Category Archives: Family, friends and favourite things

2020, Family, friends and favourite things, Fitness and Health

I’ve got my mind set on you

13th September 2020 Admin 2 Comments

Dear Tony

Another birthday without you. I hope that you are happier where you are and you are enjoying having mum and dad to yourself.

Life is a bit strange here. As well as the restrictions that are in place, there is uncertainty about jobs which of course brings emotional and financial worries. Charities are suffering a lot as events that would be held to raise funds have been cancelled. I’ve decided to set myself challenges and give a small amount of money to charities each month.

For the month of August, I did 10 days of alternate 5k running and walking. I started running about 6 months after you left us in 2016. As well as health benefits, exercise is also great for our mental health. I always think of you when I run. I wonder if it would have helped you if you had taken up something like running.

I actually chose to do this challenge after seeing Macmillan advertising it. I didn’t get sponsors though but gave a very small donation to them. I loved the walks and will continue with the 5k route which took me by our family house, over the bridge as mum would say which led to the park we liked to visit as children, then up to the Green Dragon before returning home. Not a scenic walk but one full of memories. This route takes me around an hour. I listen to the Joe Wickes podcast who always had interesting guests talking about what they turned to to help their physical and mental health. A very interesting listen. I finish off listening to radio 2. I ditched my favourite radio 1 shows long ago but interestingly some of the DJs that we would have listened to now appear on radio 2!

In honour of your birthday, September’s charity is Mind. This is another great charity and one that is in great need at the moment. I have chosen to try to improve my running and am aiming to run 30 miles in the month. I am running 1 mile runs for 3 days, having a day of rest and then running a 5k. So far, and I’ve only run 2 of the 5k runs, managed to improve my times. Now Tony, when I say running, I am actually very slow but at least I can run for a bus now.

I can see how tough life was for you with all your mental health problems. Listening to Joe Wickes asking his guests what they do to keep their spirits up made me ponder how I would answer. One of the first things I like to do is bake. I also like getting lost in a book, playing games on computer such as sudoku and solitaire (can be very addictive!) and cross stitching. Being out in the fresh hour to run or walk also helps. For you, getting out of bed to do these pastimes would have been a major hurdle. Hopefully charities like Mind will be able to continue to help people like yourself.

You are always in my thoughts.

Sleep tight.

Your big sister

Tina x

P.S. I still love the picture of us when I visited you at your school. I can’t quite believe I was actually taller than you for a while!

P.P.S. On my mile run today, I actually did a personal best of 11.13 min/mile!

2020, Afternoon Teas, Family, friends and favourite things

Red Velvet, Will you please?

6th September 2020 Admin 1 Comment

Dear Mum

Five years have flown by since you left. It took me a while to get used to my weekends again. My Saturday afternoons had been spent with you. After catching up, there would be a film to watch. It might have been To Kill a Mocking Bird or The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves (Note for Kathryn. We have to watch this film).

One of the things I do like to do now on a Saturday afternoon is bake. You would love eating the cakes I make especially anything with chocolate in. One of the other things I like to do is afternoon teas with Kathryn.

As a family, we have always loved cream teas (just thinking about spreading jam across the scone and topping with a thick layer of clotted cream is making my mouth water – Kathryn, that is the correct way of eating a scone!). Last year, arranging a mum and daughter day out and both not wanting to shop, we went for an afternoon tea and decided to make it a monthly event. We even created an instagram page called onceuponascone. We did manage three teas before Christmas and had a lovely tea in February in Bath. Then lockdown happened. This didn’t put us off afternoon teas. As soon as we were allowed to be together again, we actually made our own. As it was the 5th anniversary of the day you left us, we chose Sunday 28th June to remember you. I had just got a very nice cooker so it was the first time I baked scones in it. They were delicious.

Slowly, we are getting our life back to normal (well a new normal), so we were super excited to start going for teas again. I thought I would share my lovely day out with Kathryn on the 18th August (Richard’s birthday but we didn’t invite him!). Chris had arranged a voucher for tea at Cliveden House in Maidenhead. Chris was also our chauffeur for the day so it did mean we could enjoy a glass of champagne too. Another thing you would have liked Mum!

