#millroad

The key to blogging is consistency. And an unashamed love of your own voice. I have one of those in abundance, but struggle with the other! Life is busy. It turns out that it is particularly so when you’re rounding up the end of term in college life. And so again, I missed my Tuesday cue to list ten things that I’m thankful for. But because there is so much to be thankful for, and practicing gratitude feels all the more poignant today in my post-election funk, I’m going for it.... even though I’m three days late.

1. A day with my Grandma and my Pete. They came to visit and we ate good food, cuddled and went shopping. They bought me pyjamas and books, which are pretty much the two best things I could ever be given. The books were a signed edition of ‘Olive, Again’ by Elizabeth Strout and my hero Anne Lamott’s latest book, ‘Almost Everything: Notes on Hope’, bought at the fabulous Heffer’s of Cambridge... a shop that my grandma took me to buy some of my first books at. I am so lucky to have such a brilliant Grandma and a brilliant Pete.

2. A Christmas tree IN THE POST! My lovely friends, Barbara-Anne and Jacky sent me a Christmas tree. It is twinkly and ingenious and filled my heart right up!

3. The Mill Road Winter Fair. The whole road gets pedestrianised and filled with Christmassy things, dancing and street food. I live on a COOL street. Plus, this year I got to spend it with Rachel and Anna and so it was heaven.

4. Christmas parties! I have been to TWO this week. This is another working-for-a-college perk: being in a community with people who do Christmas really well.

5. A good time with the rather impressive Sarah Dunlop shadowing her (and doing a bit myself) of teaching an MA module in reflective practice. 

6. A fresh load of contact lenses. I’d run out. This sounds mundane but I am genuinely very grateful. 

7. An evening at The Empress with wonderful wonderful Rachel Rosborough (the ACTUAL Vicar of Grantchester). Good win, good company and the campest and Christmassy-est pub in the whole world.

8. An evening at The Punter with Anna Rowlands. She visited and the angels sang. And we went to The Punter which is also in my (growing) collection of my best Cambridge pubs. 

9. Christmas food. And roasted sprouts, of which I am eating A LOT since I learnt that they are the best.

10. The right to vote. And those who fought for my right.