The Beginning...

I have spent the last hour or so deleting over 4000 emails. Yes you read right 4000 emails and only 6 worth reading the rest were junk mail. After going through about a 1000 not really reading them but scrolling down and seeing who they were from I just started pressing delete. Never again. It's my own fault really I never read them because nobody ever emails me so I end up with junk mail.

I decided to start on my new years resolution.

Watched 7 Pounds starring Will Smith and Rosario Dawson. I think it's one of those movies you will either love or hate but I loved it.

Reading Meet me at cupcake café. The first few pages didn't quite capture me but I decided to keep at it and now I am getting into it.

I have been looking at second hand bikes for some time now so I can start learning to ride but haven't had any luck. I am now thinking of getting myself a new one so went to the bike shop and tried a few and I am not sure if it's the right thing to do. Buy a new bike I mean.

First swimming lesson of the year is tomorrow and I don't think I will be able to make it due to other things happening but will see.

It's only been a few day into the new year and I feel as if I am already putting barriers in front of myself. Have to work on this.

Hope the first few day of the new year haven't been too bad.

Happy New Year...

2015 is upon us. Another 12 months to plan what we want to do. I never used to make new years resolutions until a couple of years ago. Like most people I can't even remember what they are come February but that is not going to stop me. I know some people refer to them as goals or challenges instead of resolutions. Whatever they are called I do enjoy thinking about them and setting them but hate that I never seem to accomplish any of them.

I have had a chance to think of mine and nearly all of them are similar if not exactly the same as last years. I have decided to share some of the fun ones here to track my progress.

Here is my list

Watch at least 52 movies this year

Read at least 12 novels 

Be organised

Look after myself better

Learn to ride a bike

Learn to swim

Take part in the scavenger hunt photo challenge to make me use my camera more.

Do some of the things in the 102 things to do this summer book. 

Cut down on my consumption of everything 

Blog more often and comment on the blogs I read

So this is my list. I do hope I stick to all of them. 

Hope the new year brings great things your way.

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow...

2 weeks ago I took the plunge and cut my hair. I wish I could say it was a spare of the moment thing or it was due to some crisis in my life but it wasn't. I had ummed and ahhed about it for a few years and none of my friends were very encouraging about it (not that I needed their approval). I think it was over the summer that I started thinking about it seriously but never really had the courage but the thought was always in my head.

Around November time one of my work mates was asking about my hair, don't remember how the conversation had started and I mentioned that I wanted to cut it and she said she thought I would suit it. I nearly hugged her because that was the nicest thing she could have said at that time. I suppose my biggest worry was that if I chopped it and it didn't suit me what was I going to do. After the conversation with my workmate I knew I was going to do it, it was only a matter of time.

It wasn't long after this I hit good old google to find ways to disguise a very bad hair cut and to also find ways to style my short hair. I was amazed at the amount of information available on the net. Master T and I spent a whole night learning how to tie head scarfs in different styles from some youtube tutorials.

After all this research I felt I was armed with the info I required and started feeling more confident about my decision. It was probably a couple more weeks before I actually put a pair of scissors through my hair.

2 Fridays ago I went to bed with a head full of shoulder length hair and woke up Saturday morning with nearly all of it gone. Then took a trip to the barbers and not the hairdressers in the morning and came out with a head of not so long hair that I absolutely love.

I went from this.

To this

I know my attempt on a selfie are not great but I am working on it.

The before picture doesn't really show how long my hair really was (shoulder length) because it was always tied into a bun.

I do have a plan on how I want my hair to look. This just happens to be the beginning.

Am I vain or what? To dedicate the longest post I have ever written on my hair.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to whatever the new year brings.

x

A Pause In Advent 4...

Overindulgence...

                              excessive gratification of a person's wishes

I will be the first one to admit of being very guilty of this at this time of the year. All that food, the sales, the parties, the nights out and everything else that happens at this time of the year. It is very easy to overindulge, to forget what this time of year is all about, to be carried away with what is surrounding us. The lights, the glitter the never ending Christmas markets and all those adverts telling us we need this and that in time for Christmas.

It's not too late to take a few moments to reflect and really think about the true meaning of Christmas as we are heading towards the big day.

xx

Pause In Advent # 2

Reconciliation...

                     the restoration of friendly relations.

Every now and again friends and family fall out for many different reason. Some major and some very petty but regardless of how big the fallout some people never get to make amends. We all know someone who has fallen out with a loved one and years have gone by and they still do not talk. It's always heart breaking to hear the story behind these fallouts and sometimes you can feel the regret in their voices or just see it in their eyes that they wish things were different.

As human beings we find it difficult to make the first move, to ask for forgiveness or to just be the bigger person and say we are sorry. I think this time of Advent is a great time to possibly take that step. Cards are being posted left, right and centre and an extra card to that person will not do any harm. With most people filled with the Christmas spirit maybe that's all that it will take to reconcile with your loved one.

Send that text, card or email. The worst thing that could happen is not getting a reply but the best thing that will happen is having that loved one back in your life.

xx

Pause In Advent

Advent noun: the arrival of a notable person or thing.

At this time of the year most people are putting up Christmas trees and decoration, buying presents for their loved ones, stocking up on all the best food items and sending out Christmas cards. As we go about preparing for Christmas this advent let us think of those less fortunate than us and maybe put an extra present or food item in our baskets and drop it of at the many drop off points set up at this time of the year.

Nobody is so poor that they can not give and nobody is so rich that they can not receive.

There are many people around us who find this time of year difficult for many reasons. It's all too easy to accuse them of being a scrooge without really knowing the reason. That neighbour who has no family or even that colleague who seems to be going through a hard time. Maybe a conversation  is all they want or just a smile from you will ease those worries a little bit.

Giving and kindness takes many different forms. Give the best way you can.

Let us take a few moments to be kind to others as we prepare for Christmas.

I'm Back...

I haven't been blogging for a while as you can tell. Things got quite hectic so had to disappear for a while.

These are some of the things we've been up to since I last blogged

Work

Thinking

Moved house

Trip to Blackpool

Summer holidays

Made new friends 

First ever camping trip

Visit to Madam Tussauds

Creating a home that I love

Changed my working hours

Visit to Dubai to visit family

Master T started senior school

Visit to Edinburgh. Beautiful city

Attempting to use a sewing machine

Decluttered loads of items and still at it

Trip to Liverpool to watch the Lion King

Birthdays which meant presents and cake

Loads of Car boot sales both as a buyer and a seller

Advent is upon us. As of tomorrow I will be taking part in A Pause In Advent hosted this year by Angela at Tracing Rainbows.

Stay warm.