As I sit at the computer in the studio for the first time in just under 2 weeks, I can't help but wish for another holiday to recover from my holiday. A total of 15 people made their ways in and out of our house over the last fortnight and while I loved having them here, there is no denying the busyness that comes with guests and holidays on top of an already busy household.
For me, most of the holidays were spent cooking. I seem to have made peace with my beast of an Aga, after it turned out that it wasn't me, rather a bust baffle and missing insulation that was causing everything to burn to a crisp (including socks). I still can't make a loaf of bread to save my life, but the rest of the meals turned out beautifully.
Our food success didn't stop at the eating, we were also able to give hampers of our own homemade goods to friends and family this year - including a few who received home grown chickens from a batch of meat birds we raised in the autumn. I love giving handmade things (so much so I wrote a book about it!), but I have found in recent years I simply can not stomach crocheting and knitting presents for people as guilt for avoiding an upcoming deadline is just too much for me. But pulling together small jars of jam and a bottle of cider or some eggs feels much more manageable, even if in actuality the time spent in the making is no less.
In order to work of the resulting pounds, much of our free time was spent outside, either walking in the glorious winter days or doing all of the chores that we have been lagging behind on over the past few months of crazyness.
In the end, the break is never long enough. No matter how much gets done, there is always more to do. And so I plan on spending the remainder of the day in front of the fire knitting, believing firmly in old adage "start as you mean to continue".
Happy New Year.