h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was going to do a review of the year, but mostly it's all work stuff which I'm sure is not interesting to most people.

In other news..

I'm trying to resurrect some of my hobbies, so I've started cross stitching again - still looking for a nice 'crafting box' to keep everything in, as our living room is not really set up for me to keep getting the bits and bobs out, so it would need to also be useful as a table.

I started a jigsaw - I used to love jigsaws! Trouble is, again, nowhere to do it but the floor. My dogs are great at buggering off out of the way, but it's not comfy on the floor for too long. Teenacher called me old for doing jigsaws, in that case I've always been old as I was doing them when he was a baby!

Also been to a few munches and even met a guy! :D Then kind of bottled out of our dates as I was frustrated at having to be in a certain place at a certain time - that sounds strange, but I had about 4 months of what appeared to be 'advanced phase sleep disorder' where I was asleep by 8, tired by 6, and awake anywhere between 2 and 5 am. So that wasn't helping. I seem to have been able to kicksart it back to a more sensible 10-6 with the help of the new daylight lamp I bought for cross stitching! So that was a good use of that three figure sum for a standard lamp... But at least I know I am still interesting to the opposite sex - that guy seemed perfect, maybe if I bump into him again I can try again, but if not - there's a few more kinky guys out there I reckon.

I also started going on holiays again - well, that started at the end of the year before, but I've been away twice this year, so a good start.

So, well, that's me. What's the year ahead holding? I really want a motorhome, which isn't going smoothly as I was going to get a custom build, but suddenly the cost of the vehicle I want is not in my budget - I suspect because the person who is going to build it wants me to buy HIS old car for the conversion, so back to looking at motorhomes already built. I need one by March because I've got a 6 day trip booked on a dog related training course and really don't want to go in the tent, or pay for a B&B for me and 4 dogs.

New plans for the business, which I won't talk about as it's work, I have booked myself Sunday's OFF WORK this year. Paperwork excluded, but I hope to stop faffing about online (whoops good start) and set myself proper hours so I can have nothing work related on a Sunday at all.

Anyway, happy new year to everyone! x

That's a lot of good resolutions especially re time management. You can get those roll-up mats for jigsaw. My mum uses one and it seems to work

I like reading about your work stuff! It's so far removed from teaching that it's really interesting to me.

How about one of these for jigsaws: http://www.jigsawpuzzlesdirect.co.uk/prodpage.asp?prodid=6476&gclid=CNPVycbu3LsCFdLItAodyXEAKQ

Or something like this (which unfortunately looks like it's being used by an old biddie in a care home and wouldn't help your case with J at all!): http://www.jigthings.com/uk/jigsaw-tables/

I have one of your framed cross stitch pieces on my kitchen wall, next to the kettle so I see it every morning when I make my . From 2005!

Happy New Year to you and J!

I have got a 'storage' unit for puzzles, which is great, but it's flat. I really like that first one you linked to coely, it looks more solid so I could probably balance it on my lap on the sofa. The one on wheels looks great, and I would love a cross stitching frame on wheels, but at the moment I don't have anywhere to tuck them away during the day. I've gone back to the thought of two reclining armchairs instead of a sofa which would free up some more space in the the room. Visitors can sit on a camping chair.

I hadn't thought of them as time management resolutions really, but I suppose they are. Just hope I can stick to them! But I have to put some time for myself in the schedule. I'll have some days off with Teenacher as well, but they'll have to be middweek so my dog walkers can help with my dogs if we'll be out a while.

coely, I'll do a new year for work journal sometime soon, just for you!