Happy New Year to all of you! I’m somewhat chagrined that it’s taken me five days to post that message here on the blog, especially since I’m so grateful for and appreciative of this community.
Yet somehow, after that expansive month of travel followed by a bout of Covid on our return home. . . the Covid itself followed by Christmas preparations and then the family gatherings and celebration (wonderful family time, but good times do not, unfortunately, obviate fatigue) . . . somehow I found myself quite flummoxed by the myriad summings-up of 2022 and the perky welcomes being issued all around me to a New Year, 2023.
I won’t belabour my thoughts about my floundering except to say that I needed time to allow my own priorities — separate from any sense of obligation or desire to please — to emerge. And that consequently, I’m zealously guarding any free time in my schedule. As I do this, perhaps some goals or words or mindful approaches to the New Year may show up, belatedly. (I have, in fact, wondered over the past few weeks whether the word “Claim” might work to guide me through 2023.) But I’m going to hold off for now. Perhaps you’ll inspire me in the comments.
Meanwhile, five days into this New Year — one of them requiring a calendar notation (“Dentist Appointment,” for the crown I’d broken on a molar, day before New Year’s Eve!) — I’m beginning to feel myself taking charge of my schedule again. Acting rather than reacting, perhaps.
What that has looked like so far:
I’ve begun each day with Yoga with Adriene’s 30-Day Yoga Journey. My daughter and I did this last January, and I found it a great reset. Last year, it fit more haphazardly into my days; this year so far, I’m rolling out my mat around 6:00 (5:30 this morning! I know!). I’m surprised at how much this is suiting me, a shift to my routine.
I luxuriated in a Facial, thanks to a Christmas gift from a daughter and her family. Listened to some internal wishes I’d been suppressing for more of this kind of pampering self-care, enforced slowing-down (as in, tears threatened at one point). Will be booking more of these this year (okay, that might be a resolution 😉
Each day has included walking. The slight shift I’m feeling here has to do with being more mindful about choosing the route or destination, but I know that some days the movement is the point, so I’ll be thinking about how to balance. . .
I made time to read a satisfying “big book” — a sink-right-in delicious multi-layered tale set in late 19th-century Scotland (technically, and significant to the novel’s themes, the setting is in the borderlands disputed by England and Scotland). . . Ann-Marie MacDonald’s Fayne.
I’ll tell you more about that in the January Reading post. But first, expect both the December Reading and the Annual Book List, 2022 posts (underway, and to be posted soon).
As well, I’m making room for a few small creative endeavours. Not much sketching yet, but a friend suggested I join her in a January #dailysketch challenge, and that’s provided momentum. She’s being more ambitious with hers, but I’m finding simple subjects right at hand, sketching them to illustrate something about my day.
First subject? The slippers I’ve been mending with wool roving and a felting needle (several felting needles, actually, since I’ve broken a few this week!). The slippers are the sturdy felted wool “ankle boot” model by Glerups. Mine are about seven years old, worn daily for at least six months of the year. And well-made as they are, my big toes have worn a hole in the “upper” of each slipper, the side of one slipper’s opening has ripped, and some of the stitches binding the leather sole to the felt upper have come undone.
So far, I’ve tackled the holes above my big toes, felting over them in a playful (or goofy or messy, depending on your sensibility) experiment of colour and pattern. No need to match and no need to consider anyone’s eyes but my own, since these don’t leave home. . .
Here’s the first effort, serving as a Sketch Model.
So apparently, I’m taking a slow approach to this New Year. Leaving room for what matters to me. Staking a claim on my time and space. Claiming my creativity. And being content with Works in Progress. Including myself, in my 70th year. Hmm, could that number be part of why I want to drag my heels a bit? not that I’m reluctant to age, but I’d like to enjoy the scenery more along the way. . .
