As the new year begins, I decided to try and revamp my weekly recaps which I have done for nearly a decade in different guises. I’m choosing to focus on five things each week, but we’ll see how the idea develops in the coming weeks.

This week has continued to be focused on my husband’s recovery. It is now nearly six weeks since his ABI, but I’ve definitely seen real signs of improvement this week and some of the medical equipment has been able to be removed from our bedroom. I spent Saturday afternoon, tidying up the medical cupboard, returning the blood pressure monitor, thermometer and oxygen monitor. Its little things like this which really mean that things are moving in the right direction. He also left the house for the first time and walked a few steps along the pavement ably supported by me and with his stick, but gosh those few steps felt like a very big deal. 

As Mr S health improves it makes us a little more optimistic for the future and notably for our big holiday in August. It was planned as a post GCSE celebration but now has more meaning and I’m so pleased when we booked it we went for a big ‘blow the budget’ holiday. With all that has passed over the past few months we really need that special celebration. Fortunately, my annual pay rise has covered the extra expense and we are excited for the summer.

Obviously there is nothing on my calendar apart from medical appointments at present and when I finally sit down each evening it is with a book. I really enjoyed the short story anthology by Lily King ‘Five Tuesdays in Winter’ It was a real mix of stories but all different and entertaining. My book count is pretty impressive so far this year, already ahead of target on my Good Reads book total!

I love to fill my house with flowers and I have been very privileged to receive some beautiful blooms from family and friends in the last few weeks. I have also received two floral gifts from my son, who as part of the taster courses at the local college has done two weeks of floristry. I don’t think its his chosen career path and he’s looking forward to moving on to catering next week, but I appreciated his efforts.

I finally got my favourite winter fruit this week, lychees. I always try to have a bowl at Christmas but the season seems a little later this year and its taken to mid January to find them in the shops. They are my little juicy bites of sunshine in these winter days.