La Chatte Gitane (or The Gypsy Cat) was the name we chose for our cottage in France at the time. We chose it while on the road, moving house the first time round, from Ireland to France with 2 dogs and 7 cats in the car.
This blog began its insignificant life as a recipe book for friends and family who would ask me repeatedly for a recipe of this, that and the other.
Since then it has taken many different directions, like we did and like gypsies tend to do. Sometimes making a U-turn and revisiting familiar roads and taking a break when necessary.
You'll find recipes here, but also musings about the places we've called home, the gardens that we've established, not always successfully, the homes we've improved and the environments we've lived in. Currently, after yet another stint in Ireland, we're back in France @ Le Mas d'Ayen

Monday, January 04, 2016

Resolutions and Lists

I don't do New Year resolutions, or any other resolutions. I don't have the discipline and get go mentality. In other words : I am too lazy to be bothered.

The only thing that I promised myself, 4 years ago after Christmas and makes me feel slightly proud, was to stop drinking. Alcohol, that is. Never thought I could do it, but here I am, sober ever since.
Oh, I do use wine in cooking where appropriate, you know for depth of flavour. But it doesn't touch my lips from a glass (or bottle).

Enough of that already.
What I do do, is make plans for projects, and lists. In my head. And when it gets too crowded in there I put things down on paper.
Lists ! I have notebooks full of lists. When it's written down, it's out of my head. Sometimes I go back to  them, but more often I don't.
I've got this picture below of our garden last summer. It somehow epitomises what my brain must look like. Lots of beautiful thoughts, plans and ideas, but way too crowded. Make no mistake. There is plenty of weeds growing in between. Ha !




I've made my list in my head for the next three months. It'll still be winter and a good time to start and finish off some projects.
Let's put it to paper.

That is not a definite list. I might add to it, or start a new one if I feel I have to put my thoughts back into order.

  • The first item is a given and I'll start with that today. It feels as if I've just put them up yesterday. 
  • The craft room and laundry go hand in hand as the clean stuff spills over into my crafty space considerably.
  • Yeah, the bed- and bathroom. What can I say ?  When we bought the place the room came with godawful glitzy (footballers' wives' style) wallpaper. Luckily only on one wall. But it has to go ! And look here ! I found a photo.

 Actually, the wallpaper doesn't look half as bad as in real life in this pic. Probably because it was being upstaged by the furniture and bed linen. Not our furniture, but it came with the house. We've put it to good use someplace else. Not our taste, I'm afraid. 
The wall to wall carpeting isn't to my liking either and I would like it to disappear. It collects dust that is almost invisible and doesn't look or feel fresh to me.

The en-suite bathroom has the same highly polished, extremely lethal white porcelain floor tiles as the kitchen used to have. Every time I clean the floor, I release some of the grouting. Arrgh ! I hate it!
I would be happy with a cheap vinyl floor covering the whole mess up. A floorboard design maybe.
Still, these are projects I need to be conferring with Bert about. Read : twist his arm.



  • I've got plenty of ideas in my head for sewing projects. Maybe I should make a list specifically for them. I've been cutting squares from left over fabrics, old duvet covers and curtains with the intention of making a couple of quilts. High time I made at least one of them.





  • And then there is the armchair. I've got the chair. I've got the fabric. It's a scary project.



  •  How many granny squares make a throw ? 






I hope I haven't scared anyone off by showing you what my brain looks like and how it works (or not). 
Anything I should add to my list ?

Patricia xxx...x



4 comments:

  1. Time for resting? ;)

    I read on a blog this week about not making resolutions but having a list of intentions, things to do throughout the year. I liked that idea as like you I don't make resolutions. So maybe you have a list of intentions?

    Looking forward to reading along with you this year when you have completed you lovely projects - no pressure or anything!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really don't have to put on paper 'time for resting'. My bum seems to think it's stuck to a chair most of the time. :p

      Delete
  2. We seem to have the same plans for this year, I wrote my yarny projects out in a list & scared myself silly!

    ReplyDelete
  3. my brain is like this also, its called a butterfly mind. flits about all over. hence i have to write lists.

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