Simplifying Life - Mark II

mary43

Gigervamp - thanks. I wasn't sure quite what was happening then tried later and all was ok. Just me having minor fret as usual..........lol

Been a lovely day - been out and bought some paint (just need chap to put it on the walls now!), and walked down the garden with OH to point where I wanted some little plants putting in the wildlife area.
Fair bit of tidying up to do but a lot of if seems to take care of itself -just bit of weeding and sweeping up. Wish the indoors was so easy............I seem to have spent most of the last week wrapping up presents for the various birthdays that crop up around now, plus stuff for the grandkids for Easter. We were going down to see them but I don't relish the long journey and it would be more than hectic when we got there !

Hope everyone's ok and enjoying the weekend sunshine:o

ceridwen

Hi Mary

How are you feeling today?

Me - I had a tiring - but productive - day yesterday at a Transition Town event (things are getting busier and busier on that front - and I have in mind to be involved in both the Food sub-group and the "Heart and Soul" sub-group in my local T.T. group) and I'm sorting out stuff at home today (ummm....no time in the sun...hmmm...but maybe later...).

mary43

ceridwen - not too bad thanks. Bit tired and I think thats going to the Focus for the paint, wrapping up yet another parcel for Easter, walking down the garden (not that it's that big......). I seem to tire in the afternoons but each day I'm achieving something, however small and at the minute working it so if OH comes out with me it's alternate days so as not to overdo it.
Frustrating with this site today - tried this morning and got strange message about missing security token -whatever that is - and when I came on just now I got the same message........then I went to select a forum and everything seemed ok again ! I don't know .............
Not a lot of simplifying going on here except getting all the birthday and easter gifts out of the way so I can see some floor space. OH has rung a chap about the painting and he's coming up on Tuesday to give a quote (hope he's reasonable now we've bought the paint !). Plus side to purchase of the paint was getting 10% off now I'm an 'oldie'............lol
Got some little freebie plants and OH has put them in and is now thinking about his potatos..............had three canvas potato tubs plus three different sorts of potatos instead of just the one tub we've got. The old one is still useable so we should have a nice lot of spuds one way or another this year............(she says hopefully)

mary43

Hi all
Managed to do a wee bit of 'simplifying' today -well if you can call it that........lol
I'd a load of stuff on the history of my home town that I'd printed out that was just laying in a heap............now its all filed away under the right categories.
Then I found a load of photos I'd forgot about when I was organizing my photo albums so now they have a proper home.
Not much but its a start I think. Still a way to go. Some books need going through that I brought back from Mums Some I can pass on to MIL when we see her in June - or I might post them before then............if I dare take a chance on it...........posted shoe box of stuff off for my sons birthday at the weekend...........posted it 1st class last Wednesday but it hasn't arrived yet ! Bit miffed about that. Should have has 'track and trace' but that cost more money. I don't normally have a problem - parcels often arrive next day. Oh well, we'll see. I've sent OH off to the post office with easter stuff for kids and grandkids...........wonder if he'll remember to do it 'track and trace' - bet he won't, or he'll freak out at the cost ! :eek:

Funny..........however late any post is the council tax bill, along with others, always arrive on time................ why is that I wonder ??

Oh well, not going to worry my little head over it all...........:rolleyes:

ceridwen

I've just been on Rob Hopkins' blog (ie the lead guy for the Transition Town Movement) - and Transition Italia are asking for help worldwide - with information that may be useful to them for "rebuilding" after the massive earthquake in Italy. They have a strong Transition group in that area - hence the request for info. from us.

Yoohoo :hello:CATERINA - do you read this thread?

Anyways: I've copied out the housing links to them from my "chez ceridwen" blog that I put in a post April last year and put a comment on Rob's post on this (currently awaiting moderation - so probably not visible to others yet). So - I know they will have a free e-book on how to build your own yurt and some ideas about converting buses, etc.

So - I know there are people on this thread who are interested in the Transition Town Movement - so do pop over and see if theres any useful info you can give to help them.

