New Year Resolutions for 2024
I've had a good idea about making my New Year's Resolutions for 2024. I'm going to ask those nearest and dearest to me to suggest suitable ones. The theory is that friends and family will be able to clearly identify things that need improvement. Yes?
Ask Non-Gardening Partner...
First of all I asked Non-Gardening Partner to produce a New Year's Resolution for me. Silence - he seemed rather flummoxed. 'Just think. About me. You know me. Find a good New Year's Resolution for me' I said. He thought for a minute. 'Do more gardening?' was his response. OK. I can do that.
Friends?
I asked a teacher friend. 'Garden smarter?' she suggested. 'Smarter' used to be a favourite teacher buzzword. Unfortunately 'Work smarter' just ended up meaning 'Work harder and longer cos there's much, much more work to do, and don't moan about it'. So I'm not sure about gardening smarter. There are some friends I wouldn't want to ask, for example the 'You're Not Getting Any Younger' brigade. Definitely not asking them. They would immediately suggest that downsizing my garden would be my best New Year's Resolution. And why, exactly? 'Because you're not getting any younger'. No way!
Gardening Smarter?
And what about relatives? This might work, so I asked one of them. She said I should resolve to do lots more weeding in her garden. In her garden! Once a week, she reckoned, would do rather nicely. Hmm...
Cats and dogs...
Would get very predictable answers from my furry friends. My cats all hang out in different parts of the garden. And, naturally, they use the garden. 'Dig more cat-toilets?' would probably be their suggestion. The dogs can't think beyond their idea of having fun in the garden. 'You could throw my tennis ball more' would be Winnie's idea. 'And find it for me when it gets lost'. Right, Winnie.
Gardener and Dog
So it all comes back to me, I guess. Might as well jump in the deep end, attempt the impossible, and set one (just one) goal post at its highest possible setting. So here-goes for 2024, my New Year's Resolution, from me to me, plain and simple and rather scary :
Finish one thing before you start the next.
There's also a less stern version, to be on stand-by when confidence, or energy, or imagination are fading. It goes like this : Try to finish one thing before you start the next. And finally a version only to be used in the most desperate circumstances, when I am either going through an extremely rebellious phase or am totally bored :
Please, please, please think about trying to possibly finish one thing, or maybe almost finishing it - or at least half finishing it - before you start the next. Please!