Monty

Yesterday, I showed you a picture of our Phoebe's precious Monty. Today I am showing you a drawing  of Monty that I created just yesterday when Shirley was working at our local Age Concern charity shop. I am pretty happy with this ink and pencil drawing though I know that if I attempted a few more versions I could come up with an even better image. But this one will do. 

I am going to get it framed as a fifth birthday gift. Of course I am very conscious that my picture will surely outlive me so that when Phoebe is a woman, she may look at it sometimes and think, "My Grandpa drew that. He loved me and I loved him. He was always kidding and I remember him fondly". That is the only kind of immortality I can hope for...

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In other news...You may recall that on New Year's Eve I ventured out to trial my new camera while also undertaking a familiar three mile circular walk for exercise.

It is my habit on walks like these to unlock the car boot upon my return. Then I take off my walking boots and put my shoes on. At this time the boots are meant to end up in the boot but that did not happen on Wednesday afternoon.

Today (Sunday) I was about to head out for another long walk  when I discovered that my faithful boots were not in the car boot space and they were also not in our house. Then the possibility dawned on me that I had not actually put the boots in the back of the car.

That was four days ago and as I drove back to the deadend road that is Shorts Lane, I had a very slim hope that I would find my boots close to where the car had been parked.

But there they were! Some kind fellow human being had carefully placed the boots on the adjacent drystone wall. They were upside down and bathing in winter sunshine. Fortunately, there had been no precipitation during the past four days.

Such moments restore one's faith in humanity. There are a lot of good people out there who do kind and thoughtful things. I wish I could hug the person who put my boots on the wall and thank them profusely.

Photos

Some of you may recall that at the very end of 2025 I treated myself to a new camera - a Panasonic Lumix FZ82D. It is a simple enough bridge camera but to understand all of the functions described in the manual you would, I am sure, need to enrol on a special university course.

Anyway, I went out with the camera on New Year's Eve just to test it out as I undertook my usual circular walk on the edge of the city. The camera boasts a 60X zoom facility. Standing on the exact same spot I took two pictures in mid-afternoon just to demonstrate the  zoom range - with no need for the addition of a separate zoom lens. I am looking at a residential block for senior citizens to the south of the suburb of Dore. It is about half a mile distant:-

And here's that same block with the camera's  zoom facility used to almost its fullest extent:-

Obviously not the best picture I have ever taken but I am pleased with the result. The definition has not lost much in spite of the distance.

And below here's one of the last photos I took with my old Sony bridge camera. This is a picture of Phoebe's most favoured cuddly toy - a sloth called Monty. She sleeps with him every night.You can see the persistent dark mark caused by a tiny amount of plastic debris behind the lens.  It is between his right arm and right leg

Now why would I be taking a picture of Monty? Well let me give you a clue: Phoebe will be five years old in two weeks. More about this tomorrow.

Finally, here's a photo I took of "The Cricket Inn" at Totley Bents on New Year's Eve with the new camera. Over the years I have taken many pictures of that photogenic pub. It seems that whenever I walk by it I just have to say "Cheese!" to the old place:-

Commended

Taylor Swift at The Laughing Horse Awards Evening

"Well, I am speechless, and more than a little stunned. Thank you so 

much. I tread in far more worthy footsteps." - Janice Cooke (Jan 2nd 2026)

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Typically modest of Janice - but The Laughing Horse Awards Committee were unanimous in selecting their Blogger of the Year for 2025.

In their citation they noted, "Mrs Cooke's productivity and the range of subjects she taps into". At one level there is the domestic front in which she alludes with much affection to her large family and her beloved pet animals. On a different wavelength, she shows "immense curiosity" as she reflects on whatever has popped up in her brain that day "from travel to books and from ancient traditions to medical matters. There is pretty much no area that is out of bounds for her".

Janice responds politely to her visitors' comments and this innate trait is also present in her own comments on other people's blogs. "Jabblog" has been chugging along since February 2009, attracting over 2.6 million page views so she has certainly earned her recognition.

Congratulations Janice!

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At yesterday's ceremony, hostess Taylor Swift announced the creators of four blogs that have earned special commendations for their performances during the past twelve months. All four of them have permission to display the widgets they have achieved.

FOR GOOD HUMOUR & BRIGHTNESS

Bruce Taylor for "ODDBALL OBSERVATIONS"

His "Friday Funnies" posts are now legendary - reminding 

us all that it is good to chuckle and lighten up sometimes. He

also reveals his passion for baking and his wife Judy - sometimes 

referred to as SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed).

FOR SIMPLE KINDNESS AND GOODWILL

Kylie Tai for "ECLECTICA"

In the actual content of her blog, Kylie has almost accidentally 

revealed  what a naturally kind human being she is but she also 

shows this in the way that she comments on other people's blogs. And 

Lord knows - we need more kindness in the world right now.

FOR PERSISTENCE IN ADVERSITY

Tasker Dunham for "A YORKSHIRE MEMOIR"

Tasker is an intelligent man with many interests and talents but 

instead of fully enjoying the happy, healthy retirement he deserved,

he is instead battling with lung cancer. By the way, he was never 

a smoker. His blog demonstrates his intellect, his memory and his inquisitiveness. Sometimes even reaching the point where he can 

press, "Publish" has proved a great physical trial.

