It's 2025

 Happy New Year from Menton.





I don’t know about you but I’ve never quite got the point of celebrating New Year. The 1st of January 2025 is not really that different from 31st December 2024, nothing changes except those last digits. I remember many years, when I was working, getting the year wrong for several days before I got the hang of it—sick notes, prescriptions, cheques would be returned to be altered and initialled... That was of course before computers did everything and told you what day it was. 

Don’t get me wrong, over the years I’ve been to some fabulous parties—counting down to midnight, dancing the night away but now I’m happy to let others mark the occasion for me.  This New Year’s Eve I went to a very civilised drinks party which ended before nine, allowing me to go back to my apartment watch a bit of nonsense on Netflix and be in bed by half past ten.  I heard the firework display and it sounded magnificently lavish but not impressive enough to tempt me out of my nice warm bed, to open the shutters and watch.

I woke on New Year’s Day ready for a good walk. It made me think of previous New Years in Norfolk when a crowd of us would get together and after a very late, boozy night we would get up on New Year's day and walk on Brancaster beach or at Thornham or from Heacham to Hunstanton. One memorable New Year we went seal watching on a boat from Morston (not a recommended hangover cure).  Wrapped up against the freezing weather—the dogs always more full of energy than any of us—we'd walk off the excesses of the night before and thaw out over lazy lunch. 

Brancaster 2007

The walk on New Year's Day 2025 didn't disappoint. The sun shone, sixteen of us (fifteen humans and one dog) met  in Olivetta and when everyone had arrived, parked and drunk coffee, we set out. The walk takes you past olive groves and vegetable patches down to the river Roia, before a gentle climb up wooded hillside, through a hamlet—in the process of being renovated—towards  the tiny church of Immacolata Concezione. It's a favourite lunch spot because there's a convenient stone seat along the curved wall facing the church (sitting on the ground is to be avoided, if possible, as getting up again is not easy for all).  

The walk was relaxed and fuelled by chatter. The paths are well used but in many places you have to watch your feet to avoid tripping. Somehow when you do lift your eyes, the views are more of a joy and almost a surprise. The description of the walk as  'gentle, mostly flat' was challenged by some but in the mountains a few ups and downs are inevitable. 

 I don't think you can beat walking with friends in beautiful in surroundings.







I’m not a great one for New Year’s resolutions, but after all the eating and drinking of the festive season. I read with great interest the piece in The Times: 

Ultimate New Year Meal Plan

With advice from a nutritionist, it told me what I should be eating. I made mental notes and when I went shopping I obediently bought lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, pulses, oily fish —I had been delighted when I'd seen peanut butter on the list, so I bought a very large jar. I even looked for alcohol-free wine (but not with any conviction). I felt very virtuous as I paid and looking at my purchases I decided that I had bought just enough to last until the Christmas chocolates run out. Then I'll reassess my diet.

This isn't a resolution but I have made a decision to take learning French a little more seriously, I doubt that the results will be any more successful but at least I’ll have tried


So what have I been reading over the holiday? Perhaps not one I would have chosen but given to me as a gift, I read it and would thoroughly recommend.


Spanning the civil war in Sri Lanka, it tells a terrible, terrifying story with compassion and humanity.  (One I would have chosen for Book group, I'm sure it would spark lively discussion).




If you have enjoyed reading this blog and would like to be sent a link when the next episode is published, please contact me on info@jacquelinejames.co.uk and I will add you to the list.

Here is the link to my website:-


Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 4, 2025 at 10:48 AM

    i did enjoy reading it, whilst waiting for my son to take ,illme shopping for new mattress i will read again its lovely

    ReplyDelete

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