Get It Done Weekly Challenge

mothernerd

List for Week commencing Sunday 17th May 2015

1) Boiler Pressure has gone, tank needs refilling but can't remember which screw to turn (can remember standing there with plumber whilst he showed me but hen it goes blank). Can't find his number so will contact builder who recommended him.

2) Sort latest energy supplier mistakes.

3) Remake all pillowcases. Washed them all before DS3's birthday sleepover and some are now very strange (most have already been remade twice).

4) Continue quilt/ sampler sewing.

5) Take mum's cushions to her.

6) Food from stores -buy more carrots/ apples/ bananas if needed (trying to eat raw as snacks to increase fruit and veg/ cut out bad snacks).

7) Review Year of Happiness Some topics I did not fully take on board. have some supplementary reading from library. may join on-line forum to get help with bits i "didn't get". Re-visit some of the Ted talks to increase my motivation.

8) Continue to de-clutter for cash if possible. Definitely something I want to do more of. I tend to end up with things people think 'should be kept in the family' just not at their house. Then every few years I start to feel as though I am surrounded by 'dead people's stuff' and I am sure it affects my energy levels. I have my memories of the people, I don't need the bashed up furniture. It was easier when the boys were small as there was much more natural wastage - when the doors are falling off and there are more broken drawers than working, it's easier to identify things that no longer have a purpose.

9) Some de-stressing required. Had just worked out what the energy company had done wrong (need to write it out and tell them what they need to do to put it right) and decided to have a dvd and resting day. Went downstairs to do the mountain of pots so that I could relax without feeling guilty and there was no hot water. Interpreted the symbols by using the manual, boiled three kettle fulls of water to wash the pots and turned house upside down (well all paper work bits) trying to find the card with the boiler man's number on (have written the date of installation in the address book but not his number), gone through phone but it only stores recent numbers and his was in last October when I first got the phone and hadn't learnt how to store them. Anyway at one point a pile of newly washed pots slid on the drainer and an old (not important) dish fell off.
Only significant because I hardly ever break a dish and it usually means a lack of inner calm. Dealt with broken pot and subsequent small cut on left thumb ok.

10) Sleep pattern was much better but a little off the past two days - feeling tired, can't sleep when I try so end up reading on and off during the night.

11) Housework in 15 minute chunks. Happy with things I have done but will help with sleeping and not feeling guilty about relaxing activities and will help calm me when feeling agitated.

dannie

dannie wrote: »

Hi mothernerd and list-makers,

Thanks for your posts and message (#635) mothernerd. Before I read your message, I had been feeling dispirited about my weekly (life) tasks and had thought "scrap it" regarding the first part of my list:-

a) tie peonies to canes
b) apply fertiliser to indoor plants and outdoor potato plants
c) remove "carpet" of buttercups
d) sow seeds and weeding
e) outdoor painting job
f) visit local charity shop for suitable footwear/clothing

The second part of my list was based on previous reading (these forums and elsewhere) concerning building a foundation for a new life. In the end, I just thought I would keep it all flexible this week i.e. have a try at both parts of the list.

(Hope your hip is becoming less painful mothernerd.)

a) Never got this job done. The peonies are located in the front garden which is less secluded and less nature based so this puts me off. Also, the job is an intricate one which I dislike but worth it once completed. The blooms will last longer than lying in the soil and some can be used for graveside displays.
b) Fertiliser applied.
c) Buttercups removed and placed in the council (garden) recycling bin. The land is now freed for edible plants.
d) Sowed seeds and weeded but still lots to do.
e) Painted the outdoor rail.
f) Obtained a pair of jeans (£1) which look hardly worn and maybe were £30 new. No suitable footwear found. Also, obtained a birthday present for somebody.

