My home is a mess

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hope you managed a lie-in this morning Pol, to make up for yesterday!
We`ve been over to Stoke today to return DGD to her mum, so not much done in house or garden, just a kitchen clean-up and 1 WM load. I`ve got a 12 hour shift tomorrow, so hadn`t intended anything heroic today anyway!
I`m cooking a nice bit of pork shoulder now, for tomorrow night, today we`re having bacon/egg/mushrooms/toms, so I`ll do ours early then DS can do his own later.

After tomorrow I`m not working again till next Saturday, so now that I`ve made a decent start outside I`m hoping to get a bit more jungle clearance done.

pollypenny

No need for a lie-in, Emm. I had a really good sleep last night, so up just after 8.

Lazed around with the papers, though, then walked down town for some exercise. The only work I've done is ckean the work tops and wipe paper print marks from doors. But bored, actually. Could do with tackling a cupboard, but too late now.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Nothing done indoors apart from the very barest necessities, cooking/washing up, and a couple of WM loads.

Sunday was a pleasant day at work, apart from the heat, even patients were saying it was too warm, lots of extra fans on lockers which made it a bit nicer for staff as well!

Yesterday I spent maximum time outdoors, clad in shorts and strappy top (BONUS- I couldn`t go shopping like that, so a no-spend day too!) It was bins day, so while bins were out I got stepladder and shears and lobbers and tackled the hedge-monster section behind where the bins live, at the side of the house. Again, I alternated between this stretching (VERY!) activity and the bending task of jungle clearing, and have reclaimed 2 large planter pots, and half a lost raised bed.
And made another big haystack. There`s not enough green bin capacity, so brambles/nettles/goosegrass, and woodiest bits of privet go in the bin straight away, the rest in heaps where they are least in the way. When I leave the jungle for a spell and attack the hedge monster the birds get in scoffing the newly exposed edible critters - robin and blackbirds having a great time!
This strategy is working well, again I`m happy to report that only my hands get achey, and apart from that I just get healthily tired. Also getting browner - thinking of all that extra naturally synthesized vitamin D rather than vanity!!

Today I have to go shopping, so am dressed appropriately but when I get back it`ll be shorts on and back outside to do more jungly stuff.

pollypenny

You're good. All I did was potter, then lounge about reading.

Going to pictures on the meerkats now.

mothernerd

I've had a very full day. Day 2 of putting in the new bathroom so prepared 3 buckets for mopping (getting bits of plaster off the floor in hte living room), 2 bowls for wiping and several (refilled) bottles to put in the freezer for drinking, before the water got turned off. Currently have 2 toilets and 2 sinks but can only use the old ones - new ones are in place but not plumbed in yet. Builders are making sure I have a sink and toilet overnight.

Tomorrow night I may have the option of a bath or shower wee hee.

Wrote a list and have done most of it. Tried to reduce the pile of stuff in my room so put knickers, socks and a t-shirt in drawers, hung up a dress and a pair of joggers, put pillowcases back on (not done quilt cover yet but haven't been using the quilt this week.

Paid a bill, cleaned the bathroom window (before builders came), pots away, recycling in bins (plus have ripped up about 7 large cardboard boxes including the ones that held the 8' x 4' panels for cladding the bathroom, did one load of washing, dried 2 (one put out last night), mended the single bed (took 5 minutes but have been unable to persuade any of the boys to turn it on it's side so I could do the bit that needed fixing).

Unfortunately the fridge which I was worried about a couple of weeks ago has died (along with most of the salad stuff). Not lost a lot - the stuff in jars was mostly little scraps at the bottom, the unopened jars are fine. But one more mess to be thoroughly cleaned.

We may have persuaded the laminate man to come. Unfortunately this means I have to paint the hand rail and balusters tonight so that they will be dry if he can do the flooring tomorrow. DS3 has just phoned, he couldn't remember how long he had been gone (we are on week three but I told him it's fine to stay longer). He wants purple curtains (oh dear). It's a trick question. I was thinking of painting the two old filing cabinets he uses as bedside cabinets (and possibly a feature colour on the chimney breast but that ship has sailed).

Did some painting late on yesterday and it has just had a little downpour which is making it cooler so fingers crossed I can do this. I was going to attack the weeds and brambles but ran out of time (not going out in the downpour). Luckily I had put the bins out before it started (including the disgusting salad items).

