No big New Years resolutions here

I’m no spring chicken at 48 years old, and I have done my time over the years at making new years resolutions only to last a few weeks and fall right back into the habits of a lifetime, but with the added bonus of feeling like a failure to boot – and that’s before I now factor in a chronic illness that sees me deal with constant pain every day. I’ve certainly learned over the past 10 years of dealing with illness and pain that I have very little control of how my body will be from day to day. It eats away at any control you have over life in general, on a daily basis, let alone factor in dramatic new years resolutions like joining a gym, or getting out running or even walking for that matter. Any activity I do has a huge knock on affect that impacts what I will be able to do either later that day or for a few days after.

So this year, as with the last previous few years, I have opted for very small changes across the year that then accumulate to make a bigger change overall, without putting any pressure on myself or creating unnecessary anxiety. The changes are very small steps that creates a bit of a ripple into the year, and yet they can be totally achievable even with a chronic illness. So there will be no big New Years resolutions here.

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Out with 2013 and in with 2014!

DSCF4022Normally Christmas for me brings stress, running around, a deterioration in health, more stress and results in a huge loss of enjoyment of the Christmas spirit!!

This year has been different. Each year I vow to be organised and ready early and each year I fail to do it. But this year I did manage it. I thought of and organised presents early, I had my cards written in October ( don’t shoot me I was just trying to beat my MIL to it…..and I did LOL). My decorations went up on the first weekend getting everyone in the Christmas mood.

I had my OH help me with all the major food shopping AND I made lists about what I actually had in the cupboards and what I still needed. I also farmed out presents as I arranged to see everyone so I didn’t end up delivering them last minute. I even managed to get them all into Christmas jumpers/ tops LOL

I had lots of social stuff on the run up to the big day and after the New Year which meant my actual Christmas week was chilled, relaxed and VERY enjoyable.

New Years Eve was spent at a film ( Walter Mitty) and having food at Bluewater in Kent and then home in the evening to see in the gong’s and celebrations, where I managed to torture the teens and my OH by singing along to Mr Barlow as though I was in the audience.

I haven’t made any rash resolutions this year as I’m a bit shit at keeping them,but there are a few new things I would like to learn for myself, crochet being one and after getting enough Christmas money we are investing in a decent digital camera which we should be able to get soon, so I’m hoping to improve my photography skills and maybe join you all on Instagram! I have also agreed that when someone asked me to get in the photo- I actually will instead of shying away ( as I have found there are loads of pics of the boys but hardly any with me and them).

So here’s to good health ( a cure for M.E would be gratefully received), a bit of wealth and a lot of love and happiness in 2014!

What’s your plans for 2014?

 

 

 

Out with the old and in with the new?

Isn’t that the general feeling after Christmas and New Year?

Christmas this year seemed to fly past, was it the same for you?

Also as the boys get older Christmas changes slightly, we no longer go for our Santa visit ( apparantly at 12 and 14 they are too old!), however, we start new traditions that will hopefully keep a bit of fun in the celebrations for them.

This year we got some colour in placemates but bear in mind we are talking teenagers and so they had free reign to do as they wished with each of theirs…………………

Amazing they actually sat and did it.

 

This was also the first year their pressies have been put under the tree on masse, as normally they will have their own pile and then they have their family pressies seperate. But as things they are interested in get smaller but more expensive it looked much better overal to put everything under the tree.

We also went for silly bibs at the dinner table and thankfully the grandparents played along!

This year my OH has been off over Christmas and New Year so we have enjoyed jammy days in, meeting up with friends, getting out for fresh air at Shorne Park and also having friends over to celebrate the New Year.

 

 

 

Thankfully a gust of wind came at the right time and we were spared a visit by the Fire Brigade, although admittedly our friends on their short walk home scoured the area for burned out bushes or sheds!!

Our decorations have all been packed away now and we are getting organised for the boys to return to school on Monday ( both of them are moaning about it already and I am dredding the early mornings again!)

Now for this year. What resolutions have you made? This year I plan to expand my home based craft business to try and earn some income and will be taking all the opportunities that come my way. So this time next year ( we’ll be millionaires- good ol’ delboy) it will be interesting to look back at what the year had in store for us.

What are your big plans for 2013?

 

 

 

 

 

2012….I get my life back!

2012….I get my life back!

2012

Well, relatively speaking anyway.

My son has now finished his run in panto this season and my body is very, very thankful it is all over.

The last few days have been spent looking through all the presents again. Taking time to read through books and listen to CD’s and actually play with some of the games that the boys got.

The decorations have come down and have been put away until next Christmas, and the house has resumed it’s normal look and feel. It has been the boy’s last day off today before they return to school and Mr B returns to work. So tomorrow will be blissfully quiet for me.

I managed to enjoy a fabulously chilled Christmas day with the family and my Mum and brother who had come to stay.

That was until my cat made a quick escape past us and caught my mum on the face millimetres away from her eye. These events are not unusual in my house as a few years ago she came and fractured her pelvis trying to play tennis with the boys. Last year we were all ill with ‘Swine Flu’…..     I’m sure you are getting the picture now.

Anyway, the last panto show was on New Years Eve. After, we headed off to Bluewater for a nice meal and a cinema visit before returning home to see in the new year and let off our lanterns with 2012 wishes on.

I haven’t caught up on all my blog reading and Twitter following yet so haven’t seen all of your New Years resolutions. I’ve decided to learn new skills this year and get back to my knitting, something I really enjoyed doing many years ago. But also to learn how to crochet as it’s something I have never attempted.

I cannot go down the route of exercise and diet as my body is taking a long time to recover from the panto schedule. Conventional exercise for me is out of the question at the moment as I suffer with chronic pain and chronic illness.

I’d also like to do more reading as this is something I have neglected for some time. I’ve been given a copy of ‘We need to talk about Kevin’ as one of my Christmas gifts and I’m really looking forward to starting that.

So, that’s me back to normality, with a regular routine about to start from tomorrow.

A New Year.

A New Start.

A New Skill.

How has your New year been so far and what are your resolutions?