I’m slowly finding my way back into the routine of everyday life again, making lunches the night before, setting the alarm for that unearthly 5am wake-up call, driving to work and slipping back into the steady rhythm of normality.
Life seems to return to normal far too quickly after Christmas. It was tough seeing Luke head back to work in London after having him home since before the festive break. I really do love it when he’s home, and honestly, I miss him when life settles back into its usual routine.
With the Christmas break over, I jumped straight back into teaching class, and honestly, it felt so good. Being back to class reminded me how much I love teaching and dancing (even if my legs briefly questioned my life choices). My ice skating lessons don’t restart until next Wednesday, but even just knowing I’ll be back on the ice soon has me excited. After a couple of weeks off, I already know it’s going to be… an experience, my brain will remember how to skate far better than my body does, and I’m fully expecting a few wobbly moments to humble me quickly. Still, even a short break is enough to remind me how much joy both dance and skating bring me – bruised ego and all
On top of that, I also reopened my Etsy shop, Serene Sage! It feels amazing to be back creating and sharing the pieces I’ve been dreaming up over the break. Between teaching, skating, and crafting, I’m reminded how much happiness comes from diving back into the things I love.
I spent my final weekend before returning to work doing all the practical things, starting with taking down the Christmas decorations (although really I owe that thank you to Luke) How sad is it when the twinkling lights come down and the Christmas tree no longer stands proudly in the bay window? On the plus side, the lounge suddenly looks huge, and it felt good to give the house a proper winter clean.
On Saturday we headed out for a family skating session before the temporary ice rink disappears again until October. It was nice to get on the ice, especially as it’s become a bit of a tradition with Luke’s family to skate on the final weekend before the rink closes.
Saturdays are for cooking from scratch, and there’s nothing I love more than getting into the kitchen on a late afternoon to whip up a meal. This weekend it was a Quorn curry …. so good!
After dinner, I curled up on the sofa with Luke (Hunter in between us, obviously), ready for a good film. Naturally, that meant 40 minutes of scrolling, followed by choosing something truly terrible. It’s a shame, really, because I wanted to savour those last quiet, cosy moments together before normal life kicked back in.
On Sunday, we wrapped up in every layer we owned and headed out with Hunter to an enclosed dog-walking field we’d hired especially for him. Luke’s mum came along too, bringing her puppy Ruby …. or, as I like to call her, Hunter’s little cousin Ruby. She’s absolutely adorable, and despite being so tiny compared to Hunter, she gave it a very determined go at keeping up with him whenever he went zooming around the field. Hunter is very good with her, happily letting her tag along as best she could.
It was an absolutely freezing afternoon, the kind of cold that makes you question your life choices the moment you step outside. The air was sharp, my breath puffed out in dramatic little clouds, and my fingers went numb almost instantly (even with two pairs of gloves on) While we were stamping our feet and pulling our coats tighter, Hunter, of course, acted as though it was the perfect day, tearing around the field at full speed and completely unfazed by the cold, although he was dressed accordingly with his fleece on, as he like me feels the cold most of the time.
And just like that, we’ve arrived at Friday. The festive bubble has well and truly popped, but there’s something comforting about easing into the rhythm of normal life again , even if it all still feels a little sudden.
For me it’s eight hours of work today. Then straight off on our first mini road trip of 2026, Telford bound for a low-key but pretty winter wedding.
