Kenny's back!

I'm so thrilled. Kenny at http://veganlunchcast.blogspot.com/has returned. I still have him listed on my favourites, but had stopped checking his site on a regular basis because I thought he was gone forever.

This morning I clicked on it by accident and discovered that not only is he back, he has been for almost the whole month. That meant that I had several weeks of yummy looking lunches to catch up on. He's such an inspiration. I've recently gotten into the habit of making something (like fake tuna salad) and eating it over the course of a week. I need to make my lunches more varied.

I also discovered 2 new sites through looking at Kenny's links. Flippantly Vague Musings of a Quirky Vegan looks like one that I will be reading everyday. I also liked this recipe site http://www.pakupaku.info/

Talking of recipes I had a go at making vegan sweets at the weekend, using recipes from La Dolce Vegan. My truffles were a bit of a disaster. I couldn't get either the Carob-almond or the Chocolate-Walnut to set. I'm sure I'll find another use for them as even unset they are delicious.

However my mint chocolate fudge (minus the mint essence) did set and tastes amazing. I've never been able to manage fudge before. This time I used my Grandmother's cooking thermometer and so actually boiled the stuff for long enough (rather than getting scared when it foamed up).

I've been doing lots of walking (managed at least 4 session last week in excess of 30 minutes) so I deserve all this sweet stuff! Well, some anyway!

Making it different in 2007

These are the things I want to start or change in 2007 following my observations during the first few weeks of 2007.

Use what I have
I have enough. I don’t need to buy more. I should enjoy the things I have (things I choose for myself in the first place). So I’m going to try and make this the year I buy as little as possible. The stuff I have (and have been taking with me every time I have moved house) is amazing and I need to use it up before I buy anything else. For example, I dug out last night some purple embroidery thread. I bought on a school trip to France in 1987! I’ve got stacks of postcards, writing paper and notepads. I’ve got enough clothes. I can take lunch to work every single day. Working towards this will be good for my purse and good for the planet. If I really need it (and can’t find a substitute) I’m going to get it second hand or make it before buying new.

Ebay/Freecycle at least one item a month
This is a kind of follow on from the above. I’ve got lots of things that I no longer really need but someone else might enjoy them. This is less about making a profit and more about clearing space.

Count my blessings
I’ve already been trying to do this. If I wake up before the alarm or can’t get to sleep I think about all the things I have to grateful for (a warm bed, fantastic boyfriend, my cute cat, and so on). If sleep right to the alarm then I count blessings while I shower (hot water, nice smelling shower gel, animal friendly shampoo). It proved an effective way of blocking my worries about work, life and the universe in general.

Be more mysterious
This might seem a strange thing to put on a blog, but in RL I’m certain that I go into too much detail and give people far more than they need. Let me restrain myself a little and let them wonder.

My monthly targets will begin in February and I’ll try to update regularly how I’m getting onwith making my life different.

The truth about hairdressers

Having gone for the big chop on Monday what I always suspected about hairdressers has been proved true. Yes, they really want to cut loads of it off. My very lovely hairdresser was perfectly nice when I arrived at the salon but she became really lively when I announced that I was going much, much shorter.

Still I suppose it must be quite boring just trimming tiny amounts off hair all day and I've very happy with my new style. I realise that I just don't look like me when I look in the mirror now.

I still haven't posted my resolutions but I hope to do so over the next few days. I've been having a huge clear out at home and am getting through job lists at a fantastic rate so I haven't been taking it easy and letting myself go!

A marvellous organisational tip

When I had to wear a suit to work it was very easy to get dressed (if rather boring). I had 5 outfits (more or less - the end of the week could be a struggle) and I knew what I would put on everyday.

Lately I've been finding myself standing in front of my wardrobe (a lovely piece of furniture formerly owned by a distant cousin I always called Auntie) and pondering over what to wear. Yes, pondering. Something I don't really have time for at 6.15 a.m.

