Happy New Year!

Hello!

I hope you had a great Christmas. I'm currently nursing a Lemsip and a nasty dose of the flu, and outside the wind is howling and the rain is coming down in stair-rods. As new beginnings go, it could be better, but things can only improve from here, right?!

Reaching the end of the year is always a good excuse to reflect on all the fun stuff that has happened over the previous 12 months.

Some of my favourite things included walking the 33-mile Midhurst Way with one of my oldest friends and having a proud mum moment at our eldest son Oliver’s graduation.

We had a brilliant two-week family holiday to Scotland and Adrian and I finished the year with a weekend in London and a night at the London International Horse Show, which was - as always - great fun.

Seeing Dobbie is always one of the highlights of my week and this year we've enjoyed some lovely hacks with his owner Abi and big brother Lockie. Having a go round a cross country course was a nerve-wracking but fun way to round off my riding year.

There have been some tough times, too. My father-in-law, John, sadly passed away at the end of May and is very much missed. There have been hospital visits and trips to the vet for our three cats, demanding work schedules and slumps.

But, all in all, there is so much to be grateful for.

Most of all, I am grateful to you for picking up my books, whether for the first time or if you’ve been diving into them since The Lost Pony of Riverdale was first published nearly twelve years ago.

[I know, I can't believe it's been that long, either!]

And so, it's time for me to sign off and wish you a Happy New Year. I can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store for us all. And here are some of my best bits from 2024.

Much love,

Amanda x