Ros Thompson Bach Flower Practitioner/ Reflexologist/Reiki Master

02/01/2026

Happy New Year and here's to 2026

I have to say I am very relieved that it is all over and that slowly we can ease ourselves back into work and a return to normality.

Despite the fact that we have been busy and the days have been filled with the love and laughter of our wonderful grandchildren - we have had our evenings to ourselves and watched an array of Christmas TV - old, new and traditional - sad funny and nostalgic.

I have done 3 sessions at the care home, and I have confess that it has been like going home - the welcome of a huge hug from so many of the lovely girls - I will be doing much more in 2026.

I have also dipped and in out of work during the break - I knew that one or two clients would need some support and that was provided - it's not an easy time of year for so many and I am privileged to be able to help so many.

My journey with the remedies is marching into 2026 with strength and support from many, I have two commitments for large companies.

on the Blink is also incredibly busy and lots planned with the new employers bill on the horizon and many more companies looking to enhance their knowledge regarding the menopause.

I am also planning to spread the knowledge of dementia wearing my Brand Ambassador badge for House - thanks to my past life in the corporate world experience I have some wonderful opportunities already in the diary.

Just for once there is a plan and a strategy for the first quarter of 2026 and I am so looking forward to seeing you all.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year and here we go into 2026.......

🔔Were you awake to hear the church bells last night - or did sleep take precedence.

We were asleep long before midnight and undisturbed by the local fireworks - woke up bright and early and with a clear head!

The tradition of bell ringing on New Years Eve - and the ringing in of the new year very loudly on is a tradition all round the world, in Japan for example there’s a Bell-ringing Ceremony, and the new year is welcomed with 108 strikes of the end of the year bell which is called a Joya No Kane.

🔔This tradition is based in the Buddhist belief system that there are 108 worldly desires and ringing the bell helps to keep these in control, this gets the new year off to a good start.

📢There are other noisy things that are also used at midnight on New Years Eve, guns in Thailand, in Denmark plates and glasses are smashed, in Italy furniture is thrown out of the window when the clock strikes 12.

🎆Here we should be thankful that we just have the bells, fireworks, and any party noise that we are allowed to have.

What did you do last night and I hope you had a good night whatever you did?

31/12/2025

What are you eating tonight - how are you celebrating - are you out to dinner or catering and entertaining?

Having entertained for years - with a full 3 course lavish meal, I actually researched a lot of what I cooked. Now it's a lunch - and tomorrow is a home made soup with bread and cheese as per the request from our guests !!!

Here are some ideas from around the world - 👉in Mexico, they celebrate with a sweet dish called Brunuelos, crispy fritters covered with syrup and served on a ceramic dish. After you have eaten the dish the key part is that you want a New Year wish to come true you will need to smash the ceramic plate against the wall or ceiling. This is associated with breaking with the past and moving onto new things in the year to come.

👉In South Korea the people think themselves one year older on the New Year, rather than on their birthdays. Eating a traditional soup called Tteoguk is a part of celebrating that new year. This hot soup is made of broth, rice cakes and a mix of meat and vegetables topped with eggs, spring onions and roasted seaweed. It was thought to bring good luck.

👉In Germany, pigs represent money and good fortune. For a prosperous and lucky year, you add pork to your dinner or, alternatively snack on sugar pigs -Glucksschweins - these are small, pig-shaped treats made of sweetened almond paste.

👉In Austria as in Germany the Pig is a good luck symbol, and roasted suckling pig is served on New Years eve. Called Sylvesterabend after St Sylvester. They also have the Sugared pigs as well.

👉In Italy, they serve lentils alongside pork sausage and the lentils symbolize future wealth.

👉In Mexico some people place lentils on their doorsteps or carry the beans in their pockets to bring good luck on New Year’s Eve.

👉In Greece they serve Vasilopita is a traditional Greek cake served at midnight on New Years Eve to celebrate the life of Saint Basil. When the cake is baked a coin is inserted through the base and when cut the person who finds the coin is said to be granted luck for the rest of the year. My daughter bakes this cake every year.