We arrived early so we could enjoy the grounds and woodlands of Cliveden. It is a National Trust property and the tea included the trip round the grounds. Whilst I was looking forward to the tea, if I lived close to this property, I would have become a member of the National Trust and visited every week. As we experienced some rain, we didn’t get to appreciate it all but what we saw was breathtaking. We loved walking through the rose garden and going down the Yew Tree Steps (apparently 172 steps but we didn’t notice because we were laughing so much as we were in sync with our stepping. We missed Jordan at the point because he would have loved being part of that. Next visit I promise I will let you take part Jordan!) to sit by the Thames. As it was raining, we didn’t attempt the steps upwards.

Anyway, back to the tea. As I said, we are living in strange times and we now need to wear masks in enclosed areas so we had to remember to put them on when entering the hotel. Luckily we can take them off when eating! Chris made sure we had a wonderful view from our table. The champagne was waiting for us so we very quickly removed the masks. Then first course of our tea arrived. As well as sandwiches, we had chilled pea and mint soup (I can imagine you are turning your nose up mum but believe me, it was delicious), gingerbread savoury with cream cheese, cheese and ham croissant and peri-peri beef taco. The best savoury selection I have ever had.

It was then the turn of the scones, one fruit and one plain each. Kathryn did think that we didn’t have enough clotted cream but there was plenty. We had gone a bit posh with our tea (no not PG tips, mum), we had Assam. I think it’s one of my favourites. We barely had any room for the cakes but I do like to try one or maybe two! We had a lovely red velvet sponge cake, a delicious peach melba cake and a rhubarb cake presented to us. We shared the red velvet sponge and peach melba. Don’t worry mum, we took the rest home in a doggy bag, well actually a beautiful box. We also had a complimentary red velvet muffin to take away which I can confirm was very nice.

I know that you would have loved the tea although you wouldn’t have enjoyed going out. If you were still here (I wish you were), we would have definitely shared some of the tea with you.

We are already arranging our next tea which will probably be the weekend of Tony’s birthday. Can you let him know to expect a letter from me at around that time.

Love to Dad.

Love and kisses

Tina x

P.S. Why red velvet and what is red velvet any way, I hear you ask. Red velvet cake is well known in USA from New York’s Waldorf hotel which was built by Cliveden’s former owner, William Waldorf Astor. Red velvet cake is a chocolate cake with a red colour. Traditionally the red colour was due to the cocoa used but most recipes now use a red food colouring paste. I have never tried making this cake but might give it a go now.

2020, Family, friends and favourite things

Simply the Best

4th July 2020 Admin Leave a comment

Dear family

Thank you for making my birthday so special. I thought it wasn’t going to be a normal birthday; there wasn’t going to be everyone gathered in our bedroom singing happy birthday before I opened presents. This was a lockdown birthday although due to a lift in restrictions, Kathryn was going to be able to sit in the family garden! Little did I know that what you had in store for me.

As is normal in the Terry household at the moment, we were awake at 5.30 in the morning. I did have a happy birthday sang to me through WhatsApp from Jordan at 6 o’clock. The message didn’t strike me as unusual . With you working and living in London, I have had a few birthdays with you not being here on the day but normally you are here the weekend before.

As is also normal on birthdays and at Christmas, I was spoilt by you, Chris. I couldn’t believe I actually had a brand new, shiny rose gold iPad. One that was not actually second hand! After a few false starts, you even had my games downloaded (my day does not begin until I have completed my daily fix of solitaire, sudoku and wordstacks).

More birthday messages came through from Kathryn before I cycled to the beach with Chris. It was a beautiful morning to enjoy watching the calm sea and views of the Isle of Wight. I was sad that we all wouldn’t be together but I could remember the past birthdays normally enjoying food and the scenery: cream teas in the New Forest, fish and chips in the rain on Brighton Pier and wave jumping in Fuerteventura. It was certainly going to be different this year with one member of the family missing and family hugs not possible.

There was a bit of friction at the beach when Chris was trying to make me decide what we were going to eat. Friction and eating are another norm! I was still feeling a bit annoyed that as my birthday was on a Sunday, I couldn’t have my family all here to help me celebrate. I would have willingly made dinner myself with what we had in the fridge. Anyway, so as to not make the day difficult, I followed Chris into the local shops and chose lamb steaks in one shop then a huge steak and merlot pie in another. Should be more than enough for 3 of us and maybe Aaron.

