My Goals for 2024

I had planned to write this post just after the New Year, but I've been feeling pretty rough these last couple of weeks, so as usual, I'm a little behind. I've had the worst migraine this past week, but now that it's clearing, I can finally play catch-up, so, let's do this.

Today, I'm going to share my goals for the year ahead... as boring and predictable as they probably are.

Realistically, I know I'm very unlikely to be able to achieve any big, life-changing resolutions with my health being the way it is, but I still like to set myself lots of little goals to keep myself on my toes. This year has been no different, and I guess most of my goals aren't, either. They're mostly related to reading, creative hobbies, and local places I want to visit- just little things to keep myself challenged and occupied, that I might have a chance of achieving on better pain days. I'm not up to trekking around the globe or doing extreme sports, so if reading a bunch of books and having a day out at my local zoo is the best I can hope for, I'm going to take it. It's better than doing nothing, right?

So, here are some of my goals for the year ahead.

Read At Least 40 Books

I'm hoping to read as much as possible in 2024. I've kept my reading goal for the year low at 40 books to make it achievable, but I hope I can read even more. I'm already on my 4th book of the year so far, so I'm off to a decent start. If you want to keep up with what I'm reading, come say hello on Goodreads and Storygraph.

Keep Up to Date With My Reading Journal

I started keeping a reading journal last summer, and I'm loving having a place to record what I've read, and my thoughts and favourite quotes from each book. I want to continue with it this year, and try to update it after each book read while my thoughts are still fresh in my mind. 

Do More Cross Stitching

I used to cross stitch every day, but did so little last year as I was so uninspired. So, I want to try to find my sewing mojo in 2024, and do much more stitching. It's such a relaxing hobby, and with all the modern kits and patterns, it's not just for old ladies anymore.

Finish At Least One Embroidery

I also want to improve my embroidery 'skills' and finish at least one piece of hoop art this year. I began this one for Halloween, but never got far, so that one's on my list to finish, but I also saw this cute Easter design I'm thinking of attempting.

Paint Regularly

Last year, I really enjoyed watercolour painting as a way to relax. Well, when I say 'painting' it's more like 'colouring-in colouring books with paint' as I have little artistic skill, but the main thing is, I enjoy it and find it relaxing, so who cares? I want to do more of it when I get good pain days.

Eat Healthier and Lose Weight

I hate focusing on weight and diets as all bodies are good bodies and people shouldn't be shamed for their size, but I've been feeling really unhappy in my own skin since I gained a little weight, so I need to do something about it. I don't feel like myself anymore and I hate it. For my own mental health, I want to make an effort to eat healthier and hopefully shed some of those extra pounds, but without being able to exercise regularly or vigorously like I used to pre-chronic-pain, I doubt I'm gonna lose it easily.

Get an Eye Test and New Glasses

I think my most important goal right now is getting myself down to Specsavers for an eye test and new glasses. I've been putting it off since before Covid, and I think I'm now six years over-due. My vision keeps going blurry from eye strain (at least, I hope that's all it is), and I really need to see an optician before it gets any worse. I'm going to book myself as soon as my migraine has gone. I'm really looking forward to getting some sexy new glasses after years of wearing the same pair every day.

Get My Hair Cut

I also need to prioritise a hair cut, since my hair is almost long enough to sit on again, and I currently resemble a reclusive old witch who lives in a creepy old house with her familiars, and drinks margaritas at midnight while dancing around the kitchen. (Honestly, sign me up- that sounds awesome)! It's been almost three years since my last hair cut, so it's time to get my hair cut back into a more manageable length. But first: roots.

Overhaul My Bookshelf

One of my next missions will be tackling my bookshelves. I need a bigger bookshelf, but in the meantime, I need to have a rejig, and cull some books to fit in all the beautiful copies I've bought in recent months. I don't like thinking of my poor babies stacked up on the floor. I don't want to give up any of my collection, but I think I'm going to have to as I've no place to store them. 

Have a Thorough Clear Out

Speaking of spring cleaning, I also want to have a decent tidy and clear out of other stuff, like my wardrobe, dressing table, craft supplies, and the hallway cupboard. I don't know why, but I feel the need to declutter, and let go of stuff I no longer use or need.

Take a Holiday

I wasn't able to go on holiday last year and I'm not sure if one's on the cards this year, either, but I'd love to get away to Cornwall for at least a few days this summer. Hell, I'd be happy to get away almost anywhere if it meant a change of scenery for a while.

Visit the Beach

I'd also like to spend some time at the seaside this year. It's been a year and a half since I last saw the sea, and I miss it so much. A day trip to the beach would make me so happy.

Go to The Cotswold Wildlife Park

I haven't visited my local zoo in over two years, so I want to fit in at least one visit this year. It's a really gorgeous, relaxing place to visit, and I think it's good to push myself to the point of collapse with my chronic pain every now and then to get some exercise and fresh air. 

Go to the London Aquarium

This probably sounds so random, but one thing I'd love to do is revisit the London aquarium. I last went about fifteen years ago and remember really enjoying myself, and I've wanted to go back for a while. As a big animal lover, I've always found sea life so fascinating, and it's one of the best aquariums I've ever visited. Maybe I'll have to pay it a visit for my birthday this July?