What will you will you be eating for New Years Eve - do you have a special menu?

31/12/2025

🆕What do you do for New Year's eve - are you a party person? Do you celebrate with friends and family at home? Or do you quietly slide into bed and sleep through it all!

🎉Having had a family to look after for for many years we always entertained at home - they used to be late night dinner parties - we used to dress for dinner!!. Now we don't even stay up for fireworks - but we do have a New Year Day lunch! 🎊

I have been looking at some traditions around the world.

Here in the UK we have First footing, little is known, however there may be a connection to the Viking invasion of the UK, it was thought then that the arrival of a blond stranger at your door would cause fear and alarm. 👉

❤First footing is the process of bringing coal and knocking on doors and a group singing of Auld Lang Syne to pass from the old to the new within the Celtic new year.

👉Fuel was gathered and food collected and the coal lit to welcome the new year.

There are variations on first footing around the world, but basically a tall dark-haired male is preferred, the guest is expected to bring symbolic gifts and in return should be given food and drink by the house owners. If they come empty handed it is thought to bring bad luck.

🍪They should bring either a silver coin shortbread or a black bun, salt, coal and a drink which is usually whisky. These gifts represent prosperity, food, flavour, warmth for the house and good cheer.

This continues strongly in Scotland and parts of northern England and also in the Isle of Man.

🇬🇷When I lived in Greece, great care was taken as to who came into the house first on New Years Day. Here it is called “pothariko” and it is believed that the first person to enter the house on New Years Day brings either good or bad luck.

Many households even now keep this tradition and select the person who comes in first. After the first footer entered the lady of the house will serve guests with Christmas treats and gives them money to ensure that good luck will come in the new year. This still happens in many villages in Greece to this day.

Have you ever been first footing?

30/12/2025

Do you make New Year's resolutions?❓

Where did they come from - who on earth thought them up?❓

👉Will you be making any? Have you made any in the past and actually stuck to them or do you simply get frustrated when you fail!

❤Personally I used to make them - when I smoked - over 40 years ago I resolved to give up every year and eventually just stopped, I think we have all resolved to lose weight over the years and yet sadly come to a halt. There are no ends of situations that we can all remember.

However did you know that the idea is as old as the Babylonians......❗

Here is the story ......

Go back to the Babylonians, who were said to have made promises to the gods in the hope that they would earn good favour in the coming year. They often were determined to get out of debt.

Many of us are still making resolutions today but how many of us are keeping them, for the early Christians the first day of the new year was a time to think about the past mistakes and make a resolution not to repeat them.

John Wesley the founder of the Methodist church created the Covenant Renewal Service for New Years Eve and New Years Day. These were also known as watch night services and including hymn singing and served as a spiritual alternative to the customary celebration.

There are services that are still popular in many African American congregations. Despite the religious roots of the resolutions, they are often still made today but not to the gods but for themselves, most of them are also secret which also then allows people to break them.

🆕Will you be making a New Years Resolution? If so how will you stick to it?

I would so love to know your thoughts❓

29/12/2025

❓ How was your Christmas?

Are you relaxed and chilled and enjoying the quiet lull between now and New Years Eve, or are you shattered and exhausted - full of happy memories from a great Christmas or just wanting it all to get back to normal?

We have had a very different Christmas – unusually relaxed but with different mixes of emotions – it has been fun, relaxing, beautiful and a time of change.

However, we are now looking forward to how we face the new year and for me personally looking at planning what happens in 2026.

Do you make new year’s resolutions – is there anything you would like to change and do differently – for me I need very much to learn to say “No” a little more often – I need to take on less and spend a little more time with myself. Does this resonate with you?

Do you feel guilty when you say no?

Learning to say no from time to time isn’t selfish = it’s essential for our health and wellbeing.

That one small word can help us regain balance, choice, and personal power. For many years, I was a people pleaser. I believed that if I kept saying “yes”, I would be liked and accepted. Instead, I became overwhelmed, exhausted, and stretched far beyond my limits.

