January

Hello, hello, do you remember me? I am finally back in the Attic and it somehow seems like an aaaaaaaaaage since I was last here, although it's only been a week or so hasn't it? Thank you all so very much for the Happy New Year wishes and the Get Well Soon wishes after my last post, so very very much appreciated. Oh it is good to be back, although I am still not fully recovered by any means, I feel I may at last be pulling through the worst. Cripes, I really haven't been well this last week. Its been rotten. As I say, I am feeling slightly better today, but it is seemingly very hard to think straight, so do forgive me if my words are not quite a sparky as usual.

My Little People are back at school today, J is reluctantly back to work and all is quiet here in the Attic. And I am glad. I always love the holidays and the extended family time, but equally I admit I love the return of the quiet, pottering routine that makes up my day-to-day life.

I packed away Christmas on Friday :: I was feeling rubbishy and crabby and the tree was beginning to look as unwell as I felt so I somehow miraculously managed to raise enough energy to clear it all away. It totally wiped me out doing it, but I am glad that Christmas is now back in it's five boxes and down in the cellar for another year.

Those pine needles, arrrrrrggggh, it was as I feared, a monumental task dealing with them.

I mean, just look!! Can you imagine me, gripped with illness, yet compelled to deal with this mess? It was an ordeal. Traumatic. I shudder when I think of it, seriously, I think I've developed needle-drop-distress-disorder. I don't know if I would ever have a real tree ever again, I think I will have to go plastic-fantastic this year.

Anyhow, enough of all that mess, we are in to a New Year and a New Month and I for one am very much looking forward to 2009. I've got three new calendars for this year, so without further ado, let me introduce you....

...first up is my new main Organising calendar, which is from Oxfam. Lovely jaunty, seasonal illustrations across the bottom of each monthly page.

Second up is my Country Homes calendar, in association with Laura Ashley.

 

Promises to be as bossy as last years CH calender, I am prepared to face each month and take orders accordingly. So here we are on the January page :: get out into the country side and appreciate Nature. Go on, get on with it! Go outside and appreciate the sights and sounds, off you go! Right-oh then, as soon as I'm feeling able I will do just that.

And thirdly, the Ideal Home calendar.

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No bossy words with this one, just a glorious photo for each month. I think this one is my favourite of the three and I can't wait to see the months turn with these images. They are beautifully seasonal and very English. Lovely.

And January's view from the Attic? Also very beautifully seasonal and lovely. Bright blue sky, bitterly cold with a light dusting of powdery snow which fell during the night.

So this is January, here we are. I generally like this time of year, like the freshness of new calendars with all those days and weeks and months stretching ahead just waiting to be filled. I like the promise of it all, the anticipation of all that is to come in a fresh new year. And oh, I do feel good about this year to come! Yes, I think it's going to be an amazing twelve months ahead, truly I do.

But before I launch myself completely into the new year, I'd just like to pause a little and turn around and look back over my shoulder. Would like to cast a glance over the past twelve months before folding them up and putting them away. So with that in mind, I've been putting together a collection of images from 2008, a kind of retrospective Year-in-Pictures (well actually it's only 10 months because I could not locate January and February pre-blog photos). It's been such fun to do.

And I'm hoping you won't mind sharing them with me? Tomorrow then? Yeah, you know where to find me don't you? Uh-huh, come on up to the Attic whenever you have time and we can sit and ponder. I'm looking forward to it, I do enjoy our little get-togethers. See you then xxxxxxx

Comments

[Funkymonkey]

Although we love our husbands and children, isn't it lovely when they all go back to school or work? It seems so quiet here at home today and I've been able to catch up with a few things that have been irritating me because I can't get to do them with the others at home! Your tree was really messy wasn't it? I have to say that ours wasn't that bad in shedding its needles but it did look like it was on life support by the end of Christmas and as for the price of it - don't ask! I think I might join you in buying a fake one next time round. Happy New Year Lucy.

Tracey.