On my birthday last year I wrote a wish list for the year, and having turned 42 nearly two month ago I thought it was time I look over it, and maybe write a new list for Year 42.

That said, a few posts ago I mentioned that I didn't see the point in writing about the things that I failed to tick off any of the many lists I write. Constantly reading 'I wanted to do x, but I didn't' really can't be very interesting for anyone.

With that in mind, the full list is here if you care to read it, and the things I ticked off are as follows...

Did I read everything that on my book shelves the day I turned 41 (29 books)?
Yes! and I read more besides. Two books that had been on my shelves for an age - Lolita and The Dice Man - were started and soon discarded for a more interesting read. Neither captured my imagination but everything else was read. During Year 41 I read 37 books and thanks to a few charity shop book buying sprees I have plenty more to keep me going.

Did I amass a huge book wish list in time for my birthday?
I did have a wish list, and I still do, but with all the books I've been buying (50 since January), I didn't ask for any for my birthday. The only one I received was from Andy, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, which currently sits at no.25 in my TBR pile. I have so many in the pile I'm considering a ban on buying books. I have no shelf space left, and I'm trying to clear some space in my office where they all currently live.

Did I have lots of cosy afternoons spent reading?
Yes! And a few in the hammock too (I would've liked more, stupid weather), but mostly I read in the early evenings whilst waiting for Andy to come home, or in bed at night before going to sleep. This year I've read more than I ever have, and it feels really good. I often read instead of mindlessly watching yet another repeat of The Big Band Theory on E4. Having read all the books that had been on my shelves for an age has been really satisfying, some had been gathering dust for years! The only thing is that I now have an entirely new set of books to get through.

Was my new company brand and website up and running in time for the new financial year?
Yes, and no. I know in my mind exactly what I want to do, how I want everything to look, I just need to actually do it.

Have I sussed the dairy-free thing?
I tried natural allergy testing, which was hugely beneficial, and now I can eat dairy again. So I didn't just suss it, I kicked it's ass!

Have I improved my flower arranging skills?
In a way. I started to use oasis in opaque vases so that the stems would stay where I put them, instead of flopping all over the place. It's most satisfying, however it's not quite the transformation of my skills that I'd envisioned, but progress none-the-less.

Did I remember to harvest elderflowers at the right time, and make cordial? And gin?
I made a litre of gin, and it's all gone already (it was delicious). As for cordial, I waited too long to pick the blooms and the rain and wind left them ragged and of no use. Still, there is always next year...

What would be on your list?