Visit the Confetti, Lavender, and Sunflower Fields

I've been wanting to visit local flower fields for the last few years, and still haven't managed it. We were planning to go to see the confetti fields near Worcester last summer, but I ended up with an awful chronic pain flare on the day we'd planned to go, so we missed it. I'm hoping for better luck this summer. I'd love to go see some colourful flower fields.

Go to the Bluebell Woods

I'd also like to take a walk in our local woods when the bluebells flower this spring. We went a little too late last year, and missed them, too. 

Do more Touristy Things in Oxford

Oxford has always been my local city, but I haven't done nearly enough exploring of its attractions or hidden gems. I'm eager to spend some days being a tourist in my own city, and visit more of its museums, galleries, beautiful old buildings etc, and maybe have a walk or a picnic down by one of the river banks where people go punting on the Thames. It's such a beautiful city.

And those are some of my little goals for 2024.

Have you set yourself any goals or resolutions for the year ahead?

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Goodreads My Year in Books 2023

Looking Back on 2023

Goodreads My Year In Books 2023

I set myself a goal of reading 40 books in 2023, and miraculously reached my goal on New Year's Eve with six hours to spare! 

It wasn't my best year for reading number-wise, but hey, at least I smashed it! Even if I had to read some short novellas to make up the last few on time. 

As always, I kept track of my reading life on Goodreads, so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and share my Goodreads Year in Books- and I've added in a few prompts of my own, too.

So... I read approx. 17,699 pages across 40 books in 2023. 

This is less than the 46 books I read in 2022, but I actually read over 1200 pages more as many of them were longer reads over 600 pages. 

These longer books definitely impacted the number of books I was able to read, as did the amount of time I spent annotating when I could've been reading. If we counted all the books I annotated page by page, my number would be closer to 70. I definitely need to rethink how I annotate so it doesn't slow me down so much. Maybe I should just stick to using page markers and only highlight my absolute favourites?

Shortest book: The Lost Sisters by Holly Black at 50 pages.

Longest Book: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas at 980 pages. (But I wish it had been twice as long as it was one of my favourite reads ever)!

Average Book Length: 442 pages.

Most Shelved: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas with 3,949,944 shelved.

Least Shelved: The Muppet Christmas Carol by Brooke Vitale, with a pitiful 16 people shelving it. (C'mon people)!

My Average Rating: 4.2 stars. I read so many great books last year, and maybe I get a bit over-enthusiastic and rate on vibes more than quality of writing.

Highest Rated on Goodreads: The Muppet Christmas Carol by Brooke Vitale with 4.70 stars average. (Unsurprising- it's so cute)!

My First Review of the Year:

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black. It's a companion book of illustrated short stories from The Folk of the Air series told from Cardan's POV, giving more insight into some iconic scenes, his backstory, and even some scenes after the series had ended with Jude in the mortal world. It's wonderful and you can read my review here.

Books Read (roughly in order):

1. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black. 5⭐

2. Throne of Glass (collector's edition) by Sarah J. Maas. 4⭐

3. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black. 5⭐

4. A Court of Thorns and Roses (collector's edition) by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

5. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

6. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

7. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. 4⭐

8. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

9. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

10. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

11. Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas. 3⭐

12. A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas. 4⭐

13. Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

14. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

15. The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐

16. The Lost Sisters by Holly Black. (Ebook novella). 3⭐

17. Throne of Glass (hardback) by Sarah J Maas. (Reread). 5⭐ (Upgraded from 4⭐ on first read)

18. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. 5⭐

19. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout. 3.5⭐

20. Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs. 3.5⭐

21. The Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout. 5⭐

22. A Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout. 5⭐

23. The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout. 4⭐

24. The School for Good and Evil (collector's edition) by Soman Chainani. 2⭐

25. A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout. 5⭐

26. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas. (Reread). 5⭐

27. Once Upon a Broken Heart (vault edition) by Stephanie Garber. (Reread). 3⭐

28. The Ballad of Never After (Owlcrate edition) by Stephanie Garber. (Reread). 5⭐

29. A Curse for True Love (Waterstones exclusive edition) by Stephanie Garber. 5⭐

30. Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco. 4⭐

31. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. 4⭐

32. The Forest Grimm (Fairyloot edition) by Kathryn Purdie. 3⭐

33. Legends and Lattes by Travis Bardee. 5⭐

34. A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas. (Reread). 4⭐

35. Upon a Frosted Star (Waterstones exclusive edition) by M. A. Kuzniar. 5⭐

36. The Nutcracker by E.T.A Hoffmann. 3⭐

37. The Muppet Christmas Carol by Brooke Vitale. 5⭐

38. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (Litjoy Crate edition) by Holly Black. (Reread). 5⭐

39. It Waits in the Woods by Josh Malermann. (Ebook novella). 2⭐

40. Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo. (Reread). 4⭐

Plus, the bonus chapters from 

♥ Fourth Wing red Waterstones holiday edition.

♥ The Cruel Prince collector's edition.

♥ A Curse for True Love Barnes and Noble, Owlcrate, and Waterstones editions.

♥ Letters to Jude- bonus content PDF from The Queen of Nothing.

♥ Various ACOTAR bonus chapters.

And the last chapter from Crescent City 2 as I was curious about the ACOTAR cross-over! Haha!

