New Year, New You?

Sorry to use such a hideous, magazine-style title today, but New Year's Resolutions are playing on my mind.
Firstly, I have really worked on the resolutions I made last year. The first one was to stop the terrible habit I have of interrupting people when they're talking to me. I mean, how rude! I just have the urge to get all my information out as quickly as possible, but it's terrible not to listen to people and really think about what they're saying before leaping in with your own point of view all the time, isn't it? Anyway, I'm pleased to say I've got a lot better at it, and am very conscious of it when I do 'o'erleap' someone. A work in progress, I think...
The second one was to stop dithering. I had to check up on this, as I wasn't sure if I meant procrastinating, but the dictionary says that means to keep putting off things you need to do. That isn't really my problem. I actually struggle with, "Shall I put the horses out/keep them in?" (when the weather's bad). "Shall I ride, or not?" "Shall I put this rug on Barnaby, or this rug?" Honestly, it drives me mad. Sometimes I don't ride and then I regret it later on - grrr! I have got a lot better at this too, but it's obviously tucked inside me somewhere as part of my nature, so I'll have to keep working on it.
So as I don't smoke and don't really need to diet (lucky me!) I'm not going to do the 'stop biting your nails' type of resolution (because I won't be able to stick to it for more than two days!) Instead I'm going to put up some challenges to cover the whole year, in addition to the monthly ones that go on my sidebar and change regularly. So, in no particular order, here are my challenges for 2011:
1. Get confident in jumping again, and do some with Barnaby this year. This is because I am loving the TREC competitions, and even they have a jump in the obstacle phase, so I forfeit my points for not doing it, which seems a shame just for basic cowardice. (I used to jump all the time).
2. Have a go at a challenge blog for cardmaking. I think I am getting good enough now, so I want to pluck up the courage to have a go. There are two aspects here: one is the challenge of making the card, the second is the technical know-how required to link my entry to someone else's blog. Oh well...
3. Improve my cooking skills and make more imaginative meals. This stems from way back, before we even lived here, when we would finish work, go to the yard, do the horses, get in at 8pm and find something quick and easy to cook before falling asleep. I don't have that excuse any more, as I am at home all day, and I am definitely bored with just buying the same old things when we go food shopping. Any recipes you have would be gratefully received. Much more about this in future posts, I'm sure.
4. Go to church as often as possible, and regularly do my home Bible study. I have no excuse, especially not lack of time.
5. Keep on studying German. I really love it, and now have more opportunities to use it, with friends on facebook and certain blogs I read. I'd like to read something and write something every week.

I think that's plenty to be going on with, especially with the monthly challenges running alongside. Have you decided on yours yet? Let me know if you have, I'd love to have a nose!
Mrs O.