Grateful Friday

The first Grateful Friday of 2009! It's toasty warm, if horrendously dusty (building work) in my flat, so I have no idea of the weather outside... it looks cold though, cold enough to stay indoors and be grateful for:

1. The start of 2009 - for the first time in my life I was actually relieved that a year was over. Instead of being glad about the end of one year, I'm going to be pleasantly anticipating this new one. Here's to a better 2009!

2. A surprise trip this weekend - to visit a friend whom I haven't seen for too long. It's her birthday and I'm going to make her a Santiago Lemon Torte, lush!

3. A whole wheel of cheese! Two extremely kind friends donated half of their Stilton to my NYE dinner party. Three days and a lot of digging and eating later, it still looks the same size as it did when I opened it... It's about as big as a dinner plate and about four inches tall, that's a lot of cheese. I don't even like Stilton, it's too rich for me, but this one is organic and creamy and rich and tangy. I love it, especially with a glass of Port.

4. The satisfaction I know will be mine when I finally finish my tax return... I hate these things. Why oh why can't I start it earlier and avoid the nightmares?

5. Cycling 2009 - I'm going to cycle lots this year, even if it's cold, I have neglected Mabel of late and she is sad and pathetic chained outside to a railing, I promise to get her out more this year.