Start of my downshift from full time to part time work

Amishwannabee

Hello to all. Sun is shining - hurrah! New found time off has been useful again - garden looking better every day and house too I think. Made lovely celery and blue cheese soup yesterday - celery came in the veg box and can't stand the stuff but don't mind it as soup - cheese had been frozen in Jan when it was going cheap so quite a reasonable snack overall and very yum. (Thanks to Delia). Also made bread yesterday and a cake.
Went to a lovely crafts fair /sale yesterday with DD and had a look round and felt very inadequate when I saw some of the things people can do. Considering going to a class with one lady who does a type of quilting that I really fancy and the end products are super. Will have to think about it but having more time will help. However, have currently got a knitting project and a small cross stitch to finish so must concentrate on them first. However, saw 2 lovely craft books by Tone Finanger and have purchased via Amazon after seeing them at the show.
Been to the gym for running and a swim and doing aqua again Tuesday. Today - garden again, ironing, go for a walk and maybe dive into the depths of my wardrobe to start a declutter - will do a 15 minutes and no more.
Happy days to all....

Amishwannabee

Rummer wrote: »

I would love to work part time but for me it is a distant dream.

Not too distant a dream hopefully Rummer - could you even consider a day less perhaps or is it just not feasible?

onlyroz

Presumably in some families it's the men that go part time? In a few years, when our daughter is at school, I think we'd like to look into my husband reducing his hours - for the sake of his sanity and so he can spend some more time with the kids...

Amishwannabee

Have not commented on here for AGES!! but have time and inclination to start again today.
Just after my last post on here in mid April when all seemed to be going great - totally out of the blue I suffered a back injury which has had me in agony, on medication and feeling downright rubbish. Have been unable to go to gym, was off work for nearly two weeks, have to see physio weekly which costs a bomb and all just after my money dropped and I thought I had all this time to do so much. Very disappointing.
Family and friends have been amazing and supportive and I am so grateful to them. :beer:
Just feel that I have missed so much - Easter hols, bank hols, all because I cannot walk very far and really cannot drive.
However, if I look at this as a glass half full scenario - my work place would only expect 3 out of 5 days work in a week anyway; I cannot go to any shops so cannot spend anything;I can do my knitting and reading without feeling guilty!
Have to say that the last few days I have felt a lot better but I must not start overdoing things as I will go back again - I know this to be true as I did a couple of weeks ago and then felt as bad as I did in the first week for a day or so!
Grrrr ... to getting older and thinking I can still do everything at full pelt. Yoga,Pilates and Aquacise from now on I think.

Amishwannabee

Things I can do today: put on some washing as it might come out sunny later - hurrah! send off a complaint regarding my car service (long story and won't bore you); sort out online banking and bring all up to date; do a little bit of ironing - sitting down though; do my physio exercises regularly during day.

Our garden is looking very nice this year thanks to my OH's efforts and not mine sadly. We currently have broad beans, French beans, tomatoes, gooseberries, blackcurrants and raspberries all looking great. What was most amazing though was that some of my sweet peas from last year self seeded and we have had the most wonderful scented flowers to pick for the last few weeks - all that cold weather did not deter them.

busiscoming2

Amishwannabe I hadn't seen your thread when you originally posted it, but read it and was getting quite excited for you - until today's post

Sorry about your injury but pleased you are feeling more capable!

Keep us updated, meanwhile I must get back to my cleaning before work!

CH27

Hope your back is better soon. Being in constant pain is so draining.

Kaz2904

I wondered where you had gone. So sorry to hear about your back.
In the time that you've not been here, I have been busy cracking on with making a quilt for our 10th wedding anniversary (last Thursday- but the quilt's not finished yet ). I have also been getting the house painted slowly but surely and am getting rid of clutter that is not needed.
I am on a one off night and need to pop to the garage tomorrow morning to see if they can fit me in. When I do get home though, I plan to have a little sort out of the cupboard in my utility room to see what else I can get rid of from in there. Then I will be able to put all of the gardening bits and pieces in there and get rid of tubs of slug pellets from the top of my kitchen cupboards. I have to get them cleared so that I can finish off painting the utility room and move into cleaning and decorating the kitchen.
I tiled the utility room so the left over tiles and paraphernalia has all gone now which gives me so much extra space.
I need to crack on and paint so that I can make the blinds for the utility and downstairs loo. It's all coming together nicely.
Yesterday I did naff all though
Hope your back gets better soon

Sagaris

I will watch this thread with interest - I'd love to drop a day a week but financially it would be difficult - stuff to pay back for both of us. Plus we are hoping to move in the next year or so (DH's company is moving but no relocation money) plus I'm the main breadwinner and the mortgage is in my name, so I need to stay as I am for now.

Plus as a Council worker, the powers that be are looking at ways to cut back all the time - I don't want them deciding to do away with my job altogether. A colleague is already doing 4 days a week and as there will only be 2 of us in our department next year I should think it would be impossible! Never say never though. I have been using odd days of holiday etc for the past couple of weeks and it's amazing what I can get done around the house, a 4 day week would be lovely!

Perhaps if I keep reading this thread and seeing what everyone else accomplishes, it might make me change my mind!

skyvicky123

I love this thread! I also work part time 3 full days a week. I do a childcare sharing arrangement with a friend so on my 2 days off I effectively childmind - having x 2 2.5 year olds which makes it harder to get things done!

However...this all stops in July and I get my 2 days back with just DD which will be really lovely.

Long term plans are to have a career change when DD starts school which will mean either working more hours or studying.

I try to squeeze in as much as I can on my days off. Getting all the housework done and at least one main activity with the girls, dog walked etc and often plan to cook a more time consuming meal and freeze a portion for a busier day. I always do food shopping in the evenings without DD as I can concentrate better and can pick up the best bargains on the reduced counter!

I really would like to find the time to squeeze in an exercise class and swimming once a week. This will have to be evenings though.