Author: seasidesparkles

The German word vorfreude is perfect to describe this time of year, the joy of the anticipation of happy times. It’s been a lovely festive week, I’ve sung and signed Christmas songs in performances with our school choir, enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner with my class and team and made a gingerbread house from scratch. I’ve also pottered around our town’s Christmas market before heading over to see the lights in Bournemouth. All the festive feels ..

This week I’ve finished putting up all our decorations. We did the tree last Sunday and I added my new decoration, a robin from the Eden Project. I love to have a new decoration from our year and this is from our wonderful break in Cornwall at Easter. It was a memorable purchase as I bought it as I walked through the gift shop having finished the parkrun there, one of my favourite ever runs, such a stunning location.

I put a lot of time and effort into my little tableaux over the house, the rainbow tree and disco lights in the kitchen, my gingerbread village in the lounge, my bay window lights and snowflakes and a nativity window with simple lights too. It took a couple of evenings but I am happy with the results, the house feels Christmassy, warm and welcoming. My energy levels are way higher than last week, I’ve been buzzing and doing lots of things to prepare for the season. I got a final few things in the Christmas market yesterday and am now ready, presents are wrapped and those needed have been posted today. It’s a lovely feeling, I can totally embrace the season now.

Among all the busyness this week, I had my Christmas nails done. It does not show well in the photo but they’ve been painted with a beautiful sea green opaque and are perfect for the season.

For parkrun, I went to my old home parkrun, to celebrate my friend who was doing his 250th run there. It did get me thinking that for those of us who started pre pandemic, milestones will take a lot longer. On current timings, mine will be due in early ‘27. This also made me reflect on the last and first parkruns around the Covid pause which I ran at this venue and remembering the atmosphere. The venue also got me reminiscing on the old route, running through streams on wet days, my daughter running her first parkrun, a crazy New Year’s Day run as part of the now defunct NYD double. It is a stunning course and one I really should do more often, it was a lovely, warm and friendly morning.

Saturday was full of Christmas cheer and we finished it in Bournemouth for the lights and Christmas market. It was a different setup to previous years and the traditional tree lights have gone with more futuristic designs instead. It was lovely but I did prefer the more traditional lighting of previous years. Surprisingly we didn’t have our spectacular, but v pricey, hot chocolate but ended the evening in a cosy pub instead. There was more Christmas fun today when coming home from a football tournament we saw many decorated tractors ready for the annual Christmas drive this afternoon. It’s all these little local traditions that make this season special.

I find this is a strange time of year, the anticipation of Christmas and early prep but against the hub of everyday life. The weather has been very mixed and although I was planning an early visit to the Christmas lights in our neighbouring ‘big’ town, we postponed it due to the storms . Many of the attractions ended up being closed due to flooding and high winds. Fortunately there’s lots of time to visit so we’ll get there eventually. There has been some wicked storms recently. On another Saturday I had planned a little mooch for Christmas inspiration in town but the heavy rain meant a super quick 20 minute trip to do the essentials. Despite the storms there has also been the opportunity to wear my fav winter combo of woolly hat and sunglasses on some days and I have also managed two lovely long sunny runs. The weather really is random.

My Christmas shopping is progressing well. I was very well prepared for Black Friday and with the children’s wish lists. They’re at the age when they tend to want named products now, Uggs etc.. so in advance I had bookmarked the items and price checked and was able to get some good deals. I do find that Black Friday now seems to be a month of deals and I am dubious of the true value but I did get discounts on the items I needed. I didn’t really look for any other deals if the items weren’t on my list I wasn’t buying them. Apart from the big items I do try to buy lots from independent shops and Etsy types sellers. This is where I get really lovely presents. I do pride myself in my present buying and I would rather a good quality gift over quantity. On one of the wet Saturday afternoons when the boys were at football I made a decent start on wrapping and hiding the presents. I didn’t do it to a Christmas film but watched Brooklyn as I had seen a clip on social media and wanted to see the full film. It’s an excellent film and the perfect background to wrapping presents. Now the Black Friday presents are arriving, I’ll do this again in the coming days and will be pretty much ready on the presents. Christmas is too short for stress, I would prefer to be out and enjoying events than thinking about presents.

