Progress not Perfection

Sun_Addict

Morning all, happy Tuesday.

I'm feeling quite motivated today, I'm sure the feeling will wear off as the day goes on 🤣

I'm having an upside down day today by WFH this morning and going into the office this afternoon. I have a meeting later this afternoon that I could do with 3 screens for and I only have 2 at home. I'm going to do 6 hours at home, walk to work then a couple of hours in the office. That way I still get the box ticked that I've been in the office today. I don't need to be there this morning but I do this afternoon. I might struggle to find a desk but it's only for a couple of hours. It also means I don't need to cart my lunchbox and thermos coffee cup to work and back. 

Because of this I had a lovely leisurely start to the day as I was up at 5 as usual. I read a few chapters of my book, did some Spanish learning and listened to a 2 minutes mindfulness technique about setting intentions for the day. 

Today's exercise will be walking to/from work later and a live resistance bands class at 6.30. 

Tonight's dinner is the smoky tofu chilli on a baked sweet potato. This will use up a portion of smoked tofu from freezer stocks and also some veg from fridge stocks. I joined a live session on food inspiration on my WW app last night and have noted down some more new recipes to try. I've got leftover dhal for lunch and I've had overnight oats with pineapple and mango for breakfast. 

Ages ago I bought a journal and coloured pens, filled in 2 pages then abandoned it. I'm trying to get into filling it in at the start/end of the day. My desk drawers are full of abandoned planners/journals/etc. I usually lose the momentum after a few days so I'm trying to introduce it as a new habit to make it stick. 

Just realised 6 weeks today we go to Ibiza 😎

milann

I’m another who has enthusiastically bought coloured pens and pads only to be abandoned after a few days. I definitely eat healthier when I’ve kept a food and exercise diary….my downfall is I only like to fill them in on good days 😂

Sun_Addict

Afternoon all, happy hump day 😁

WFH today so enjoyed my relaxing start to the day. Yesterday's upside down day worked really well. By the time I got to the office at 2pm it was fairly quiet so easily found a desk. The downside was the city centre was busy as it was lunchtime so I was people dodging for some of the way there, then on the way back walking home it was peak office chucking out time so busy again. 

Mr M delivery arrived an hour late with no subs or missing items. The driver apologised that he was late explaining he was covering for a driver who'd called in sick. 

Exercise today so far has been yoga first thing, dog walking later then 15 minutes standing core kettlebells at lunchtime. Tonight it's Zumba. 

Tonight's dinner is a portion of lentil spag bol using some lentil ragu that's been in the freezer ages. I had a portion of leftover veggie chilli from yesterday on a baked potato for lunch and the usual overnight oats for breakfast using blackberries from the park across the road. 

Housework tasks will be a massive pile of ironing and giving the bathroom a good clean.

Garden-wise I've picked 5 tomatoes and 2 courgettes. 

Moneywise, I've done the usual midweek finance check. Also had a letter from Principality reminding me the 6 months regular saver is maturing in 2 weeks and I needed to let them know what to do with it. I've asked for them to use £200 of it to start off another 6 months regular saver as the interest rate is still good. The rest will be sent to the current account. I'm going to put the interest in the Christmas pot and the remainder will go to the EF to make up some of the £2k I borrowed from it to pay the dog's vet bill. 

Two frogs eaten today - I finally got around to phoning a pension provider from a previous employer who had written to me saying I was retiring next month - I wish! I've put the pension back by 2 years when I'm hoping to retire. It's only a small pension pot, nothing to get excited about. The second frog was writing to an ancient benefit scheme Mr SA had been part of when he first started working in the building trade back in the 80s. It will be worth next to nothing but no harm in letting them know his current address for anything that's due when he's retirement age. Both things had been on my to do list for some time. 

jwil

Well done on tackling the frogs.  Even if it's a small amount better in your pockets than theirs!

Sun_Addict

Morning all, nearly Friday.

WFH again today. My relaxing early morning was disturbed somewhat by DD getting up for work and clanking about in the kitchen. Then Mr SA decided to hog the bathroom when DD needed only had a few minutes to clean her teeth before heading out to catch her bus. I had to bang on the door asking him to hurry up!

Today's exercise plans are dog walking later this morning, a lunchtime kettlebells/weights session and Zumba tonight. I'm at a park volunteers group meeting tonight so will also be walking to/from the venue although it's not far just the local pub.

Tonight's dinner is a variation on a Thai style curry I previously made and enjoyed a few weeks ago. It will use up some more of the lentil rice from cupboard stocks.

