Good intentions for 2010

Image by jelene via Flickr

I was thinking about my New Year's resolutions for 2010 as a lot of us are when I realized I didn't make one for 2009.  I thought I had, I was sure I had, but it seems I was just going to adopt the 2008 one and try and achieve that.  Are you good at achieving goals?

You guessed it, I didn't do so well achieving much in 2008 or 2009.  I looked at those resolutions again and decided why change things, so I will just adopt 2008 again, but this time I am going to really make sure I achieve at least 5 out of the 6 and I will add one. 

Here they are:

1. Increase my income, online or offline
   
2. Get some house improvements completed
3. Work less hours
4. Take a vacation
5. Do a fun course or hobby 
6. Join a club or community group
   
7. new Lose some weight, actually lose a lot of weight
   

Out of these I have been working on nos. 1, 2 achieving a little, and did do no. 4 this year by traveling overseas to the Cook Islands.  Next year I am going to achieve all of them if I can, and so I will have to have a plan.  No. 3 is the one that may be my biggest challenge.

What techniques do you use to achieve your goals?  Would love to hear from you so I don't have to do 2008 again in 2011.

My Mother's Cooking

My mother was born into a society where women didn't work after they were married.  She was also born into a large family and lived through the depression and war years.

She had permission to stay at work until she had her first child and then became a stay at home Mom, or Mum, as I call her.  She had learned to cook from her mother and grandmother and is what you would call now a traditional cook.

My mother was a good cook though and as the family grew to 8 she was adept at making good nutritious  meals on a budget.  I learned  a lot about cooking from her and gained the love of it as well.  Cooking for my family is one of my favorite things especially in winter when the kitchen is warm and the aromas inviting and comforting.

My mother has just turned 86 years old this Boxing Day 2009 and she doesn't cook as much as she used to but she still cooks for herself.  She still has her original hand written cookbook from at least 40 years ago and still enjoys her own cooked meals.

This Christmas just gone, with a lot of  help from the family, she still made the traditional pudding which is wrapped in a muslin cloth, boiled and hung to dry.  It was excellent as usual and enjoyed by everyone.

Mum you are a legend!

My Christmas Tree

I love Christmas trees but I don't have a real one anymore for various reasons including the sadness I feel when it dies.  I could have one in a pot but I tried that and it didn't last from one Christmas to the next.

I now have a small artificial tree I call my travel tree.  I collect decorations from my travels and then when I decorate my tree all the memories of that trip comes back to me.  I love that feeling and I love the tree for that reason.

You can see the picture on this post to see my tree.  Why don't you start a travel tree too.  Start collecting on your next trip away.  I prefer collecting decorations for my tree than filling up my display cabinet with  shot glasses :) although I do that in the past.

Have you finished shopping for Christmas yet?  Check out these gifts ideas for the home.   Merry Christmas to everyone and stay safe and happy.