Simplifying Life - Mark II

zarazara

wow thanks caridwenfor the link. I am a ISTJ Examiner.

mary-op

sarah - sounds like you've been busy. Me and OH can't agree on the lounge at the minute.........we went from a dramatic dark green (with the pine panelling and exposed brick it went well) to a sort of 'beige'...........now OH isn't sure he likes it and some of the things we had on the walls just don't go somehow so we've a pile on the floor of stuff that'll have to go somewhere else in the house -where I know not

Carrots we've not pulled yet..........hardly dare.......the ones we had last year came up as big as my finger nail. First time we'd grown them in pots and OH is thinking the longer they're left the more chance they have of growing...............lol
Like the sound of the Indian chilli plant........not heard of that before ..............nor self seeding tomatos ! Lucky you.
Some of the leaves are starting to turn now -hope that doesn't mean autumn's coming early.............:eek: Could do with a bit more summer............well a lot more !

We had great plans to get a skip and clear out the garage but the council are due to put speed bumps in our road (stop motorists using it as a fast short cut !) so that'll be another week .............must make a note to book one as soon as they've finished. Once thats done we've got a chappie coming to paint the kitchen -thank goodness. But need a cooker hood putting in a s well.............oh, isn't their always something......:rotfl:

ceridwen

Worth mentioning that "No Impact Man" aka Colin Beavan has now just released a book about his year of living with "no impact" - ie not buying anything other than food. He/his wife/child live in an urban flat in America and decided to do this as an experiment - and then wrote/is still writing a blog about it:

http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/

which I follow intermittently. Well - errr...bit of an "impact" time here. I've ordered the book from Amazon and its en route as we speak.

Anyways - back to the point. He's now starting up a No Impact Project for anyone to join. No idea whether this will go further than the shores of America - where, as we know, the idea of buying nothing unnecessary has taken root with a noticeable number of people.

Anyways - if anyone is interested its on:

http://noimpactproject.org/

I dont think I have the willpower myself to be that "good" and I certainly dont have the "emotional back-up" (family) that he has. I would think a life that "simple" has got to be a lot easier to lead in every way if one has a partner/family (as long as they are "on board" too of course!) than for a single person in some ways....tho' others might not agree with that:D

But I think he will give an incentive to at least lead a "simpler" life in that respect - even if far from perfect...

At a practical level - as we know - once a publisher has bought a "book" worth from a blogger - the blog has a tendency to vanish from the stratosphere. Hopefully this wont happen with this particular one - I dont know whether publishers are able to enforce that on bloggers who are ideologically opposed to removing their blog from the blogosphere (as I would imagine Colin is) - so its as well to visit t'blog now in case..

zarazara

I thinksimplyfying life means taking smll steps which we can expand on. If you live in,say,a 4 bedroom house with a garden and theres only 1 or 2 of you them move! an appartment or small house. get rid of clutter, not just physical stuff but mental stuff too. its not neccessary to have lots of things. less is more. take pride in cleaning,mending,walking. I've made these steps, it works,and i'm happer for it.

mary-op

ceridwen - good to see you and thanks for the links. Can't see me doing that if I'm honest -not that we spend a great deal on ourselves being fans of second hand shops of all kinds (clothes, furniture etc.) Like the idea though.

zarazara - I agree with you in some respects about the house size but have to admit to loving the amount of space we have. Different folks, different strokes I suppose.It means we can each have own 'area' if need be. Mind you, rooms are full of youngsters we foster as well who add to the clutter that we already somehow manage to create for ourselves.
Speed bumps are being put up our street but once thats done we're getting a skip and going to be very thorough - garage, back room that at the minute is like an 'indoor shed' cupboards etc. Really brought it home to me last night when I was looking for something and it took me an hour to locate it :eek: While looking I came across empty box files that could be put to better use and thats just for a start !
Mums estate now finally settled at last but I still can't bring myself to go through her paperwork and shred any of it.................maybe thats where the empty box files in the cupboard could serve a use..........:rolleyes:
Doing a load of craft stuff doesn't help but I'm getting there with two birthdays that are up and coming all sorted and Christmas stuff well on the way. I'm getting there, slow but sure......................:o

ceridwen

Hi Mary

I guess, as you say, those empty box files might come in handy for the time being to put that paperwork in of your mothers - until you feel ready to shred it. At least it will be neatly in one spot.

