Giving every £ a job

[Deleted User]

well done Blackcats!

Blackcats

Thanks for the shampoo tip Jellytots - I've done that and it works well.

Feeling refreshed after the Christmas break.  Finished work last Thursday and felt absolutely shattered and drained from being cooped up in my home office staring at a screen hour after hour.  I am always thankful though that I don't have a winter commute to contend with.

first Christmas without my mum.  I missed her a lot and in some unexpected ways.  Mum made the best bread sauce and on Christmas Day I'd tried to compensate by buying an m and s bread sauce which was bland and the wrong texture.  I shed a tear over the bread sauce which seems silly but it highlighted her absence. 

Ready to set out some plans and aspirations for 2022 tomorrow! 

 

Sun_Addict

The first Christmas/birthday/etcwithout someone is always hard.

I must be the only one who uses twice as much conditioner as shampoo. I only use a tiny bit of shampoo but need quite a bit of conditioner to tame my hair, it’s mid back length and there’s a lot of it. A bottle of shampoo lasts me for months.

doingitanyway

I'm also having a first. It isn't easy but hoping it will get easier for us both.

Blackcats

Thanks SA.  If only we could balance our shampoo/conditioner shortage/glut 😁.
doingitanyway - yes, it is difficult.  I keep getting caught out by waves of sadness out of nowhere.  A wise person told me that time is a great soother.  I prefer this to time is a great healer.  I feel comfortable being soothed.

New Year's Intentions
I've been reading lots of articles and checking diaries on here for inspiration and motivation and I've been busy making sense of them and making them applicable to me for 2022 .... this is my thinking so far ....

new year resolutions rarely last but sustainable changes which become habits do last 
I read a blog where a word of the year was described.  The article included words like 
balance
simplify
thrive

I can connect with all of these but for 2022 I've chosen "self-care".  I think this encompasses the above and should enable balance, to simplify and to thrive.

looking forward to a quiet and cosy New Years Eve at home.
I hope everyone has a good evening.
looking forward to continuing my journey next year.

[Deleted User]

oh blackcats, I really feel for you.  I haven't yet lost parents, but I was closer to my nana than I've ever been to my mum and the loss of her hit me hard - like you say, it's the simple things, like breadsauce. Sending strength and love x

Sun_Addict

The turning point is definitely when you can no longer say this time last year … It starts to get a bit easier from then but you still find yourself thinking about them every day. 

Here’s to a good 2022 for you 🥂

savingholmes

Have a soothing new year

doingitanyway

Like you 2022 will be my year of self care. I also like 'balance' as a word to focus on in 2022. Let the self care commence...

Blackcats

Thank you for your kind words Rebecca and Sunaddict and Saving
DIA - I thought the concept of a significant word to have as a focus was a good idea.  I hope you find balance and that we both manage some self care.

I was reading on savingholmes' diary about storage preferences.  I realise that my preference for closed away storage with items out of sight enables me to shove stuff away and the house looks tidy even though it's muddled.
so for January I'm going to tidy a drawer a day 😇.  Some are quite small and will be relatively quick, others will take longer.  I can tackle the drawers in my office while I'm off camera listening to meetings.  I've done the 2 in my bedside cabinet so far.  The aim is to reduce clutter, look tidy and also to have things in logical, accessible places.