A new year begins

You know we all make a fuss about New Year's Eve - the parties, the countdown, Auld Lang Syne, the symbolic change of that number at the end of the date. But to be honest I think if you have children or grandchildren, or you have any connection with a school environment, the start of the new academic year has far more profound effect on you.

Cathi and Suzie have waved off little people on their first day of school. Clare tells of the French school Rentree for her daughter and Jeanne is thinking wistfully that this is her very last 'return to school' for her children. In our house this year we have one young man starting his very first day in Secondary School and two girls starting their final year in their own schools. There's a young man here who will feel very strange all day not least because he has to wear long trousers and hates to do so.


In addition I returned to my school this morning with trepidation. I'm fortunate to work in a very nice place with generally lovely people but I'd far rather do something with fabric to earn my living. However needs must and this is not to be.


In true 'New Year' fashion I've made a resolution. All last year as I was learning the job I'd find so many different priorities and calls on my time and often found myself dashing and flitting from task to task never able to successfully prioritise and often getting either very hot under the collar or downright depressed as I failed to sort my work pattern out to get through things without stressing.


During the summer break I've given this lots of thought and I've now decided that, no matter what, I will do what I can at the time on the job I'm focussed on and not constantly 'butterfly' disappearing in ever decreasing circles up some unmentionable orifice achieving the square root of nothing. I will also not let myself stress and fret if something I've set out to do in a certain time scale doesn't get completed - it will always be there waiting for me tomorrow.


Accordingly as I tried to do a petty cash reconciliation/claim to fulfil my own set target for this morning I was constantly interrupted by all and sundry as it was the first time they'd had chance to call on my time. They were all a bit surprised when I explained that I'd do what they asked but not necessarily just righ now. There were also some unexpected tasks which just had to be attended to and of course they also bit into my production slot for the day. So as you can imagine the claim wasn't quite completed - but hey! - it will be there tomorrow and I can sleep easy on that tonight.


Thank you for all the lovely comments you left on my last post. I have started the little wall hanging for my giveaway and almost completed the stitchery part of it. I'm not going to show you until it's completed. The draw is now closed and I will endeavour to draw the lucky recipient later this week or at the weekend. If I carry on at this rate I shouldn't be too long in sending it out.

I've also got all the borders onto my 'Four Seasons Swap Block Quilt' and started the applique names too.

My joins aren't too brilliant where seams are 'matched' - I told you before that piecing is my least favourite part of a quilt - but in true 'Laid Back' mode I refuse to stress and will disguise them in true Dorothy Stapleton fashion with buttons or something else if they annoy me too much once it's all near to completion. After all just because a couple of seams don't line up won't make it any less snuggly will it?