Worst weekend of the year...allegedly

Yes, this weekend is supposed to be the flattest, least pleasant, most anti-climactic weekend of the year.

I suppose with the festivities over and nothing to look forward to but tax hikes, we could all be forgiven for getting the blues somewhat.

However, I have been feeling unusually resistant to this fashionable ennui.(As you may have noticed, normally any excuse for a good grump is seized with both hands....).

This morning, we slept in 'til the unconscionably late hour of 12.30!

Well, it was raining......

I eventually rallied sufficiently to venture into the galley to make tea and toast, to see the sun had come out, producing the first proper shadows of 2011! (It has been either overcast or foggy or both since New Year)

This always gives me a lift.

Further, the colours of the land, so muted of late, now leapt out with a freshness and vibrance that reminded me that Spring is only a little while away.

I have no doubt we shall freeze again before it comes, but come it most surely will!!!

Having got up, I went to fetch firewood, then fetched the saw, workmate and hatchet and spent a useful hour reducing a very large scaffold board (which we found in the river on our way back form Ely) into wood-burner sized chunks.

Our Pramac P6000s generator has been getting a bit sickly of late, and was obviously overdue for fuel, air & oil filter and oil change.

Fortunately for me, Jackie loves doing this sort of thing, so once I'd finished sawing and had tidied away, I was allowed to toddle up to Emmaus.

For those of you who don't already know, Emmaus is my favourite charity shop. It is an organisation which works for homeless men. Google them for the details as they have a good website.

They are currently looking for volunteers to help out, so I'm going to pop along on my day off next week to see how I might be of use.

It's one of my New year's resolutions, to do a bit of volunteering.

I've also decided to have a go at learning French properly.

And have a go at pastry making and baking too.

Taking things on is so much more positive than giving things up, although that said, it is Day Two of Booze Ban Jan....

Wish me luck!!