New Years Eve Review
Twelve months ago I was jumpy and scared. My thyroid bulged, I was tired despite being on holiday and being very well cared for. I snapped at the children and sometimes consequently burst into tears.
It wasn't nice.
Today, I'm not jumpy and I'm not scared. The medical peoples were useless but thankfully I did find some other things which helped. I did three months without any alcohol and then was mostly alcohol free for another three months. After that I had maybe one, occasionally two glasses of alcohol per week. It helped. I took increasing care about what I ate at night before bed and that helped with insomnia. I cut my sugar intake back. I set out to cut my bread intake back but that is always my health-kick nemesis. I'm not sure if the alcohol elimination is specifically a "cure" for the thryoid difficulties - I suspect that my liver is challenged because of haemachromatosis and this is linked to the arthritis (so 2012 for me!!) and the thyroid (2013). Whatever the reason, less alcohol has turned out not to make my life miserable. Less insomnia has improved my life massively!!!
My latest challenge (there's always one...) is a kind of carpal tunnel like pain in my right wrist. Should be good for a few blog posts in 2014.
I've taken on a lot more at work in the latter part of 2013 (after jumping up in the earlier part compared to 2012) and although the multitasking at home is challenging, I am enjoying my new paid role. In 2014, Favourite Handyman and I switch roles and he will work part time and I will work full time. We're all feeling positive about this.
This has been a great year for sewing. I hadn't thought so until I realised that I made four dresses, two skirts and five tops, and handbag and - tonight, on the last day of the year, my first pair of leggings. This list only counts those items which were successful enough for me to wear them and it excludes the many circle skirts I made for little girl birthdays. That averages one per month, but most items were made in the school holidays.
Although I've rarely blogged this year, it has been a great year for writing. I've got the final draft awaiting feedback from a friend for my chapter on goldfields women hotelkeepers and sly grog sellers for a book to be published by Otago University Press in 2014. There have been times when the volume of things I'd committed to was too much, but with support from many quarters, including an extension of time for the chapter, I made it through the year in better health than the beginning and with many goals realised.
Last week we had the most wonderful holiday at Akaroa. On the way home I bought a lovely recipe book as a keepsake: The Edible Journey, a fundraiser for Tai Tapu School. I'm keen to try a number of the recipes. Lots of family friendly recipes, many gluten free, and many suitable for lunches. I've got breakfasts and dinners sorted for the most part, but lunches which are not centred around bread are still a challenge for me and too many days I end up eating filled rolls from the work canteen which in no way meet the kind of vegetable intake I prefer.
Over the next fortnight, I plan to blog a little more, sharing photographs of the garden, sewing endeavours, maybe some book reviews. Sometimes I've questioned the purpose of this blog, but rather than ponder its role in term time right now, I'm going to carry on charting our summer days. I know I'm not producing in the volume and style required for a regular
audience, but reading back over past posts, and charting our family days in the sun (and rain) is worth it for me.
Brighid at the Giant's House in Akaroa. Seriously fabulous art and garden. So much to fall in love with.
It wasn't nice.
Today, I'm not jumpy and I'm not scared. The medical peoples were useless but thankfully I did find some other things which helped. I did three months without any alcohol and then was mostly alcohol free for another three months. After that I had maybe one, occasionally two glasses of alcohol per week. It helped. I took increasing care about what I ate at night before bed and that helped with insomnia. I cut my sugar intake back. I set out to cut my bread intake back but that is always my health-kick nemesis. I'm not sure if the alcohol elimination is specifically a "cure" for the thryoid difficulties - I suspect that my liver is challenged because of haemachromatosis and this is linked to the arthritis (so 2012 for me!!) and the thyroid (2013). Whatever the reason, less alcohol has turned out not to make my life miserable. Less insomnia has improved my life massively!!!
My latest challenge (there's always one...) is a kind of carpal tunnel like pain in my right wrist. Should be good for a few blog posts in 2014.
I've taken on a lot more at work in the latter part of 2013 (after jumping up in the earlier part compared to 2012) and although the multitasking at home is challenging, I am enjoying my new paid role. In 2014, Favourite Handyman and I switch roles and he will work part time and I will work full time. We're all feeling positive about this.
This has been a great year for sewing. I hadn't thought so until I realised that I made four dresses, two skirts and five tops, and handbag and - tonight, on the last day of the year, my first pair of leggings. This list only counts those items which were successful enough for me to wear them and it excludes the many circle skirts I made for little girl birthdays. That averages one per month, but most items were made in the school holidays.
Although I've rarely blogged this year, it has been a great year for writing. I've got the final draft awaiting feedback from a friend for my chapter on goldfields women hotelkeepers and sly grog sellers for a book to be published by Otago University Press in 2014. There have been times when the volume of things I'd committed to was too much, but with support from many quarters, including an extension of time for the chapter, I made it through the year in better health than the beginning and with many goals realised.
Last week we had the most wonderful holiday at Akaroa. On the way home I bought a lovely recipe book as a keepsake: The Edible Journey, a fundraiser for Tai Tapu School. I'm keen to try a number of the recipes. Lots of family friendly recipes, many gluten free, and many suitable for lunches. I've got breakfasts and dinners sorted for the most part, but lunches which are not centred around bread are still a challenge for me and too many days I end up eating filled rolls from the work canteen which in no way meet the kind of vegetable intake I prefer.
Over the next fortnight, I plan to blog a little more, sharing photographs of the garden, sewing endeavours, maybe some book reviews. Sometimes I've questioned the purpose of this blog, but rather than ponder its role in term time right now, I'm going to carry on charting our summer days. I know I'm not producing in the volume and style required for a regular
audience, but reading back over past posts, and charting our family days in the sun (and rain) is worth it for me.
Brighid at the Giant's House in Akaroa. Seriously fabulous art and garden. So much to fall in love with.
Comments
Hi Ruth - The Giant's House is magic! I loved how she used vegetables as well as flowers in her garden design. Happy New Year to you.