This week’s title comes from last week’s puzzle when I wrote week 52’s entry with 3 days of the year still remaining. This week has been a busy one. We spent a few days in Bristol and then back home for extra parkruns and football. It’s back to work tomorrow and I don’t feel that I’ve had the time to be lazy and relax this holiday. It’s a feeling I often find at Christmas and rather than a full on January full of resolutions, I’ll be kind and gentle to myself, a season of wintering.

Our time in Bristol was fun but really full. For logistical reasons, my daughter and I were booked into a local hotel and the boys slept at Grandad’s. On the first night we weren’t back in our room to well gone 10, but the second night we got back around 8ish and bought ourselves a little hotel picnic and had a very nice girlie night. It was nothing extraordinary, simply trying out some new make up and face care and cosying up under the covers to watch some television with tasty nibbles and fancy drinks. The previous evening we had gone sale shopping at Cribbs Causeway, I naively thought that an early evening trip would mean it would be quieter and more relaxed … it wasn’t! I was a little disappointed with the sales and apart from some picky bits from M&S and my moisturiser which needed replacing, we came back without any new purchases. My daughter did make up for this the next day when she did manage to spend her Christmas tokens on a nice outfit. When you have children who are nearly adults it’s more difficult to find activities for them to do during the day as soft play, swimming etc. don’t hit the mark like they used to do. We ended up at Air Hop a trampoline centre which fitted the brief well. They particularly enjoyed the basketball and Gladiator style games. I think next time I may join them, my motto for the new year is to live the bigger life. I did enjoy photographing them and like the slam dunk shots. I received a photo note book for Christmas so am choosing those to print and I hope it will develop my artistic skills in the coming year.

We returned home on New Year’s Eve, dropping our daughter en route at her friend’s for a night out. NYE just isn’t my jam, so I had an early night, which was much needed after lots of driving and 3 days away from home. New Year’s Day saw the first NYD parkrun of my home run and I was up early to volunteer pre run. I loved the little NYD design on my watch. It was a stunning morning, sunshine and blue skies but oh so cold. We had a great crowd and it was nice to be local on NYD. I had one day’s rest and then it was Saturday and another volunteer and run day. I didn’t realise it was possible, but it was even colder on Saturday than NYD, here’s hoping for warmer parkrun days to come.

Somewhere in between all the comings and goings I’ve started to plan my year ahead. I love a little plan and of course have given it a byline.. getting my kicks in 26. I have also been drafting some ideas for my #26in26, an idea inspired by Gretchen Rubin and that I’ve done ever since #18in18. I also need to review my #25in25. I did remember to tally my steps on NYE to be able to tick off one of my 25 list. My aim was to improve on my daily average steps of 9.6k in 2024, a very challenging year where I was caring a lot for my husband as he recovered from his ABI. I was chuffed with my 2025 average of 14.5k steps a day, probably due to a lot of running and training for a half marathon.

I am reading a very pertinent book at this time of year, Less by Patrick Grant. I often feel uneasy at our over consumption, especially at Christmas and this is helping me to think and focus on my needs rather than wants.

It’s back to work tomorrow and the return of routine and structure in our household. I do have a busy week and am embarking on my first mini adventure of the year. This is on my #26for26 list. I will reveal all next week, but I need to be up at 2.50am next Saturday to start the adventure!