New Year's Resolutions Yay or Nay

 I think the older I am getting the more I realise just how time for me is passing so quickly and yet I still have a whole load of living to do.  For each of us that "living" is very different and for me it breaks down into segments of things I want to do, things I want to make, things I want to achieve etc.  I think generally speaking we all make small steps day by day towards those goals and dreams without realising it and I think the New Year is really about re-setting your focus and your plans on what you hope to achieve within that year without overloading yourself.

For me setting something in a statement, from past experience and knowing what I am like often results in me not achieving what I had set out to do.  I am learning that if I re-set my focus and work on things predominantly one at a time, with some preparation going on in the background for other things, day by day I achieve so much more. I also believe for instance that whilst I am working away at my knitting for instance that it is giving me valuable thinking time and gives me scope to try different things without any unnecessary stress. I am a person that does not cope well with stress it worries me.  Stress in my experience is caused by other people's impact and expectations of you. In reality it is also something that we cause for ourselves in the long run and half the battle is finding what triggers you.  A lot of things that are classed as stressful cause me no problem whatsoever, but I am finding it is the simpler things that often do, so finding my triggers and a solution for them is also part of the journey.

Take a look at my current project of knitting my blanket throw.  It has worked up quicker than I had expected, but I think that is because I am having the time at the present to actually focus on it without any distractions. Achieving something or finishing something, I am finding gives me more confidence.  Under-achieving worries my soul and makes me feel down and not good enough. I get cross with myself when I should not be so doing.  Sometimes it is not we do that is the problem, it is how we are doing it, so I suppose this year I am focusing on sub-structures of everything, finding easier ways for myself to do things and making them work for me. Sometimes simple things completely phase me and I cannot act or react, I just freeze which causes inaction but I have also found that if I am not in the right frame of mind to deal with something, it is best for me not to do it at that actual time.  So timing plays its part too. For instance, if I am over-tired or unwell, and I cook something it is usually a disaster and does not come up as well as it should do.  We all have our off days.

I have a lot to do in the coming weeks with various projects, but I am still going to be cooking a great deal and making use of what I have to hand in the Pantry.  This also includes my bottled stores as well as what I can source cheaply from the veg shop. This will also include making preserves of one form or another with any fruit and veggies that I can source cheaply and with whatever I can lay my hands on.  I will be focusing more on meats that I can get at least a couple of meals out of as well. Simpler eating from my point of view but also with an eye on the pocket as prices have increased significantly recently.

The Pantry was sorted out earlier in the year, however I was unable to do the decorating and fine tuning on it, so it needs another good sort out which I hope to do in the next few weeks.  I shall feel more in control with what I can and cannot do once this is sorted, and I can find things easily again.  I also intend to have another trip to B & M for some more tinned goods (as well as other sources), I am particularly thinking corned beef, Ye Olde Oak tinned ham, tuna, anchovies, salmon both red and pink as very filling practical meals can be made out of all of them.  For example, Corned Beef Pie, Corned Beef and chips, Salmon Mousse, Salmon or Tuna fish cakes, sarnies, fillings for quiche thinking sweetcorn and ham here.

One of the things I tend to do is buy when items are on offer as long as it is a true offer and then I stock the pantry shelf  up this way on.  The term "Pantry"  can refer to a dry larder, freezers, bottled goods, jam store, other preserves such as bottled fruit, canned meats, soups and stews, dried items, fresh veg and fridges.  Whatever element you have open to you can be used very effectively and successfully in keeping your family fed well and cheaply.  Different methods of preserving provide different solutions to storing different items.

I am therefore looking forward to playing more in the kitchen and doing more than I have been doing of late, and getting things organised all the way round.  I am looking forward to trying all sorts of new things over many different subjects.  One of the things I am hoping to do somewhere during the year is to try and learn to play piano. At the moment I cannot read music or play it but it is something that I have wanted to try for a long while.  Circumstances at the moment will not allow this, but somewhere down the line I am hoping it will happen.  I do have a beautiful freestanding keyboard and it is about time I knew how to play it.

Here is wishing you and yours safety, good health and happiness for this coming year wherever you may be.

Love to you all and many thanks for following my blog and Instagram accounts this year.

Catch you on the other side.

Pattypan

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