Month: January 2025

And we’re still in January, which always feels like the longest month of the year with its cold, grey days. I’ve enjoyed this month, it’s given me time to focus on life and make positive changes. I’ve not gone crazy and tried to do all the things immediatly, just simply eat and sleep well and have a daily walk, the perfect way for me to clear my head in the evenings.

Here are my 5 things this week, a week to celebrate the ordinariness of life ..

1. There is no image for my first ‘thing’ this week but it’s a core memory of joy. My son and husband go to the home matches of our local football team which is doing very, very well . This week they won what was presumed to be a very tough match 5-0. Whilst watching tv footage of the end of the game, I spotted my son blissfully happily celebrating and singing along with the crowd. It was one of those times when he was totally in the moment and by pure chance I got to see him in his happiest place looking so happy it made my heart sing.
2. Not a very glamorous highlight but my trip to the podiatrist this week, gave me some pain relief and neat and tidy feet.
3. Last week whilst waiting at the doctors with Mr S, I discovered collages on Pinterest and of course I’m totally into it now and am currently working on a mood board for the year. Pinterest used to be a firm favourite but then seemed too clunky but I feel I am rediscovering my love for Pinterest.
4. I chose The Way I Used to Be as an audiobook from Spotify for my commute and am hooked. It’s the tale of how a crime affects a teenage girl and is so well written, creating a terrible character but showing her vulnerability and making you so sympathetic to her.
5. The weather on Sunday was awful, with a storm and lots of rain and wind. Bravely, my son and I headed off to the driving range for some fresh air whilst also being sheltered. We both got our furthest shots although I don’t know if these were wind assisted. In the afternoon I did one of my Santa Florence pictures which I’ve committed to do one monthly this year for my #25in25. The perfect way to spend a wet and miserable Sunday.

It all seems very quiet here at present, January is that sort of month.

My 5 this week …

1. This weekend our focus has been on updating the house. We ordered a new bed for our son yesterday, bought the paint for our bedroom and today we have been moving the furniture out to make it easier to paint. We also did some swapping around of furniture in the house, including our son’s room as we have to make a bit of extra room for the larger bed, so it’s been a physical day. We have 3 different projects in the next 3 weeks or so, a new dividing wall to help make our lounge cosier, a new bed and look in our son’s room and the refresh of our bedroom. We’ve gone bold in our bedroom colour choice, a teal called Proud Peacock. I feel we can do this in our room as we’ve not too much wall with a double aspect room and have neutral furnishings in the room. However I am very tempted to add a splash of fuchsia pink to bring the colour out.

2. Whilst in B&Q collecting the paint, I did treat myself to some new kitchen plants 🪴 We have 3 large windows in the kitchen all looking out to the garden and I wanted to bring some of that greenery into my kitchen. The plants are currently on my smallest window sill but I would like to add a little herb garden to the longer sills too. My sills are about 125 cms long so I reckon I could get a proper herb garden growing.

3. This week my daughter started her work experience placement with animals. Everyday we have had very cute photos sent on our family WhatsApp and it has been lovely to see her in her element. This image is the one I sent her as a good luck message and looks really like her.

4. My reading mthis week is Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and it’s a wonderful book. I was so surprised by the story as although I’m not sure what I expected it wasn’t a story featuring computer games which are not my thing. The phrase don’t judge a book by its cover comes to mind as it has taken so long to read the book, despite so many recommendations, as the front cover put me off. I couldn’t work out the story from the cover. This is the beauty of a Kindle, you focus on the storyline and not the cover as you don’t really see it as you would a book lying around. This also does have its flaws, as often I forget the names and authors of books and is why I diligently record my reading on my Good Reads app.

5. This is the wolf moon on my Tuesday night walk. We had looked at the moons in class earlier in the day and I had asked my students to look out for it that night. I took a photo to share in class the next day. I liked the eeriness of the clouds and bare branches, as if it gives it a haunting feeling.

This week saw the return to school and the routine which accompanies it. I like the relaxed nature of holidays but also appreciate the routine of term time. We’re in the last year of school for our youngest although with the college course he wants to do we have a few more years of this structure. For me it’s also beginning to plan what retirement may look like. I can take my pension in four years (I am lucky enough to be in the original Teachers Pension scheme, so can retire at 55) It will be strange not to have a life scheduled to the school year as it will have been all I’ve known.