My recent audio book on my commute has been Gareth Southgate’s Lessons in Leadership. It’s a really interesting read particularly about culture and national identity and one of my favourite reads of the year. The England job is an impossible job but I feel Southgate’s values and drive make him one of the best we’ve had.

In the past few weeks it has been the first anniversary of my very good friend’s sudden and unexpected death. I still find it hard to believe she’s not next door and so many times over the past year I’ve imagined myself popping over to tell her something, finding a great recipe, book or film recommendation or local news (gossip) to share and then the very sad realisation she’s not there. Her husband shared that he had put up lights at her stables for the anniversary so on the evening I walked down to spend some time there. Now whilst the stables are close to home and in daylight a quick ten minute walk it wasn’t so simple on an extremely dark night down unmade tracks. However the sight was truly stunning. The stables were beautifully lit and the dark cloudless sky was shining with so many stars. My friend loved Coldplay and their song Sky full of stars was played at her funeral, so the setting was perfect. I felt so sad but strangely peaceful at the stables, the place where she had died and always her happiest place. I had a proper good cry and remembered such wonderful moments with her. I miss her.

After a half term of birthdays, Halloween and activities it’s been really nice to refocus in the past fortnight. I’ve not really done anything newsworthy, life has been gently plodding on but it’s been a nice period to be in the moment before the craziness of Christmas starts. I think one of my highlights was meeting my friend’s puppy who is just so cuddly and sweet. We’re still trying to figure out if a puppy could work for us …

Whilst both firework night and Remembrance Sunday happened in this fortnight we did less than in previous years. For fireworks night we offered the choice of dinner out or the fireworks and the meal won. The night of the fireworks was particularly wet and miserable so we felt we had made the best choice. Also we don’t have a big firework display in our town so would have needed to travel. Our town doesn’t do Guy Fawkes displays as we have lots of firework nights over the summer. I do prefer a warm summer’s evening for fireworks, live music in the field, fireworks on the beach and the bag of chips.

For many years we did attend the Remembrance Sunday service in our town as our son was often on parade. This year he had a football tournament on Sunday morning, however the remembrance was done beautifully with all the teams around the centre circle in silence at 11am. I found it quite emotional looking at the young men as they are around the age of the youngest soldiers in the world wars.

I have started buying little bits and pieces for Christmas. The gingerbread syrup will be perfect for Tommy the elf’s Christmas Eve hot chocolate hamper. Whilst my children have sadly outgrown the daily visits, he still makes an appearance in December, firstly with advent calendars, later with Christmas jumpers and then a final goodbye with the most amazing hot chocolate treats. I’ve also been buying a few items from small businesses whom have started their Christmas orders. I also love this time of the year when I browse through the Christmas catalogues and start to get in the mood with the Christmas tv adverts. And yes, as seems the consensus, Waitrose is my favourite so far.

I’ve taken the time in the past fortnight for some self care. I’ve joined a gym so I can run on the treadmill in the winter months. I’m not a huge gym fan and it will be a membership for the winter months only I but want to keep up my running schedule and as I don’t like to run in the dark, the treadmill is the best alternative. I’ve been managing two early mornings en route to work, as well as two outdoor daylight runs at the weekend. I don’t want to lose the fitness I had for this year’s half marathon ahead of the half next May which I’ve signed up to.

Apart from the football tournament, surprisingly there hasn’t been much football in the past fortnight. We’ve actually had to make plans for the weekend! Today, Mr S and I went for a walk in the countryside. It was a lovely afternoon and felt very wholesome walking through the fields.

I’ve added a post by hannahfgale on this week’s montage. She put into words so well this pre Christmas feeling, it’s close but not quite here yet. The excitement without the stress!

