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This week I am mostly… (4-10 February)

Feeling: excited about the move, not quite myself due to illness
Reading: Cityboy by Geraint Anderson, and feeling even more relieved than usual that I escaped!
Eating: Bitsa Wispa, rice noodles and a whole host of random defrosted things
Planning: a more mindful life in my new home
Dreaming of: summer evenings for friends, barbecues and tealights in jars strung in the trees
Coveting: a bird table, a unicorn statue for the garden and this kitchen mixer.
Wishing: I could take my own advice on occasion, and that I’d bought a Memory of Light earlier so it could accompany this week’s long train journeys
Working on: this weekend’s photoshoot, packing up my house and Ink Drops development
Celebrating: the last few weeks of being 26, and the godawful month of January finally being over
Grateful for: the frankly incredible amount of support and offers of help I’ve had from friends and family since I announced the move, and my fabulous parents who have essentially put their lives on hold to help me out
And finally tomorrow I will be: in Reading, at an impromptu school reunion!

On my to-do list this month? Tiny things like packing and moving house – aarrrghhhh. Also eating better, moving more and trying not to dwell on things I can’t influence or change.

Hey… it’s nearly Christmas!

Quite how it’s got to be 13 December without my noticing and making a massive song and dance about Christmas, I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the weather. Yep, we’ll blame the unseasonal lack of snow, ice and general cold misery that usually characterises December in England.

However, it does mean it’s almost Christmas. Now I am usually a Christmas fanatic – I love it! I love the build up, the songs, the decorations, the food, the preparation, the licence to wear glitter during the day, the ridiculous novelty earrings – the lot!

This year, a lot of this seems to have passed me by – I’ve been so busy with all the things I do that I’d barely noticed it was December! I have managed to put up my wreath, thought I’ve not yet had time to make another one and post a tutorial; I have decorated my little Christmas tree but haven’t put many of the rest of my decorations up yet; and I’ve been to two Christmas dinners and one Christmas party. So I’m not doing too badly, but I need to up my dose of the Christmas spirit!

So, some things (not all Christmas related!) to do before the 25th:

Put up the rest of my decorations ~ Decide what to wear ~ Buy token gifts ~ Send out email greetings ~ Make donation to Macmillan (in lieu of presents and cards this year, as we lost my godfather to cancer in July) ~ Go to a carol service ~ Go on the charity SantaLash pub crawl round London ~ organise Julia’s hen weekend ~ research sewing machines ~ research tablets and contracts ~ make some more Christmas jewellery/jewellery to wear at Christmas ~ go skating on one of London’s many outdoor rinks.

Then a few days of peace, and then it’s New Year!

I’m heading up to Nottingham for New Year, which I’m really excited about, especially as I haven’t celebrated it for about three years now. While the rest of the world (or so it seems) parties, I usually curl up with a blanket, wine, a really good book and a large tub of Haagen Dazs. Not bad, but I can’t wait for this one! I  will be taking a notebook on the train (I’d prefer to drive but it depends on the weather) to make resolutions and plans for 2012. I’m hoping we’ll get a chance to see some fireworks – I ADORE fireworks even when it’s freezing cold outside!

What are your plans for Christmas? New Year’s Eve? New Year’s Day? I hope that whatever you’re doing, whoever you’re with and however you celebrate, you have a glorious few days 🙂

All images link back to their original source.