Reading, relaxing and feeling cosy

is what the holidays have meant to me this year. I have had a gorgeous couple of weeks surrounded by family and this is a rare and special treat for me. These days it seems as if we five are scattered to the wind as my husband is permanent flying between hemispheres and my children are away studying or working. To have this time together has been heaven and I can't believe Christmas and the New Year celebrations are all over for another year. The thought of taking down all the decorations and returning the house to it's everyday state means we are well and truly back to business.

I don't know why this particular Christmas was so relaxing, but it was. 

I have cooked, which I enjoy when there is no huge pressure to perform and there are lots of friends and family to make it convivial. I browsed through my new cook books and experimented with recipes. I have watched loads of movies curled up in front of the fire - some good, some not so good,  and I have managed to finish reading a couple of books. One of the things I love the most is getting immersed in a good book and loosing track of the time. The beauty of the holidays is being able to read during the day and reading more than two pages at any one time.

And as for New Year's resolutions? 

Yes I have made them (always do)- the obvious ones and the not so obvious ones and hopefully I will be able to maintain the discipline to achieve them! The one I am sure many women make is to loose those unwanted kilos. I was so inspired after reading Artie's post titled, 'New Year's Eve means Resolutions, on his blog Color Outside the Lines that I am full of willpower and determination. (Fingers crossed this new found strength makes it past January)

There is a gaining weight 'phenomenon' in Europe called the 'Heathrow injection' and it is a term that has been coined by Australians and New Zealanders who have spent an extended period of time working and holidaying in Europe. I first heard it some years ago in London and thought it a perfect description. The theory is that after touch down at Heathrow airport in London, from that day forward, your weight will balloon upwards of six or seven kilos! 

Australians and New Zealanders are great travelers and for many it is customary, almost a right of passage after leaving school, university or work, to take this 'time-out' in Europe. It is the kind of trip that you save and save for - working all hours of the day and night to pay for that very expensive plane ticket. The general idea is to make it to London and find some cheap accommodation, generally with other ex-pats.  A two-year visa means that the length of the trip is somewhere around that time with the first six months or so involving a job - any kind of job to earn those highly desirable pounds. (Well they used to be highly desirable.....) The working holiday begins and the weight piles on little by little, month after month - this is the consensus. I haven't actually canvassed this question with the male population yet, so I am not sure if it applies to them or not. So it would seem that the Heathrow injection is all about gaining pounds to earn pounds! It would also seem that once back home not only have the £££'s disappeared but the weight too. 

So thanks to Artie's motivating resolution I am committed to loosing those unwanted kilos and saying goodbye to my 'Heathrow injection' for good.

I wish you all the happiest New Year and may our resolutions stay strong, xv.

image - Ralph Lauren