The October half term is when our family celebrates the final family birthdays of the year and Halloween and then I am able to prepare for the rest of the year. I have my new calendar and dairy for 2026 and am writing in dates. I love that feeling of being organised. I also started this year’s Christmas box of plans, it’s full of my Christmas notebooks, magazines, brochures etc .. my go to for all things Christmas.

This week we have had a big birthday for Mr S, so I’ve been busy creating the sparkles to make the birthday special. It’s not about big, grand gestures but the little things, a homemade cake, decorations, special cards etc.. The celebrations have been spread over a couple of days with a family meal on Thursday and a special Sunday coffee morning with cake and presents today before taking our daughter back to the train station and our son to football training.

As it’s been half term, we’ve been out and about. It was a stunning morning at the dry skiing slope, that little bit of winter chill in beautiful sunshine. We also have been ten pin bowling en famille, with a last ball win by our son. I took my son to see the women’s football team on Wednesday night. The club are really trying to promote women’s football and there was an impressive crowd of around 6000. It was a great win for the women who top their league table.

It has been ‘that’ week when there’s lots of comment on the darkness as BST ended last weekend. I may notice it more next week with my early commute but this week it was more about those early dark nights. I’m trying hard not to hibernate as it would be so easy and keep up with my evening walks. After my fall when running, I’ve decided no more running in the dark but I feel confident enough to walk.

As it’s been half term, I was able to go to our town’s market on Friday. It is an excellent market and the fruit and veg stall is amazing, far better than any supermarket. I took my old trusted basket which I love and is the perfect accessory for a market trip. I had always wanted one and that trusted basket has lasted me 20+ years, I like the idea of it filled with fresh produce, rocking my 1950s housewife style! As well as the fruit and veg there is also a great bakery stall, so along with the fresh celeriac I bought to make soup for lunch, that soup was accompanied by the most delicious fresh olive bread. A loaf that was all gone by tea time, the bread was that good. I only wish that I could visit the market more often, sadly full time work thwarts these plans.

It’s back to school tomorrow and back to a routine. I want to make a few tweaks to make my weeks more productive and maintain my half marathon fitness. This week I ‘may’ have signed up for a new spring half, eek.

As I have a quiet few moments, it’s time for a catch up of this past week. I do sometimes think well nothings really happened this week but when you take time to reflect there’s always little things which happen, the ordinary can make the extraordinary.

It has been a pretty quiet week, although there’s preparation in the background as I get ready for my husband’s 60th next week. There is quite an age gap between us so I’m nowhere near that milestone and retirement yet. I’ve made some lovely personalised cards reflecting his favourite hobbies. Unfortunately my husband is so indecisive about his birthday and all my many celebration suggestions have been declined. I still don’t know the details of what we are doing, I know we’re going out for a family meal but this may be during this week rather than on his birthday as there is football. At the least I can decorate the house and have a special birthday breakfast with presents and treats next Sunday. I have discovered over the years that he doesn’t ‘do’ birthdays and doesn’t plan or think of all the fun things that I do. Rather than be frustrated or hurt I’m learning after 27 years that it’s just how it is…

On my commute I have read the new Ruth Jones / James Corden audio book. Not quite sure if you can read an audio book but I am until I find a better phrase. I was hesitant about this book as I am a huge OG fan of Gavin and Stacey and also of Ruth’s books, my worry was that this was a money making best of book with little original content. I am so pleased to report it’s not, it’s such an interesting book firstly on how an idea becomes a script and then a tv show with all the background information that for a non industry person was fascinating and then like all Ruth’s work its about relationships. I listened to the book whenever I could as I was so taken by it, definitely one of my favourites from this year. My Good Reads challenge is looking healthy, I only need to read 5 more to meet my target and am already well through two more books. Generally I have an audiobook for my daily commutes and a Kindle book for the evenings.

