New Year - New Me!

The end of the year is a great time for taking stock, looking back at what I have achieved this year, and lookig forward to a new 'beginnning'.

I think 2006 has been a good year.

Family
DH and I are better friends than ever becasue of the dog walking! We definately are on our own now, the kids just don't want to come. In fact, Lucy doesn't really have much to do with Merlin. Nicholas is much more likely to play with him, and has really grasped how good a companion the dog is. But N is at home a lot more than L. I have a really nice relationship with N. We are often together in our 'computer' room! (Ususally me asking him how to do something!) He has really grown up and is likely to join in adult conversations, and does come on dog walks too occasionally. L is very very teenage, and I think 2007 is not going to be any better than 2006, in fact, it will probably be worse. Yesterday she refused to eat with us, and was in a foul mood last night, literally just grunting at us. I felt rejected! Today has been much better, I made a real effort to include her and her friend at meal times, and they ate more sensibly.
My mum and dad have had a terrible year becasue of dad's health. He has really been ill all year, and now is in remission again. He is on a small dose of thalidomide to ward off the myeloma, but I don't think he is reacting very well to it. I really hope they have a better year. It really is awful watching your parents health deteriorate.
BIL has sold his house, which is really good news! He is in B&B at present, so we just hope that 2007 brings him good luck with finding the perfect place, that suits him, and that DH and their mum agree with (a hard task!)

Holidays
Highlights of the year, our trip all on our own and on the motorbike, to Sherborne. We did a bit of family history too, which I think DH found just as interesting as I did. The main one though was New York. I so loved it, and for one who does not look forward to holidays, I was really pleased with myself. The flights were not really that bad. New York was fab, all thos iconic stree signs, and iceskating in Central Park, and going up the ESB!
Don't know what we are going to do this year though. Maybe a couple of long weekend city breaks?

Work
Work for me is mostly voluntary.
Family Centre. I still love it, I feel well settled there now, and know what to do. I took on the cleaning in October, and my aim this month is to get settled in my new routine.
AIFHS I feel I have done a lot to streamline the membership admin, and am very excited that Nicholas has written a new database for me. It should be going live quite soon, so fingers crossed! I really don't feel like taking on anything else on the committee, it has been moted several times about me becming chairman, but I really don't want that.
DHS Govenors. I have blown a bit hot and cold this year, mostly cold I'm afraid to say! I did have a wonderful day ion school at the end of last term, and I do enjoy the Govenor's panels for exclusions, but I'm not sure I really feel part of the team. I think I'll just keep my head down, and not volunteer for anything else new.

Hobbies
Scrapbooking. I really got into stmaping this year. It started with doing Shimelle's art in the mail course. I am self taught, and not so very confident in my abilities, especially when I joined the UKStampers 1st CJ! All the others are soo much better than me! My first love is scrapbooking, and I did have to say to myslef this year that I should reduce the no of CJ's and swaps that I get involved in. I've hardly done any swaps- one that does spring to mind is the calendar tag swap! It was such a mess, that we ended up doing it twice! I have tried to use them in my 'garden' album, but I'm not pleased with how it's turned out. My 2006 album is coming on well, I started a heritage album, a book of me and an album for Nicholas's 18th birthday. My goal is to finish all these before starting anything new. I tried to do Shimelles' christmas journal again, but feel at the 2nd post! I just had to decide to give it up. I will try to consolidate all my techniques and projects in 2007, and have just ordered some new storage! I will not take on anything new. (at least for the time being!!!)

Reading. I'm really pleased that I have read quite a few books that I wouldn't normally read because of book forums. I will continue to read avidly, and to try new genres and authors throughout 2007.

Family History. I feel that my own family history ahs taken a bit of a back seat since I joined the AIFHS committee. I really want to get going with it this year! So I have subscribed to findmypast.com for 12 months so i can really get going on the Fumagalli trail. WE did go down to Sherbourne, adn in just half a day found out quite a lot of interesting stuff on the vanstones. I should try to get to Birmingham (with M&D if they are well enough) to research the Fumagallis better. I'm not sure whether I will try to go back into Italy this year. I think I'll stick with going forward from Giovanni, and see how I get on.

Gardening. Not so much time for gardening these days. And I have to say, not so much enthusiasm for it either! I will complete my garden album, and that has given me a bit of inspiration, and I will continue to visit garden centres with M&D!!!! And hopefully lots of nice gardens. M and I hare now members of the National Trust, so we really should get to as many as poss this summer.

I am running out of time now! Other things I want to do: Drive less miles in the car. Means using my bike more, and car less. Be generally more organised so that I feel like I'm getting more done! Cook more.

That will do for now!