Hey look - it's just about the end of January!

I'm enjoying having some time off.  After yesterday flying by so quickly, I still can't get my head around the fact that it's Monday tomorrow, and my birthday in just a couple of days, but I'm glad I've got this week off.  It's a nice feeling.  :-)

Today's picture is of a box.  But not just any old box, this is the box my new camera arrived in!  I asked Will to take out the camera while I was away yesterday and hide it.  It's already gift wrapped, but hey - it's nice to feel like it's a surprise.  Leelu's now enjoying this box very much, so it's served a dual function.  Impressive.

I finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire today, not long before my dad arrived.  I'm enjoying reading this series again.  Going back and reading them as an adult (kind of) means I'm picking up a lot more than I did first time round.  I'm seeing more connections and feeling more, if that makes sense.  I understand a lot better the implications of the events, what it truly meant to have war descend again in the wizarding world and appreciate that, while not for everyone, they really are good books.

Dad was up doing some repairs for us (thanks dad!) and helped me score off another item from my list by teaching me what all the bits under the car bonnet are for.  So now, at least, I'm unlikely to nearly break the car again by putting screen wash in the brake fluid......

Finally, with a little bit of shopping, I bought myself a new make-up bag.  It's pink (unusual for me!) and polka dot.  How nice.

I'm sure this doesn't make for entertaining reading - unless you really like polka dots - but sadly, the list is bringing me far more entertainment than you!  Reading these books, watching these films and doing these things are much more fun for me than they are for you to read about.  Sorry about that.

Nearly a month is over and I can without doubt say I have done more this month than in any other, with perhaps the one exception of the month my dissertation was due.  That is what this whole project was about.  Not really for entertainment or for enrichment - though those are certainly welcome by-products - but so that I might be able to look back and know that this year, I can truly say I've made the most of my time.  That makes me happy.  And really, isn't being happy what it's all about?