Making a Fresh Start …..

Well, with Christmas all packed away, it’s time to make some

plans for a serious reset here at home. 

Thinking that I should probably tackle one room at a time,

I opted to begin with the living/dining room. 

It’s a bit of a cheat really as this room is pretty much already set up to work

well as it is but it seemed like the best (easiest?) place to start

and I knew a deep clean wouldn’t go amiss.

So, with a carpet shampooer borrowed from my DD,

I got busy, working from the ground up, 

first in the living room section of the room & then in the dining room area.  

What a difference it has made; the whole room looks so nice.  

Carpets have been cleaned, window sills have been scrubbed,

all the woodwork has been wiped down, the mini blinds have been washed

and the furniture dusted and polished.

Only small jobs but they’ve made a good beginning to the new year

in a few little corners of my home

I like this little 1:44th scale roombox that sits on top of my bookcase

And yes, I like these kitty cats on the fireplace hearth

my little plant corner by the front window

The Christmas leftovers have either been eaten up or tucked away in the

freezer so now I’ll have to do some meal planning for the coming weeks. 

I want to eat more protein & vegetables and reduce my carb intake

so I’ll need to be mindful of that when planning meals and buying groceries. 

Trying some new recipes (and maybe some different foods) will hopefully

tempt me to become accustomed to a lighter and hopefully healthier diet.

And I must do a lot better at getting my daily quota of water!  

I have a weight loss goal and want to work towards achieving it so

in an effort to learn more about myself, I will explore more deeply the reasons

behind my comfort-eating and work on resolving those issues.

I will try to remember to lean more on the support of my fellow

weight-loss group members when I hit a stumbling block instead of internalizing

a sense of failure and beating myself up about it.

I'm trying to be more consistent when it comes to exercising and am finding

that having a chair Yoga session is a great way for me to start my day

although walking is still, by far, my very favourite way to exercise.

I like to get my steps by walking outdoors

but when the weather doesn’t suit me, I walk the halls in my apartment building;

that's a bit boring perhaps but still, the steps add up and that’s what matters. 

Well, I’m off now to sort through several weeks’ worth of mail etc

that’s been squirreled away in the depths of the china cabinet drawer

Note to self: must find a better way to deal with paperwork.  

Then as a reward I'll take myself out for a nice walk

on this cold, crisp and sunny winter's day.

Right … that’s it for now.  

Until Next Time … Nanny Anny 

Happy New Year ..... let's try this again!

It has been years since I last wrote anything on this little blog.  I think I'll give it one more try and see if I can be a bit more consistent at writing posts this time around.

The beginning of a new year seems to be as good a time as any to make a fresh start.

Hopefully this type of diary will help to keep me motivated and accountable as I work toward achieving some goals I have set for myself.

I'm not one for making the usual type of New Year's resolutions but I have chosen a word to try and live by during the coming year so I'll see how that goes, as well.

My word for 2025 is 

'balance' 

I've chosen that word based on the realization that I'm pretty much an 'all or nothing' person in most areas of life so I want to have a better, healthier balance in all things.     

For sure, I need to establish a better sense of balance in many areas of my personal life but I also need to learn how to grant myself much more grace instead of being so demanding of myself where my time, my energy, my abilities and my physical, emotional and spiritual well-being are concerned.  

As well, I need to have a better sense of balance in my surroundings, so maybe a bit of re-arranging and definitely a whole lot more decluttering will be happening in my home.

I've also decided to keep a 'gratitude journal' this year with the idea that I will do my best to find three things each day for which I can be thankful.

And so, with Christmas now in the rear view mirror, it's time to look ahead and move forward in anticipation of what the coming year might have in store for me.

I didn't do much in the way of decorating for Christmas .... just a few special pieces.

A pretty little wreath on my door

 my little village

my small nativity scene, a lovely reminder of the reason for the season

and my vintage ceramic Christmas tree

So, while I've enjoyed having touches of this special season on display, it's time to get busy and pack up the Christmas decor and wrapping paraphernalia to be stored away for another year.

Then I will take a deep breath and launch out into 2025 with the hope that the coming year will find both myself and my little home having a positive and well-balanced 'reset'.

    Until next time ... Nanny Anny