January - New Challenges

Our Christmas decorations are down and packed away. As I type my husband is in a cupboard, doing his best to store the many boxes, along with the vacuum, family tents, and a multitude of other paraphernalia that is hidden out of sight.

We've left some lights up, and lanterns by the fire, for some winter cheer. Christmas cards are waiting to be cut up into parcel labels for next year, that's something my family have done for decades. Its good to look through the cards, quietly, after Christmas, to read the messages, to contact family and friends. It's very therapeutic.

The Christmas Cake has been eaten and left over mince pies are in the freezer. All chocolate has vanished. There is fruit to be eaten, we had a lot of satsumas. Fruit salad is on the menu for several days.

The house looks bare but tidy. The fire is alight and curtains drawn. It's time to make and revise plans for 2024. The shed is still top of the priority list!

I've signed up for my new virtual walking challenge! I've chosen The Celtic Way, which will hopefully follow an interesting route and show me many ancient sites along the way. My walking boots are ready.

We've walked in Horner Woods already this week, it was wet wet wet. The rain fell constantly. We drank coffee from our flasks in the car, there was nowhere to stop. There were plenty of other walkers, though.

Welcome to Horner.

There is a parking charge.

Pedestrians only. It's an absolute oasis of peace and quiet.

Plenty of water at the moment.

Apparently this is the wettest England has been for 130 years!

You need the correct clothing!

I'm looking forward to new challenges in 2024, along with continuing good health. Stay well everyone.

Comments

31st October 2024, I'm A Halloween Grinch 🎃

I don't like Halloween. It's origins or the 21st Century version. Right from it's beginnings it has been about death and spirits of the dead. I always say I'm not superstitious, but somethings shouldn't be messed with. Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, has been turned from a Celtic tradition to ward off evil and spirits, to a commercial nightmare. I know that many will say that nowadays it's just a bit of fun, but like my fear of spiders, its maybe instinct. Maybe its the near death experiences that TTP survivors have, a little too close to home. Winter in this part of the world brings darkness and cold, something that the Celtic people took seriously. If any misfortune befell them in the winter, they likely didn't survive. For a while the Christian form of All Hallows Eve became a time when the poorest folk would beg at more wealthy folk’s doors for food, in return for offering prayers. Now children are encouraged to trick ...

23rd September 2024 Apple Pies, Not Quite How Grandma Made Them 😉

I get a lot of recipe videos on my social media feeds. Many claim to be just how someone's Grandmother showed them. I often doubt it's true. I'm older, of course, so possibly I'm thinking of days from long ago. My Grandma, Nanny we called her, was born more than 100 years ago. She had a large family and undoubtedly did make pies, but I don't think they had desserts. She would have made pastry, she didn't have a fridge, and I have seen her cooker in a museum 🥰. Nanny had access to fresh veg because Grandad had an allotment and she kept her own hens and rabbits. She didn't leave a recipe book, but she left a healthy brood of children. The old apple tree in our garden has withered this year. Although it had buds, it didn't produce any blossom so no apples. We couldn't bring ourselves to remove it, and we'll give it another chance next spring. I do know it will be something of a miracle if it fruits again. My nei...

21st October 2024, Newcastle, Gateshead, Angel of the North

This weekend away was not my choice but my husband's. To be fair I've had my weekends away and it was his turn. Of course, it involved football. BHA v Newcastle. It's on his list of dreams. What would my grandfather, a supporter, think of us flying to Newcastle to watch a match? We flew with Easyjet, cabin bags under our seats, and limited amount of cloths. I've never travelled for a weekend before knowing that I would need to wash undies. My meds (not TTP related) took up more space than my toiletries! We arrived exhausted, but driving would have been so much worse. We ignored our own travel tip and landed after sunset. It's disorienting to land in the dark when you have no idea where you are. Flight delayed at both ends, we took the Metro from the airport to the city centre, it was delayed en route, and then we left the station by the wrong exit. It resulted in us walking more t...

Porridge for Breakfast, The Ordinary Life of a TTP Survivor

Search This Blog