Saturday This and That . . .

I'm not one much for making resolutions.  Here it is already almost a week into January and I haven't even really talked about the New Year yet  . . . I haven't actually hung up the new calendars yet and our tree is still up.  That is coming down today however. I promise.   

The house always looks so bare when all of the Christmas decorations come down. Each year Todd strings the cards up over a window.  He did take those down yesterday.  I have them in my china cabinet.  I want to look at them once more.  This year I did not get many posted out.  I procrastinated and then  . . . all of a sudden it was too late!   So, if you didn't get a card from me, it wasn't that I don't care . . .  only that I left it too long.

  

So anyways, no resolutions.  I don't do them.  Instead I do goals.  That way I don't feel too guilty if I don't acheive them in one year . . .  a goal has no time table!  It can be achieved any time, even if it takes forever.

This year I want to take down the clutter even more . . .  become more minimalist.  There is a closet in the craft room.  Its where we keep our winter coats in the summer, and our summer coats in the winter.  I also have other stuff in there.  Craft papers, etc. I haven't looked in their for at least six months.  I told Todd to just empty it, except for the coats, and ditch the whole lot.  I don't even want to look.  If I haven't missed it in six months, and can't even tell you what is there, what's the chance I will ever miss it?   But, truth be told, if I looked in and tried to decide what to get rid of, I would probably never get rid of any of it, because . . .  it might come in handy one day.  Best I don't even look.  The heart can't grieve what it doesn't see. 

 

 

 

This year I would like to eat a bit healthier and walk a bit more.  Every little helps.  If I lose weight, that is a bonus.  If I don't, well  . . .  I haven't squashed any resolutions or goals because losing weight is not the goal, but getting healthier is.  You heard it here first!    

This ample and glorious figure of a woman was a gift to me after years of dieting and failing.  Nothing has ever stuck. Not the hypnotherapy, not the Weight Watchers, not the Slimming World, nada.  I am a failure at diets.  Wait  . . .  no, I am pretty good at diets.  I do take weight off, but then I end up with it all back on and more.  I am a yo yo dieter.  I always end up ultimately failing.  So I am not doing that anymore, just trying to be healthier.  

Next week I am/ was supposed to start a trial of a new Diet Meal Program that is coming over to the UK from France.  The meals were supposed to arrive yesterday, and in fact I had a telephone conversation with the nutritionist yesterday morning  They did not come.  Is the Universe trying to tell me something?  Possibly.  No doubt it will get here eventually and I will probably end up a few pounds lighter, but financially, in reality . . . .  it would be impossible for me to keep it up in the long term.  Nor would I truthfully want to.  I like cooking my own food far too much to stop!  

 

 

Yesterday I got to view the first 100 pages of my new cookerybook so I could check out the placement of the collages and photos, etc.  Its pretty exciting writing a book and having it published.  As I read through the introduction, I thought to myself . . .  damn girl, that's some mighty fine writing there!  (Not to sound narcissistic!)  I read it out loud to Todd and he also thought it was mighty fine.  No idea for sure when it will actually be published yet. I had thought this month, but maybe not. We will see.  Something to look forward to . . .  the only thing I know for sure is that it is not quite as large as the first one!  

I still can't believe that I have managed to do this twice. Get a book published.  Maybe it is the time for me to write that novel/fiction that everyone keeps asking me to do . . .  but maybe not.  I need to get a few things in order first . . .  like decluttering the house and getting  more organised. 

 

 

I may have to take another look at the way I food blog  . . .  it seems to be taking up ever more of my time.  Its become more like a full time job . . . the developing recipes, cooking them, photographing them, editing the photos, writing up posts.  It is gone 3 pm most days before I am done, and I start fairly early in the day.  Mind you interspersed amongst those hours are household chores, like laundry and cleaning up after my cooking . . .  but it is pretty labour intensive, and the pay is pretty paltry in comparison to the work.

If I consider the pleasure I get from it as income, I am rolling in it . . .  but if I consider any financial gain, I am working for less than peanuts. LOL  I certainly will  never get rich at it.  I see food bloggers all over the world making a living at it.  I've probably been doing it longer than anyone out there when you consider all its many forms I have taken, going back to my AOL Journal days, and certainly it has afforded me some great treasures, such as the book publishing for instance . . .  but I have never made any real money from it, and probably never will.

And yet . . .  I love it so.  I just need to find a way to do it without it being so very time consuming . . .  so that I can fit in time to do other things I enjoy such as painting, or sewing, making dolls, etc. 

 

 

Speaking of painting, my sister sold her first painting!  I am so proud of her.  It was one of her pear paintings.  I don't know any more than that, just that she sold one.  I am so excited for her.  I think she is very talented and I am so happy for her.  I kept telling her she was good and that people would buy her paintings, and I am really pleased that she has sold one.  Lets hope this is only the start!  Onwards and upwards! 

 

I wanted to thank all of you for your prayers for my mother and sister actually.  I am quite sad about the whole situation, but there is not a lot I can do about it really.  Just pray and hope that whatever happens is for the best.  The compassionate side of me hates that my mother is having to live with as much pain as she does.  Some of the infection in her toes goes all the way down to the bone.  That is very unpleasant for her . . .  The selfish side of me, wants my mother to be with us as long as possible, no matter the cost.  I feel bad about that . . . I think really it needs to be quality of life over quantity of life and my heart breaks when I think about it . . . the ostrich in me tries not to think about it . . .  

 

I can't bear to think of a time when I could not her her voice . . .  even if it is addled and she doesn't know what she is talking about and mixes everything up.  Will I forget the sound of her voice?    Will I go to call her, only to remember she is no longer there?  I try not to think about it at all if I can help it . . . selfish me. 

 

 

 

So  . . .  anyways, today the tree will come down and all of Christmas will be put away for another year, which leads me to another goal I have for this year . . .  and that is, to be better prepared for next Christmas!   I think I can cope with that.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *If you are young and talented

its like you have wings  . . . 

~unknown    •。★★ 。* 。 

 

 But what if you are old?  Hmmm . . . 

 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  that delicious  Vanilla Sauced Bread Pudding that we enjoyed at Tina and Tony's the other day.  Mmmm . . . .

Have a wonderful Saturday, no matter what you get up to!  Don't forget!

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And I do too!