Forever Starts Now

starnac

We are having a lovely half term here. It's been so quiet but we've just spent time together. We've eaten outside a few evenings this week, we've played games and yesterday DD and I had some time together while we drove around to a few of her friends' houses to drop off consent forms for SUPing tomorrow evening. I can't believe it's Thursday already and half term is nearly over. Roll on summer holidays! 

Anyway it's the 1st of the month today and I want to set some goals for this coming month. It's a bit of a shame really as the old forum allowed you to change the font colour but I can't see that anymore! 

I'd like to carry on decluttering downstairs. I have a lot of craft stuff that I don't use and there's just no point it all just sitting there! So first goal is to declutter, what shall I say? 10? 20? things? I could do with going for 20 but is it too ambitious? 

Second goal is to make a bit of extra money. While I would really like to make more mortgage overpayments there are a lot of things that need doing in the house too and our wages can't cover everything.

Third goal - overpayments. Let's set a target for a monthly overpayment too. I work better when I have a goal to aim for. 

That should be enough for to start me off I think.

Goals for June:
Decluttering 0/20
Money Made 0/£200
Overpayment 0/£200

starnac

I'd also like to keep a record of our solar panel output compared to our energy usage. 

For the month of May we used (according to our energy app)

Electric: £3.10
Gas: £11.72

We sold back approx £88.20 worth of electric from our solar panels. 

Coming into summer that should hopefully increase and our electric and gas usage should decline. I'm pretty happy with that, although I would be interested to compare our figures against others who have solar panels. 

starnac

Where has the lovely warm weather gone? Did I jinx it yesterday with my solar panel post? typical! 

My cucumber plants are looking rather sad this morning which is a shame. They were doing so well. Fingers crossed they rally and don't just simply die. 

I planted more carrots yesterday as they were growing unevenly so I planted more seeds in the gaps. Everything else seems to be doing well so far. This is the first year I've been able to plant things in the ground rather than pots so I'm quite excited to see what comes of it all. 

Today's plan is to do some baking and then take DD and her friends to the Bay to do SUP. DS and I will "supervise" from the cafe. DH will be on the water teaching them so they will be safe. It's just not my (or DS's) thing. We usually have a cuppa for me, fancy pop for DS and we share a cookie as they are massive. DS refers to them as "the cookies that are as big as my face"  

starnac

Morning all. 

Half term is over and the kids have just headed off to school. It's going to be strange without them home. It's just me and the dog (and the chickens but they are not in the house. 

Half term has been lovely. I do enjoy having them home. As much as I shouldn't wish my life away there is about 6 weeks left to the summer holidays and I can't wait. 

Anyway, need to be back in a routine today. Dishwasher and washing machine are on thanks to the sunshine we have (although it is pretty windy), I have a few meetings today but they are on zoom so I don't need to leave the house. I plan to use the time between meetings to do a few other things that need doing. I've got some prep work to do for kids club and also organise father's day crafts for all my groups. 

I want to use my breaks to tidy off the steps to the garden. There are a few weeds growing across them that I want to get rid of. 

starnac

I made a bit of a mistake yesterday. About 15 mins before my first meeting I get a text in the group chat saying "we should be at the office in about 10 mins" Followed by another one from someone else saying "I'm also still on my way, see you soon." I thought the meeting was on zoom but it was in fact in person. So I had to quickly pack my things, sort the dog out and get to the office. I knew I was going to be a bit late so I messaged "Just in Mr T getting milk, do we need anything else?" By the time I arrived all teas and coffees had been brewed, we added the milk I brought then we started. No one was any wiser  

So I was out most of the morning. It was a productive meeting though. But it did mean that I didn't get much done around the house as a zoom meeting would have been much quicker. 

I have been wanting an aloe vera plant for a while but when I see them they seem to be quite expensive so I've never actually bought one. Yesterday morning I saw one online for £10 but it was quite small. I decided to wait til the end of the month to see if I had any money left over. Then yesterday afternoon, I was having a quick look on social media and a lady up the road from me posted on our village FB page asking if anyone wanted some offshoots from her plant free. I jumped at the chance so now I finally have a (very small) aloe plant. I'm stupidly excited over it! and it cost me nothing!

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, fantastic news on the aloe Vera! (My mum always opens the curtains and says "'allo, Vera!" to hers in the morning 🙄😂😂)

Good save on the meeting as well, how funny 😂😂

starnac

Cheery_Daff said:

Ooh, fantastic news on the aloe Vera! (My mum always opens the curtains and says "'allo, Vera!" to hers in the morning 🙄😂😂)

Good save on the meeting as well, how funny 😂😂

I used that joke on the kids. They did not find it funny  

Karmacat

Brilliant all around 🤣 so clever about managing the meeting!  And hurray to a free aloe - now you've got one, you'll never be without.  I've given away loads, on freegle, to relatives, all sorts.  Just about to repot for the umpteenth time too.  Good fresh compost will definitely give you baby aloes  

starnac

Morning all. 

Lovely sunshine here again so I've watered all my veg, fed and watered the chickens and spent some time with them pottering around their run. I've also put the washing machine on, hung some washing on the line, and put the dishwasher on thanks to free electric. 

June Goals update:
I passed on 2 christmas jumpers that were too small for DD,
I have another one waiting to be collected
I passed on a craft kit that I won't use (and obviously haven't)

So 3 things decluttered with more planned for the weekend. 

Goals for June:
Decluttering 3/20
Money Made 0/£200
Overpayment 0/£200

No money made yet although I did do some work for a friend that I should be paid for towards the end of the month. That should cover about half of my goal. 

starnac

Evening. Work has been pretty busy this last week so I haven't really had time for anything else. 

I sold a pair of tap shoes that have hardly been worn so that's another thing decluttered and a shiny £5 note to add to the pot. 

I'm not sure where this rain is supposed to be? I've been waiting for the clouds to do a good watering of the garden but the most we've had is a few drops. 

Apparently there was a bit of thunder while we were in church yesterday but I didn't hear it. Not that that means it didn't happen. I quite often miss thunder unless it's right overhead.

My veg has suddenly flourished. My courgettes are looking very good indeed. I need to research some recipes before I pick them to make sure they don't go to waste. 

My chamomile seeds has started to pop their heads above ground too so that's exciting. I also bought some lemon balm plants as I read they were good for something and now they've arrived I can't remember what they are good for 🙄 Anyway they've been potted out and they smell fab when I walk past them so not a complete waste. I'm sure I'll remember what they are good for at some point.