Time to clear the remnants of my old life

leftatthetrafficlights

Well I had a bit of an epiphany a few days ago and have decided on my new career path 🙌 it's going to be lot of work and I don't know if I can achieve it but I'm going to do my absolute best to turn it into a reality 😁 

It means a whole lifestyle change (which will obviously be easier once I have finished my current job) but I have started to set the wheels in motion already - I'm incredibly excited and enthused; it feels absolutely right and if I can achieve it, it will be my dream job! I'll be self-employed, writing my own schedule and will be able to do it until I keel over hopefully!! 😂 

I've already written the business plan; once I'm ready (probably in about 6-12 months) I'll start doing the qualifications I need then I'll be able to launch the business in 18 months or so - very exciting times ahead! Even if I can't pull it off, I'll still be in a much better place physically and mentally so it really is a win-win whatever happens 😁 

Finances are okay at the moment- they're taking a bit of a hit as dh's family have two big birthdays coming up towards the end of the year and they've decided to have one big family get-together abroad (where the relatives live) so we're having to pay for flights and accommodation - I'm taking it out of the debt neutral fund so that will be pretty much depleted but it's worth it as it may be the last time we get to see his elderly relatives and it will make dh very happy...

Food budget is doing okay - we're eating lots of garden produce at the moment so minimal spends required really. Obviously I can't meal plan more than a couple of days ahead though as it depends on what is ready! I'm going to go through the freezers tomorrow and get them organised- at the moment I have no idea what's in them! 🤦‍♀️ 

I made a beautiful courgette salad today - courgettes shaved with a veg peeler (I don't have a mandolin as I don't trust myself with them!😂), lots of fresh tarragon from the garden chopped up and all drizzled with lemon oil and left for half an hour for the flavours to infuse - I highly recommend it!! Served it with a plate full of salad leaves, chopped strawberries, raspberries and grapes, short grain brown rice cooked in veg stock, grated yellow beetroot and apple salad with a blackberry balsamic and some hm hommous - it was delicious! 😋

savingholmes

So are you staying longer in your current job while you transition?

leftatthetrafficlights

@savingholmes - absolutely not! 😂

I'm going to be using my 'not working' time to prepare for for my new venture - I have a lot of work to do so it's going to be pretty much a full time project.

To be honest, I'm already counting down the days before I leave - I'm desperate to get out - I feel so disillusioned with the organisation it's painful to be associated with them 😔 however, I want to make sure that whoever takes on my role can do so with a well oiled and manageable system so I am spending my time ensuring that everything is completely up to date, accurate and free from any unnecessary things which I introduced for my own benefit due to how I prefer to work but would be a burden for others 😉 

Having a day in the garden today - we've got the new boiler and oil tank so need to prepare the areas ready for installation, lots of gardening to do too as the recent weather has proved far too exciting for the weeds!! 🤦‍♀️😂 Tomatoes need tying in, I have a couple of new climbing plants for another part of the garden which need to be planted up and I have some more seeds to be sown - busy day ahead but I'm looking forward to it! 😁

EssexHebridean

Your salad sounds absolutely lovely! And how brilliant that you now have a clear vision of where you want to go next career wise as well - I wish you all the luck in the world with it and look forward to following your experience here! 

leftatthetrafficlights

Thank you @EssexHebridean! 😁 

This week has been insanely busy - I've been sorting out all the loose ends at work and making sure that there are no inaccuracies or glitches in the systems I put together as well as finishing off some outstanding pieces of work that I had! Suffice to say that I am now totally sorted and it's just going to be the day to day stuff to do from now on 🙌 I may not care about the company anymore but still have professional pride! 😉 it really is a weight off my shoulders as it involved a number of laborious and tedious tasks which I was not looking forward to! 😂

The only downside is that I have taken my eye off the ball as far as sorting stuff for my new venture and feel disappointed in myself about that (even though its only been for a week! 🤦‍♀️) but it does leave me free from the middle of next week to throw myself back into the preparation process without further interruptions so it's worth it! 😁 

Garden produce is doing really well - courgettes and salad leaves are prolific at the moment! - had my first tomato yesterday which was lush, lots of broad beans, fennel, beetroot, pak choi and runner beans and the romanesca cauliflower and calabrese have heads now too! Had our first lot of potatoes last weekend- absolutely lovely but not too many of them - I don't think they got enough water but it's a lesson learnt for next year 😉 We have the grandbaby this weekend so I'll be getting him to help with today's harvesting 😍 

Finances are still okay - I've paid for the flights now and my passport renewal, just the accommodation and spending money to pay which I have a set a budget for so I've put that to one side now. It's going to be an expensive 'holiday' for what it actually is but worth it to make dh happy 😉 

Leccy bill came in yesterday- I'm definitely seeing the difference from using the washing line as opposed to the td but I'm still struggling with the idea of not doing washing daily due to the weather! 🤦‍♀️ Thankfully, we've only had a couple of ropey days this week and next week looks fab so I'll get to catch up on it all! 

savingholmes

Glad the garden is helping out with food and your energy usage is dropping. 

leftatthetrafficlights

All is going very well - one of the major achievements since I last wrote is that I have quit smoking! 😁🙌 it was an important part of my future plans so I'm massively impressed with myself for seeing it through - it wasn't easy but it shows my level of commitment to my new lifestyle and career! 

I've cleared the additional things I've been asked to do at work so I have a week of leave and 15 working days left before total freedom begins! 🥂 My week off is going to be a total 'spa' week - I have no responsibilities that week and no reason to see anyone (other than dh when he gets home from work) so I can be totally indulgent 😁 I'm writing a meal plan for it and getting in all the fruit and nuts I will need the day before my leave so that I have no reason to have to break the solitude 😍

As I have little I need to do now workwise, I can start to incorporate many of the plans I have into my day to day life - so from tomorrow, that's what I'm going to do and I'm very excited about it! 

Food is still good - mainly eating from the garden although it's been difficult cooking with the weather- it's also made a few bits in the garden feel a bit sorry for themselves but I'm sure they'll perk up now it's cooling down a bit! I've got a separate food budget for my 'spa' week as I will need a few expensive items that I rarely use - but a lot of the food will be from the garden that week too 😁 I'm splitting what's left over from this months budget between the debt reduction fund and normal savings - it's very little but it all builds up! 

joedenise

Congratulations on giving up smoking.  I know how difficult it is.  I smoked for nearly 50 years but finally managed to give up for good in 2012 so now a full 10 years ago.  Took many attempts to get there but get there I did!

Enjoy your self indulgent week off - sounds good.

savingholmes

Congrats on quitting smoking - that's phenomenal and will help you in so many ways.

Humdinger1

@leftatthetrafficlights wonderful news re smoking! You are right to feel proud.  What an exciting phase lies ahead; can't wait to read about it.  Love Humdinger xx