Anyway, the blog’s in it now, a first post for 2023, and there will be more here soon. Meanwhile, I’m so pleased you’re joining me and I’m curious to know how you’ve entered this next annual adventure. With eagerness, an abundance of plans and renewed energy? Or with some caution, a few fears? Neutral so far? Or simply hesitant to venture too quickly out of winter hibernation? (or beach-time, if you’re in the southern hemisphere.) As always, I look forward to your comments and our ensuing conversation.
xo,
f
Your mending heartens me. I mended a hole in a cashmere sleeve on a hoodie recently; it’s a mess but it works, and I love the idea of continuing to use old favorites.
Author
Oh, good for you, Kate! The more of us mending, the merrier! (merrier for the planet and for our closets 😉
I like the sound of you easing into the new year, especially the Yoga! Those cozy Geurup slippers look great with the red toe. Your mending always looks like art.
Claim 2023 on your own terms.
Author
Thanks Leslie! I’d love to be able to keep up the daily morning yoga for the year, but we’ll see. . . It feels good for now, anyway.
I love that you’re taking more time for yourself. I see others making moves toward simplifying their schedule and doing only the things that give back (a good book! conversation with a friend! a facial!). Doing frequent small paintings and sketches is always rewarding and if it’s not daily, the process is still good. I’m waiting for the deluge here in Northern California to subside before I take on walks outside. My neighbor is a good companion and I look forward to our future walks.
I’ve had a break from art classes and although I miss my artist friends, I value my time alone with my own thoughts (hoping that the painting will also join in!). Happy 2023 –stay well and centered. I appreciate your blog and your IG posts but if you cut back on either or both, I will understand.
Author
You seem to be so consistent and so productive with your sketching and painting — and I see so much growth in what you’re posting!
Your last paragraph — yes! I really think we need time to integrate what we’ve learned and there are times we do better to be “alone with our own thoughts,” as you say.
Simple was the theme that I chose for my new year’s post. I kept things simple last year and I found that it worked very well for me. It sounds like you are already accomplishing so many things (yoga at 5:30 in the morning, for example), but your careful contemplation of it all seems very appealing.
I love your slipper repair! And the sketches of your slippers.
What a lovely idea to pamper yourself a bit and your gift of a facial was the perfect way to start things off. I tend to neglect that sort of thing and when I experience it, I always wonder why.
Walking is my main goal this year. I’ve been walking a lot for years and I love it. It’s soul food in many ways.
Author
A theme of “Simplicity” would work for many of us, although we’d probably apply it in many ways. I wouldn’t want to simplify my reading, for example, but happily pare down my housework 😉
The yoga at 5:30 honestly feels good — not so much an accomplishment as a way to centre myself as the day starts. The way we both seem to feel about walking . . .
We entered the New Year with a lovely hike on Vancouver’s north shore with son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons. Such a treat for we who live where hiking doesn’t/can’t happen in the middle of winter. Two days later we began the long drive through the mountains and back home to the prairie. After arriving shortly after dark last evening, my first task this morning was to start filling in the new calendar and making phone calls to rearrange appointments that all seemed to pile up on one day in January and one in February! Lots of things to do to get back into routine here, but I chose contentment as my word for 2023. As I plan my days, I’ll try to consider what I need to do to end each day with that feeling of quiet happiness and satisfaction. A lofty goal, perhaps, but worth the attempt, I think.
This, I like.
Author
I’m so pleased to know the weather co-operated to make this a great visit with your family! But that’s a long and potentially gruelling drive back, and I am imagine you’re facing a combo of fatigue and busy-ness. Hope you can find that contentment by the end of each day. . . or at least see how you can get closer to it 😉
How lovely to find your emailed link to this blog post waiting for me today! It is reassuring to find that you too have moved a bit slowly, in at least some ways, into 2023. I find I have been very slow to fully embrace a new year this time. I have allowed myself to forego choosing a word or theme, at least thus far. I have also not pushed myself much to restart my creative projects in any big way, all of which were pushed aside in December to travel up to Oregon for a few weeks to help my daughter and her family recover from a long slew of very difficult illnesses (none of which were Covid, btw, but did include RSV for the youngest child.) I adore my three year old and 16 month old granddaughters, and they are exhausting to keep up with!