We cycled home and once in, I sent messages to my sister and to Kathryn to let them know that they could come round. At least restrictions had been lifted so I could have them both in the garden. Within 2 minutes, there was a ring on the doorbell. I was greeted by a happy birthday chorus from you Kathryn and……..

Well I could not believe it; I was expecting to see Aaron but instead it was a sweaty, gorgeous Jordan and bike. He had cycled for 4 hours 45 minutes from Wimbledon to say Happy Birthday.

Family back together for the afternoon on a hot summer’s day that was simply the best!

Love from a very spoilt wife and mum x

P.S. Can we do wave jumping next year?

Next time will be about how all intended yearly goals change very unexpectedly

2020, Family, friends and favourite things

Happy Birthday to You

6th June 2020 Tina Terry 2 Comments

Dear Dad

I wanted to wish you a happy birthday on the 25th birthday without you. Those years have gone so quickly. When you left us, Jordan was a 3 year old toddler and Kathryn just 3 months old. They are all grown up now and making their way in life.

We are experiencing very strange times at the moment so I haven’t been able to see them in the normal way . Recently I have been able to go for walks with Kathryn and she was even able to sit in the garden on Tuesday. Jordan lives in London so for almost 12 weeks, he hasn’t visited. Technology has moved on a lot since 1996: we all have mobile phones now and also the Internet. Honestly how we survived without Google is beyond me. You just ask a question and the answer will appear. Sometimes it is a bit too much overload! I’ve also got a kindle to read my books; an electronic reader which means I don’t have to have a huge book in my bag. The kids are more old fashioned and love the physical books (don’t tell anyone but they might be slowly coming round to owning one!). Anyway with all this technology, we have been able to video call each other, cook together and also have weekly quizzes. It’s not the same as seeing them in person but it’s certainly better than nothing.

You will be pleased to know that as they were growing up, we liked to bake together. You will remember how much Jordan loved his food, his hands would fly up in the air in excitement as he was being fed. Kathryn is a bit of a foodie; she loves all sorts. Jordan has been cooking roasts whilst he has been away; he has promised that he will make one for me when he is allowed in the house again. Although he has been asked to join us, he hasn’t taken part in baking with me and Kathryn on a Sunday. For ten weeks, we have been baking by video call on our phones. I’m sure you would like to know what we have been baking:

Victoria Sandwich – Kathryn is an expert at these and I always made these for the birthday cakes.
Munchkin Cakes – a bit like jaffa cakes and one of the favourites when the kids were younger. I made a bit of a disaster here – I didn’t turn the oven down. We both thought they weren’t as good as they used to be. Must look at the recipe again.
Scones – we love afternoon teas. We baked on a lovely warm day so I was able to sit in the garden with Chris to enjoy ours; Kathryn enjoyed her scones with her boyfriend, Aaron. The scones were delicious spread with jam and then clotted cream. After eating these, I’m not sure if I will go out for a cream tea again! That’s another family favourite.
Cheese Scone round – a recipe by Mary Berry which I know we will enjoy baking lots.
Lemon Drizzle bites – these were lovely and easy to make. Who doesn’t like lemon drizzle cake?
Raspberry and passion fruit muffins – will make these again. So good.
Jam tarts – pastry making this week. I don’t think I made these with the kids before. Mum always made them for us when we were children.
Cheese straws – we thought we would try something a bit savoury. Both of ours looked different. Very good though.
Bakewell tarts – Mr Kiplings bakewell tarts are a firm favourite of us all and remind us of picnics. We used ready made pastry. I think that these were probably the most fun to do and again become a favourite. When Jordan returns home, we have to make these for him as it wasn’t fair he didn’t have them.
Small Victoria sandwich cakes – freshly made today. We have loved making them. We normally bake on a Sunday but as I’m celebrating my birthday tomorrow, we did it today.

I am looking forward to when we are all together so we can sample all the baking together. It will be sad that Jordan won’t be here tomorrow to help celebrate my birthday.

I always loved the fact that my birthday was the day after yours. Wish you were still here to enjoy the bakes we have been cooking.

Sleep tight Dad.

Love Tina x

P.S. Love to Mum and Tony. I miss them lots too. Wish Auntie Rose a happy birthday for tomorrow xx

As you can see, baking has been a big part of the lock down. Join me next time to see how I’ve tried to keep fit whilst indulging in the foods I love to eat.

