The new year post

Hey everyone. First proper post of the new year here. Must try to get back into this blogging thing. I feel I've been neglecting you dear readers.

Usually I hate new year. I am one of these people who looks back to the past a lot so normally I become quite maudlin at new year. This year we had Spadgersdottier and the 3 of us went round to our friends S~ and N~ house with another friend B~. We exchanged Christmas gifts (I got teacups. You have no idea the joy this brings me) and had a lovely meal. Us 3 girls made a course each and it was delightful! We then drank much (though as it was over such a long time no one was drunk) and played games until 5:40am. Yes folks we were all up until way early in the morning. Even Spadgersdottier. This would have been fine but we had to be at my muns for about 2 on new years day for dinner. We ended up being only an hour late and that is because I insisted on getting changed. I wanted nice pictures so I made some effort.

This year is going to be full of stuff for me. Here is a bit of a run down. WEll, I say bit. It's kinda mammoth! It is really the implementation of the plan. I will be setting up a couple of online stores, more info to come, and all money will be going in the savings to get us the farm. We want out of the rat race and we want it bad. So I'll be honing my sewing, knitting, spinning, soap making and jewellery crafts. Much going back to basics and getting really good at them. Polished products is what I'm after or who will buy them?

I'm going to start making Christmas presents straight away this year. I finished Spadgersdottier's on Christmas Eve! Never again I tell you. I'm thinking of making many general things but I'm not sure I like that idea. It only seems one step removed from buying 3 for 2 rubbish from Boots (apologies to anyone who buys those, I just find them impersonal). I'm hoping to have gotten good enough at spinning to make S~ and B~ a skein of wool each. Maybe even for N~ as he knits.

On the soap from I'm hoping to do an course on the legislation/safety front as I can't sell anything without being certified. That will be later in the year though.

Farming/gardening/foraging will play a big part in my year. Going to be more organised this year and take full advantage of everything around us. I'm looking forward to the exercise to be honest!

I intend to start meditating again this year. I was really good with it after we went on a course a while ago now but it sort of petered off. Going to bed later meant that I just felt I didn't have time. I'm thinking before bed and maybe setting my alarm 10 mins before Spadger's in a morning and having a quick one then. I think there definitely needs to be a bit more focus and centering in my life. The push for the farm is going to be stressful and Spadgersdottier informed me over Christmas that she doesn't like it when I'm grumpy. Oops, not been keeping such a good lid on the mood swings then.

I'd like to be more adventurous with my cooking this year. I do tend to make the same things over and over. I'm not thinking anythin exotic where I have to go to 4 different shops just to get the ingredients, just stuff I've not done before. I might look into some more traditional recipes. This is of course after my oven gets fixed. That's right folks. It broke on Boxing day. Right in the middle of making bread while feeling really ill. I was not happy. Hopefully someone will be sorting it this week.

Now I'm not sure if you guys know but I am growing my hair really long. I've been working on it for years and am finally getting somewhere. I abused my hair for YEARS so it's taking a long time to get anywhere due to the damange. To be honest it would have been better if I'd just shaved my head and started again. My plan for this year is to focus on the health of my hair rather than the length. I think I have been doing more damage by not trimming and have therefore gained less growth than I could have.

Well I think that is about it for a rough outline of my plans for the year. I'm gonna try real hard to blog more about it all and talk to you guys. So what are your plans for this year?