My Last Review of the Year:

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco, as I'm so behind with my reviews. I loved this spicy fantasy adventure book about a demon prince of hell teaming up with a gifted artist from the mortal world to complete a game held by the fae king in order to save his court, and get back what was taken from them. It's full of vampires, monsters, vicious fae, hot demon princes, and lots of other good stuff, and you can find my review here.

Challenge completed at 6pm on New Year's Eve, with six hours to spare. Yay me!

Books Read: 40

♥ New Reads: 33

♥ Rereads: 7

♥ DNF: 0

Authors Read: 15

♥ Jennifer L. Armentrout.

♥ Travis Bardee.

♥ Leigh Bardugo.

♥ Holly Black

♥ Soman Chainani.

♥ Stephanie Garber.

♥ E.T.A. Hoffmann.

♥ M. A. Kuzniar.

♥ Sarah J. Maas.

♥ Josh Malermann.

♥ Kerri Maniscalco.

♥ Kathryn Purdie.

♥ Emma Torzs.

♥ Brooke Vitale.

♥ Rebecca Yarros.

New Authors Discovered: 9

♥ Jennifer L. Armentrout.

♥ Travis Bardee.

♥ Soman Chainani.

♥ E.T.A. Hoffmann.

♥ Sarah J. Maas.

♥ Kerri Maniscalco.

♥ Kathryn Purdie.

♥ Emma Torzs.

♥ Rebecca Yarros.

Most Read Genre:

Fantasy / romantasy.

Favourite Book(s) Read: (In no particular order because I can't decide- except QOS is definitely 5th).

♥ A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas.

Least Favourite Book(s) Read:

♥ The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. (Too YA for me).

♥ It Waits in the Woods by Josh Malermann. (So dull and weird).

Favourite New Series:

♥ Throne of Glass

♥ ACOTAR

♥ Blood and Ash

♥ Fourth Wing

Favourite New Stand Alone:

♥ Upon a Frosted Star

Favourite New Characters:

♥ Throne of Glass- Aelin Galathynius, Rowan Whitethorn, Lorcan Salvaterre, Elide Lochan, Yrene Towers, Fenrys Moonbeam, Dorian Havilliard.

♥ ACOTAR- Nesta Archeron, Cassian, Lucien Vanserra, Rhysand, The Suriel.

♥ From Blood and Ash- Casteel Da' Neer, Kieran Contou, Poppy Balfour, Emil Da' Lahr, Delano Amicu, Reaver.

♥ Fourth Wing- Violet Sorrengail, Xaden Riorson, Liam Mairi, Ridoc, Sawyer, Tairn, Andarna.

Most Hated Characters:

♥ Ianthe (ACOTAR).

♥ Maeve and Vernon (TOG).

♥ Dain and Jack (Fourth Wing).

♥ Cat and Varrish (Iron Flame).

♥ Apollo (ACFTL).

♥ Vexley (Throne of the Fallen).

Favourite New Bookish Couples:

♥ Cassian and Nesta (ACOTAR).

♥ Lorcan and Elide (TOG).

♥ Rowan and Aelin (TOG). (And basically all the other TOG couples- they're all awesome).

♥ Poppy and Casteel... and Kieran (Blood and Ash).

♥ Violet and Xaden (Fourth Wing).

Favourite Editions Bought:

♥ The Folk of the Air Litjoy Crate Boxset.

♥ Grishaverse collection from Owlcrate.

♥ OUABH trilogy from Fairyloot. (Can't wait to get them)!

♥ ACOTAR collector's edition.

♥ TOG Bloomsbury hardbacks.

♥ A Curse For True Love Waterstones Exclusive.

Favourite Dust Jacket:

♥ A Curse for True Love UK edition.

♥ Queen of Shadows and Empire of Storms Bloomsbury hardbacks.

Favourite Hidden Covers:

♥ A Curse For True Love UK and Barnes and Noble editions.

♥ Throne of the Fallen Waterstones exclusive.

♥ The Stolen Heir Illumicrate edition.

♥ Ninth House and Hell Bent Illumicrate editions.

♥ The Forest Grimm Fairyloot Edition.

Favourite Naked Hardbacks:

♥ The Folk of the Air Litjoy Crate editions.

♥ ACOTAR collector's edition.

Favourite Sprayed Edges:

♥ Grishaverse Owlcrate editions.

♥ Iron Flame Waterstones exclusive.

♥ Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries Fairyloot edition.

♥ Throne of the Fallen Waterstones exclusive.

♥ The Forest Grimm Fairyloot edition.

Favourite Bookish Merchandise bought:

♥ Litjoy Crate ACOTAR book tin.

♥ Litjoy Crate reading journal.

♥ ACOTAR and Throne of Glass colouring books.

Some Favourite New Bookish Quotes: 

(I have far too many new favourites to list- mostly SJM ones! Haha!).

♥ One blink for yes. Two for no. Three for Are you alright? Four for I am here, I am with you. Five for This is real, you are awake. -Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ 'I love you. There is no limit to what I can give you, no time I need. Even when the world is a forgotten whisper of dust between the stars, I will love you.'- Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ 'One day, I am going to marry you. I'll be generous and let you pick when, even if it's ten years from now. Or twenty. But one day, you are going to be my wife.'- Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ 'I have no regrets in my life, but this...' ... 'That we did not have time. That I did not have time with you, Nesta.' ... 'I will find you again in the next world- the next life. And we will have that time. I promise.'- A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ 'He thinks he'll be remembered as the villain in the story.'... 'But I forgot to tell him,' ... 'that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key.' ... 'He was the one who let me out.'- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

♥ 'You have no morals.'

