03 January 2007

To resolve or not to resolve, that is the question.

I'd rather not if it's alright by you, instead I'm compiling a list of things to do this year.

  • To get some sort of housekeeping routine in place before the Peanut is born. I rather like the Flylady and when I don't get sidetracked, her system works. What doesn't work for me is having a Control Journal but writing a list every day in my diary does, so I'll do that instead.

  • Get the finances under control and get saving. After all the Peanut needs a trendy expensive pushchair you know (and I found out yesterday that you can use the carrycot as an overnight cot for weekend aways MrV so very useful for the Stripy Twins' wedding.)

  • Because I am going to have so much free time on my hands this year I've stupidly begun a new cross stitch picture. This one is a monster - 600 x 400 (stitches, about a 1 metre by 70 cm landscape) and is taken from a photo I took in August in one of the Commons near here. The FB liked to spend hours standing on the bridge throwning acorns into the pond and in August MrV was on his sabbatical, so the picture has meaning for us.

  • To log all the books that I've read this year. Don't expect to see that much worthy literature or indeed that many books read after June.
  • To learn how my sewing machine works and make something with it. My problem is is that I tend to leap in at the deep end; rather than start with something simple like making a hanky, I'd rather make a baby's changing bag complete with adorable picture thingy on the front.
  • And finally, develop patience and a more calm disposition to life.

too much do you think or doable? We shall have to wait and see!

17 comments:

nutmeg said...

Yes, go the lists. Without them I would'n't survive the day to day chaos. I also have lists of books I'd like to read (for bookshop visits), works needed to be done around the house, DVD's, etc, etc.

Is this FB's first year at school? Re: "...a lot of time on my hands..." I'm like you, I tend to jump in at the deep end too - it's a wonder I didn't attempt a cross-stitch like that at my second go. Come to think of it....ha ha. It looks like a great project.

As for patience and calm, have a look at Tom Hodgkinson's books How To Be Idle or How To Be Free - they're good for giving one an excuse for slowing down and not taking on so much of this world's angst :-)

Aunty Evil said...

I love your comment about the sewing machine (making a hanky), that sounds just like me!

My ego won't let me walk before I can run, and will always take on the most adventurous task. Then I get it wrong, get fed up and abandon, never to revisit the project.

I have many unfinished knitted jumpers, cross stitched thingys that haven't even begun to look like anything, sewn skirts, dresses and whatever.

My problem is, I get bored too. I have finished knitting a jumper, but can't be bothered sewing it together. Or unfinished tapestries because I am sick of doing them.

Sigh, better just to read a book. Got a few of those unfinished too though. :)

Good to see you posting again, I was worrying about you.

Stomper Girl said...

Great work in wanting to get organised and writing lists. Just don't forget to be kind to yourself and go with the flow when the second baby arrives.

Bec said...

I can highly recommend "library thing" for keeping track of books - the link is in my sidebar (yes - it has blog widgets too!) and it is all dead easy to use.

(thanks for your de-stressing wishes, I was indeed sitting - or possibly standing - with a cold glass of white wine when you entered that comment!)

velcro said...

There is something satisfying about ticking off items on a list. Yup I too have the book list and the stuff I need to do at somepoint but not right now list too.
No, the FB doesn't start school till September 2008 but I do need to start looking into his school nursery place which he should go into this September.

Thanks for the book advice, shall see if my library stocks it or if it can be ordered.

velcro said...

Aunty, sorry for making you worry. I was fine just very tired and trying to think what I wanted to accomplish this year.

my ego thinks "ach that looks easy. Right let's not bother with the beginner stuff and get on with making that incredibly complicated whatever." Naughty ego! Of course natural talent and ego are at odds with each other, and a desire to eat chocolate all the time too doesn't help, so projects get dumped because a. i can't do them, or b. because i got chocolate on the material and it got stained!

velcro said...

If having no2 is anything like having the FB, then I'll spend his early babyhood torn between wanting to cuddle him all the time and feeling incredibly guilty that I'm not also keeping on top of the housework. Fortunately MrV has the first 2 weeks of Peanut's life off, then my mother comes down for 2 weeks, then my MIL for a further 2 weeks. Then we're off to the wilds of Scotland for a wedding.

velcro said...

thanks Bec for that advise. As you can see from my front page that I took it and now have a picture of my current read.

Glad to see you're back!

mad muthas said...

that flylady thing is very scary and possibly a front for scientology or something. don't get sucked in ... just don't.

LBA said...

I'm laughing at the sewing maching and the hanky anaolgy. That is SOOOO me too ! ha !!

And when your adorable baby blankie wont work, will you sulk and pout and abandon said machine for something new ? ;)

velcro said...

mad muthas, but flylady works! and as a typical avoid-all-religion-at-any-cost Brit, I ignore all the christian comments that she makes.

velcro said...

h&b - as MrV reads my blog and therefore the comments, I'll have to lie and say "no, not at all. If the gorgeous baby blankie fails then hell I'll just try something new on the machine" but between you and me....

Pam said...

Happy New Year, Velcro. (Why are you called Velcro? You stick to things? Must be that chocolate.)

I now have the illusion that when I retire I'm going to do all those things I gave up hope of pursuing properly when the children came along...

velcro said...

Hi Isabelle, happy new year to you too. How are your parents doing?

Velcro - the name of one of my cats. Named her this because when I picked her up for the first time as a kitten she dug all her claws into my jumper and clung on for dear life. She's also gets called Velcrovian and Reykjavik; and is one half of the Four Legged Furry Penguins (the other half is called Frog)

Alas the only thing I stick to because of chocolate are chairs and that's usually because my butt has grown too big. My MIL can sit in the FB's highchair, whereas with a bit of squashing I may be able to fit one cheek in.

sueeeus said...

I'm exhausted just reading your goals! Tres lofty! I'm a bit more like aunty evil!

p.s. what kind of machine did you get? I'm debating/drooling/contemplating getting a new one.

mad muthas said...

i gave someone a bit of a christmas/newyear embrace recently and our velcro STUCK TOGETHER! how modern is that? (not to mention ebarrassing)

velcro said...

Sueees it's a Singer 6038. My MIL is an seamstress and stayed with us over New Year. She had a look at it (and answered all my daft questions) and said that it is a lovely machine.

Madmuthas, I wonder if that is the grownup equivalent of getting your braces locked together during a teenage smooch.