Sunday, February 1, 2015

Goodbye January


Happy February 1st!

Now it starts.  The business part of the year.  Up till now I've been in holiday mode.  Still somewhat productive, doing things like spring cleaning, adding to photo albums and getting kids ready for kinder and school.  So it's not like it's all been margartias by the pool.  But still, it's also been very relaxed.



I love January.  It's a real holiday month for me.  Much more so than December because December is always filled up with stuff to get done before Christmas.  I love that stuff and the festivities that lead up to Christmas.  It's a fun month, but it's not a relaxing month.

I notice that all the more now that I have kids in kinder and school.  There are so many end of year activities and celebrations.  And of course there is the perennial, "We must get together before Christmas!" type social stuff.  I try not to engage in this anymore.  I eliminated that phrase from my social vocab a long time ago - it just gets silly trying to catch up with everyone in December just because I haven't bought my week to a page moleskin for next year yet and I have nowhere to write my lunch dates.

Actually, could this be part of the reason I love January so much?

It's a lovely sort of limbo between one year and the next.  And no datebook means no structure, endless days with nothing to do but please yourself and take each day as it comes.  A leisurely pace and lots of meandering family time.  That's what I love about January.

Even back in my working days January was great.  My boss often took most of the month off, so the schedule was light and an air of self-determination prevailed.  This was often compounded by an industry-wide lull.  Possibly provoked by an abundance of coastal properties needing tending.  Who knows?

We might not have a seaside holiday house to escape to, but now that I have kids on holidays all of January I am free to indulge this holiday spirit, and I do so grandly.  The year for me does not really start until February.  You might say that makes me a bit slow on the uptake.  I'm fine with that.

This is why News Years resolutions don't sit well with me.  I can resolve all I want on December 31 but ain't nuthin' gonna change January 1st for me.  I'm still mentally out of the office.  On auto-reply.

For me this means lots of time with my kids (that is, even more than normal).  Lovely time where we have no where to be, no lunches to make, no uniforms to put on and no need to rush out the door before 9am.

It's a month of no or low commitments.  A month of do as we please.  A month of late bedtimes (though sadly not sleep ins!).  Sometimes it's a month of beach and pool days, though not this year.  Melbourne you seriously suck sometimes.  It's a month of tennis on the telly.  Of pyjama days.  Of running through the sprinklers.  Of brother and sister time.  Lots of imaginative play and fun times.

Yep.  I think I've just realised January is my favourite month of the year.

Do you have a favourite month of the year?

14 comments:

  1. I like the winter months. HIbernation. The time when it is acceptable to coccoon myself in sweaters and scarfs and the soft comforts of home. I like the grey skies and the fine drizzle, the air catching in my throat and stinging my eyes. I like the crispness of the air and the way people turn inward. Maybe I like winter because the world expects less during that season. It's definitely my happiest time of year. The fire, the blankies on the sofa, hands around a warm mug. Heart warming.
    Summer and I are not on friendly terms, so I've just been staring her down. Roll around, seasons! Glad you have had a lovely January, Kate!

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  2. Oh how I love this comment! I love winter too for all the same reasons. Last winter I stared at my partner dumbfounded as we negotiated a really busy social calendar. "Next June just remind me I'm not going out, okay?" I just don't want to go any where in June. I like hibernating, but with 4 major family birthdays in the winter months it ends up being quite a busy time. Yep, I love winter. I love summer too. But for the sheer lack of commitment & relaxation factor, January takes the cake for me. Thanks for the comment gorgeous Rach. x

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  3. Oh I hear you... for me this time is the week between Chrissy and New Years... I wish it could last the whole month but alas tis a busy time at the day job and my kiddies are all grown up so I don't have the 'school holiday' phase going on... but still, that precious glorious calm week - yep it's my fave all year.

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    1. Yep, love that feeling - so grateful I get to indulge in it for a whole month and not just a week! x

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  4. Jan is a lot like this for me too - although I never really thought about it! I love autumn the best, but my birthdays in winter - pros and cons for every season! I hope the rest of your year will be as good as your Jan!

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    1. Thanks Mushy Peas, I love Autumn too. There are certainly beautiful things about every season! Reasons to love them all. x

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  5. I agree completely - January really does feel like a weird limbo month where you're sort of easing back into work but not really wanting to, still desperately daydreaming of sandy beaches and books and tea.

    I never used to be able to decide which time of year is my absolute favourite when someone asks but I think I'm slowly realising that it's the autumn months. The months full of those clear, crisp days with lots of leave to crrrrunch on the pavement! Yep, I think that's it for me :D

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  6. I am also a fan of January as it means no major committments except for work. No school lunches, chauffeuring kids around, no organised sport, plenty of sleep ins and late nights.x

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  7. Absolutely 100 percent agree with you on this Kate. You summarised so succinctly how I feel about the wonderful month of January. We also have the added bonus of sleep-ins. Yep the kids are now old enough that we are sometimes known to get out of bed at 9.00am. You think that day will never arrive but it does and really quickly. However I'm also a big fan of winter. Now if only January was in winter. Hang on, I think I'm living in the wrong part of the world.

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    1. haha! Deb and you've been conspiring to live in a different hemisphere, perhaps this is why! I love winter too, but for different reasons (um, obvs.) In fact reading all these comments is making me realise how I love every season for there own qualities. Except maybe Spring, heyfever and all that. x

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  8. I think in Australia it's that summer feeling too. With daylight saving there is still a solid few hours of daylight left after work and all the students on holidays, filling up the cafes makes it feel like it should still be holiday time.

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    1. Absolutely! Daylight savings and all the pubs and cafes spilling over adds a wonderful, holiday atmosphere. x

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