That was an odd month. Beset by a (minor but persistent) bug that got Malcolm several times and me just once (thankfully), we did far less than planned and intended.
A visit to London to see good friends was postponed not once but twice. Now it won’t happen till the end of this month, and then in a cut-down version.
A visit to oldest son and daughter-out-law happened but coincided with M having a different, less debilitating, bug (which unfortunately despite best efforts was passed on to d-o-l). Nonetheless we enjoyed ourselves separately and together exploring new-to-us places and visiting favourite haunts in London.
My main goal for the month was: enough prevarication, and I’m feeling reasonably pleased with what I achieved:
- I finished off several longstanding craft projects (knitting mostly)
- I dealt with some admin that I had left undone for too long, and said some ‘thank you’s that should have been said long before
- I was able, oh so gratefully, to hand on a voluntary role that had become a worry to me as I felt increasingly at the edge of my competence with it – this to someone far better qualified for it than I. My sense of relief is profound.
- I took time to plan some things for the rest of the year that should enable me to end the year in a better place (in a range of areas of life) than I began it
- I took some positive actions which have helped me to feel less anxious about the wider political and ecological challenges. They are small actions in themselves, but I try to bear in mind the ripple effect – how a small action we take ourselves can influence others to do similar, and also in turn stimulate us to do something more.
- I launched my Not-Running-The-Bath-Half Marathon appeal, and have already raised almost £100. With 11 months to go, I’m hoping that I might be able to go above and beyond my £250 goal. And as I’ve not been able to find how to say thank you via the Local Giving site, many thanks to those who have made donations – I am very, very grateful to you. And also to Karen for sending me some of her yarn stash – should help keep me busy! (if you have a Waitrose shop near you, have a look at this week’s Waitrose newspaper – they have an article about City Farms and Bath City Farm features in it).
This year, instead of a diary, I’ve set up a project book for myself. I’m using it to list everything I need to do (across several categories), and am trying to do at least one thing every day. Which should add up over a period of time (as indeed it did during January).
And now, here we are in February. No longer a member of the EU, for the next 11 months still in transition, and with no positive sense of what will come next.
During February I have two (minor) eye surgeries scheduled*, so I have held back from making too many plans to give myself space and time to take things gently if that feels necessary. My main goal for February is to do as much as I can in the garden and the allotment, to build good foundations for this year’s growing. February is when the hard gardening work really starts.
I guess I could call that another month of ‘enough prevarication‘ – some of the jobs I want to do should really have been done a long time ago. But it’s now 10th February, and I have made a good start. Some seeds sown, more to come. Seed potatoes have arrived. Onions and garlic are already growing well. Autumn-sown broad beans already planted out and doing well. Rhubarb will soon be ready to pick and eat.
*one has already happened – a lens replacement, complete success and absolutely amazing (to me at least). The next due shortly.
the magic jug 