Follow the Yellow Brick Road 2023

SandyShores

Hi Kajikita, thanks for dropping by

I'm the same, just a small change in outlook, can make the whole world seem different.  I'm still learning and hope to keep on learning for a long time.  Usually before I act on anything I like to investigate and reconsider options and then reconsider again, but I'm learning to have a bit more confidence in my instincts especially at work.  Its scary but so far I'm finding it rewarding - I'm just working out how to make sure the safety net is in place in case it all goes wrong.

And yes, books, making things of any kind and gardening too.  One of my aims this year is to add some more colour and texture to the garden.  New build garden so a bit flat and square, but we're slowly adding stuff.  Unfortunately I've lost four trees - just not done well in this water logged clay soil.  I love plants and seeing things grow and change through the seasons is fascinating - so I'm determined to have a garden where I can potter along (with the cat along too).

I'm working on the cleaning, but I can relax so much more once I've had a quick hoover and mop through the downstairs so totally agree.  

Its the joy in the small things that bring the most happiness

savingholmes

Sounds like you were unlucky on the trees. Very frustrating though.

KajiKita

Bah about the trees! That must have been so demoralising. 😢 Forgive me for asking an obvious question, but did you give them a full bucket or watering can of water each, every week through the growing season after planting?

You’ve probably found this or something like it already:
https://www.homesandgardens.com/advice/best-trees-for-clay-soil

I’m having no choice but to rely on my instincts at work as the pace is so hectic! I’m making mistakes, but so is everyone else around me, including people who have been there for years 😊😉

The change through the growing season? Oh yes, it always almost seems impossible how something so gallumphing and robust as a tomato plant comes from such a small seed every year 😊❤️

KK

SandyShores

Thanks savingholmes and KajiKita, yes it was very sad.  I had envisaged a magnolia, an acer and a cherry blossom in full bloom.  Now there are just bare patches.  They suffered from waterlogging so in effect drowned.  When we pulled up the cherry blossom there was a hole full of water.  I'm nervous to try again but am not giving up.  Apparently you can build the soil up into a kind of mound to raise them up slightly.  And our garden is slightly undulating, so I'm thinking of looking for the higher up spots.  Clay soil, especially on a new build site, is awful.  You put the spade into the soil and come out with a wet splodge of clay that you have to peel off with your hands so its hard work.

Thanks for the link KajiKita, I am looking into plants that like wet environments too.  Apparently ferns thrive in a wet soil.  I'd absolutely love to plant a eucalyptus tree but they grow too big.  I'm envisaging small trees and lots of plants, if I can keep them alive.

SandyShores

Bit of a day at work.  I'm doing something that I've not had experience with before and am supposed to have senior support, which isn't really there (left to me as I'm 'capable').  But it means as I'm a worrier, I worry at every stage.  Hopefully can have a nice weekend and forget about it and relax.

SandyShores

Have managed not to do too much worrying today, but have done quite a bit of running around and also some dusting, hoovering and floor washing.  Emptied all the bins and gave them a wash - I don't know about anyone else but I feel like I'm constantly sorting the recycling out - glad we have that service though.  I always take old batteries and bags to the supermarket recycling bins - there seem to be so many more wrappers that can go in with the carrier bag recycling which is good to see. Also sorted out a box of DDs mementoes - there's a few bits for charity which leaves just one large box that she wants to keep.  Ordered a few more hooks for hanging up things in the store cupboard - its starting to look very organised.  Also going to put a couple inside the airing cupboard, I like to see everything tidy and the hooks were pretty reasonable compared to the cost of one of the strips of hooks.  I like Oxo Goodgrips stuff, but not that much £ss.

KajiKita

I always find that weekends are good for decompression if I am busy doing, anything, ideally gardening but even a bit of tidying or more creative cooking does it for me. 

I liken it to a glass of water with a spoonful of mud in the bottom - the working week stirs it up massively but the weekend allows the mud to settle out again, my perspective clears and I can ‘see’ the dynamics around me much more clearly.

KK

redofromstart

Hello! 

Much sympathy on new build and compressed clay. My first proper garden was like that too and things just rotted in the ground. I did lots of 'double digging' and added a lot of spent mushroom compost (because it was cheap locally) and as much grit/gravel as I could afford to improve the texture but it's a slow process.

SandyShores

Thanks Kajikita, I agree, weekends should be for relaxation and letting the dust settle/kicking the leaves.  Its been a struggle to decompress again this weekend and I'm not paid enough for that - it is clear that those who are don't let it bother them so I need to do more work on that.  Only the working week is for work.

Hi redofromstart, its just so hard - even thinking about digging clay makes me grimace - and my old garden had such beautiful easy soil.  But you're right, I at least need to work on it - even just a small patch, there's nothing like growing things to lift your soul.

Well an interesting weekend.  I feel pretty tired but have come to a couple of conclusions - that others will take, and its up to me to say no.  Should have worked that out before really but I can't help it if I'm a people pleaser (or can I!).

We made a good first overpayment this month too.  Its knocked six months off the mortgage term - so I will be only 74 years old when its paid off now.  We also have the H2B to pay too - so its a big challenge to get it all paid by SRA latest.  But as I explained previously, there are options in terms of lump sums etc if we need to.  Envious of people who haven't left themselves such a huge challenge, but glad to be in our lovely home with a good chance of achieving mortgage freedom by retirement.

Moneyfordreams

It's horrible when you are struggling to leave work behind - with experience it usually passes for me - although I left one job when it got too much. I think I've done ok then I remember something that could have been different. I've opened up my work emails yesterday to access the presentation for tomorrow and I've noticed an email from a speciality , that induced mild worry - It might be good, indifferent or bad - I'm not reading it until I get to work later. I hope you find the tools you need to leave things behind. 

Well done on the overpayment - its better to leave the past in the past as you can only work with now to move forward. Regrets or envy/ negative thoughts are time consuming - better to use them as a driver to push forward. I recognise that I have had a lot of input into our financial situation what with house moves and how we should have stayed in house number 2. But every now and again I slip into the old frame of mind and get fed up that my husband dug his head in the sand for so long that we are in this position. He said a few months ago aren't we doing well, and responded quite tartly "you recon?" we shouldn't have a mortgage at this point - or words to the effect of