Then I read a marvellous tip in Easy Living (February edition - must check which nice person suggested this - think they were something to do with handbags). Now every week I plan food for the following week; I work out what we are likely to be eating for dinner and what I will be eating for lunch so that I know what food to buy and can try and make preparation as straightforward as possible. Imagine how much simpler mornings would be if I planned my clothes at the same time. I could ensure that I wasn't selecting items hiding at the bottom of the wash bin far enough in advance to do something about it. I shall see how it goes but I do very much like the sound of this.

Abstinence

January is proving so far to be a month where my mind is busy (the combined result of a new year and no booze). I just can’t stop thinking of lists I need to make, emails, letters and phone calls I should make, concepts that need to be put into action (or at least noted down for further attention) and cupboards and boxes that need clearing out.

However it is satisfying when I look around the room I rather grandly label my study to note that piles of stuff are moving. It’s also rather satisfying to note that a large number of tasks have been crossed off my job list.

It’s all a bit like clothes really. You think you have the perfect wardrobe and then what you see people wearing changes (so subtlety you don’t really notice) and then one day you decide that you have nothing to wear! Hence I thought my study was probably as sorted as it was going get and that various half started project would be completed one day and suddenly I am moving things around and putting up pictures. Clearly the day has come!

An important lesson is to remember that nothing lasts forever or is as sorted as expected. No doubt this burst of energy will die out and I’ll be back on the sofa with my nose stuck in a book soon. In the meantime I’m making the most of it!

I resolve….

This year rather than making resolutions either before New Year (while feeling bloated from excess) or immediately after New Year (still hung over, tired and emotional), I’m taking a slightly different approach.

As I start the year feeling refreshed I’m thinking about habits I have that I would like to break as they crop up in my life. One I’ve identified so far is buying glossy magazines. It started when I was buying snacks and magazines all the time to get change for the bus. I’m also thinking about things I want to achieve but never seem to get round to.

I’m hoping to have a list by the end of next week. I’ll review my progress on both resolutions and targets at the end each month. If I’ve made real progress I might even have to think up some new targets!

The only exception to the above is swearing off the demon drink for the whole of January (post birthday anyway). I’ll appreciate a glass of wine so much more when I’ve had to wait a whole month for it.

I am blessed

I sat on New Year’s Day in my front room, curled on the sofa with Dear Heart drinking wine and eating biscuits. The fire was warming the room. We’d been out for a walk earlier and I’d changed into pyjamas on my return. I took a pause from reading my book and thought how utterly blessed I am. I’d like to keep that feeling of warmth generated by family, friends and home with me all year.

Santa visited my house!

I had a splendid Christmas curled up at home with Dear Heart. He did home-made pizza for Christmas dinner served with champagne.

So many people bought me thoughtful presents. Dear Heart bought me (among other delights) some vouchers for a local sewing shop. I’m so exciting by the prospect of buying patterns and fabrics!

I also had some lovely gardening themed presents including slate markers, stuff to scrub my hands with (and boy do I normally need it after a session on my allotment) and then make the nails all nice and a welly airer (no more wet wellies).

A feast of Sudoku puzzles with an enormous pack of pencils. I was thrilled to solve a ‘killer’ (where you have to make the number equal the total in dotted line box) for the first time ever.

My birthday is just after Christmas, so I was showered with presents once again. My sister bought me a totally genius card with fuzzy felt front (see http://www.fuzzyfelt.com/ if you have no idea what I’m talking about). It showed a birthday cake and I’ve made loads of different pictures since. That’s definitely going on my desk to play with when I’m stressed or need to be creative.

I got loads of Benefit products. I was really excited to have so many different products. Some of them were things that I would never buy brand named (such as make-up remover) so it rather nice to give them a go even if I never buy them again. I’ve had a play with some of them over the festive period but have decided that I’m going to put some of them away and open them in June so I can really appreciate this kind of abundance.

I’m really touched that so many people bought me such lovely things and have taken the time to think about my interests and what I might like (anything green rocks).