What is it 'bout makin' res-oh-looshuns at th' beginnin' of a new year?  Why does ever'body ye meet want ter know if yer a-doin' a res-oh-loo-shun?

Oi was returnin' Miss Bennie's half-growed dog ter 'er place after findin' Mister Frodo nearly layin' in th' snow tryin' ter rescue a stray kitten.

Miss Bennie was 'appy Oi found 'er dog, sayin' 'e musta jumped outta one o' th' stable winders or found a stall door open. 

Either way, Oi took th' liberty ter chastise 'er fer 'er dog's wanderin'.  "It ain't good," Oi told 'er.  "Y' best be 'appy that it were Mister Frodo what found 'im an' not one o' th' farmers between yer 'ole an' Bag End!  They doesn't cotton well ter stray dogs messin' wi' their animals, if ye know what Oi mean."

She said she did, and promised ter keep a proper eye on 'er animals in th' future.  Then she changed th' subject an' asked me if Oi'd made a res-oh-loo-shun fer th' New Year. 

Oi didn't know what ter tell 'er, so Oi made th' excuse that Oi 'ad ter get back ter Bag End, an' Oi 'ightailed it away from 'er place. 

Makin' res-oh-loo-shuns can be 'ard at best ter make, an' even 'arder ter keep.  Oi learned years before never let others know what Oi was gonna do 'cause if Oi failed, Oi would never 'ear th' end o' it!  An' it never mattered if th' one doin' th' teasin' 'ad broken 'is res-oh-loo-shun!

Res-oh-loo-shuns should be private.  Like a prayer to the Creator -- just betwixt you an' 'im. 

But this 'ere is supposed ter be my private thoughts, so Oi suppose Oi am safe ter write down what Oi hopes ter promise an' keep ter it:

1)  Oi ree-solves ter be up earlier each day an' ready ter work at Bag End a-fore Mister Frodo gets up every day.

2) Oi ree-solves ter be more polite when dealin' wi' th' young ladies an' their Mothers when they comes a-callin' on Mister Frodo. 

3) Oi resolves ter learn ter read an' write more like Mister Frodo does, so's Oi don't look so 'quaint' as Missus Lavender calls my attempts 'ere.  Oi think Oi'll ask Miss Mundee if she can 'elp me wi' that, seein' as she's teachin' some o' th' Tinker kids (and th' poorer kids in town)ter read an' write.

4) Last, Oi promise ter keep up wi' this 'ere journal on a more regular basis.  Oi knows Mister Frodo will be askin' me 'bout that a lot, seein' as 'e's got one, too.

5) Oi resolves not ter share these res-oh-loo-shuns wi' just anybody.

Tomorrow, Oi'll be travelin' with my Gaffer ter Frogmorton ter look at some flower seeds and maybe some garden seeds, too.  Oi'm bound ter learn 'ow to barter better by watchin' 'ow Da does it.