Journal | Fieldnotes

It's January and although it's chilly, the sun is shining here in County Down; it feels like a good time to hit the refresh button.

Although the Christmas decorations are down, I always feel sad getting rid of the Christmas tree. It's such a shame! And after a few weeks drying in our warm kitchen, it smells SO good now; all herbal and aromatic.

It's a truth universally acknowledged that you can never have enough candles. It's an actual fact! Of course, there is more to us than candles. Normally we mean this in an eco-geek way, but it also means we've plenty of gift ideas to go round this Christmas!

Every year at HQ we do Secret Santa as a team. It puts the fear into a few of us - especially as we ceremonially open them in turn, evaluating the gifts with a few laughs.

So, how's the Christmas shopping going? One of our staff at HQ, Marie, has her presents bought AND wrapped by September EVERY year. I mean how is this even possible?!

Earlier this year on a snowy evening in January, I got a phone call from my Mum. I knew immediately something was wrong. Her lovely voice sounded strange and slurred. She was having a stroke. And a pretty bad one too, as it turned out.