How I feel about the new year

It is amazing how Christmas comes and now we are heading into a new year. I am not going out but plan to stay up to watch the fireworks in London and looking forward to celebrating. 

So what is next? Well it means more Radio shows. I do a two hour show on Sundays and is a charity and filming more vlogs. Check Epsom Hospital radio to listen to the radio station, if you are in the UK.

I am going into the next year with an open mind and see what happens. I am not necessarily going to plan too much as such because I just want to just go with the flow as I want more of what I had in 2025 and not set too many goals. 

                                           

Too much is too much and I need to remind myself that sometimes it is good to have low expectation. 

"It is good to go with the flow and watch things grow". 

I think I have been so lost from reality and so intense with life and so I want to let life take its course and focus on each day, more. I want to sit in the back seat for a while and I feel I no longer have to prove anything; Life is not about to do lists but what will fulfill my wellbeing.

I loved our walks we did from Putney to Hammersmith. I definitely like to do that again. It is amazing to see how Fulham FC where I first worked, has become and yes I do support Chelsea but still like to look out for my neighbours and that Fulham has become an enterprise. 

It was good to go to the cinema and the theatre. So there's not a lot I want to change and would love more pub lunches when having days out. Going to see a #rugby match and football and take Henry to his sports clubs and have days in aswell, as out.

I enjoyed Christmas and in 2026 it is about more tranquility and not rushing. I really don't like making a mad dash to be somewhere and so I get up early to read, time to get dressed, something to eat and then me and Henry go for a coffee and then he goes to his lesson. 

There is a feeling of hope, because Henry is doing an assessment at a school. He didn't get a place, so going to see what happens about that, but wait to see what happens and so feel good about 2026 and a Happy New Year to you and not able change but continuing to grow as a mum and writer. Not being so intense and I am looking forward to see what 2026 will bring. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Bringing back my Daily blog 2026

I am not sure if I will be blogging on this blog site each day so will be more a weekly posts. I like to try each day again but I know that that would not be a certainty. 

Thank you to those who have visited this site, it is not the end of this blogsite by any means, I just won't be daily. 

It is now Christmas 2025 and it has been a good year. A bit different as my son gets tutored because he didn't get a school placement and so been having lessons at the local library and so it has been different but his tutor is brilliant and so I have been there because my son still gets a bit of separation anxiety. He won't go to the toilet without me so I hang around and I have been doing a lot of planning and journaling. 

#today it is a bus ride to Morden and had a coffee, picked up some wine and other bits. I have some gifts to put together. 

Is Christmas overrated? 

I like the peacefulness on Christmas day and getting up when I want and not having to be anywhere. We went to our yearly trip to see a Panto. It was Snow White and the comedian Aaron James was brilliant and Robert Rinder was in it along with Lesley Joseph and the best one I have seen and I see one every year. 

Watching the Royal Variety was okay. As a kid I never missed one. This was back in the 80's and 90's but now I don't get that much joy but variety is good and as a kid hoped one day I'd be on the stage myself but that never happened, but one can only dream. I loved the magic act who won Britain's Got Talent and the balancing act, along with the bit they did about Band Aid, it just I remember as a child it was live and now its recorded. I remember many acts had been band like certain comedians and then they were reinstated. I loved it back as a kid, because I love Cannon and Ball. Artists like Shirley Bassey, who would do the end performance and is famous all over the world. 

If you ever get a chance to host, sing and dance etc. You knew you made it, into show business and glad it continues to be on and as we need variety acts. I love circus type acts, magic, mixed with comedy and music.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

The Summer Holidays 2025

What a Summer Holiday it has been. My son went to his Holiday Club, been doing lots of walking and exploring. 

Picture I took of Windsor Castle  

We have been to Windsor with my mum and step dad, and was a really good trip. We have been swimming and walking various bus routes as my son is really into his buses at the moment and did 30,000 + steps to Kingston and walking some parts back to Epsom, walked to Morden and visited Morden Hall which we love and just doing things we both enjoy. 

Summer Holidays can be such a good bonding time and my son loves my company and loves going to different places, and we have about two weeks left. 

Henry has not got a place yet, as he is now at the age to go to Secondary School, but it has been stressful. I didn't realise how hard it would be. The problem is, because he is under SEND, there are limited amount of schools, but also the handling of Henry's Case, has not been good and so we are stuck but pray that it all works out.