This weekend I was able to finally celebrate my 100th volunteer credit for parkrun. I’ve been on the countdown for weeks and it’s possibly 3 weeks later than expected as I have done some tourism. I’m lucky that I volunteer and then can still run. I normally do car park / welcome marshal so am up at the parkrun for 8am every Saturday, ready to meet everyone. I was given a lovely photo mug by the RD with all my favourite parkrun people on it, it was such a thoughtful gift. It was also our Halloween special and I decided to go subtle by simply making a tshirt with a humorous / spooky tagline linked to our parkrun. I can’t remember why I have an orange tutu, I’m sure it’s part of a previous fancy dress at the parkrun but perfect for Halloween.

When I popped into town on Saturday afternoon I found the Good Food Vegetarian Christmas edition. I have these from many years, quite a collection, it’s my must buy festive purchase for menu inspiration . Fortunately this year’s is excellent. Last year I didn’t make our Christmas dinner from the year’s magazine but an old copy as it was uninspiring. However I am very much spoilt for choice with this year’s festive menu suggestions. Half term is always the start of my Christmas planning, although this year I have bought some beautiful Christmas cards by a local artist at a fayre. However it’s time to get serious and plan for a special season.

As well as half term being the start of Christmas planning, it’s also my cue to pop on thick tights. I managed to a week before half term but the weather was so wet and cold and I needed a little leg warmth. In the photo are my new FitFlop flat shoes, they are so soft and comfy but my children call them my Granny shoes.

Toady the clocks have gone back and it was a beautiful morning. I woke, had a very leisurely breakfast and then was out on my run before 8am thanks to the extra hour. The morning was absolutely stunning and it was one of those mornings when everyone was out running, cycling, rowing or walking embracing the sunshine.

This week coming is half term and my daughter is home for a week. Our plan is a mix of fun activities together coupled with the mundane but necessary half term appointments which need to be fitted in.

A much needed catch up, as life’s been pretty hectic over the past few weeks and I’m just about feeling able to sit down and put some words together.

The big thing in this period has been the half marathon. I had trained properly and upto around 2 weeks before the half all seemed to be going smoothly and I felt strong and ready. And then everything started to fall apart, including me! It started innocently, a mid week evening run but my first dark run of the year and I fell badly on the very uneven pavements we have. Whilst it was dark I was running with a light and on a well lit street so the dark wasn’t the reason just my simple clumsiness. However the fall did leave a nasty injury, a big, deep cut and the lower half of my legs heavily bruised and even now 2.5 weeks later I still can’t kneel as the wound is still healing. As I was running the half I used every cream, plaster, and products I could find to allow me to run. The wound was heavily bandaged for the run, blood running down the leg was never going to be a good look. Whilst I was shaken I then spent the final pre race week with everyone around me with coughs, colds and the flu. I didn’t feel 100% but had been topping myself up with Lemsip in the preceding days. So not the best pre race prep. The day itself had its highs, the lovely ladies I met pre race, and its lows, the route especially from mile 8, all the faffing pre race and receiving the wrong size tshirt! The race started at 11am, but I left home at 7.10am as it was a very complicated start plan. I parked by the finish but then had to catch the event bus to the start, £7.50 for a single and quite a walk from drop off to the start. By the time the half began I had already done 6k steps. The buses left at 9am so there was a lot of standing around and waiting at the start, nearly 2 hours as the bus went when it was full which for me was around 8.45am. I didn’t like this and wouldn’t sign up for a different start and end half again. My first half of the race was a dream and I was really happy with my time and then my head went. The route was so odd, lots of times you you ran out and back to return to where you had been before, the signage was poor, the half and 10k markers were all mixed up and as the water stations weren’t were they had said all my refuelling plans just didn’t fit. I am not disappointed with my race but proud that I did finish when I was in such a dark place and at times it didn’t seem likely. Surprisingly I haven’t vowed never again as I really want to do another and run the way I did in my training runs to get the time I trained for.

Unfortunately there was no time to rest and relax and soak up the atmosphere post race. It was straight to the car and a 30 mile drive to meet the rest of the family cheering on our son in his football tournament. I missed the first game but managed to see him play in two and score a brilliant goal. Needless to say, after the maddest of days I was shattered and had a few lazy nights in the following week. They were so needed.

