Thursday, 6 January 2011

A new year just begun......

And so it's that time of year again: time to take stock, stand back, hunker down, batten down the hatches, step away from the fridge and keep your hands where you can see them....not up to your elbows in cold roast potatoes, an unfinished Stilton or the Quality Street tin....the purple ones have long gone anyway. All over this cold and soggy land the turkey-stuffed, wine-soaked, cake-crumbed masses are heaving themselves along to their nearest pilates class, yoga centre, thai-chi, kick-boxing, aerobic, weightlifting, flab slaying temple of muscular strain, ache and pain, in a vain attempt to clean up their act, get fit, slim down and tone up because this is going to be the year: the year when they lose that 10 pounds, give up smoking and stop lying on the sofa in crusty make-up and jim-jams sticky with the honey drips of morning toast, crumpled and coffee-stained, watching last night's telly on SkyPlus.

No, this will be the year of the doer. Actions will prove the naysayers wrong. This year will be another year. A different year.......until about January 22nd. At which point the stark realisation that we haven't even started February yet will kick in. The sky will turn the colour of sour milk and the damp, cold weather will seep beneath the tightest door and battened window; it will be too cold to go to pilates/yoga/kick-boxing, the meditation class will pass un-thought of and the salad will turn to slime, rotting odorously. The tooth defying toffees in the bottom of the chocolate box will get eaten while you wonder what you can eat...... and the thought of another day of detox tea in lieu of a robust red will gnaw away at your resolve and finally........ the game is up.

Personally I've given up giving up, better to embrace new things and add to life rather than take away from it.....especially at this late stage. Besides, I was given a bottle of homemade sloe vodka, the rose blush of which goes very well with the baby-pink, cashmere socks I also received from Santa ........ I hope the pair will see me through the northern months.

Top tip: take yourself off to Africa, read Out Of Shadows by Jason Wallace, winner of Costa's children's book of the year but a brilliant read at any age, oh yes and he's my cousin...... www.outofshadows.co.uk
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12 comments:

  1. Vintage Tea Time6 January 2011 at 14:09

    I liked the idea of 'lying on the sofa in crusty make-up and jim-jams sticky with the honey drips of morning toast, crumpled and coffee-stained, watching last night's telly on SkyPlus', then I saw the prefaced word 'stop' - how disappointing! I followed your link re the book - I shall order it from Amazon. Interested in Zimbabwe, as middle daughter went out to Botswana with the British Council to teach a few years ago - we went out to stay for a month and went over the border to Bulawayo. Also like to support new writers, as married to a writer (www.billlaws.com)! Happy New Year!

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  2. That's Not My Age6 January 2011 at 14:09

    Hunkering down with vodka and cashmere socks is the best way to approach this miserable month.

    Happy 2011

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  3. Sensible Footwear6 January 2011 at 14:24

    Sounds like your January's going to have a lovely warm glow.

    And I like the idea of embracing new things - too much denial can't be a good thing.

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  4. WinnibriggsHouse6 January 2011 at 14:29

    O woman of my own heart ( and I didn't realise you could see in my window from where you are). Although the sticky in my case is blackcurrant jam not honey. My only resolution this year is to love and celebrate life, and if that means jim jams every day...so be it.

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  5. Vix6 January 2011 at 15:04

    Happy New Year! I like your plans, denial is so last season, darling. xxx

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  6. Christina @ Fashion's Most Wanted6 January 2011 at 15:19

    Dear Jo, it's an awful month! I have had my Wii Fit Plus set up and avatars made of myself by George Jones. Then The Actor started explaining something about aerial sockets and the DVD scart lead and I lost interest.

    I'm with you, last nights telly, cashmere socks and Sloe vodka sounds like the way forward.

    Speak soon, we must arrange a date! I'm skint for the next couple of weeks but after that xx

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  7. ted and bunny6 January 2011 at 23:59

    "No, this will be the year of the doer. Actions will prove the naysayers wrong. This year will be another year. A different year.......until about January 22nd. At which point the stark realisation that we haven't even started February yet will kick in"
    I'm afraid with me, substitute JANUARY for Februray kick-in!

    Thankyou for making me smile
    xx

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  8. Diane7 January 2011 at 00:19

    I'll join you. No more "giving up" for me. I second the vodka and socks approach - swapping it for gin and flip flops when the weather warms up. xxx

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  9. Sarcastic Bastard7 January 2011 at 06:39

    Happy New Year, love! You have it so right in this post. Enjoy your vodka. It's the only sensible thing to do.

    Love,

    SB

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  10. Wally B7 January 2011 at 13:49

    I gave up giving up for lent (and not this lent either). I agree, why deny yourself some of life's pleasures. As someone with little to no will power when it comes to passing anything across my lips, it was a no brainer. A delightful post as usual. Here's to a self indulgent, pleasure full New year, sticky or otherwise.

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  11. menopausalmusing8 January 2011 at 07:44

    Grinning my head off at this post.... :O))))))))

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  12. Vintage Tea Time10 January 2011 at 12:41

    You might know, but - if not - there's a review of 'Out of Shadows' in The Times' 'Young Times' section today (10th) Abby x

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