Author: Mark Simmons
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January 2026
In January 2026, nostalgia prompted some to wish for a repeat of 2016, despite its tumultuous events. The narrator enjoyed bus trips around North Devon, reflecting on personal appearances and sharing too much personal history with strangers. A surprise birthday stay at a quality hotel led to a visit to the threatened Eden Project.
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December 2025
In 2025, the author reflects on an unexpectedly eventful year filled with travel, cultural experiences, and family milestones, including their daughter’s wedding. They successfully opposed a local council plan, engaged with their community through a WhatsApp group, and volunteered with the National Trust. The year concludes with anticipation for 2026.
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November 2025
After an abundant October, November was a bit fallow. I did find out the arthritis in my right foot is a bit more extensive then first thought along with something called Freiberg’s disease which is in all likelihood another gift from when I broke my foot during COVID and nobody wanted to do their jobs!…
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October 2025
This is very long and I’ve left out a lot of what we did so it doesn’t really do the month justice but I am determined to stick to my format. I probably wouldn’t read it but if you do take the time it is appreciated. Traditionally October is our adventure month. This is when…
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September 2025
I like September! I liked it as a child because it was the start of a new school year and so new things. Not that I was very academic but you could catch up with people you hadn’t seen over the summer and it was always a bit thrilling being the next year up. I…
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August 2025
August has not been great. My car developed a random fault that only lasted a day and hasn’t come back. Thanks to Warmington’s Garage for giving us a loan car for the weekend, not making anything up and not charging us. I can’t recommend them enough. I found out I got arthritis in my right…
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July 2025
Begorrah! I thought July was going to be a bit dull after last month. All we had planned was an open air theatre event. Lyn however had an idea that we should have a ‘family’ day out before Victoria started her new job in September. She’d seen somewhere that you could fly to Paris for…
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June 2025
The big story of June was the marriage of my daughter Victoria to Nathan. No Church because obviously there is no god. No up and down like a whores drawers mouthing hymns nobody knows the words too. No endless guest list of people the bride and groom don’t know. No big country house/hotel for a…
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May 2025
Just to prove me wrong with regard to the weather May was gloriously sunny just like April. In fact the 1st of May was one of those ‘hottest since records began’ days which are becoming more and more frequent. I would suggest they change it to something like “Another warning from the planet that you’re…
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April 2025
What a busy month! The weather at the beginning and end was glorious for April and probably means the rest of the year will be horrid but we definitely made the most of it while the sun shone. Our first National Trust day trip was a double header of Buckland Abbey and then in the…
My Average Holidays 