What advice would you give to your teenage self?
Make the most of the first 40 years! 🤣
Author: beckyjo125
Wuthering Heights
Sunday 15 February 2026
On a damp and gloomy Sunday morning, I drive out to a local cinema to see film number two of 2026. My choice ‘Wuthering Heights‘, a movie based upon Emily Bronte’s infamous and intense novel.
We grab a coffee on the way in, to wake up and ward off the the wintry chills. My friend is grim faced.
“Have you seen the reviews?” she asks arching her eyebrows.
Then dropping her voice to a whisper,
“One even described it as Baroque porn!”
Yikes! I wonder if I have made a huge mistake. But we are here now and … at the very least, it sounds livelier than ‘Hamnet’! So in we go, juggling our drinks and snacks.
And I really enjoy the film.
So is it exactly like the book?
No! But come on people; this is the big screen and a new piece of story telling that has to fit coherently into a 2 hour slot.
Is it a relentless hot bed of steamy sex and naughtiness?
Well there are a few moments when we nearly drop our popcorn, but,for the most part, it is no saucier than many other movies.
So what is it that I love so much about my February film choice? Well, whilst the producers undoubtedly adapt and alter some of Bronte’s more minor characters as well as plot lines, what this movie does brilliantly capture is the all-consuming, destructive passion between Heathcliff and Cathy on those desolate Yorkshire moors. And, for many of us, who read and love the original book, this is the central theme. Raw, romantic, compelling and ultimately… devastating.
The soundtrack adds emotional layers and, of course, the moors provide the perfect backdrop. Wild, untamed and uncontrollable, reflecting the moods and desires of our two main characters. This film delights the senses.
So, for two hours, I forget the dreary day outside and lose myself in this great story and when we finally emerge back into the carpark, do you know what I see the damp drizzle through completely new eyes. Suddenly the misty and overcast skies of this Bolton morning look atmospheric and evocative… hinting of brooding desires and forbidden passions and …. and then I see the queue to get out of the carpark and come crashing back to reality!
That is until next month! If I ever get out of here and get home, it is straight off to research next month’s movie …
Has anyone seen my ‘trio of teens’?
Thursday 12 February 2026
And this is the month and this is the year that Smallboy turns 20!
Eek – how did that happen?
One moment I was careering through life with my ‘trio of teens‘, in a house full of exam angst, assorted friends, lots of Netflix and even more ironing! Then, in what now feels like the blink of an eye, my youngest child steps into his twenties and the teen-years are over.
As the momentous Birthday dawns however, it appears that for Smallboy at least, 20 is simply one year further on than 19. I give him a call and he excitedly tell me that my card made him ‘chuckle’, that he ‘loves‘ his gift of a Man U shirt, (because until Jim Radcliffe opened his big mouth, we were actually enjoying being ‘Reds‘ again.) He ‘loves’ the deposit of cash in his bank account even more. And, because my boy knows how to please his old mum, he tells me that, above all, he is really looking forward to my visit next week.
And I am looking forward to it too. I resolve to follow the lead of my youngest child, treat age as ‘just another number’ and to carry on enjoying the company of lovely adult children who are clever and kind, good hearted and good company. (And if I am ever wondering where my ‘trio of teens’ have gone, I need look no further than my blog where their antics are immortalised in my past posts!)
I fill a glass of wine, put up my feet and start to get excited about a fun city break next week.
New Year’s Resolution 2026
Wednesday 28 January 2026
Now that I’ve finally caught up on Christmas, it is time to move onto New Year… and resolutions!
I’ve got a cracker of a resolution for 2026; I resolve to go out to the cinema to see a new film at least once a month!
Come on people, as annual goals go, this one is genius! Get’s us out of the house, broadens the mind, it’s fun, it’s fascinating… hey it even supports the local economy!
