Ten things for which I give thanks this week…
I am still having difficulty loading images so this will be an all-text post!
1 – Grateful to have got through Christmas and to be enjoying a further complete week off work.
2 – Nobody fell out – lol, the food was well received even though I overshopped for Boxing Day at ours and we will be eating various naughty items for the foreseeable future…
3 – We finished binge-watching Ted Lasso (that’s not the gratitude) which was such a well-done, human, feel-good series and I heartily recommend it to all and sundry. Interesting inflexion points between American and UK culture…
4 – I received, amongst other things, a new dressing-gown, some Moleskine notebooks for writing poetry in (or, quite frankly, anything), a book, “The World According to David Hockney” – he is a local hero, being from Bradford and having a permanent exhibition (N.B. not an Exhibit (which is an item IN an Exhibition)) in nearby World Heritage site Salts Mill, Saltaire.
5 – Finally, I have made a start on the writing part of my A to Z Challenge for April – the Theme Reveal and I have elevated constituent fibres to the title which now reads “What We Wear – Fabrics and Fibres!” Onwards and upwards…
6 – Got my car fixed just before Christmas – I had been driving around with 3 out of 4 wheelnuts on one front wheel – now had a new hub and tracking done!
7 – I have embarked on a 12 short stories in 12 months challenge, starting on 7th January – the idea is that working to deadlines improves your writing and since my long-term novel is languishing a bit, I thought it couldn’t hurt to stoke the furnaces with some short stories…
8 – The basic level Helpline couldn’t solve my image uploading problem but they have escalated it to the next level (wait 24 hours with bated breath) – watch this space…
9 – I bought a secondhand Melodica – a small keyboard that you play by blowing through a tube – as if being breathalysed and playing the organ had a baby…
10 – This year, an “Annus Horribilis” in so many ways (as Queen Elizabeth II was wont to say), is nearly over and the many troubles in the world must surely come a little closer to resolution Putin and Trump may implode and Israel get the message that they need to do things differently – let’s hope…
Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year!
Enjoyable, relaxing, creative, productive – your list stands out for covering all the important aspects of enjoying both holidays and time off from work.
I watched some YouTube clips after Ted Lasso had been out for a bit. Funny show and I agree, from what I watched, a definite “feel good” show.
Melodica?! I never knew of this instrument. Fascinating.
Happy New Year to you and yours, Andrew!
This post is full of inspiration. Short stories or a novel’s scenes can help to develop the writing habit and fluency. I googled the short stories challenge. Good luck on that.
Can you already play a musical instrument? Will you be telling us how you will be “learning the ropes” to play your new melodica? I googled for the photo. It looks challenging, having to control one’s breath and fingers to play.
In your old TToT post, you wrote to remind you to disclose what present you gave to your dearest one.
May you continue to enjoy your 1 week holiday.
I will share how it goes with the short stories and the Melodica. I guess any wind instrument involves breath control though I saw one video teaching how to do circular breathing for the melodica – just like a didgeridoo! I have played the recorder, guitar and currently Ukulele.
I gave Barbara a green leather handbag, but it will have to wait till my picture problem is solved before I can show you…
If you want to see someone playing a Melodica – this band do the best pick-me-up version of Happy – guaranteed to make you feel better
https://youtu.be/IbVoo7YLWnI?si=MNJFvmJlhmcDprZc
Really happy, upbeat music. Thank you for the introduction. I bookmarked the webpage.