I have returned to Parkrun and really enjoying it, Henry will be returning to his football training and so I will be taking part in doing Parkrun again solo. Henry will be doing his Rugby on a Sunday. I took a month break from my Radio show because of the School #summer holiday, but will be returning in September.

I do a show on Sunday's 4pm to 6pm: https://www.epsomhospitalradio.org.uk/on-air/presenters/carrie-challoner

It has also been a time of a declutter and getting ready for the change of season and be doing my yearly Autumn Reset, getting some unfinished tasks done, like building my other two Youtube channels: Financial Living: 

And my Educational Youtube Channel: 

I published my book Mum&Me: https://read.amazon.co.uk/sample/B0BGSS7H9K?clientId=share and completing the first draft of another book. I feel writing is a therapy, along with walking and grateful for my legs and hands that I can do the things I enjoy and my son is funny as he likes to work on his Laptop personating me. 

So it is all systems go and more things to come. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Things you can do in Wimbledon

It is the end of the week and it is good that we have done quite a bit. Lots of walking, coffees and trips on bus and train. Today we stayed local but still walked and getting last bits done before we pack up to spend sometime in Wimbledon for a week and a bit. 

Picture I took Walking to Wimbledon Village 

There are many things to do in Wimbledon. You have the shopping center, lots of places to eat and drink. I took my son to Pizza Express on the Broadway and it was really nice, but didn't think much of Wagamma's. We went there twice this month and both times the meal was not too good. Too dry. I will had my usual, a Chicken and Prawn Soba bowl. 

Yet my son loved his meal which I can't remember what it was called but he liked it. 

We often, my son and I go to see a film in the Wimbledon Odeon, take a trip to Collierswood and yesterday we walked from Wimbledon to Morden to get the bus back to Epsom. 

There are many routes you can take from Wimbledon. It famous for the Wimbledon Tennis, there is Wimbledon park and Wimbledon Common. 

I like to take a trip to Putney and walk along the river and we did that recently. Check out this Vlog: https://youtu.be/zt60Lz6JDuU

Putney is good place to go to see the Boatrace that has been going on for years and still a popular event, with so much history behind it. You can walk to Fulham from Putney following onto Chelsea. The Kings Road is very famous. It became famous in the 60's and spent a lot of time around there, myself in the 90's, as my mum and dad's parents lived in Chelsea and spent most of my childhood around there. You can walk to South Kensington, with the Museums, then this can take you to Knightsbridge and Hyde Park and is a great place to shop, have a bite to eat and watch the changing of guard if you carry on and walk through St James park.

I do like my home town, London it can be a good place but it has changed a lot. 

A couple of weeks ago took train from Hayden's road to London Blackfriars and walked to Pimlico. 

I did a Vlog showing our walk. I love exploring especially up London so more Vlogs to come. Check this one out. This a Vlog I posted last Friday: https://youtu.be/69S4MLWamGo

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

What To Do When it is Rainy

It is good to see the rain rather than the steaming heat, for a bit, as it was getting too much but actually it is still humid and had itchy eyes this morning. 

                                          

I remember going to watch rugby when it used to be in the winter and we'd, my friend and her parents, go to watch a match getting soaked but noone including ourselves cared. I felt it was part of the experience and never got us down. So that is one thing to do is watching sport. I feel it helped take your mind off the weather and other things in your life. 

LET IT RAIN!

Henry is likes to still play outside which in the summer is okay but not winter, because it can be frosty but depends and he hates wearing a coat. My son refuses to put on a jacket that has a hood. 

You can still have a BBQ as long as you got cover. When my husband picks us up to go back to Epsom on Sundays, as we go home to Wimbledon, we meet for a coffee first even if we don't go shopping and we all enjoy it and a great start for the day. 

Having a Sports TV Day with drinks, snacks, with a sports tops on and a good way that you can unwind if it is the weekend or a movie day. 

I do like it when the football season starts. We have been watching the Women Euros and getting frustrated with the England Ladies and how we won against Sweden I do not know but put it down to sheer determination. I think some practice with penalties is in need as they were not good and feel we were hanging off a thread to get through and feel my blood pressure rising as I write that. 

With Rainy days it can be a good day to clean and have a declutter. I am at the moment decluttering one thing a day, because I get too overwhelmed if I do it in one go and working on some training for my educational Youtube channel, about Changing one thing, so will post when this has been put together, but excited about it and rainy days is a good day to get the home clean and tidied getting the people you live involved. 