'True. But yours are as grey in tone as mine, my dear.'

'That's hardly true.'

'What a cunning little liar you are.'- Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco.

♥ 'Thank you, Liam. Thank you for being my shadow. Thank you for being my friend.'- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

♥ 'Yes, I am a murderer. I enjoy hurting people. I like blood. I like pain. I am a monster, but whether you remember it or not, I'm your monster, Evangeline.'- A Curse For True Love by Stephanie Garber.

♥ 'Some say patience is a virtue.' ... 'Some deserve a punch in the face.'- A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

♥ I suppose that's one good thing about being obedient and faithful and good. People think you will never surprise them.- The Lost Sisters by Holly Black.

And that's my 2023 in books.

I've set myself a new reading goal of 40 books for 2024, but I hope I can do even better and beat last year's figures. I'm already on book 3 of the year, so I feel like I'm off to a strong start.

If you'd like to keep up with what I'm reading and adding to my TBR list, come say hello on Goodreads and Storygraph. You can also find me on Instagram, where I often share what I'm reading, post mini reviews, and give you a peek at pretty new books I've been buying on my Insta Stories.

Did you meet your reading goals last year, and have you set any new ones for 2024?

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My Goals For 2021

With everything that's going on in the world right now, I wasn't sure whether I should set myself any goals for the year ahead. It almost seemed pointless; we're on lockdown; we can't go anywhere; we can't do anything exciting, and everything is so uncertain right now. I wondered if maybe I should just be concentrating on surviving this awful pandemic, and not on achieving silly little goals.

Some time during the last few weeks, between the boredom and lack of motivation, painful flares and anxiously worrying about the world, I've realised, I need goals. I need to have some things to work towards to keep myself busy and give my life a sense of purpose. They help keep me focused and motivated, and give me something to do with my time while housebound. It's how I've gotten through the last nine and a half years. I need things to do to stop myself getting bored and depressed.

So, I decided to set myself some goals after all. I haven't set myself anything big or unattainable to work towards, because I'd just be setting myself up for failure. I'm not aiming to travel around the world, buy a house, or become rich and famous. I just plan to work towards lots of little achievements, like reading lots of books, trying some new crafts, and perhaps even taking a holiday in England, if things improve enough by the summer. I'm not going to put any pressure on myself, though; if I achieve them, great; if I don't, that's okay, too. This year's going to be hard enough as it is without pointlessly adding unnecessary pressure, or beating myself up for being a failure. I'm going to do my best, but at the end of the day, they're not important life goals I need to achieve, just small ones meant for a challenge and a bit of fun.

So, here are some of my goals for 2021:

Read 40 Books

My main goal for 2021 is to read as much as possible. I've set myself the goal of reading forty books this year but I hope to read even more. I'm already on my sixth book of the year so far, so I'm well on my way to achieving my reading goal ahead of time. It feels good to be making progress on something right now, and letting myself escape from reality for a while every day. Reading has really helped me get through this miserable first month of lockdown. If you want to keep up with what I'm reading, you can find me on Goodreads here.

Cross Stitch More

I also want to get back in to cross stitching regularly again this year, and try to finish at least a few projects- especially as I stitched so little last year. I've already finished a little gingerbread man hoop, and have added a good chunk to the Christmas wall hanging I've been working on this month, so I feel like I'm off to a good start.

Improve My Embroidery Skills

When it comes to needlework, I could cross stitch in my sleep, but I don't have a lot of experience with embroidery. I'd like to try more of it, and improve my skills, so I'm aiming to attempt more embroidery projects this year. I've just bought myself this embroidery kit from Cotton Clara (in pink) to start off with, and make myself a memento from the pandemic. Not that it's a time I'm ever going to forget, but I thought it looked cute. I'm going to give it my own spin and use different coloured threads, and fill in some of the picture with different stitches to keep things interesting.

Learn to Crochet

I know this has been added to my New Year's goals every year for years now, but I still haven't learned to crochet. I was given some crochet hooks for Christmas, so I really don't have an excuse not to try now, so I hope 2021 will be the year I finally learn how to crochet. I want to start with a cute, pastel-coloured granny square blanket. 

Paint More

I want to find time to paint more often in 2021 because it's something I enjoy and find relaxing, but haven't done in ages. I'm not sure I even painted once in 2020. I won't pretend to be any good at it, but painting helps me destress and unwind, and anything that aids my mental health during Covid times deserves more dedication.

Shop For Presents Throughout the Year

My aim is to shop for presents for birthdays and Christmas etc. throughout the year again, to help spread the cost, and be organised ahead of time. I've already bought three presents since Christmas, so I'm off to a good start!

Participate in More Surveys

I want to get back in to participating in more online surveys again to make some extra pennies. I started off strong last year, but then Animal Crossing came out, and stole my attention span for the rest of the year. I've only been participating in short surveys on Prolific Academic since last April, but I'd like to make the effort to take part in a lot more on the other sites I used to frequent. The extra money would come in handy.

