Even though the world feels like it’s been standing still in a lot of ways this year, here we are and December is nearly through so before 2020 is completely over, here’s a little round up of festive happies to end the most upside-down, inside-out of years!

work

12 days of Sunshine Advent

It might not have been chocolate, cheese, tea or booze behind my 'doors' but I tried something fun earlier this month and for the first 12 days of December I shared a little series of Sunshine advent treats.

The 3 for 2 offer I ran on the cheeky Christmas Jumper decorations was a clear winner and something I’ll be sure to bring back again next year!

Portraits

I also spent a lot of time painting my socks off to make sure all your lovely 10 minute Portrait orders were done and posted in time for Santa!

last orders

You lovely lot certainly kept this little Elf busy throughout the month - thank you! And although it felt odd closing books and the shops a bit earlier this year, with the extra strain on the postal service and all the COVID uncertainty, it was definitely the right move and it was rather satisfying to take this last load of Sunshine to the post office.

Christmas Party Time

It was the Hello Sunshine Christmas ‘Party’ earlier this month, which is just me treating The Beard to a nice afternoon/evening of food & drinkies.

I was lucky enough to bag us a table Restaurant 22 and as always, it was absolute perfection! It was a real treat to be out (but not out-out!) and enjoy their incredible tasting menu and some glorious beverages.

Afterwards, and keeping in the festive spirit I made some Christmas cocktails back home (Bob helped!) and we enjoyed them by the fire before a garden camp-out in Buddy.

It’s been weird not having actual parties to go to this year but you know what... as far as they go, this is my favourite kind of party!

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snow day

It may not have been as impressive as everyone else’s snow day but it snowed in Cambridge! YAY! Ok, so it was more of a snow hour or two than a day but you bet your chilly little bottom I went out to play in it.

Not only did I take my morning brew out in the snow (like an excited five year old!), but I grabbed Quaver and got out on the river a bit too. I was so happy I didn’t even notice the cold until I got home and tried to take off my socks!

Rei was pretty excited about the snow too and took to tearing about the meadows in no time!

On the 1st Day of Christmas…

…my true love gave to me. The day off to go paddling! Ok, so my true love was my boss, and my boss is me, so I gave myself the day off on December 1st to go paddling in the Winter Sunshine and it was GLORIOUS!

A Cambridge Diary

On another morning, I headed out on my board to meet Claire for a sunrise paddle. It was a beautiful one too, not to chilly and the sky was on fire before we knew it!

I’d packed my flask as normal and some pain au chocolat as a breakfast treat for Claire and while we stopped on the bank to chat and watch some rowers come by we saw the infamous Mr Bond. No, not James Bond but Martin Bond, who is also known as the Cambridge Diary Man. Martin takes a the most BEAUTIFUL pictures in and around Cambridge, sharing one every day.

I’ve been a fan since I moved here and The Beard and I often joke about being a proper Cambridger if you make it into one of his shots. Well, I nearly fell over when later that evening a couple of friends tagged me in a post on Facebook saying ‘isn’t this you, Jo’ and it turned out I HAD MADE IT!

I still can’t quite believe it myself, it feels rather odd but also really nice to have been captured in my happiest of places when I was out with my bestie. Claire even bought me a copy of this photo as a print which has pride of place at Sunshine Towers!

Just keep paddlin’

It probably won’t shock you to hear that I took Quaver out and about on a few more paddle adventures this month, from solo jaunts to Waterbeach, a mini bubble trip down the river for the Heron & Hush RED January fancy dress paddle and a lovely frosty New Years Eve morning spent paddling in the mist!

wintery workouts

From thrashing about frosty ropes in the garden to hungover Christmas eve sessions, it was brilliant to be able to keep my workouts going throughout the month.

Even with lockdown rules changing over Christmas, being able to jump around and stay active helped keep me sane!

…although I did almost regret going along on Christmas eve after one too many mulled wines the night before!

friendly (socially distanced) faces

I was SO EXCITED about being able to pop back home to Nottingham to see the family for a few days so when the lockdown rules changed for Christmas, my heart sank.

I knew it was for the best to stay home and to be fair, that’s what we do most Christmases but after a year of missing birthdays and special family occasions I, like everyone else, had been looking forward to spending time back home.

Luckily Cambridge had stayed in a low risk tier up until Christmas meaning we could still catch up outside or in gardens with one or two other people. Having the Buddy Shed in our garden meant we could string up some fairy lights, heat up some mulled wine up on the stove (which The Beard fitted this year!) and invite friends to come and enjoy snacks in the garden.

It also meant that take out coffee stops were still on the go and we could grab a treat with fellow doggie pals to warm up on some of the cold wintery morning walks.

And the BEST bit about staying in Cambridge over Christmas meant I got to be part of Claire’s festive bike tour as she popped over to share a bucks fizz on Christmas Morning!

It’s the little things that have kept me going and kept me sane this year and although I’ve missed my friends and family who live elsewhere so very much, I am forever grateful for those who I have come to know and love since moving to Cambridge too.

food

OK, so this maybe the BIGGEST food round up of the year and I’m not even sorry about all the food porn that’s about to follow! You have been warned so try not to drool over your phone/tablet/keyboard or whatever device you maybe using…

Scotch Eggs : the kitsch hen

Restaurant 22

Christmas cocktails

Festive snacks

Christmas Day

Oooft! What a way to end my last blog post of the year, huh? I hope you’ve enjoyed following these little round ups of adventures and sharing happy moments with me this year.

I know it’s been a bloody hard time of it so I just want to thank you all for sticking with me, supporting my small business and keeping my sun shining!

My last brew on my board for 2020 and I’m raising it to YOU!

Here’s to you, and a happy and healthy 2021 and beyond! Stay safe and keep smiling folks.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

☀️