Hogmanay reflections

 

It's Hogmanay here and time to reflect on the year 2024.  I don't make new year resolutions but set some open ended goals that I try to live by.

I named 2024 'My year of positive changes' and outlined 4 goals.

1.  Live more frugally and simply - ✅yep, I'm definitely doing that.  I no longer have the safety net of savings and now live on my pension of £772 a month and have majorly adjusted my lifestyle to do that.

2.  Downsize my house - ✅yep, sold my big house and bought a small house.

3.  Buy no unnecessary clothes or house items - ✅ I bought 2 dresses (both were reduced in a sale) for a wedding but no other clothes, not even underwear!  But it does mean I'll need new knickers in 2025 at some point!!!  House wise I think I spent wisely to ensure a quick sale of my old house.  And in my new one, I've researched the best deals for my new kitchen appliances.  I haven't bought anything else that wasn't DIY related.  I've reused as many of my furnishings as I could.

4.  Grow as much food as I can - ❌ Sadly this one was a fail as my allotment was basically abandoned due to the timing of the move and the fact that Luna just wasn't safe when we were there.  I have made the decision to give up my plot in 2025 but I do have an alternative plan 😉

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An unexpected bonus of 2024 was that I started a YouTube channel.  It become monetised within 3 and a half weeks and I can now call it my part time job.  Money earned will be going into my emergency/savings fund starting in January plus I can regularly donate money to good causes.

All in all I do think 2024 was a year of positive change for me and I hope 2025 continues to be as positive 💕

My friend Sarah

 

Last week I heard that an old friend passed away and I've found myself surprisingly unsettled by her loss.  I first knew Sarah (or MrsL as she was known as online) many years ago when she was a moderator on the River Cottage forum.  She had a wealth of knowledge about growing and producing your own food.  She grew tired of the in fighting and set up her own forum Creative Living that encompassed all her passions including knitting, spinning, growing, cooking, foraging, wine making and much more.

Remember this was pre Pinterest and YouTube was just a fledging thing.  Finding a place where there was a collective knowledge of things I was interested in was fabulous as I had no one in real life who shared my interests. Over the years we became good friends and she came to visit me one Summer.  We went for a walk and within 10 mins she had pointed out a treasure trove of foraged items that could be eaten or used in some way.

We didn't always agree on things (eg politics) but somehow our friendship stayed the course through our respective divorces and new beginnings.  She was an avid prepper and was always reminding me to be prepared for WTSHTF!!

She had some health challenges in recent years but I'm still shocked that she's no longer here.  She was just in her early 60s.

I'm still in touch with some friends from the CL days and we're all feeling the same way.  She was an extraordinary force of nature and was a huge inspiration for many of us.  I hope she knew how much she meant to us and how much we'll miss her.

Rest well Sarah, a true one of a kind 💖