Hello, how’s things? Hope you’re all well. Just popped in to wish you all an early Happy New Year.

Usually at this time of year I would think about doing a retrospective of my year in the blogosphere, but this year has been so bloody awful I’m not going to do that. Don’t get me wrong, there have been a lot of nice things that have happened, but Ian’s death has overshadowed it all and makes it hard for me to appreciate the good stuff I’ve experienced and/or have in my life. I’m hoping that aspect of the grieving process will vanish at some point, I want to enjoy life fully, but I miss him so much…

Anyway, enough of my moaning. I am sure you don’t want to read about depressing stuff. The weather this morning is awful, there are big dark grey clouds in the sky, so have decided to use nice happy pics to illustrate this week’s blog. That’s why the pics in no way connect to anything I’ll be speaking about…just in case you wondered! I just like them.

So what’s been happening lately? Well, we went to my parents’ for Christmas dinner (and we stayed over) and once again my mum put on a magnificent spread. It was all good, but her soup was superb as usual…it’s so good, I once spent an entire winter living only on it (at my request) because I love it so much. The entire family was there, but my beloved was not so I can’t say I had a particularly good day despite my best efforts. Anyway, me and the kids stayed over and my dad made us all an excellent fry up the next morning. We were totally spoiled as usual. Me and mum took our dogs a walk to the local beauty spot…the weather was wild, but all five of us (me, my two dogs, mum and her dog) loved it. Really blew the cobwebs away. I remember years ago Ian and I took his two elder children down to Irvine beach around about Christmas time. It was sunny, but so cold we couldn’t feel our faces or ears for ages after coming in…was fab.

Met a few friends for lunch over the past week, which was lovely. Had dinner and went to a panto with other friends on Thursday night. It was the Snaw Queen at the Tron Theatre and it was really very good. The dame was a hoot and the rest of the cast were excellent too. It was all very Glasgow humour, but we all enjoyed it including my kids who were a bit reticent at first, but really got into it later. Yesterday we had lunch at my friend Jane’s followed ( last night) by dinner at yet another friends’ house. It seems – to coin a Glasgow phrase – we really would ‘get a piece at any door’ this week! There’s been a fair bit of eating out and it’s been lovely to spend time with my family and friends. Thanks to you all for the great company and gastronomic events!

Over the next few days we have some family coming for New Year’s dinner (steak pie – natch), we’re meeting up with my stepdaughter for lunch and I’ll probably catch up with a couple of other friends at the end of the week. Another busy week ahead, but a good one.

In between I’ll be attempting to complete the two outfits I’m making for pug toys I made the kids for Christmas, knit a bit, take the dogs for a walk and do some more reading and writing.

Right, am going to finish up here. One final thing to say: hope you all have a happy New Year and here’s to a much better 2017!!!

Til next time,

Dawn xxx