It’s that thanksgiving time of year…

Inspired by Marty who, sadly, is yet another lovely person who’s no longer blogging – here’s my annual expression of gratitude, and this year I’ve gone back to an A-Z format…

A for apartment – after the unexpected upheaval at the end of last year, I am so grateful to have found such a lovely place to live. Despite the health challenges we’ve experienced since moving, it truly feels like home, and long may it be so.

B for Booker prize – I’ve long been a fan but have never been more grateful than this summer when I was much in need of distraction. As soon as the Booker longlist was issued, I pounced on it and have read my way through all bar one of the thirteen listed. It wasn’t the best list by any means (at least for my personal taste), but it kept me well occupied.

C for conversation – my new chiropractor is quite the character, having led a most unusual life. He’s not only doing great work in building my mobility, but I get to engage in enjoyable conversations during treatment. I can’t say we’re always aligned in all our views, but he’s intelligent, thoughtful and well-read, so our discussions are always stimulating.

D is for dishwasher – although I’ve never minded washing up by hand, I cannot deny that I’m loving having a dishwasher again after a 5 year gap.

E is for energy – which is slowly returning to me following the supplementation regime I’ve been undertaking. While I’m not yet bursting with it yet, neither am I dragging myself around… and I’ll take that.

F for fleece lined trousers – so, so, soooo cozy. Sitting at a desk when working from home can be a chilly experience. I already have the fleecy hoodies, but have now added a pair of fleece lined trousers too. I may be buying more…

G for garden – it is absolutely lovely to look out of our living room onto a peaceful garden filled with beautiful trees and bits of wildlife – of which Muntjac deer have been the most recent addition. At some point I’ll have to give up drinking a cup of tea out there on our bench due to inclement weather, but I’m dragging it out as long as I possibly can.

H is for hairdressers – after five years of Himself cutting my hair with clippers, I went to a new hairdresser. She hasn’t fully got to grips with my hair, but I’m not only happy with the cut, I’m also confident it will get better each time. Oh and the salon is literally around the corner from home.

I is for insulated curtains – Georgian houses not only have huge windows but draughty ones too, so I’m delighted with the thermal lining of the curtains we bought earlier this year – they are providing wonderful insulation.

J is for Japanese coffee – I generally drink decaf coffee but do enjoy the full caffeine experience from time-to-time. Unfortunately, I have to be careful, as many beans can be too harsh. But the Japanese beans we’ve been using are absolutely perfect – tasty but also gentle on my digestive system.

K is for kindness – the receptionist at my new chiropractor is the epitome of kindness. I was in quite an emotional state before my first visit, and she was simply wonderful. In an unexpected twist, her first name is the same as my surname 🙂 I make sure to be early for my appointments, so we have time for a chat.

L is for love – when you’re inclined to depression as I am, having people in your life who you both love and who love you, has a value which simply cannot be measured.

M is for Manuka honey – which used to be part of my winter regime and has somehow fallen by the wayside. But I have reinstated it, as it is so good at boosting immunity and in keeping away winter germs.

N is for nails – my nails have continued to grow long and strong after decades of splitting and being weak (doubtless caused by my childhood of biting them). They’re now regularly long enough to consider having them painted. I’ve started investigating the local offerings…

O is for On demand (or catch up) TV – there’s a whole heap of TV I’ve not seen from when I was a social butterfly and didn’t have a TV, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at quite how delightful it’s been to plumb the depths of free on demand/catch up TV.

P is for passport – which I thought I’d lost. It has expired (which I knew), but applying for a new one from scratch is a major procedure when you’re a naturalised citizen, so I cannot tell you how grateful I am it has turned up.

Q is for quiet – Himself has now returned to work. While I have absolutely loved having him at home with me, I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the quiet.

R is for resilience – I wouldn’t have described my resilience level as high, but I am getting through a tough time without falling apart, so it’s clearly not as rubbish as I thought.

S is for Slow Horses – AppleTV recently released the latest series (no 5), and Mick Herron has also released book 9. Book 5 had me laughing out loud throughout, and the TV adaptation has done likewise. The new book’s not bad either 🙂 Oh and Herron’s other series Down Cemetery Road is pretty good too (both books & TV).

T for the Thursday Murder Club books from Richard Osman – I’ve just read book 5 in this series about a elderly group living in a retirement community. Each character is well drawn and, by now, so well known and loved. I was seriously concerned that he’d given up on them after starting a new series.

U is for Ukraine – who are fighting the good fight, losing home, life and limb to keep the might of Russia at bay. What an absolutely remarkable country.

V is for Van der Valk – a remade TV series about a Dutch detective which we’ve taken to watching on catch up. The less satisfactory aspect is the cast isn’t Dutch, but largely English, so we’re missing much in the way of cultural details. The upside is the writing is good, and it allows us to enjoy the pleasing vistas of Amsterdam and its surrounds, as well as the Dutch barge on which the titular detective lives.

W is for water – I’ve long been good with hydration, but usually added some form of flavouring or cordial. Just lately I’ve been keeping a carafe in the fridge and, by keeping it cool, have been drinking it without flavouring.

X is for Xmas – we didn’t celebrate last year for many reasons, so I am particularly looking forward to doing so this year, and have already started thinking about how to decorate our new place when the time comes.

Y is for young-at-heart – at a time when my body is aging, I am grateful my mind and attitude remain young-at-heart. I’ve leant into being a grumpy old woman, but find I just don’t want to stay there for long.

Z is for zero alcohol drinks – the range of which is simply staggering. I’ve enjoyed the zero version of Tanqueray Sevilla gin during the summer, and am now been casting my eye at the wintry ranges on offer.

Is there anything in particular you’ll be giving thanks for this year?

© Debs Carey, 2025