Taking Stock

Kathryn inspired me with her blog post on this subject, as she was by other people. It’s that time of year when you think about the past and future… 

So, without further ado, here’s my taking stock. 

Making: a pink knitted bolero for my niece in Rowan Cocoon and a lace scarf for my line manager’s birthday in Devon Sun Yarns’ Dazzler. 

Cooking: tomorrow I’ll be making chilli and a fruit pie for when D’s son and his family arrive for a visit. 

Drinking: mostly Prosecco and Baileys over the holidays. Not together! Presently indulging in some diet 7up. 

Wanting: my house to always be as tidy as it is now all the time with minimum effort (a girl can dream!) 

Looking: at a contented snoring Labrador lying under the Christmas tree! 

Playing: a board game called Mexican Train with my nephew & niece. 

Deciding: to read more history. I love it and have neglected it for knitting and audio books. I need to read more in 2016. 

Wishing: to really get to grips with being a vegetarian with a nut allergy who due to a bowel condition needs to eat a low (possibly no) lactose and low wheat diet. A friend gave me a book called ‘Deliciously Ella’, which is an offshoot of a blog of the same name, for Christmas which I hope will give me inspiration. 

Enjoying: not having to get up early! This is partly due to me being a night owl and finding it hard to go to bed at 11pm to get up at 6.30am. I prefer bed at 1am and getting up at 8.30am!

Waiting: to be inspired by my current knitting. I really wanted to knit with this yarn and I like the pattern but I’m not LOVING it. And I’m nearly finished!  

    
 

Liking: the laziness of the Christmas holiday period, when it’s OK to sit about reading or knitting! 

Wondering: whether I can be as organised about my knitting as I’m planning. Earlier this year I made myself a plan of what I wanted to make before Christmas and, by and large, I’ve achieved it. I have decided in 2016 to be more organised and work out what I want to make. The plus side is I’ve worked out what yarn I need – and it’s all in my stash! Of course, if I want to vary it I can, it’s not going to be set in stone. The only thing I have decided is not to buy any yarn in 2016. The only exception is if I’m spending a voucher (I have two saved up!) or if I’m abroad. I can buy yarn abroad. As I’m hoping to visit Stephen West’s yarn shop ‘Stephen & Penelope’ when I visit Amsterdam in January, this is a must! 

Loving: spending time with my family. Today my Mum, sister, niece and I visited Stonehenge! It’s about a 30 minute drive from where we live and we haven’t been since they built the new visitor centre. It was fantastic!  

    
    
 Yes, it was raining and windy and cold. And yes we all own the same size Cath Kidston handbags in different patterns! 

Pondering: my New Years resolutions. They’re all going to be achieveable. 

Considering: whether I should make versions of the Santa hat loo roll cover for everyone who liked it on Facebook for next Christmas!  

 

Buying: 2 history books when I visited Stonehenge today. ‘Britain AD’ by Francis Pryor and ‘A History of Ancient Britain’ by Neil Oliver. Oh and a toy sheep for my niece that she very appropriately named Henge. 

Hoping: that my 2 year fixed term contract will be made permanent in 2016 or I’ll be job hunting in early 2017. 

Needing: to do some exercise and hoping that my new bike will help me with that. I have been very sensible with my redundancy money, putting a good amount in the bank as I only have a short term contract, a new bathroom and lots of things for the house, including our new IKEA furniture:  

 Anyway, I decided to do two things for myself with it (as well as buying D really good Christmas & birthday presents), to go on the yarn retreat and to buy a Victoria Pendleton Somerby bike in mint green. I got it on the 19th and I 💚💚💚 it! It looks like this, only with a basket on the front!  

 Smelling: onion bhajis I cooked for D for his tea!

Wearing: an acid yellow Taking Shape knee length dress (this one, but don’t be fooled by the colour on the website, it’s the same colour as my scarf in the pictures above), a grey long sleeve top over that, black leggings and brown Timberland biker boots. My dress is basically a grown up version of clothes I would have loved to own when I was 15 in the ’80s. I adore it!

Noticing: I drive slower when I have passengers in the car. Also when it’s my Mum’s car! 

Thinking: about the possible options for my career over the next few years. 

Admiring: my Christmas earrings from D and the two project bags I was given for Christmas. One by my Mum and the other by my #stitching Santa Bekki!  

Sorting: my Ravelry queue. I’m actually going to use it this year! 

Getting: my house ready for visitors.  

Bookmarking: patterns I want to make on Ravelry! 

Coveting: I’m not really a covetous person. I have pretty much everything I want. Of course I’d love a lovely big farmhouse and to not work and to be able to afford  various things, but that’s just dreams. In real life, I don’t covet anything. 

Disliking: the amount of packaging things come in. 

Feeling: slightly concerned about Mollie who unbeknownst to me ate some foil that covers chocolate coins on Christmas Day (the only possibly opportunity) and has been subdued ever since and then vomited them up today… 

Snacking: not really a snacker despite my girth! But I did have some homemade fudge (smug face) after dinner. 

Helping: my sister is helping me by hosting a big family party for D’s family on Wednesday. Her house is a lot bigger than ours and we’re having a second Christmas Day with his grandchildren. 

Hearing: about the floods up north and thinking about the people affected. 

💚