Simplifying Life

mary43

daffs thanks for the hugs........I've needed them this week and just when we'd planned to do the Street Sale tomorrow its raining and looks like it will be tomorrow too. Still, doesn't stop us clearing some clutter and boxing it up in the garage ready for the next one (trying to always be positive !)
Clearing the garden to make room for veg is definitely ''simplifying' in my book.
We always grow our veg in pots and this year had a real tidy up of the 'veg in pots' corner......laid some slabs down, spaced out the veg we've got and found we had more space............so, I've now bought some carrot seeds

Ellidee you've made the chaos and disorder I sometimes feel my life is full of almost a normality and just something that has to be dealt with.........not always easy though particularly with a 17 year old who is currently having a tantrum and I would almost like to bang my head on a brick wall ............lol
But he'll get over it, I can live with it and the 'something and nothing' he is carrying on about will either sort itself out or get sorted. Unfortunately he doesnt always see it that way.

Judi I can see where you're coming from on the finance front........it being my week for having a rude awakening in that area. Plastic cards are sometimes I feel a menace.........it's so easy to overspend without realising it just on general living.

Champys -Get these few difficult months ahead over and done with and I intend to get rid of my plastic............I always said it was for 'emergencies' but somehow it strayed from that and now I can't wait to get rid of it. It feels like a millstone round my neck.

ceridwen - Had a lovely day with my friend..........real quality time and between us we made the little teddy bear from a kit that my son had sent me for christmas as a 'fun' present. Popped into the little town near her and I found the packet of carrot seeds I'd been searching for so OH was pleased.
Got home and ex foster girl had called with a plaque her sister had made for the garden 'Grow You B*****s Grow'................lol After all that has gone on this week suddenly life looked very good................then our lad came home from work and created uproar feeling he should have more money than he's been given despite it being over and above the norm due to us taking two weeks leave. I've managed not to get into a confrontation with him over it -just explained the facts firmly but clearly...........up to him whether he feels it necessary to indulge in a period of sulking but I'm so far remaining very calm (don't know how, but I am..............lol)

kbarty - glad you're finding inspiration from the thread and I know what you mean about the 'giving away' of things. I've got rid of a lot of stuff on the freecycle sites...........maybe I could have sold them but it was quicker and easier to give them away plus I met some really nice people into the bargain.

mary43

Just to add..................our lad has come to his senses, got over his tantrum and with much hugs all round gone off to his brothers happily and we can start our two week break.................break ????
Oh eck..............spare bedrooms to clear and sort ready for arrival of son, girlfriend and baby grandson............eek !!! must find single duvet from somwehere !!!:eek:
Kitchen floor desparate for a clean..............back yard needs a sweep, cobwebs forming, windows...............have I got nets or is it muck ????:eek:
And does it all really matter that much.........................

Well, not really in the grand scheme of things..........so now I'll relax with OH, unwind from a fraught week and let the world pass me by for now:A

Greenshieldstamp_2

Just a quick entry to wish Mary43 a happy break. Hope you have a lovely time with your visitors. I am sure they will remember spending time with you, much more than whether the back yard has been swept.

The radishes are growing like mad, the lettuce are starting and the flowers are just thinking about growing.

I even managed to bake a cake this week on a day when I was fed up. Ithought it was going to be a wasted day.Turned out to be one of the best cakes I have ever made, (and I had just thrown it all together not being a cake baker). We have had tea and cake after work this week.

Have a great weekend everyone. I am going to try some more gardening myself. What has everyone else got planned?

ceridwen

hi GreenshieldStamp

Plans for weekend:

Environmental "campaigning" work, housework, see parents, a couple of bits of work on the house..and maybe I might actually get in some leisure time as such!:D

The simplifying thought for the day chez ceridwen is a decision to put off every single further bit of work on the house I can until I am retired - rather than use up any more precious annual leave time for it.

I have to redecorate two of the rooms in my house as soon as I can - so that will be a couple of weeks of annual leave gone for that (that cant possibly be postponed - as those rooms are so tatty). Also - I am waiting/hoping for the chance to take my house "off-grid" for fuel bills somewhere along the line. It will cost - heavily - to do this - so am watching to see when the Government starts giving out large percentage grants towards this (in my case - very large is necessary) - as I cant even think of funding this sort of thing myself out of my low salary. If/when those grants are available - then I will do the work immediately my finances allow (so I'm hoping that will be before retirement as well). So - those two things are the only ones I have in mind for taking annual leave time now before I'm FREE, FREE, FREE:D :j .