2020, Family, friends and favourite things

Rule Breaker – Are You Happy Now

3rd June 2020 Tina Terry Leave a comment

Dear Dom

You were not someone that I was familiar with until I saw the headlines in the paper on that Saturday morning and then watched as you did story with Dom in 10 Downing Street gardens. It was quite concerning that we had been told we couldn’t have friends and family in the garden and there you were throwing a garden party!

Anyway I made sure my daughter was settled to watch the afternoon story (we were due to watch Breakfast at Tiffanys remotely of course because those are the rules).

Now I’m not going to go into your story too much but wanted to talk about integrity. The dictionary gives the word as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles (I did find a meaning that it is a personal quality of fairness that we all aspire to – unless you’re a dishonest, immoral scoundrel). I will let you make up you mind about where I think you lie.

I always believed that my husband and I tried very hard to teach our children strong moral principles from the start of their lives. These included being respectful of others and following the rules. I am so proud of the adults they have become. To this day, they follow the rules but will question them if they believe they are wrong. We all followed the rules that the government set out on 23rd March.

My husband and I have had to get used to each other’s company without my daughter popping in for dinner or my son visiting for the weekend: my son is around 70 miles away in Wimbledon and my daughter is 3 miles away. By following the rules, we have sacrificed our family gatherings but hope we can make up for this in the future. Planned theatre trips have had to be put on hold and sporting events the ‘kids’ were due to compete in have been postponed. We’ve been working from home. Unfortunately my daughter who loves working, has been furloughed. Unfortunately for me, one of my jobs is in payroll and I have had to deal with learning this new skill which is very stressful.

We have missed Easter and bank holiday gatherings. I have wondered if we have followed the rules a bit too much; VE Day celebrations for both my neighbours seemed to include family from other households in their gardens. Are we missing something?

If I had been a journalist at your garden party, I would have asked this one question. When you made your 260 mile journey to Durham, and you might not have stopped, did you actually think what lives you were putting in danger. It wasn’t just the lives of yourself and your family with you but also if you had an accident, you would have put at risk emergency crews and added extra burden to our NHS service. This was the reason why my daughter would not drive her car so she could run longer than her drive or why my son did not ride his bike for 100 km to keep up his training. They used their integrity; do you really think you used yours?

Well Dom, just like Boris, I am bored with the Dominic Cummings story now. I want, which I would have liked to have seen on Saturday 23rd May, is for someone to say that you have made a mistake and that you and the government were very sorry for what has happened. I know that is all I wanted. Instead all the “ordinary people” like myself wouldn’t have felt that they did wrong in following the rules. My family were okay but other parents had to just watch helplessly as their loved ones had to look after their families whilst being ill – they followed the rules and couldn’t help. Others lost family and weren’t allowed to hold their hands in their final moments. Only a few are allowed to attend funerals so the grieving process of so many are on hold.

Please do the right thing, admit you made a mistake and let’s move forward.

Here’s hoping again

Tina

P.S. I can no longer watch the daily update because I do not have any trust in the politicians or experts at this stage. However, the public are actually a lot smarter than you, Dom and we will do the right thing

As I approach my 54th birthday, I’m excited to know that I can now have my family back in the garden. My next post will be about how we still managed to bake together although apart.

2020, Family, friends and favourite things

Letters from my Daughter

29th May 2020 Tina Terry 2 Comments

Dear 2020

You are certainly a very strange year. Although I’m a firm believer that you can start again on any day or month of the year, I still felt a buzz when January 1st came and it was hello 2020. I certainly never ever realised how strange it would be. The whispers of this new “virus” which came from China didn’t seem a problem then. January, a month that can seem to go too slowly, actually whizzed past. I bought myself a bike, attempted to learn to ride again and enjoyed a very lovely Saturday in the lovely town of Emsworth with Chris.

February came and with it the start of birthday season. How I felt sorry for Kathryn when Storm Ciara hit us on her birthday and wrecked her evening meal plans. I’m so pleased that the following weekend, we ignored all weather reports and battled our way to Bath to enjoy an afternoon tea. Yes it was wet and windy but how we now can rejoice that we did actually did go because it would be one of our last afternoon teas for a while. Next weekend, the weather looked as if it would dampen a trip to the theatre with Chris. It cleared up to allow us to take public transport, enjoy a glass of wine or three and walk to the lovely Kings Theatre. The next day was blustery but Wimbledon beckoned for a roast with Jordan and Thais. Apart from the weather and the talk of China, you had started very well. I was looking forward to more afternoon teas, theatre trips and booking holidays in the months ahead or so I believed….