The inspiration comes on 31 December, where I am seeing in the new year with friends in The Lake District. We escape the wintry, afternoon chills at a charming cinema in Ambleside, with beers, comfy seats, and the thrills of ‘The Housemaid’. And, although I am often watching from behind my coat (this movie is tense!), I really enjoy myself and am reminded how much I love the big screen experience. No phones, no distractions, just the chance to lose yourself in a world of fantasy, escapism, characters and plots. And in that moment, my resolution is made!
With true resolutionary zeal, upon my return, we kick off January with two tickets for Oscar nominated ‘Hamnet’… so what was my verdicton this much lauded movie offering?
To be honest, having heard such rave reviews, I was a little disappointed. I’d settle on ‘good but not great’. There are some intense moments, I was mesmerised by much of the woodland cinematography and the ending is almost chokingly unbearable. But for large parts of the film, I found the plot somewhat empty and disjointed, with several story lines that dwindle rather than develop. Crucially, Hamnet fails to fully engage my emotions, which I really wasn’t expecting. Quite the opposite in fact; I had settled into the cushioned chairs, with a pint of Poretti, expecting to be drawn in from the start and to love it all.
Perhaps every year there’s at least one movie that seemingly everyone but me thinks is a masterpiece… maybe a simple difference of opinion or maybe I’ve just missed something?
Regardless, I’ve launched my movie adventures for 2026 and am already devouring Rotten Tomato reviews looking for February’s pick…
How long ago was Christmas?
Saturday 22 January 2026
Is this really my first post of 2026?
It is true that January has been hectic but now that I have found a 10 minute space to get my thoughts together, lets take a breath and look back… at Christmas….
When I started blogging, I lived, as the only adult, in a home of three teenagers, occasional guinea pigs, goldfish and even a gecko. I was ‘Mum’… single-Mum… the provider of all festive cheer; Christmas decs, Christmas trees, Christmas food and … and the biggest challenge for any parental combination ….presents!
Oh my goodness, scrambling together the money for them from a stretched family budget, scouring the shops and internet sites to find them and then, in a chilled panic on Christmas Eve, when shops are now shut and all options are gone, wrapping and … counting them.
“Counting them?” I hear you cry.
Yes, you hear me correctly. I had three teens. If those three pillow-cases of gifts did not contain exactly the same number of parcels, filling the same volume of space and appearing to reflect the same monetary value… then you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Ha ha ha … a lounge scene more akin to a tense gathering at the UN than wholesome John Lewis advert.
But that was then. Roll the clock forward six or seven years and things are a lot more relaxed. Two of my offspring are now earners and when I come down on Christmas morning, I find that my own pile of presents is a large as anyone else’s. And they are such lovely thoughtful gifts that I am quite overcome. And these are my three favourites: a new Kindle, because mine went on a trip to Kathmandu a year ago and did not return, a new washbag, because someone noticed that on a recent trip to Brussels I had my toiletries in a plastic bag and then… from my son a piece of music.
But not just any piece of music. No, this is the beautifully printed notes for Elevazione! And back in 2022, the first item on ‘My Bucket List’ was this:
‘Learn to play the oboe part of Elevazione: Domenico Zipoli“
I have looked and looked for it but it is Smallboy who has, not only found the parts but has also gone one astonishing step further. My amazing boy has used the string accompaniment parts to arrange his own piano part. (The girls tell me later that this has taken him weeks to do!)
“So we can play the piece together Mum!”
It takes my breath away… I am lost for words.
And today, as 2026 is close to reaching its second month, I love that I have found time to look back and mark these precious moments in a blog post. Maybe all the Christmas-stress of the teen years and worrying about keeping everyone else happy was just paving the way for these calmer times … and the days when I would feel like the one appreciated and thought about? Or, maybe I just got lucky and was given three wonderful kids…
‘Our treat mum!’
Tuesday 23 December 2025
Well knock me down with a feather, you will not believe what happened this evening…
I have children back in residence. All three are currently here and, in many ways, it feels like a regression back to the teen years. Everyone but me having a lie-in. Mostly just me cleaning the house, grappling with shopping bags and deciding what we are all going to eat. And… the squabbling, oh my goodness the squabbling….get me out of here!
