For my birthday I wrote a list of things I wanted to achieve over the year. I'm now six months away from my birthday and I'm doing well in some areas but not so well in others.

Create calm

This was about a general feeling of unease I had about the number of things on the my to-do list. Things that had been on there too long and had begun to bother me.

The de-cluttering is an on going process but I do feel the house is more ordered and tidier as a result. I need to carve out some time to really get stuck in.

I'm also planning what to plant in the garden, and seeking out plants for my hanging baskets, as this was an area that needed lots of care and attention.

Also, I've looked at my daily schedule and created some time just for me, to do as I please. I finish work a little earlier in the day now and spend an hour either reading or sewing, or just pottering about.

In this time I've most recently been sewing my patchwork quilt in an attempt to get it finished before March 1st (which is two years since I started it, which is the day I was taught how to). And that's tomorrow, did I finish it? No, but I have made excellent progress this year.

Work and other commitments have been keeping me busy and I found myself getting a little overwhelmed at the end of 2015, it became clear I needed to establish some boundaries between work, other commitments, housekeeping, and time for myself.

This allows me to be more organised and I no longer feel like I'm constantly chasing my tail.

Improve my surroundings

I did a few little DIY jobs at the end of last year, but nothing has been done this year so far, I have lots of plans underway though, and more than a few lists!

Feel stronger and healthier

It's hard to answer this one. My attendance at exercise classes has waned for one reason or another but I am doing more exercise than I was this time last year. Do I feel any different? No, but as long as I keep trying I can only improve.

Eat healthier

I think I am, if only because I'm eating more fruit and veg and cooking from scratch more often. I drink much less alcohol these days, which I think I can squeeze under the 'eat healthier' banner. But there is room for improvement.

Make memories

I'm still a little unsure as to what I actually meant when I wrote this (I'm sure I knew what I meant at the time!). I think it's about going places, seeing people and experiencing new things - making the most of life.

I have some definite plans for this year, and more in the planning stages.

I plan to go to V Festival, go to an outside cinema screening in July (film to be confirmed but it looks like it's going to be The Lost Boys, which is a film I love and have watched countless times).

I'm pondering the idea of going to Latitude as a day guest. Andy and I are definitely going to try a new steak restaurant opening soon, and I want to attend Weird and Wonderful Wood, and maybe visit Banham Zoo as I haven't been for years.

I'm going to a local antiques fayre in May, and to a vintage fayre in April.

I want to have brunch at a local cafe The Teapot Project, a community interest company, that intercepts supermarket food destined for landfill, it's a pay-what-you-feel-it's-worth set up and I've heard great things about it.

I've booked tickets to see The Crime Museum Uncovered at the Museum of London with friends soon, and want to visit Vogue 100 A Century of Style at the National Portrait Gallery, and have a nosy around the Natural History Museum too.

I'll be dragging my friends and family along, and seeing as much of them as I can in between, because I want to see them more than I currently do. I have a tendency to stay at home, happily filling my time with the things that fill my head and take my fancy, but nurturing these relationships is so important.

So here I sit at 40 and a half years old, slightly healthier, calmer and a bit more organised, with lots of exciting plans coming up, and having typed this I think I'm doing better with these resolutions than I first thought.

But the most important question is - is a half birthday worthy of cake?