Saturday 3rd January - Waiting for the New Year to begin

These are the last few days of the Christmas Holidays. It seems like a kind of limbo; as though the New Year hasn't properly got started yet.

I've spent the day in this and thattery;

Domesticity 
loading the crock pot with a beef stew which is destined for our depleted freezer
the first of many, many loads for the washing machine to prepare for a sudden surge in laundry, because of

Partings

Son and daughter have gone their separate ways, back to their own lives. It's very quiet; me on my computer, he on his, one cat asleep near him, the other cat asleep near me.

More clearing up and throwing away
Some more kitchen utensils have been binned as past their 'use-by' date or added to the pile for the charity shop

Music Teaching

Several work-related emails, pro-formas and schedules have been dealt with

A number of worksheets have been prepared ready for next week

My 'black bag' that I lug around the schools has been emptied and re-stocked; pencil case with forty pencils, eraser and sharpener - check, glue stick - check, whiteboard pens - check, clean the laminated blank sheets that I use to make flash-cards - check; folder of clean white paper - check, folder of scrap paper - check

I have worked through another couple of sections of my 'green folder' - one section for each school - sorting, updating, throwing the paper as appropriate.

Diary

This year's diary arrived today. Purple, instead of last year's orangey-red. I wanted yellow, but for some inexplicable reason it was going to cost an extra £5. Purple will be fine.

Ridiculously, I struggled to remember what we had done on the 1st and 2nd January. That's one of the reasons why I found it well worth the effort of keeping a diary last year, and why I want to carry on with it. I got there in the end, racking my brains to remember... which brings me to

New Year Resolutions

same as the last few years - they have worked so well, why change a winning formula?

Keep a daily diary/journal

Eat chocolate at least once a week (though I might restrict it to only once a week for a little while, having stupidly weighed myself today)

two bags, of any size, with an unspecified quantity stuff inside, to a charity shop every month

I'm also working through the list of '116 things to throw away' which I picked up on my new time-fritterer, Pinterest, and have signed up for 'The January Cure', a daily email which should 'get your home in great shape'. Apparently completing each assignment 'will absolutely add to the momentum of positive change that lasts long after the Cure wraps up'. These aren't resolutions though - after all, I'm ignoring the first assignment, to vacuum or sweep or mop every floor in your house, moving furniture to make sure you get into every corner. What's the point of doing that until after I've taken down the Christmas Tree? That's just plain daft. I'm also supposed to go and buy some flowers 'as a gift to my home'. I've plenty at the moment, so I'll consider that as done!   

Church

I'm playing the piano at the 9am service tomorrow. I usually only play for the 1st Sunday in the month, as there are so many organists at our church that we take turns on a rota. I share with someone who dislikes playing the piano. She will play the hymns (Lord of all hopefulness, The Lord is my shepherd, And can it be) and I will play the song, even though it is one of my least favourite ever (I am anew creation). Hey - what about some more Christmas carols? I'll sneak some in during Communion. Heheheh.