I don't care if I end up in bed for 2 days if I can get through the painting but I am loving the 'active' days (I do lie on the bed for little rests in between bouts of activity) - makes me feel like 'me' IYSWIM. Think the vitamin d tablets are helping although I do keep having a few minutes sit down in the yard (smothered in factor 30).

candygirl

Wowee, n well done at you active girlies! :j I've been busy with the Grandkids this week, as it's school holidays. We planted some seeds yesterday, n naughty dog has emptied the pots today :mad::rotfl:
We've had scorching weather for almost two weeks now, but had thunder n a massive downpour before, which has cleared the air

Emm-in-a-pickle

Mothernerd, I do know what you mean - my recent `active` days (albeit outdoors, and nowt done in the house!) make me feel much more like the old me. Maybe it`s also the `extra` vit D from the sun on my skin. I am on a calcium & D3 supplement already but I`m going for my annual Mammo and check-up next month, and I`m going to ask about maybe getting more in the winter months, it does seem to be making a difference.

Yesterday I tackled the bramble and nettle jungle around the rest of the raised bed, (and in it!!) and I`ve re-potted my bay tree into the huge planter pot I unearthed the other day. Then my olive tree got re-potted into the vacant bay tree pot. These live on the patio part at the side of the house, and I`ve also cleared the stuff growing in the cracks between paving slabs. I`ve filled a couple of medium planters with nasturtium plants, hope they succeed as I`ve not done well with them and some folks grow `em like weeds!
I`ve hacked a pathway to enable use of the second washing line, and on the other side as far as the apple trees which resulted in another haystack.
Previous haystacks have wilted/dried enough to be moved right down the garden to the edge of the plum thicket.
So now I can see that I`ve actually cleared quite a big area, bit by bit.
Next goal is to clear the bit under the apple trees, that`s mostly high nettles and buttercups (I`ve deliberately left the buttercups till now as the lavender is only just budding, and the goat`s beard spiraya(sp?) isn`t quite flowering yet, and there are so many bees around I don`t want to leave them short! The goat`s beard stuff is 2 massive clumps that are always heaving with bees, so once that is available for them there`ll be no need/excuse for `selective` jungle clearance! The apple & plum blossom is gone, and my bee hotels are full but that`s only the early Mason bees, and there are at least 2 bumble nests near the shed, plus the birdnest box on next door`s shed has bumble nest in it for 3rd year running.
I`ve postponed my visit to Abakhan with DD till next week, done no sewing, no cleaning. Living room floor needs a good mopping and fresh rugs, but I fear that once I start indoors I`ll lose my mojo for the jungle!
I also DESPERATELY need to slop some colour on my hair, it`s long overdue and I keep putting it off.
Maybe today...

Emm-in-a-pickle

Progress yesterday - I managed to clear half the apple tree ubdergrowth - there are 3 trees, one and half way rount hte middle one cleared.
If there`s a prize for the person growing the most goosegrass it should be sent to my house right now! (Horrid stuff!) I filled 2 black bin bags with it. Another new haystack, plus a pile of big nettles pulled up by the roots and wilting before disposal.
Then it rained, from 4pm onwards.
Not the `stray` thunderstorm the forecasts kept promising, they are still straying elsewhere perhaps - just a nice refreshing gentle pattering.

I still felt like doing stuff, so ended up cleaning the hob and colouring my hair. Both badly needed doing, so I think I can call that a productive day despite change s to plan.

Today I need to do minimal shopping (bread/milk/veg) and this afternoon off to Abakhan with DD. We were going to leave it till next week but weather change = change of plan. I`m working all day tomorrow, then off again for a week, so the house will get cleaned sometime. Happy days!

pollypenny

You've done very well, Emm.

We had our lawn boy to clear the bank at the side of the garden. Both our brown bins are crammed full and he took some stuff away, do no gardening this week.

The air smelled lovely after the rain yesterday. Surprising we only had a tiny leak in our covered way between house and garage. Last time it poured in.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Thanks Pol - I am feeling quite pleased with myself! I find that when I do stuff that results in seeing a big visible difference/result, I feel more motivated to do more stuff.
Hope the effect lasts.
Yes, the air did smell lovely after/during the rain. OH and I were at the back door remarking on it to each other and little Lily dog came out to join us, sniffing and wagging stumpy tail, as if she was joining in the conversation!