I think I know why people make New Year resolutions. In common with lots of people on their blogs, or their podcasts, winter makes me more comtemplative and I am trying to find my direction. I think it's the long nights and cold days. In the summer (or whatever the cold monsoon season that we have had for the past 2 years is called - seriously, if you don't live in the UK, just google Gloucestershire floods) I am more contect to just be myself and am not prone to any sort of introspection. I like this sort of shallowness, I'm comfortable with it!
The back end of last year was fairly tough. Mentally more than physically. P was made redundant at the end of October, which was hard for him. I went into survival mode, tightened the pursestrings dramatically, started temping, and decided that, other than for the kids, we would make Christmas presents. Of course that means I would make presents!
The back end of last year was fairly tough. Mentally more than physically. P was made redundant at the end of October, which was hard for him. I went into survival mode, tightened the pursestrings dramatically, started temping, and decided that, other than for the kids, we would make Christmas presents. Of course that means I would make presents!
When P was offered a job, on Dec 19th, all the tension that I hadn't really realised I was holding onto was released. It made me an emotional basketcase for the next couple of weeks. And oh yes, that does mean over Christmas. I'm not going to bore you with details, but it was a hard one for me. The levels of control that I can usually hold on to just vanished. Crying is not a good look for me - I don't do the pretty movie star crying but the bright red face and snot version. Ah well, things are coming back into equilibrium now, especially now P has started his job and we are back to only seeing him on weekends. I think when I have to do everything I find it easier to cope. Control freak,moi??
The thing that I keep coming back to is not having a career. Before the twins arrived, I was an equal earner, and that gave me a sense of self and equality that I have struggled to regain. One of these days, I will work out what I'm going to do when I grow up.
Craft-wise this has been a very busy time, and it hasn't slowed down post-christmas. P bought me a 3month membership to the Violet Green sock club, and I am working on the December socks at the moment. The yarn feels lovely and the colours are great, so thanks honey! I am not getting on as fast as I would like witht he socke though. The unusually cold weather that we are getting now has meant that the hats and gloves that I didn't get round to for me, P and the kids have become an urgent priority! Most recently, I have made myself a Felicity hat which is great. It's really easy to wear, can be pulled over my ears when it's cold, and is warm and pretty. I finished Paul's Dashing fingerless gloves and made him a Turn a square hat. I am now working on Bella's Mittens for me. I saw the Twilight movie, and Bella, the main character, had a pair of long horseshoe cabled mittens that I saw and thought "I wonder if there's a pattern on Ravelry" and sure enough, this gorgeous pattern is there and free. I worked the first mitt quickly but despite checking gauge, it came out tighter than it should, so I moved up to 6mm needles for thesecond, which looks great. I have hat requests from the twins, and as I'm not completely happy with P's hat, I will try another pattern. I got all of these, by the way, from the wonderful, entertaining and informative Ravelry website. If you're not already there, WHY NOT??
I had a lovely shopping trip to Kirsty's workshop and got some bargain wools. Some bargain bucket single skeins, and 2 sweater's worth of wool. Can't wait to get started on them.
So I think that my main resolution this year is to not worry too much about what other people think or expect of me, and to keep on drawing out this creative side of me. It satisfies me, gives me a sense of achievement that is noticeably absent in my pathetic housekeeping efforts. So even if it does not count as a career or add any financial value (rather the opposite), it enhances my life. Keep on knitting!
The thing that I keep coming back to is not having a career. Before the twins arrived, I was an equal earner, and that gave me a sense of self and equality that I have struggled to regain. One of these days, I will work out what I'm going to do when I grow up.
Craft-wise this has been a very busy time, and it hasn't slowed down post-christmas. P bought me a 3month membership to the Violet Green sock club, and I am working on the December socks at the moment. The yarn feels lovely and the colours are great, so thanks honey! I am not getting on as fast as I would like witht he socke though. The unusually cold weather that we are getting now has meant that the hats and gloves that I didn't get round to for me, P and the kids have become an urgent priority! Most recently, I have made myself a Felicity hat which is great. It's really easy to wear, can be pulled over my ears when it's cold, and is warm and pretty. I finished Paul's Dashing fingerless gloves and made him a Turn a square hat. I am now working on Bella's Mittens for me. I saw the Twilight movie, and Bella, the main character, had a pair of long horseshoe cabled mittens that I saw and thought "I wonder if there's a pattern on Ravelry" and sure enough, this gorgeous pattern is there and free. I worked the first mitt quickly but despite checking gauge, it came out tighter than it should, so I moved up to 6mm needles for thesecond, which looks great. I have hat requests from the twins, and as I'm not completely happy with P's hat, I will try another pattern. I got all of these, by the way, from the wonderful, entertaining and informative Ravelry website. If you're not already there, WHY NOT??
I had a lovely shopping trip to Kirsty's workshop and got some bargain wools. Some bargain bucket single skeins, and 2 sweater's worth of wool. Can't wait to get started on them.
So I think that my main resolution this year is to not worry too much about what other people think or expect of me, and to keep on drawing out this creative side of me. It satisfies me, gives me a sense of achievement that is noticeably absent in my pathetic housekeeping efforts. So even if it does not count as a career or add any financial value (rather the opposite), it enhances my life. Keep on knitting!
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