Getting Sorted - Loving Betwixmas

 Now I did start this when it WAS Betwixmas, but somehow the posting slipped and I am now coughing like it's an Olympic sport and brandishing a nose that would do Rudolph proud! It's only a cold, nothing too serious, just irritating and producing the sort of brain fog that makes writing crazy...

Anyway, Christmas having been and gone has bequeathed out household with lots of yummy stuff...

 

And there's plenty of leftovers awaiting us in the freezer too.

Somehow I, rather perversely, love this in between period when there's lots to finish up. It reminds me of when we were small and Dad got the mincer out to grind up the leftover meat and produce rissoles and so on. I always enjoyed times when we got cheese and potato pie, or mini cakes or pastry. It wasn't till I was much older when I found out that these were always at the end of the month when money was running low! 

Getting things sorted often means shopping at home. Not the internet version. The type of shopping where you go round the house seeing what needs using up and making menus based on what you find. It's not just the food either. I love using the presents that arrive - bath stuff, moisturisers, whatever - far too good to put in a cupboard for 'later'. The only things I keep for another day are the small sizes or samples that I take on holiday to lighten the luggage load.

It's also a good chance to go through my clothes, sorting out those things on their last legs or the items that no longer fit. Previously it's been because they've got a bit tight, but since my new health kick inspired by that chat with the doctor, some are now too big - hooray! Some of the older stuff I'm again keeping for holidays - journeying in older, yet comfortable clothes makes sense, especially if that's the last wearing of a t-shirt that can be binned rather than transported home and washed, etc. I'm also acquainting myself with newer (to me) selling platforms to pass on clothes that are no good to me, but in good shape. And no I haven't forgotten the pleasure of passing on good quality gear to charity shops either.

So, this Betwixmas has allowed me the space to start a good clear out, making the most of what I've got and enabling me to save a bit of cash in not buying too...

Long live Betwixmas - and hopefully the clear out will include my coldy germs and I can get on with enjoying what 2024 has to offer!

Home Run

 This has got to be the very last word (or words) on the old year...

Just a few more bites to finish it off and I can look towards the next ideas!

So...

Month 12 - Bite 23

The spinning group I go to usually has a Christmas Lunch out. Obviously we couldn't during the restrictions and then when they ended last year we were unsure about crowded restaurants, especially as a number of members are older and more susceptible to bugs, germs and illnesses. We decided to eat in and each bring something alone.

It was such a success that we did the same again this year - here's some of the spread after we'd already started to tuck in!!

Not only did it leave those who act as carers the flexibility to turn up when they could and provision being made for those with specific dietary requirements, but it also allowed us to move around chatting - not necessarily our experience when sat at a long table.

I have a feeling we'll be doing the same again next time round!!

Month 12 - Bite 24

I've just finished wrapping 90 presents! It's not what it seems... The presents were all collected cheaply or free over the year (perfume sample anyone?) or handmade. The wrapping paper was that collected from unwrapping last year. It provided great fun and entertainment during our family get-together without too much cost or waster!

Month 12 - Bite 25

Time for a bit of reflection on the festivities. This year we've all cut back - some of that is to do with the present financial squeeze that everyone is going through, but much of it is because so many of the family were bug stricken so we were a bit more cautious in food buying and so on. Do you know what? We hardly noticed! So a rethink for next year while we still remember what went well and what could be ditched is due.

We've collectively made a note of what got eaten or leftover and what needs to be budgeted in for next year. As a family we'd already decided to cut down on sweets and treats as we always seem to be 'finishing up' well into January and invariably waste some of the leftovers. There was still plenty left so next Christmas we'll cut back a bit more and probably won't notice it even more!!

Month 12 - Bite 26

Planning for next year now while there's a lull in the frantic nature of everyday life. I love a blankpage, a new notebook or a pristine diary so mine's all ready...

First in go all those dates and reminder, appointments and birthdays. I usually pick up a free calendar from some supermarket or another, this year none were around at the same time as I was looking so I've just printed off the twelve months as individual pages using the calendar app on the phone.

Looks like it could be another busy year!

Month 12 - Bite 27

I'm ready to venture out again. Not too much to restock, just one or two essentials and a quick look at the post-Christmas stock clearance. 

I know I've made a number of cards for next year already, but there were some ridiculous reductions (24 cards for 10p anyone?) on these and on wrapping paper too. I have however resisted the urge to splurge on too many mini gifts so that I don't have a storage and cluttering problem before we put our heads together about what next years get-together game will be - lucky dip, tombola, tree presents - decision yest to be made!

