Travelling On

Karmacat

teapot2 wrote: »

Well done on the blog, great to have it all done in a oner

Thanks! It is nice to get it done, but I do like to write something thats really complete, and I *know* I've forgotten a couple of things. Trouble is, I can't remember what they are :rotfl: I need Neville Longbottom's Remembrall!

Hope the planting happened, I've got some of that to do today

No, it didn't, I'm afraid I did go out there digging again, though - and underneath the die-off of some bulbs, there were a *lot* of bramble roots. So they've gone, which is a job well done, and I felt confident about where I wanted to put the old bricks I'll use as a stepping stone sort of thing. I'll give that little area another dig around today, there are some perennial weeds on the *other* side that also have to go, and then get the plant in there. I'm really happy with it now

Karmacat

It's the turn of the year! Astonishing (horrifying too ). So:

Accomplishments:
- my kitchen is finished! It still needs painting, but 90% of the house needs painting, so I still regard it as finished
- the garden is still in a state of emergency, but it's not nearly as bad as it was.
- holidays this year are smaller ones, less expensive ones: we've had Kent and Essex, I'm having Dorset, my sister and I may well be going to Nazare in Portugal to watch the mad surfing there and I quite fancy a few days in Liverpool based on the Egyptology thing.
- between the kitchen, the catsitting and the holidays, I let slip the efforts I'd been making to make local friends. Geographically distant friendships have slipped too - this is definitely a backwards step. I've started to pay attention again, literally in the last week.
- health has been better. I still don't have the capacity my brother or sister have, but I'm still improving, its all I can do.



Aims
Getting more of the house painted would be good. I'll get a professional in for the kitchen, I'll try to finish off the patch in the living room, the downstairs hallway (about six square feet) and the office (already started last winter).

I want the big garden stuff done: all plants planted, all big perennial weeds dug up, all bark chippings laid. Ideally, before I go to Dorset, which gives me July and August.

Holidays: carry on with the plans for this year. Possible addition of going to see Norfolk rellies, or they may be persuaded to stay with my sister, whose house can accommodate guests.

Pay attention to local connections: U3A, healthy walks (not only Level 1, but a monthly Level 2), Horticultural Society, Egyptology, which is local to the county, if not the town. Consider another – I don't want my days filled with meetings the way some do, but I need to spread the net during this experimentation time. I haven't made any attempt to do any evening things, and I don't think I want to. Not sure.

Health. Still an issue, which is why no evening things planned. Still not taking the few supplements that are still recommended, and still don't have quite enough variety in my food, though I've been working on that too this last week. I need to be a bit more proactive, but I'm getting better.

The way forward. I'm a writer, undoubtedly. Do I want to be a professional writer? Once the office is set up again, I need to make time for that, or stop pretending. Inner development: I wanted to get my CD Walkman going again so I could use a series of hemi sync CDs from this organisation https://www.monroeinstitute.org/ just found out they have a UK presence again (I'm a long time fan). Still not got my Walkman going. I have other hobbies too: genealogy, astronomy (there's an evening club in a local town, hmmm), I'd like to do some crafting.

Finances! They have to be in here, after all.
1. Update my records.
2. Renew accounts, I know some deals have just finished.
3. Capital expenditure: sofa and armchair, repairs to the boundaries (fences, gateposts, side gate), replace a piece of glazing upstairs.
4. Finish selling inherited stuff, and some of my own, that could bring in some money: LPs and 78s, silver ornaments, the Peter Pan book, possibly some books of mine to go on Amazon.
5. Make a budget. Everyday expenditure is at state pension level or below, but capital expenditure, and holidays, are mostly outside that. I get my first state pension in about 18 months, all being well, that will relieve a lot of pressure.

rtandon27

Loving your mid-year reset KC! You've come so far in the past 6 months! Your energy is shining through:D

Today is my 'national day' ... a day I use to sit in the great outdoors and reflect on the 1/2 year that's happened and the 1/2 year that's still to unfold!:D

Karmacat

Awww, thanks RT :kisses3: to you and yours.

What a very good day to have a national day and outdoors is a great place to celebrate it. Have a happy day, my lovely friend Do you want to share any plans?

Karmacat

Just had a confirmation email from my bank about the duplicated debits of the cheques to my sister for holiday gubbins. They've reversed the duplication and given me £25 for the "stress and worry" it didn't stress me at all, to be honest, it was always very clear that it was a duplication but I certainly won't say no to the money :rotfl:

beanielou

Good news on the money

Goldiegirl

The kitchen is a massive achievement for the half year and its understandable that some things slipped as a result.

But great that you've had time away, and more breaks being planned.

I agree with you about not wanting to spend a lot of times with meetings. I don't want too many fixed commitments. I've got quite good at changing plans at short notice, and now enjoy having a less structured approach to the week/month

At least your state pension is on the horizon now. When Mr Goldie got his SP, it made a big difference to our finances. I'm 60 next year, so I'll have a further 6 years to go, so I don't think about my SP too much but it'll be nice when I eventually get it. However, I'm looking forward to getting my Senior Rail Card next year!

rtandon27

Karmacat wrote: »

...Do you want to share any plans?

No plans can sometimes be the best plans :rotfl: Sat in the garden with some pens and a planner, watching the birds at the feeder and drinking tea

Hooray for the £25 profit! Love how the bank makes everything better by throwing money at it

Karmacat

beanielou wrote: »

Good news on the money

Thanks beanie

Goldiegirl wrote: »

The kitchen is a massive achievement for the half year and its understandable that some things slipped as a result.
But great that you've had time away, and more breaks being planned.

I agree with you about not wanting to spend a lot of times with meetings. I don't want too many fixed commitments. I've got quite good at changing plans at short notice, and now enjoy having a less structured approach to the week/month

At least your state pension is on the horizon now. When Mr Goldie got his SP, it made a big difference to our finances. I'm 60 next year, so I'll have a further 6 years to go, so I don't think about my SP too much but it'll be nice when I eventually get it. However, I'm looking forward to getting my Senior Rail Card next year!

My senior railcard has been amazing for me!

Thanks for the comment on the kitchen - sometimes, I think mse is full of superwomen who all do twenty times what I do. Good to be reminded thats not always the case :rotfl: Meetings too

rtandon27 wrote: »

No plans can sometimes be the best plans :rotfl: Sat in the garden with some pens and a planner, watching the birds at the feeder and drinking tea

Aren't bird feeders wonderful things! Especially because I wrote "beed firders" first time round :rotfl:

Hooray for the £25 profit! Love how the bank makes everything better by throwing money at it

Tee hee

I did a serious amount of digging late afternoon, so the thyme I bought in Essex has now been planted :j in an area thats seriously weed-free.

Karmacat

Morning I'm trying to switch off the computer at 10.30 latest when I'm at home, I've overrun today cos of an SB survey, but a good number of points were had, so I'm still happy Ready for a work day right now:
- done SB
- done some checking on travel times to Ham House, which madvix recommended, my sister and I might well be going on Thursday. Got to liaise with her about which rail ticket - it affects the length of time there, and there are free garden tours

So, for the main body of the day:
- open post, and empty rubbish.
- get green rubbish in the bin (I thought my neighbour might have taken back the green bin, but it was emptied today, and he brought it back to mine, which I regard as permission to use it a little bit).
- clean and tidy in the house - an hour in total, I'll stick to that.
- gardening work, I've just checked and a chunk that needs work is still in shade. I'll go out there as soon as I've finished this post and work there Two of apple's raspberry cuttings live there