Learn to control money but do not allow it to control you

Butti

Firewalker wrote: »

Every week I'll check where I have got to - the distance between Manchester and Sofia is 1,383 miles so this is quite far.

You're running between Manchester and Sofia?
Won't you be needing goggles for this?

Memory_Girl

Firewalker wrote: »

I just came back from my run - the second one after my brief venture into middle age. Feels so good! So I have decided the following:

1) Over the next 52 weeks (a year) I'll run, walk and cycle 2,000 miles. Every week I'll check where I have got to - the distance between Manchester and Sofia is 1,383 miles so this is quite far.
2) Next October I'll run the Loch Ness marathon again. This is a challenge to Mr Bloater and all long distance runners here. Are you on?

Now dinner calls!

Firewalker

OOOhh!!! does that mean I get a Royal Visit in October then??:D

MG

Firewalker

Butti wrote: »

You're running between Manchester and Sofia?
Won't you be needing goggles for this?

Well, I'll be running around here but will be clocking the miles in the Nike+ thing. I will have to find out which town to the East is 2,000 miles away (my geography is not up to this, you see, so some help from OH may be needed).

FW

Firewalker

Memory_Girl wrote: »

OOOhh!!! does that mean I get a Royal Visit in October then??:D

MG

May be! How far are you from Loch Ness? Last time I run it we stayed in Fort William and there was over an hour drive to the meeting place where a bus took us to the top of a hill.

Btw, you may get a visit anyway - we don't need a reason to see you except yourself (and boys).

FW

Firewalker

'Mum, can we have a family evening tonight?' - asked my ten year old son yesterday. He had just had really good time. His friend stayed for a sleep over on Friday night, they were here most of yesterday then in the afternoon went to his friends to play on a game console we refuse to buy. When he wanted a 'family evening' though, I realised that I have shifted my focus again - from the things that really matter (the people in my life) to stuff I am doing only because these people matter.

What I am trying to say that creating wealth matters only because this wealth will be shared with the people in one's life; giving people the attention they need is part of wealth rather than it's consequence.

Last night, we had a family evening. DS3 and I snuggled on the settee, watching stuff on TV (had to put my foot down about Top Gear, though), chatting and the warmth and calmness flowing between us.

I probably should go and buy some marbles! Otherwise it is hard to keep things in their order. Probably because life is multidimensional and the paper order (priorities) don't work. Small change of powers can tip the balance and change the order.

Firewalker

Firewalker

Now I know! I know exactly why we shy away from tackling our draws, our cupboards and our under stairs spaces. Because our past lives there! Hoarding is not about keeping stuff at all; it is about stopping time!
Today I tackled a washstand we have in the hall; it has four draws – two small ones and two large ones. All these were full of stuff we have not touched for ten years; no kidding. So today was the day to deal with all that. Started nice and five minutes into the clear out this tide was rising in my lungs, drowning me and I was struggling for breath; tears were streaming from my eyes and...
...this is how it went for the whole forty minutes or so it took to throw away everything.
Every letter from my mum I found meant that I will never ever get a letter from her again; every card open a torrent of images and feeling; and the regret that this moment will never be again; every old diary was full of names I have almost forgotten.
All our ‘baggage’ is somewhere in our draws and cupboards; it is peeping from under the stairs and grinning from behind doors and corners. Today I got rid of some of it; while doing it I forgot about the future and was entirely focused on my regrets that I’ll never live the past. Hard, this was so hard...
It may be that minimalism makes sense after all – living in the moment and leaving the moment.
Firewalker

claudiac_2

So true FW, clearing out my clutter, the hardest things are the papers, cards and things from the children's schooldays, so I have now made up three boxes with lids, and in them are some of the things from each childhood, all lovely memories for me, and I will give the boxes to them at some point - when I reach the end of the declutter! I may be some time on that!

Happytogetdebtfree

Morning firewalker ((hugs)) well done on the sorting im sorry it brought so many emotions to the surface but im sure you feel thoughrly cleansed, the letters may not arrive again but the memories will remain and are always in the heart, just because we cant see or touch doesnt mean nothing is there and im sure if you woke at an early hour and whispered your worries to your mum she would be there in spirit, always guiding always caring and always on hand thats what i like to believe loved ones remain always in the heart and are only a memory away xxx

Firewalker

Last night I went to bed after a game of Monopoly (which I lost, of course, but OH didn’t win either; this time it was DS1). Went to sleep fine, was feeling good...and then....
I opened my eyes and the world was dancing around me in the darkness. Managed to get out of bed and go to the bathroom; it was a long walk – not so much because of the size of our bedroom (it is neither small nor palatial) but because of walking in zig-zag. Scary time in the darkness; I can’t explain what was wrong with me. It felt like the life force was leaving me, my muscles relaxing to a degree where they refused to work, my head spinning and my body going hot and cold – all at the same time. Completely not caring about anything else then life itself is the most scary thing: I was not worried about any of the small niggles of life, I was not worried whether I dribble or not – my whole focus was on re-gaining control, on taking back my life. Went back to bed and my thoughts were that the night before OH’s birthday is not the right one to die; or even to have a stroke.
This didn’t last long; but scary it was. Today, I am taking it easy – I probably will do some work on the blog but no demanding creating for me.
Hope this never happens again! Need to re-configure my life – bodies don’t send signals like this one for nothing.
Firewalker

claudiac_2

FW - First of all have some hugs and positive vibes from me. Second, is it not time for a health check for you, I mean it could be anything or nothing, but why take a chance, go and see a doctor and explain what happened.
Hope you feel better soon