2009 I hope to do........

The phrase 'New Year Resolutions' always conjures up wry smiles and groans from many people, including ourselves. Hubby and I have been talking about a few things we would like to do and change this year. So I have decided to put the main ones here and see how it goes. Maybe you have some that are similar. I have decided to call it my 2009 to do list. Not very original but never mind.

1) To Make even more use of local independent shops.
We are regulars at our local butchers and have been for some time but we would like to expand on this. Such as fruit and veg, garden centres etc. Also include on-line shopping which will save on petrol, parking etc. I made my first Etsy purchase the other day and I shall be making more use of this shop and Folksy etc.

2) Complete my new items for 2009.

Since shutting my website I have been thinking about my Etsy shop and joined Folksy. I had more sales in December that I had all year but I do need to work on the promotion side more as it does not interest me as much as the making but you do need to let people now you have actually made something, don't you? I find listing boring especially whenyou have spent ages typing it and then it will not load! Arrrghhh.

3) To sort out the garden.

Hubby and I have been given fruit trees which will trail along the fence so guess what? That's right, better get the fence panels put up and sort out the rest of the garden! I would like a biggish BBQ sometime this year as part of my 40th birthday so we have both been thinking what else we can do to the garden. We have been here over 10 years and only really maintained it but nothing more.

4) To sort out the kitchen.

Again, we have been here just over 10 years and the floor, cupboards etc need up dating. Also the grill in the oven broke months ago, the fridge freezer died on us and we lost all of the contents in October, the flooring has been bashed about with Sophie playing etc so we have seen one in Ikea that we both like. Thought we might hire the same builders to did the attic to fit it for us.

5) Get out more/travel.

In February we are all going to Disneyland Paris as part of all our birthdays and Sophie is really looking forward to this. We have also started to make plans to visit Friends in Derbyshire at Easter then after that to try do get out more in general. It is my 40th birthday this year and because it is 23rd December I have pretty nearly decided to move it to the summer months and have a BBQ may be and then later in the year the three of us could jet off somewhere. Maybe America as neither of us have visited there. I have seen quite a bit of Europe and I have been lucky enough to go to Kenya, so a different location would make it special and rememberable too.
6) Sophie - Thumb sucking.
I am determined to get Sophie to stop sucking her thumb and she knows that this is the year that it has to happen. Her baby teeth are coming out and I want her adult teeth to grow nicely. Google Thumb sucking, there some awful photos there to show will happen if she does not stop. Yes, shock tactics may be needed.

7) Crochet
To really get to grips with crochet this year in some shape or form. My love of bag making may suggest that perhaps that would be the best place to start. To be honest it is the instructions that cause me problems as I get lost easily, a bit like my knitting! I have a kit from last Christmas that I have been too scared to start!

8) Book Mountain

2008 has not been a good year for reading. I now have a book mountain downstairs and a small hill upstairs. I love reading and I am going to have to try and set aside more time for this. My Friday evenings when Hubby is car racing is a possibility if Sophie goes and then stays in bed.

9) Friends / Family

This may seem an odd one for someone who has a blog, but to keep in touch with friends more. None of my friends have a craft interest and often due to just going to work and household things taking over at the weekend, it seems that I do not really have anything very interesting to email or to write to people with. Getting excited about my latest knitting feat will not really interest everyone too many times. It could be that my life is more fun to read about that to actually live than I realise, not sure, so I am going to email/bore them to death and keep in touch more.

10) Exercise and the Outdoors

Now I hate gyms but I do like cycling and weather permitting I would like to make more use of my bike. We have several places to go that are also safe for Sophie to cycle along. The Camel Trail from Wadebrige to Padstow is my favourite. It does help the thighs, bum and tum and this is as far as the weight issue will be addressed. My weight has increased slightly but it always does during the winter but it seems to have shifted location slightly too. I have been assured that this is normal for a person my age (?!). I am still mainly a size 10/12 so I shall end the topic now. But I really did not like being weighed when I last saw the Nurse and being told that I was heavier than the last time she saw me! Hay Ho.

I think that most of them seem manageable. Some will rely on working and funds being available but the biggest currency that I will be needing is TIME!

We shall see how it goes.

Many, many thanks for all the kind wishes for my back to get better. It did, I also managed to wear the new shoes and his party was brilliant. I have recently had some new regulars to Indigo Blue and I have added some to my list in the margin. More to come. Please do not lurk as I have found some blogs that I really like and may never have discovered unless they said Hello.

I hope the New Year is good to you all and even though financial times look bleak running a blog is perhaps one of the cheapest hobbies around at the moment.

Take care and a cardigan update will follow, I can say that I have finished the back and two front panels. I have just cast on a sleeve too.

Take care for now.