Get Out of the House More Often

I need to do my best to get out and about more regularly in 2021. Last year, I left the house less than ten times, and went seven months without stepping outside once. (Not even in to the garden). It's the longest I've ever spent at home in my nine and a half years with chronic illness, and I'd rather not repeat it. I need to escape captivity more often, get more fresh air, and more exercise, for my physical health, as well as my mental health. I just need to find a way to push through my pain more because it's really kicking my ass these days.

Blog More

Apart from in December, when I managed to unpack my blogging mojo with the Christmas decorations, I blogged very little in 2020. In fact, I blogged less than any year since I began blogging here in 2012. It wasn't for lack of trying, but I couldn't find the words or the energy very often. I'm hoping I can improve on that in the next eleven months, and blog more regularly again. I'm not off to a great start, with this being only my second post of the year so far, but I hope I can find my groove again soon.

Instagram more often

I also want to do my best to fill my Instagram grid with more photos. I barely shared any photos to it in 2020- mostly because I spent most of the year in bed ill, and didn't have anything interesting to post- but I enjoyed filling it with festive photos in December. I want to try to share more snippets from my life, so I have more memories to look back on, and more to share with you guys.

Grow Sunflowers From Seed

It's been years since I last grew some sunflowers from seed, but I really want to grow some this year so that the garden will be filled with happy yellow flowers by late summer. They're one of my favourite flowers.

There are also a few things I'd like to do which will be dependent on lockdown restrictions, and whether the virus improves or not. They might not be possible, but I'm going to be optimistic, and aim for them anyway because it's always nice to have hope.

Take a Holiday to Cornwall

One thing I'm desperate to do this summer is take a holiday to Cornwall. We chose to cancel our holiday there last year to keep ourselves safe, which was the right thing to do, but I was so disappointed as I'd been looking forward to returning to one of my favourite places for ages. Cornwall's like my second home. If restrictions ease (at the moment it feels like they never will), allowing us to travel longer distances again, and Covid infections and deaths reduce, my sister and I are hoping to get away for a week in June or September, either side of high-season when it should be quieter (and cheaper). (I'm not convinced it'll be possible in June, but maybe by September life will be a little better). We'd go self-catering, and stay in a static caravan, which makes it easy to stay away from other people, and we'd be able to disinfect everything, and use our own bedding and kitchenware for extra peace of mind. We might have to adapt some of our usual outings and avoid busier locations like St. Ives and Padstow to have a safe and socially distanced holiday, but I think it would be worth it for a week away. It could also give us a great opportunity to explore more of the quieter south coast, which we haven't visited as much as North Cornwall. To be honest, I'd just be happy to relax around the caravan with a book and some good food, listening to the sound of the sea in the background and seagulls crying overhead. I'd have to spend most of the time resting in the caravan anyway, as my pain quickly becomes overwhelming, so we wouldn't be spending all day out and about around people, putting ourselves at risk. Of course, if the virus doesn't improve or gets worse, we won't risk taking a holiday at all, but we're hoping to go if things get better.

Visit The Cotswold Wildlife Park

I want to pay my local zoo, The Cotswold Wildlife Park, more visits this year. It's only a few miles down the road from me, and we figure it would be the perfect place to visit regularly during Covid times to exercise and get some fresh air, while having cute animals and pretty plants to see along the way. The scenery is gorgeous in all seasons, and social-distancing is easy there, so we should take advantage of it and support a local business, when it reopens after lockdown. The visits always push my chronic pain to the limit, so it would challenge me to push through my pain threshold more, too. 

Visit Whipsnade Wild Animal Park

Another zoo I'm hoping to visit this year is Whipsnade Wild Animal Park. (I love a good zoo). It's one of my favourites in the country, but it's been over a decade since my last visit. It's a huge zoo with an amazing collection of animals, including elephants, hippos, rare Indian rhinos, and various big cats, and they have loads of open space which would make social distancing a breeze. You can take your car in, too, which we would do, as it's the only way I'd be able to cover the vast terrain now. We're hoping to be able to go once the weather gets warmer, so hopefully zoos will have reopened and restrictions will have eased by the summer so we can go.

Visit Longleat Safari Park

We were hoping to go to Longleat to see the Christmas lights trail in December, but then Covid restrictions were tightened in my area, so it went out the window. I've always wanted to go to the safari park, and after learning they now have koalas, wombats, and aardvarks- three animals I've never seen in real life but have always wanted to- I want to go even more. Hopefully we'll be able to fit in a trip this year if restrictions ease again later in the year. Who knows, maybe we'll even be able to visit the Christmas lights trail there in December, too.

Visit Badbury Clump woods when the bluebells flower

There's a woods local to where I live that gets carpeted with bluebells in late spring. I'd really like to go see them at least once this year, because it's such a pretty sight, and I never made it last year. It would be great to get outside, explore nature, and take a few photos of a sea of violet flowers.

Visit a Lavender Farm

I'd also really like to visit a lavender farm this summer, mostly for the pretty photo opportunities. I've never seen lavender fields before. There's one within driving distance called Cotswold Lavender located near Broadway in Worcestershire that my sister and I have wanted to visit for years, and we're hopeful we'll be able to fit in a visit this summer. (They don't reopen until June). I'd also love to find some sunflower fields to visit, but I haven't managed to locate any in The Cotswolds yet. Does anyone know of any?

