Building towards a complete life overhaul....might take a while but determined to do it

mumblingtaff

Morning all - Happy Boxing Day.
Been for a nice long run with the dog - he's shattered now.
Nor really sure what to do with myself today - will have to walk the woofer again later but no other plans really. Not in the mood for telly and there's only big jobs left to do in the house and I'm not tackling them today.
Will have to have a think - don't want to go shopping, I don't need anything and I'm trying not to spend unnecessarily and the crowds at the shops (tier 3) can't be a good thing - not feeling patient enough to read anything (had some nice new books for Xmas though) - have already done some sweaty exercise - hmmmm, 
I'm sure there's loads of people in the same boat - especially in tier 4. Wonder what everyone else on their own is doing today?

Its_time

Poking my head up to say Happy Christmas, I can't think of anything to say for you to do as I am sat in front of the telly, daydreaming of nothing, looking at the internet, wasting the day away.  Maybe have a look at  rightmove for some houses you might like to move to? 

savingholmes

Hope you had a relaxing day. Do you have any hobbies you could dust off?

mumblingtaff

Hello all! And thank you Its Time and Savingholmes for your suggestions.
Had a really dull day but think I needed to get really bored to galvanise myself to remotivate myself, in a funny kind of way. I did watch some telly, do some dog walking and potter around a bit and have bored myself into submission! I think subconsciously I was just waiting for official Christmas to be over so I could get on with things again. I'm glad its all done now - I'm sure lots of other people are too. I've never been one for New Year so a quiet one will be the norm for me, nothing to worry about there

So, I was up early this morning - the dog was walked and sorted by 7am, then decided to start as I mean to go on today and had a good soak in the bath. done a face scrub and a bit of preening, washed and dried my hair properly, put a bit of slap on to stop me looking like the waking dead and put some proper clothes on rather than scruffy running gear. Feel better now for just getting sorted.

I've written a list of jobs that need doing over the next few days - being off work is not relaxing for me, I need to be doing something - I've always been the same way, can't sit still. I'm leaving the school work until tomorrow as its still officially the weekend
So the household jobs for today are...

• Finally clean the bloody oven
• Give the study a good clean now its all tidy
• Text neighbour to see if he knows an electrician that can do a couple of small jobs (he's a tradesman and seems to know everyone)
• Clean the bathrooms
• Make sure I've got everything I need for painting the lower half of the hall and stairs (think I have but need to get everything out and check)

And "future planning" tasks for today are

• Finding all my pension documents (have three pensions, 2 of them are from jobs before teaching, and need to look at the best way to maximise the benefits of them)
• Look over the budgets again
• Look into estate agents to get some house valuations done
• Investigate supply teaching agencies in Wales so I'm ready to approach them when needs be
• Have a little look at houses online

On top of that, there are some nice things to do too 

• Get some fresh air and exercise on a big walk with the dog later (no running today, have done 4 days in a row and my knees feel a bit creaky today - don't want to end up back on crutches!)
• Set up my new Garmin running watch - excited about this!
• Finish watching the last episode of How to Get Away with Murder on Netflix
• Maybe watch Unhinged on Amazon Prime tonight if there's nothing else I fancy
• Phone the clan to make sure they haven't been blown away by the storm

I love a list and a busy day so feel much better today now I have a purpose.
Right, better crack on

savingholmes

A very big list. I like to keep busy too. 

Happy_Monday

Hi MT just wanted to pop on and say how much you motivate and inspire me, you are so active and busy. It’s been a very different Christmas for me too this year, and I’m glad it’s all over. I’m looking forward to reading about your new journey and change in career direction for you with interest.

mumblingtaff

Happy_Monday said:

Hi MT just wanted to pop on and say how much you motivate and inspire me, you are so active and busy. It’s been a very different Christmas for me too this year, and I’m glad it’s all over. I’m looking forward to reading about your new journey and change in career direction for you with interest.

Hi Happy Monday!
Thanks for dropping in and your kind words
We made it through Christmas and now can have a proper week of holiday without the drama of it all hanging over us!

