I spent a lot of time worrying - by nature, I'm a terrible worrier - and I seem to have spent a lot of 2012 wanting to achieve things but ending up by not achieving much at all. I had great plans last year for doing something that would bring some cash in, but the things I did attempt weren't particularly successful. I'm a great one for having ideas and then failing to put them into practice, or having an idea and then expecting someone else (Doug, usually) to help make it a reality. I suppose if I were to make a New Year's Resolution, it would be to try to be more proactive, to actually make things happen instead of doing nothing or being over-reliant on someone else.
However, I did have a good conversation with Doug in December where he made it perfectly clear that me not working suits him down to the ground - no need to check in with me about whether he can go to London for a business meeting, or be away for a night or two, no worries about finding childcare for random inset days or spending all his weekend ferrying kids to and from the activities they can do after school because I am free to do so during the week. And he is right that it's better for the kids. I should revel in it, rather than feeling guilty about it and embrace the freedom that I have while I have it.
Unusually for us, we didn't have a big family holiday this year. We had great plans to do lots of camping in this country; these were put to the sword by the joy that is the British Weather and we only managed a paltry three trips away. We also discovered that our tent is simply too big to be erected and dismantled for just two nights away, especially as the awful weather has meant I've had to re-erect it in our garden on our return to dry out. Most of our plans for this next year seem to involve caravans and hotels rather than canvas, either that or buying a smaller tent.
I say that nothing much has happened, but life goes on - the kids have grown a bit more, moved up another year in school and generally progressed as children are wont to do. I recently found a photo of Jacob taken about 18 months ago and was struck by how much he has changed. Here he is in July 2011:-
And here is again, back in September 2012, looking about 13:-
I know the glasses make a difference, but I'm still shocked at how much older he looks. My little baby boy is growing up fast :) (Sam, on the other hand, looks exactly the same in photos taken in July 2011 as he does in ones I took last week!)
One thing that has happened this year, and it's quite a biggie, is a startling change in lifestyle for both myself and Doug. Starting on the day that the kids went back to school in September, we both went on a diet, and in Doug's case, exercise regime. As of just before Christmas, he had lost 3 1/2 stones and I'd lost 2. Obviously we've lapsed over the Christmas and New Year period, but it's back on the straight and narrow now that all the turkey and chocolate has gone, back to food diaries and calorie counting, but we're both looking forward to it now that we know we can do it. Both of us feel so much healthier, we're sleeping brilliantly and are fitting into clothes that we haven't graced for several years.
Naturally, I am deeply jealous of how Doug has managed to get running with the C25K programme, but can't bring myself to go running, no matter what. So, starting once the kids have gone back to school, I'm going to be heading off to the pool a couple of times a week and will be working on the swimming version of C25K - a couch to a mile programme. Coupled with the 90 minutes of walking a day I do with the dog, I'm hopeful this will make all the difference to the dieting process. We shall see. Having had a late night last night, I'm not feeling particularly disposed to make good on my idea of going for a family walk today, so not the best of (re) starts!
The dieting has also led me to be rather more proactive in other ares of life - I've done the last bits of decorating that the house really needed and have been annoying me for nearly six years, since we moved in (two rooms completely repainted and finishing touches added around the house). I've collated all my half-started and half-hearted craft projects that have been cluttering up the house. I've finished one of them already (socks!) and have re-versioned another for starting later today.
But one thing that definitely didn't happen in 2012 is that I didn't write on this damn blog quite as much as I should have! Maybe this will be another thing that I get round to in 2013.....
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