Monday, January 1, 2018

A New Year - A Clean Slate

This is not a post about New Years Resolutions as I don't believe in them.  If you want to change something in your life then do it, a date shouldn't be the trigger.  I always see the new year as full of possibilities.  If you've had a bad year then close the door on it and look forward, not backwards.


2017 was a good year for us.  The business had it's best year ever which meant 2 raises and a Shareholder payback of some of the money owned to us from when we first started the business.  I actually started using my fitbit as it was meant to be and walked 10,000 steps every day which along with some better eating habits meant I lost 10 pounds and kept it off.  I still do the steps but some of the old eating habits have crept back in so that is something I have to work on.  I also have lots of squigy bits so this year will do the steps but also focus on increasing my upper body strength with some weights we have.  Buddy loved all the walks and hiking and is looking forward to even more in 2018.

I don't always share all the ups and downs of our life here on the blog as like to give our family some privacy, truth be known we have just as many as everyone else out there but I like to generally keep things positive here.  Just know that our life, like yours, is not all sunshine and lollipops lol.

Some new things in 2017 - we developed a very good friendship with some people I previously worked with.  We hang out several times a month now and it is so nice to actually have a social life again.  We traveled to Greece which was everything I hoped it would be and went to the small island of Naxos which is somewhere I had not been to.  We loved it so much I could easily see going back there one day.  We bought a pasta machine and successfully learned how to make fetuccine, something we will continue to do on a regular basis as it is so much better than store bought.  We went deep sea fishing for the first time and took my Mom.  She loved it as much as we did and this is going to be an annual event from here on out.    We spent some time hiking at Ucluelet with Buddy, had a lovely four days there. We ate real Indian food and real German food for the first time, both made by our friends, and both were incredible.  We learned Canasta and now have a cards night at least once per month.

I spent a lot of time with my Mom, she is slowing down and every moment we go out and do something fun together needs to be cherished even if it is simply going to the thrift store and for a coffee afterwards.  We had a small health scare when she fell in the bathtub a few months ago but fortunately nothing was broken and it was a bit of a wake up call that she is getting older.

We went quite a bit over our 2017 Grocery Budget - which was $6600($550/mos) Canadian for the year and includes all cleaning/household supplies/personal care items and OTCs.  We ended the year at $7109 due to various things:  entertaining more, more over the counter medications needed and higher overall grocery prices.  I have set the 2018 grocery budget at $575/mos as that is more realistic based on our lifestyle.  We hardly eat out and enjoy entertaining for friends and family so this will give a little more wiggle room for that.  I also need to get back to my frugal grocery ways so will take stock of the grocery inventory this week as well.  I know I have at least a 6 month supply of coffee, tea, laundry detergent, dish soap, rice, flour and pasta/pasta making supplies.  I generally buy in bulk when things are on sale so will continue to seek out sales using the Flipp app (thanks again Jane!) and continue to monitor Checkout 51 for grocery items that qualify for an rebate.

Hubby had to fly out to Toronto today so I was up at 315am to take him to the airport for his early morning flight and there were no New Years Eve celebrations for us.   He stubbed and broke his little toe 3 days ago so is hobbling around a bit.  He has had a few days without having to wear shoes but will be in a fair amount of agony this week.  I hope it isn't too bad for him.  There is not too much you can do for broken toes other than taping them to the next one over and icing your foot/keeping it raised.  It is really really cold in Toronto right now - he had to dig out all his cold weather gear for this trip.

As for me, I took down all of our Christmas decorations yesterday and today will begin the five day deep house cleaning.  I always like to start off the New Year with a nice clean house and with him away I can take my time and do it properly.  The bedroom and office rug need to be steam cleaned but that will wait until his next business trip.  The outside Christmas lights will also wait for a week or two as I can't take them down by myself and we got a few inches of new snow so will wait for that to melt.  I will clean out the fridge, do a closet purge, and catch up on mending.  I only have one or two work related things that absolutely need to be done as last week we were up to our eyeballs in the business so I am ok with slacking off a bit this week.

I look forward to 2018, our trip to Italy and France with two of the boys at the end of April, new adventures with friends, getting even healthier and spending time with hubby and our family.  I hope 2018 holds many possiblities for you too!  Happy New Year!


35 comments:

  1. Happy New Year! Our grocery budget is up too. Starting off 2018 with three months in Mexico should keep it down to a reasonable level for the year, but maybe a couple of months up in Yukon area during the summer will bring it back.

    We're with you... we don't do New Years resolutions. If you want to change your life, you'll do it when you want to, not because of a random date.

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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    1. It makes me wonder if things other than produce are up in Mexico too. Yukon will definitely do damage to it, may want to stock up before you go that fare north

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  2. I hope your 2018 is as positive as 2017.You work hard at your business an deserve the time off when you can take it.

