This day last week was New Year’s Eve, so I think I am just in time to wish you all a “happy new year”.  We had a wonderful Christmas period with family and friends and I enjoyed the week off work.

We had a lovely Christmas Day and Boxing Day at my sister Holly’s in Chichester.  We ate and drank and made very merry and also enjoyed walking in the Witterings, indoor fireworks and delicious and healthy food (as well as lots of Christmassy treats).

A few days later it was my turn to host my sisters and their families and we had a lovely 2 days together.  We had a fabulous early dinner at The Stag Inn in the Old Town which was the beginning of  very lively evening.

They are some of my favourite occasions; being with my sisters and brother-in-laws and seeing my children relaxing with their cousins.  Special times. New Year’s Day was spent packing away decorations and burning the Christmas tree and then walking along the beach during a glorious sunset.Looking West is so different tolooking East during a sunset.The first sunset of 2018 was a good one.I then had to work all week which was fine actually as I think quite a few people had extended holidays so trains and coffee shops etc were not too busy.  When I say “all week”, it was only a three day week for me.

I have been following a vegan diet now for 2 years.  I have not lost the weight I intended because unfortunately lots of vegan food is very high in calories!  And they are often the foods I enjoy, such as a glass of wine with some crisps and humous.  So I did not lose the weight I meant to last year but I am less than I was at the start of the year.  Importantly, I am now 4 and a half stone lighter than when I started so progress is slow but downwards and I will take that.

I am expanding my veganness from being food focused to lifestyle too.  I bought some vegan shoes last week and have swapped all my handbags from leather to fabric.  My intention is to live a fully vegan life.  It will be a gradual process, beginning by committing to not buy any more non vegan products.

I had a lovely weekend, mainly because I spent it with some very lovely ladies.  I only managed a photo of one of them, Rebecca (2 actually – apologies to Beryl).  But yesterday Marion visited and we had a lovely lunch and afternoon together in Hastings.

In December I did a course about feasting and fasting.  I will share some information about that as we go through January.  It was an interesting, enlightening and challenging experience.  I am going to continue feasting and fasting 5-6 days a week and eat more ‘normally’ 1-2 days a week.  Today was the day of eating in a more conventional manner but with a focus on being healthy, plant based and unprocessed.

I have been struggling with a cold all week so I began my day with a celery juice which is recommended to help people with thyroid problems.  It was gross but I got it down and then enjoyed some fresh squeezed orange juice before going for a walk on the beach.

My happy place.It was sunny and beautiful but don’t let that fool you.It was freezing!  Come on Milton, get down to the sandy bit.My plan to walk along the sand back to the car was foiled by the volume of water pouring from the storm drain outlet.

It created a river that, unless we wanted to get very wet feet, was too deep to cross.

Sorry old boy, we need to turn back and return by walking along the path.

One cold and sunny walk was not enough.  I dropped Milton at home and went to Bodiam where I walked round the castle with another lovely friend, Lucy.I was too busy chatting to take any pictures until we got back to the car. I recommend the walk around Bodiam Castle as it is beautiful and half of it is beside a river.Lunch was mainly vegetables, with some Linda McCartney spinach and mushroom “sausage” rolls which were very tasty.  I personally wouldn’t choose such food products but I am feeding a teenager and the compromise for eating all those vegetables, are that he has something he enjoys too.  I steamed some cauliflower, tender stem broccoli, carrots, courgette and green beans over the pan I boiled the potatoes in.  I stir fried onion, mushrooms and savoy cabbage with lots of pepper and fennel seeds.  Yum.This afternoon we went to the Jerwood Gallery with Rebecca to catch the last day of Paula Rego’s ‘The Boy Who Loved The Sea And Other Stories.’  The sky was amazing as we walked in to the gallery.I have never been upstairs in the gallery before (I didn’t know it had a second floor).This window provides a lovely view over the boats moored on the beach and out to the sea.It was interesting.A simple supper of a persimmon, blueberries and coconut yogurt.Good eating, mainly plants in their natural form and over 16,000 steps of walking in beautiful spaces with lovely people.