The Last Week of 2017!

Well, it's coming up to the last week of this year... and what a year it's been!

So far, I've decluttered plenty, donated to Vinnies 15 times and collected some very beautiful things to make my home more cosy and lovely than it was before.

In the first quarter of the year, I got real estate agents around to look at my place to see how much it's worth... and found out it's gone up in value. But then, when I asked a bank for loan - any bank - I was practically laughed at for not having any debt, or collateral, and then told by a broker that I wouldn't be able to get anywhere near my asking amount.. so there went that idea!

I kept on decluttering like a machine.

I kept on going to art school.

I kept on going to my volunteer work.

I was editing another book; and finished editing 'The Tour Guide' - last year's NaNoWriMo book and asked my Mum to read it for me. However, she's putting it off all the time.

I started up in the markets again - and it's slowly, slowly - but I'm having fun! Next year will be better; and busier too.

My Birthday was great fun - as always - and my family is becoming closer as time goes by. I find that we used to be a little distant due to work and other issues; but now, we're better.

Now that Christmas is upon us, I've been op-shopping my gifts and hand-making them as well for the past 2 months. This has made my gift-giving not only more thoughtful, but also a little cheaper than it has been in the past.
There's Limoncello, paintings, framed artwork, hand-made towels and upcycled artwork as well as books and other things I've been able to pick up at local markets and op-shops and other things as well.

However, along the way, my computer monitor spat the dummy and blew up on me (and for a 20 year old monitor, it was due to leave this planet at some point or another pretty darned soon) and then my car played up in a huge way. We thought it was the power steering pump, but it ended up being the mounts - which were the originals that were installed in the engine bay when it was built 17 years ago! So, once they were replaced and everything was put back in, along with the old power steering pump, the car ran like its old self again... okay, the power steering will need looking at - but not for another 12 months! 

Anyway, this Little Green Machine is getting me around town just nicely again; and I'm glad to say it's going to keep going for a while.

Op-shopping has been going quite well; as I made my 15th donation to Vinnies in the past week for this year! My goal to get out as much as I could in the year has been reached... and next year I'm going to blast that again - if I can! But the home office is going to be a bigger focus; as it's really not going to plan. 

Otherwise, I'm hoping to see in the New Year on a positive note... either quietly or out with friends. Life has started out being good to me - and I'm really happy about that.

So, how has your year turned out? I hope most of it has been positive for you as it has been for me. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and have a very Merry Christmas... and remember, I'm always here.