Goodbye 2013...

...and, d'ya know what, a fairly hefty chunk of me is saying 'good riddance' to you.

OK, OK, I guess that's probably being a tad harsh. I am aware that it wasn't wall to wall, unceasing bad, and I know I do have to remind myself about the 'blessings' which did indeed form a part of last year. However, from where I'm standing at the moment it simply wasn't the best twelvemonth I can remember, so I just cannot say I'm too sorry to see it gone.

I'm quite happy to give things a try again with a new one - let's see what happens in the next twelve months, eh? So, hello 2014, and here's hoping you'll be a gentler, kinder year.

A quick review... where am I right now?

Well, the festive season had a few more challenges hidden up its sleeve to throw at me (like changing dressings daily, and flooding... again!) but, dammit, I survived em. Like Friedrich Nietzche once said, "that which does not kill us makes us stronger" - yep, right on, Fred!

I'm pleased to say that despite all of this fun and hilarity, oh and being given various boxes of chocolates, biscuits and other sugary stuff (er, kind, but sort of pointless), I didn't fall off any wagons so I'm still in ketosis and my weight is still slightly under my 'happy' band of somewhere between 53 and 54 kg.

I'm weighing in at 52.5 kg right now, which means I have managed to claw back a tad more than a kilo from my 'dramatic drop' low from when lovely hubby was ill. My thanks go to cheese and double cream. You were a big, big help with this but, being the ungrateful soul that I am, I don't want to continue gaining. Our relationship is about to be put on the back burner again for a while - don't take it personally, eh.

Hmmm, what else? Well I probably drank a bit more than I should have over the break (a good selection of single malt whiskies to choose from is my downfall). That's already been cut back - a shame but, oh no, I don't want to get that habit ingrained.

My fitness, however, is absolutely rubbish at the moment. I may still be at a lowish weight but I don't feel toned or strong or capable. What I actually feel is tired and run down, despite those quietish days at home.

Worse, the dreaded black dog has been sniffing at my heels almost daily over the break, and I've found that I can rapidly turn into the human waterfall... and rather more often than I like. Enough of the tears and tissues, if you don't mind - I'd rather have a bit of light relief and laughter now.

Need to address both of these 'negative' things - and soon. Right here at the beginning of January seems like a good time to start again with both. So, here we stand at the brink of 2014 and it's onwards, ever...