So, those are some of my goals for the year ahead. 

What are your goals for 2021?

My Goals For 2020

I'm a little bit behind with my New Year's posts (how is it already the 15th?), but I'm finally here to talk about my goals for the year ahead.

I've never been one to set myself big, life-changing New Year's resolutions. It's not that I don't have aspirations I want to work towards, because I do; I just don't like setting myself up for failure with unrealistic, high-achieving goals I'll never conquer in a year. If at all. Let's face it; I'm not going to lose half my body weight, become a billionaire, buy a mansion by the sea, or discover life on other planets any time soon. At least not this year. Never say never.

I prefer to set myself lots of smaller, fun and attainable goals to work towards during the year. Goals I want to do, need to do, and know I can achieve if I put the effort in. I like to give myself things to aim for and look forward to each year, but without any unnecessary pressure. If I achieve my goals, great; if I don't, that's okay, too. It's not the end of the world. (Although, being slightly obsessive, and competitive with myself, I always try to smash as many of my goals as I can to feel accomplished when I cross something off the list).

This year, I've come up with lots of things I want to attempt before 2020 comes to an end, from reading a ton of books to blogging more regularly, and I'm here to talk about them today.

Read 52 Books

It's fair to say I officially found my reading mojo in 2019, and I want to continue reading as much as possible in 2020. I've set myself the challenge of reading at least 52 books this year- one for each week of the year. It's only five more books than I read last year, so I'm confident I can do it if I keep up the pace, and make time to read every day. I've finished one book already, and am half way through a second, so I'm on target, and looking forward to working my way through my TBR pile. 

Shop For Presents Throughout the Year

I want to try to shop for presents for birthdays, Christmas and other special occasions throughout the year, to spread the cost, and be super organised this year. I wasn't last year and I was stressed about it in the run up to Christmas. I don't want to be worrying about how I'm going to afford to finish my Christmas shopping in December again, or still be shopping for presents days before Christmas, so I'm determined to pick up presents whenever I can. I've already bought half a dozen little presents for the present stash, so I'm already off to a good start! Let's hope it can continue.

Get Back in to Surveys Again

I didn't participate in as many paid surveys as I would've liked in 2019, as I often couldn't be arsed to put in the effort, but I want to get back in to them in 2020. I'd like to be able to earn some extra money to put towards a Nintendo Switch Lite so I can play the new Animal Crossing game when it comes out in March, and also to help pay for presents. I earned an extra £50 on Swagbucks alone in November and December, and the extra money really came in handy over Christmas. You can find out everything you need to know about earning money through online surveys here.

Blog More

Last year, mostly due to my health, I blogged less than any year since I began blogging here in 2012. I only posted a handful of quality posts all year, and while I got back in to the swing of things in December, it  wasn't the year I'd hoped for the blog. This year, I hope I can blog a lot more quality content, more regularly, with a better variety of topics. I want to feature more books and stationery, more beauty, more fashion (mostly reviews of accessories, not outfits), more crafts, more lifestyle, more chronic illness posts, and hopefully even some more adventures. Basically a bit more of everything. I want to create content I'm excited about and that you'll enjoy. I'm going to try my best to work hard, but it will depend on my health, and if it will let me. I'm actually going to listen to my body and put it first when I need to rest, and not force work when the words won't come; I want blogging to be fun, and not a chore, or counter-productive to my health. I guess we will see what happens!

Instagram More

I would also like to work at Instagramming more this year. Looking back on my grid, I realised just how little I posted to it last year, and I'm shocked by how little I did. Sometimes I went months without posting anything- mostly because I was too unwell to take photos or didn't have anything interesting to post. I used Insta Stories a little more often, but even that needs improvement. So, this year, I would love to fill my grid with photos, and also try to update my Insta Stories more often so I have more to look back on. Is there anything you'd like to see more of from me on Instagram? More books? More brooches? More Rosie spam? Let me know!

Do More Crafting

One of my goals last year was to do lots of crafting, but I was unable to do much at all because my arthritis got worse and I had difficulty using my hands far too often. I'm going to be optimistic and hope I have a better year this year, with plenty of good periods between flares (at least in the warmer months- I'm going through the worst flare right now) when I can use my hands to craft to my heart's content, so I've made lots of crafty goals for 2020. Some of my creative goals include:

♥ I want to do lots of cross stitching because I did very little in 2019, and that's just not like me. I have a mandala and a Christmas picture I need to finish off before I can begin some new projects.

♥ I'd like to attempt more embroidery projects, and improve my embroidery skills.

♥ I'd love to try punch needling.

♥ I want to try weaving something on a loom. I bought a small circular loom two years ago, and still haven't used it, so it's time to start weaving.

♥ I know this has appeared on my new year's goals list every year for years, but I would love to learn how to crochet something- perhaps a granny square blanket or a cute soft toy.

♥ I don't know why, but I really want to try needle felting.

♥ I want to make lots more fabric hoop art so I can make a feature wall out of hoops on my bedroom wall.

♥ I need to get around to making some more felt floral wreaths, and the Christmas ones I've been planning for about two years. I have all the supplies so I need to get making.

♥ I also have a pom pom star wreath to make, which I was unable to do this Christmas.