FOR REPRESENTING SWEDEN SO PLEASANTLY

Monica in Borås for "Beyond the Lone Islands"

Like Janice Cooke, Monica is a productive blogger. She finds 

something to blog about nearly every day of the year and like

 our friend Meike Riley in Germany, Monica shows an amazing 

grasp of the English language that would put many native 

English speakers or writers to shame. Monica notices changes in the 

world around her, takes some very good photographs and gives 

visitorsfrom the rest of the world honest  insights into life 

in central Sweden.

Pinnacle

Pinnacle? Yes, the very pinnacle of the blogging year.

Who doesn't like to conga? At last night's Laughing Horse Awards, excited attendees  conga'd like there was no tomorrow. You can see some of them there in the video below. Bob Slatten leading the way in his smart navy blue blazer and a slightly inebriated JayCee Manx in her retro turquoise outfit waving at the camera. And there's Jennifer Barlow and there's Thelma Wilcox, The Wicked Hamster and Crozier Magnon. Everybody who is anybody participated. The video was shot by Stephen G. Reed who apologises for messing up the labelling of said footage as he uploaded it to YouTube. He blames it on the martinis.

Later Mr Reed captured candid photos of assembled bloggers - including Bruce Taylor from Arizona:-

and newly engaged Meike Riley from Ludwigsburg, Germany:-

Don't they look funny in their Christmas outfits! Such merry japes!

Oh, we all had so much fun last night, partying until the early hours. Alcoholic beverages flowed aplenty and the hors d'oeuvres, neatly arranged on big silver platters went down a treat. As usual, the most popular of these were the mini Yorkshire puddings with beef gravy. "Oh my, they are so yummy!" drooled Mary Moon and Jennifer Barlow agreed as she scoffed her third one.

Thelma from Todmorden was having a right good natter with Margaret from Washington State and Diaday from Dayton, Ohio as they guzzled a bottle of 

Dom Pérignon together. Later, they ended up in hysterics and in the pool. 

Around eleven o'clock, down on the beach, Rhymer had arranged a limbo dancing event for senior bloggers. With torches blazing beneath a moonlit Caribbean sky, Kylie Tai from Sydney, Australia was the first to impress as her lithe Bondi Beach-bronzed body slipped under the cane with drums beating and onlookers cheering like wild football fans. But then followed the amazing  Keith Kline from Red Deer, Canada wearing nothing but a leopard print loin cloth. Man that guy could limbo! Though in his eighties, his body appeared corrugated as he eased horizontally under the bar. Unfortunately, Elsie River from Adelaide, Addy from Beckenham  and Jenny O'Hara from Nova Scotia couldn't make it under and ended up rolling about on the sand in fits of laughter.

Wearing no clothes, Crozier Magnon had gone for a midnight swim with Andrew de Melbourne and Nurse Pixie who said she'd "seen everything" in her nursing career when John Gray from North Wales bashfully tried to hide his bits, blushing like a Red Delicious apple on a market stall in Rhyl. Even so he went in, splashing about with Wicked Hamster as David Godfrey glowered from the shore.  In the moonlight, they played catch with an inflatable beach ball.

Steve Reed (aka Stork Stalker) had  grumbled all night about being "effectively pressganged" before being transported to Little St James Island. He kept yelling, "I know my rights!" before being told to "Shut the **** up!" by Captain Kirt from Sheffield and Michael from Virginia who rudely added, "Stop spoiling it for the rest of us you dweeb!"

It is the fashion at big awards events for musical numbers to be performed ahead of the main announcements and so it was last night at Little St James Island. To organ music from Bob Brague, Monica from Boras, Sweden dueted with Tasker Dunham on a selection of ABBA hits that included "Fernando" and "Thank You For the Muzak". They were ably supported by a group of giggly backing singers called "The Blog Babes" that included Carol from Spain, Shammy from Ontario, Ellen from Illinois and Kelly from Arkansas.

Lounging on the front row, Jack Haggerty's eyes seemed to be on springs as his tongue flapped like that of a panting bloodhound. Debra from Edmonton was appalled but Traveller advised, "Just ignore him!" and the brooding Jason "Arctic" Fox from Outlane near Huddersfield agreed.

At  the wide marble patio that surrounds the main house's swimming pool, the lights were dimmed and assembled guests quietened as a dramatic drum roll was followed by a solitary herald's brass trumpet that echoed across the wide Caribbean. It was as still as a millpond, faithfully reflecting the stars above.

A deep and authoritative Yorkshire voice came through the loudspeakers saying , "Ladies and Gentlemen... Welcome to Little St James here in the Virgin Islands. We are gathered here at the eighteenth Laughing  Horse Blogging Awards to announce this year's Blogger of the Year. Please give it up for your hostess for the evening - Miss Taylor Swift!"

There was an audible gasp from everyone in attendance. How the hell had The Laughing Horse Committee been able to pull this off for heaven's sake? The world's biggest musical star! But there she was in a spangly black evening gown - Taylor Bloody Swift! Wow!