"A foundation for a new life" - In retrospective, two considerations stood out. Firstly, use the garden to grow my own food albeit more wild/herbal type rather than conventional shop type. However, not so simple (hard work) and will less health/older age make it less possible? Secondly, use local grocery shops (at reductions time) and the charity shop once a week which will be a few miles in total. Same problems as the first were considered. Consequently, "simplicity" may have to be altered to "make life easier?" :think:

dannie

mothernerd wrote: »

Finally got the long promised engineer visit and now have a new router, so should be able to post my list this week.

I understand what you mean about Walden and searching for a simple. I wrote a list of 15 words (with brief explanations) for this year. In particular I wanted to move nearer to what I want to be/ how I want to live rather than living by other people's agendas.

My sons are all grown up but the youngest is not yet independent and still lives with me and has recently said he thinks it will be next year or the year after before he can afford to live with his gf (he has small earnings from self-employment and is trying to pay off his student overdraft before it starts accruing interest).

At the same time, when the large house is sold (a prime example of moving further away from what I wanted, the extra room just meant my sons, their partners and friends could move in when they had problems), part of the money is supposed to go towards a property my mother and I can agree on, so that she can move in with me if/when anything happens to her partner.

This is looking increasingly unlikely and or undesirable and in the past few weeks I have had to take a step backwards and stop visiting her as she is upsetting me so much (not just her but she has been involved with her partner's family for the past 17 years whilst ignoring me and her three grandsons and I am trying to avoid being drawn into conflicts within his family). My mother is also coming out with a lot of hateful stuff (previous vicar's wives, local councillors and fellow members of the congregation plus large groups of people - some of it just parroting the words of her partner's children).

I do wonder when there will come a time when I can do the things that please me. I love my mother but hate feeling that I am obliged to look after her, once she has been exhausted by the strain of looking after a benign tyrant (he now has Alzheimer's on top of everything else so it is too late to challenge his behaviour).

I have been following the 'Year of Happiness' course. There is a different topic for each month, quite a lot of inspirational Ted talks and Utube stuff but some topics have been easier than others. January was gratitude and that was mainly doing things I do anyway, finding things to be grateful for at the end of each day and nature watching (sky, trees, spring bulbs opening) but February was 'optimism' which was always going to be difficult. If lots of bad things happen when you are a child (they did) you learn to expect trouble/ bad things (you also believe that this is the 'natural' state rather than an isolated event and also that it is your fault. The optimism practice I chose was to spend 15 minutes a day writing about my ideal future, 1 - 5 years from now with no constraints such as health. My ideal is basically a small uncluttered house, with lots of reading, sewing, walking and gardening. having enough money to afford a small rental property to bring in some income (supplemented by self-employed earnings from craft items) would help me get through till retirement.

This sounds like a gloomy post and it shouldn't really be. A few things got on top of me and I am struggling to get back to being positive. My leg hurts a lot less but when I last went to the bank (8 miles away) I struggled to get back across town to the bus station and I think that also knocked my confidence. So lots of little setbacks (I scribbled down 15 when I tried to analyse what was wrong) but it knocked me off course for a while.

There are a couple of threads I have read on here that are worth a read. One is My home is a mess - this is people who mostly have some sort of illness, either short-term or long term, who have to accept that they can only do so much either because of the constraints of their condition (MS, social anxiety) or because the house has degenerated over a period of months due to illness (some have small children and may have had difficult child births) and therefore cannot be 'fixed' in a few days. The general tone of the thread (it seems to have petered out last December) is that anything they get done is an achievement and they help and encourage one another.

Another is the Slob-lady thread which is a laugh a minute (anti-dote to fly-lady) and whatever our shortcomings, their are people who have done much worse (I don't have a car so I've never hidden laundry or mess in the boot before an unexpected visit although I have been known to go round with a cardboard box). Laughing is good for you.

Anyway will be back with a new list on Sunday and should have ramped up the positivity another notch or two before then.

Hello mothernerd,

Thanks for your comments regarding "a simple life" and how you are trying to achieve it. It seems that family have a major influence on enabling this. I have read (on these forums) how difficult it is caring for loved ones regardless of their history and/or present relationship with them.

