We’ve got the Lurgy. Is that the correct spelling? Or is it Lergy or even Lirgy? Either way we’ve got it. The lurgy has arrived at Blessham Hall. The good news is that we’ve tested and it isn’t the dreaded Covid (sighs of relief all round). But it has hit us hard nonetheless. Ange is shovelling paracetamol like they’re peanuts and my stomach feels like it’s been kicked repeatedly by an irate wildebeest.

So that’s the bad news, but what about the good? Well, for one thing I have made a much earlier start on my next novel than I had originally planned. It’s the follow up to The Pheasants Revolt and it’s called… Nah! Sorry, no title given out yet. You’ll have to wait and see. Anyway, the first draft of the first chapter is done and I hadn’t actually scheduled it until February next year after I’ve done the re-release of Ah Boy! Hoping for an early Spring publication for the new one. Just need to get on and write the damn thing.

Anyhoo, I thought I’d have a quick round up of the past twelve months here at Blessham Hall and perhaps fill in any blanks you may have. And what a productive year it has been interspersed with a lot of illness, pain and heartache.

On the productivity front, I’ve released two full length novels this year – The Pheasants Revolt and Mutch Wants Moor – and launched my very first podcast way back in May which is now up to 32 episodes. You can find it on podbean.com, it’s called Blessham Hall as well.

Both books were tremendous fun to write and I can’t for the life of me decide which is the better of the two. I suppose that would be like trying to choose who is your favourite child. I love all my books, there’s been a lot of hard work gone into them all and I haven’t received a bad word about them from readers. Yet!

The podcast is also great fun to do and I think I’ve settled into a format with it that works for me. So far it’s had overt 300 downloads; ok so not exactly viral but from little acorns and all that. Many listeners have commented on how relaxing my voice is. I know that in the past I’ve been one of those people who always says they don’t like the sound of their own voice but since doing the podcast I’ve kind of gotten used to it and I’m beginning to see what those commenters mean.

Other creative outlets for me have been designing my own website, alan-stevenson.co.uk, on Go Daddy, which I’m happy with, and also my new blog on WordPress that you are currently reading right now. I’ve been very active on social media, set up an Amazon author page and read Joanna Penn’s marvellous book on marketing twice. I’m full of ideas but alas there is a down side – Fibromyalgia.

Yes, the F word. It’s really reared its ugly, festering head this year and hampered me a lot. I honestly believe that if it wasn’t for that blasted condition I could quite easily have published 3 (yes 3) books this year or at least been close to it. But thanks to good old fibro I’ve spent a lot of valuable time sprawled on the couch or in bed cloaked in brain fog and wracked with physical pain in my muscles. Not a great use of my time you’ll agree I’m sure.

It’s not only been the fibro this year though. I’ve had other health complications. A bad stomach disorder early in the year, a dose of pneumonia in April and a badly torn muscle in my back following an incident with a collapsing garden chair which took months to put right. My back I mean, not the chair. The chair went in the skip.

On the plus side, health wise, I have my wonderful CPAP machine which is curing my sleep apnoea and best of all I’ve lost two stone in weight. I’ve been doing that NOOM diet that you see advertised on the telly and its working, actually working. It uses a lot of psychology which is something that fascinates me anyway so it’s all good. Thanks to both the CPAP and NOOM I’m breathing, sleeping and eating a whole lot better. And my bowels are now performing beautifully too. But, perhaps, that’s too much information or best left for another time.

There have been two colossal downers in our lives this year. The least of them came in the beginning of December when Storm Arwen hit and then followed up with freezing temperatures. We were away from the Hall at the time and so weren’t aware that the freeze had popped our boiler and soaked our carpets. It was a trying time to say the least but thanks to some wonderful friends and family and a most superb carpet cleaning expert we survived and now we’re warm and dry once more.

However, the biggest bombshell of the year came on November 5^th when our little black cat Pixie passed away. Anyone who says “It’s only a cat” can leave now. She was more than a cat. She was family and everybody who knew her loved her quirky character. Her passing hit us both very hard and we still haven’t fully got over it. I even dedicated Mutch Wants Moor to her memory; that’s how much she meant.

Then of course Christmas came along and we were all allowed to celebrate properly this year whereas it was only government officials who were allowed to do so last year. But I digress. Ange and I had a lovely day with just the two of us and I’m happy to say that despite a somewhat challenging year our bond remains stronger than ever.

So what’s ahead on 2022? Well, to find out, why not check out my podcast this coming Monday, 3^rd January, where I’ll be talking about that.

I hope you all had a good 2021, or as good as it could have possibly got given our current circumstances. I’m going to try and update the blog on a weekly basis next year. That’s my resolution for 22. It remains to be seen if I’ll do it.

All the best. See you next year.