One of those end of the year message fings...

I simply cannot believe it is the middle of December already. Twelve months ago almost to the day I was celebrating being offered the best job of my career so far and was on cloud nine. I only wish the joy could have lasted a bit longer but no sooner had the ink dried on the contract and I had put the finishing touches to the plans for my team than we got the news that our department was going to suffer some serious cuts. I knew instantly that I would be affected. I even got into a bit of trouble for saying so (naivety on my part) but had I drawn a picture of our new structure and put it in a sealed envelope it would have looked remarkably like the one that eventually came into existence in July. As foreseen, my role was going. Funny really, I usually like being right! The crap didn’t exactly end there and following a farce of an ‘alternative role’ (which I would add I was grateful to them for trying seeing as it was an effort to keep me) a few weeks ago I had confirmation that once again my job was to be redundant.

It’s hard spending all year not really having a purpose at work. It’s harder when you had such high hopes going in. I feel I’ve lost some confidence and need to get my mojo back (sorry, but I cannot even type that word without hearing Cheryl Cole’s voice – mooojooo). On the flip side I’ve spent more time with my daughter this year than at any time since I was on maternity leave. She starts school in September and my husband and I have the task of selecting our choice of school. I can already see her in her little grey skirt and blue sweatshirt so she better get in down the road! She’s turning into even more of a character and constantly makes us laugh, particularly when we really shouldn’t. Oh, how I laughed when after bellowing at the TV during a Spurs Arsenal game she quietly told her father to ‘calm down’. Priceless.

This year we got a new niece, Abigail. That makes a full house as both of my husband’s brothers now have children. We had our first gathering at the grandparents last weekend and it was wonderful. I can only imagine what Christmases will be like. The kids adore each other and genuinely seem to get a lot out of playing together.

Our world seems to be full of babies at the moment. Several more came along this year courtesy of various friends. Some took their time and some came far too early, scaring the bejesus out of everyone in the process, and one even turned up precisely on schedule but then her mum always was a pretty good project manager.

As is customary, and because I intend to have a much improved 2011, I thought I would have a go at some early New Year’s Resolutions. Given we’re a couple of weeks away from Jan 1 I’ll call them Draft Version 0.1 but they’re pretty much there I think.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone. Let’s hope 2011 is a belter!

Jec
x

I will make a curry from scratch (this has been on my list for 4 years)

I will cook at least one new meal each month (this has been on my list for about 10 years)

I will use fewer supermarket carrier bags

I will remember to take with me the ‘bags for life’ and cotton carrier bags I have bought to achieve previous resolution

I will invite friends round to dinner more often

I will remember everyone’s birthdays

I will open my post on the day I get it

I will endeavour to tell the truth in the moment and not wish I’d told it afterwards

I will not resolve to lose weight because that is a waste of time

I will put some money in a tax efficient savings thing and not have it languish in an account where it does bugger all for me

I will weed my flower beds more often

I will buy things for my house that I like and don’t necessarily come from high street shops (Kirstie Allsopp gushes with pride)

I will go to an antiques auction (see above)

I will read at least one whole book (you thought this would be ‘per month’ didn’t you, but I will settle for the whole of 2011)

I will change the towels and bedclothes in my house more regularly

I may get a cleaner

I will colour my hair more often to avoid looking like a grey old hagbag as it doesn’t take that long and isn’t too annoying

I will see more of my side of the family and not just because it’s someone’s birthday

I will smile a bit more and cry and bit less

I will remember what I’ve got and how lucky I am

xxx