So, what did I achieve

this year?
In respect of family I became a great-aunt for the second time - and no, I am not "that" old! Perhaps it is more important to say that my father became a great-grandfather for the second time? He is, after all, rightly proud of that.
There was work of course. That was there as usual. Nobody needs to know about that, particularly the disaster side. It just had to be done.
The other areas in which "things-can-be-achieved" in my life are writing and knitting - and, sometimes, a combination of the two.
I wrote some knitting patterns this year. I have done this before and I dislike doing it. I do not have the patience for highly technical instruction writing and, should I do any more pattern writing, I am going to miss the guiding hand of my friend Sue even more than I do now. Sue was a professional pattern writer for a major knitting magazine. She knew how to do it.
Of course that meant doing some knitting. Unlike some people I do not keep a record. I just knit. I always have a simple project on the go as travel knitting and a more complex project on the go as "knitting to keep my paws busy while watching the television news service". If I watched more television I might get more knitting done. I do know there has been a cardigan, two pullovers and two vests, a pair of fingerless mittens and five shawls - but I think there was more than that. I have given all but one of the pullovers to other people so there is no chance of counting.
Then there is the writing. I have started on the submission process. All writers know what the submission process is like - yes, it is even worse than we imagine. I am not ready to give up yet, indeed there is good reason not to give up yet.
While I was doing that with one book I was writing another. I have now put it firmly aside so that I can go back to it with a fresh eye in about a month. That way I hope I can remove stray cat hairs and comb it into shape. I also gave that draft to the young Whirlwind to read for Christmas. When she and her father return on Monday I will be told what she thinks of it - but that will not be the opinion I need. I need to find some other young readers who have never met me and who will offer up an honest opinion.
Then there is another book in the pipeline. It is at the point where I wonder if it will actually be a book - but I think it will be. It needs to be. I have been jotting down ideas all year. The main character finally agreed to give me her name yesterday and that is a leap forward. It may happen now. I must aim to do that this year.
Will I make any New Year Resolutions though? I doubt it. I will just keep knitting and, above all, writing.