November is no time to be making big changes, but instead a chance to enjoy the past

Happy Days! Ireland’s Fittest Family is back on our TV screens. My household absolutely loves it, and our favourite thing to do is to settle down with snacks and point out where the competing families are going wrong and how we’d do so much better given half a chance, all from the comfort of the couch (a bit like the hurler on the ditch). That’s even more hilarious considering a family visit to the Rebel Rampage inflatable obstacle course in Rosscarbery left us absolutely speechless, and it would take nothing less than a JCB to get me up the qualifying ramp. 

The running career I wrote about a few weeks ago has already predictably come to a halt and when I tried to do a head-over-heels the other day, I actually couldn’t. The absolute shame. Let’s just say we’re definitely not the Hyrox kind but I think IFF has motivated me into remembering that movement of any kind is a good thing.

That’s a timely reminder as now that we’re in November it all becomes more of an effort. It’s potentially such a dreary month, with not a single Bank Holiday, so there’s nothing for it but to put the head down and plough on. Personally, I like to lean into the misery of it, slow things down, and embracing my inner sloth. I should point out that’s different entirely to descending into a slob. A sloth is cute (except for the claws), cuddly (again, watch for those claws) but a slob? Not so much. 

So right now I’m all about finding joy in simple, seasonal pleasures. In no particular order that includes: apple crumble, the first coffee of the day (and the second), cosy pjs, hot water bottles and clean sheets, crunching through autumn leaves, homemade soup, a weekend with nothing on, declining all engagements that involve leaving the house after 7pm, and lighting the good candles. 

I’m rallying very hard against the cohort that regard November, or the eight weeks before Christmas, as a perfect time to get major things done and over the line like losing a stone in weight (there’ll probably be a mention of an LBD). 

Revisiting Anne of Green Gables with a new Netflix
show brings Emma back to her childhood.

So too with the notion of getting a jumpstart on the resolutions. What the….? Listen, if you can avoid eating all the leftover trick or treating junk you’re doing alright, so don’t be putting yourself under pressure. Chances are these people are trying to sell you a ‘plan’ for a ‘new you,’ or an overpriced journal or the like. Stay strong. Stay sloth-like. Use the claws to get them to back off if you have to.

You’d never guess that we had a quiet mid-term would you? Ours was entirely uneventful, and glorious all at once. I’m old enough to appreciate normal. Mundane is also pretty good in my books. There were no major highs, but on the flip side, there were no lows either and I’ll gladly take it. I came across one of those little motivational messages the other day that said: ‘Don’t be so busy trying to have a great life, that you forget to have a good day.’ I liked it a lot, so much so that I allowed myself a little nap, and it was a great day. 

Actually we did have one little outing over the mid-term alright, to Spike Island. Would you believe, I had never been to what’s one of Cork’s leading visitor attractions and knew almost nothing of its history. It’s just a short boat trip from Cobh to the island, and granted the views don’t quite compare with the Amalfi Coast or anything, but I found it totally fascinating and would definitely recommend it. 

Something else I’d recommend is a new discovery for me on Netflix and it’s Anne with an E…It’s based on the Anne of Green Gables series of books which I adored as a  kid, and I’m loving introducing the story on the small screen to my smallie who loves it as much as I do. Well kind of. It’s a bit of a slow burner but I’m sure she’ll get there. In the meantime I’m living my best life. 

Finally so, and all things considered I was motoring along very nicely this week, a rare thing, until I was at the checkout in the supermarket and the staff member stopped me in my tracks by asking one simple question: ‘Are you collecting the stamps for the turkey?’ 

Nooooooooo! Sure, I haven’t even disposed of the flipping pumpkin yet.