March arrived and suddenly life came to a halt. The virus from China had finally become a pandemic around the world. Mother’s Day was the last day we spent together as a family. Jordan had been working from home for two weeks but was returning to London to be with his girlfriend, and Kathryn, after having a “sleepover” with us, returned to be with her boyfriend. Although we suspected we were going to face a lock down situation, I don’t think we understood how much our lives would change when the day after Mother’s Day, we were told to stay indoors and not mix with other households. Keeping fit outside was limited and working from home was what we were being encouraged to do. Now 11 weeks on, I am able to see my daughter if we keep 2 metres apart. We have devised different family “virtual meet ups” which have been very good (what did we do before the internet and mobile phones) and I have enjoyed getting letters in the post from Kathryn. The letters have been fun with a few “Kathryn” challenges added to them.

In the last letter, Kathryn told me how she is enjoying writing her blog again. As she had previously been busy working now that she is a “grown up”, blogging had been put aside. She is making the most of being put on furlough (a new word I despise), and is enjoying all the things that will hopefully make her a fully fledged “grown up”! She asked if I would ever get into blogging again.

Well in the two weeks since being asked that question, I have re-read some of my posts and looked at my life. I announced on Monday to Kathryn that I would like to but didn’t know how I would do it. I think she had been thinking about this a lot as she reeled off lots of ideas. As is normal for me, I came up with an idea on a walk listening to a pod cast (another of Kathryn’s challenges). I thought I would write letters to my family, friends and all the people/things that make me happy or sad. It will be a great way to expressing thanks or basically getting things off my chest!

Finally 2020, I would like to say the last 5 months has been so different for us. There has been a great loss in the world: lives, livelihood and a certain amount of freedom. I am hopeful that from 1st June it is going to get better. We will be able to start seeing our family again and although there will be a new norm, life will be good again.

Here’s hoping

Tina

P.S. I will write to you again!

Please come back and read about how challenging I am finding the rules, the impact of the furlough scheme and ways we have made sure our family have fun together

Cross Stitch, Family, friends and favourite things, The year of being 53

In the middle of the year, I go walking in my gear

30th June 2019 Tina Terry Leave a comment

As June draws to a close, I’m sure everyone is echoing the same as me: where is the year going?I usually love June. Well it is my birthday month so that might be why. This year however, the weather has been dreadful and it made me, and no doubt lots of other people, a bit down. Lovely to see June going out with the highest temperatures of the year.

In the past, June has brought us sadness too with the loss of our loved ones. My mother died 4 years ago on 28th June and I will never forget my last birthday with her. As someone who loved birthdays, I know how sad she was that she wouldn’t make my next birthday, my special 50th. She would have loved that. As life has to go on, I find myself remembering my loved ones when I’m doing something that I think they would have enjoyed or been proud of. Mum would have loved boasting about her granddaughter’s graduation and enjoyed the chocolate honeycomb cake we made to remember what would have been her 75th birthday. This year I did something a bit different to think about her on the 4th anniversary of her falling asleep. I completed my 1,000 mile challenge for the year.

The 1,000 mile challenge is a group of lovely people on the Rosemary Conley Online site. We record our mileage though the Fitbit or any other device and post a weekly post. There are some serious places where people record just their walks but this includes all daily activities. To complete in a year, you have to do just over 3 miles a day. As we should aim for 10,000 steps a day, this is very achievable. Now that I have finished my 1,000 miles, my next aim is to complete 2,000 miles. Confession time here: I have a spreadsheet dedicated to working out my stats. How sad am I! Current date for completing 2,000 steps is 18th December.

So apart from turning 53 and completing my 1,000 mile challenge, what else have I achieved in June:

Completed the lovely Jessica Smith Summer of Strength challenge. Even upgraded my weights to 1.5 kg!
Read 4 books making my Goodreads reading challenge total 32. 21 books to go.
Ran 38.22 miles. I aim for 30 miles per month.
Lost 1.75 lb in weight. Did want to get to goal but a girl has to enjoy her birthday.