Month 12 - Bite 28

Revisiting the budget I set at the beginning of the year is today's task. I've randomly noted spending for some weeks and I've got all the bills for the year. I'm going to settle down with a nice cup of tea, a pencil and paper and some soothing music to see where I kept to my intentions and where things may have gone awry before I go any further.

Month 12 - Bite 29

With all those facts and figures and the dates in the diary for birthdays, occasions and renewals known so far it's time to plan for finances for 2023.

I know there'll be some changes to the family pot - positive ones as I'm due my pension - I never thought of myself as being a pensioner one day!! We're also planning for a holiday or two and there's new pressures round the corner, but overall looking at the finances this year looks like fun.

Month 12 - Bite 30

And finally - never thought I'd type that and mean it!

The last act of this month is to take some time to think and plan generally. The past year has given me plenty of food for thought and some surprises too. The house is clearer and I can see a path for the home budget. More writing looks possible and I'm going to take some time to form a plan for my next projects...

In all a happy new year looks set ahead....

Create Space....

Happy New Year! 

I know it's a bit later than usual, but that's deliberate... It's part of a new regime...

Just recently everything I've picked up to read seems to say that the way to go is to have 'a word' that will sum up, point forward, provide focus, whatever, for the year ahead. Well I've got two words, not one -  'Create Space'.

It's been something lurking at the back of my brain for a while. Whether it was while I was Marie Kondo-ing stuff or just generally wondering why I don't seem to be able to sit myself down at the laptop since retirement; creating space for a number of things keeps nagging at me.

I've a lot of ideas for projects floating around, but in the (almost) three years since I finished work they have just been that - floating ideas. Then just before Christmas I thought it's time to sort out my thoughts, but what with one thing and another there wasn't any - time that is not thoughts!

Time ran out before Christmas for a number of reasons - one was a craft fair that I said 'yes' to. It wasn't so much the craft fair, it was the fact that I needed to produce some extra items for it that ate into my 'making time'. That had the knock on effect of pushing the Christmas knitting and gift making dangerously close to the 'big day'. Then there was my husband's 70th which we celebrated with a short trip to Cardiff. 

Everything taken individually was great. I enjoyed it all, but I truly ran out of time and space to get everything done. Hence the decision to Create Space and get some of the 'stuff' that I really want to do underway. 

A digression now (but relevant).

This is a picture by a local-ish artist that we've got hanging in our dining room. It's huge and it's got a proper title (Waterfall in Dialogue) and a back story (about pollution and the environment). But in our house it's called Sue's Brain. Graeham had his eye on it for a long time before he bought it. Unbeknown to me he'd already told Steve (the artist) that it looked just like my brain.  Then it so happened that I was in Steve's shop when Graeham asked me what I thought it looked like - 'it's the inside of my head' I said and Steve nearly fell off his chair knowing that I wasn't told in advance what Grae had said!

Well, it truly does look like my brain feels. Lots of interlocking stuff going on with only a few bits joined up. Depending on the way the light falls, sometimes it looks more disjointed and at other times the golden hues stand out - yep - still my brain...

The picture's been there a few years now, but it and my brain still resemble each other, so it seems about time to focus on those golden thought bits and do something useful with them, but needs space for me to do so! 

First step then is - no more craft fairs. A number of items - hats and scarves mainly - are now in a local library on their donations rail for anyone who needs them. Some stuff went straight to the charity shop and other items are waiting to be unpicked and re-made into things that have a pre-decided purpose. I have got about a suitcase full of items that I'll try and sell elsewhere - Facebook groups maybe or perhaps in an Etsy shop, but no more making without purpose!!!

Then there's a new financial planning project that I've been musing over since some conversations with my niece. More of this next time, but it's the sort of thing that lots of platforms come out with on 1st January and that everyone thinks is a good idea and forgets by the end of the month. So I'm not starting it till next blog post.

Finally I'm taking on board the ideas of Sara Tasker of me_and_orla fame with her 15 Minute Magic prompt cards. Even I must be able to organise myself for 15 minutes each day to do something productive and useful surely? If only to make sure that these posts happen more frequently and regularly.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. I'll be back with the first part of the Wento Project or the Eating a Money Elephant or the 366 Ideas Book or whatever it ends up being called very soon, spurred on by my prompt cards - now if only I could find the safe place I put them in...

Happy New Year!

Well, that's another year done and dusted... and what a year!

After all that 2012 brought it was nice to draw breath on Christmas Day with a walk along the beach - once the excitement of the swim and Gordon Ramsey's filming was over!

