wagwaan?

Eff You Enn

I have been reading the latest Psychologies mag and I'm so impressed with this issue. I read one a long time ago but wasn't blown away by it, but this one has a 16 page dossier about how to inject more fun into your life. A journalist was given the task of doing something fun every day for a week. At first she wanted to refuse the assignment but then she asked herself "when did I get too busy to have fun?", so she accepted. At first she felt quite self-conscious doing silly things but as the week progressed she realised that it was vital to make time for fun. Obviously, she says, a week doing nothing but having fun would become boring because when it's forced the enjoyment goes. However, each time she allowed herself to have fun, she felt engaged and energised.

This whole dossier really spoke to me. The more I journey through YOU University and discover my authentic self, the more I realise how life can just "get in the way" if we let it, and we don't even realise we are doing it. My authentic self is fun and carefree but serious when I need to be. I have become bogged down in worry and self-doubt and this has led to a serious sense-of-humour failure recently! Obviously, when you have to look at how you are going to pay the bills and keep a roof over your head, you are not going to do it while acting the clown, but I do think you need to maintain a balance between being serious 24h a day and having a laugh to relieve the tension. More than most, I realise how short life is and how close I came to not being here to enjoy it, so from this moment I am not only going to keep reminding myself to seize the day, I am actually going to do it. 

I'm going to have more F.U.N. in 2012! Join me?

One word

There's a lot of talk in the scrapbooking community about choosing one word for your new year. I know I chose one last year and then promptly forgot about it. Oops.  This year I think my word might have to be CHANGE. We shall see. There is so much shifting and moving in the whole world, not just in my little sphere. I feel that 2012 will be full of new things and I'm going to live it to the fullest.

It is as plain to me as the nose on my face that life is SHORT and now that my health is back to normal (apart from residual lack of energy), there is no excuse for letting the days, weeks and months drift by.  I need to work on the planning aspect, as this is what I need to keep on the straight and narrow, but even that is fun - I love stationery and books and pens and colours... and that "back to school" feeling you used to get in September but now seems to happen as the old year gives way to the new. 

I feel full of hope for what is to come and I hope you'll join me on the journey. 

Huh?

What's this I hear? It's only 3 sleeps till Christmas? Well I really don't know where the time goes!  Luckily, seeing as we are not going anywhere, we are pretty much caught up. I made Christmas presents for the family ages ago, so there was no last-minute rush. I got Claire's stuff in plenty of time, and a little something for the boyf, and Father Christmas will be stopping by as well...

The only thing I still had to do was buy food for the weekend. I was going to do an online grocery shop, but I didn't grab a delivery slot while I could, so in the end I had to go out yesterday (despite feeling pretty tired and dizzy) and face the crowds. Because of my lack of energy and organisation, I decided to go all out and buy our festive fare from that Great British Institution M&S. Yes, I got half-prepared food, and ready made sweet treats, so that I don't have to spend hours slaving over a hot stove, but also because it's actually the closest supermarket to our house (not counting the small Tesco). AND I got a cab home. It was busy out there, but I didn't spend much time in the food hall. I knew more or less what I wanted and snaffled it up. Some of the stuff may or may not have come from this aisle....  Anyway I felt quite proud of myself and came home and collapsed with a toasted teacake and a "cuppa tea".

The house is looking all festive - Claire took the picture that is now my banner, and I love our little tree and paper chains. We also have at least 20 Christmas cards up around the arch in the living room, which is quite a feat in this time of eCards and eGreetings.  I promise I'll get some pictures done soon, but in the meantime, say hello to my friend Santa (from last year)

That reminds me, we had coasters made of this picture and they look fantastic!

Oh and how could I forget? One of my lovely sisters came over from Paris to visit last weekend. We don't have a spare room so she stayed at the local B&B but we had dinners and lunches and shopped together and it was very special. I do so miss my family. 

Anyway, that's all for tonight. I must get my beauty sleep, ok?!

 

Christmas crafting

It's quite a year for Christmas crafts. I'm not sure if it's the world economic situation but we're all very "make do and mend" these days.  I have already sent my home-made Christmas presents to the family in France via my lovely brother, but I'm still working on stuff. I have made quite a lot of felt hearts, each one unique, and I have had several people ask me to make more. Tonight, though, I thought I'd do something a little different, and as Claire got the cookie cutters out to make snowflake biscuits I thought I'd use a cutter as a template - and this is the result:

 

I love it so much I think I'll make more, BUT I must say that the edging was much more difficult than on the heart shape, due to all those pointy bits. I find it really relaxing and I was lucky enough to get some bits from the Watford Recycling Art Project so the ones I'm making to sell at the Community Centre coffee mornings aren't costing me a thing. I have some other ideas up my sleeve, so I'll be crafting for days yet!

In other news, Claire and I did some shopping at that well-known high street store that is extremely good value.... We bought snuggly blankets and a cushion for the living room. I think Lyle approves (picture by Claire)

 

Gorgeous boy!  (oh and I mustn't forget, the banner pic is also courtesy of Claire. She's been busy).

Well, it's past my bedtime. I'm off to check the Lottery numbers. If I've won, you'll be the first to know. Goodnight!

 

Oops!

Well this is interesting - it appears I didn't blog at all in November!   I know I've been feeling a bit ambivalent about blogging; partly because I've been so busy, partly because I don't spend as much time on the computer when I'm not using it for work, and partly because I have nothing to talk about.  Well, nothing I imagine would be of any interest to my thousands (ahem) of readers, anyway.

So it's "beginning to look a lot like Christmas" as they say, and Claire and I have already watched two Christmas movies, but we haven't started decorating and there are no big plans afoot for Christmas again this year due to Claire's work schedule. Working in a shop - nay, MANAGING a shop - means that she only gets one day off,  i.e. Christmas Day. This is the third year running that we can't go to France to be with family and it's beginning to tick me off somewhat (I know it bugs Claire too).

Christmas has always been huge in our family, not only due to its size but also because my mum just "did" Christmas so well. Claire and I both love the season and she's bugging me to decorate tonight although I'm off out shortly for a doctor's visit, a Trustee Meeting AND a Trustee Christmas Dinner so who knows if I'll feel in the mood later. (Note to self - get Christmas boxes down so they're there if I feel like it). 

Although I haven't got my act together to do a December Daily I am really enjoying Ali Edwards's usual offering. You can check out Day One here. (Note to Chrissie: I think she lives in Eugene!).

And to finish off, a festive offering that I saw on a friend's Facebook page. It is really fun (if you can ignore the apostrophes in the wrong place...):