A New Year

I have been putting off this post for over a fortnight now, and for no good reason I can see. I am just lacking the drive to post around here right at the moment. Better late than never though, and here are some of my New Years reflections.

We spent New Years Eve on the couch trying to keep the cats calm and the noise from the fireworks outside at bay. We were mostly successful! New Years Day we went on our annual walk around the park taking photos to document this year’s devastation.

So many ducks were in the park this year! I mean, I know that it has been a remarkably mild year again this year, but it still took me by surprise.

Though even with all the birds, and the lack of cold weather, you can’t help but know we are in the depths of the dead season.

In the opening days of the new year, both Himself and I got very productive with the gifts we had generously received under the Giftmas tree. Himself is becoming an expert pasta maker …

… while after a few false starts …

… and a subsequent lesson, I have begun making my own yarn!

I’m ludicrously excited by this and still in amazement that I have made yarn.

As a process, I have so far found it to be deeply satisfying, and remarkably meditative. Watching the fibre slip through your fingers and grab into the spin. Currently I’m still getting very frustrated when I can’t control the consistency well, but I’m told it will come to me.

The trees have all gone curbside for another year. Too late I discovered that there is an annual tree burning bonfire on Museumplein, so I’m going to be keeping it in the diary to attend next year.

As the sun set over our beautiful Amsterdam, we realise that the days are getting a little bit longer each day, and that the cold season won’t last forever.