Over the years I have lost loads of holiday time doing work on my house or earning extra money towards that work - so I feel its now time to "get a handle on it" - "down, darn house, SIT down - my time is my own - heel, boy" (said in suitable Barbara Woodhouse tones):D

mary43

Greenshield - You're so right...........does it ever matter whats swept or not swept ...........well not is my book ir doesn't and I really must learn that if anyone visits its because they want to see 'us' and not whether we've swept,hoovered,dusted etc.
Hope you get your gardening done.........afraid our back yard definately won't be swept today ...........pouring with rain !!
Got a niggle in my head that I should be 'doing' something when really I just feel like unwinding into relaxation mode after a very fraught week so thats exactly what I'm doing.

ceridwen - you sound like you've for your 'simplifying' all in hand. Hope your weekend plans go smoothly.
Well our plans for doing the Street Sale this morning were quite literally washed out............pouring with rain so not worth doing as there just aren't any people about. So we'll hang on to our 'surplus'for the time being. There will be another in September anyway.
The rain also put the 'damper' on any gardening we wanted to do so it's 'indoor pleasurable' things on my agenda today..........get me in the mood to start preparing for my family next week and have some time for 'me' as well.
I know what you mean about so called holidays become 'home work' days spent catching up on all the jobs around the house that need doing. And really are some of them so important ? No...........most can wait a while longer.............our stairs need painting but the world won't come to an end if we leave them a while longer. Long as the major work is done the rest can wait...........we were put on this earth to do other things than work, work, work I'm sure.
Have a good weekend whatever you do

Aril

Hello virtual friends:j
Woo hoo I'm back and this is naturally my first port of call. Shall make it brief tonight as my internal clock saying it's 12pm and I didn't sleep a wink on the plane last night. Started off by manically fidgeting but then thought deep breathing might be a better option and also wouldn't wind up the lady behind me either [self preservation coming to the fore there:D]
Canada was everything and more that I had hoped for "awesome":D We've seen killer whales in the wild, black bears [mummy plus cubs awww!], caribou, racoons and moose and I feel very privileged to have done so. Although it has left me with a bigger carbon footprint which doesn't exactly fill me with pride the small person's reaction to every new experience whether seeing the Beluga whales at the aquarium or enjoying the tranquility of the Chinese garden in Vancouver it has been worth every penny and I am now even more sure that it is important to make some of your dreams [whatever size they may be] a reality. The other thing I am reminded of is just how much I love my little house and the beautiful countryside we have in this country of ours. The first cup of tea with real milk in my home after being away for a fortnight and drinking only coffee made my homecoming perfect even if the place does look like a Chinese laundry and I've come back probably weighing more than when I left:D
Look forward to catching up on all your doings once I locate the jar where I've left my brain for safe keeping:D
Aril

mary43

Aril - good to see you back and glad you had some a wonderful time. You are so right..........where we can we should 'follow our dreams' (as my son keeps putting on every birthday card to me.........lol) Not always possible but then dreams can be on several levels..........bound to be one thats an achievable goal. And you have the satisfaction of giving your 'small person' the thrill of a lifetime...............something he will never forget.

Well, my exceptionally lazy day is turning into an evening of loafing on the sofa with OH.............but I have written a letter for my Grandson for his first birthday next week telling him a few of the silly things that happened since the day he arrived and asking him what he thinks of our weird and wonderful world. One day he may be able to tell me that. I wrote to him when he was born for-warning him of the endless baby talk he would endure and how strange we'd all seem to him but how he'd sort of get used to it as time passed. Then there was one for Christmas ....and his Mum is keeping them all. One day he will hopefully read through them and have an insight into what sort of person I am, what my Mum (his great Nanny Kath) is like. It's something I wish my gran, or even Mum and Dad had done for me.
And on a more positive side, I'm clearing out a small set of drawers from our 'building site room' (builder still hasn't returned to finish off !) Wasn't going to get rid of it but someone on freecycle has a greater need for it than me............so tomorrow, out it goes !

Tomorrow is also the day to start sorting out bedrooms for the family visit otherwise I'll be rushing around on Wednesday morning - not a good idea when they arrive Wednesday afternoon.

zarazara

what a lovely idea mary43

champys

ceridwen wrote: »

hi GreenshieldStamp

I have to redecorate two of the rooms in my house as soon as I can - so that will be a couple of weeks of annual leave gone for that (that cant possibly be postponed - as those rooms are so tatty).

Aargh - yes, me too. There is nothing I hate more than having to give up annual leave, which is meant for restoring ourselves, to redecorating! My 'office' is the most urgent one, the bedroom next. OH takes no interest in the process whatsoever so it's down to me. I was just estimating whether it could sit until I retire, but that's wishful thinking. It will have to be faced. Let me know how you get on, Ceridwen, the thought of someone else in exactly the same boat will be of great support!

Ellidee

ceridwen & champys could you decorate the rooms, one at a time, sort of 'piecemeal' so you wouldn't have to use up your precious leave ? For instance one weekend spend say, half a day, just painting a ceiling, (after covering all the furniture). Then, maybe another weekend, when you have a few hours, move furniture away from one wall and paint or paper it. A system like this has worked for us.