But back to now when the school routine has quickly bedded in and it’s been a good week for us all. I had an Inset day on Monday and got re certified for First Aid. We did have an excellent external trainer and it made the day go really quickly. Since my last training, I have had to use CPR (successfully) and I was very focused during this part of the day. My students returned on Tuesday and we had a gentle, fun week together. Our son was happy to be back with his mates and the gentle rhythm has returned to daily life.

On weeks like this there’s not a lot to report, the nights are very cold and dark so not much happens, although I have been trying to walk every night around the block. It’s only a half hour walk but it makes me more energised to come back and do something rather than spend the night in front of the tv. I have a real new year, new me approach this year. I lost myself over last year in what was such a difficult year and am trying to rediscover ‘me’, the healthy diet is in, I’m sorting everything, from my wardrobe to my kitchen cupboards and we are able to plan mini adventures. This week we have booked the Wembley tour for our London break in half term and I am looking into my itinerary for Monday when the boys do more football stadiums and I have a day to myself in London, joyful.

This week we have been lucky with the weather, it’s been very cold but we have not had the snow and icy conditions that other areas of the country have experienced. Parkrun was gorgeous on Saturday and the dawn as I arrived for my volunteering stint was breathtaking. Later for the run the weather was perfect for a winter run, blue skies, sunshine and a mild temperature, or it could be that my thermals kept me warm.

With my new evening routine I have been able to read and finish the book Poor by Catriona O’Sullivan. I think it may be the best book I will read this year, it is sooo good and such an amazing autobiography. There is so much in it which will stay with me for a very long time.

At the end of year I have been trying to process all that happened in 2024, it was a very tough year and I have recently been struggling with trying to make sense of all that happened. I was really pleased to have a quiet second week of the holiday which gave me the time to relax, think and prepare for the coming year.

The new year started in my favourite way, an early night and a parkrun. The weather forecast was awful but despite lots of cancellations locally, plan B was on and my friend and I popped over to a neighbouring town. The parkrun was so windy, one half of the course felt like you were running in treacle against the wind and for the other half you were practically flying with the wind behind you. My friend is a lot quicker than me so by the time I finished we had coffees and pastries, the perfect end to our parkrun.

This week has been one of organisation and planning. The Christmas decorations are all neatly packed away, tulips are now trying to replace some of the colour and I have been tackling all those closed cupboards, the ones overflowing with plastic bags, Tupperware etc.. I love the sense of order I feel when these jobs have been done. Last year l I felt so overwhelmed and my focus now on order and consistency is my way of coping.

As well as tidying, I am also doing my plans for the year, Gretchen Rubin’s 25for25 is always part of my year. I’m finalising my list and will post it soon, it’s an eclectic mix of the functional and fun! My theme for the year is to thrive, I feel that I merely survived twenty four, so it’s time to thrive in twenty five, yes I do like a little rhyme.

I did have a sad walk this week. I spoke to my friend’s widow, who told me that her beloved horses would be moving to a (lovely, highly regarded) animal sanctuary in the next few days. I knew that I had to go to the stable and see the horses. My daughter used to love her days up at the stable and I have lots of photos and videos of her and the horses taken by my neighbour. I looked back at these after my walk and it was pretty heartbreaking to hear my friend commenting and laughing in the background. It was a very difficult visit as my friend died at her stables, her happiest place, and I was overcome with sadness when I was there, there were lots of tears. However, despite the sadness, I was pleased that I had seen and said good bye to the horses in their home. I will go and see them at the sanctuary as it’s a nice trip and hope that they do get rehomed together in a loving new home.

I haven’t done much shopping in the sales, but did buy one item which I had been watching over the past few months. My gingerbread village is my favourite Christmas decoration and when I saw the Emma Bridgwater mug it was on my wish list. It finally came into the sale so I quickly purchased it and am delighted with it.

This week has been a lovely one in catching up with friends and the jigsaw is a little gift from a friend whom I met for a coffee. She’s a very special friend and just being in her company is comforting and inspiring. I think the shock of my friend’s death has made me cherish my friends even more.

Now I have had a week to relax after Christmas, it’s back to school tomorrow and routine. I’m excited about the year ahead, it really is time to thrive.