Am I having a midlife OS crisis?

dandy-candy

Argh I trying to do everything and actually doing nothing!

I want to live the OS dream:
Make my own bread, soap, cleaning products, jams, herbal remedies.
Sew and knit my clothes and furnishings.
Grow lovely organic veg.

And what is happening? I have endless piles of books on Gardening, self sufficiency, soap making etc that i never read beyond 2 chapters; my veg plants get full attention for two months until I forget to water them; my garage is full of old jam jars and bottles I never get around to filling; I have two cupboards full of fabric and wool which never get opened....

I have the attention span of a flea. I don't know what's wrong with me. I want to have a cosy house and full larder like a mouse in Brambly Hedge. Instead my home is like Steptoe's yard!

Am I trying too much at once? Or am I just fickle? I don't know how to get organised and cope. I really want to achieve this, I've dreamt of this lifestyle since I was a teen and I'm 40 now - am I the only one getting it all muddled? Please give me pointers!

System

You love the idea.... you just be @rsed with it.

My hubby had the same idea about the greenhouse. It was a great idea but when push came to shove he couldn't be bothered with it. This year is the first year we haven't grown anything in it.

thriftwizard

Dandy-candy, you're just trying to do too much at once! I do it all the time... just pick one project & stick with it until it's done. A degree of prioritisation helps; make jam when the fruit's available (summer & autumn) knit or crochet when you can't get out much (rainy days, early sunsets) or pick small things like Granny Squares which you can pick up, do a few, then leave for 6 months with no ill effects.

Mind you, I've been trying to do this for years & I suspect I'm still only halfway to Brambly Hedge!

elsien

Sounds a bit like you like the idea more than the practice. And are aiming for too much at once. Or possibly both.
Which ones do you really enjoy, and which ones do you just feel you "should" be doing to get the lifestyle? Prioritise one or two that you really get a buzz from, and put everything else aside for now.

I like the theory of making my own bread. The practice is that I never have enough time because I'm knackered when I get home from work, plus it comes out like rocks. But I love gardening, the outdoors and will always find time for my veg regardless of how tired I am. So for me, that's my starting point.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

Depending on whether I want jams or jellies or other...

I freeze all the fruit and when the freezer can't cope any more and I have all the strawbs/rasps etc from the season; I make jam.

Or

I come home each night after picking/scrumping and put the fruit straight into the pan; cook it down and strain it overnight. Then it goes in the fridge or freezer for making jellies or cordials. Cordials at the moment as everyone is so hot and bothered all the time. Jellies later in the year; will probably make a huge an all in jelly around October time. I have redcurrants and damsons in the sink straining right this minute...

Soapmaking is a pita - life is too short...my cleaning products come from splosh...and I don't make my own clothes anymore but I am crocheting a red cape for the winter...

But I do grow loads of veg, as that's my job.

Fruball

dandy-candy wrote: »

Argh I trying to do everything and actually doing nothing!

I want to live the OS dream:
Make my own bread, soap, cleaning products, jams, herbal remedies.
Sew and knit my clothes and furnishings.
Grow lovely organic veg.

And what is happening? I have endless piles of books on Gardening, self sufficiency, soap making etc that i never read beyond 2 chapters; my veg plants get full attention for two months until I forget to water them; my garage is full of old jam jars and bottles I never get around to filling; I have two cupboards full of fabric and wool which never get opened....

I have the attention span of a flea. I don't know what's wrong with me. I want to have a cosy house and full larder like a mouse in Brambly Hedge. Instead my home is like Steptoe's yard!

Am I trying too much at once? Or am I just fickle? I don't know how to get organised and cope. I really want to achieve this, I've dreamt of this lifestyle since I was a teen and I'm 40 now - am I the only one getting it all muddled? Please give me pointers!

You sound just like me!!! Full of marvellous ideas and get started but never finish!!!

No advice but if you find the answer, do let me know! :rotfl:

carlamarie_2

Sorry I can't help you, but I am feeling quite happy that im not the only one who struggles with this!

dandy-candy

elsien wrote: »

Which ones do you really enjoy, and which ones do you just feel you "should" be doing to get the lifestyle? Prioritise one or two that you really get a buzz from, and put everything else aside for now.

As much as I love a nice garden, I have to admit I hate being cold and wet....so I guess that idea is out.
I'm actually really good at baking cakes and bread, but I then scoff them and pile on the weight!
As fruit harvest time is here I think I will have a bash at some jam making and a fruit gin.

dandy-candy

thriftwizard wrote: »

Dandy-candy, you're just trying to do too much at once! I do it all the time... just pick one project & stick with it until it's done. A degree of prioritisation helps; make jam when the fruit's available (summer & autumn) knit or crochet when you can't get out much (rainy days, early sunsets) or pick small things like Granny Squares which you can pick up, do a few, then leave for 6 months with no ill effects.

Mind you, I've been trying to do this for years & I suspect I'm still only halfway to Brambly Hedge!

You are absolutely right. Flakiness runs in my family, I have become my mother. I love a new idea, throw myself into it for five mins then get bored and move on to something else! I am going to try and finish something completely first this time.

Fruball

I once had the fantastic idea of making sloe gin... Went out immediately and collected a whole carrier bag of sloes (I didn't know how many I needed!) and then they sat in the freezer for a year!!!

By the time I got around to making it, I was pregnant so it sat for almost another year before being drunk!!!

stormbreaker

Judi wrote: »

You love the idea.... you just CAN'T be @rsed with it.

Yes that's exactly what I was thinking as I sooooooooooooo can relate to the OP.

Truth is.............I am a lazy dreamer!!!:D