Botanical blunderings on a budget - good life starts here.

Karmacat

Pippi! That wasn't a moan! Truly, truly, truly it wasn't. It was "I'm feeling down about this" - and then you went straight on to list, which was a great idea from lucielle. And a wonderful summary from maty, too

Notice that straight after you'd made the list, you cleaned the bathroom? And as for it beginning to be manky, I've found bathrooms can get very manky without ventilation after baths/showers and whatnot.

Books and DVDs ... I am *so* familiar with this problem ... but you don't have money to buy bookcases....and you often keep stuff you've bought to re-sell on ebay. Okay. Can you *make* any bookcases? You made the henhouse, after all. Will the landlord buy any? What about the ones you're reselling? Can you separate them out and put them somewhere dry but *out* of the house? Since Darwin isn't mobile at the moment, could you put them in him? And the packaging, of course. Its not permanent, but it will give you space to help move stuff around and you *need* that to get rid of stuff.

As for the recycling .... get it into the motor that you *do* use and take it next time you go! I know you've been there recently, do you pass it by at any other time?

I know how oppressive clutter is - honestly, you can get rid of it.

vl2588

Morning! Sounds like the polytunnel will solve your biggest problem in a way - the frustration of the Battle with the Elements! Good luck!

Cleaning can be fun when you get going, hope it is the same for you! Think you will get 'straight' again very quickly now

Have a nice day all!

Keiss_21

lucielle wrote: »

Stripes, I sort of know how you feel re the garden. I promised myself this year I'd keep on top of mine but once again its got away. Its so weedy I don't know where to start and we are a bit like the cobblers children, in that OH mends and sells lawnmowers, I haven't got one!!!!!! I keep waiting till he's mended one and giving it a test drive and at the moment with everything else going on things are mounting up. I've had a friend come round who said she'd give me a hand (I would pay her) but she hasn't materialised.

So, what I'm trying to say in my rambling, roundabout fashion is to may be concentrate on a small piece rather than the whole and I too could prctice what I'm preaching. On another note started planting my wellies yesterday.
L

Wow Lucielle, marvellous words of wisdom...I too have let the garden get away from me, despite all my efforts...had a six-day week a fortnight ago, so when I ventured back into the garden, the weeds had taken over, and I almost cried at all the work needing to be done. :eek:

Oh Pippi, the description of your house is amazing....wouldn't dare try to describe mine...also a tip . Love the word bourach! Much better than muddles, which is used round here.

Just take your time and work on one area at a time. Have you tried the flylady tip of setting a timer for fifteen minutes and attacking one area at a time. It's amazing how having that time limit makes you tackle the most obvious corners and makes you prioritise your tidying. It does work, then you can move onto another area (or stick with the same one ) for another 15 minutes. Have a tea/coffee break inbetween, or see to the chooks...this way you will see a visible difference and not be too kn*****ed at the end. It's amazing how much mess can bring us down sometimes.

DS2 is still down too..took him to the docs on Friday...and she is going to consult his diabetic doctor before recommending him seeing someone for more tests. She mentioned chronic fatigue syndrome :eek:
DH has a nasty cough and is generally feeling bleurgh, so not a very healthy household atm...hey hoh!

Should have a fun afternoon today though...helping out with a charity open garden event. I have made some chocolate & beetroot brownies (very scrummy!), and some plants to put on the plant stall...it seems I am mannig it, so should have fun.

Right, have to go and get all the plants ready and round the front. How many I have will dictate whether I take the estate or the mini!! :rotfl:

Have a great day everyone.

Unix...Thanks for your PM, I will reply soon, promise!

MrsMoo2U

Loving KCs post. Spot on there. I feel that "moans" are often just thinking out loud and once its out it can be dealt with. My lists also help me to work towards resolutions. See you have now done the wardrobe and the bathroom. I now have Mr C working to the 15 minute rule (he likes the idea and I find it very smiley when he says - right time for a 15 minute blitz) and it really works.

Pippi, if you know that you wont be there in 2-3 years then I think that the making nice of the house should definitely be about things that you can take with you. Bookcases are an essential by the sounds of it so I agree with KC , can you make some. Alternatively can you get any on freecycle if you have it up there. What about Mr Stripes going to local recycling centres/charity shops/freecycle near him and bringing one across on the ferry?

Right I need to get off my behind and take Moo out before getting my stuff ready for heading off. What a waste of a day having to iron and press uniforms PAH!

Karmacat

Hi Keiss, I remember you mentioning that mix before.... chocolate and beetroot. Is it a trade secret, or do you fancy posting the recipe? Beetroot's very healthy, you know

cherisong - loving your posts too, I namechecked you on my thread about the garden getting out of control ...

Keiss_21

KC and everyone else - here's the chocolate & beetroot brownies..enjoy!!

Like all brownies...they get gooier (sp?) and scrummy after a day or so.....if they last that long!! :rotfl: I always line my tin with baking parchment...much easier to get out of the tin .

Pippilongstocking

Hey you lot are ace

KC thats a good call - as there are starling babbies in darwin - he can't be moved.

DD tackling the living room - ds put the machine on with his washing and will get to the hoovering when he's *awake*

I've talked to dd - it was so much easier with the lodgers - we HAD to be tidy. We're epically revolting if left to our own devices - but I like order its the taxonomist in me.

I've tackled two boxes - and managed to fight my way into the coat cupboard - after hanging up 7 pairs of waterproof trousers and two large bags of hats/gloves etc have been unearthed - it kinda came home to me - we need alot more clobber for the weather here too. Hope we don't need those much this summer. They are now hung up.

I had thought about making bookshelves - will think about that more my brother made me a gate from the old bunkbeds when I was away - I need to bribe him more to be here

Love the brownie recipe - thank you keiss sorry to hear about ds (()) hope its not that - x

VL you're right too outside is VERY frustrating - but thats after I've made the money to sort that somehow.

Cheri - OH would be more likely to go to ikea - lol - which would sort it I guess - but I've looked in recycling places and charity shop - rather ironically a new bookcase (£60) cheaper than a recycled one (£150) which were all I could find. I've wood in the shed though and a brother who's handy at that kind of thing. Thank you!!!!

Back to tidying the hall and a dash about the diaries.

Any tips on NOT looking like your mother?

I'm working at 12 today - garden plant sale at work - helping out with that - which will be grand - but a trip into town -so will take a load to the tip too (thank you KC ) Iwas keeping the jars and the tins but the tins tbh I've no idea what I'll use them for so maybe I can take them with a clear head?

Kisses all round!

Pippilongstocking

Ok I've found the hat bag - now I'm just having fun trying on hats! Lol sad I've found my favourtie autumn hat at the start of the summer - oh well - wearing it anyway - cleaning in a hat - far more interesting!

Found 21p hows that for a result - hats AND money

MatyMoo

vl2588 wrote: »

Cleaning can be fun when you get going,

You have a very strange idea of fun IMO :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Pippilongstocking

Maty I love cleaning, cooking and weeding - I've very odd

Cleaning in a hat is IMO more glamourous! In pruple tartan pjs - blue sandals and a green t shirt - and a brown hat - hmm maybe not very glammy!

I've got all the milk bottles into bags (3 carriers of them) - I'm keeping all the 2 ltr bottles for watering plants upstairs and down stairs (keep them full in the loo/bathroom - 4 up stairs, 3 downstairs - easier to water plants that way watering can doesn't fit under the taps in those sinks)
All the tins - two bags - they can get recycled today - was keeping them to use them for something - but I can't fathom what.

And ALL the jars into a big box - they aren't going for recycling but they are at least in ONE place now. They are for making/saving food later on and jam etc - honest