Review of the Year 2023

This post contains affiliate links and I may receive commission if you visit a link and buy something. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra, and I only recommend products and services I trust.

Time for a quick recap of 2023 – I didn’t do a review of the year for a couple of years but really missed looking back at all the highlights. Its also a great way of planning for the year ahead and making resolutions for what I’d like to achieve in 2024.

2023 was definitely a year of two halves – the first half of the year was spent waiting for surgery and generally making the most of not feeling great. We still managed to fit in plenty of fun though.

I read loads in 2023 – mainly due to being off work for so long but it does mean I found some brilliant book recommendations to share with you.

January

We started off the year with the annual New Year’s Day walk – A fab tradition that gets us out of the house and chatting with friends whilst being active. 2023 was a bumper turnout (many of whom aren’t even on this picture!)

What we made: We recreated this phenomenal Brazilian Cinnamon Pineapple that we enjoyed during our Christmas lunch in Ben Brazil. A super easy recipe that I implore you to try!

Life was the usual merry go round of footy matches and trying to get outdoors as much as possible. Not always entirely pleasant in the snow!

Book of the month (and a potential for book of the year) was A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe. The story follows the life of newly qualified embalmer, William Lavery, as he learns to navigate life and his career following helping out at the Aberfan tragedy. Just a stunning read and one that I keep thinking about.

February

Joint birthday month for Mr C and Tara (45 & 12 respectively) and also the week that Derm qualified as an RNLI Lifeguard. Impressive having your first interview in over 20 years and starting your course on your 45th birthday.

We celebrated with a walk around West Kirby Marina, a meal at Mowgli and a homemade Chocolate Swiss Roll.

Book of the month was The Maid’s Diary by Loretta Ann White. A fast paced thriller from a new-to-me author. Really addictive read and an author I look forward to reading more of in 2024.

March

This was a month of getting stuck into studies with Violet being in Year 12 and Tara in Year 7. I launched my new blog, Breakfasts and Brunches, that I have high hopes for in 2024.

The first of our gang of friends turned 50 – kicking off a big year of celebrations.

What we made: I finally updated my Creme Egg Easter Chicks post over on Casa Costello – also sharing How to make Edible Sugar Glue, which is a must for anyone getting into cake decorating.

Difficult to choose a book of the month for March as I read a few good ones. I particularly enjoyed going back to Rachel Abbott’s Tom Douglas series with the 11th in the series, No More Lies. If you are looking for a compelling, thrilling series, this is one to try.

April

April saw us continuing with our challenge to visit every RNLI Lifeboat Station in the UK and Ireland. We have done very well this year but over 200 still to go. We kicked off the month with a trip to Conwy in North Wales.

I carried on with the Easter creations with this Creme Egg Easter Bunny – perfect for a homemade gift at Easter.

Violet officially started work as an RNLI beach lifeguard after qualifying last October, and loved every minute. She’s going back again for a second season this year when her exams are finished.

I experience my first Bongo Bingo evening with friends and loved the madness. We also met up with friends from New Zealand who were over for a short break, after emigrating over 15 years ago. Good times!

Easter was full of food and family get togethers, featuring a huge fruit pavlova and a Coffee & Walnut Cake. Shortly afterwards, we returned to The Quiet Site, in the Lake District for a couple of nights glamping and paddle boarding.

During April, I discovered Alex Lake’s books and loved the fast paced domestic psychological thrillers. Seven Days was a particular favourite, followed by The Choice.

The end of the month also saw us watching Millie swim at British Champs for the last time and most likely the last time we would watch her actually swim in person as Team GB. Super proud as ever.

May

May was the month that Eurovision came to Liverpool and the city was full of fun events. We pottered down to the Albert Dock as well as going to a Eurovision night at the Liverpool Philharmonic, hosted by Owain Wyn Evans.

The 50th celebrations continued with a trip to our friend’s in Masham, North Yorkshire – A child free night away and day drinking. Bliss!

The end of the month was devoted to my long awaited operation, where I wrote about what to expect in the first week after a hysterectomy. Pleased to say that the last 6 months have been brilliant – I highly recommend! Luckily, I had a lot of time to recuperate as I was reading the enormous, Atlas by Lucinda Riley – The last in the Seven Sisters series, which I have just adored.

June

A gentle start to the month, getting stronger all the time while life was going on around me. The weather was perfect for recuperating in the garden and I received so many lovely visits from friends and family. My lovely friend, Sim came over from Manchester and we put the blogging world to rights. Tara also joined a new football team and loved it straightaway.

Violet turned 17 and celebrated with several concerts and a family getogether.

I pottered back into the kitchen to make these Easy Mini Mushroom Frittatas.

Dermot and Tara spent Father’s Day paddle boarding around the Albert Dock in Liverpool and loved every second.

Millie and the GB Team competed in Poland in the European Games – We had to watch on the TV as I only got permission to fly the day before the competition.

Book of the month was Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hessian. This was an absolute beautiful book about two friends coming of age. A real feel good read but not fluffy.

