February already?

Somehow we're already at the end of January, and I can't believe how quickly the month has flown. It isn't as if I've been busy - if anything this year I've done less than normal

I firmly believe that January should be taken slowly. The run up to Christmas and then the festivities up to New Year are always busy (even for a stay-at-home person lie me) but I like to take the beginning of the year at a gentle pace, using it as time of reflection.

This year though has been quiet for a different reason - a slip on the stairs on New Year's Day, twisting both ankles. Hurt one, and you can hobble around on the other; hurt both, and you can't move far.

I've spent a lot of time just sitting, trying to concentrate enough to read or think straight through the distraction of pain, having to take things day by day, making no plans about what I might do the next week. As always the garden proved a respite, dragging myself outside whenever possible to see the Christmas roses in flower, the snowdrops and daffodils enthusiastically pushing through, or just to catch the sunshine through goldenrod seedheads, though a week of snow and ice hindered these attempts at exercise. Gradually I've progressed from using two walking sticks, to one, and eventually managing without.

Lack of mobility is fortunately no setback to taking part in online activities, so I joined in with an online Stitch Camp which gave me something to focus on for a few days. I wasn't happy with what I made but it gave me inspiration for future projects.

As has become my norm, I've decided to take part in Veganuary but at the beginning of the month standing to cook was impossible and the easy dinner options from the freezer mainly involved chicken pies or fish and chips. About a fortnight ago I switched over to vegan food, though still relying a lot on ready prepared options with an occasional chilli or something. I'm going to carry on into February though to see if I can make it to 31 days, so there's plenty of time for me to get me cooking mojo back.

The focus this month has certainly been on the smaller things in life; a bit, I suppose, like the practice of mindfulness.  January definitely hasn't been that unimaginably long month that I hear others talking about; it seems rather to have flashed past. So now I find it's suddenly February, that days are longer, and spring seems to be in the air (maybe. Let's see what the Groundhog has to say tomorrow)