My home is a mess

bearcub

You're like me, jps, no obvious reason, so we obviously imagined it all! I'm glad you've picked up, though. Onward and upward!

YL, our garden is a mud bath, just because of the amount of rain we've had in the last couple of days. We now have standing water on the lawn and the borders, which is a bit annoying, considering I was just about catching up with the gardening. I'm glad your dog is ok, and I understand perfectly about the worry. Goodness knows what I'll be like when the equines reach the end - and they're both well into their 20s now. As for the weather, we had about 10 days of dry weather, first grey cold and windy, then sunny and mild. We, and the birds, thought spring was coming. In fact, the birds keep singing, but maybe they're crying out for the rain to stop! :rotfl:

As for de-messying, it all came to a standstill while DD was here, although I had done the vacuuming and dusting before she came. Not that she would have noticed otherwise, of course (although she probably does in her own house), but it needed doing, and I knew I wouldn't get it done while she was here. Today, I've swept the kitchen and conservatory floors (the last way overdue), sorted and folded washing. That's about it, really, apart from doing some of this month's newsletter, and starting to cut out card blanks for a card-making 'workshop' I'm supposed to be leading in the Easter holidays. I made a point of getting myself out of helping with kids' clubs almost as soon as I was persuaded to join the team, so quite how I've got into this one, I don't know. <sigh>

alec_eiffel

Glad to hear your dog is feeling better YL. I know just what you mean about how you feel when they're ill.

It's amazing hearing about the weather, it's been cold but gorgeously sunny here for the past few days. A friend sent me a photo of her garden yesterday -covered in snow! Weird.

Not sure what's going on today. I should do some more painting, maybe that will happen this afternoon. I've stuck some laundry in the machine and will hang that out. I've emptied the toiletries from the storage boxes that aren't really fit for the job but I have a plan for them. I've cleared out the junk drawer, pressed my quilt blocks and had a two minute tidy. Doing a bit more quilting at the minute then I'll get going.

Have a good day everyone.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hi Messies.
Alec E, re stuffing, I do like making my own if I`ve got fresh herbs and nice leftover bread to use up - but I admit I`ve often used tinned `Eezy Onions` in it!
My dislike of decorating includes hating the upheaval, like Bearcub`s. But, I also hate the smell of paint - even the `non- smelly` paint, I can sort of taste it for ages after. I do admit I like the planning stage if I feel inspired to change, but once I`ve got the colours, curtains, etc as I like them I tend to want to keep them for as long as possible, so it`s mostly about freshening up rather than getting fed up & wanting a change.

JPS, I`m glad you checked on your test results and they were ok, and Easter hols & well-earned break are close now(if not Spring, for which I`m seeing little evidence here at present!)

Bearcub, your DD2`s BF sounds a Treasure! I wonder how the workshop thing sneaked up on you...methinks you are too kind! Still, maybe if you emphasise that this is a `one off`, rather than a precedent....

YL, I`m glad your dog is better - I`ve had some sleepless nights over my old Daftie-dog too. Usually gets tummy upsets when she`s managed to eat the cat`s food! She`s pretty much blind and deaf, but she still manages to snaffle some every now & then however careful we try to be. Maybe in dogs it`s the scavenging instinct that`s last to go. She gets 2 tins of pilchards a week though (as well as her proper food) and that doesn`t upset her tum at all, just seems to have done her joints & coat good.

Mud - lots in our back garden too, and it`s trying to sneak indoors. No culprits other than me & OH re-filling the bird feeders, which involves some mud-wallow at present. By summer it`ll be waist-high in grass/weeds.
Spring - I saw a couple of Brambling on the feeders this morning along with all the usual feathered suspects - these birds have not felt any undue warmth of spring here and have not yet decided to leave for cooler climes. T`ain`t Spring yet awhile!!

Messy Status Report -
DS has swept & mopped kitchen floor, downstairs loo & inside back-door area for me. I`ve washed the mats, and the bathroom mats, and put down clean ones, and have cleaned both loos. Not a huge lot, but it all looks so much cleaner now and DS is probably going to try not to trash kitchen floor for a bit as he`s the one who cleaned it!
I`ve also spent a little over an hour on the phone to my best friend who I seldom see these days, that was lovely. She`s an ME sufferer, and hasn`t been well enough to visit (her parents still live near here) since last Autumn. Well, after a brief exchange of symptom-swapping we ended up having a good old reminisce and giggling like a couple of sillies, like we usually do! Very therapeutic.
Have a nice evening Messies, and keep warm! x

bearcub

Afternoon Messies.

It sounds as if DS is getting into the swing of things, now, Emms. wouldn't it be nice if it continued after you're all better? Mud is an occupational hazard with us, as are bits of hay and sawdust. I'm glad you had a good giggle with your friend - always picks up the spirits, doesn't it?

DD's bf a treasure? Hmm, not sure DD would agree with that , but he is a builder and decorator by trade. Actually, his trade is a plasterer but, since he stopped working for/with his dad, and gone solo, decorating has become his main work. So, he's going to be removing old wallpaper from our lounge walls, and skimming them where necessary, and re-pointing the walls at the back of bungalow. He's also going to re-board the ceiling in Mum's utility room as it came down shortly after she moved here, as the roof leaked. We'll pay the full going rate for his work, and the ferry fare, the latter being extortionate in the summer. It'll be good to have them here. Re the workshop, that in itself I have no problem with, but I don't like working with kids. I was at a meeting when this particular event was mentioned, and the organiser just looked at me and grinned, as if she expected me to help. Since it's pretty well-known amongst the churches that I 'do' cardmaking, it was hard to say 'no'.

