New Cheer's Eve

I write to you this evening from a frost covered Yorkshire, on the eve of 2009. I am sitting in an alcove of my grandparents' bedroom, in a warm red jersey, 2 pairs of socks and slippers. To tell you the truth, it's lovely and warm inside. There's a big fire roasting, and lots of people make lots of body heat, but I went for a walk earlier which was amazingly beautiful, but bone-shatteringly chilly, so I'm still all wrapped up from that.

There are only 4 and a half hours to go until we all watch the fireworks on the TV and Gramps walks outside just to come in again carrying bread and coal (an ancient tradition...apparently...). I'm talking to Becky as I write, because I know the board games will be starting in the very near future. She's made the last 5 weeks of 2008 go with style, and makes me look forward even more to 2009.

This year really has been an excellent one. I think everyone who knows me would agree that I have grown up a lot, and that's a good feeling. Everywhere I go, I've noticed that I'm being treated much more adultly, and I think that's also helped by the fact that I'm significantly above average heightwise. Whatever people say, not being vertically challenged is a good thing. It's nice to look everyone directly in the eye. Generally, it's impossible to be patronised from below you. I say generally - there are some exceptions to this rule...

You all know what my NYRs are for 2009, and I must say that I am already sticking to them. I haven't gained a shred of weight over this holiday period, and now I can work on solidly losing it. My first goal is for a noticeable difference to have happened for February half term week, because that's when my next AYM course is happening. Not that I need to be especially fit to do it or anything. It's just that they get professional photographers in for every course, so I want a marked improvement to be noticed. It would make me feel even more wonderful than I do presently.