January

January came in with the usual New Years Resolutions and trying to cement new habits to varying degrees of success. Virtually none. That isn't going to stop me from trying. Small steps to slowing down have been taken though. The things I'm cooking have taken time, I've been taking time when cooking for things like the flavours to develop and I've realised the way I connect with people is very much through food. It's my love language for my family and how I show appreciation for people. 

And then there's been the colds. As soon as one clears up, another appears! It feels like a constant onslaught of Vicks, Lemsip, shoving my nose in the steam of a hot cup of tea, hoarsely trying to get the school run done before hacking my guts up halfway up the hill. There's been things floating around social media that January isn't the time to start new things and instead to rest and I'm starting to see where they're coming from...illnesses are rampant, business becomes slow, everything hibernates after the excitement of Christmas and New Year. There's never enough time in the day to get things done, never enough daylight hours, tech is still too distracting, jobs like re-shooting the bookshop stock feel impossible tasks where the daylight is so important, and the constant rain gives you a semi twilight constantly. It really does seem like everything's dormant with not enough hours in the day. 

31st January whilst leaving the house to visit the Railway museum with my son as his birthday treat, I saw the first inklings of spring. Four snowdrops have buds outside the front door. Perhaps a rather fitting metaphor for January itself, dormant with beauty growing out of sight to bloom at the end. We'll see what February brings but things are already picking up. I've found a new Church going back to my Orthodox faith which, ironically, is only making the need to slow down and be fully present greater. This blog will get updated once weekly going forward, and during this slow period I've been making plans for the shop. We'll have yarn in from July that I've dyed myself and I'm going to start writing knitting patterns as well...and I'm toying with the idea of writing a book...but that will be updated if and when. The book range is also being expanded to contain more political books as well as bringing in literature. I'm trying to avoid bestsellers and am rereading the book that gave me the push to open Yew and Blackthorn.

Let's see what February brings now the first signs of spring are here!