2025 – a summary

I’ve decided to write a summary of the year. So much time just passes and I’ve not been making time to reflect on moments, big and small, that mean so much. Life can so easily become just keeping up with things without enough thought.

(Having said that, there’s no a whole lot of thought here either! But is has been enjoyable to take a moment to review Google Photos and reflect on how much I’ve done and how it has been a pretty good one).

January

I tried some lino printing. I did not injure myself this time. I was admiring some prints at Westbury Arts Centre in MK and was inspired to have a go.

I saw two pigeons canoodling on a roof. Not only did it warm my heart, but it brought the word ‘canoodle’ back to mind. It is such a great word!

Lots of time with duPiggy. I call them collectively ‘duPiggy’, undoubtedly inspired by the wonderful ring of ‘Olga da Polga’, the fictional guinea pig character created by Michael Bond.

February

February was a struggle, as February tends to be. A half term trip to Keswick and I barely took any photos. I did capture these exposed tree roots by Ullswater that look pretty cool. And I remember trying to skip stones and utterly failing (ended up throwing one stone behind me somehow). It was a very Feb Feb.

duPiggy were low on energy, just like me.

and they were cold, so we got out the heat pads for their little feet.

I was determined to get back into painting. I completed my ‘Lady with a (toy) penguin’ watercolour (started months before), and a painting for the cover of a book! The book is ‘Telling Tales of Wellbeing’, a collection of short stories to raise funds for Arts for Health Milton Keynes. It was good to have a challenge and a project but I remember really struggling at this point – low energy and motivation, was not feeling it. But I got through it.

March

A day out in Cheltenham with Beth. Our first visit to The Alchemist.

For Dave’s birthday I treated him to a long weekend in Groningen, Netherlands. This is a place we’d visited before for only one night and we really liked it. So when we found out that Devin Townsend was performing his world exclusive rock opera ‘The Moth’ there, well we had to go. Groningen trip highlights were:

• sitting out in the town square for food and drinks at night, under cosy heaters
• The Forum, and the view from the top (If I lived in Groningen I would just hang out at The Forum every weekend)
• Seeing the solar eclipse from the top of The Forum
• Frietwinkel (get in my mouth)
• Groningen Museum (fabulous!)
• Canal boat tour with wine (and needing to literally duck to avoid decapitation by bridges)
• Devin Townsend (obvs. What a voice)

April

I started my new job as Programmes Facilitator with the probation service! I am thankful to the me of one year ago for taking a chance. I was nervous, full of self-doubt, wondering why on earth I was choosing to stand up in front of people and facilitate their learning as a job. ME! So, so proud of myself.

Our 10 year wedding anniversary! Dave surprised me, Ross and Alex to a day out in London and a visit to Phantom Peak, which was great fun as I love anything immersive and competitive and accompanied by drink. In the evening we went to a Olé tapas restaurant, which is 5 minutes from our flat. We ate too much.

My poem ‘Cuckoo’s Heart’ was highly commended at the MK List Fest competition. It was so special and mind-blowing to receive this feedback.

duPiggy continued to be super cute.

May

On May 4th (be with you), we attended the 1940s weekend at Bletchley Park, the 80th anniversary of VE day celebrations. I’m starting to realise that I am actually quite lazy when taking photos – is this all I took?!

We finally went to Slam Dunk Festival at Hatfield after years of ‘we’ll go next year’. Highlights were Winona Fighter, Save Ferris, New Found Glory, Less than Jake, and Alkaline Trio. Sadly I missed Electric Callboy as they were the same time as Alkaline Trio, but I heard they were fun.

Havok has a death stare. Sometimes I think he would kill us in our sleep.

June

Oooh June was great! Two weeks in a hotel in Shepherd’s Bush to attend training to become a Programmes Facilitator for the Building Choices accredited programme! I passed!

I have to write about this a little bit. I absolutely LOVED this training, not just for the content and the skills. It had been such a long time without this kind of environment; one where you interact, support, discuss. I spent far too long hiding away behind a desk feeling so utterly miserable and like I could probably spend the rest of my life there, out of fear, uncertainty, self-doubt. I’ve taken a step out of my comfort zone and I’m so thankful.

At the same time as my Programmes Facilitator training, I was also undergoing my training to become a volunteer for Shout, the crisis texting line. Happy to say I passed this also. For anyone interested in volunteering in a listening capacity and wants the convenience of doing it from home, Shout is perfect. The training is comprehensive. It’s really rewarding and tough at times, but lots of support from other volunteers and supervisors.

duPiggy were duPiggying.

Oh and my niece had a baby, because that’s where we are in time now. I’m Great Aunty Fee.

Baby Evie is gorgeous and I am a proud aunty (and great aunty, ffs).

