2014 - New Rules to Live By

Pennydropped

I have finally finished the wallpaper and painting in my bedroom. It's all done. Hooray!! :j And I've just put the second coat of paint in the dining room, after putting wallpaper up in the dining room earlier in the week on one wall. Amazing! I'm thrilled that DIY things are finally getting done again.

Holiday has been booked and all paid for in advance, so that's taken care of as well. It's not an expensive holiday, but like last year, it's just a seaside escape for the week, and we're looking forward to it.

Next on my agenda is that wretched staircase that has escaped being completed for the last 1-2 years. I do have the supplies to finish it now, so I'm going to push myself to get it done by the end of May. With a goal to get the rest of the hallway completed by end of June. Once school is out, I'll get precious little time to do any DIY.

I'm currently looking at what DIY I will want to do in the autumn, and so far that includes replacing the flooring in the dining room, new coat of paint in the kitchen, and replacing the kitchen flooring. I'd like new carpeting in the living room and the whole upstairs, but that's not likely to happen until next summer, which will give me plenty of time to save up the money to pay for it.

In the meantime, I'm going to focus on de-cluttering and finishing the various trims and decor in different rooms as well.

kbl

Really love reading your posts, I admire the way you're getting through the diy with everything going on (this house needs a complete overhaul, I just can't seem to find the will to get started), is your little one still being home schooled?

Pennydropped

KBL - yes, little one still being HE'd. I'll admit it is a challenge finding the time to get the DIY done, plus all the appointments and meetings that invariably pop up, plus doing the HE.

I have to set a loose schedule of what "learning" (as he calls it) I plan on getting through each week, and then break it down into 3-4 days worth of activities, adding in some outings, some planned physical activity (trips to the park or time playing out in the garden mostly at this point), and some down time (so he can process things and I can have a bit of time to regroup). Socialisation is an ongoing process at the moment - he struggles even in a small group of people, so playing at the park with a few children there is about all he can handle right now. We tried a HE group locally and he couldn't cope with it, so that will come later.

As far as the DIY is concerned, as you probably have noted, that staircase is the bane of my existence. :rotfl: I am determined to finish it this summer. The stairs are painted, all but the very top of the wall is finished and ready to wallpaper, and I have finally (yes, I know FINALLY - blast of trumpets at the occasion!) chosen the wallpaper that I want (after choosing and then discarding about half a dozen choices). But I'm solid on this one, so staining the bannister, and then finishing the wall/wallpaper is on my "to do" list. And once that's all done, I will be ordering the carpet treads to put on the stairs to finish them off. (yes, I'm still deciding which ones to use - hopefully I will choose something soon!)

I definitely have days where I just can't even contemplate working on the DIY, but other days where I kind of give myself a boot into gear, as I know once I start working on it, I'll be fine. It's that initial momentum I lack. Today was a good example of that. I would have much preferred to rest - I've been ill and am still rather tired, but I knew if I just cracked on with it, I could get it behind me and move on to that wretched staircase next.

I am going to have to celebrate when I finally finish that staircase. :cool:

kbl

It sounds like HE is the way to go with your boy, he would never get so much attention and care in mainstream schooling, it's a good job you're so organised and focussed, I personally don't know how I would cope in that situation. As for when your staircase is finished, I'll have a few virtual beers to help you celebrate when the time comes , seriously I don't know how you do it, I'm still contemplating getting this house cleared out of all the rubbish and not so rubbish stuff I've gathered over the years, I was clearing out one (just one!) small box of clothes last week and realised it was my dds old clothes from 10 years ago, nothing sentimental or particularly valuable, just (thankfully clean) stuffed into a box and forgotten about. Anyhoo, have subscribed and hopefully you'll inspire me to get my butt in gear

Pennydropped

Eeeeeek! Just call me technophobe, I guess, as my screen flipped to the new look forum and it's utterly different.

I'll have to learn how to get around it. Have I mentioned I am rather resistant to change?

Pennydropped

First coat of woodstain done on the bannister. I can hardly believe I've finally started it. It has literally been laughing at me for ages!!

I've found a few areas that need a little more sanding, so I'll be doing that Monday, then putting on a second coat.

I am looking forward to finishing it and getting the wallpaper up on the wall. :j

Pennydropped

Complete and utter derailment due to serious illness. Back soon.

kbl

Hope you're ok, sending good wishes

Pennydropped

Thank you kbl. I'm feeling much more like myself now. Still not 100% and have some follow up medical stuff to go through, but certainly in much better shape than I was.

Money's been all over the place right now. Car repairs (again - I should have a new engine by now, right??), and I'm not physically and medically up to the holiday we paid for (thankfully a bargain holiday), so I'm out that money - can't get it back. I've had to buy some new clothing for the dcs as they keep growing - luckily a lovely friend sent some clothing that her ds had just grown out of, which fits ds1 perfectly, so that did save me quite a bit! Grocery bill was up this week as well because of the term break, and because my diet is quite limited to specific foods which cost more. Plus I will admit that because I've been ill, I've not really been too careful about costs as I've been too tired to sit down and work things out - just buy what's needed and not shop around for better prices or anything. Miserable excuse, I know, but there it is. I must do better now, as school holidays and some family birthdays and such are coming up.

The appointments treadmill is starting up again as well - ds1 needs a thorough check with the paediatrician and an assessment by a cardiac specialist. I wonder how much it would cost to just BUY a parking space at the hospital. :rotfl:

kbl

Pennydropped wrote: »

Plus I will admit that because I've been ill, I've not really been too careful about costs as I've been too tired to sit down and work things out - just buy what's needed and not shop around for better prices or anything. Miserable excuse, I know, but there it is.

I was quite ill last year, and finances took a bit of a battering, so am speaking from experience, don't beat yourself up about a few rotten weeks re budgeting, you just do what you have to to get through, you can pick it all back up when you are well again. It's such a shame you can't go on your holiday, is there no way to recoup some of the costs? I've seen quite a few holidays for sale on fb selling sites/donedeal etc, would this be an option for you? And although my kids are grown up now, I did do a lot of the clothes shopping in charity shops, my ds hated it but it was better than going out starkers My two dds however would always check the charity shops now before buying full price, so a little of me has rubbed off, god help them!! Finally, it's so good to 'see' you back!