Tuesday 4 January 2011

Good Bits

So, the holiday is over and most of us have returned to work with a bang.

Not me, actually. As my alarm went off at 5:15 this morning I was instructed by Daniel to stay in bed, after a sleepless night involving the most hideous cough I have ever known. So I am still in my pyjamas at 2:20 in the afternoon, wondering if I will ever feel well ever again.

Yet the Christmas holiday is over. We took our tree down with great sadness yesterday afternoon, and I found a home for my new presents (always a task!). The sherry bottle is in the recycling bin, the Marmite nuts have been gobbled up; suddenly there is no excuse to eat chocolates in the morning, or to bake simply because there are no mince pies left. Indeed, I made a very careful healthy packed lunch last night, ready for a great start to my healthy new year (when am I not healthy, I ask? Being extra-healthy in January is especially difficult when your diet consists almost exclusively of fruit, veggies, wholegrains and pulses, but still I must act when my jeans won't fasten after a month of festive habits; it feels like I might be on a diet, and I hate it!): the good intentions have started, Christmas must be long gone!

Aside from the obvious high-points of my Christmas break (both geographically and metaphorically), there have been many many wonderful bits that didn't seem quite that awesome until now, when I have chance to reflect on them. I was lucky enough to get eleven full days off work this year, which is the longest period of absolute freedom that I've had since I was 15. Eleven days is a long time when you have no essays to write, no horrid restaurant jobs to turn up to and no exams to revise for; cue lots of time basking in large spaces all for myself - cue lots of simple joy!


Watching countless films, sometimes in the afternoon! Highlights include Miss Potter, The Other Boleyn Girl and Tsotsi.

Going to bed after 10 o'clock, and staying there until after 10 o'clock

Long breakfasts with Daniel, awake enough to chat

Walking around York, remembering how much I love it

Re-arranging rooms and cupboards; the excitement of moving in all over again

Lying awake, whispering plans for the year ahead

Shopping for fun, taking time to browse the shelves


You see, my weekends are always jam-packed, never-a-minute-to-stop sort of affairs; time is too precious to waste on a film I had no intentions of seeing, to lie around in bed or to bustle amongst the hoards of shoppers. A wide space of time has allowed me to enjoy the weekend activities that I usually have no patience for - a little bit of practise, maybe, to prepare me for a year of being kind to myself and going a little more slowly.

1 comment:

  1. Like the new look.
    Hope you are feeling better very soon.
    I think you've hit the nail on the head. I think that's what I enjoyed eventually when I let myself, the luxury of doing nothing because there is normally so much to do. It was weird at first!
    Lisa x

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