1. In 2012, I resolve not to put a knife in the sink ever again. I am too old to be sitting in Casualty, waiting to be stitched.
2. In 2012, I resolve to do 20 sit-ups a day, and to walk on the treadmill or workout on the rowing machine at least three times a week. Exceptions will be made for illness (hangovers don’t count).
3. In 2012, I resolve to make major decisions based on one primary consideration: “Will this make our lives better?” Surprisingly, things which promise more money will often do the exact opposite. “All that glistens isn’t gold”, my father used to say.
4. In 2012, I resolve to try at least one new recipe a week. Sometimes it’s easy to fall into a rut. Thankfully I have this blog, and all of you, to keep me on track with this one!
5. In 2012, I resolve to listen to more old music, because I’ve finally realised that the stuff I was listening to in my teens and early twenties is what really makes me happy. To that end, The Ultimate Bee Gees Collection, The Very Best of Dolly Parton and Bob Seger’s Stranger in Town have just arrived in the mail from Amazon. I’m anticipating a collective eye-roll from all of you, and a rude phone call from Davey.
That’s pretty much it for me. Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions this year?
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Celia, I usually like to make a few resolutions, this year I did not. To be absolutely honest, there’s only one thing I’d like to change, but I failed at it for the past 10 years or so. So there… I am a wimp and won’t even mention it anymore (sigh)
As to your resolutions, I thought you already tried one new recipe every week, at least that’s what it “feels” like from reading your blog! Cannot wait to enjoy another year of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial!
Sally, I do try new recipes all the time, but when I’m weary or busy, I tend to just fall back on recipes I can count on. I’m not that hardline on the whole resolutions business – I guess they’re more goals than absolutes for me – but it’s nice to have some ideas written down! :)
Good luck ! :We are one with you on the knife thing xx
Thanks darling! :)
Great set of resolutions for the year Celia – I know you will stay on track with them all.
I don’t make new years resolutions, I resolve throughout the year.
:-) Mandy
Mandy, thank you! I’ll do my best!
Here you come again is one of my all-time faves. Put it on a mix back when I met my husband (back when compilation tapes were still a thing). Perhaps a new cd mix to listen to whilst doing sit-ups?!
Em, it only takes a few minutes to do 20 sit-ups, I’m not one for setting goals I know I can’t possibly achieve.. :) Love Dolly!
Ah, the Bee Gees and Dolly Parton…thinking of those albums just makes me happy! :)
Abby, I wish you could have seen Pete when I asked him to rip the CDs to my computer. He is always appalled by my taste in music. But as you say, the Bee Gees make us happy! :)
I like 3 and 4. Might hop onboard with you on those two. :)
Misk, I’d love the company! :)
You’re right! I love those music I listen when I was teenager, too. I don’t quite get whatever out there now. I love your no. 3 so much, I will add it in my resolution, too :)
Thank you, Tes! Sometimes life throws things at us, and we need to decide which way to go. When that happens, it’s nice to have a basis to make those decisions on!
Hangovers don’t count, oh my. Good for you though. No resolutions here, but I do like your try one new recipe a week idea.
Hangovers don’t count, hardly seems fair, and I think I’ll regret it when next December rolls around again.. ;-)
Great idea about listening to music from the “teenage phase”. I also think having a few items about the house from that period is great too. For me it is crockery from the ’70s. Mostly earthenware brown, or Hornsea or something with swirls of yellow and orange together. Weird, but it makes me smile. Thanks for your blog, you inspire me.
Thanks Jane! I’ve always been ridiculously nostalgic, which makes it impossible to declutter the house! Last week I found my old Fanta yo-yo.. ;-)
I like your list of resolutions, Celia. They are good ones too and I am with you, especially on the sit ups and walking machine (and cycling). I did not make ‘resolutions’ as such, however I did publicly ‘divorce’ chocolate this week. My zippers have told me it has to be. I am referring to the chocolate snacking from the fund raiser box at the office, and sneaking Christmas truffles, thinking they are doing me good. I will speak to my people whenever I feel the need to blog about baking with quality chocolate.
Oooh Lizzy, brave girl! I think I’d have to give up a lot of things before chocolate! :)
I made a resolution once never to listen to anything I did when I was a teenager- Mr Chocolate however, embraces that period… Somehow we mix it up.
Little Monkey’s song of choice at the moment is “wake me up before you yogurt” :-)
No resolutions for me Celia, but I like yours.