♥ I'd love to make some kind of brooch board so I can display my ever-growing collection of resin and acrylic brooches.
♥ I'd really like to relearn how to use a sewing machine- I've not used one since I was thirteen.

♥ And I want to make more time to paint.

Take a Holiday to Cornwall

My older sister and I are hoping to take a holiday to Cornwall in September, although this is dependent on whether the sister and brother-in-law move back to England as expected at the end of the summer or not. If they have to stay in Germany longer, we won't be able to go this year. I'm really looking forward to the prospect of a holiday as it's been almost three years since my last one, and I'm in desperate need of a holiday. I can't wait to get back to my favourite places in the country, and hopefully visit some places I've never been before, too. In the mean time, I just need to hope I'll be well enough to go, and figure out a way to manage a week's holiday with chronic pain a little better than I did last time.

Find a Way to See Ronan in Perranporth

Ronan Keating, one of my favourite musicians (hey, don't judge; he's amazing!), is headlining Tunes in the Dunes on Perranporth Beach in Cornwall in May, which just so happens to be my favourite place in the entire country. I've always dreamt about seeing a gig on that beach and combining my two favourite things- concerts and the beach- and now it's a possibility and I'm dying to go. The main problem is, I can't stand up long enough to get through a standing gig and I'm too much of a seat snob to sit near the back of the crowd, so I need to figure out a way to get around it so I can go. Maybe if I cover myself in heat patches, drug myself up, bring a camping chair, and hold on to the front row barrier, I could survive long enough to get through it? I don't want to keep missing out on everything I want to do just because I have chronic pain.

See Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act

I really want to go see Sister Act in the West End again this summer when Whoopi Goldberg is back in the habit as Deloris. I saw her in the show about a decade ago, when she starred as Mother Superior, and she was fantastic, so I would love to see her take on her original character on the stage. I've no doubt she'll be amazing. I must get tickets!

Try Physiotherapy Again

Once my neck injury has improved a little more, I'd like to have another go at physiotherapy for the rest of my body. It's been years since I last had any for my chronic pain, and even though I never saw any improvement in the past, I figure it could be worth another try as my health has worsened a lot since my last stint. If I'm lucky, it might help the pain; if nothing else, it might at least help me to build up a little more strength in my limbs and get me out of the house a bit more.

Revisit Pain Management

My rheumatologist also wants me to revisit pain management, which I'll admit I've been anxious about after being treated so badly by a pain clinic in Oxford when I was first referred in 2013. I know it's worth a try, though, even though I doubt they'll be able to offer anything I haven't already tried, and I really have nothing to lose at this point. Once my neck is a little better, I'm going to organise an appointment (I've already got the information for self-referral- and a choice of hospitals, so I don't have to go back to the assholes in Oxford), and give it my best shot.

Eat Healthier

I've gained a little weight over the last few years from being house bound and not looking after myself as well as I should, and I don't feel comfortable in my own skin anymore, so I want to try to lose some of the extra pounds I gained last year. I can't do vigorous exercise to help shift it, but I want to at least try to move around when I can, eat healthier, and look after myself a little better. I'm not aiming for huge weight loss, but it would be nice to lose a dress size to fit back in to most of my clothes again.

Replace My Bedroom Furniture

My bedroom furniture is falling apart, and my parents have very kindly offered to help me replace them, so I need to decide which pieces to replace them with. I think I've finally decided on a white painted oak set with oak tops. I just need to choose which chest of drawers to buy, and find a dressing table I like to go with them. And then I will have pretty new furniture! Yay! I'm hoping to finally sort this goal out this week.

Get a Hair Cut

More a short term goal than an on-going one, but something I really need to do ASAP this year is get a hair cut. I haven't had my hair cut in almost three years now, and my long bob is now a long mane flowing almost to the bottom of my back! It looks a mess, it's driving me mad, and it's too much work to look after, so I'm dying to get it cut shorter. I can't decide exactly what length I want to trim it to, but I won't be going as short as a bob this time. I'll probably have at least a foot chopped off, though. I've been desperate to get it cut for years now, but I've not been well enough to get down the hair dressers or sit long enough to get through it at home. I was hoping to get it done before Christmas, but I've not been able to bend my neck forward without pain, so it keeps getting put on the back burner. Fingers crossed I can get it done soon. I miss having nice hair.

Some Places I'd Like To Visit in 2020

♥ Cornwall- including my favourites, Perranporth, St. Ives, St. Michael's Mount, Padstow, and Porth Beach. I would also like to visit Kynance Cove, Heligan Gardens, and some other Cornish places I've never been to before.

♥ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter World for Hogwarts in the Snow. (Marie and I have talked about going at Christmas time).

♥ London- for some sightseeing (by tour bus).
♥ Bourton-on-the-Water.
♥ The beach. Preferably Perranporth, but any sandy beach will suffice. I'm dying for a swim / paddle in the sea.

♥ Badbury Clump woods when it's carpeted with bluebells in the spring.

♥ A lavender field- there's one in The Cotswolds but I've forgotten the name of the place.

♥ A sunflower field- if I can find one close to home.

And those are some of my goals for the year ahead.

What are your goals or resolutions for 2020?

