Happy New Year!
The Bloke and I kept things very quiet, exactly how we wanted it. Snacky treats ready to go, the first of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (ready to do the next two today), the London fireworks on the TV, and no pressure to be anywhere or do anything more than that. It was low-key, comfortable, and a really nice way to see the year. Long gone are the days of fighting for breathing space in nightclubs, wearing eye-wateringly high-heels and spending a fortune on just a few drinks.
Over the last few years, I’ve added a Memories & Highlights double page spread to my Bullet Journal. It’s a simple way of capturing the positive moments from the past twelve months, and I’ve found it especially helpful when things feel heavy or overwhelming.
It’s not always easy to stay positive when the news and the cost of living are relentlessly bleak, and this year has been challenging in plenty of ways for most people, myself included. However, I think it matters to notice the good with gratitude, while also acknowledging the more difficult moments so you can move forward. 2025 hasn’t been perfect, but compared to recent years (like 2023, which was particularly brutal) it has actually been a year to look back on and being incredibly grateful for.
I had every intention of blogging about my Christmas prep several weeks ago.
Because this year, I was ridiculously prepared.
The tree was up and decorated by the first weekend of December. It looked as drunk as ever, with additional decorations from Fortnum & Mason after our recent Christmas trip, and a Jellycat Pear from my mum that looked a bit testicle-esque, which then was referred to as a ‘festicle’ for the rest of the month. I also added a tree topper after watching – a picture of Michelle Pfeiffer as Stephanie Zinone from Grease 2 that I stuck onto a piece of card and perched it precariously at the top. If you know, you know.
At the end of November, The Bloke and I spent a weekend in London that doubled as a birthday trip. It was quite a last-minute decision, prompted by spotting that the weather on one particular day was forecast to be bright and sunny, amidst what had been weeks of grey and rain.
We initially arrived with very little in the way of a fixed plan, beyond a general intention to seek out the Christmas decorations and enjoy being in the city at this time of year. We went to see the mini Diagon Alley shop at King’s Cross, saw the incredible frontage of Annabel’s, wandered around all of the main department stores, checking out the window displays (the Disney-themed windows at Selfridges were fabulous), treated ourselves to a Christmas decoration and some macarons from Fortnum & Mason, wandered through some of the Christmas markets (indulging in a Christmas Yorkshire pudding wrap along the way), and said hello to the new Bridget Jones statue that has just been unveiled in Leicester Square.
At the end of October we booked a very last minute trip to Dubrovnik. It served two purposes: a chance to celebrate The Bloke’s birthday somewhere a little different, and it gave us the break we desperately needed after our disastrous trip to Scotland in August. I have been to Dubrovnik before, but he hadn’t, and the idea of showing him around the city while also getting some proper rest felt like fun.
At the end of October we booked a very last minute trip to Dubrovnik. It served two purposes. First, it was a chance to celebrate The Bloke’s birthday somewhere a little different. Second, it gave us the break we desperately needed after our disastrous trip to Scotland earlier in the month. I had been to Dubrovnik before, but he had not, and the idea of showing him around the city while also getting some proper rest felt ideal.
Back in October, I had a simple realisation: in November 2026 I will celebrate my 45th birthday. The thought didn’t bother me in the slightest – as I have aged my mindset has very much become that ageing is a privilege, and despite having my ass kicked by perimenopause I actually really enjoy being in my 40s. What it did make me think about, however, was how I wanted the coming year ahead to feel. I know myself well enough to recognise that I function best when I have goals and the sense that I am moving forwards and making progress. The problem is that for the last few years, most of my goals have been professional ones, focusing on work, productivity and getting things done, rather than about doing things simply because they matter to me as a person.
So, I feel it is a good time to shift the balance.
I decided that I wanted things to look forward to, things that would make the next twelve months a bit more intentional and a bit more enjoyable. Turning 45 doesn’t feel like a big dramatic milestone, but it is a good moment to check in with myself and decide what I want the year to be about.
Or… I got Covid. Yay.
There is something about arriving in Johnshaven that always feels like coming home. It doesn’t matter how long it has been since the last visit; as soon as we see the sea and the harbour, it all feels familiar again. That is exactly what I like about it… every visit feels like we are picking up where we left off. The village had grown slightly, with some new houses that had been built since our last visit a year ago, but not enough to see a huge difference.
I was looking forward to seeing my favourite place in the world: Dunnottar Castle, and we decided that at the first opportunity we would go there to see the sunrise. As luck would have it we were able to do this within the first 24 hours of arriving. The castle looked as striking as ever and I sat on the clifftop for several hours, just taking it all in. It’s difficult to describe – I have never felt as connected to a place as I do there, and if given the opportunity I would just set up a tent and move in.
Every time we have driven up to Johnshaven we have passed the road signs for Glamis Castle, making a mental note to include it as part of our sightseeing. Yet somehow, we have never quite managed it. This year, however, we decided to make it a priority. It is only a 45 minute drive from the village, and we wanted to do something a little different.
After the sadness of losing my little friend, I was more than ready for a break in August, and there was only one place that The Bloke and I wanted to go: the west coast of Scotland. It’s my favourite place in the world, we have visited a number of times (even getting engaged years ago on the clifftop overlooking Dunnottar Castle), and we had been looking forward to it for months after booking the same beautiful cottage that we stayed in last year.
The drive from Birmingham is a long one, though, so we decided to break it up with an overnight stop. Last year, we stayed in Falkirk and visited The Kelpies and Blackness Castle, and then visited Doune Castle the next day. This time, we chose to stay in Stirling. We have passed it on many occasions during the drive up there, and it has been on our list of places to see for a while. It felt like the perfect place to pause.
The drive up was surprisingly easy, and we arrived earlier than expected, so we decided to spend the afternoon at Stirling Castle.
I see the term “soul dog” on social media all the time.
It is generally used to describe a dog that touches someone’s life in a way no other animal, or person (for that matter), ever has – the kind of bond that goes beyond ownership or routine. It’s about connection, understanding, and a shared sense of love that is hard to explain, but impossible to forget once you’ve felt it.
Five years ago, I met my soul dog, an 85lb staffie / mastiff cross with a heart of gold.
Suzie Speaks 
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