I made the coronation potato salad  last night for lunch today and tomorrow. I tried a sample and it's delicious. The portions are very small though, even by my standards, so I'll make some salad to go with it. It's probably more a side dish than a meal in itself. I eat small portions but even I was thinking is that it 😆

I need to pay for the wheelie bin wash today other than that it should be a NSD unless the neighbour fetches the trellis. 

I divided the grocery budget into 4 and am aiming to keep to a weekly amount rather than aim to keep under the total amount to see if that keeps me on track better. 

Determined to get around to giving the bathroom the good clean I didn't give it yesterday. Between DD and Mr SA I struggled to get a decent stretch of time in there yesterday. At least DD is out of the house today. 

I've also made a start on decluttering. Last night I picked the cupboard where the pet food is stored and sorted out all the odds and ends of leftover meds. I've bagged up ones no longer needed ready to take to the vets for disposal next time I go. It looks a lot tidier now and boxes of tablets aren't falling out when I open the door. Determined to do one small bit a day starting with the kitchen. 

Sun_Addict

Finally got to give the bathroom a good clean without any interruptions 🥳 Had to stop Mr SA heading in there for a shower beforehand though even though it was only 4pm. He was constantly hovering with his towel on his arm which made it more stressful than it should have been and the minute I finished he was in there like a shot! 

Decluttered 2 kitchen cupboards after that and did a load of ironing. Not a lot has been thrown away as yet but I’ve tidied the cupboards and moved anything that doesn’t belong there. 

The park meeting was cancelled as a few committee members couldn’t make it. That suited me fine as it meant I didn’t have to rush  tonight. 

Overnight oats prepped for tomorrow’s breakfast. Back in the office tomorrow but finishing early. 

Sun_Addict

Friday 🥂🥳

Worked in the office today and finished after I’d done 6 hours. Fridays are usually quiet but today was quieter than usual. Probably holidays or parents with kids finishing school. 

The city centre was horrendous. I’ve never seen so many school kids in one place. Mainly queuing outside the fried chicken type places. 

On the way to work, waiting to cross the road from hell where I got hit by a car, a druggie stumbled past me and another woman and walked straight out into the traffic! How he didn’t get hit I don’t know. Both of us covered our eyes 🙀

I had a look at the MnS sale and came out with a lightweight dressing gown and two T shirt nighties that match the dressing gown 50% off. They’re all lovely so I’m pleased with my purchases. 

Stopped at Lid! for a few bits. I’m just 25p away from hitting the next free gift target. Still under budget for grocery spends this week. I don’t need anything else now until Monday. 

Exercise today was walking to/from work 21,127 steps. 

Had just over an hour in my hanging chair with my book before it was time for a shower then time to start cooking dinner. My dinner tonight was lightly dusted fish with sweet potato and steamed veg. Overnight oats with strawberries and blackberries from the garden have been prepped for tomorrow’s breakfast. 

Now relaxing with a G&T. 

doingitanyway

Well done for the pensions admin.
21,000 steps is excellent!

milann

Well done on tackling the frogs. Glad you didn’t have to rush out to a meeting tonight👍

Sun_Addict

Happy Saturday 🥂

Have spent the best part of the day chopping down in the garden. You should see the mountain of clippings 😱 The garden waste bin is full and it will take several bin fulls to clear this lot. My arms are aching and scratched to ribbons - it will be a miracle if I can still move them tomorrow. A job well done though. 

Apart from taking the dog on the park I’ve been nowhere so it’s been a NSD. Mr SA was shocked we weren’t going to the big Mr T but we don’t need anything so no point other than taking the soft plastics recycling. 

Mr SA wanted to go to the local fair but I was on a roll with the chopping so he took the dog on his scooter. He came back full of how good it was. It’s still on tomorrow so will go and have a look. It’s not as if we’ll go on any rides. 

I eventually managed an hour in the sun on my hanging chair with a G&T and my book.  After I finished I put the cover on my chair and a random gust of wind puffed up the cover, knocking over the empty gin glass and smashing it. So I had that to clear up. 

A source of amusement was seeing the young cat batting about one of the dog’s balls in the garden passing it from one paw to another like a feline footballer🤣

Tonight’s dinner was pizza and salad. The salad leaves and tomatoes courtesy of the garden 🙂

Went outside to pick some blackberries only to notice Mr SA had left his scooter and house keys outside 😞 This is after him being extra cautious locking all the gates because of the fair 😐

We’ve had a disagreement about what to watch on TV tonight and had to put my foot down about Top Gear and Grand Prix. I wanted to watch the end of Mixtape but Mr SA has declared it rubbish so we’re watching Benidorm.