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

Goals For 2023

I'm a little late to the party as I've been a little under the weather lately, but I'm back with my annual list of goals for the year ahead.

I don't set myself big New Year's resolutions that I'm unlikely to ever achieve- who wants to feel like a failure?- but I do like to challenge myself with lots of smaller goals to aim towards and keep myself on my toes. They're nothing too exciting or interesting, but I thought I'd share my list anyway, in an attempt to motivate myself and make myself accountable.

So, here are my goals for 2023:

Read at least 40 books

I've set myself a new Goodreads reading challenge for 2023, and hope to read at least 40 books this year. I've played it safe with the number to make it achievable, but I'm hoping to read even more, and would at least like to beat last year's tally of 46, if I can. I'm already on my third book of the year, so I'm off to a strong start.

Collect lots of pretty books

Beautiful books are a real weakness of mine, and after recently discovering book subscription companies like Owlcrate, Fairyloot, and Illumicrate, who sell the most stunning books, I'm eager to continue indulging my passion, and collect the prettiest editions for as many new book purchases as possible. I just treated myself to the Illumicrate editions of Ninth House and Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo and I'm so excited.

Do lots more cross stitching

I barely did any cross stitching last year, but I want to find my mojo, and sew a lot more regularly this year. I just need to find some patterns I like. I've been so uninspired lately.

Make an embroidery

I'd also like to finish an embroidery. I bought a kit from Cotton Clara in 2020 that I still haven't made, so I think it's been neglected long enough. Time to get stitching.

Learn to crochet and make the Hello Kitty / Pusheen plushie

I've been saying for years that's I want to learn to crochet, and still haven't, but I'm hoping 2023 will be the year. I bought a cute kit last year- a Hello Kitty doll dressed up like Pusheen- which I'd hoped would encourage me to get started, but as a novice, learning how to start using video tutorials was harder than I expected, and I've realised I need someone to show me the ropes first. I'm hoping I can get my Mum to teach me the basics, and then attempt to crochet the doll as my first crochet project.

Get out of the house more

Aside from a week's holiday to Cornwall in September, I can count on two hands how many times I left the house for any reason last year (including my medical appointments, which have fizzled out since Covid), and let's be honest, that's not much of a life. I've been finding the isolation and lack of excitement in my life hard lately, so I'm eager to try to push myself more, and do my best to leave the house more often this year

Go to at least one concert

I haven't got any concerts booked as yet, but I'm itching for some live music, and hope I get to go to at least one this year. Going a year without a gig is just wrong.

Take a cinema trip

It's been about a decade since I last went to the cinema because it became too painful with my spinal pain, and it's one of those little things I really miss doing in life. I always used to go at least once a month. I'd love to try to go see a new film at least once this year, and see how I cope with it now, even if it leaves me in agony. 

Sight-see around Dorset

When I was looking up tour buses for my last holiday to Cornwall, I discovered there's one in Dorset called the Jurassic Coaster that travels along the south coast from Poole to Weymouth, taking you through places like Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove, and Dorchester in between. I haven't seen a lot of Dorset since I was little, so I'd love to spend a day doing a bit of sight-seeing there in the summer. It's only a two hour drive to Poole from where I live, and the Jurassic Coaster seems like an easy, inexpensive way to explore without  being too physically demanding. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a bit of summer sight-seeing.

Take a holiday

I'm not sure if a holiday is on the cards for me this year or not, but I'd very much like to take one, and get away from it all for a week.

Go to Longleat Safari Park

I'd still love to visit Longleat safari park this spring/ summer, particularly because they have koalas and wombats now, and I've never seen either animal in real life before.

Visit confetti, lavender, and sunflower fields

I was hoping to visit some local flower fields last year, but it never happened due to car issues in the summer, so I'm going to aim to visit some this year, too. I'd love to go visit local sunflower, lavender, and confetti fields, if only to see a sea of colour, and take some pretty photos. The confetti fields are fields of flowers grown for wedding confetti, near Pershore in Worcestershire, and they sound lovely.

Visit the bluebell woods

In the spring, I would also like to go to a local bluebell woods when they flower and carpet the woods in a seemingly endless sea of violet. It always looks so pretty. I did technically go to see them last year, but we arrived too late to see them flowering.

