Start of my downshift from full time to part time work

Mrs_Optimist

Already work 4 days per week but from Jan have dropped an extra 2 days per month (wrking 4 one week, 3 the next) for the same pay! So looking forward to having some "me" time as currently I spend my "day off" doing housework so I have the weekends free for family time. That means people like my parents don't get as many visits as I wuld like - that will change soon.....

Amishwannabee

Cancelled my veg box this week as have other bits to use up and took a look at what was coming and not really up for fennel bulbs or beansprouts this week. Rather choose what I want myself with what we decide to eat.
Kaz - the meat delivery sounds great idea - we don't have space for a chest freezer though so no good for us.
Mrs O- great to hear that you are dropping hours but keeping pay - what a result! agree that doing chores before the weekend makes life so much more fun. If for some reason, I have to hoover or iron at the weekend - which does still happen of course, it does irritate me but sometimes cannot be helped. Own time is the blessing - time to visit people you don't see a lot although sometimes I must admit I enjoy my own time too much and begrudge making arrangements to meet up for coffee even when asked. Is it my age do you think?

Amishwannabee

Productive day yesterday and hope for another today. Swept the entire block paved driveway and weeded it so looks immaculate again. Went to gym and had a good workout. Made cake and a gooseberry crumble for tea - gooseberries were frozen earlier in the summer and were delicious. Today, hope to go for a walk, do food shop as quickly as possible as we need something for dinner, maybe use some Nectar points to take DD to cinema to see Johnny English - depends on how much homework she has to do though.
Foggy here at the moment but let's hope that bodes well for sunshine again later.

Amishwannabee

Had a lovely day today - no kids at home so packed up a picnic and went for a 5 mile walk at seaside with OH. All my freckles have come out again - it was so bright although windy - feel very summery though again. OH was lucky when he went to buy a pot of chimney flue cement as the guy in the shop gave him a pot for nothing as the top half had gone hard and he could not have sold it anyway. Very kind of him. :T
Money we saved we bought 2 lottery tickets for tonight and a bag of chips to share with our sandwiches! yummy. Sat on the seafront, watching the wind and kite surfers having a ball and ate our lunch. Who needs loads of money on a day like today?!
Came home - washing all dry on line / airer in garden so can put it all away quite quickly.
Time to go and make a quiche for tea and then watch a bit of tv this evening - anything but xfactor though.

Amishwannabee

Well it is November but the weather is still so mild. Picked last of the raspberries yesterday (!) so we will have trifle at Christmas sometime.
Shorter hours at work going well and still keeping up with my workload there so no one is complaining.
Have spent 2 hours this morning unbunging the outlet pipe of washing machine as it was overflowing at the back. Could have just called a plumber in I suppose but got the kettle boiling and put soda crystals solution and a bendy bottle brush down the outlet and hey presto! all cleared - eventually. Also removed the trap from the kitchen sink to clean it from that way too, and all in all was rather a grotty job but very satisfying when finished. Told OH that I charged £30 an hour which he thought was hilarious. As don't have to go back to work till midweek, don't feel that I have lost my Saturday at all which I would have felt like before I went part time.
Result at shopping this week too - bought a bottle of Baileys at MrS for less than £10 and saw they were back up to £17 a bottle today. Also bought a bottle of port for half usual price. So glad that we save each month for Xmas as these things did not have to come out of normal grocery money and are now tucked away.
Saw a friend for the first time in a number of weeks and she told me that she could see I had lost weight and how well I was looking. I was so grateful to her as it is easy to get demoralised when losing weight and think I am not getting anywhere, but this has spurred me on again. Have actually lost 1 stone 2 lbs now but lots to go. Gym again tomorrow.

Amishwannabee

Just had payday and trying to be very careful for the next couple of weeks - just want to challenge myself really whilst OH abroad with work.
Plan to:
Use up food in freezer as much as poss;
Use car as little as poss to save on the diesel;
Use woodburner in the evening when needed and switch off central heating - still have it come on in morning though when all getting up in the house;
Bake bread every couple of days instead of buying it;

Additionally, going to have a good clear out of kitchen cupboards this week before I go back to work and see what needs chucking or replacing - this will include medicines etc.

Check on Xmas gifts purchased and yet to purchase and get the decs etc down from loft to make sure lights work etc.

Go back to work for a rest....

Amishwannabee

Back to work today - cooked up 2 meals yesterday - some to eat in next day or two and some to freeze and made bread. We are well stocked up now for quite a few meals which makes things easier while at work. Item I had put on Freecycle finally was collected after 3 attempts - people email to say they want then don't turn up!! can't understand why when things are free.
Kitchen cupboards not fully sorted yet but started so that is ongoing. Seem to be doing fine with Xmas gifts - not much left to get.
Off to work shortly - NSD ahead.
When I get home - must reoffer another item on Freecycle - same problem as previous; do a bit of knitting.

Kaz2904

Well hello again . Very shortly I will be stripping my ahllway down and my MiL is coming over to help me paint it. DH went mad last night when we both started on him about the state of the hall but I am so sick of it. I have said that I don't need it plastered, I just want it done so that it's not hideous in the first part that people see. I have everything here which I need to do it so it won't cost me any money and it will look a darn site better when it's done. I'm very tempted to paper it with lining paper to hide the lumps and bumps and then DH won't feel he has to plaster it.
Have been making some wonderful cakes recently and the children really enjoy having home-made cakes in their lunches.
I have finished knitting my first cardigan and am 1/3 of the way through my second cardi. I do find that they are so much warmer. I will finish casting on the sleeve tonight and may get a fair amount of it done but that all depends on the state of my hands I suppose!

Amishwannabee

Hi Kaz - well done on starting the hall - know what you mean when it gets you down. My OH is just the same though - really precious about decorating but sometimes you just want a quick fix rather than all the plastering mess etc. We used a very heavy weight lining paper on our hall and then painted and it has looked good for the last few years so glad we did that but I was not permitted to touch any of it when it was a job in progress!
Made a choc cake yesterday and nearly half of it is gone already! HM cakes always go down so much better.
Must get on with my knitting as have been putting off - gets too late in evening and can't concentrate very well. Will get it finished soon I hope.
Nearly off to bed - seemed a long day at work today and have to be up nice and early to get train tomorrow. Take care.

Kaz2904

I wouldn't even mind the plastering mess but he won't do it! He'll just sit and grinch about it needing doing! Have put 3 coats of white paiont up there now and it's still looking pretty dire but much brighter. Just can't wait to get it finished