Here are my July’s aims:

Complete my cross stitch – I am going to stitch everyday in July to do this
Tidy the larder – how can I bake when it’s so messy
Run a 10k race – I am signed up to do a race at Portchester Castle on 28th July. I can do this!
Change my running route – at the moment I like running round the block as its like my comfort blanket. My house is never far away
Get to goal weight – 2lbs to go
Plan weekly meals
Arrange walk with Chris
Re-introduce meat free Monday
Read 4 books – write reviews
Paint my nails

My biggest aim is to finish my cross stitch that I started in January so this is my 30 (or 31 as it is July) plan this month. I’m going to try to find an hour each day to stitch. Honestly it isn’t that big so it should have been finished a long time ago. Cross stitch helps me relax so I’m hoping if I can organise myself better, I will be able to do this.

I will let you know how I’m doing.

Speak soon.

Family, friends and favourite things

Build me up buttercup (or peonies)

13th June 2019 Tina Terry Leave a comment

Although yesterday the weather started off promising, by the time we got home from our day out, Chris and I were cold and tired. It had started raining whilst we were eating our delicious lunch so we got very wet running to the car. The rain continued on the drive home making it seem never ending. I was ready for a cup of tea and to flop on the sofa but was greeted by two big boxes arranged by my Son and fulfilled by Freddie’s Flowers. I was so excited.

This year’s birthday had brought me lots of flowers: as I wasn’t on holiday this year, I actually got to appreciate them. Jordan had bought me a bit of a different gift; flowers that are chosen by Freddie’s flowers and are delivered fresh from the grower. There are hints and tips ready for you to arrange. How fun is that?!

I have to say that I’m not a gardener at all (I wouldn’t know a weed from a shrub) and artistic I am not! Having said that, I was up for this sort of challenge (it’s a tame one. If he had bought me a bungee jump, I would have not been so pleased).

So this is what I got in the boxes:

A vase which is beautiful and the fresh cut flowers waiting to be arranged.

A card with a message from Jordan in an envelope written beautifully. The card also tells me that I have a further two to expect.

Information about the flowers in the box and also a guide to how to style the arrangement. You can also find a video on how to do it. I couldn’t find this (I blame my age on this and also my impatience to give it a go) so followed the guide.

The flowers inside this week’s box were peonies, stock, alstroemeria, agapanthus and solidago. I have enjoyed watching the various different stages of the peony, from bud to opening up. As the information on the life of a peony states, they have perked up!

I have loved the challenge of displaying the flowers and am learning lots about the flower world. I hope I have done justice with my effort.

My effort – the peony bud and one coming to life!

Looking forward to next month’s arrivals.

Speak soon.

Books, Family, friends and favourite things

53 Red balloons go by

11th June 2019 Tina Terry Leave a comment

Okay, so unlike my 50th birthday, I didn’t have any balloons for this occasion but I did have a very nice birthday cake made by lovely kids. I made one for work too so diet not going well.

For my 50th birthday, I was busking in the sunshine in Lanzorote (well I did enjoy wave jumping with Kathryn in Fuerturventura because my treat was a day trip there). This birthday, it was pouring with rain and I didn’t fancy paddling in the rough seas of the Solent. Did enjoy a lovely lunch with Chris whilst watching the rough seas. The food was not great for the diet but who cares on your birthday!

One of the most memorable moments of my 50th birthday was my 50 challenges. They weren’t big challenges (the 10 mile run and making croissants were huge to me) but they did make the year stand out for me. It is something I would highly recommend. Challenges keep me on track and alert. I would fall asleep on the sofa after work at 5pm if I didn’t push myself to do exercise or dance round the kitchen making dinner. If I don’t exercise before work, I do my daily solitaire and sudoku puzzles on my iPad (warning: extremely addictive so do need to turn iPad off and not use it again that day!). So this year I plan to do more challenges. To start with, I plan to do 30 day challenges. I love books like Challenge Yourself I Dare You by Stuart Ralph and 50 New Year’s resolutions because they spur me on and give me tips on how to achieve something. I plan to put this in action and set myself 12 challenges over the year. I’m going to cheat with June as we are 11 days in and plan to do at least one blog a week. Before the end of the month, I will hopefully have a full year’s plan.

