Simplifying Life

ceridwen

Cue.....DEEP BREATHS! Yogic breathing.....breathe in slowly to count of 4, hold for 4, let out for 4. Breathe in slowly to count of 4.....etc.....etc.

Says she...just giving myself mini-lecture re "hmmmm.....negative feelings....hmmmm....transient....not real.....detach.....detach".

We'll get there....mary:D

do_it_today!

Hi all :hello:
I hope nobody has been battered by the winds?
have done some decluttering / re-homing of my kitchen cupboards all the food is near the cooker toaster near the bread bin - its all making being in the kitchen abit easier :j I bought some borax so will experiment with some homemade house cleaning recipes.

Have been suffering commuter rage lately so as the weather improves I will attempt walking some of it and taking the bus too so simplifying by killing 3 birds with one stone:
1 - increase exercise - train for race for life in July
2 - 1 less car on the road
3 - reduce my petrol bill
keep simplifying everyone :j

ceridwen

...and if you come up with any borax cleaning recipes that work well...please share on a cleaning thread.

Did my first bathroom sink clean the other day with just bicarb of soda - looks pretty good to me....and it was lot greasier than normal (courtesy of unblocking later).

mary43

ceridwen - I can see me doing the deep breathing while OH counts up to ten.....................lol what a pair..................still at least if I can laugh about it I've got to be winning surely.
Now off to grab my share of sofa before OH spreads out and makes zzzzzz noises...............lol

do_it_today!

Will do ladies will do! off to bed now
goodnight

Aril

Hello virtual friends:j
Just a very quick posting from me as it's getting near my bedtime:D Am hoping to get rid of two big bags of stuff to the charity shop collection this Friday and will be smiling sweetly at OH at the weekend to empty the garage of all the recycling and take it to the dump. Then I shall be able to remove the rather attractive centre piece I have in the middle of my lawn at present...a freecycle stainless steel sink which will go into my kitchen idc and hide that in the newly created space in said garage.
Not a thought provoking quote from me tonight...just thought I'd share with you the gem of the message that the small person chose for me for Mothering Sunday [OH said he was chortling away as he took it up to the till]. "some parents controlled their kids with iron will, but mum found that a cattle-prod and a baseball bat were perfectly adequate":eek: Not sure quite how well that looks with regards to my parenting skills mind:D
Aril

champys

wmf wrote: »

I'm thinking ahead to summer plants in pots - I want to do some salad leaves this year but also want some flowers. Anyone got any garden plans yet?
w

wmf - I'm thinking of the garden too, and of summer even more, with the rain hammering against the windows! Here in France everyone puts their potatoes in at St Joseph's which is 15th March, but at this rate the plot will be more suitable for getting a rice crop going...... :-)

If only the rain would stop. Isn't it time we saw a glimpse of spring?

jamtart6

I want to simplify my life...I waste so much time messing on the internet, but my job (work for myself) demands I am on the PC in other programmes and popping on the internet to check things out, but when I pop on for work things, I inevitably get distracted via other sites!!!! Anyone managed to solve this issue? It would simplify my life grately if i didnt have the internet

ceridwen

Aril wrote: »

Hello virtual friends:j

Not a thought provoking quote from me tonight...just thought I'd share with you the gem of the message that the small person chose for me for Mothering Sunday [OH said he was chortling away as he took it up to the till]. "some parents controlled their kids with iron will, but mum found that a cattle-prod and a baseball bat were perfectly adequate":eek:

well....put it this way Aril.....if I gave my mother one like that (or indeed anything other than the standard flowery type one) I dont think I'd live to reach next Mothers Day!!!:eek: So I reckon you're getting something right there myself:D You obviously have a very good relationship with the small person.

Me - I've learnt discretion is the better part of valour as to how to react with my mother - treat her in an extremely conventional "mother from her generation" sort of way and peace will be maintained (most of the time!). The rest of the time - I bear in mind the Buddhist dictum JoJoB quoted recently and regard it as an opportunity for development of something (the ability to keep quiet and just walk away or take the phone off the hook - LOL). I have to remind myself not to take it personally - as she frequently gets upset at my fathers health problems and I am the nearest person to "throw things at".

Rowan9

Morning all
DD and I went out for a lovely meal last night and even with 2 glasses of wine and a tiny (really!) brandy when I got home, I have a bit of a headache! Self inflicted of course. Lovely meal though and I really enjoyed her company.

This morning we have to walk into town to collect the car, so will take the dogs. It's only a mile and the pavement walk will do them good as it is a change from running around the common.

When we're out we'll pick up some cheap white paint as we tried a little bit of our new paint (white with hint of cornflower) and it looks like the wild design of my old painting just might show through. I'm not very good at doing things thoroughly and properly but will just get on with the fact that it needs 2 coats.

My library has emailed me to say that Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters is in. I love E Gaskell and haven't read this one. I also have the new Jamie cookbook on order (28 of us do!!!) and a couple of house/ feng shui/ simple living books so look forward to them arriving.

Keep in the moment dear friends - if it suits you or would help you. This is something I am working on and have by no means the answers. However, yesterday I was upset about something which would have thrown me previously but I concentrated on breathing 'in, may I be calm, out may I feel peace' and reminded myself I am responsible only for my own actions and behaviour and responsible therefore for how I 'choose' to react to that of others. This really helped and I could see that I didn't want my present thoughts etc to be poisoned by feeling bad about something that someone else has done/ not done. I also realise I will slip back now and then but that's ok too.

Off now to walk in this wind to get the car - it will blow the cobwebs away!!
w

ps - looking forward to virtual baby friend - come on!!!!!!! Hurry up!!!!!!!!