Since the sun's been shining nearly all day today, OH and I were out in the garden again - OH in the greenhouse, and me in the front garden, pruning again. Atm, I feel we have to take advantage of the good spells so, when we only have the occasional opportunity, we can get out and fork over the borders. I have washed some BIG towels, though, and they've best part dried outside, and I've re-loaded the WM for tomorrow. Tuesday is Mum's hairdresser day, so I've been chauffeuring.

alec_eiffel

Forgot to say the other day, we have plenty of textured wallpaper. It was in every room, with different stuff on each ceiling! We've removed it all downstairs as the rabbits had begun the process anyway. That's probably why it's been such hard work.

Today I took a stand. I chucked some yeast away, it removes the last "I should make bread" guilt. I don't really eat bread (hence why we don't have any leftover to make stuffing, yeah, that's the reason!) I don't want to make bread, the oven costs a fortune to run so the yeast had to go. I of course forgot about pizza bases... I also hereby declare I will never again make soup. Made some today, wow it's horrible!

So that's my main progress for today. Did some more shuffling round, lots of paperwork is arriving with mortgage stuff. Our fixed period is ending and we're moving the loan elsewhere and will be saving £50 a month so that's better than a kick in the face. The decorating has ground to a halt as anticipated but I have hoovered. Swings and roundabouts for me.

Hope everyone is feeling well.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hi Messies.
Bearcub, that`s how they do it!! They make it hard to say `No`!
Maybe some practice...stand in front of a mirror, grin like the organiser, and shake your head...

I`ve just had some news this morning. Appointment for pre-op assessment this Friday morning, Op date 4th April, and it`s in `my` hospital. I was SO chuffed about the location I nearly dropped the phone. How daft that I`m almost euphoric at this news, but I suspect this will wear off as the date gets closer and nerves kick in a bit.
Meanwhile, I shall potter...

YORKSHIRELASS

Oh thats great news Emm, 4th April isnt long to wait either. Bearcub you are lucky to have had some sunshine this week, its been grey and cold here every day

Tomorrow I have a free day, nothing planned and no work so I am going to have a major cleaning and decluttering blitz. Want to get rid of some rubbish to the tip too.

Wish me luck!

bearcub

Afternoon Messies.

Emms, great news about the date and the hospital! Hang on in there, it'll soon be over.

Emm-in-a-pickle wrote: »

Bearcub, that`s how they do it!! They make it hard to say `No`!
Maybe some practice...stand in front of a mirror, grin like the organiser, and shake your head...

:rotfl: Our church leader told me much the same thing, and I had actually said no to something else. However, much better news is that we're starting a community craft group soon - for adults - and I shall be leading once a month. That I'm really looking forward to, as it's something I could imagine being popular. There's also going to be a fortnightly art group. All very exciting!

I hope your blitz goes well, YL!

Having majored on the garden while the weather was fine, de-messying here has been a bit hit and miss, but I have managed to get most of the towels washed and dried, and another wash done. Didn't do any washing while DD2 was here, and the washing basket is now just about closable. OH moved my chest of drawers in the bedroom, and bleached the wall behind it, to remove mould. We've had so much rain pouring down the garden (we have 2 levels), and it's collected in a corner between our bedroom wall and the conservatory. Past owners of the house have drilled and knocked holes in the mortar in the outside of that wall, including a huge chunk off a couple of bricks directly above and below the damp course which doesn't help the damp situation. That's one of the jobs we're hoping DD2's bf will sort for us, weather permitting. Of course, while OH was doing the bleaching, Garfy had to 'help'! I'm hoping that the removal of the mould will help reduce OH's cough, which is just going on and on. The GP has checked that it's not something else.

Miz day again but, at least we have had some sun this week.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Evening Messies!
YL, hope you`re enjoying your day "off" and making progress there - I`m quite envious when I hear of visits to the tip, I`m almost twitching to take some stuff but the huge `speed bumps` there are keeping me away for now!

Bearcub, well done on the garden & laundry, and Garfy & your OH on bleaching the mould, even if it`s only a temporary fix. Some folks are very sensitive to mould spores, so hopefully there`ll be less coughing now.

Alec E, your post re disposing of yeast make me chuckle. Don`t worry about pizza though, if my DGD`s efforts last weekend are anything to go by the packet mix stuff is just fine!

Messy Status Report
Spare room of Doom - now looks like Harvest Festival, after a quick trip to farmshop this morning. (Normally I`d stash veg in caravan of Doom but we`re expecting heavy snow tonight & over weekend, and accessing caravan could be a wellies job. Spare room is cold as radiator is always off, so it`ll be fine in there.)
Kitchen - after talking about HM stuffing the other day, and having some nice bread and a bunch of fresh herbs from fs today, I`ve made stuffing (using Cheat`s Onions, Ha!) and doing OH some stuffed lamb hearts, his favourite, as he`s been such a Cherub recently. I did get crumbs everywhere, but Daftie-dog found a lot, and I`ve cleared up the rest!
We have to be out early tomorrow for early appt., and I`m not looking forward to getting the car out of our road in the snow....I have got snow-shovel and rubber broom ready though, cluttering space inside back door.
Scarey, I`m getting into this `be prepared` thing...

alec_eiffel

Cheers Emm, I think ciabatta base and packet mixes will do the trick for me. I love the idea of a Harvest Festival room, I'd keep nipping in there for a look!

Sounds like everyone's been having a productive time, great work

We did a bit yesterday despite being out all day. We got up at usual time, had breakfast then got to it. I did all my minimum jobs plus sanded and painted the first coat on two more door frames. DH did another coat of preservative on the compost bin to-be (which is clearly not going to be built this weekend). The landing now looks loads better, there is only the sliding door aka The Magnolia Whale that hasn't be touched at all. I'm happy with that. Will slap on another coat today then I think I'll call it done for the time being and will brave the sliding door next week.

Keep warm, have fun.