We packed up the Christmas tree on New Year's Day and rather perversely I enjoy it almost as much as putting it up in the first place. It's that feeling of getting ready for the next excitements and looking forwards once the old year is put to bed. It's also part of my 'thrift' regime - so tip number 5 is - pack up Christmas carefully. I start with all the hanging bits and pieces which live in an old box that a pair of boots came in. This gives me the chance to check out anything broken and to make sure anything fragile is carefully cushioned. This year it was my stained glass angel that had suffered..

Happily her head fixed back on quite neatly so she went back in the box ready for next time.

Then the lametta comes off and gets stored so I don't have to buy any more, followed by the tinsel. Then the lights are wrapped round a piece of cardboard and put into a large food storage box. The tree then gets well and truly pruned so that it's neat and tidy for its trip to recycling. We don't have many otherdecorations, but these are also packed with care and it all goes into a large plastic storage box and straight into the loft safely for next year. The cards get another look and I make a note of all those we've received so I don't miss anyone next year, then we date any precious ones and file them. At this point we quite often remove cards from previous years and replace them with these more up to date ones. Then I take any apart that have good ideas or bits I can use for another card making session and cut up the rest for shoping lists!

The house still looks suitably festive thought - thanks to two lovely pointsettias that my mum gave us. Here's just one..

I've even managed to finish those socks that my sister didn't get in time for Christmas - they're in the post as I type. I still haven't sorted the issue of how much wool I need - I finished one pair in time having bought two balls of wool and then found I had enough left over for these wristwarmers and a mobile sock. 

So I decided that for the other pair I'd try just one ball, but it wasn't quite enough so the heels are a different mix! One day I'll gauge it right!

While on the subject of Christmas and saving - you might like this one (number 6). Over the years it's become a bit of a tradition. It started when I wanted to give my nieces a surprise present so bought a couple of cheap money boxes and in the weeks going up to Christmas put all my copper change into them. Then on Christmas day they could open them and play 'count the pennies'! Over the years the money boxes have become a bit smaller and the change has changed colour into silver, but I'm still doing it....

Looking back over 2012 so much has happened that I won't put you to sleep listing it all, but there's been plenty of highlights.. There were our two trips to the Olympics, my mum's 80th birthday when all the family came down to Devon for a week..

 

Work suddenly took off with new schools and new writing, craft fairs provided some helpful and encouraging comments, there was a short break in Majorca with some ex-work colleagues, I started this blog joining Handmade Monday along the way and then two days before Christmas my stepson got married.

So what's around the corner for 2013? Even more excitement I'm sure....

Firstly I've still got plenty of writing on the joblist and next week I'm back off to Wales to deliver some training in one of my new schools. Then I'm resolving to get to Handmade Monday more regularly AND earlier in the day so that I can get reading and commenting on everyone else's blogs more often. My sister has booked the same flat in Sidmouth for a week in the summer so that she and my mum and possibly my nieces and other halves can come down again. My two friends who supported me all those years ago when I was on teaching practice are coming to visit for a couple of days too - I haven't seen them for years! Then there'll be spinning and running and crafting and all those other things that we moved here to give ourselves time to enjoy. Oh yes, and this year I'm going to knuckle down and get an e-book published. I've done all the research and have the plot and introduction so all I've got to do is stop prevaricating!!

So, happy new year - hope it brings lots to enjoy for you too......



All set and ready to go...

Well, with 12th night done and dusted the tree is down and the decorations are away.  It may be a bit perverse, but I actually enjoy the putting away and storing of everything after Christmas almost as much as the getting out and setting up!  I do like to deal with the tree in a quiet and orderly way - first taking down the lametta and popping it into a bag, then taking down the baubles and storing them in an old box that I got my boots in many years ago, then comes the tinsel and finally the lights wound back around the piece of cardboard they came on and popped into yet another shoe box.  The there's the cards, I like to read them again, then make a list of everyone who sent one, so I don't forget next year.  Then I store all the close family ones with the date on them, remove any bits from the others that I can use to make next year's cards and finally cut any remaining bits of card up for shopping lists.  It makes me feel all organised and sorted!

In the past I've then put everything away, including the trimmings I've saved for making next year's cards and decorations,.  The problem with it is that my best intentions about making things seem to vanish in the run up to Christmas - so this year I'm going to do my making now, probably with a Christmas film on DVD and a small sherry (!) just to invoke the festive spirit.....

Now I feel all ready for the New Year - late though it may seem.  I'm not a great resolution maker, but that might just change as a trip to the library last week put a copy of a lovely book in my hands and I might just have to make everything in it.. More of that later as some writing work arrived on Friday and I really ought to set to on it....