Moving forward and upwards

MovingForwards

Think the idea of feeling a little more refreshed this month is a pipe dream 😄

I did buy extra holiday, booked a 'week' off later this year and having a 5 day weekend each month 🤭

I started baking again. Made Swedish scones using the food processor to mix most of it, those (savory) were in the oven and I started making sweet (blueberry) when the FP started smoking from the motor and got worse when unplugged; I had to get it out the building while in slippers and dressing gown. Scones were delicious and I'm still searching for the right replacement FP.

I'm also attempting to make tarka daal like my very local place. It's got the creamy-ness taste / texture due to using yellow split peas, just need to roast / add garlic slices next time; I usually finely chop.

Last weekend I tidied / organised my work / piano area, have my speaker in place and can connect my pod-apple for music while I work; need to figure out how to find a radio station on the apple. I've a few little boxes tucked away and can't do those until I declutter the cupboards.

Today I decluttered / organised the coffee table and I've a scented candle on it.

With tidying / decluttering I'm targeting a specific thing rather than viewing it as the whole room needs to be done. Only the big cupboard, small unit, large vanity case and 2 little boxes to do and that's the lounge finished 😊

I'm slowly adding my cookbooks and gardening books to the hall bookcase.

Popped to the plot, hubby pruned apple tree, plum shoot on the root stock and took a few brambles out.

Feet are well and truly up!

Skint_yet_Again

Baking & Tarka daal sound fab. Sounds like you have been very busy but your home will be lovely and organised and cosy with just the stuff you actually want in it 😊 Glad you are putting feet up too!

doingitanyway

Ooh I love a cleared table with a candle on it!

I love tarka dal

MovingForwards

Thank you Skinty and DIA

I'm incorporating my previous stock and have about 10 candles to use. Have yet to light the first one as furbabies are still exploring the cleared table.

The sun appeared today and encouraged me to go do some weeding. Occasional gusts of wind were biting and after 3 hours, with long breaks, I called it a day. Hopefully next time I'll get the last of my onions in.

I am struggling to form a routine, mainly due to living on zero energy, twice weekly 'colds' and the recovery after doing simple tasks. Mind is willing, body laughs and says no chance.

All I'm trying to do is gardening, declutter, bake / cook, piano lessons and keep up with diaries. It's still very early days and I'm trying not to be so annoyed with myself.

Hubby is taking me somewhere tomorrow (really have missed our random trips the last 2 years) and we're visiting A&U after.

Feet are up and I'm still trying to get warm.

Skint_yet_Again

Hope you’re ok MF and have had fun as well as rest and recuperation.

Where did Tombo take you on your random adventure? 😊

MovingForwards

We went to a farm shop Skinty and the produce was amazing! So much flavour and vibrancy. Couldn't part with £20 for a proper corn fed, free range chicken before payday but I'm hoping we go back again 😊

I've cut pretty much everything out my life, working 3 days and 4 days for me (us), however I'm seriously struggling. I either work OR be outside for 5 hours but only doing 15 - 30 mins of weeding/ planting OR I have a shower. I have no energy, no stamina. Yesterday I managed to shower and shave my legs. My hair desperately needs colouring, my brows need waxing/ tinting, nails need to be painted and I'm so annoyed there's nothing in me to do these little things or play piano / strings.

Hubby got me a food processor, I've not been able to use it yet.

I have been to the Dr, did the usual bloods and others I requested. The same results/ meds as previous 2x but they make no difference. I do need to write everything down, book another appointment, hand over what I've written and say this ain't normal, this is not just fatigue, this is not just X, Y and Z causing pain and see if he comes to the same conclusions I have.

On a happier note, I'm outside in the sun and the outstanding mortgage is just under £40k 😃

Skint_yet_Again

Farm shop sounds wonderful MF but agree £20 for a chicken is a bit of a budget buster. Do they raise the chickens? Are they free range? Not sure how it works.

Sorry to hear you are struggling with your health, hope you can get some answers soon.

Well done on mortgage balance 🤩

MovingForwards

I am still tempted to buy the chicken just to see how different a fully organic one is as they are 'home grown' Skinty.

This kind of post is so hard to write but is part of accepting there's really bad and good days.

I'm running on empty, no stamina or energy and have another Dr appointment in a few weeks. I've half written all injuries / symptoms / description of each type of pain for each thing; done a similar thing for the fatigue side but have more days when I'm just a body on my chair.

There's not much left I can remove from my life!

On a happier note I've managed to strip out the strawberry farm, get rid of all the alpines and pot up the normal ones when I decide where they're going. Took loads to days to do.

I made a start digging over the last growing quarter as I'd split that in half due to needing storage space until the patio is done and worked on little squares. Hubby finished the other half of the split in 30 mins yesterday and got it all set up for planting within 2 hours.

Hubby will be digging over a metre or so strip so I can have a corn farm and he's going to take time off work just to get the path finished and patio built.

I'm banned from doing anything aside from making holes to sow seeds / put in plants, harvesting, gentle weeding and watering as hubby has seen what I'm like at home and also while gardening 😥

Happy note I'm getting a nice tan 🤭 sweet potato plants went in yesterday, oca (little yams) went in today, pea seeds last week. Once I've finished this super long break I'm hoping to get courgette and butternut squash seeds in.

I have a day off this week and hoping to get melon seeds, small tom plant seeds and whatever else to have the greenhouse fully up and running. Got the furbabies jabs Friday followed by gentle weeding or burnout, no plans for the weekend.

Skint_yet_Again

Sorry to hear that you are still struggling with your health MF. Hope your doctor can sort something out to help. Planting sounds good & glad you’ve got furbabies and Tombo to give you a boost ☺️