And so, this evening, as Prom Dress daughter finally finishes work, I suggest that we all do exactly that! Get on our glad-rags, leap in the car and celebrate with tea at a local restaurant.
It goes down a treat.
I drive, drop off the offspring and then go to park. By the time I’ve navigated to a space in the local multi-storey and trekked back to our eatery of choice, they have ordered themselves cocktails and all is relaxed and happy. We have a lovely evening, but the seismic shock comes when we summons the bill….
Before I can even start looking for my purse, the bill is whisked out of my hands, and I hear the phrase,
“No, mum, this is our treat!“
Err, what’s that you say? Did I hear right? Oh my goodness; I am momentarily lost for words …this is an absolute first!
Naturally, I pull myself together to convey effusive thanks because I am completely bowled over by this. After so many years of paying for everyone and everything, this feels like quite a moment.It feels incredible. It needs to be marked. It must be recorded and remembered.
And so it is that I give it a blog post of its own..
The Christie Garden of Hope
Friday 19 December 2025
It is the last Friday before Christmas, which in these parts mean it’s ‘Mad Friday’! And, as I meet a friend for festive drinks, the city centre is certainly starting to liven up.
In the steamy Christmas Market cabins, glasses of Gluhwein and tankards of beer lubricate the larynxes for many a rowdy rendition of ‘Last Christmas, I gave you my heart…‘ and ‘… the boys of the NYPD choir were singing Galway Bay...’. Other bars are equally a-buzz of business and many shops are cashing in on a flurry of late night shoppers.
But then we turn a corner…into Manchester’s St John’s Gardens on Lower Byrom Street.
All is suddenly calm, gentle classical music floats in the air and a magical sight lies before us. A sea of illuminated roses, most white and some blue, cluster together and cover the gardens in every direction. We appear to have stumbled across somewhere very special; it is just stunning and completely stops us in our tracks.
What is this place?
We learn that it is The Christie Charity Garden of Hope, a beautiful immersive light installation made up of hundreds of pre-lit white roses — each one displaying a message of love and hope dedicated to someone special.
Its aim is to raise vital funds for The Christie Charity, supporting their lifesaving and life-changing work for people affected by cancer and, what a beautiful way to do this, creating a collective tribute of light and love to brighten the festive season. We take a while to wander, reflect and, for now, be thankful.
As we leave this perfect space, it is quickly back into the hurly burly of Mad Friday and I enjoy this too! But it is the peace and beauty of the Garden of Hope, that stays with me long after our final drink is poured and a last chorus of ‘Fairy Tale of New York‘ is sung…..
A boozy cream tea for Christmas!
Thursday 18 December 2025
What a top treat; an afternoon of cocktails, cream tea and too much red wine with my bestie…this was just what the doctor ordered!
Okay, well probably not the first piece of advice any responsible medical professional would give but, nonetheless this was very much needed. Let me elaborate…
I currently find myself juggling one full time job and three side-hustles. It’s a long story of navigating a new-ish world of work, after steadier school jobs for 30+ years, saying ‘yes‘ to too many offers and in such a higgledy-piggledy order that I am in gainful employ six days a week. I really love most of it …but six days out of seven is relentless.
Mix in some festive concerts, which I’ve sandwiched into the few gaps on my calendar and it is safe to say that a week out from Christmas, I am done!
So, I book an afternoon off, call my bestie to arrange our annual ‘cream tea’ and set out to let my hair down and forget about responsibilities for a few hours. And it is fabulous: incredible cocktails, sumptuous red wine and the sort of terrific conversations you can only have with a pal whose known you for 5 decades and is every bit as tipsy as your are.
A marvellous re-charge of the batteries and the perfect curtain raiser to the holidays. I now feel fully in the mood for seasonal frivolities. So, as afternoon melts into evening, join us in a final toast to friendship, to festivities and to finding your way in new jobs and challenges ….
