The List

Yesterday's view from the chicken hut,up the hill. You can just see the chimneys of our house on the left there.

The snow is still here, and another inch or so has fallen today.

Yep, the New Year Resolutions List.  Gotta be done, I'm afraid.

Though, actually, the only reason it's gotta be done is that I'm getting older, and more blimmin' forgetful.  I find now that if I don't write it down, it don't get done.  At the moment I've lost my last year's diary.  Now, that shouldn't be a problem in itself, except that it's one of those that goes on until next June or somesuch.  But, I've decided to go back to my ever faithful filofax - the one I've had since about 1988, when they were all the rage and my brother gave it to me for my birthday.  I drag it out every so often and it does me quite well.  However, my current problem is that I haven't transferred my appointments into the filofax from the old diary.  Oh well, as I generally find, it will turn up at some point.  So long as it's not after my precious next hair (colour and cut) appointment, nothing else is that important.  (My hairdresser is so good, so local, and so booked up that if you miss your appointment, you're hard pushed to be allowed to make another - ask me, I know.)

Anyway.  The List.

1. make a birthday present each month, even if no birthdays in that month.  My sister-in-law (the moo) sent us a calendar at Christmas, with all their birthday dates marked in it.  Mr T isn't offended, but then it's not him who sends the cards and presents, or gets the blame if they don't arrive.
2. make a Christmas present each month, the rush this year was just plain silly.  We know it happens each year, we know the date in advance.  No excuses for being late or rushing
3. we are joining weightwatchers on Thursday, the weight has to come off now.  I am currently prescribed pills for blood pressure and cholesterol, which I hate.  But, following my mum's recent heart attack, it is likely that I shall follow suit.  And, the GP has promised that if I can reduce either/both of these, I can come off the pills.  A no brainer.
4. get rid of all the rubbish, even if it means USING the fabric and yarn in my stash in order to do so.  It must go.  There are other fabrics and yarns I wish to own.  So, some existing stuff has to go to make room.
5. the rubbish thing also means the clothes I have hoarded - to get slim and fit into them again ...  We've all done it, I have done it big time.  The boot of my car is currently housing about five sacks of stuff that is ready to go to the charity shop.  Go it must.  It is not allowed back into the house, even if I decide I want it back, before the snow melts and I can get my car out of the drive.  No admittance.
6. and another rubbish thing - people and situations.  The situations I have more or less got sorted, except the Rural, where I am secretary until May.  And, then I shall NEVER, EVER be on another committee again.  And the people who are not really friends after all, or those who do me down, or I just don't like - are now banished from my life.  I have some wonderful friends, and some wonderful family - I do not need anyone else, and the 'rubbish' are no longer part of my life.
7. health - now, I love riding, it is good for my back, my fitness, my posture.  I shall do more of it.  At least once a fortnight I will ride.  And, then I will Swim - ooh, that stretching is just luvverly!  Sleep.  Another area I fall down a lot on.  From tomorrow (it is now after midnight and I'm up, typing this) I will be in my bed by 10 o'clock.  If I read, watch telly, have sex, or sleep, I will be in my bed.  I just bought a flannelette sheet for our bed and it is the most luxurious comfy item I have bought in a long time.  Except, of course, the velvet coat I treated myself to just before Christmas, which is a joy to wear.
8. clothes - which I have always loved and taken pride in.  However, as I've been just a housekeeper for the past five years, I haven't bothered with, too much.  But, now that I am doing other, professional, work as well, I have revelled in having to have 'proper' clothes to wear.  This will continue, as of now.
9. making stuff - such a pleasure to lose myself in making something for somebody, or even myself.  If I practice more, I shall improve, thus get more pleasure from this.  Yesterday, I was almost speechless with joy as my daughter wanted to sew with me!  I decided that, as lolly-dolly-pop was here and a captive audience, I could whip up a pair of trousers for her, and my daughter had a go at sewing a couple of the seams - er, an un-heard of presidence!  More of that, please.
10. keeping in touch - with the people I love.  Now, I am absolutely rubbish at keeping in touch with people.  I am happy to speak, email or write when I am contacted but crap at picking up the 'phone etc to open up the dialogue (I love that word dialogue for some reason.)  Trouble is, people do get upset when I don't get in touch with them, and I think they think it must be just them.  But, it's not - it's me!  So, this year, prompted by my best friend, Flick, who suggested she wanted to write proper letters in the future, I shall do the same.  I have bought nice paper and envelopes, and will stock up on stamps.  I will collect up my Christmas cards from this year and, as usual, sort out the pile of people I simply must write to, and WRITE to them.
11. money - sort out my money and my spending habits.  I have to find an accountant to organise my income, pensions, tax and stuff - pronto.  And, as an exercise in being more thrifty and not wasting dosh, I want to find out how much Mr T and I would have to live on each week if we had to survive on the state pension - and see how far we could live on that.
12. be happy - I think that if I do some or all of the above, I will feel more in control of myself and my life.

This is probably a bit 'navel watching' but, ..... well, so what?

HAPPY NEW YEAR, (and new decade) EVERYBODY