One challenge which has become a regular annual one is the Goodreads challenge. I took part in it last year for the first time, and initially I was going to aim for 26 books whilst Jordan and Kathryn were hoping to read 52. I did change to 52 and a smug me can say I was the only one who completed. I actually read over 60 books. We are all reading again. This time I have challenged myself to read 53 (age came into that). I am out in front again and have read 29. Jordan has nearly finished his 28th book so this year’s challenge is getting very competitive. The kids are a bit old fashioned and like to try to put delaying tactics in my way like giving me proper books to read. Well I can take that challenge. Not so good in the work bag though: takes up a lot of room!

Speak soon!

Family, friends and favourite things

Dear Diary

1st January 2018 Tina Terry Leave a comment

Dear 2018

I am writing to you inspired by my Daughter Kathryn in two ways: her letters to December made me appreciate my downfalls of the month and made me want to explore the months more, and, one of the lovely gifts she gave me for Christmas; Dawn French’s Me You diary.

For Christmas 2016, I was given a diary from one of my friends; One Line a Day. Whilst January is the beginning of a new year, I actually started writing in it on the 25 December; something I thought I would regret after hearing the sad news (still very sad news in my opinion) that George Michael had died. This diary is a a five year diary so each page has room for 5 years of the same day. I would love to tell you that I wrote in it every day but September I wasn’t so good. I think life seemed a bit daunting. I have recovered now and am trying to make amends to my diary!

I needed to make a few changes in my working life so the months between September and November involved that. That led me into December, without a “proper” job due to a gamble which I do believe might have paid off. More on that later. I had decided that I wouldn’t start my “gambling” life gradually, I took a holiday; a very enjoyable one too! A bit riskier because I did have Christmas to prepare too. I left for my holiday with a few presents bought, no cards written but plenty ideas of what I needed to get once I got back.

On holiday, I was able to keep up with Kathryn’s blog and her letters to December. I felt quite tearful reading some of the traditions we had created and how she had enjoyed them. Our Christmas day is always a quiet relaxed affair (even that has pressure put on it) and Kathryn did seem to appreciate them. It did come as a bit of a shock because Kathryn is far from a boring girl and our Christmas day isn’t one of these great big family days. It is always tradition for mum and dad to fall asleep.

I did learn a lot about myself in December by reading the December letters and watching Kathryn achieving the many things she set to do each day. In the past, I have put pressure on myself by thinking everything should be perfect. This year, perfection went out of the window (I never achieve it anyway) and I enjoyed the month so much more. These are some of the things that made it easier:

Supermarket food deliveries – this has been a big plus all year. I have a shop on the same day, same time every week and it has made my life so much easier
Online shopping – normally we have a Christmas shopping day which can involve going into a lot of cafes for lattes, writing out lists of what we want to buy, buying six things and then coming home to buy the rest online. One week before Christmas, the laptop was brought into action and all presents were purchased. Who needs to start shopping in September!
A “does it matter” approach – do I need to worry if I haven’t got swede for roast veg on the day? Is it necessary for the Christmas cake to be perfectly decorated? So what if we haven’t got shortbread (hold on I should care about that one!). What if I only decided 5 minutes before the dinner was being served I want the table to look? In the big scheme of things, these things should not put a cloud over the day. All resolvable – just have to remember to buy Marks and Spencer’s shortbread in September next year!
Lists – Kathryn loves lists; they often scare me. December this year, I discovered how to use them in the best way with my phone and a program called Keep. I do love gadgets and this one certainly made me happy this December. I plan to start enjoying lists.

So 2018, December will not frighten me this year. In fact, I’m not going to get frighted by any of the months. Each month, with help from Dawn, is going to be a blank page: a new month to get things right and forget about what happened the month before (I will have it all written down of course but there will be no dwelling over it). So today, 1 January 2018, I plan to eat the lovely cake I made yesterday (plan on getting back into my clothes can wait until tomorrow), hopefully achieve 10,000 steps on my fitbit, if it stops raining and make a plan for January but not the whole of you, 2018.

Yummy food that make my clothes shrink – to be enjoyed today!

Love from a glass half full me x

50 Ticks

Category Archives: Family, friends and favourite things

I’ve got my mind set on you

Red Velvet, Will you please?

Simply the Best

Happy Birthday to You

Rule Breaker – Are You Happy Now

Letters from my Daughter

In the middle of the year, I go walking in my gear

Build me up buttercup (or peonies)

53 Red balloons go by

Dear Diary

50 Challenges