I've spent the last month introspecting and implementing some imminent changes. One, in particular, has been connecting with my family and friends and visiting the city of Leicester, where I lived when I first arrived in the UK as a newlywed.

This was the perfect opportunity for me to reunite with my in-laws, whom I had not seen for ages.

_{A casual family meet-up at the beginning of December. Gill, my mother-in-law (left), @kaykeys, my stepson (centre) and @scubahead hubby (right).}

Gill is a force to be reckoned with, and amongst us, she's referred to as 'General Gill '. Hubby and I recently celebrated our 15th anniversary, which saw us apart due to work obligations. However, it was a great chance for Gill and I to bond, and we got on like a house on fire.

Gill's partner passed away earlier this year, so since this would have been her first Christmas alone, I decided to spend the entire Christmas into the new year, as she celebrates her birthday on New Year's Day.

Gill's beloved garden

This photo was taken while having our morning tea and reading the newspaper, a daily routine for Gill. We both like birds and animals in general, and she teaches me the names of the regular ones— robins, thrusts, magpies, pigeons, and squirrels— that perch down to eat food that she leaves for them every night.

There's also this stray cat that Gill has adopted.

Gill had a cat flap installed, so the cat sleeps and eats here and goes away for hours, returning ravenous. She now turns her nose up at some cat food, but she loves Whiskas.

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We spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

Gill says she's not the best cook, but she knows little secrets and takes delight in sharing them.

Our palettes are different, and herbs and spices, or seasonings in general, are not a priority for Gill's meals. So upon realising at the last minute that it meant there was no mint sauce for the leg of lamb, she said, Oh, there's a mint plant in the garden.

"Hey Gill! May I take a photo of you teaching me how to make mint sauce, for my blog?"

"If you must!" said Gill.

The thing is, there's mint growing in almost every garden in Jamaica, but we tend to only use it to make tea. So, the thought of making mint sauce from scratch never occurred to me.

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Chalk and cheese

I won't lie. Gill is 'full-on', hence her nickname, 'General Gill'.

Surprisingly, though, we are compatible and see eye to eye on many things, hence why my husband and some of my friends call me 'Sergeant Major'.

We both have strong personalities, the difference being that Gill is loud, demanding, high-maintenance, and talkative. Whereas I'm quiet, reserved, low maintenance and enjoy being in my little world, and as Gill has observed and said, "you're stubborn," which rang familiar like my mother's cry.

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Maintaining my sanity

It's been a marvellous experience— something that never happened before now, as I'm the kind who lets things such as friendship develop naturally. However, there are days when I need an escape, and I always go walking.

I need nature and the outdoors, and Leicester is the perfect city due to its mix of nature and city life, with historic buildings, shops, and multi-cultural liveliness.

This series of 6 photos was on my stroll across Victoria Park, which leads to Queens Road and Clarendon Park, which is known for its cosmopolitan flair, with several bars and restaurants.

My timing was good for the annual Christmas Street Fair, on Queen's Road.

Small business owners display handmade goods and products, inclusive of jewellery, arts and crafts for sale and street food.

I had samosas from an Indian stall, but I was still hungry, so I headed back to the town centre, which was only 10 minutes away.

City Centre and street scenes.

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I treated myself to what has become a guilty pleasure— pistachio milkshakes and hotdogs from a new dining outlet right by the clocktower in the town centre, called Five Guys. This was a convenient stop for me to warm up and watch the world go by while doing what appeared to be Christmas shopping.

Five Guys makes hot dogs how you dream of them, with a selection of 15 free toppings ranging from jalapenos, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce, and a lot more.

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Overall, my experience with Gill has been an entertaining, educational, and informative one.

"I'm from a family of nomads, from my grandparents down, who have all been in the forces," says Gill.

She's lived an exciting life, from being a war baby and the only child of parents who ran a huge public house (pub), to being an Au Pair for 6 kids in America, where she met my husband's father, to being an international telephone operator in the USA and UK, an air traffic controller in the Royal Airforce, to being the front of house at one of the prominent museums in Leicester for many years... and yes, I've heard several tales, several times, and that's also been something for me to ponder.

My brain has expanded, and my mind's listening speed has increased after taking in all the stories. However, this connection with my mother-in-law has been a positive one, which I'm happy that I made the effort to do, as this will help me to go into the new year with an optimistic mindset.

Thank you for being part of my journey in 2023, and I'm looking forward to 2024.

Happy New Year, Y'all 🔮

_{All images were taken by me.}