Sunday, January 1, 2017

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS


1 JANUARY 2017

Cloudy 6 degrees




The New Year started just before midnight.  A sudden report echoed in the leaden skies and there was the cracking sound of a Catherine wheel on what I very much hoped wasn't our front door.  The lights over the bay were winking through the mist and the pasty grey houses hunkered down, only a few butter bright yellow lights of windows glowing through the murk. The bus stop stood to attention and waited for a bus which wasnt coming.  A bolt of bright light shot up into the sky and burst into a myriad of golden splinters, then a fountain of joy, then silver stars, then red bursts.  The low clouds glowed yellow and my nose tingled with the remembered scent of cordite.  It was 2017.

Usually, dear reader, I have a burst of energy at the start of a new year.  I dont do the 'another year older' thing.  I genuinely believe that an artificial construct invented by chaps way back can regalvanise one's get up and go.  And I strongly believe in New Year's incentives, which is how I got to blogging in the first place.  And so to my current crop:

1.  Read every day.  

I made a start with Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road' and, for a classic I am really enjoying it.  I am currently half way through and love the exuberance of their living for the moment, the madness of the characters especially Remi Boncoeur who wants to train dogs to smell out 20 dollar notes and who stole a bed from a sea boat and who keeps a book in which he curses people in red ink (Sal dreads getting into that book).  As in most travel books, it confirms my suspicion that it is far more enjoyable to lie in bed with a pot of tea and read about travel than actually go out and do it - for example, Eric Newby's wonderful A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, being a heroic tale of very bad planning.  Also, on a more serious note Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia and Wilfrid Thesiger's Arabian Sands.  I have a hankering to go to Patagonia, I must admit...  

2.  Get my version of Harry Potter out of her chateau and into print.

The poor girl has been sending messages on the chateau window for over two years now.  I really must make an effort and get the bloody thing written.  But how on earth does anyone ever write 80 000 words plus?  Any tips gratefully received.  Suspect it comes down to discipline (groan).  I cant blame it on the day job or my obsessive housekeeping.  It must be Facebook.  Which leads me to number 3

3.  Less Facebook.  This is more addictive, I imagine, than sugar.  I must, must, must keep off Facebook.  And Pinterest.  

4.  More craft.  I now have three projects and no excuse not to do them.  Soft toys, moss agate jewellery and lino cut.  I spent some time yesterday looking for some different coloured inks.  I cant do crafting if I havent got the stuff, can I?

5.  Start brilliant online business so I never have to see another client or show another house EVER again.  

Watched Gaby Roslin showing houses to celebs who, for once, I had actually heard of. Toyah Wilcox who is a mad elf with rebellious Tourettes (without the swearing).  She loved everything.  Gaby is obviously a beginner or wouldnt have been so taken in.  Hah!  Toyah found something on her own and bought it.  

She then took Kelly Hoppen around three houses; one of which was a real mish mash of dark stuff.  KH was traumatised.  Then something very modern.  Surprised that KH didnt like this.  Then round Mel Smith's former gaff (he was one of the casualities of 2016) and that was actually lovely but she didnt buy that either.  I dont care for her style.  I like colour.  She is admirably focused however, and used to insist as a young girl, that her mother took her to show houses at weekends.  This is probably why she is a multi millionnaire and I am sitting in a terraced house at the arse end of England.  She also used to do a lot of furniture rearranging when her parents were out.  The only time I ever did that at home was to try and hide fag burns on the carpet.  Once furniture is placed in one of our houses, it stays there until we move out.

Gaby was so enthusiastic and switched on.  I remember being like that.  I think it was about ten years ago.  The thought of seeing another 'buyer' makes me twitch.

Obviously I was watching telly because you need energy to craft.  We have foul flu bug which means that we are coughing like we smoke 40 Woodbine a day and have lost most of the last week.  Fortunately eldest son has been here to look after us.  He feels this is a full time job.  Just wait til he has kids.  Hah!  20 odd years with no time out.

Please comment away if you have something relevant you want to add or ask.  If it is spam I will block you.  That is the way I roll in 2017...

See you tomorrow (that is resolution 6 - back to writing every day)

And last but not least, a new feature each day is....

The song in my head (click on the words to the left and the link will open)

this is what happens when you let your husband design your party outfit....




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