Housing was my first thought - as there are now 50,000 of them homeless because of this earthquake. But other people may well have helpful info on different lines.

http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/06/2517

Lula-Hula

Good morning to all,

Mary - I'm glad that you seem to be getting a bit stronger day by day & that you had an outing to the hairdressers which made you feel better . I'm also relieved to hear that you & your brother seem to be rubbing along ok now.& that he's being so supportive. After our mum went one of my sisters & I really couldnt get on at all; we've had no contact for some time until mothering sunday when a text propmted me to call her. She seemed in a bad way due to various failing relationships & I was able to put aside our differences & try to be supportive. I will not get too involved due to my own fragilities & wariness that emotions could be directed at me again but am also very aware that her misshandling of other family relationships has left her very alone. Interestingly, one of the things that came up in a counselling session was that since mums death I feel relieved & released from being duty bound to repair & continue realtionships with those I would otherwise not :rolleyes:.

I did attempt to sort through the photos but have now realised that although I feel emotionaly equipped to deal with it, it will take at least 2 full days to put them in order & then install the favourites into albums ( now accept that I am going to need many more albums too).

I've been spending a lot of time both in the garden & at the allotment & am about to take another bag of items to the charity shop.

Ceridwen, I mentioned Transition Towns to my fellow allotmenteers & like me they had a vague notion, so have pointed them in the direction of your limk & maybe something will come out of it

Must now decide whether to chance hanging the washing out or not ....

hugs to all
lula

ceridwen

Thanks LULA - allotmenteers are very much wanted "on board" on this - ie the Transition Town movement. Its early days yet - but three main themes have emerged so far: food, transport and "Heart and Soul" (ie how people will cope psychologically with transitioning over to a rather different society to what we all expected). I think we are all very aware of the situation in Cuba and how they had to change very fast over to growing a lot of their own food and without artificial fertilisers - and are learning from their experience.

I'm moving in the direction of focusing on the food aspect and the "Heart and Soul" aspect myself.

mary43

ceridwen - the 'heart and soul' is of megga importance I feel ......so many people find it hard to adapt to any change at all and need all the help and support they can get in order to make any changes work.

Lula - Pleased your relationship with your sister is improved .......like you I'm accepting my brothers change of attitude at the moment and feel quite grateful at the change in him but I'm only too aware that it could all change particularly now I'm out of hospital and on the mend.
Blood test this morning came back okay and though blood pressure was a wee bit high, nothing to fret about.
Next step is to see doctor about counselling. I feel its much needed to get to grips with the whole situation.

Went to the garden centre with OH after seeing the nurse. Got all the compost we need for the veg in pots. Rooted through a box I normally keep old seed packets in just for reference and found some unused ones ! They're dated 2007/8 but I'll take a chance anyway and sling them around the garden and see what if anything comes up.............lol
OH been busy sorting out rubbish that seems to breed in our back yard and garage (mostly due to our foster lad I think) and a trip to the tip is on the cards pretty soon.
Chap painting the stairs and landing next week then the outside of the house..................I'll feel tons better when thats done I know.

So, all things in the household seem to be more positive than they were thank goodness. Just got to hope they stay that way.:o

Rowan9

Hello simplifiers:)
Mary - I hope that you are feeling a bit stronger every day.
I've been busy with another decluttering spell. Some bags of things gone to charity shops and other stuff into the bin.
I've painted my bedroom white and it looks much more peaceful. I've ironed a white duvet set and will put that on tomorrow. I've cleared the stuff off the top of my big chest of drawers and emptied a drawer of it for DH's T shirts etc so we can get rid of the other chest of drawers. I'm going for a minimalist look and really enjoying seeing it come together.
Ok, I was going off to bed half an hour ago but I really am heading that way now!
w

firework

oooh wmf, sounds great - i love that feeling of newly minimalised space - so refreshing!! i neeeed to get my spare room done - will probably take one day to do - i just can't get around to doing it! every time i get a day something else gets in my way. making a start tomorrow though as my ds 7 has an old xbox plus a ton of games which we are going to donate to a local "care in the community" type house for young people with learning disabilities. there's a few young lads there who were thrilled to bits when they got our old playstation plus games, and seeing as the xbox has been sitting in a box for the last 6 or maybe 9 months they are more than welcome to it.