I got on the plane!
Friday 31 October 2025
In recent years, I’ve become a regular at the local airport; dropping off, picking up, loitering at the arrivals gate, paying astronomical parking fees (even once being fined for forgetting to pay them!). I swear that some of the staff now greet me by name! But the one thing I’ve not done… since 2019… is fly anywhere. No, I have been strictly a chauffeur…until this weekend!
Yes, readers, I actually get on the plane!
With my two salaried daughters, who now pay for themselves, I jet off to Brussels for a long weekend. I am beyond excited. I refuse to have ‘carry on luggage only’ and fork out for a 20kg case. Overpack to ridiculous proportions, fill my purse with Euros, doubtless drive the girls insane …. and what fun I have!
Brussels could just possibly be the perfect weekend destination. Not too big, effortlessly elegant and a delight to while away the hours in.
We shop, we stop regularly to sample the famous beer, we eat … lots of frites, plenty of waffles and, of course the reknowned ‘Moules’
and we just enjoy wandering around the pretty streets and squares.
Some parts of the city so French, other, such as the Grand Place with its heavy Gothic architecture very … I was going to say Germanic, but Flemish is probably more accurate. We certainly take a lot of pics!
All too soon I am being dragged reluctantly back to the ‘Flixbus’ stop to start the return leg to Blighty. I would love to have stretched this out for another 24 hours. Back on home soil, I do manage to briefly extend our break when I espy and report an ‘unattended bag’ on the shuttle back to the car park and we, along with all the other passengers, are evacuated …. for 15 minutes until the next shuttle arrives!
But it’s only a short delay until I am back home… and already dreaming of my next trip. The financial barrier of paying for everyone and everything seems to be gone (for now), and my travel bug is definitely back!
University Reunion
Saturday 28 September 2025
Four decades after arriving at University as an excited 18 year old, I head back for my first ever alumni event.
Well what took me so long? And the answer is, I really do not know.
Loved University. It had been my dream to go and it was everything and more that I could have hoped for. The best part of it, without question, the wonderful friends I made and still see today. And I suppose that amidst the busyness of life, a job that invaded most weekends and children to bring up single handed, I just never found the time and energy to race back to Cambridge for a rushed weekend.
But now, I am in a different phase. My children are all grown-up, my job is far more flexible ( joyously, evenings and weekends have returned to my life.) So, a weekend in Cambridge with old friends, fine dining and lashings of alcohol? I say, count me in!
I arrive in a small group but even so, am initially a little thrown. Our beloved student bar, with its wooden alcoves and pinball machines is no more. In its place a glossy renovation, not unlike a hotel foyer that leaves me a little cold. Then in mild panic I stare around the room thinking ‘who are all these people?‘ But I am rescued by the genius that is the name tags – to be fair 40 years is a long time and without those badges anyone would struggled to place a few faces – and am soon bus catching up; filling in the gaps of those missing years.
Additionally, it is an action-packed schedule. We have a Provost’s Talk, on the state of world order, and are dazzled by the name dropping from top talent at the Wall Street Journal to hobnobbing with Ursula von der Leyen at the UN! By contrast, Evensong in the Chapel is a pause for calmer reflection. Here the wonderful choir fill that glorious Gothic building with music, and beauty and, for 45 minutes anyway, the world’s worries melt away and all seems at peace.
But the main event is the dinner and drinks…oh so many drinks. And now the conversation changes from current lives, jobs and children to crazy times from decades ago when we were young and often very foolish. Ill-advised liaisons, the infamous football/netball dinner, the nightmare of mathematics exams and the mystery of the nut cutlet and its collision with an illustrious portrait on the wall of the college dining room. These and many other memories are shared and laughed about and put to rest… I guess until the next time we meet.
Because there will definitely be a next time for me … this has and always will be my happy place…
Smashing Single Parenthood 