Buy a new camera

I desperately need to save up for a new camera, after breaking my bridge camera in September. (The lens has jammed, and I'm told it's unfixable). I've had to fall back on using an ancient point and shoot camera with a scratched lens or my seriously out-of-date phone for my blog and Instagram photos, and the quality of my photos makes me want to cry. I won't be able to afford anything fancy, but I want to at least find one with similar specs to my old one. Best get saving.

Decorate my bedroom

My bedroom hasn't been painted in about a decade and desperately needs a refresh, so here's hoping 2023 is the year. I'm sick to death of looking at blue walls, and fancy going with white or cream to brighten things up a bit and make all my colourful possessions stand out better.

Continue operation clear-out

Having recently tackled my bookshelves and under my bed, I want to continue my long-over-due mission to spring clean everything. Next on my list are my wardrobe and the hallway cupboard, which I've been using as an extra wardrobe, and currently looks like a junk closet from a cartoon. If I can clear out both this year, I'll be happy.

Build my wardrobe back up

I also really want to start building my wardrobe back up this year. A lot of my clothes no longer fit me, as I've gone up a dress size over the last few years from living housebound, and as someone who loves clothes, it's depressing. I feel horrible in everything, so I haven't bothered to shop for new clothes much, but it's about time I did. I'm beginning to look like a street urchin.

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

Have you set yourself any goals or resolutions for 2023?

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Looking Back on 2022

My Goals For 2022

Last year was not my best year for achievements. I didn't visit many places, I wasn't able to meet any new people, I didn't reach any milestones, and the less said about how little I blogged, the better. I can blame some of it on pain, illness, Covid and lockdown, but I admit I was also unmotivated and uninspired, and felt a bit 'meh' towards life in 2021. But then, who didn't?

I hope 2022 will be a much better year, and that I can find the motivation and pain tolerance to achieve more this year. As usual, there are loads of things I would like to make time for during the year ahead, from visiting new places and going to gigs again, to crafting more, and smashing my Goodreads reading goal, and much more. I'm going to talk about some of my goals for 2022 with you today, to make myself accountable, and hopefully motivate myself in to achieving at least some of them before the year is through. (Yes, I know it's a bit late to be talking New Year's resolutions, but hey, when do I ever do anything on time?!)

So, here are some of my goals for 2022:

Read 40 Books

After reading 42 books in 2021, I want to keep up my reading pace again this year, and make time to read (almost) every day. (I say 'almost', as there's always a few days when it's just not possible). I've set myself a new Goodreads reading challenge of 40 books for 2022, but I hope to read more, and beat last year's tally. I'm only on book five of the year so far, so I need to pick up the pace if I want to make it.

Take a Holiday to Cornwall

If I can get one thing out of 2022, it would be a holiday to Cornwall. We've just booked a week in Perranporth for early summer, and I can't wait for a week of sun, sea, sand, and sight-seeing. I'd love to fit in visits to St. Ives, Portreath, Mawgan Porth, and the seal sanctuary while we're there, and also take a tour bus along the coast again, either down to The Lizard or along to Land's End, as I've not seen much of those parts of Cornwall. I also want to paddle in the sea at Perranporth, walk on Porth Beach, take a boat trip to spot some sea life, and return to Gridl for breakfast. The reality is, I'll probably be spending most of the time in the caravan resting because it'll be painful and exhausting, but I want to be optimistic, and believe I can have some fun, too. 

Go to a Concert

Thanks to Covid, it's been over two years since my last concert, and it's been torture. Gigs are life. I'm having major withdrawals, so I hope I can satisfy my cravings with at least one gig in 2022. I need a live music fix.

Do More Cross Stitching

I love cross stitching, but I did very little of it in 2021, and only finished one piece all year. I just couldn't find the motivation. I'd like to find my groove with it again this year, cross stitch regularly, and make lots of pieces. I've already been working on some retro Christmas bauble designs I didn't have time to finish over Christmas, so I'm off to a good start.

Do More Painting

I want to make more time for water-colour painting. I didn't dig out the paints often in 2021, but it's something I enjoy and find relaxing, so I really should try to do more of it.

