Slated
(Broken slates on my street: Glasgow, Scotland)
I’m back! The hiatus over Christmas and New Year is entirely over and I am back at my desk with a cheerful, post indulgence readiness to knuckle down to new projects. I have also been dodging the continuing weather. What you can see in this image is a scattered array of fragmented roof slates. They have been blown off the roof above and hit the street with enough force to shatter and spread over several metres. I noticed it early this evening, so apologies for the image quality. The weather here has gone from being mildly, perilous to being downright unfunny and scary. I was woken this morning by the wind buffeting my windows and shooting down the chimney. Some people living in flats like mine have seen their windows actually smash with the forge of the gales. Transport is all off and today was another red alert. Thank goodness it eased off at Hogmanay – the London New Year fireworks (even from the television) were incredible. If you haven’t yet seen them, look them up for a bit of a treat.
I often make ‘New Years Resolutions’ at the beginning of a fresh year, but often I am waylaid within days and revert to my old habits after a flash of enthusiasm. I don’t think this behavior is exclusive to me. However, last year I opted to concentrate all my efforts on one simple task; not to ever double book myself. For many, an easy task, but I must inform you that it was beginning to annoy not only myself, but friends and family. I was a serial double booker – RSVPing to more than one event on the same evening, accepting invites, never checking a calendar* or thinking my answer through. In short, I couldn’t say no. I bought a diary and meticulously studied it before promising to do anything, and I managed not to double book until November. I did it once. Just once (sorry, Simon). By my usual standards, this was still a resounding success and I managed to keep my work, social and family calendar in good order.
So for 2012, spurred on by my ability to keep a resolution all of last year (well, practically) I have made a whole heap of little ones and despite it being the fourth day of the new year, I have managed to power ahead with all of them. Perhaps this is what being a grown up feels like – having the power to create a series of challenges (or at least feeling that it is possible). It’s either that or I am delusional. Fingers crossed it is actually another reason altogether. I wouldn’t like to think I’m becoming too adult and sensible. I see little reason to do that. As for the resolutions, I imagine that it’s entirely possible I will burn up in a ball of failure flames by Saturday, but I remain cheerfully optimistic that I can keep most of them, at least for longer than a week. I kick-started my new year by shampooing all my carpets. It’s very middle aged and domestic of me, but my cleaning fervour was sparked by the following thought; I have been living in this flat for eight years and I haven’t cleaned the carpets** since moving in. I don’t know what is more shocking; that revelation or the fact that it hasn’t bothered me for eight years. In any case, I opted to put things straight. I even washed the rugs. This ties into one of my resolutions; to cut down the amount of possessions I own by 20-40%. I have a lot of stuff. Stuff I don’t use, care about or even know that I own. Wish me luck tackling the pimp palace – our strange, high ceiling cupboard room.
* The irony of spending days making a calendar myself is not lost on me.
** Before you panic, I have obviously vacuumed, but never soaped them all up and scrubbed them. Just to clarify.
– Today Rosie is continuing her new year resolutions, resolutely in Glasgow, Scotland –
