December 2024

As in recent years, we put our tree up on the first of the month. It always gets me in the Christmas spirit once the house is decorated ready for the festivities. We'd planned so much this Christmas, especially as it was our first one as grandparents, we were so looking forward to sharing the festivities with our little Jack. Unfortunately, illness struck. Both Mick and I were poorly with some kind of virus from Christmas Eve onwards. We're only just beginning to feel a little bit better now. Daniel, Jasmine and Jacob came down with it on Boxing Day, and Jack also had a trip to see the GP the following day for something unrelated. We did spend time together but it wasn't really the Christmas we'd planned.

We'd planned so many outings this month in the lead up to Christmas but many of those were cancelled because of the weather. We had heavy rain and Storm Darragh spoiling our plans, but we did manage to visit Fountains Abbey for their annual Music and Lights Celebration. The cellarium is brought to life with live choirs and bands filling the ruins with festive music. A lovely day out.

We also managed a trip to Haworth for their Christmas Music Weekend. It was a miserable day but that didn't hamper our enjoyment. I love to hear a brass band at Christmas, my dad played the Eb bass so I was used to hearing band music when I was growing up and this type of music always brings back memories now.

There were also trips out to Helmsley, Thirsk, Nostell Priory and Pateley Bridge, so we didn't do too bad considering the weather, then on the Friday before Christmas, Mick took a day off work. We headed off into the Yorkshire Dales but again, the weather wasn't very good. I didn't mind, I just love the Dales and love to visit whatever the weather. We popped into the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes to pick up our cheese for Christmas, and the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham on our way home to restock some beer for Mick.

I've read just one book this month.

The Golden Rule by Amanda Craig.

"When Hannah is invited into the first-class carriage of the London to Penzance train, she walks into a spider's web. Now a poor young single mother, she once escaped Cornwall to go to university, but after marriage to Jake her dreams turned to bitter disillusion, her husband has left her for a rich woman, and Hannah has survived by working as a cleaner. Jinni is equally angry, and in the course of their journey the two women agree to murder each other's husbands. After all, they are strangers on a train - who could possible connect them?

But when Hannah goes to Jinni's house she meets its shambolic caretaker, who claims Jinni is very different to the person Hannah has been led to believe. Who is telling the truth - and what will become of the women's pact to commit a terrible crime?"

A really well written book with twists and turns a plenty. I liked the plot, there was plenty to get your teeth into, and the characters were interesting.

I shall definitely look for more books by this author.

I'm carrying just two projects over into the new year, a knitted baby blanket and the Natures Walk Blanket, a crochet blanket by Sandra Paul. I've got quite a few projects I'm itching to start though but I'm waiting until I finish at least one of these before I cast on anything new.

There's been all the usual festive TV programmes to watch this month but something I watched at the start of the month, before I embarked on the Christmas films, was The Day of the Jackal. Based on the novel by Frederick Forsyth, the plot concerns an assassin known as the Jackal and the MI6 officer who is determined to catch him. Starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch, it's already been commissioned for a second series and I can understand why, it's fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat, it's thoroughly enjoyable. I shall definitely be watching the next series.

I can't finish off without mentioning Gavin & Stacey. We were all left on a cliffhanger back in 2019 so The Finale ties up all the loose ends and finishes things off nicely. I'm sorry to see this series come to an end, it's so well written and has given us lots of laughs over the years.

All that's now left to say is thank you for another year of friendship. Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving such lovely comments, I really do appreciate it. Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2025.