I spent a pleasant Boxing Day at one of my favourite walking spots in London: Wimbledon Common which is like a little forest haven hidden away in the corner of South London. Weather was on the mild side, made even more agreeable by the sun peeking out on numerous occasions.
Wimbledon Village is ‘quaint’: not only does it boast the Common, but there are boutique shops including Comptoir des Cotonniers, Cath Kidston, Jigsaw and Hobbs; restaurants and cafes; and smart pubs. I wasn’t alone in heading for this green space as there were quite a few families enjoying the Monday-that-felt-like-a-Sunday Boxing Day walkabout. But I didn’t mind. Here I could still disappear in private solitude and reflect on wherever my thoughts flew, including plans for the coming year. To quote William Wordsworth:
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills…
Travel highlights of 2016 were Beirut, Lebanon; Amman, Jordan; and Zadar, Croatia. On my wish list for 2017 are Asia and Asia Pacific.
Music I’ve enjoyed this year (not necessarily produced in 2016):
Love+War (album) by Kwabs – I’m a bit late to the party on this one, but who cares?
Making Time and Mirrorwriting (albums) by Jamie Woon.
The Best of Earl Klugh – laid back lounge jazz and I love it.
Feel So Close (single) by Calvin Harris
Breaking the Rules (single) by Jack Savoretti – appeals to my adventurous side.
Rodrigo: Concerto de Aranjuez by Xuefei Yang
In Christ Alone (album) by Keith and Kristyn Getty
2016 Anthem – Fighter by Christina Aguilera
I’ve been reading a few books on writing this year and these included On Writing Well by William Zinsser; and Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clarke.