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    1. Yes, if it were up to me we would go away more but difficult to do with a dog. If I book time off and we stay home we just end up working so that is something I am working on for 2018 :)

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  3. The FLIPP app was the best find for me also - it's great to be able to find the lowest price on coffee, or olive oil or whatever. Why pay more than you have to :) I've been putting Christmas decorations away yesterday and today and then will clean. For me, and probably for you, once it's over it's over!! I love to get things back to normal!

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    1. Yes, once Christmas is done I feel the need to get everything put away and cleaned. It's all done now except the outside lights - big relief! I also use the flipp app to match up coupons/rebates from Checkout 51. That adds up too, been getting peanut butter for $2.50/1 kg that way :)

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  4. I’m working on our budget here today.
    I love following you and will be looking forward to Italy and France!
    I’m leaving my decorations up another week. Just so much work to put up that I’m simply not ready for them to come down.

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    1. I know how you feel. I am thinking of doing white twinkle lights in the bedroom year round though, I know you do that and it looks so nice

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  5. Glad 2017 was a good year for you!
    You're right about New Year resolutions - any date is a good date for deciding or changing things.
    May your 2018 be the best year ever!

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  6. You are so right! It is a brand new year. Time to take stock, set some objectives and go!
    I can't wait to hear about your trips! I too am going to Italy in May.
    Take care and Happy New Year!

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  7. Happy New Year!

    Thanks for the reminder - today is a new day. There is lots to look forward to in 2018.

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    1. Definitely! I hate living in the past so onwards and upwards!

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  8. Happy New Year! Italy is definitely on our discussion list - up for planning & looking at dates/timing. I've never been.

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    1. We only get to see a little piece of Italy this time, thinking we might do Venice/Trieste another trip depending on how this one goes

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  9. Happy New Year! Now we can all begin the first chapter of the book that will be 2018.
    I had done the huge clean before Christmas, so I really just have to do touch ups and I am ready to roll! (Touch ups and a major refrigerator clean)

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    1. I do my big clean late November so it was time and I have managed to wrangle the last dust bunny out. Just still organizing and purging though

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  10. The truly bug day here is Epiphany, Three Kindpgs Day. So too soon to put away the Christmas stuff. I’m with you; no resolutions for me.

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    1. I kind of wish we could have the lights up all year though, so dull without any thing

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  11. Happy New Year! Twenty years ago I was celebrating New Year in Venice and Trieste. Are you counting the weeks yet?
    Delighted that the business is going so well for you. xxx

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    1. Not counting the weeks yet, still so much bloody organizing to do on the trip. Flights are booked but may have to rebook where we are staying based on a certain person needing kitchens due to eating like an entire football team:)

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  12. Happy New year. I will take to heart what you wrote about closing the door on a bad year and to look forward. Colin's still missing the girls so much but I just can't talk about them every day.

    Hope to see you in Europe but I suspect we will be a few days apart.

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    1. I think I would feel the same as you about the girls, I don't talk about things that cause me pain either. We are still firming up the pieces of Europe but will let you know :)

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  13. Happy new year! Your plans for 2018 sound awesome! We loved both southern France and northern Itlay. I would go back just for the food! Good luck with the budget.

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    1. I am intending to continue eating my way across Europe so really looking forward to the food too!

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  14. Happy new year and again I am dead impressed with your 10,000 steps a day. I got my fitbit out today and am going to start keeping track of distance too. Do tell me where you are going in Italy and France - I am only 1 hour from the Italian border. Anna

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    1. Hi Anna! We are going to Rome, Salerno and then Paris, really just a whirlwind tour :) But there is very good likelihood that in 2019 I may be a lot closer to where you live, just trying to sort out plans to take Boy #1 and his girlfriend that year

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  15. Happy New Year. You have plenty to look forward to by the sound of it. Last year was a tough one for us but it has finally knocked into our brains to count our blessings, be joyful and have fun. Play more and worry less is the new order of things.
    I am a fellow broken toe sufferer, my commiserations to your husband.

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    1. I need to be like you, play more, worry less - love it. You do truly have to count blessings every day as things can change so fast.

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  16. You are so right about enjoying time with you Mom. It's so great that you live close to each other. I miss my mom and think of her daily. My parents were a big part of my life even as an adult. - Margy

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  17. It is cold here in toronto! Oh baby it is very very cold. We are layered in clothes and love to stay inside. Too bad that your hubby has to be in Toronto this week. Weather man says next week will be better. Hope buddy is ready to play

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  18. Such a wonderful recap of your year. I love that your food budget is up because of entertaining. Worth it in the long run isn't it. Your trips sounds amazing.

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