I eventually realised that the only way forward was to say No more often. I also looked and realised that some people took advantage of my kindness too and this didn’t feel right.

❗ Why saying yes costs you!

When we say yes to everyone else, the person who suffers is often ourselves. Too much pressure and too little space can leave us drained, dissatisfied, and disconnected from what we truly need. Learning to say no doesn’t mean being unkind - it means having healthy boundaries. And importantly, we don’t need to apologise for them.
It is also sometimes difficult to find the right words – this comes with practice.

🌿 Centaury and the struggle to say no 🌿
Dr Bach gave us, Centaury the remedy to support those who are kind, quiet, and eager to please. These are the people who struggle to refuse, rarely complain, and often feel tired or overworked because they put everyone else first.

♥️ The quiet power of no

When you learn to say no with kindness and clarity, you create space for what truly matters. Over time, yes becomes a choice rather than an obligation, and you can serve others while staying true to yourself.

Saying no allows you to live and work in a way that is sustainable, meaningful, and compassionate - to others and to yourself. ♥️

26/12/2025

I hope you have all had a beautiful Christmas Day, for ne it was a day of firsts!!!!

First Christmas without seeing Mum - she was missed very much but it was her time.

First time on Christmas when Ive not driven my car anywhere!!!!

First time I've not cooked a full sit down meal for at least 20 years (bar 1).

It felt strange but it was just right. Thank you Ani Stavrova and Efthimis Mastoropoulos for joining us for a beautiful day.

Obviously we also had our beautiful little family with us. Thank you Eleni and Daniel for a fabulous day.

No matter what you do today here is a little known fact for you

A little known fact about today - Boxing day - where did it come from - it comes from a time when the rich used to box up gifts to give to the poor. It was traditionally a day off for servants, and the day when they received a special Christmas box from their masters. The servants would also go home on this day to give Christmas boxes to their families. What a beautiful gesture!

Hope you have a beautiful day and enjoy continued break.

25/12/2025

The 25th December, Christmas Day has finally arrived, regardless of your situation I hope are able to find the joy.

Whatever you are doing make the most of the occasion, find some fun and some laughter, if you are having to work - we thank you, those who work today are always those who we need at a time of crisis so we do thank you sincerely.

We are having a Christmas with a difference - no big sit down lunch - just a beautiful table full of food for everyone to pick on throughout the day. With three beautiful grandsons under the age of 6 sit down meals are really too stressful and this has to be without stress today!

The ratio of adults to children is 2 to 1 so we will muck in together and I am so looking forward to it. Presents are the minimum, quality time is maximum and I think the weather is on our side this year.

When I look at what I wrote last year, about last year possibly being Mum's last I was right, we will hold her in our hearts and raise a glass to her. She is much missed but always remembered fondly.

Have a beautiful day whatever you are doing Merry Christmas.

24/12/2025

⛪Christmas Eve has many of its own customs and traditions throughout the world, the most widely known tradition is that most people will go to a Midnight Mass Church Service, this is especially prevalent in Catholic churches around the world.

It is considered to be the most important church service of the season.
Some people may fast on Christmas Eve, and then the main meal is usually eaten after the service.

The Midnight mass communion service is very special as it is the only one that was allowed to start after sunset (and before sunrise the next day.

In some countries it is also the day when people exchange presents, Germany, Sweden and Portugal for example, in other European countries it is the day when the Christmas Tree is brought into the house and decorated. 🎁

Another tradition for this day is to bring the Yule log into the house and light in on Christmas Eve. It was lit using a piece of the previous years log and then would burn nonstop until twelfth night. 🎄

❄️Tradition also said that any greenery such as Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe should only be taken into the house on Christmas Eve.

There are a lot of superstitions surrounding Christmas Eve but wherever you are and what ever your situation I hope you have a beautiful Christmas Eve, are safe and sound in your little worlds and able to enjoy the day, many of my friends are working so please celebrate whenever you are able and enjoy.🎅

23/12/2025

"There’s something magical about Rescue Remedy."

