Boxing Day Reflections 2024
It’s done – for another year anyway. The Christmas meal digested, the presents opened, and wrapping paper cleared away. Slowly the Household is emerging. Not exactly ‘the morning after the night before” more “ahhh! Today we can relax.” I am watching the flames from the log fire and thinking about the new year. In five days’ time we’ll be starting the twenty fifth year of the twenty first century. Wow! One quarter of the way through already. It does not seem that long since we were fretting about the “millennium bug” and how it would affect all computer systems. It didn’t – but probably because of all the action taken to pre-empt problems.

New Year’s Resolutions 2025
My vague notion of greeting the New Year in by standing on the beach at sunrise just like I did at the start of the Millennium was easily suppressed when I heard the wind. Gale force gusts of 31 mph are definitely too strong for me. However, I do need to get out for a walk some time today if I am to keep “New Year’s Resolution no.1”. What are my other resolutions? Well, Resolution no. 2 is to pick three do-able resolutions and write them down then stick them in an envelope addressed to me and labelled, “To be opened on 1st January 206”. If I reveal them now the the motivation to keep them will be seriously diluted.
WEATHER When did the Metrological Office start colour-coding bad weather? . Nowadays Broadcasters regularly issue gloomy warnings of “an amber alert” which can escalate to a “yellow warning” or, even worse, “a red warning”. Back in my childhood days we tramped to school through snow every winter. And I recall walking through pea-souper fogs when I could not properly see more than a few yards ahead. I never noticed how wIndy it was but we must have had storms. I just don’t have any recollection of being told by the BBC what was about to happen.
SHIPPING FORECAST Now I do recollect listening to the Shipping Forecast. The Radio was always on while we ate breakfast, ready for the 8am News. And the shipping forecast was immediately before the News. My brother, sister and I listened intently waiting for the Announcer to reach the shipping area Lundy. “I heard Lundy first!””No, you didn’t! I did!” Why Lundy? We had viewed the island on our travels around North Devon and the island had gained status after we read “Island of Adventure” by Enid Blyton.It is amazing what trivial matters can start an argument between squabbling siblings.

DAFFODILS What a welcome sight! Bunches and bunches of fresh daffodils on sale in the supermarket. Their cheerful yellow blooms remind us that spring is on its way.

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