Week 2 - There's so much we can do.

In_Search_Of_Me

Just popping in to introduce myself! Good friend said that I would like your diary (have just been doing subsccribed ones this year!) so here I am! Not great at lurking tbh!! Re projects/things to do - how about going for a walk - you live in Brighton and have the most gorgeous pier etc and you could have a lovely afternoon out for the price of a coffee (or free if you take a flask!)...am very jealous of you living there but can understand that it would be hard not to spend with all those lovely shops lol! Anyway just wanted to say hi! Im off for a bath and then cleaning out the bearded dragon and trying to stop the cat eating him!

RubySewSew

Cheery!!! So happy to have you back! Have missed you! Did you have a fantastic time?

In Search of Me - so lovely to have you on board! Welcome, welcome! (and ps, a little bit flattered!)

Have a very naughty confession to make before I even start. I have a puppy arriving tomorrow! Shhh, don't tell anyone!

Back story:
Woke up to boys fighting this morning and felt terribly terribly alone. Went out to chickens and it was really mild out. Was itching, itching to start digging but felt a bit out of my depth with planning etc. Came in, had a cup of tea and got my gardening books out. So...

Realised I HAD to get boys out of the house today. Hmmm, what to do. Had a text around to see if anyone else wanted to come out and play. Arranged to go and see friend who has 2 new puppies in afternoon. Decided on swim - making the most of free swimming for kids whilst we still have it. So...

Cleaned kitchen down and stripped turkey for sandwiches and stock. Made the kids their first 'proper' lunch in I don't know how long. Finished with homemade chocolate brownies Then headed off for swim. DS2 made a friend the second we arrived and DS3 was deliriously happy bobbing around by himself so spent some quality time with DS1 encouraging him to swim his first ever length. He didn't quite make it but had a jolly good crack at it and I finally got my body working.

Went straight on to see lovely old pregnancy friend and her kids and her new puppies. Don't see her very often as our kids are not well matched enough. They had made a surprise decision to get a new pup having never had any pets and ended up with 2 dogs but struggling. Spent afternoon rolling around on floor with puppies only to discover she is looking to rehome the 2nd one. Oh no!

So, long and short, heart over ruled head and now I am finally, finally getting a puppy. Despite everything I have said. I need a lifestyle change. I'm not naive enough to fix this on a fluffy little hairball but I am wise and insightful enough to know that over the last couple of years I have become more and more orientated to my home and my garden and my family and that in order to be more active I need something that reflects that. And I really hope that a dog is the right decision. I need to change my priorities. Something else I know about myself is that I spend weeks thinking over a decision and playing it through before suddenly making the decision absolutely on impulse. Having done all of the emotional and practical research.

Today has brought home to me how lonely I feel as a single parent. It is such a singular activity raising children when there is nobody to share your interest, passion, drive, worry, concern, desire and hopes with. I can't change being a single parent but there are other things I can take control of.

Will update you tomorrow!

Cheery_Daff

Gosh ruby, that's a big decision! Hope it works out well for you all

(and I'm not back, I'm sneakily spying on the internet on holiday - oh dear! :rotfl:)

In_Search_Of_Me

oh dear - friend was right - we are quite alike...heres what I got on Christmas eve...

also managed to justify it to myself!! Hopeless...!! Look forward to puppy pics and wont tell you off cos as Gaspar the bearded dragon so obviously confirms that would make me a hypocryte! hehe! Off to have my Christmas present of massage and reflexology session! Thank you for being flattered by my presence although am unsure why lil old me causes flattery but thank you regardless! Right off I go - must shave legs!

RubySewSew

She's arrived! A little furry black ball of energy and destruction! The first day was heavenly, she was all displaced and cute and cuddly and worn out and sleepy. The second day she was like a miniature tornado! Don't get me wrong - she is a lot of fun but she is going to be a lot of hard work as well. She is highlighting the things in my house that need to change - the things I haven't had the energy to get on top of and that have been making me miserable. And now, as part of a new year and a year start I am going to find the energy. I am hoping that she will help to give us some common ground as a family, help energise me (walking her every day!), help me lose weight and get fitter, keep on top of the cleaning and housework (by wanting to spend more time at home and by making sure that everything is off the floor and out of reach!). I know this sounds idealistic and maybe even naive. I have a tendency to over commit and prioritise wrongly. She will force me to prioritise differently. I can't wait until we can start walking her!

Have made a start on the Christmas laundry. Dishwasher seems to be running full 2 or 3 times a day at the moment. Have cleared half the shelf in the kitchen - sorted through cookery books, some for storage, some for charity shop and have consigned motorbike helmet to the loft as the boyfriend does not currently have a bike. And dug the chicken **** into the garden. Still in my pyjamas!

I took the Christmas decorations down today. I'm happy to do the build up but once New Year is done I like to clear up and get ready for a fresh start. I like space and light and air. I moved quite a lot of furniture to put the tree up so have a few bare areas which need some attention. Have a hideous area of exposed wires and exposed damp - bleurgh. I'm not sure how to cover it or disguise it. For now, I've popped in a little nest of tables and taped all the wires to the wall but it is pretty ugly still. That was a job that needed doing on account of the puppy chewing the wires and pooping on them! Next job on today's agenda was to take down the disgusting, ratty, ill fitting muslin curtains at the front window. They have been making me miserable for ages. Have replaced them with panels of window frosting stickers on the lower half of the window so we have privacy. Will ask my lovely sewing friend to help me make some blinds. It took me ages and I'm trying not to be OCD about it! I cut the middle panel 5cm too short despite triple checking! Grrr! And don't have enough to cut a new piece. So I can - get a new roll (£5.99), patch it with some leftovers or border it with something else (£5,99).

