Undecorating

Now, I am not afraid that you will misunderstand me, for you know how much I love to decorate for Christmas, right down to my Santa mugs for morning tea. But almost as much, I like un-decorating. I love the feeling of sweeping away the clutter and freshening up, reinvigorating myself and our little flat. Perhaps it has a lot to do with a new start for the new year as well? Yet at the same time, I am still a little bit in that delightful twilight Christmas relaxing mode. Puttering mode perhaps you could call it?

You see I went back to work on Tuesday, for my late night. And I visited the ever lovely Alison at Brocante Home, and read her marvellous ideas for ‘rejuevenating the festive season’ – and resolved to go home and do them all AT ONCE. But of course, by the time I got home it was half past seven, and then I had delicious home made carrot and swede soup for dinner, and it was eight o’clock…but Idid get some things done. I have been through the fridge and thrown out everything that I was fed up with seeing, and rearranged all of the delicious little treats. I bought home bags of fresh fruit and veg from the market, and filled up a whole bag of Christmas paper, envelopes and the bits that seem to multiply and spread…

Next on my list is going to be putting away the Christmas presents, taking down the cards and decorations, and tree….and then having fresh sheets on the beds, and fresh candles everywhere. And best of all, buying pots and pots of hyacinths and paperwhites. And second best, is going to be pulling down the paper chains. I made ropes and ropes of bright pink and blue chains this year, but have found them somehow….irritating. So down they come! Off with their heads! Into the recycling bin they go! Hurrah!

Now all I need to do is buy a calendar and stamps for my thank you letters, and I am nearly ready for the new year that began three days ago…

Talking of the New Year, I have broken with my tradition of making targets instead of resolutions. But I have made just one resolution. To nurture myself. The more I have been thinking about it, the more pleased and excited I have become about it. I am going to have a lovely long bath once a week, and have a face mask and deep conditioner for my hair, and do that thing where you put cream on your hands and feet and then a pair of gloves and socks and sleep like it. I am going to take a multivitamin each morning, and drink more water. I am going to find some new recipes bursting with fruit and vegetables to try out in the kitchen. Oh, and so many more things.

And to finish this little ramble- I have discovered the particularly lovely joy of knitting tea cosies! I bought some crepe 4ply yarn in cream, bluebell and dusky lilac, and knitted up the tea cozy from Hip Knits by Catherine Tough. It used practically no yarn, was delightful to knit, and I am already part way through a second one, just to experiment with colourful stripes. Oh, and I popped into the charity shop on my lunch hour and found a divine long grey wool tube skirt by Monsoon- for £4! It is all stretchy and soft, and is so perfect for curling up in at home. I have also learnt to make pasta thanks to a marvellous evening with an equally marvellous friend, and am now keeping my eye open for a pasta machine in our charity shops.

My tea break is almost over now, so I will post my Christmas adventures tomorrow- but before I go, a very Happy New Year to you all- may it be scrumptious and sparkly, and delightful- just like you are.