Simplifying Life - Mark II

Aril

Hello virtual friends:j
Special hugs to Mary and Ceridwen. People say things and present them as if they are true statements set in stone....they are not they are merely their personal opinions. I gave up trying to fathom some people out many moons ago tbh...I think it sometimes a case of nowt so queer as folk!
I feel like I may have made some headway this week in my work life balance [shall get it wrong again no doubt in future] but have deliberately limited my time spent watching TV or on the pc in the evenings as have finally worked out that that is the only true me time I have. As a result I've spent a brilliant evening making bath bombs with a friend as much as I love L*sh products at £3 for some of their bombs I simply can't justify the cost. We had such fun bouncing ideas off one another for combinations of scents/colours and additional extras such as dried flowers. I managed to get an impressive area covered with glitter:rotfl::rotfl:I have thoroughly enjoyed passing some of the fruits of my labours onto another friend who's been having a rough time and my Mum and sister and her wife.
This is from India Knight's book Thrift in which she devotes a chapter to emotional thrift...some very true words spoken
"Be happy- we are all blessed in thousands of different ways. So we're not all size 6, cavorting on a yacht with George Cloone. So what? I'd rather be sniffing my babies' heads. There is enormous beauty in everyday life and it doesn't cost any money to look at it and feel glad to be alive"
Aril

mardatha

Aril did they turn out ok ?? the bath bombs ? It's not one of my favourite jobs ! :eek:

ceridwen

Aril - I keep forgetting that I mean to borrow that "Thrift" book - must put in my order with library about it...Re people saying opinions as if they are facts - there is one phrase instantly coming to mind here - ie the one that starts "I think I can safely say I am speaking for us all when I say........" - one can almost hear a hooter going off going "Warning....warning....personal opinion alert":D . I just KNOW I think differently to a lot of people on many topics - so I do the exact reverse frequently "I know this is just my way of thinking and most people won't agree with me...but......"

Weezl - how are ya gal? Any minute now folks Fergus will be with us (ie our Weezl's baby-to-be). I've got a leetle summat for him that will be coming in t'post soon - being "Future-oriented" as I am....I thought I would get summat that would be right for him a coupla years down the line....rather than the second he gets born time (which I'm sure everyone else has more than adequately catered for by now.......). Leetle request - you knows me and me privacy - so 'twould be appreciated if you dont mention wot tis on line... I hope his "arrival" is easy for you and goes according to plan....what do I know? I've never had a child....but best wishes that all goes smoothly <hugs> I appreciate the kind thoughts - ISOM tells me you're nearly ready and geared to go now.....so I guess it might be time to "let Fergus out to play"...tell him he's not "confined to that pink room" anymore - you'd rather get him birthed and then you can stop worrying about that....

Mary - glad things went off smoothly and that you have some mementoes for yourself <hugs>

ceridwen

Hello Fergus (aka Weezl's baby-to-be)

'Twill soon be "Welcome to the World" for you. You're in the departure lounge and probably wondering what on Earth (ouch...pun alert) you've let yourself in for. Well....as I've told you before me lad....you've made a wise choice of parents. Everything well sorted out there....two loving parents, an adopted "aunty" (waves to ISOM) all lined up gasping for babysitting duties, grandparents, etc - you did some good planning there me lad.

Mummy is getting very worried about birthing you - so please make it easy on her and 'twould be appreciated if you dont wake her up in the middle of the night knocking at the door to that pink room announcing "Mummy - I want to come out and join you now please". Can I suggest the middle of the day some time for your arrival? (just a little hint here from Godmummy Caeredwyn).

Do you think you might like to write another letter here on MSE for us all and tell us about your Arrival here with us? I'll "reserve a space" here on my thread for you to come and say "hello" to us all..:D

firework

i'm on a complete downer at the minute. trying to simplify and managing a bit but tbh i'm just tired and fed up of being on the hamster wheel - and it's not even work spend work spend anymore - it's just work work work sleep work work work sleep. sick of being skint, paying off my cc debts as fast as i can but really just peed off with economic downturn and now find myself working alot of hours for not enough money - reckon i'm earning bout £3 an hour now. perils of having your own business i guess. our turnover is good but overheads are just enormous and not a thing we can reduce any further...
... feel like bl**dy well emigrating. i know there are tons of folk loads worse off than us, but just now i can't seem to see the silver lining and take no pleasure in even the simple things. too tired to care. sometimes i just think - why should we have to live like this?? constantly scraping a living - not even that just an existence... there must be more to life than this..........

moan over. sorry .

