Happy birthday to Elizabeth and happy hogmanay 2025

We followed our tradition on New Year’s Eve yesterday which also happens to be Elizabeth’s birthday to go to the pantomime at His Majesty’s Theatre. It was excellent. We had particularly good seats this year in the 5th row from the front but this meant we got wet as in typical pantomime style one of the cast members threw a bucket of water at us during the show. That was fun 🤣

Afterwards we went ice-skating at the Christmas markets.

Elizabeth made her own birthday cake. She wanted to make the chocolate yule log again and it was delicious.

Then we did some karaoke. Even Daniel had a go.

Then we played some games and somehow we managed to stay up until midnight. We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year this year. Both were low-key at home but exceptionally good.

For 2025 I want try to eat less sugar. I don’t eat a huge amount of sugar but there isn’t really any amount that’s good for us and I think sugar is like salt: it’s addictive and once you stop eating it you no longer desire it. At least I’m hoping that’ll be the case. I haven’t made a great start so far with all the delicious New Year’s Eve food …

The other thing I’m trying to do and have been trying to do for at least two years now is grow out my natural hair colour and let it go grey. I’ve got about 5cm of root growth now but each time I’ve previously got to this point I’ve caved and coloured it.

I know my natural hair colour with sprinklings of grey doesn’t look as good as the coloured bits but that’s how I look. Why are women expected to hide grey hair while men can be grey and distinguished?

I’m turning 50 in 2025; I want to go old gracefully and not try to cling to youth, gripping ever harder to it the further it slips away. We get old and die. That’s unfortunately part of life. I’m lucky to live somewhere less superficial than other parts of the world where everything is fake and if you’re not getting lip fillers and botox in your 20s then you’re the odd one out. I really don’t understand the lip-filler craze – why would anyone want to look like an inflatable pornographic doll? I’m pleased to say I’ve never had either procedure and have no intentions of getting either. All my frown lines and my lips are my own. I just need to embrace the grey now. Can I do it? I don’t know but I’ll try.

But more important than any of that is I have my health and I’m happy. I wish the same for everyone else. Happy Hogmanay!