Time is ticking on by.  I sit here, waiting for my hair dye to take and I realise that I have not blogged for ages.  I am still here.  I am still plugging away at the little things I love.  My reading list is 1 and 2 halves down, 10 to go.  My garden is getting gardened gradually.  My running is up and down.  My weight is up and down.  My crafting is getting ... somewhere but I have signed up for a fayre so things will have to go up a gear.  My family is gorgeous and funsome.  My hair is done.  I will return tomorrow.

It happens every year ...

Every year around this time. I get introspective.  I think about the year just gone and the year yet to come. I make lists.  I make plans.  I may start these lists and plans.  I may carry them out for a week or two.  I certainly lose focus on them.  I certainly lose my grip. I definitely forget them, maybe for a moment, maybe for a month.  I come back to them and bemoan my inability to follow things through.  I hate myself for a while.  I get introspective.  I write another list.  I hate this journey.  I want to get off.

New Year - introspection

I always find myself every new year, in a resolving mood. I love a fresh start to a day, a week, a year, a new exercise book and a clean car interior. I do irritate myself when I let days, weeks, years, books and cars get into such a mess (and they always do). This year, I will not resolve to do lose a zillions pounds by February or read 12 books a week or never each chocolate again as they are easy resolutions to break. This year I will take stock of what I have, use things I need and charity shop everything I don't need or use. We have a reasonable sized house but we have limited storage available. I plan to go through every part of this house (and my life) and re-organise every little corner, understand what we have and what we need and clear out the excess shite and make the most of what we have. Today I tidied 2 cupboards in the kitchen and made a note of things we need and moved things that were in the wrong place and will charity shop the stuff we have that I hate. 2 cupboards down and it's only day 1!

I also spent a hour or so in the garden whilst the boys messed about. It was good to get some fresh air as we have a had a bit of cabin fever these last few days. I want to DO the garden this year. Get a greenhouse. Dig a border along the back fence. Dig up my pots. The front garden needs a LOAD of work done to it but I think that if I focus on the back garden and get that where I want it then I will be brave enough to tackle the front maybe later in the year.

I will re-visit the 101 list and go back to the monthly goals I started last year. When I was blogging and writing them I was doing them and it was good.

This month I shall ...

1. Write and start a weight-loss plan. I work well when I have it written out in front of me.

2. Clean the inside of my car (Mr G did the outside today and I feel compelled to finish it!)

3. Make a playmat for my best mate's little boy.

4. Get a gardening diary and work out my plan for the year.

5. Find a dentist.

6. Complete The Great Organisation of the kitchen.

Come on January - let's get sorted!

Commitment

I logged on here an hour or so ago and could not think of anything to write to I decided not to write anything. I thought about how annoyed I get when Mr G won't commit to arrangements and how this has rubbed off on me and the boys and decided to tackle this head on. I emailed some old (good!) school friends on Facebook with whom I have been meaning to arrange a meeting and told them to get their diaries out and fix a date between us. I also registered for a 5K Race For Life on July 18th!

How is THAT for dynamic commitment and dates in the diary?

Neglect

I have been neglectful of my blog recently, partly due to Little Pickle who has started to wake at about 11.30pm (my blogging time just before bed) and also because I seem to have lost my way a bit. I had a surge of good intention at the start of the year and blogged 5-6 times a week but I have lost the urge a bit and lost some focus on my life. I have forgotten my 101 list and did not make a goal list for April or analyse the one for March and have just not had achievements at the forefront of my mind.

Tis must change. I have cleared my ironing pile. I have tidied today. I am getting a man in to clear my horrible pampass grass from the garden. I am going on holiday. I have voted. I have sent out Little Pickle's birthday invitations. I had a weekend away with my best mate and we shared some delicious things. I am back on board the Organised Express. All Aboard! Toot toot!

Small Challenges

I made a bet with myself tonight as I made tea for the boys. I bet myself I would be able to resist picking at their tea (frankfurter sausages in ratatouille with rice). And I DID! I love frankfurter sausages (they are soooo gross but sooooo addictive and once I pop I can't stop. Anyway I was strong all through teatime and did not try one (as I know that would have broken the seal) and even when clearing the table I did not break. I was so pleased with myself that I decided to go for a run after putting the kids down and I DID! It was was lovely too - through the woods which were bursting with wood anemones and threatening to explode with the promise of bluebells. I came home invigorated and refreshed and not hungry and very pleased with myself. I then shaved my legs and prepped my toes with the first part of a pedicure. I am soooo organised and ready for an early night! Get me!