Why not d some training. There is Skillshare, Ofcourse and Youtube there is a lot of training on writing, organisation, journaling and can be a good platform to learn. 

Please click here to visit my Educational Youtube Channel of other training I have done so far. 

Make a cooked breakfast. We did this this morning, well my mum and step dad and it was lovely. 

Have a nice breakfast in bed, watching some TV or a reading afternoon. When Henry, my son was a baby and toddler he would be super grumpy after his afternoon nap so would read to him and he found it soothing so if you have little ones great time to enjoy a bit of story time and also dancing. My son and I before he went to school would dance. 

So don't allow rain to stop you from having a good day and if you'd like to read more blogs then you can by subscribing and why not check out my Youtube Channel Typical London Gal.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Feeling Anxious About Staying in Or Going Out

Today I was stressing over like I do daily because I wanted to go out but anxious about it and when I plan a day indoors I get anxious about that. I went out and feels good that I didn't listen to the voice of doubt and journaled whilst having a ice coffee and a Bacon and Brie Panini. I don't have this all the time but now and then and then went to a view the shops, picked up a milk shake for my son and now home and sigh feeling, "So good I listened to my gut and ignored the voice of doubt". 

Our minds control us physically but the gut is the ruler of the body when it comes to getting up and if something feels good or bad and makes the decisions. From my own experience I stop listening to the doubt to say "No, get out" and I feel in control more now, when the anxiousness creeps in. 

Each week when editing a blog I have self doubt because of feeling "Will anyone read it?" or "Will I complete it and be successful". There was no such thing in my childhood and a young adult, like there was no Youtube, no streaming and so I had no idea of what this was until I read a book and my colleagues showed me Youtube and creating a website and it is a strange world.

Editing my books "Will anybody read it?" "Does it make sense?" but I now when I get these thoughts, tell myself its the tail of the story that matters and is relatable. It is a nervous thing because you do feel somewhat Vulnerable, but feel proud in that I have what it takes to put a book together and I love writing and I enjoy creating stories and enjoy writing blogs, so now I have learned to turn the anxiousness into excitement and building a positive self belief. 

Did you know that Roy Keane who is now a Pundit and played for Manchester United got nervous before playing in a match? I had no idea and you would never have thought it, but yes and I remember when listening to Mel Robbins who said the human mind does no the difference between excitement and feeling scared so the inner doubt is a source of protection and gut is what comes through that stirs you on. This is from my own body and mind. 

It can wear you down and be like a parasite. It niggles at your and when something does go wrong you get that "told yourself". This makes me think of the Joker in Batman smirking at you but once you fight it, it can go and things won't go to plan. 

I hope this helps if you too get super anxious all the time and get some comfort that you aren't alone in having anxious about everything and believe you can control it.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Spending Time At A Garden Centre

Today I met with my mum at Morden Hall which is situated in Morden has a lovely park where you can walk, a cafe if you fancy a coffee and a shop. 

I am loving putting my Journal together and so bought some greeting cards, some nice cookies, and a purse to help organize a bag with.

I took the bus and then walked and had a coffee with my mum, did a bit of shopping and then got bus back and its nice to be in a different environment. I love a Garden Centre. The one in Chessington do Christmas events and took my son to one one year and it was brilliant, as they did have Santa there.

Being on my laptop all day does me no good. I love writing and sharing my life online, but I also like some quiet time and not film. It's taking in the moment and just concentrate on where I am presently out and I like the bus ride to Morden from Epsom, listening to an audio book or music and looking out of the window. ,

Morden Hall park is very big and you can walk through it where there is a pond and walked all the way to Colliers Wood before now and there is a farm nearby. A popular walk for families, dogs and joggers. Even cycling and then there is the walk to Wimbledon. It is quite a distance but my son and I have done it and you can get the 200 bus from Mitcham to Raynes park, from Colliers Wood that takes you Wimbledon and from Colliers wood to London. The 219 goes all they way to Clapham Junction which my son and I have been on as my son loves Buses and trains and it is a good ride and then can continue on getting the 156 to Battersea and Vauxhall. 

Also to Kingston from Collierswood. You can get the 131, 219 to Wimbledon and 57 to Kingston. If you'd like to Richmond then you can bet those buses into Wimbledon to get the 493 to Richmond, or 93 to Putney Bridge. 

I love shops that have little Knick Knacks and good places to find gifts.

So yes feel it is good to visit a garden centre even if you not a gardener. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X