July

Mum turned 60! We all met up for a lovely lunch.

Dave and I went to Romania with mum and dad! Three nights in Brasov and two in Bucharest. We travelled between the two by train and … oh what an experience that was! Wild scenery, but omg is was hot.

The LiBEARty bear sanctuary is a place doing great work, but it was sad to see how traumatised some of the bears still are. All the acres they have to roam and yet the trauma keeps them close to the fences because cage bars are what they are used to. The sanctuary really cares for the bears – guided tours and for only a few hours each morning, to give the bears plenty of space and rest.

It was an adventure! But always lovely to get home to duPiggy.

August

A trip to Hatfield Park for a ‘me’ day. Had a tour of the Old Palace this time. The tour guide was full of information and clearly fascinated by Elizabeth I.

Hatfield Park is a spiritual boost place for me. It’s got a bit of everything. Historic buildings, curated gardens, rivers, lakes, woodland walks, restaurant, café, and craft shops.

Camping at Llangennith, Gower, with Ross and Alex.

MK tribute festival at Campbell Park.

September

A trip to Cologne as part 1 of my 40th birthday celebrations! See post

Programmes team away day with work. I was welcomed as a new facilitator to everyone across our region. Felt very special. As a table we needed to find out the most unusual thing we all had in common.

October

Went to Pret for a coffee and I must have looked stressed as I got my first FREE COFFEE.

I turned 40! Part 2 of my birthday celebrations, I took a week off work to celebrate. We went away with Ross and Alex. We stayed in a village called Barford St Martin, just outside of Salisbury, in a self catering converted barn with hot tub. Everyone made it very special for me.

duPiggy continued to be the cutest things.

November

Found time (and energy) for painting!

A trip to Vienna! The third and final instalment of my 40th birthday celebrations. I was really spoilt!

This was a two night trip away as Dave’s school gives a wellbeing day to staff in November each year. When we looked what was on that weekend, it turned out Emil Bulls were playing Vienna, so we decided to go. Plus we would get to visit the Christmas markets.

I have to admit, I have not always been the most enthusiastic about the whole Christmas market thing. Before Vienna I had only ever visited ones in the UK (Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham). They’re always SO BUSY. But what I have always loved most about them are the festive drinks (namely, Gluhwein obvs). 

Well, all the excitement of being on the continent, my first European Christmas market, we arrived and I was GIDDY! SO FESTIVE. SO MANY DRINKS. 

THE drink in Vienna is punsch – a spiced, warm, fruit punch WITH (or without) alcohol. Lots of flavours. My first choice was an orange brandy punsch (I think) but then I lost track of which I tried. I remember going for amaretto a lot and there was an apple strudel punch. And of course, you pay a 5 euro deposit which you get back if you return the mug (I came home with 3 mugs). 

It was EXCITING. My parents lived in Germany when my dad was in the army, and he always talks with such fondness about the culture of standing out in the cold with a hot drink with lots of other people. And I really love this too. Such a lovely atmosphere, people just milling around, enjoying drinks. Plus we had the Belvedere Palace as our backdrop. It’s a small enough market that it never felt too overwhelming. And it was easy to break off and walk around the Belvedere gardens at the back or around the lake at the front. 

We saw the band Emil Bulls at Simm city. They are dramatic and endlessly magnetic, the soundtrack to life right now, we love them. Dave recorded their opening song (‘Most Evil Spell’) and put it on YouTube. It’s possibly my favourite angry song.

December

Fake Christmas day with Jonny, Rachel and Riley.

Real Christmas day, very low-key and quiet before making the rounds to see family and friends.

Misc.

Another thing that stands out for me this year is my walks at Woburn Deer Park. I recognised that I was not spending as much time outside in nature. It has become a Monday morning ritual for me. Gradually I’ve been incorporating jogging into the walking and not worrying about pace etc. Just listening to my body. And it feels so wonderful. There’s a downhill section between two lakes and if I’m lucky, I’ll see formations of geese or swans flying across my path. One of those completely-at-peace, at-one-with-things moments.

I feel very grateful for such a wonderful year. I hope I’ve got the energy to match this next year! Seeing bands like Moneybrother and Emil Bulls – bands that never play the UK – made us feel rather smug, and were very much bucket list-type events. There’s a lot more I could have included, and I’ve tried to include those ‘smaller’ moments, but to include them all I’d be here all day. My new job has made such a difference to my wellbeing. Colleagues in my other role keep commenting that I look different, and I know I do. I feel it.

Also, I am very proud to be back to good fitness and weight. I feel so much better, like I am treating myself as someone worthy of care.

Here’s to 2026. I hope it’s a healthy and happy one for you.