I am back running today and as I had to drop the boys off to catch the football coach I went to the flat and fast Poole for parkrun. It was then a very productive day, shopping for some essentials and having my car valeted. This was worth every penny, I spend a lot of time in my car and it now looks, smells and feels clean. Tidiness and order are key to me and after a frantic few weeks it has been good to have time today to sort everything out. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve had my hair and nails done and put up the seasonal decorations all of which have definitely made me feel more in control and grounded.

In the midst of all my busyness, I did have a lovely meal out with friends. We go to a lovely, old pub full of period features and it’s so cosy to dine and chat. It was the night of storm Amy, and as the pub is on the banks of the river, we did check a few times to make sure we weren’t going to get flooded. That night the boys were at football and what had been neatly planned for me to pick them up at the station at 11pm turned out differently as I had to go to the the next town to meet them as trees on the line stopped the trains. Along with a road closure due to the storms it meant that we finally get home at 1am. As it was Friday night, I was back up at 7am to volunteer for parkrun. The rest of the day was very lazy!

I should quickly mention the excellent audio read by Alan Davies, Just Ignore Him. He was and probably still is my celebrity crush, it’s the curly, floppy hair. His is a tragic story that I was unaware of and although a very difficult read due to the nature of the book, I am full of respect for his decision to share his experience and hopefully help others.

I feel I’m upto date now, one more week and then it’s half term for which I need to make plans for the break and a 60th birthday celebration. Life doesn’t slow down and to be honest, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

It’s been such a busy week and one of those in which you would expect to feel exhausted. However sometimes being busy and social is more rejuvenating and restoring than quiet times.

The working week was good, I have a great team with me this year and lovely students and our days are genuinely fun and happy. One day this week we had a special themed day and tried lots of different activities. We had a blast in circus skills and I even managed to try a few activities, I think it may be around 40 years since I last pogo jumped but I still have it! My son also had a different college day on Thursday doing a vocational day at Lush. They were able to visit the shop at the end of the day and my son brought me home a large snow fairy candle which was very appreciated.

We all had plans for this weekend which meant that we were all in the same area but for Mr S and I with a child each we stayed at our respective parents with different plans. As parents age a full family trip can be more overwhelming so this arrangement works better. Due to an early Friday finish, the boys took the train to Bristol on Friday lunchtime and I left promptly after school and got to my parents for 6pm. I was able to use this journey to finish my audio book I’m glad my mom died by J. McCurdy. It’s an excellent memoir of a very difficult childhood set against the background of being a child actor. Despite the title it’s not a book of grim despair but one in which the author simply tells her story.

I had a lovely evening at my parents, my favourite childhood tea, irn bru and relaxed chats. I also managed to find the M&S white chocolate and gingerbread cookies this week so we all tried them, our family has always appreciated a nice M&S treat and these are delicious! I got up early on Saturday for a second consecutive parkrun tourist trip. I’ve done lots near my parents so travelled around half an hour to Cheddar, another new one for me. I can’t get over how close you are from my parents to so many parkruns, living rural all parkruns bar our local are at least 40 mins away, with most being 1+ hours so I enjoy the fun of tourism but within a reasonable time not to affect your day. It was a wonderful parkrun, so friendly and the course was a pretty one, down an old railway line and beautifully flat! I got my best ever parkrun time and the ice pop at the finish was perfect. After the run it was home for a very quick shower and change and then off to the station to catch the train through to Cardiff with my daughter. Again this is another treat staying at my parents where there are great transport links.

I have very fond memories of Cardiff as I started my teaching career here and lived here for two years. I loved the vibe and it is a special city. It was great to take my daughter and show her some of my old favourite places and be amazed by some of the changes in the city. It was a warm autumn day so we had an al fresco lunch, a real treat so late in the season and then pottered around the shops buying a few bits and bobs. Today I stayed around at my parents til late morning, mum very kindly took up some trousers for me, you always need your mum! I then drove over to collect the boys and then fitted in a football training session en route home.