By Isle of Wight Observer
Did people in your house put their empty sweetie wrappings back into the tubs over Christmas? Is that because they think no-one can tell how many they’ve scoffed? Whatever the reason, I found it irritating.
Since Boxing Day, I’ve existed on a diet of left-overs – mince pies, Pringles, Ferrero Roche, picky bits and dry turkey. I yearn for a decent shepherd’s pie. Lucky me, I did enjoy two lovely days surrounded by my children and adorable grandchildren. It was lovely to hang out with them. Like most, our family had its challenges in 2024, but we’ve much to be grateful for.
As ever, it was relentless hard work for the poor cook, who also did the food shopping.
Normality has resumed, and we all turn our attention to the year ahead. I’m not big on resolutions and reflections, and I loathe all that New Year’s Eve nonsense. As each year passes and the new one begins, all I can think about is rapidly passing time – and feel a similar despondency on my birthday. What exactly are we meant to be celebrating?
My eldest child turns 40 in 2026; that’s still some way off, but makes me feel very old indeed. Where did the time go? One minute you’re dropping them off at school; the next they’re middle aged!
I admire those who have a more positive outlook, but I don’t feel like I’ve done enough with my life; the remaining years seem to be too few. I do understand it’s a privilege to live to a ripe old age – like centenarian Jimmy Carter, who just died aged 100.
I’m still in relatively good health, but visits to my poor old Mum this Christmas reminded me that our frail bodies wear out. These days getting up from a chair can be an effort, and cars with low seats are a challenge. My sports car days could be behind me.
If, like me, you have concerns about your waistline, are you considering Ozempic, the ‘miracle cure’ weight loss jab? Why is everyone so keen to do that to themselves when all they really need do is eat properly and take exercise? Every drug has side effects, and this one really seems too good to be true.
As for the political outlook in 2025, Kemi Badenoch must learn that when you’re in a hole, it’s best to stop digging.
Apparently, she’s met the boss of GB News to complain about Nigel Farage getting too much airtime. Inevitably she’s not best pleased that Reform now has more members than her Conservative Party.
Kemi accuses Farage’s Reform of not having any workable policies. There does seem to be justification for her other complaint, that Labour didn’t do anywhere near enough preparation for government and now look inept. I do quite like the new Tory leader, but she’s hasn’t struck the right note just yet. If she really wants her party to survive and rebuild public trust, she’s going about it the wrong way. The electorate are completely fed up with idiotic politicians.
We rejected the Conservatives because they didn’t deliver what they repeatedly promised they would. With Labour already looking doomed to fail, it’s hardly surprising that so many people seem willing to give Nige and his lot a go.
The rest of Europe is supposedly leaning to the right; the Americans elected Trump. Britain’s Labour government seems at odds with the prevailing sentiment.
Farage is all about saying what he thinks is wrong with our country and promising to change it. Public services aren’t good enough and there’s too much immigration. He says the law entitles us to return boat people to the shores of Calais. Most voters seem to believe a Farage government would do exactly that.