Taylor announced four commendations - details of which will be shared in a future blogpost but her principal task was to open a large golden envelope. It contained the name of The Laughing Horse Blogger of the Year for 2025.

"And the winner is... Janice Cooke for 'Jabblog'!"

Thunderous applause followed and there was some wolf whistling from Graham Edwards as a clearly astonished Janice  headed for the stage to receive this special widget:-

Soon afterwards, a rather stunned Janice was pictured at resort reception (see below) cradling her widget and saying, " I am a mother and a grandmother and I suppose that I joined the ranks of the senior bloggers some years ago so never in my wildest dreams did I expect to receive such a prestigious accolade!"

Later, down on the beach, as our silver moon moved almost imperceptibly across the bejewelled night sky, JayCee Manx confided in Yorkshire Pudding, "I do hope Dave Northsider is okay. I miss him."

"Me too," said Yorkshire Pudding. "But he'll be back. One day. When the time is right."

MORE FROM LAUGHING HORSE  TOMORROW

Eve

New Year's Eve. I should be at home with my family. Instead, courtesy of Virgin Atlantic and my old pal Sir Richard Branson, I will be landing at Cyril E. King Airport in the US Virgin Islands within the next hour. By the way, in case you were wondering , that is Cyril E. King in the top picture. He was the second governor of the US Virgin Islands from 1975 until his untimely death in 1978. It was cancer that got him.

If all goes according to plan, I will be sped directly to Little St James aboard a jet hydroplane that Sir Richard  recently renamed "The Lady Joan" after his late wife.

Text messages from Rhymer on the island reveal that many of the "invited" or should I say, designated guests have already arrived.

As we sometimes say in Yorkshire, "There's no accounting for folk". Some guests greeted their complimentary transport providers with unbridled joy but others raged against the prospect of an enforced New Year break in the Caribbean. They had to be frogmarched into waiting taxis and helicopters and I am sorry to say that a few had to be tranquilised by Laughing Horse collection agents.

Some objected vehemently to the selected venue with Jennifer from South Carolina saying, "Oh dear. Not THAT island. Nope" while mysteriously, Steve Reed, Blogger of the Year in 2016, said, "Oh my. I might have to sit this one out! Bad karma on that island!" Jenny O'Hara,  from Nova Scotia, Canada and overall winner in 2019 referred to "bad juju".

All three of them are currently in transit. I am afraid that they had no choice. They may fabricate tales about ordinary New Year celebrations in their blogs but the truth is they will be on Little St James with the rest of us this very night. It's a bit like wartime - when Laughing Horse calls you simply have to go.

Frankly, I find their objections puzzling. After all, these moaning minnies are getting free transport and a short break on an exclusive Caribbean island with all-inclusive luxury accommodation. Plus the unique honour of witnessing the eighteenth Laughing Horse Awards Ceremony. What's not to like? Here at the very end of 2025, it's nice to spread a little love.

Weather permitting, tonight's awards ceremony will take place around the main pool

Meadowhall

The central dome of Meadowhall  (©Terry Robinson)

On the north eastern outskirts of Sheffield there is a big shopping centre or "mall". It opened in 1990 and it is called Meadowhall. Occupying an area of 1,500,005 sq ft, it is the largest shopping centre in Yorkshire.

People still flock there. It is easily accessible by train, tram and bus and it is surrounded by vast car parks. Meadowhall is very close to the M1 motorway.

To tell you the truth, I rarely go there but ahead of my flight to The American Virgin Islands early on New Year's Eve, I needed to do something about my camera - i.e. buy another one! My favoured "Sony" bridge camera with which I have taken several thousands of photographs had developed an irritating fault - namely a black spot on every image caused by some tiny debris behind the lens.

Getting it repaired would not have been cost effective and besides, no good servants last forever do they? It was time for a new camera - without blowing the bank. I knew that "Jessops" had the modestly priced new Panasonic Lumix bridge camera I was after for just under £400  (US$540).

I decided to travel to Meadowhall by public transport. Using my South Yorkshire Senior Travelcard the journey would not cost me a penny. Bus into the city centre then tram out to Meadowhall and back.

While waiting at the bus stop, another man joined me. His name is Phil and he has lived across the road from us for the past twenty five years. There he and his wife Janet raised two sons - David and Paul. But to tell you the truth, until today I had never really "rapped" with Phil.

He was heading out to Meadowhall too - to get something done about his faulty hearing aids. So we spent quite a long time in conversation together and then - damned me - I met up with him once more for the two  leg journey home.

And it was so nice to talk with him.  Our interaction was easy and balanced,  though we both got fired up when mention of the current US president occurred. We were in total agreement that the guy is abhorrent. Fortunately, we were soon able to lower the temperature by returning to more domestic  chitter-chatter.

And - by the way - I secured my new camera and Phil got his hearing aids fixed. I also managed to pick up a half price Christmas pudding from Marks and Spencers. Perhaps - in the weeks running up to the festive season - I should rename myself Christmas Pudding... just for a while.

Venue