I remember a chemist opposite my mother’s home who said he could barely stock enough of it during exam season. Students relied on it for calm, for focus, for getting through high-pressure moments.

Driving tests, university dissertations, even nerve-wracking presentations - people took it and noticed a difference. They couldn’t explain how it worked. And does it matter? If it eases anxiety and helps you feel calmer, that’s what counts.

This is the beauty of holistic remedies - they work in ways that are gentle, human, and real. You feel the difference, and that’s enough.
For practical, trustworthy holistic support, Rescue Remedy and more is available at Remedies by Ros 🌿

It might help you this week to get through Christmas!

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Please view this video and let us know your thoughts and feedback. Happy watching!

22/12/2025

🎁Christmas Crackers

The Christmas cracker is a real favourite in the UK and they were first made in circa 1845 by a man called Tom Smith who was a London sweet maker. He had seen the French “bon bon” sweets on a visit to Paris and came back to London and tried selling sweets like that in England with a small motto and riddle in the sweet wrapping. It didn’t work very well.

🎄There is a story that in 1861 he launched a new range that he called Bangs of Expectation, apparently the story goes that while he was sitting in front of his log fire one evening he became very interested by the sparks and cracks coming from the fire and he then thought it would be great fun to wrap his sweets in something that would create the same crack and spark.

🎆However, despite this beautiful story the fact was that he bought the receipt for the cracks and bangs from Brocks Fireworks – the lovely cosy story just helped him sell the items.

When Tom died, the business passed to his sons Tom, Walter and Henry. Walter introduced the hats into crackers, and he also travelled around the world looking for new ideas for the gifts to go into the crackers. The crown hats might be inspired from Epiphany cakes from Europe which are often decorated with a paper crown on the top.

🎇The company built a huge range of themed crackers, for bachelors and spinsters, crackers for the suffragettes, war heroes and even Charlie Chaplain fans. Crackers were also made for special occasions like the Coronation. The Royal family still have special crackers made for them today. They even made very expensive crackers – Millionaire’s crackers which contained a solid silver box with a piece of gold and silver jewellery inside!

Nowadays they are often filled with a joke and an amusing fact and a small toy. However, there are some kits for you to make them yourselves – what ever you have enjoy it and have fun with the new found facts that you have read. ❣

19/12/2025

❓With just over a week to go to Christmas Day – How are you?

The dreaded question – where are you in terms of readiness? 🙂

Are you efficient and been ready for weeks?😉

Last minute dash to get it all done before the children finish school?🏃‍♀️‍➡️

Or have you simply given up and decided that it will be done when it’s done.😌

The responsibility of being ready and in the right place at the right time at this time of year can be quite onerous.

Some people seemingly manage to sale through it all without too much fuss and worry, some people are able to go away every year and let others carry the burden (that’s not quite fair but it happens.

Then there's work – there seems to be a need to clear the decks before the Christmas break.

😊However, as I realised one year often this is done by sending out emails to simply pass the job of work onto someone else. This again doesn’t quite work and only puts pressure on your colleagues.

If you are in a workplace that is closed till the new year and your tasks are not done before Christmas Eve the chances are that no one will look at them until January anyway so take the pressure off yourself.

If you are working between the celebrations – then enjoy the quietest time of the year – unless of course you are an accountant!!

🎁Whatever your situation I have put a list of things below that may just help you over the next few days and there is a blog to help you also:-
❣ Matching pyjamas are really not essential
❣ You don’t need to have loads of photos on social media on Christmas Day
❣ You don’t need a Christmas Eve box of goodies – you just need peace calm and some happiness
❣ Remember your presence is far more important than presents!
❣ The Christmas movie doesn’t have to be on a new TV
❣ Your decorations don’t have to be colour coordinated – they are yours to do as you wish with.
❣ The size of your gift doesn’t represent how good a parent you are.
❣ Your children will grow up only remembering the love and laughs they had at Christmas not the size of the gift

Your Christmas will be perfect and don’t let social media hype spoil it for you.