Make Something With a Loom

I bought a small circular loom a few years ago and still haven't made anything with it, so it's about time I did. I don't have a clue what to make with it, but I always thought weaving looked like fun. Maybe 2022 will be the year I find out if I'm right. Or maybe it won't.

Explore More Local Places

I've lived in The Cotswolds all my life, but there's so much of it I've never been to or explored properly, and I'd like to change that. I want to do more exploring close to home this year, and see what cool places we can find.

Visit the Bluebell Woods

I'd love to go for a walk in the woods when the bluebells flower this spring, especially as we never made it last year. There's a woods near Faringdon in Oxfordshire called Badbury Clump which gets carpeted with a sea of violet bluebells from late April or early May, and it's so beautiful. It's well worth a visit if you're in to nature.

Go See the Lavender, Confetti, and Sunflower Fields

I'd also like to do a few things I've never done before, and visit lavender, sunflower, and confetti fields in my area. Mostly to take photos, but also to enjoy the general prettiness of a sea of colourful flowers. The confetti fields are fields of flowers like delphiniums and cornflowers that are grown and harvested for wedding confetti, and it sounds so lovely. It's at Wyke Manor Estate in Wick, near Pershore in Worcestershire for anyone who's curious.

Visit the Zoo

I'm a big animal lover, so I love a good trip to the zoo, and hope to visit a few this year. I would love to pay another visit to Whipsnade Zoo this summer to do all the sections we didn't fit in last time, and I really want to visit Longleat Safari Park to see the koalas and wombats, as I've never seen either animal in real life. It's a bit of a drive from Oxfordshire, though, so I'm not sure it would be possible without an overnight stay nearby. I'm also planning to fit in at least one day out at my local zoo, The Cotswold Wildlife Park, although, I'm sure we'll squeeze in several. It's such a lovely, relaxing place to walk around, and get some exercise while enjoying the animals, and I think it's good to challenge myself to push through my chronic pain every now and then to make it to the end. 

Take a Trip to the Seaside

I'd really like to take at least one day-trip to the coast this summer, and spend some time at the beach, paddling in the sea, watching the waves, and eating salty fish and chips straight from the paper on the sea front. (My holiday to Cornwall doesn't count). I grew up with multiple day trips to the beach every summer- usually to Poole or Woolacombe- which I haven't done much of as an adult, and I miss it so much.

Have a Good Clear Out

I feel the need to have a good declutter, so I want to gradually go through my stuff- clothes, bags, books, craft supplies etc- and clear out anything I no longer want or use. It'll probably take me most of the year with my health, but if I can cull some stuff by the end of the year, I'll be happy.

Reorganise My Bookshelves 

Reorganising my bookshelves was on my list of autumn goals, but I never found the time or spoons to see to it. It's definitely on my list of priorities before spring because the shelves are over-run with books I've read piling up towards the ceiling, and it's all such an eye-sore that it's actually stressing me out to look at it. I need to clear everything off, put my DVDs in to folders and store the cases, get rid of any books I don't want, and reorganise everything. Hopefully then my bookshelves will look pretty again, and I might even have space for new books.

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

I don't know if I'll be able to achieve them all and I'm probably being a little too optimistic, but I'm going to give it my best shot anyway. 

Wish me luck!

Have you set any goals or resolutions for 2022?

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 Goals For 2019

It's a brand new year, so I guess it's time to set some goals for the year ahead! 

Don't worry; I'm not about to start spouting some "new year, new me!" bollocks. It's a new year, but you're still going to get the same old me... whether you like it or not! (Probably not!)

I'm not one for making big, unattainable, life-changing resolutions that I'm never going to achieve because where's the fun in failure?, but I do like to set myself some smaller goals to aim for each year. Goals like reading more books, places I want to visit locally, crafts I want to try, and plans for my blog for the year ahead. Goals I actually have a good chance of achieving but that still provide a challenge. This year, I've set myself lots of those kind of goals for the coming months, and if you'd like to hear about some of them, please keep reading!

