had fatty liver and I needed to lose weight, which I've been trying to do, however, I haven't made much progress since my last blog but I have if taking into account how much weight I had gained in order to get back to where I was.

I'm still trying to lose weight and will continue to do so. I just need to get my head into the mindset.

Another hurdle I'm trying to overcome is that I enjoy food. I can't help it. I love cooking it, I love eating it. I always like to try new things, new foods, new tastes, new restaurants (or restaurants and cuisines I haven't tried before).

I have a new motivation now, I want to look amazing on my wedding day. Just over 4 months to go. I haven't started looking at wedding dresses yet because I don't feel I've lost enough weight yet.

I will keep trying. It's hard but I must keep trying.

40. Visit 40 cities in the UK (Part 4)

In mid-December I completed the visits for my Obstetrics and Gynaecology project and visited the remaining number of cities on my list.

37. Truro
38. Exeter

These were two visits we did in the same week in November and I took photos of the cathedrals in those cities.

Truro Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral

The last two cities I visited were also in the same month.

39. Salford
40. Gloucester

Unfortunately, I did not have time to take photos of these cathedrals but this completes my 40 cities visited in the UK.

I have an exciting job and am looking forward to the next project - Paediatric General Surgery.

12. Obtain 40 albums in a single year (Year 5)

This year was a fantastic year for music. I've had a fun time listening. In particular, I've discovered a great Country Rock band, Cadillac Three, and as well as downloading their current album, I now have their back catalogue. It's good to know that my prediction from last year was correct.

Albums released in 2017

Band/Artist	Album
Brad Paisley	Love And War
Cadillac Three	Legacy
Charlie Worsham	Beginning Of Things
Chris Stapleton	From A Room (Vol. 1)
Ed Sheeran	÷
Father John Misty	Pure Comedy
HAIM	Something To Tell You
Harry Styles	Harry Styles
James Blunt	The Afterlove
John Mayer	The Search For Everything
Julian Velard	Fancy Words For Failure
Kasabian	For Crying Out Loud
Lady Antebellum	Heart Break
Little Big Town	The Breaker
Minnie Birch	Tethered
Morrissey & Marshall	We Rise
Nashville - TV Show	Season 5 - Vol. 1
Nashville - TV Show	Season 5 - Vol. 2
Nerina Pallot	Stay Lucky
Newton Faulkner	Hit The Ground Running
Old Dominion	Happy Endings
Passenger	The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Rascal Flatts	Back To Us
Ryan Adams	Prisoner
Stereophonics	Scream Above The Sounds
Take That	Wonderland
Train	a girl a bottle a boat
Zac Brown Band	Welcome Home

One of my favourite albums from this year was John Mayer's The Search For Everything - it's been four years since his last album and what a great comeback! The other favourite was Cadillac Three's Legacy. A great rocking country album which even got my "now fiance" likes to put on repeat. Definitely one we've listened to with the windows down!

Other albums I purchased in 2017

Band/Artist	Album
Baseballs	Hit Me Baby...
Cadillac Three	Bury Me In My Boots
Cadillac Three	Tennessee Mojo
Charlie Worsham	Rubberband
Drake White	Spark
Gavin DeGraw	Something Worth Saving
Halestorm	Into The Wildlife
Nathanial Rateliff & The Night Sweats	Nathanial Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Ryan Adams	Easy Tiger
Sheryl Crow	Feels Like Home
Shura	Nothing's Real
Zac Brown Band	Uncaged

In 2018, I think we are going to be showered with new releases from Jason Mraz and Carrie Underwood and will we see Kal Lavelle release her long-awaited debut album (fingers crossed)?!

32. Watch 40 Tom Hanks movies (Part 1)

I think Tom Hanks is one of the most brilliant, versatile actors of the last few decades. I looked him up on IMDB to see what other films he had made that I had not yet seen - there were quite a few - some I already knew I hadn't seen.

I've seen just over half of the movies and of the remaining 19, I can't remember if I've seen them so I will have to watch them again if I have! Not being much of a reader, I have actually read The Green Mile and The Da Vinci code.

Movie	Seen It
Splash	YES
Bachelor Party
Big	YES
Punchline
The 'Burbs	YES
Turner & Hooch	YES
Joe Versus The Volcano
The Bonfire of the Vanities
A League of Their Own	YES
Sleepless in Seattle	YES
Philadelphia
Forrest Gump	YES
Apollo 13	YES
Toy Story	YES
That Thing You Do	YES
Saving Private Ryan	YES
You've Got Mail	YES
Toy Story 2	YES
The Green Mile
Cast Away
Road To Perdition	YES
Catch Me If You Can	YES
The Ladykillers
The Terminal	YES
Elvis Has Left The Building
The Polar Express
The Da Vinci Code	YES
Charlie Wilson's War
The Great Buck Howard
Angels & Demons
Toy Story 3	YES
Larry Crowne
Road To Perdition	YES
Saving Mr Banks	YES
Bridge of Spies	YES
Ithaca
Sully: Miracle on the Hudson
Inferno
The Circle
The Post	YES
Toy Story 4

 I can't wait to start watching more of these movies. What's your favourite Tom Hanks movie?