sales crisis

I am beginning to think I can resist anything except temptation! It is the post Christmas sales - and I am struggling with at least not having a look... but I know if I do have a look then I will end up buying stuff. But then again, I do need some new work clothes ...

And so it goes on - but I suppose that is the nature of a circular argument.

I have not been as diligent as I would like - I have bought some new gym pants (which I needed) and a couple of exercise DVDs (which I didn't). I did manage to restrain myself from buying some new runners - which were very cheap but I didn't need - so it's not all bad. I suppose that to justify the DVD purchase I will need to take up yoga and pilates - guess it won't do any harm.

I think perhaps it is time to focus on the positive - normally I would have been at the sales buying lots of stuff that I thought I needed but didn't really.

I am noticing that it is very easy to beat myself up on this gig rather than acknowledge the positive changes that I have made.

doggy business

I am now a proud pet owner. The object of my affections and I have just got ourselves a suitably second hand dog - an ex racing greyhound. And what a dog he is - a wonderful pet - doesn't bark, doesn't smell and doesn't shed hair. He is good natured, relaxed and generally fabulous. And big. And handsome (well, so me and my one eye like to think).

There were a couple of things I had left out of my calculations:
1. dogs eat meat (well this one likes to). I find this challenging as I don't like meat, raw or cooked. But a lot of the processed stuff sounds like it is very dodgy, full of stuff that dogs should not be eating (beaks and feet anyone?)
2. the cleaning up and removal of the other end of the meaty equation. Yep, dog crap.

Most people seem to use plastic bags to pick up their dog's output - but we have reduced our plastic bag consumption significantly and I am not about to start using more just so I can re-use them to pick up dog crap. There is something just not right about that.

Anyone have any brilliant ideas?

Xmas update

Am doing ok-ish on the Xmas gift front. Have been frequenting the Oxfam shop and have so far purchased as gifts cards for:

• a goat
• a chicken
• counselling for abused women in PNG
• microfinance for women in India

All good. And after much pondering am giving my bro and the Object of My Affection's parents vouchers for dinner out - with us. Strikes me as a good present, but not a thing.

And found a fabulous vintage necklace for my friend Susan.

On the downside, have purchased a couple of books - but have bought only a small number of actual 'stuff gifts' compared to what I would normally do. Not perfect, but a big improvement.

No doubt about it - would have been better if I had been more organised. There is a lesson here ...

Xmas trials

I suspected Xmas was going to prove a trial - and I think it is about to be so. I am not given to Christmas extravaganzas, but still, it is customary to give a gift, and I confess that despite my occasionally scroogish disposition I do rather enjoy it.

So - a third world goat coming up for the in-laws - heaven knows they don't need anything. And my fabulous friend Susan will (hopefully) get something from an antique shop. And then there will be movie gold passes - and ... damned if I know what. Racking my feeble brain for something my nearests and dearests will appreciate that is not consumer crap. Much as I would like to give everyone an Oxfam goat for the sake of convenience - suspect it would not be quite the thing.

The object of my affections happily is not into stuff (not much anyway) and has declared he wants nothing for Christmas - and that could be just what he gets at this rate.

All/any brilliant ideas welcome.

In the meantime, in between wringing my hands in agonies of Xmas present dilemmas, I shall be prancing out to the odd party in one of my two fabulous second hand frocks. It ain't all bad. And here is a boast - one of said fabulous party frocks is a rather splendid Ralph Lauren number - only worn a couple of times I reckon. Got to be happy with that.

And this is my yuletide wish - no more stuff for me for Xmas!