let's hope it's a good one.

For me personally, i'm rather glad that 2024 is behind me, another year like that i can do without.

It's going to be a year of change i'm sure but hopefully i can get my shit together and return to doing the stuff that makes me, well, me.

So this week, Monday, started with a bike free day. I may not have done any long rides but most days i've been out for 25-30 miles, it's something and easy enough to do using the rail trail to Bath. On Monday though i took a break, went to do a food shop then started writing a new 'short' story - it's likely the fruits of that labour will be presented next week.

Yesterday i took myself out for another shorter ride to see out 2024, a tradition that i complete today with another shorter ride. The day was brightened by the arrival from Germany of my 'lost' bag, if you recall my trip to the Christmas markets was marred by losing the bag and its contents including my passport. Well it was handed in and arrangements made for repatriation, too late for the passport but the other contents were worth the effort. Everything that had been in the bag was returned, everything that is apart from the cash, even the 'toilet change' had been taken, euros and pounds, on a positive note, the house keys, rail pass, powerbank, passport (now cancelled of course), waterproofs and even a gluhwein mug did make it back intact. All told the contents would have cost @ £200 to replace and some of them have sentimental value too. The whole experience was very traumatic but apart from getting a new passport, it's behind me now.

The forecast of wet until this afternoon has been accurate but i'll go out regardless later, start 2025 off on a positive note. I will be cooking a special meal later, the last of the holiday season, it's duck this time. Overall we've not really over indulged, a few mince pies, some stollen & gluhwein but there has been a lack of the seasonal sweets/snacks and no leftovers.

I have posted another Gaby chapter today, a New Year's treat if you like so click here to read chapter 21, The Main Attraction. We'll return to the regular Sunday postings this weekend.

Well i think that's about it for now so once again, Frohes Neues Jahre to one and all,

Tschussie,
Madeline Anafrid

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