I sympathise with taking an hour to find something - it doesnt often happen these days - but there ARE still occasions. Life is easier in that respect with the way I have designated places where I put particular types of things. I'm thinking mainly here of my book collection - as I keep books on one subject on one or two shelves/books on another subject on another one or two shelves. The cookbooks take up 3 shelves:o New Age type topics take up 4 shelves:o. Do you detect a slight weakness here - as in for books?:D

Now I really really must have every single reference book I could possibly require now - perhaps I should try and find a way to block my own way through to Amazon?:D

Re house space - I dream frequently of a farmhouse-size kitchen and a large garden - instead of my pokey little kitchen and tiny little backyard. Its an exercise in frustration - or resourcefulness one could say - to try doing all the kitchen things I want to in that kitchen and at least some of the garden things I want to in that garden. I just have this little mental picture in my mind of Elizabethan housewives with their stillrooms/herb gardens/etc and would definitely duplicate that if I had the chance - errr...and the time....

I'm experimenting away with all sorts of foodmaking and preserving at present and a teeny sideline of making own cosmetics - well my own homemade moisturizer/body lotion keeps my skin a sight more moisturised than anything I've ever tried commercially. It takes a wee while for it to sink in of a morning - but I think its worth looking a little "shiny" till its been absorbed. I dont get many compliments about my looks these days any more - but the latest comment was that my skin is much younger-looking than most people in my agegroup (thats as good as it gets in midlife methinks!!!) - so I guess this stuff is okay - though different texture to what I've been used to buying.

Getting busier by the day here chez ceridwen - all sorts I'd like to find time for - but no chance - errr...guilty feelings about still spending time on MSE .....to me these days its a break from something very "worthy" project or reading a very "worthy" book....speaking of which...another stage of a "worthy" project beckons and so does making my dinner.....

Gigervamp

Did you mention books?



I have a few too.

mary-op

ceridwen - don't mention books ! Remember last year when I had my first proper 'declutter' and emptied the book case (well, not quite empty -just kept the ones we really wanted) Well, it's now starting to overflow again - Couldn't leave mums books at her flat when we cleared it out -half of them I'd bought her so back they came with me -plus others I've bought since ! Really must go through them again - as it is, can't see half what I've got :eek: I did give one of her books to MIL -knew it was the sort she'd like...........that was followed on by another one but she;s made no mention of wanting any more. There;s no more room to put any shelves up either............the ones I've got are full of family tree stuff and shoe boxes I've covered and keep for storage (all labelled I have to add so at least there I know where things are...............lol) This house is much bigger than our previous one so where on earth did we put stuff then ? Seems to me that I'm just one of those people who if there's a space I have to fill it.............:rotfl:

Gigervamp -your book case is very very full :rolleyes: and I notice you've got some horizontal ones.................lol so have I........only way they'll fit in. Oh dear...........is there any hope ?

Gigervamp

There are quite a few more in various other places around the house! I need a library really. :rotfl:

mary-op

Library - nice idea...........could loose myself for days.............lol

Back to reality though and life is never simple is it............had phone call Sunday evening to say double glazing chaps could come first thing this morning - :eek:
Better now than never thought I..........this morning came and up I got at 7.30 (not very bright in the mornings) -another phone call to say they won't be coming today - one of the chaps had a car accident:eek:
So, off I went into town to do some much needed retail therapy in charity shops........come home and find they'll be coming tomorrow morning now.(chap wasn't hurt thank goodness)........and OH has ordered a door :eek: Wouldn't be so bad but he's ordered a white one -house is painted cream.......I'd have preferred a dark colour....!!! Discussions now being had re door........:rolleyes:

Oh well, just one of lifes little niggles.