Sorry just had to comment here as this cracked me up…my youngest for a long time thought one of the lines in our national anthem was “Australians all eat sausages”…which as you can imagine sent us all right off.
Oh, this is too too good! As a former foreigner, and using English as my second language, you can imagine the number of boo-boos I make with the language… my husband sometimes loses his breath laughing too hard!
and I’ve been here for more than 15 years, but still…
the “Australians all eat sausages” beats all my boo-boos, though
Too funny, Sue! :)
Brydie, that’s the danger with making resolutions when you’re young! :)
When Big Boy was five, he came home from school one day and said, “we’re learning this cool new song and it has dance steps, it goes like this..You can’t stop the music! [wiggle] Nobody can stop the music! [shakes finger]” and I started to join in with him. He stopped, looked at me, and said, “Mum, did you learn that song in Kindergarten as well?” ;-)
I love a bit of Dolly – Islands in the stream is a favourite. I play it loud when I am in Italy and there is nobody around to hear me sing along with it. That’s the really good thing about walls that are really thick and having no neighbors, although people on the bridge might wonder what it going on when I have the balcony doors open.
Somewhat sadly, I’m an old Kenny Rogers fan too (he sang Islands in the Stream with Dolly!). Next time you have the balcony doors open, you’ll have to belt out Jolene, Deb! ;-)
Great resolutions Celia. I wish hangovers were a valid excuse for skipping exercise. I went to the Dolly Parton concert too. Wasn’t she fabulous! I hope I’m that entertaining when I’m her age.
Charlie, doesn’t she look amazing? Exercising with a hangover is almost enough to stop me drinking.. ;-)
I’m guilty of putting knives in the dishwasher! It is too late now to change the habit but if I ever get a new knife, I promise to wash it by hand!
Hehehe…that was one of Pete’s first kitchen rules – no knives in the dishwasher!
Great resolutions Celia, especially with the knife! Not really the resolution type myself, but more vague goal setting- resolutions seem too set in stone :)
My goals would be to aim to be more healthy in my lifestyle, eat more fruit and fish, and have two working arms by next Christmas!
Good luck with those, Becca, I’m sure you’ll achieve them! xx
Yes like your resolutions…and must admit some of them probably should be on my list but werent ( especially the situps ).
Mine are pretty simple really, more time doing the things I enjoy and not working a 60hr week EVERY week, eating more of the good things in life and being a little more thoughtful about where my money goes – boring I know!
Sue, your resolutions aren’t boring, they’re fabulous! I hope you have a wonderful 2012 and achieve them all! (60 hour weeks are HARD!)
I love them Celia. The decision making ultimate question is just perfect.
I have to agree with the music. I love all the old 80s and 90s music I grew up with much more than the recent stuff.
I can’t wait to see your new recipe every week!
Claire, it’s great to have some goals to work to! I think the music we grew up on stays with us forever! :)
I try not to make new years resolutions as they too often fall by the wayside. Having said that, I have made a modest one this year. I read a great deal, but for various reasons things seem to be falling out of my head at the moment. Discussions with my friends about books and what we have recently read can take a very convoluted turn as I desperately try to recall the name of my most recent brilliant read or indeed the name of who wrote it.
To that end, I now have, tucked in my handbag, a small notebook and every book I read this year will be written in it at one end, and the names of books I want to read at the other.
I’ll never be caught out in a book discussion again!
Amanda, that’s a great idea! I’ve often thought about keeping a notebook in my bag, but my boys keep laughing at me and telling me to use my phone. But I can’t scribble notes on my phone, even if it is technologically possible!
Thanks for sharing this with us! I agree , the music that I love most is the music from my teenager’s years & student years like grunge music: Pearl jam, Nirvana,Pixies, etc!
Happy belated 2012!!!!
Sophie, you rock, girlfriend! Have a great 2012! :)
Dear Celia,
From #1, is it right to assume you fill up the sink with soapy water to wash stuff throughout the day? If so, it may not be best coz it also harbours bacteria.
I like the strict hangover condition in #2.
And thumbs up to #5, don’t forget Chris Cross too :)
Chopinand, I’m too Chinese to have a sinkful of soapsuds sitting there all day long! My mother would definitely not approve! :) But I have been known to dump cutlery and flatware into the sink to wash up without paying attention to the sharp knife hidden in with the forks.
Christopher Cross! How could I have missed him! Will add him to the next Amazon order! :)
This looks like an admirable list!! I love those songs as well… Have you go the 8tracks app on Iphone? I’ve just discovered it and love it because people upload their favorite tracks… it’s a great way to discover new music..