So, in 2019, I would like to:

Read More

One of my top priorities for 2019 is to read more books. I finally got my reading mojo back in 2018, after years of being distracted by blogging and the Internet, and read more books than I've read in years. While I only finished about 17 or 18 books last year, it was still an improvement on the 7 I managed to read in 2017, and I would've read more if I could've. I'm hoping to do even better this year, and make time for even more books because it's something I really enjoy. I'm being realistic, and have set myself a goal of reading 25 books, which I should be able to achieve, but I'd like to get through even more if I can. I've just treated myself to several new novels with my Christmas money and I'm already over 200 pages through my first book of the year (Birdbox by Josh Malerman- which is amazing so far!), so I'm sure I'll make a dent in the challenge really quickly. If you have any book recommendations, let me know!

Do Lots of Crafting
I've realised that I'm rarely happier than when I'm creating and making things with my own two hands, so I want to spend 2019 doing as much crafting as possible. I want to make more time for the crafts I enjoy, and also challenge myself with lots of new crafts to learn some new skills. My crafty goals include:

♥ Do Lots of Cross Stitching

I didn't cross stitch as much as I would've liked last year, so I want to make up for it this year by cross stitching regularly, and making lots of fun designs.

♥ Design My Own Cross Stitch Pattern and Then Stitch It

I'm thinking of trying a simple geometric design to start with, as it shouldn't be too hard to get right. I've wanted to try creating my own patterns for years.

♥ Attempt More Embroidery Projects and Improve My Embroidery Skills

I haven't done a lot of embroidery, so I'd like to try to master it this year.

♥ Make Something on a Loom

I bought a small loom last year as I thought weaving looked like fun, but I still haven't made anything with it. This year I will. I just don't know what I'll make yet.

♥ Learn How to Needle Felt

It's a random craft, I know, but I'd love to give it a try. I actually bought a needle felting Christmas decoration kit this Autumn, but never found the time to make it, so this would be a good place to start.

♥ Try Card-Making

I've contemplated making my own cards for years and have never given it a try, but Aycan's DIY reindeer pom pom shaker Christmas cards have inspired me to actually attempt some this year.

♥ Learn to Crochet

Learning to crochet a granny square blanket has been on my to-do-list for years, but I still haven't got around to it. I really want to find the time to fit it in this year.

♥ Make More Hoop Art

I really want to make more hoop art, and try more elaborate designs, so I'm going to get started on this soon. I'd love to be able to fill a whole wall with my hoops.

♥ Learn How to Use a Sewing Machine

I learnt once, but haven't used one since I was about thirteen and had to study textiles in secondary school, so I can't remember how to use one. Back then I was useless with a sewing machine- probably as I had no interest in crafting and CBA- but now I'd love to learn how to use one again, and like to think I'd master it easily this time around. I'd love to be able to use one to make my own clothes, patchwork quilts, and bunting one day.

♥ Make Felt Wreaths

Over Christmas, I'd hoped to make felt floral Christmas wreaths, but ended up being too ill to make them, so I need to play catch up and make them this year instead. I also need to make a couple more of my floral spring wreaths, and I hope to blog tutorials for them, too!

Improve My Photography and Photo Editing Skills

One area of blogging I really struggle with is photography, particularly photo editing, which makes me want to pull my hair out on an almost daily basis. I just cannot get my photos to look good, no matter what I do. It consumes me, and stops me from publishing content far too often, and I need to find a solution before it drives me crazy. I know I say this every year, but I want to work hard on improving my photography and flatlays this year, and learn some new skills to make my photos look as good as they can.

Rebrand the Blog

Last year, I gave Polka Spots a brand new look with a Pipdig blog design, which I still absolutely love, but I never did find the time to rename and rebrand the blog. I've hated my blog name for almost seven years now, and it makes me cringe every time I see it, so I want to take the steps to rebrand and rechristen the blog to something less cringe-worthy ASAP.

Work Hard to Improve the Blog

This year, I'm aiming to work hard on my blog and provide quality content that I hope you guys will enjoy and want to read. I want to improve the quality of my writing, flatlays, and photos, and feature a variety of interesting topics. I'd love to include more crafts, beauty, books, stationery, fashion, homeware, and adventures on the blog, and work with more brands in 2019. I'd also like to be more interactive with you guys here and on social media, grow my readership, and work on self-promotion. Let the hard work commence! If there's anything you'd like to see more of on the blog, let me know in the comments!