Have just enough left to do the bathroom window to that is opposite the shower and currently looks straight into next door's kitchen!! Total fix £12.

Am keeping a running total on doggy costs to. Neither the DIY or the dog come into the budget so will have to sell stuff to cover those extra costs. Dog is running at £100 so far and DIY at £12.

I also spent £4 on a Orla Kiely shopper bag from Tesco. Thought it fitted in nicely with my 'more colour' goal. And it gives me pleasure just seeing it in my kitchen. Even willingly left the house with it New Year's Day to buy breakfast supplies!

Start my new job on Tuesday - just a couple of hours for inset day then into the classroom on the Wednesday. I kind of want the house cleared down and ready by then. Not going to happen to the standard I'm hoping for but I will have to adjust my expectations!

Right. I have a potato pie in the oven I need to see to. Boys are washed and ready for bed but nobody has had their dinner yet. Dog has slept non-stop for the last few hours. Don't know if that means we will have a peaceful evening or not! At least we now have a safety gate up to confine her to the kitchen if she gets to mad!

In_Search_Of_Me

Does the ball of energy have a name or a brand?!! Good to hear that she is settling...bet its like having a baby in the house lol! Except one you have to walk...there are some really good web sites that give you advice and info on the breed if you look her up!
Sounds as of youre feeing motivated! Can you blow some this way! Happy new year!

RubySewSew

Her name is Molly. She's a black lab collie cross.

Just spoke to one of my very best friends and colleagues. Feeling fired up to get the co-operative up and running. So, yes, I am feeling motivated. However, I am not sure how I'm going to get up at 7am tomorrow! I haven't got up before 10 for 2 weeks!

Right, bacon sandwich and more coffee. Then I need a plan!!

RubySewSew

I have been a very good girl today. Have just renewed my car insurance (£8 pm cheaper!) and registered with Inland Revenue online ready to do my self assessment. And cleaned the kitchen and front room ready to start work tomorrow.

Any suggestions for the best way to piggy bank? I have 5 different categories to save for and would prefer to keep them separate. I could open 5 different basic saving accounts. Does anybody have any experience of this? I want it to be as simple as possible.

Going to check out flylady tonight and see how to keep on top of cleaning and still have some semblance of a life. I have no idea how to fit everything in. I wanted to spend some time with the kids today but have spent the whole day cleaning and clearing. I'm hoping maintenance will be simpler but know how quickly it can get out of control.

Have spent a bit of time writing an action plan for co-operative/business. I have to finalise some admin for my contract work, submit tax and get on with getting in some clients. I also need to get some ebay stuff online and maybe some craft/furniture to as I have a defecit to make up for the month. Can't believe I've spent £200 not in the budget already this month without even trying! Whoops! Better start earning to make up for it!

RubySewSew

I'm so tired! This is just a quickie because I need to go to bed and the flylady says I have to plump my cushions and shine my sink before I do.

Went into new school for a few hours this afternoon. Inset day so no kids and my one to one is going to be off for another couple of weeks which gives me a chance to ease myself in gently. My hours will be 11.40 until 3.15 which is what I wanted but I just realised what am I going to do about eating lunch? I don't get a break so will either have to eat before or after!

I'm so tired I can't concentrate! I think it's the early morning that has wrong footed me. Right, stop moaning and start my bedtime routine!

RubySewSew

Dropped the boys off at school this morning for their first day back altogether. Came home and cleaned out the chickens and fed them, swept down the garden and dug over the beds. The cats have been in, albeit upstairs only, to feed today and yesterday so I'm less worried about the impact of the puppy on them.

Despite my tiredness last night I hauled myself off the sofa and cleaned up the kitchen and shined my sink. And the flylady was right it did make me smile this morning when I got up! My sink is never clear usually. It is often clean but there is always something draining because the only time I clear it is when I'm about to wash up again! I think that is a big issue with how I do things - I clean and tidy constantly but never see the results as it is so circular. Clearing the sink focused me on my morning activities today. The other thing that has really helped is deciding what to wear before I go to bed. I spend so much time in the morning stood in front of the wardrobe fretting!

The one thing I haven't been able to affect is the tiredness. Got to bed at 11.30 last night and was meant to be up at 7. Which to be honest isn't really going to be early enough once we start walking to school in the morning. It took me 30 minutes to wake up this morning! And once I started making lunch I realised they had all forgotten their lunchboxes so I gave up and paid for hot school dinners instead. I factored some 'emergency' school dinners into the budget but didn't expect to use them up on the first day back!

So house is pretty clean and tidy. Except my bedroom which is a state. Or storage facility. There are a few big clearance/sorting jobs that I need to do post Christmas and I MUST get on with business focused stuff but I am struggling to find the energy. I know it sounds pathetic but the early mornings have wiped me out. I'm sat writing now and I feel this oppressive, muggy tiredness pulling at me. It's so frustrating!

Ok. Have to go to work in a bit so I'm going to do something useful. I might even have a little nap to see if that gives me the energy I need for the rest of the day. Made sure I've eaten properly. Had cereal at breakfast time and just finished up scrambled egg on toast. Will have a salad when I get home from school so that I have had 2 small lunches. Then eat something proper for tea.

Hope Molly won't mind if I have a snooze...