It's a wrap!

Sunny Side Up

Dec 31

So that was 2023.

I'm not the biggest fan os these new year round up posts. Blah blah blah, boring boring BUT...

For the first time in quite a few years the year wasn't absolutely shite and I'm not breathing a sigh of relief that it's finally over.

It hit me the other day when I was reminiscing about recent our recent history and there it was. You know, this year wasn't bad at all.

Ok, apart from the obvious thing about losing our wonderful and much loved dog. Even that was a sort of blessing in disguise. He lived 18 good months longer than anyone thought he would and died of old age rather than epilepsy. He was well overdue claiming his angel wings and enjoying being in heaven with the other angels. Once Velcrodog claimed his wings hubby and I claimed a new lease of life and found a freedom we had forgotten we'd ever had.

New Year has ever been my favourite celebration. Too many broken dreams and unrealistic expectations combined with too much alcohol is a bad mix. We won't be celebrating the new year by having a party or going to the pub or milling around the High St with the drunks. It'll be a quiet affair at home with maybe the next door neighbours to welcome in the new year with us. We'll watch the firework display and then toddle off to bed.

But hold on.. we aren't there yet! What about Christmas?

It was GREAT!

Einstein's definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing but expecting different results.

Every year I cook a huge meal, timed to coincide with the King's speech at 3pm. A beautiful starter followed by luscious main course and dessert. The kids leave it all. I get annoyed at all the waste, washing up and cleaning, which is of course all left to me.

This year we did it differently. Earlier dinner than normal. No starter. Smaller main course. Delayed dessert. Afternoon tea buffet much later. Pre warn other adults that they will be expected to help with washing up and generally keeping things in order.

WOWZERS!! It only bloody worked!! No stress, no waste, no tears, from me or anyone else.

All in all it was a wonderful, happy and relaxed day. Big hit of the day was a game involving secret presents. So much laughter. Even more so when we realised that 4 year old Little Dude is totally ruthless when it comes to winning.

Hubby gave me a northern lights lamp and daughter carved mini figures of hubs and I. Now mini me and mini hubs are photographing their, and our, travels and adventures.

Mini me even went on a trip to a blood donor session. Not that you can call a Twixtmas trip to blood donors an adventure but I needed to drop some weight fast and losing a full armful of blood did the trick haha.

Probably better for losing a few calories was the stupidly long walks I've been on.

I dragged myself and mini me to the nearest bucket and spade town to watch the Boxing Day Dip. What a great atmosphere. It was like a carnival. If I'd known sooner the dip was on I might have joined in but as it was I enjoyed just soaking up the atmosphere. Daughter and I took ourselves on a lovely long south west coast path walk yesterday. The walk took us past Horsepoo St which made us laugh like twelve year old boys.

All this is the start of 2024's stop being fat campaign. I'm not a fan of new year resolutions, talk about setting yourself up for failure, but I'm not a fan of being fat either. I want to be flab free by the time we go on holiday at the end of February. I'm starting my campaign by ridding the house of chocolate and other goodies. Mostly by eating it haha but it's still gone and won't be replaced.

Here are just a few photos of our Christmas and Twixtmas. where we played silly games, ate too much, walked it all off and had a lot of fun.