Improve My Instagram

Despite its flaws (algorithm, anyone?), I bloody love Instagram. I love sharing photos from my day, and filling my grid with colourful and meaningful photos from my life that I can look back on. I particularly enjoy sharing perfectly unpolished little snippets on my Instagram Stories, and of course, gaining inspiration from others. I want to make the effort to fill my grid and stories with quality photos this year, and make my account something I can be proud of. I don't plan on going for a theme, but I want it to look as colourful as possible. If I can grow my following and engagement along the way, that would be wonderful, too.

Shop For Presents Throughout the Year

I want to do my best to pick up birthday and Christmas presents for my family and friends throughout the year to help spread-the-cost, and be super organised this year. I don't want to be skint at Christmas or be panicking about finishing my shopping days before Christmas again, like I was this Christmas.  It's too stressful. This year, I'm going to be prepared. In fact, I've already added four small presents to the present stash, so I'm off to a good start! I find picking up presents over the year really takes the stress out of gift-giving, and it gives me more time to find the perfect gifts, too.

Get Stuck in to Surveys Again

I didn't participate in anywhere near as many paid surveys in 2018 as I did in 2017, as I couldn't always be arsed to put in the effort for a few pennies. but I'm intending to get stuck in again this year.  I'm going to do it to pay for all those presents, but also to make some extra cash to live on because I barely have enough to get by. If you'd like to know more about earning money through online surveys, I wrote a post all about it here.

Look in to Ways to Manage My Arthritis

Over the last year or so, the arthritis I've suffered with since I was a pre-teen, has deteriorated and started to become problematic after two decades of being manageable. It's began causing excruciating pain, swollen joints, regular stiffness, and difficulty using my hands for every day tasks, which sure is sobering at the age of 33. Last month it was the worst it's ever been, so I know it's time to start looking in to new ways to manage my symptoms to see if anything out there can help. Anti-inflammatory drugs haven't worked for me, but I want to look in to anti-inflammatory diets as there are foods there are known to help with inflammation. (This isn't about dieting, but adding more foods with anti-inflammatory properties in to my diet in the hope of helping my joints). I'm also planning to speak with my rheumatologist again to find out if there's anything we can do to manage it, and have an appointment to see him again in a couple of weeks. I need to make sure I try everything I can to make it more manageable before accepting this as my new normal.

Lose the Extra Weight I Gained Last Year

Last year, I gained a little weight from spending so much time on bed rest and not taking care of myself as well as I should have, and in all honesty, I don't feel comfortable in my own skin anymore. I've tried to love the extra padding I've acquired, but the truth is, I don't. I don't even feel like myself anymore. I honestly don't give a shit about being plus size, but I definitely felt more comfortable in myself when I was a size or two smaller, so I'd like to get back to that. To be honest, the main reason I want to lose those extra pounds is so I can fit back in to my clothes. Most of my clothes no longer fit me and I can't afford to buy new ones, so it would be easier if I could fit back in to them. I miss my favourite dresses!

Eat Better

Continuing on from the last goal, I'm also aiming to eat better, and look after myself properly. It's time to start taking better care of myself.

Continue Training Rosie

My three-year-old Tibetan terrier, Rosie, still needs some work when it comes to recall and shutting up when she's asked (that dog could bark for England), so I'm going to continue training her until we've cracked it. I'd love it if she could have the freedom to wander off the lead in public and play with other dogs in the park without worrying about her getting hit by a car or going missing. She has the run of our garden at home, but it would be nice if she could have that freedom on her walks, too.

Have a Clear Out

I feel the need to have a good clear out at home, and get rid of some of the clutter- not only to raise a little extra cash, but to make some space, too. Sometimes it feels like my stuff is closing in on me. I also need to sort through and organise some of my digital files and photos, too, and try to keep on top of it. I think I'm going to make a start on this soon and start the year with a good spring clean.

Visit Somewhere New

It's unlikely that I will get a holiday or weekend away this year, but I hope I can at least visit somewhere new before the year is through.

Some Places I'd Like To Visit in 2019

♥ Brighton

♥ London.

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

♥ A lavender field in The Cotswolds.

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

♥ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

♥ The beach.

So, those are some of my goals for 2019... what are yours? Have you made any New Year's resolutions for 2019?