I can see how "little setbacks" can affect one's confidence especially regarding health. Let's hope that since post-operation (so it's getting further away each day) that the leg pain further improves? I have also read the threads you mention. Could do with some laughter "therapy" as a break from everyday seriousness! Anyway, hope you are getting back on course as much as possible.

mothernerd

Thanks Dannie. Not got much done so far this week but DS3 has got us some compensation from the internet company and we have got the boiler going properly this morning. A hot bath always helps. Was happy bunny Saturday because of the internet, got up Sunday morning boiler wouldn't work. Wrestled some hot water from it on Monday but then it went back in crisis mode. Advice from DS2 (he was renting this house from me until recently) and muscle from DS3 (I got scared earlier in the week when I turned the thing too much and a bit fell off - screwed it back in quick) and it's working again. Huge sigh of relief (no money to pay for a call out).

Read some stuff about mothers and daughters last night and it made a lot of sense. When I was small my mother tried to dress me like a doll (oh the suffering on walking days when she tried to make my hair curl - burnt my ear with the curling tongs and another time a whole lock of hair fell off, the tongs had to be heated in the fire or gas flame). Although I am independent (and was given a great deal of responsibility at far too young an age) she still seems to disapprove of me and still wants me to be something I am not.

Right think I will have something to eat and then have another go at unraveling the latest energy company blunders.

dannie

dannie wrote: »

Hi list-makers,

Last week, I struggled to post my weekly list so will do it today before any commentary concerning last weeks results. Also, any thoughts regarding mothernerd's recent post (thanks). So from Sunday until the end of Saturday :-

1) Finish another painting job. This is a brick to hold open the backgate. The paint was free (found) and has been stored for quite awhile.
2) Look for some birthday presents and stored wrapping paper. This will have to be considered in relation to a £33 bill this month. Consequently, less money per food budget this month, so a case of this time I really am "eating from the fridge freezer"(?!) Also, need to save a bit of money for charity shop clothes/footwear should I manage to visit again.
3) Peonies to be supported by canes.
4) Write up food recipes. "Sitting down" job so an opportunity to catch up on listening to tv/radio/other computer-related.
5) Identify two plants which should be strawberry plants.
6) Plant two potatoes which are currently in a cool and darkened room.

Good luck.

1) Painting job done and looks much better.
2) The birthday present job has been partially done. One item the week before was acquired from the charity shop. Two are homemade sweet recipes for somebody with "food intolerances" and another small cost savoury item purchased awhile back. Also, used some wrapping paper I already have. (Still time to get anything else.) My weekly grocery purchases were £5.98, two were reduced items and seven (mainly UHT milk) are not used yet. I did not go to the charity shop last week.
3) The "overcrowded" peonies were supported by canes as best as possible given the lack of canes I had.
4) Updated the recipe collection whilst listening to something interesting.
5) The two plants look like strawberry plants but more a tall-growing species, wild strawberry I thought? However, it is getting taller and taller so will check again when (if) it flowers.
6) Potatoes planted and others growing well.

P.S. mothernerd - Hope your week "improved"; some days/weeks are like that; starting and stopping along with past recollections I find.

pozza_73

Oooh I like this thread. Can I join?
My list is to:
1) Go running twice this week
2) Do 2 hours studying for my AAT course
3) Spend some nice quality time with hubby
4) Do 5 loads of washing and put the clean washing away
5) Put some money in my credit union

mothernerd

Well I thought I had failed last week but have now checked throught the list and feeling much more hopeful
1) Boiler is working and no fees paid. I got some hot water (enough for a bath and to wash my hair) on Monday but then the pressure dropped right off. Left a massage with DS2 (was renting this house until recently) and DS3 used his input to fix it on Thursday (think it was my suggestion that he go to the old up-for-sale house for a bath) and am so pleased.

