Farewell 2010

So that's another year over with - wow where did it go? Even children seem to be saying it flew past, when I was wee that was only something grown ups said. LOL

New Year's Eve will be (hopefully) a more healthy one this year as I'm not coughing up a lung like I was last year. I am also not working myself to death for minimum wage anymore either.

Anway I thought it would be a good time to reflect to see what else has been achieved this year.
I don't 'do' resolutions but I did set myself some aims for this year.

•More quality family time.
Giving up the bar job definately helped with this one. I am here when the smalls come home from school and I get to cook them proper meals every night. I'm present in the now for them and not living in my head reliving scenes from work. Money's tighter but it's been worth it.


•Making this house a home.
This year I got the downstairs bathroom refitted - there have been no before and after pics yet as I'm STILL waiting on the guy coming back to fit the extractor fan. He 'finished' the bathroom in July - yes I know! I'm going to get someone else to fit it after the holiday season and the first guy won't be getting asked back to do all the other work I need doing in the house. His loss - big mistake! LOL
I have filled bags and bags of clutter but it seems to be breeding and it's a losing battle but I'm determined to win.
As I can't afford a new kitchen at the moment and I have lived with mine for far too long (8 years but I'm not counting honest) I took the bull by the horns on Wednesday and attacked the unit doors with a paintbrush. I will post before and after pics in the new year. ;)


•Getting my crafting mojo back.
I've brought out the knitting needles and made hot water bottle covers and hand warmers and am still working on a blanket for wee one at this rate it may be finished when she leaves home. She's 10 now! Big one might get one for the birth of her first grandchild :)
I've baked a fair bit, especially when I found the whacky food colourings I'd forgotten about.

I've read 112 books this year - ok that's not technically crafty but thought I'd just tell you anyway. :)
I did a wee bit of stencilling but not nearly as much as I would like to get done.
I made a door curtain to keep out the cold that was crafty and thrifty :)
Obviously Chrimbo brings out my more crafty side - snowflakes, paper chains and baking.


•Living frugally but bountifully.
Despite losing a weekly pay packet I have lived within my means this year. I owe nobody any thing. No loans, no credit cards, no overdraft and I paid for an all inclusive holiday in the sun for me and the smalls. Yay me!


•Nuture my important friendships.
I came to realise that I am worth having as a friend and real friends don't expect me to do all their bidding. My Christmas card list changed this year but I'm thinking definately for the better. I lost a dear friend in a tragic car accident this year too and two other dear friends had breast lump scares so that also helped with the realisation that some things matter and some don't.
I have found some wonderful friends in this magical sparkle box and you all mean a lot to me, you know who you are and if you don't I'm doing something wrong. LOL

•Have a holiday even if it's only a weekend in a tent in a field with a campfire.
Not one but three and a bit holidays.
Holiday number one. A camping trip to Linlithgow in the summer.
Holiday number two. Two weeks down in Wales. One week on my own when I caught up with all my old pals and the second week when the smalls came back from their holiday with their Dad.
Holiday number three. Two weeks in Tunisia in October.
And the bit. My return trip to Wales on my own in September for an old friend's wedding.

Here's to 2011 when hopefully I will be

* beginning a new career.

* continuing to make my house a home that I want to be in.

* acquiring a social life that entails me going outside the front door, this last year I've been somewhat of a recluse so it's time I made me some new 'local' friends. Of course this wouldn't be necessary if you all didn't live so far away!

* Keep fund raising so that Big one gets to go on her Malawi trip - oh and survive having my baby in a foreign country for a month without me or her Dad or any family member for that matter!

* Help wee one finally get to grips with how a tidy room is supposed to look.

* Keep my little family smiling, happy and healthy.

Thanks to you all for keeping me company during this last year, supporting me on the days when I've needed a shoulder, a hug or a kick up the bum, laughed with me on the days when I've either been daft or life has just made us giggle and finally just for being you. You're all great.

Well here it is

2010. A whole new year full of promise. Happy New Year to you all. I hope you saw the new year in with more cheer than I did. I'm currently coughing lots and my poor chest is so sore. I should have been working a day shift New Years Eve but as I'd spent most of the previous night awake coughing hard my Mother and wee one took the decision that I was NOT going into work. Just as well as I slept for pretty much the rest of the day. I just know my name will have been mud for phoning in sick the morning of my shift but I am soooo fed up of my job just now that I'm past caring.

I've actually come to the decision that once I've had my week's leave (the week after next) I'm handing my notice in. I really don't earn enough for all the hours I do to put up with all the rubbish I have to. It's minimum wage and maximum stress. A friend told me that me being ill and worrying about there being no one to cover my shift was the manager's problem and not mine. I actually laughed, then coughed for several minutes, as that is pretty much the main problem. There is no manager. It is a family run pub and it all seems to be done on a wing and a prayer. I work 4 day shifts a week, not finishing till at least 6pm at night. My tag team partner then takes over from me and does the opposite shifts. Then the rest of the shifts..... well whoever the boss can get to fill the spaces seems to do it and they just seem to do what they feel like doing while they're there. Me and my ttp do all the cleaning, stocking, ordering etc etc etc.

Sorry I'm just moaning. I've been there 3 years now and have just burnt myself out I think.

I need to take some time out and spent it with my small people, see my friends, deep clean the house and spend some time just catching a breath.

It's probably not the wisest thing to do during a credit crunch but we will manage. Me and me small people need some us time and not them coming home to an empty house waiting for Mum to get home in the dark.

So New Years Eve I sat up on the sofa trying to stay awake while the smalls played Just Dance on the Wii - fantastic game! I can't recommend it enough for fun value and exercise, my arms were killing me Christmas Day night.

Christmas Day and New Years Eve the former him indoors was here to spend it with the smalls. I've also had my mother here for nearly 3 weeks now slowly driving me insane. She won't be leaving just yet as it's my 40th birthday next sunday so wants to be here for that too. Just keep smiling Taz, all your washing and ironing keeps magically disappearing!

So that's been the end of 2009 for me. Not one of the best years but certainly one that has given me the kick up the backside that hopefully will propel me into 2010 with determination to make things better. Plus turning the big 40, well they say life begins at 40 don't they?

I don't do resolutions but things I'm hoping for this year are.

• More quality family time.



• Making this house a home.



• Getting my crafting mojo back.



• Living frugally but bountifully.



• Nuture my important friendships.



• Have a holiday even if it's only a weekend in a tent in a field with a campfire.

I have nothing planned for my birthday, sad but true. I did book a party but then decided that I didn't want to spend my birthday at my place of work and paying for a party that I really wasn't bothered about having. Maybe if someone else had organised it for me it would have been fun but there was no chance of that. Ideally I would love to have spent my birthday in New York, I just love New York. But that too is just a pipe dream.

So I'm guessing my birthday will be what it will be. I didn't have anything 'big' for any of my other landmark birthdays so nothing new there then. As long as the small people spend the day with me then I'll be happy.

God I'm a right whinge aren't I? First post of 2010 and I'm moan, moan, moan. Oh did I mention we've had snow, snow, snow and lots more snow? Ok I know you're not shocked, I live in Scotland LOL

So long 2008

You were interesting, you brought ups and downs, you brought laughter and tears. I learnt things, I forgot things, I'll remember things I might not want to and I'll forget things I'll wish I could remember.
Farewell, so long and adieu.

Here's to 2009 everyone. Thanks for keeping me company this year and let's hope 2009 brings us all joy, happiness, peace, kindness and love.

See you all in the new year.