Part of my reluctance to embrace the possibilities of a new year seems to be how disappointed I have been in myself for not fully engaging my creative “muscle” in recent months. Part of it is that we have a two week trip to Mexico (to the beach!) starting in the middle of January, so it feels a bit pointless to get things started until after that. But I think mostly, I am still learning how to manage my own time and energy after three and a half years of retirement. It didn’t help that most of those years were very unusual for the whole world. . . I actually was more productive when things were almost completely shut down. Now there are so many distractions.
Sorry, I don’t mean to whine. I did need to vent, I guess.
Author
I can relate to all of this, Linda — I felt this same frustration due to interruptions in my routine for very good reasons, reasons related to my privilege, in fact — and it didn’t sound like whining to me at all. I especially appreciated you saying that you adore your grandkids AND they are exhausting to keep up with. I much prefer this formulation to one using “but” — Both things can be true! (particularly when the Littles are still So little!).
And I found it took at least three and a half years to begin figuring out retirement — and I had those years before the pandemic, lockdowns, etc.! You’ll get there, I’m sure.
Just a small 2023 request:
Please, every 3 months, remind your readers about buying you a coffee.
Your thoughts, creativity, sketches, reading reviews, travel ideas–all add so much to
this readers life. And I would like to contribute back!
And I agree so much with the one comment from a reader:
how to manage time and energy after retirement is an issue for me, as well.
Author
Mary, this is so very kind of you — encouraging and supportive in so many ways. I will take your request to heart.
So – you and I are both down the broken tooth route, and welcome to the new year! I have accepted the necessary treatment and swallowed the cost since my personal fear is ageing with terrible teeth and also hag-like feet. On we go. That could well be my underlying theme this year. After a lovely, noisy and joyful Christmas, just getting back to a quiet normal has been very soothing, aided as it is by some excellent new books, interesting TV to catch up on (slowly) and making little plans to scatter throughout the coming months. I aim (and I say this loosely) to put in at least one (but really, no more than two) delights for each month of the year – friends round for Sunday lunch, trips down south to see family/friends, a day out in the sunshine – so that there is always some little gem to anticipate. Some sewing projects are lining up as well, but absolutely no hurry. Those are going to be my watchwords. Also, it came to me, as I sat with the Christmas bounty of people as well as gifts, that I already have everything I need. That will do fine. Good luck with the molar.
Author
Luckily, my tooth isn’t broken, as it turns out, only the crown that protects it. Frustrating, because it’s broken too early to be eligible for coverage under my plan, but I’m like you with the fear of being a toothless crone (okay with being a crone, but I want to be a crone who can chew!). So I’m resigned to paying for a new one asap and appreciative of my ability to do so.
Yours sounds like a rhythm that would suit me as well — you seem to have such a rich social life!
Brava,Frances! Your mending is both very beautiful and practical,such a joy to look at !
I still have to be in peace for a while and evaluate last year and think what I would like 2023. to be
And about the word:
Something slow and cozy and regenerating-have to think about it
Dottoressa
Author
Oooh, I love this: “something slow and cozy and regenerating.” Why not have all three words?! (But if you have to have one, could “nurturing” work?)
xo,
f
Last year had rather a lot of health issues for me but this morning the hospital consultant gave me the all clear on recent tests . It’s benign . All else pales by comparison . At the moment I’m so relieved & telling myself I shall never moan about small things again …. Fat chance . Love the slipper darn & good luck with the tooth .
Author
Oh, good news! What a wonderful way to begin the year! (but don’t deny yourself the right to moan about the small stuff — some days we really need that moaning 😉
Christmas was especially quiet this year, what with events being cancelled and family elsewhere. I did manage to spend the rainy and windy night I was to attend the outdoor holiday lights show with a good book, in this case Maggie O’Farrell’s the Marriage Portrait, a dark but compelling read of Renaissance Italy. My daughter and I now plan to take in the indoor exhibit of Monet’s Garden later this month. I have actually been there a few years ago, the actual garden that is. The family did get to spend New Years Eve together. the seven of us. Me, daughter and husband, son, wife and granddaughter and grandson. We shared a delicious home cooked meal and then were treated to a spontaneous family concert, My son on the guitar and vocals, grandson on the drums and granddaughter and daughter also with vocals. Just wonderful! And, I managed to mend a small hole in a favorite cashmere sweater.