Smidge, I don’t even have an iPhone! :)
Dear Celia,
Love all your resolutions!
You’re right about the music; I was a teenager when the beatles came to Australia……..it was such a magical time.
Enjoy 2012
Thanks Elaine! Hope you have a wonderful 2012 too! :)
Best of luck with your resolutions. Mine include being more active and blogging daily.
Thanks Anna! Good luck with yours as well! :)
My goals for last year was to have three more books published… that did not happen, I did have a calendar and an art show and ended up doing all kinds of things I hadn’t planned on. So for this year, I don’t know… drink more water. I’ll drink anything but water (It’s pretty icky tasting here) Other than that I’m still pondering…
Maz.
Maz, you need to buy a good water filter! We wouldn’t be without ours! I think the book you DID publish was so good it counts for three! :)
Oh my Friend, you are too kind. :-)
What kind of water filter do you have?
Maz.
We have a large Brita tank which holds 5.5 litres. It sits on the bench and we use it all day long! :)
http://store.brita.com.au/product.php?productid=27&cat=3&page=2
My resolutions is to try and do better. You sure hit a happy chord with me when you said, ” I resolve to listen to more old music, because I’ve finally realised that the stuff I was listening to in my teens and early twenties is what really makes me happy”. I have just discovered that too and recently have brushed off my old Creedence Clearwater & Crosby, Stills & Nash vinyls and danced like no one was watching!! (grin)
Jenny, you go, girl! :) I’ve just added Chicago, Don McLean and Christopher Cross to my latest Amazon order…my Big Boy is appalled…hahaha
lovely resolutions Celia! Mine include more exercise to shed the unwanted 2011 kilo’s :)
Aah Tandy, I used to resolve to lose weight every year, and in the end I figured I should just make resolutions I knew I’d have a chance of keeping. All the best of luck with yours, I’m sure you’re more disciplined than me! :)
I’ve got that Dolly CD too!! “Here you come again” is also my favorite. Dolly looks very scary in her new movie trailer – like The Joker.
Anna, I didn’t even know Dolly had a new movie! I’ll have to google.. :)
Dolly rocks! I remember being 7 years old and making up a dance to Jolene in my bedroom (I didn’t really know what it was about but it was catchy and I knew the words!)….and I’ve got her best of CD, much to the distaste of the LOML! I wish I had gone and seen her when she came to Brissy but alas it wasn’t to be. Good luck with the resolutions – I resolve to look at life more positively for 2012 and not let the little things get me down. Easy to say, not so easy to do. :)
Shelley, I’m sure you’ll do it! I’m thinking positively! :)
I resolved to do the things I already do, but to do them better.
Cosmo, that could be known as the NY’s resolution of the contented! :)
Gotta love Dolly.
Sooo much! You should hear my rendition of Jolene, it’s been known to scare fish. :)
Aggghh, fitness is up there with my goals this year. Feeling SO unfit, couldn’t keep up with the daughters on their bikes the other day..puffing and panting chasing goats – not good. Must amend.
Music for the soul…whatever it happens to be is just that..enjoy those tunes, Celia! :)
Chris, I’m sure you’ll succeed! I already don’t know how you manage all the things you do, imagine what you’d achieve if you were fitter! :)
I just had the best Dolly love moment playing that song. My neighbours might disagree with the singalong though! :P
Hahaha…Dolly brings out the best in all of us, Lorraine! :)
Dolly…what a gem. I think I might follow your example and pull out a few of my records.
Thanks for stopping by! :) Hope your old tunes make you as happy as mine have been making me!
Dolly…what a gem. I think I might follow your example and pull out a few of my records.
New year’s resolutions. I did make one once and it has been a very useful change in my life although a simple one – put things fully away ie washing goes in drawers and does not get plonked in the laundry basket on the floor next to the drawers to be dealt with later. I still have to remind myself to make the extra effort.
I resolve to keep freecycling things I do not need through freecycle or ozrecycle. I am really paring my possessions down. Organising things you don’t need takes too much time. I resolve to ask for what I need to come to me for free. So far this is working well. It just takes a bit of patience. Someone has what I need and if I do not ask it will probably end up in landfill. I resolve to apply for a travelling scholarship this year. I am going to buy myself a phone which takes 3d photos. I resolve to learn how to make bokashi mix. I resolve to visit a fruit tree nursery and buy several fruit trees. Has anyone got experience with miniature fruit trees. I ate a miniature peach but was not that impressed.
They all sound like fabulous resolutions, Frances! :)