Note to self – the more you put in, the more you get from life. I need to remind myself of this, so I don’t coast or drift. I now absolutely love this reflective time of year, in the coziness of a nice warm house. So, a few fairly random bullet points for the year ahead. - decluttering my own papers and belongings – I don’t have a great deal of my own “stuff” but I know it can be slimmed down further
- decluttering the loft / attic and the garage – this is a huge challenge! The “stuff” isn’t my “stuff” at all and it will need some careful negotiation
- working on being the best husband I can be. Just because we have been married since 1996 it doesn’t mean I should be complacent or take things for granted in anyway
- getting our home office properly set up – I like the idea of having a separate room for working. When I say working, I mean writing, blogging, drawing etc.
- decorating the hallway, stairs and landing – next in turn and I’m a bit tired of the magnolia paint these days. Am I the only one who now loathes that kind of colour scheme?
- setting up my Digital Dunstable group – I’ve had this in mind for a while. I’m hoping to bring some website and blog owners together. A kind of self-help group and perhaps to bring people together into the real world
- Dunstable shopkeeper project – this is where I’d like to document the changing High Street scene by making a record of how it is. I have in mind a website as a minimum which might become of greater value over the years. I feel inclined to pass it over to the Town Council or some other body once complete. Is this the right thing to do? Is it best to be a low-key project, or perhaps to seek funding for some grander? Should I involve local photographers or just do it all myself?
- buying a camera – as much as I like the simple camera in my iPhone, I’m tempted to buy a new one. Probably a decent compact. I’m open to suggestions!
- activate doughook.com website – I bought the domain name a few years ago and haven’t done anything with it. I fancy using it for posting drawings and photographs. I need to be careful aim not confused with the American artist, also called Doug Hook
- invite some relations to visit us – a few of our distant relations weren’t able to come along to the wedding earlier this year
- build up the post Parkrun social stuff – coffee and home made toast at our house afterwards
- visit the Netherlands and run or cycle along some of the long dykes
- visiting my Mum more often – we see each other every month but I think it should be more frequent
- visit Dee in California – at the time of writing, this is an idea Dee and I have. Nothing firm arranged as yet. While I’m there, I’d like to visit Yosemite for a couple of days
- go to South Africa with my family – this is David and Becky’s suggestion. David was born there and his mother is South African and so that is the connection
- making the most of being a FRSA and how I can best contribute – this is something a little mysterious at present. I have been involved with a project prior to becoming a fellow and indirectly in another which was outside of the RSA itself. More to follow on this.
Skip to content
Moving through life's seasons