Well, I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that the nearer we get to the end of the year, the faster the days fly by. Of course, we did have the bonus of that extra hour at the beginning of the month when the clocks went back. Perhaps it’s because we all have some plans to make for the Christmas season and November is scurrying by while we are looking ahead to the festivities. I’ve tried really hard to put a brake on December with some success but I find myself in competition with my daughter who proudly announced that she’d already written her Christmas Day dinner menu and shopping list by the middle of this month. Five November birthdays and all that goes with them has been successfully achieved and I’m now looking to the three December birthdays with the challenge of buying gifts which don’t have a Christmas theme – easier said than done in one case.

So it’s bah humbug time. Halloween with Bonfire Night hard on its heels seems to have had much of the fun removed with the emphasis on noise and nuisance. (Am I getting old, I ask myself!!!!!)

On the 8th, I was pleased to be part of a day filming with Julie and her right-hand man in the shape of Joe, her lovely son. This was to make a training video for the RVS (used to be WRVS) volunteers to demonstrate that the exercise programme devised by Julie for them to take to home visits and hospitals is still being correctly carried out. We were five in number, Margaret, Rita, Roy, Peter and me. It was good to see Margaret again. Our Move It paths have crossed at other times with different Move It ventures, so it was a chance to catch up. Can it really be eight years since Move It or Lose It changed so many lives for the good? Careful pre-filming planning had been carried out by Julie and Joe. Each exercise was demonstrated with some of us exercising correctly, while others of us were asked to demonstrate incorrectly. This will help improve observational skills for the people who work with or volunteer for this wonderful charity. The filming took the best part of the day (thanks for the lovely lunch Julie) and thanks also to the patient film crew of James and Laura. Julie was doing the commentary and as usual, made the whole day positive with her enthusiasm. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the day and I have to make special mention of Roy who, at 95, is doing 8 classes a week. I had a chance to chat with him at lunch – such an interesting man. He certainly moves it and hasn’t lost any of it!!!!!!

On the 10th, I was invited to join my daughter and a friend to go to Lichfield Cathedral for their Remembrance event. Called Poppy Fields, it was a son et lumiere performance. Walking through the Cathedral it seemed like the columns and floor was bathed in light and we seemed to be walking through the poppy fields. War poems were being read by local school children and there was a film of Eddie Redmayne also reading similar material. It was breathtaking and worth struggling through gale force winds and heavy rain. Whatever our views, Remembrance weekend is always moving. I suppose you could say that history does affect the future for all of us.

On the 21st, I met my Move It mate, Trish, for lunch. We have so much in common and get on so well. However many trials and tribulations we talk about, we still manage to have a laugh. Hard to believe that it’s been 8 years since Move It brought us together. The organization has done so many good things; Julie continues to spread her magic far and wide.
On the 24th I spent a really lovely day in Sheffield. My daughters and I went to see Izzy, my granddaughter, who is in her first year at Sheffield University. This was another in the series of ‘firsts’. In the past, I’ve spent time in Liverpool and Newcastle-on-Tyne, two cities I would never have thought of visiting had it not been for my children who were at university in those cities. It seems we’re missing out if we aren’t able to be tourists at home. All three places are stunning and have so many more facilities than I expected. Yesterday proved that Sheffield is certainly worth a visit – only an hour on the train from Tamworth. The sun shone all day and although the city was full of new and old buildings, under Izzy’s guidance, once on the bus to her accommodation, we were very quickly in the green hills and dales of the countryside. It was breathtaking. Of course, the icing on the cake was to see my ‘little’ granddaughter flourishing and to have such a lovely girly day out. I’ll certainly be going again next year.

It’s hard not to get caught up in the pre-Christmas madness but I really have seen everything now – a cheese advent calendar! Honestly. And no, I didn’t buy it.

For Awareness I’ve chosen 29 December which celebrates the Festival of Winter Walks. The theme this year is inclusion and loneliness. The Ramblers Association says that walking is good for the body and mind and it’s a good way to join a group where there are friendly people happy to welcome newcomers.

Well, it’s now the 29th November. No good being in denial any longer. Time to start writing Christmas cards. I hope Christmas turns out to be everything you wished for. Now let me see, where I put that wrapping paper ……….