Beetroot Face

I have the faceache thing again. I woke up and my face was all puffy like a spitting image mask and then it got progressively redder. This is not a pretty face at the best of times but I scared myself when I saw it in the mirror this morning. People were staring at me all day. I was supposed to go out tonight but I could not face people looking at me. I used Oil of Olay facial wash, exfoliator toner and moisturiser. I am going to avoid it for a while and then do a patch test. I can't be looking like this again if that is all it is. No results back from the doc yet either. I feel rubbish. Mr Gherkin is being nice to me though which made me feel better about staying in and cwtching up with him and we watched a film - tick on the 101 list!

Back to normal today

Ahem. As you may have already realised, I went out on Friday night. I drank wine. I was a bit pissed. I forgot that I posted on here until mid-Saturday morning when I checked my facebook profile only to realise that I had posted there whilst slightly the worse for wear.

Gherkin has decided that corect spellin is shit an that she nose it all

Uuuuuggggh! I am a spelling pedant! I then had a vague recollection that I may have typed elsewhere and struggled to hit any of the right keys and got frustrated and fed up. A-ha. Checked out the blog and cringed again. Eeeeeeew wine is bad when mixed with fresh air! The reason for the intoxication was a bingo night in Cornichon's school and I invited Wendy along with me. We had a few wines and then won a bottle on the pub quiz. I thought I was tidy when we were there but the walk home must have woozled me. Had a fab time though!

I have managed to cross another goal off my list - my bathroom cupboards have been sorted! Hopefully they will be toddler-proofed tomorrow too! Woo hoo!

101 List

I am a follower of the whatshappeningatmyhouse blog and she has done something called a 101 List which is just a list of things she intends to do, some time, no time limit. I like the idea of this and have plenty of things I would like to do but never get round to remembering or accomplishing. I plan to use this post as a record of those things I think about doing but always forget about. The list is not in any kind of order. I will update it as and when I think of stuff or achieve stuff. I thank whatshappeningatmyhouse for the idea and may have been inspired by some of the things she suggests only because they are truly great ideas!

1. Set up a new account on folksy and sell stuff on it

2. Learn how to use my ice-cream maker. (Feb 10. Binned Mar 10)

3. Run a 5k event.

4. Run a 10K event.

5. Own an allotment.

6. Go out in a wig.

7. Have an overnight stay in a posh hotel.

8. Drink champagne away from home with my darling husband.

9. Have a family weekend away without help.

10. Have a girly weekend with my best bud.

11. Make friends with a neighbour. (Feb 10)

12. Have a professional hair colour.

13. Go running 3 times a week.

14. Hit 10 stone.

15. Go to New York for a grown-up holiday.

16. Clear out bathroom cupboards. (Feb 10)

17. Make a quilt for myself which is beautiful.

18. Go out with my brother and his wife.

19. Go to the theatre.

20. Buy a good coat.

21. Go to a car boot sale.

22. Have a Swiss massage.

23. Re-gold my wedding ring.

24. Look after my hands for a month and have a manicure.

25. Look after my feet for 2 months and have a pedicure.

26. Do sit-ups every day for a month.

27. Use body moisturiser every day for 2 weeks.

28. Have a 3 day detox on just fruit and vegetables.

29. Have eyebrows professionally shaped.

30. Have a facial.

31. Sign up for beauty testers and enjoy the pleasure.

32. Establish a weekly house cleaning routine and get boys involved.

33. Climb the Garth.

34. Ride a bike.

35. Go on an Easter Egg Hunt.

36. Go away for New Years Eve.

37. Visit 25 places for Family Fun Days.

38. Watch 52 films.)2/52

39. Sign up for an evening course.

40. Complete 30 items from Biddying To Make List.

41. Set up account for selling books on Amazon.

42. Do monthly clear out for charity shops on 15th of the month. Done Feb

43. Do monthly paperwork/organisation on 1st of the month. Done Feb

44. Sign up for weekly class with Little Pickle.

45. Make coffee friends with 3 Mums in Nursery. (1/3)

46. Get Cornichon involved with a weekly class.

47. Phone a friend on Sundays.

48. Re-start Thursday lunches with Mummy friends.

49. Get an eye test.

50. Get the boys involved with the dentist.

51. Read 25 books.(1/25)

52. Get new curtains and poles in the lounge.

53. Get monthly subscription to Sew Hip.

54. Organise monthly nights out with sister.

55. Get 50,0000 grains at www.freerice.com. (2000)

56. Start Christmas cards before December.

57. Decorate Cornichon's room.

58. Decorate Little Pickle's room.

59. De-register for Find The Duck Books

60. Re-organise Cornichons' cupboards.

61. Update all downloaded pictures.

62. Fix up kitchen notice board to replace post box.

63. Read the instruction book for my camera.

64. Arrange a shopping day for me, just me.

65. Make the porch look pretty.

66. Have the car valeted. (Done Feb by me)

67. Tidy the shed.

68. Go to France.

69. Re-connect with Uruguay.

70. Go to bed before 10pm for a 1 week.