Lula-Hula

firework -(((bloomin great big hugs to you )))

I sympathise; my finances have take a severe battering in the last 6 months too. I'm earning less than half than I was 6 months ago, now down to 3 days a week & have had to take up a second job doing leaflet deliveries to make ends meet. Rent & council tax have gone up... etc etc. etc. I was doing really well with paying some off the debt each week & putting money aside into all my funds... would have cleared the cheaper apr debt by october & was then going to transfer higher apr debt over. Then inspite of interest rates plummeting the lower rate card decided to hike the rate :mad: unless I continue to pay it off & then return the card. There goes my cunning plan :rolleyes: It is so frustrating & like you I know there are others worse off but ... I'm also quite tempted to have a house clearance sale, swap my car for a camper van & head off to the woods for a couple of years... how very simplifying that would be

It's healthy to air & share your woes & I keep telling myself " it cant last forever" ... so try to keep going & one day it will all be over

firework

thanks for that Lula. i try not to be a moaning minnie but sometimes life just gets you down and at the minute it feels like its trying to squish me to the floor (mental image of me under ginormous hob nail boot - lol!). as someone said "this too shall pass" and as Billy Ocean said - "when the going gets tough - the tough get going" - had to laugh as after posting i had to go out in car - i put radio on and that's what instantly came on.

so i'd better hold my head up and damn well get on with it - fiery resolve returns (dunno how long it'll last mind).

anyway shame on me for twisting about nowt - yesterday i had a guy in the taxi who had lost both legs and had to lift and drag himself from and to his wheelchair to get in and out of the car. took him ten minutes each way. it made me think poor sod - his whole life must be one BIG struggle - every day - even just getting in and out of a car - which i just take for granted. too self absorbed thats my trouble...

Lula-Hula

firework - we're all human & it's just not possible to be chirpy /determined / calm etc etc all the time particular when the grim stuff seems to be relentless at the moment.

A quick offload & then back to the grind... if it wasnt for this place I would probably be up a tree going out of my mind

pagangirl

Hi folks - big hugs all round - to Lula/Firework both going through bad patches, for Ceridwen - hope you NEVER have to go through that again, and for Mary - welcome back. I feel better now spring has arrived - doesn't solve any problems - just seeing the sun and spring flowers coming out always cheers me up !

How long has Weezl got left before baby arrives (rough date - days)????

mary43

Aril - sounds like you've been having fun .........and saving a bob or two at the same time while enjoying the act of giving. Nothing like it for giving the feel good factor -putting a smile on someones face.
Love the quote too...........brilliant as always

ceridwen -love the message to Fergus..................lol Wish I'd thought of that before baby grandson was born........he did take his time.........lol

firework.............hope you've cheered up a bit now........always good to let it out to others who understand. And when you're down.......the only way is up. Life isnt easy for a lot of people now which is no help to individuals I know but take note of Arils quote............

"Be happy- we are all blessed in thousands of different ways. So we're not all size 6, cavorting on a yacht with George Cloone. So what? I'd rather be sniffing my babies' heads. There is enormous beauty in everyday life and it doesn't cost any money to look at it and feel glad to be alive"

Wise words and very true. Still sounds like Billy Ocean did the trick plus the poor chap who'd lost his legs. If we really look around us there's always someone who can make you think .....'there but for the grace of God go I.......''
Glad you're feeling brighter but bigs hugs ((((((((:o ))))))) anyway

Lula - keep thinking positive..........hard at times when the bills come flying through the letterbox.........but you can do it. You cleared that huge chest of drawers out -now thats an achievement in itself I think...........so stuff the bills......it aint all bad and long as you've got friends, virtual or otherwise, life can be very good. I've found that out myself and like you, without this thread I'd be quite bonkers by now.
Will shortly be needing huge nagging about decluttering and not hanging on to 'stuff' just because it was Mums............took me years to thin out Dads bits and pieces and I don't want mums stuff to drain me like that.
Made a bit of a start...........sort of.
Mums step brother is having anything that belonged to Mums brother (letters from war office, letters he wrote to Mum, bibles, photos etc. ) after I've photocopied what I want for my family history files - doing that tomorrow.
Photos and letters are now in a clear plastic sheet ready to go in either photo albums or mums history file.
Sifted through finance stuff ready for solicitor to deal with
Gave first piece of Mums jewellry away -necklace to foster daughter - still leaves plenty for grandaughter, mums friend and sons girlfriends. I'll never wear it I know apart from the locket she had that was grandmas.

So, I'm making a start instead of putting it off till 'tomorrow' which we all know never comes.