Firstly I must say a big thank for all the supportive and encouraging comments on my last post - New year, new decade - welcome to 2020 - I wasn't sure about being so honest but I feel reassured to hear that many of you are thinking the same and good to hear that so many of us want to start moving towards more conscious shopping and less fast fashion.  I am hoping you will see the change reflected in my blog posts - keep commenting and letting me know how you are getting on.

Another blogger I follow was sharing her plans on her blog today, three of her main goals were so similar to my thoughts - buy less, buy better, shop more on the high street and less online and finally less social media but more real blogging.  As the weeks/months go on I will keep revisiting this and update you how I am getting on.

Anyway, back to this post, which is the sort of post I love writing, just something that pops into my head and I can record to look back on, my blog is as much a personal history as it is a place to help and share ideas with others.  So I started thinking what did I do during the last ten years - 2009 to 2019?

My children in 2009 were 12 and 9, now they are grown up and independent.  The photos below were taken in France in 2009.

Hello!  How was your Christmas and New Year break?  This is going to be a totally honest and more personal post and one I have been trying to get my head around writing.  I was unwell with a bad cold when we travelled to La Gomera (see my last post) but the sun and rest did me good!  Then when we got back it was full on festive prep but I was unwell again over Christmas with some sort of virus and it totally knocked me out!  Plus we seemed to get bad news after bad news!  And who else struggles to cope when everyone is at home for two plus weeks?  Or it is just me?

First of all my brother-in-law passed away in the early hours of Christmas morning, we got the call at 8.00 am.  Now this wasn't unexpected, Jeremy was downs syndrome, had dementia and had been very sick back in May with double pneumonia and on palliative care when he came home from hospital.  But it is still sad - he had just turned 60 though and had enjoyed pretty good health his whole life.  I had been overseeing Jeremy's care and finances for about 18 years, I've known him for 30 years, fought really hard for him on many occasions and it was an absolute pleasure to do so, he really was a lovely man, a true gent and loved by everyone he met.  I am currently organising his funeral.

Then we had to make the decision to have our cat Pebbles put to sleep on 27th December.  She was 16 and had been the children's childhood pet, it seemed that she had fulfilled her role and as they are now growing up and leaving home it was her time to go.  I can't say I am a cat lover and the last few months had been challenging with litter tray etc but I still felt sad at the end of an era.

I'm heading off to the sunshine for a few days!  It really is only a very quick four night break though.  We are going to La Gomera in the Canary Islands to see our friend off on an epic rowing challenge.  Him and his son are part of a four man team who will be rowing from La Gomera to Antiqua in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.   Their team is called Bucks Buoys and you can follow their progress on their facebook page here.

I think possibly they are utterly mad as it is a very risky row.  But all credit to them, they have trained hard and for Kev it has been something of a midlife metamorphosis to change his health and fitness from er umm very unfit to very fit, lean and trim - turning 50 isn't so bad after-all and it does seem to bring with it life-changing goals.

I was invited to Old Amersham recently to try a couple of beauty treatments at Elle The Beauty Box, a long established salon but with a new owner earlier this year and so a bit of a relaunch with new treatments and services!  Elle The Beauty Box offers beauty, well-being and aesthetics alongside their hair salon.  They are housed in a quaint old building just behind The Broadway in Old Amersham, next to the gardens.  It is easy to find and easy to park.

I was welcomed to the salon by Becci my therapist and Sarah the owner and senior stylist in the hair salon.  The salon is so pretty and the building is full of character.  There is a reception area and hair salon on the ground floor and then above there is a beauty salon and nail bar.  It was all looking very Christmassy when I visited.