2) Finally sent off the latest e-mail to the energy company. Have spent three days working on it. Have waited six weeks for a calculation and refund of the amount they owe me and they managed to end up with me owing them money. Tracked back to see what they had done, several times they have credited back the months of gas usage they have overcharged me for and then charged most of it back with an extra £50ish for that month's use (hadn't used the earlier amounts so was never going to use extra). The final calculation, they included gas usage, elec use, both standing orders all jumbled up so much going back and forth to original bills (with different calculations) before sending off the e-mail. I have got £337.85 from them in the last two months (4 issues) and if I get the extra £121 off them I will let it drop but am exhausted as have spent hours replying to each of their stupid communications. Now have 19 plastic pockets with various bills/ letters in. Please let them send me my money so I can get rid.

3 4 5) haven't done the pillows or been to mum's but significant progress on the embroidery.

6) Still using food from stores, adding to some dishes (bland beef curry was defrosted, added half a wrinkly pepper and a slosh of spicy sauce). Have also done a freezer audit and put together a shopping list for this week which will be the main shop for next month.

7) Went through some of the Year of Happiness stuff, using a book on 'mindfulness' from the library which is very good but also just posted on their site commenting on this month's topic - relationships. Was mostly on 'romantic' relationships and although in theory 'couples' are happier than 'singles' for most of us women of a certain age it isn't going to happen (men die sooner, mostly marry younger women and if they divorce, expect to trade for even younger women).

8) More de-cluttering done and equipment I was lent before my operation is downstairs awaiting collection (they will phone beforehand).

9) De-stressing - much calmer for the past two days since the e-mail went off but feel at a bit of a loose end now. Sleep is improving. Not a lot of housework done but did tackle the washing up even though I had to boil kettles and all the washing dried outside.

Determined to include some 'fun' tasks this week. DS3 also get a refund from the internet people for the poor service.

Job List for the Week Commencing Sunday 24th May
1) Self care basics Sleep, Walk, Eat well (have done my regular evening walk twice without crutches).

2) Sewing -continue embroidery (large piece and several small) but do pillows.

3) Supermarket shop Either early in week (DS3 at gf's from Wednesday) or later and use a taxi (have a £4 off £30 voucher so will cover cost of taxi). Thursday and Friday are best for reductions and need a lot. Stick to list + bargains I can use.

4) Baking day Some impulse purchases are due to gaps in stores (and evil energy company driving me to chocolate) so have bought carrots to make cake. Will spend a day baking healthy cake, biscuits, oatcakes and crackers instead of squeezing them in with lots of other jobs. May even try bread.

5) More Year of Happiness revision (and roll on new topic).

6) Tidy clean up whilst DS3 is away.

7) De-stressing need to relax and find a calm space to re-focus business ideas.

8) File tax self-assesment and WTC renwal.

9) More outside work and walking (weather permitting)

Have a great week everyone.

dannie

:hello: Hello list-makers,

Just a note to say, sorry for the delay, I will post my current list plus the results soon as possible.

mothernerd

Welcome pozza 73. We're a bit small and select at the moment.

dannie

dannie wrote: »

:hello: Hello list-makers,

Just a note to say, sorry for the delay, I will post my current list plus the results soon as possible.

First, the plan was a series of gardening jobs and grocery/charity shop tasks:-

(1) Keep sowing seeds, collect anything edible from the garden, mow lawns, collect garden soil and sow strawberry/collard seeds in pots and update gardening plan regarding seeds sown. Consider a trip to the grave yard to take flowers/tidy up.
(2) Weekend grocery/charity shop early a.m. (reduced price items/quieter). Collect UHT milk when possible to delay an online order to keep in budget this month. So using up perishables etc. to enable this.

I then changed this to trying out a different lifestyle which probably reflects a need to improve how I have spent my life, or at least parts? Anyway, so far, I have been dealing with plan 1 (1+2 above)!