Author
Thanks for letting me know how it all worked out, Darby! I’ve read so much positive feedback about that book and look forward to reading it.
It’s about 35 years since I was in Giverny to see Monet’s Garden. I would imagine that immersive visit will refresh your memories and add to them. Fun to do with your daughter. And your NYE sounds marvellous! Especially the concert!
also, Brava! on the mending!
With eagerness. (I do try to look back at your final paragraph to see if you have asked us a direct question!)
No word, no intention, and no resolution (other than my annual ‘dress by nine a.m.’).
Back to class next week (1) Italian and (2) Politics in Film. That will make me feel as though the new year has really begun.
We have had a nice weather-for-us and very pretty (some light fog, some sunshine, light snow and ice flakes decorating the trees, NO WIND) week and the forecast for the next ten days or so looks moderate. Had a funny chat while walking with a friend this morning as we noted with great excitement that we would be at least halfway through January before we would possibly have -30c again. The eternal hopefullness of life on the Canadian prairie.
Author
Ha! So that’s what good news about the weather looks like in a Manitoba winter! 😉 This morning’s forecast on the coast looks as if we’re not going to see the sun for a week, but our complexions will enjoy ample moisturizing. . .
I start back to Italian today — the Politics in Film class sounds worthy of some eagerness — enjoy!
Happy New Year, Frances! December was a blur (Christmas markets, parties, Christmas, NYE, and hosting a New Year’s Day open house) that has left me embracing the simple this week. And I feel much restored for it. Portuguese class starts anew tomorrow, so I counted my knitting stitches in Portuguese today, just for practice. And as I mentioned on your Insta post, your mending is inspiring me to do a bit of my own. My felted slippers both have a slit where my big toe has poked through, so I think it will be a simpler/smaller job than yours, so now it’s to dig out the felting needles and block, and pick a fun yarn.
Author
Isn’t it satisfying to be able to bring our new language home to renew acts we’ve only seen through our mother tongue? I’m sure this is happening now for you at an exponential rate. . .
The hole on my felted slippers was just as slit as well, but near enough to the join of the sole that I wanted to reinforce more. . . trickiest bit was to find something to fit inside that wouldn’t break or swallow the tip of the felting needle 😉
Although it is a public holiday here with parties and evening fireworks, New Years Day has always seemed to me a vague nebulous holiday. Growing up, Christmas was the culmination of the year with the long summer holidays stretching ahead. January was lazy days at the local swimming pool interspersed with occasional visits to town with a grandmother for a film, a little shopping and the special treat of a meal out. The year properly began in February for the new school year. Even today many small businesses close their doors for most of January. All of this to say I still tend to amble into the year rather than rush headlong. Intentions, the usual ones, loose more of the covid lockdown weight and ramp up fitness again. Titivate our small garden which has become more shady with the growth of the jacaranda. I am slowly decluttering in preparation for a big change on the horizon. We’ll be moving house to be closer to our son and his family. Our original plan was to build a duplex together but world events have made that no longer feasible for the near future so on to plan B, details yet to be worked out. I’m impressed with your mending. I had a go with a jumper the moths had a party in but made such a mess it demoralised me and I threw it out. Your skill inspires me to have another go. I have plenty of material, those moths had quite a party.
Author
Interesting memories of a different kind of year turn — so much of our “Western” (generally Northern Hemisphere) art and literature has to do with a calendar that aligns the turning of the year with the slow turn out of darkness toward spring’s light. But, of course, there’s half a planet that experiences it differently, and I appreciate your sharing that different perspective.
Also, thanks for the word “titivate,” which I rarely (ever?) see or hear and never use. I’m going to pull that into my vocabulary 😉
And good luck with the move preparations. Ah, those Plan B’s.
And do try again with the mending. I suspect you might have been more critical with your last effort than others would be — but it does take a bit to get the hang of visible mending — and of wearing something that’s been visibly mended!