July

Millie came home for the summer in July (before jetting off again soon after!) That was one full mini!

Then came Millie’s last competition and retirement from Artistic Swimming after an incredible 11 years in the sport. What a place to do it, Japan at the World Championships!

She also turned 21 whilst she was in Japan but we had to make do with celebrating when she got back home.

Tara filled her month with football, taking part in tournaments and goalie training. She was definitely at home in her goals! I celebrated feeling super healthy by dusting off my flute and joining a Wind orchestra – and loved it!

We also managed to get away for a spa weekend at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool, getting upgraded to the most enormous suite I’ve ever seen! A real treat to celebrate the all clear after surgery.

Book of the month for July was the charming, The Madonna of Bolton by Matt Cain – a hilarious yet touching account of being gay growing up in the north in the 1980’s.

August

Unfortunately, after a brilliant start to the month, spending time lifeguarding on the beaches of the North West, Violet ended up in hospital with glandular fever. None of us realised how rough this illness can make you. 36 hours in a back corridor of the hospital waiting for a bed on a ward was not fun!

Big birthday month! The month I finally turned 50 – and didn’t I let everyone know?! We had a glorious family afternoon tea at Oh Me Oh My in Liverpool while the boys and Tara went on the inflatables at Liverpool Water Sports Centre. Happily, Violet was well enough to come with us.

Tara and I spent a lovely afternoon pottery painting in Formby – then promptly forgot to go and collect our artwork. Wonder if they still have it?

I celebrated turning 50 during a 2 week family holiday in Croatia and it was just perfect. (Dermot did come with us, contrary to what the photos suggest!) Plenty of reading was done, a particular favourite being Any Human Heart by William Boyd – I love a good saga and this was incredible.

September

Back from holiday to more partying! You can’t say I didn’t milk this 50th!

Lifeguard Violet was finally given the all clear to be able to return to work, right at the end of the season. Speaking of work, I also started a new job! Millie started her final year of her degree in Bristol and Tara returned to Year 8 at school.

We made the most of our National Trust membership and paid a visit to Quarry Bank Mill to learn about the Industrial Revolution.

I was super excited to play my flute along with Maghull Wind Orchestra at the Liverpool Philharmonic – Lifetime ambition realised in one afternoon. So lucky that I had a gang of 10 to come and watch me!

At the end of the month, we were invited to preview the Halloween Light Festival at Partridge Lakes in Warrington.

Food was all about comfort with Carrot and Courgette Sesame Salad & Apple Crumble. Book of the month was The Trial by Rob Rinder, a return to my love of courtroom dramas.

October

Yet more 50th celebrations in October with a group of us going for Bottomless Brunch and an Abba Tribute night in Liverpool. Such a good laugh!

We travelled to several University Open Days with Violet, coming across some quite frankly scary dummies in the Paramedic Science departments!

We spent a glorious day in the sea on Anglesey – Even I got my wetsuit on a dipped in!

Tara took part in the football festival at St Helens Rugby Ground (I promise she did do other stuff this year other than football!)

We spent the end of the month down in Cornwall for plenty of water based activities (in the form of surfing, swimming and Storm Ciaran).

Book of the month belongs to Clare Mackintosh’s Game of Lies. The second in the DC Morgan series – I’m really looking forward to seeing how this series develops.

November

Yet more Lifeboat station visits at the start of November as we continued our holiday in Cornwall. We were incredibly lucky with the weather with the rest of the gang enjoying a dip in the Porthtowan sea Lido.

We arrived home just in time to watch the Fireworks at Totally Wicked Stadium. So glad that we were organised and booked tickets in advance.

What we made: This fabulous recipe for Coconut Ice (recipe coming soon).

We spent time in Liverpool researching for our Free Things to do in Liverpool post.

Reading in November consisted of catching up with several of the Angela Mason’s’ Kim Stone series which is my favourite series of all. Fairly gruesome but so good!

December

December started off with a girl’s weekend in the Lake District, where we got snowed in and had power cuts galore. It was brilliant fun!

We were invited to attend Press Night at Aladdin at St Helens Theatre Royal. One of the highlights of our Christmas each year.

We made the most of having babysitters with a couple of nights in Manchester watching tribute acts from The Clone Roses, Oasish and Laid.

For the second year running we watched the fabulous Festive Tractor Parade around Alder Hey hospital area in Liverpool.

We had a family Christmas Eve trip to Luminate Light Festival in Cheshire, then back home to finish decorating the Kransekake.

A lovely family Christmas (including a visit to the lifeguards working on the beach on Christmas Day) – Sadly Nanna was missing this year due to the dreaded C9vid catching up with her.

We finished off the year feeling refreshed and invigorated after another trip to Scarborough. Book of the month was A Song of Me and You by Mike Gayle – Feel good escapism that pulled at the heartstrings as so many of his books do.

And so that is the end of another year – We managed to fit in so much fun and hope you enjoyed our 2023 recap. Looking forward to what the year ahead brings!