December has finally come round and what a year it has been.

The later part of this year has been spent updating older posts (apologies for repeating myself) but I felt they needed a bit of a revisit, and in some cases, to see how things had changed. This was also partly driven by big changes in my personal circumstances.

This year, I decided to depart from full time education after almost 20 years in the classroom and more recently, covering senior management – the situation becoming just too ridiculous for words. So I took early retirement and opted for Teacher supply work on odd days to supplement my pension. I also sold my house and moved in with my partner whilst we endeavour to find a new one in a housing market that has been just crazy. During all this, all my books, clothes and personal belongings have remained stored in a shipping container on a nearby industrial estate – far from ideal.

Throughout this I have endeavoured to keep the blog going and hope that soon, once things have settled again, I can turn to a more focused approach and add more trails to the 62 that I have managed to achieve so far.

In the mean time, I thank you for your continued support, and hope that you stay with me as we enter 2022 and all that it may bring – whatever that will be.

To each and everyone of you, wherever you are, have a very Happy and safe Christmas, and a truly wonderful New Year.

God bless!

Christmases past – my sister, brother and myself (in the car) at Christmas in the 1960s.