Items on my mind:

Minced pies and mulled wine… It’s icing up to the season where nothing will warm you except a good hot drink and food of the sweet spiced variety. I’m looking forward to Bonfire night next week, for which I’ll be joining my extra specially special girl friends for fireworks in Gateshead’s beautiful Saltwell Park, followed by mulled wine and snacks back at one of my specially special girl friend’s house. This is the third year in which we’ll spend fireworks night together and it’s sad to think that this is a new tradition which, although will no doubt carry on without me, have prematurely come to an end for me.

We’ll simply have to adapt somehow – if my extra special girl friends come to stay in New Zealand for a few weeks each year, we can create 3 weeks worth of annual traditions. It’s something to think on anyhow…