Starting with a bang? Or a whimper?

I was rather hoping for a gentle slide into 2026, but catching sight of the news put paid to that. I've done a good job of avoiding the headlines for much of this year, but I got sloppy over one mince pie too many. 

Anyway - welcome to my first message of 2026. I hope you've had a fabulous start to the year.

Because I want to connect with more people, more often, I'm going to be posting slightly more regularly and hopefully get to know you a bit better. I hope you'll stick around to read my ramblings...

Which today, start with reflections on last year.

The Jar of Joy

For people who don't know, in our household we keep The Jar of Joy - which is, as you can see, a huge plastic tub which used to hold chocolates.  (I hasten to add, these were SHARED with friends and family, and not scoffed between the pair of us while we binged on Netflix Christmas movies. Honest!)

Throughout the year, we add notes of all the good stuff that happens to us, and at New Year, we take the notes out and read them and remember all the lovely things - visits, events, achievements. 

Among my highlights for 2025 - 

- my trip to Books and Beverages at Harrogate Library in February to talk about The Year of Yes and No, 

- the women's Rugby World Cup - everything about it!

- finishing The Making of Maddy James, my eighth book on 10 July, 

- my partner buying me a rail ticket upgrade so I could travel home first class from London after a VERY rough day, in October,

- making the top 100 in the Cheshire Novel Prize for The Year of Yes and No (from a field of more than 1500!) in November

- having dinner with a dear friend who's undergone brain surgery just before Christmas,

- a walk on the pier at a local beach on New Year's Eve.

Although there perhaps haven't been so many notes last year, some of those in the jar are there because I LOOKED for the good things in my life. 

And that's my only resolution for 2026 - look hard for the good stuff, the kind stuff, the things which confirm your faith in humanity. It's there if you keep your eyes open. 

But enough of me - what's in your Jar of Joy?

Hit reply and let me know!

Wishing you all good things in 2026.