Long time no see everyone – Happy 2025
In my defence, I have been hard at work. Not at getting any Kettle List tasks completed though, sadly – I only managed one in 2024. That was #9 Learn a Martial Art – but I am a red belt now, so it’s going well. What I have been doing is working on a book . I have also started a new haiku themed Instagram; so I’ve been busy writing lots of new haiku while trying to launch a new workshop venture.
Rather than dwell on 2024 and what didn’t get done on the list, let’s look at the 2025 plans. As per the rules of the Kettle list, these are all subject to change, but hoping to get at least 4 tasks done this year.
The plan for 2025
January
After getting a bit of rum into them, I was able to convince my parents that they wanted to take Ethan and I to Whitby this August for Pirate Festival.
In truth it did not take much convincing – it is literally my Mum’s favourite place – and after they heard about the 12 hours it took me to drive to the Lake District last year, due to my inability to go on motorways, they decided it would be better if John took us up.
So August should see us tick off some counties AND task#16 which has involved somewhat but still includes a weekend away with Ethan. With him dressed as a pirate… But that is August what can I actually do in January?
I have started the crochet top that is one of the original 40×40 tasks, and I am keeping it simple and should definitely get this one done this year.
January is my least favourite month, and I feel that once past it, I’ll be in a better place to start planning which tasks I can complete this year
February
With only 2 years left until I am… older… I really want to work on some of the collective tasks on the list. The ones I want to particularly focus on are: #46 Visit 50 coasts, #47 see 50 clocks, #35 50 places of worship and one from the 40×40 list – Visit every ceremonial county in England.
To this end I am planning to pop to Hereford this month – it is the closest county that I need to tick off. I’ve driven through it twice, but it doesn’t count if I don’t stop. While there will visit the Cathedral and tick off a county and a church.
March
My birthday month – The end is in sight for this Kettle List!
We have a trip to London to see Inside No. 9 planned, as well as a trip to Abergavenny Market. Neither of these are on the list, but looking forward to them anyway.
One of my friends is spending the month in Morocco and has invited me to visit. This would not only tick off task #17 , but it would also count towards #13 where I visit 6 out of 7 continents. I’ve already ticked off Europe, North America and Asia, so adding Africa would only leave a trip to New Zealand, and another to South America. As I’m unlikely to get this task done by March 2027, I decided to give myself an extra 2 or 3 years to make up for all the travel lost during the pandemic.
April
Easter month, so some time off work – the perfect time to get a few more of the collective tasks worked on. If it is warm enough I may even try swimming to pick up a few of the lengths I need to complete my Chanel swim.
Another event I have planned for April is my first public speaking event. (Technically it is at a Women’s Institute meeting, so not ‘public’ per se) I’ll be premiering my talk ‘ A Jaunt around Japan’, so will let you know how that goes.
May
I have a trip to Spain planned for this month, so I will be getting a coast ticked off, and will have time sit and write. Really looking forward to the break, but also the chance to explore a new place.
Hopefully I may even get to sneak in a day trip to somewhere in Bedfordshire to get another county ticked off – possibly a church and a clock too.
June
Cornwall is somewhere I have spent so many holidays, yet I have not visited it since turning 40, so it has not been ticked off as a ‘visited county’. Now that I have YHA membership, we are thinking of staying in some unusual accommodation.
This is the perfect place for a long weekend, but it may be expensive and busy if we don’t get it done before the summer
July
Another trip Han and I are hoping to make this year is a trip to Great Yarmouth. Not only will I get to tick off another coast, but we can visit Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire on the way back.
August
The plan for this month is to go to Whitby and attend the pirate festival – so we’ll tick off task #16 as I mentioned under January. If I plan the journey stops properly we should be able to tick a few counties off too, as I have lots of North Eastern counties to visit.
Sept
Not only will we be off to the Lake District for the LICAF – the 4th one! – but I am hoping to get another county ticked off. After the horrendous traffic and drive last year, we are considering getting the train this time.
We are becoming quite familiar with the area now, and the trip has become one of the highlights of the year.
Oct
Prep-tober! I spend most of this month prepping for Christmas, but I may have time for a few craft tasks. Planning on being mostly indoors however, so as long as those tasks don’t require me to go outdoors, we should be good.
Nov
Not planned this far ahead yet. Perfect time to reflect on the previous 10 months to see what I have achieved. Depending on how the crochet top making had gone earlier in the year, I may still be doing this.
Dec
I’m taking December off! I won’t go looking for task ticking activities, but if an opportunity arrives, I will certainly grab it.
It will be the perfect time to plan 2026, which will be the final year of the list, so perhaps the ‘completion urgency; will be the motivation needed to get more done.