Had a very busy day so far - just sitting down for the first time today. I've managed to do all of the household tasks on the list above - even cleaning the oven (the worst job in the world, especially when you've left it years like I did!) - plenty of scrubbing and swearing but it looks a million times better now. The household list took all morning but its done now and kept me occupied.

Have also booked three valuations with estate agents, redone the budgets, walked the dog for a hour in the sunshine, phoned mum, hoovered and dusted the whole house while I had the hoover out, set up my new watch (and am in love with it) and and watched the last episode of the series to finish it off whilst having lunch.
Still need to find the pension docs and look at supply agencies but will do that now I'm having a sit down.
Feel like I've had a productive day

Just as an aside, I've been listening to the Louis Theroux Grounded podcast series while out with the dog - its very good if you like him. Different interviewees every week and all very different characters - would recommend it.

Tea tonight will either be a mish mash of bits from the fridge (quiche, new potatoes, salad etc) or the other half of the red thai curry I made on Xmas Eve. I still have plenty of food in so might try to last until the weekend to go shopping with just a mini shop for a few fresh bits in the greengrocers in the village if needed. If there's nothing on the telly I might watch Unhinged if I'm in the mood or something on Netflix - if anyone has watched anything good lately let me know! I have all of the catch up services, iPlayer etc and Netflix and Amazon Prime for one more day before I cancel it.

Enough woffling on - off to google supply agencies

mumblingtaff

Morning all!
Well, its been snowing here, only a little bit, but enough to confuse the dog who raced out into the garden and stopped dead and just stared at it. He's gone back to sleep now - the excitement was obviously too much for him!
Going to take him for a run around in the park soon so he can play in the snow. 
I have a bit of a niggly back this morning - felt a bit stiff yesterday but its definitely sore this morning. I won't run this morning (snow will hamper that anyway) but see how it feels a bit later after warming up a bit and maybe go to the gym if its open.
I had planned to start the painting of the hall and stairs today but will see how the back feels first. Sometimes, once it goes its bad for days and I don't want to risk it. Hopefully, it will loosen up once I get going.

A few jobs for today if the painting doesn't happen....

• Phone the electrician
• Look at external lights online - the old one has died a death and needs replacing but I don't want to spend any great sum of money on a replacement so the cheaper the better
• Load of washing
• Do mum's online grocery shopping for delivery on Weds
• Start lesson planning for week 1 of term - although who knows what will happen next week as the DfE seem to change their mind on a daily basis - I'll assume all but year 11 will be taught remotely and write lessons that can be done this way - will probably change though!
• Do a meal plan for the week to use things up

Its light now so better wrap up warm and clear the snow off the car and get to the park

lucielle

Can you put an ice pack on your back?  I find that helps mine when it thinks about going twang!
L

mumblingtaff

lucielle said:

Can you put an ice pack on your back?  I find that helps mine when it thinks about going twang!
L

Thanks Lucielle - it eased off a bit after a dog walk and a bath but its sore again now....

BUT..... I took the dog to the park in the snow and he met one of his friends and had a really long run around and play and thoroughly enjoyed himself and tired himself out for the morning.
Good job really as I decided to have a go at painting and once I got into it managed to do the whole of the hall, stairs and landing - and amazingly it looks quite professional and much much better - hurrah! And only paint in his tail not all over him!
I'm really pleased with it - and its saved me the best part of £700 - the decorator quoted that to do the whole shebang - walls, ceilings. doors, skirtings etc . It really didn't need it all doing and and looks absolutely fine with just the bottom half doing and a good wash down of everything else.- chuffed with it. Although my back is killing me now! Worth it though.....
It took all day with a break for a dog walk once he'd recharged and insisted upon "helping"!

I've also done mum's online grocery shopping for her (can recite the shopping list now) and a meal plan but that's about it. Will maybe do the other things on the list later (apart from the school work).

I still need to paint the spare room but might have a day or two off before I tackle that, in the interests of my back....
I might have enough paint left over to give the en suite a quick once over too - its mostly tiles so shouldn't take too long.
I've booked three valuations for the new year so need to make sure that everything is as fresh as it can be.
I also had a look at supply work, potential houses and budgets etc last night and it's all still very doable providing the valuations come back as I hope they will.

Need to do another dog walk later but other than that am going to have a rest - I'm surprisingly knackered!