My New Year's Goals For 2016

I'm not one for setting big new year's resolutions, declaring to drop ten stone in a week, scale Kilimanjaro, and find fame and fortune before the last of the Christmas decorations have even been packed away. I don't see the point in setting myself up for failure. Where's the fun in that?

Instead of big resolutions, I prefer to set myself lots of smaller goals for the year that I should realistically be able to achieve with a bit of effort. I've given myself quite a long to-do list for 2016, full of things I want to do, places I want to go, and maybe a few things I'd like to work on before the year is through. Obviously, I'm here to share them with you today, or this long introduction would be completely pointless! Here they are...

1. Read more books than in 2015 and tackle a big chunk of my reading pile. It shouldn't be hard since I only managed to read three books last year (mostly thanks to stress and fatigue), and I'm already on my second of the year!

2. Cross stitch as often as I can, and complete all of the cross stitch kits I own by the end of the year.

3. Make a ton of hand-embroidered hoop art (festive and non-festive)- enough hoops to create an epic wall feature. 

4. Learn how to crochet a granny-square blanket, and actually make one before the year is through. (Instead of just saying I will).

5. Arrange at least one meet up with my best friend. I've not seen her in over a year, since we currently live about 150 miles apart, and it's been far too long. I miss her.

6. Adopt a new pet, so I can have some company, and something to focus on every day besides the blog. The last of my fur babies died of old age three years ago, and as a huge animal lover, I hate not having any in my life. If we don't adopt a dog this year, I'd love to get some new bunnies or guinea pigs. Or an African pygmy hedgehog.

7. Get a hair cut. I've not had one in over two years and my waist-length hair is bugging the hell out of me. I want to lose about a foot off the length, and get it cut back in to a long bob soon.

8. Get an eye test and new glasses. I'm two and a half years over due an eye test, and my eyesight has definitely deteriorated since my last check up, so I can't put it off for much longer. I'm already blinder than a cyclops with an eye patch. 

9. Try to spend less time living in my pyjamas and more time wearing actual clothes like a proper adult.

10. Have a good clear out and sell or donate anything I no longer want, wear, or need.

11. Learn how to edit photos like a pro. I'm shit at photo-editing, I admit it, I can't seem to get my photos to look good no matter what settings or software I try, and I've lost count of how many hours I've spent trying. Sometimes I lose whole afternoons to one photo. I want to take the stress back out of blogging, and finally learn how to properly edit my photos so I can be a much more productive blogger. Can anybody recommend any good photo editing tutorials / blog posts / websites / books / tips / advice etc? I'd really appreciate any help! (I don't have Photoshop). I've tried Googling for tips, but everything I found was very vague.

12. Keep on top of blog comments and emails, and stop being such a bad blogger! Oh, and reply to all the unanswered comments ASAP. (I'm sorry!)

13. Give the blog a make over and some much needed TLC. I'd like to give it a new look, remove anything no longer relevant, update the pages, retag old posts, and make it more reader-friendly.

14. Give my blog a brand new name, one that doesn't make me cringe every time I type it, and something that will be easier for people to remember.

15. Try to blog more outfits, make up looks, and manicures, like I used to do in the olden days.

16. Blog more posts about my medical care experiences, and living with chronic pain- anything that might be helpful for other sufferers.

17. Do all I can to blog regularly, and consistently, and focus on blogging lots of quality content.

18. Do my best to use Instagram regularly to share snippets of my day with you guys.

19. Clear my overdraft and pay off my Dorothy Perkins store card. I hate having any sort of debt hanging over me, no matter how small.

20. Stop using my overdraft to buy things I don't need, and stop shopping to cheer myself up whenever I'm bored, sad, lonely, or depressed. I've gotten in to bad habits, and I really need to stop.

21. Buy Christmas and birthday presents throughout the year, so I can spread the cost, and feel super-organised come December. I've already bought seven little gifts in the sales, so I'm off to a good start!

22. Arrange new appointments with the specialists, make a new plan of action, and put 110% in to whatever treatments come my way this year.

23. Start looking after myself properly. That means actually eating more than a meal a day, eating plenty of good nutritious, fresh foods, and drinking more water, and also getting more fresh air, exercise, and listening to my body when it's reached its limits pain-wise.

24. Push through the pain as much as possible, and get out of the house as often as I can, for the sake of my mental and physical health. Try to go on as many walks in the country park as possible.

25. Get outside in the daylight every day for at least 10-15 minutes, like the doctor advised. I've been struggling with this one a lot because most days I can't get down the stairs for the pain, but I need to find a way around it.

26. Make it down to the beach in Poole or Bournemouth for a paddle in the sea. I've not set foot on a beach in five years, which feels like a life time, and I'm dying to go. The coast is only two hours away, so I wonder if I could manage a little visit this Summer.

27. Make it to a concert... because I just can't go a year without going to at least one.

28. Take the Harry Potter studio tour in London, because I've always wanted to go.

29. Explore Christchurch in Oxford. I've lived locally all my life, but I've not spent much time down that end of Oxford. I'd love to go for a walk along the river and take along a picnic, and explore the gorgeous architecture in the summer.

30. Put the laptop down more and spend more time reading, crafting, writing, being social, and living in the real world.

I guess I'll have to wait until next year to find out if I achieve them all! (Or any of them!) I don't know how I'll do, but I'm going to give them all my best shot.

What are your new year's resolutions or goals for the year ahead?