Simplifying Life

Charis

mary43 wrote: »

Best of luck kittie and all with your 'simplifying'..........at times its not easy but its so satisfying when you can actually feel the space you've created, not just in your environment, but in your mind.

I have found that too Mary, in the six months we have been reading and writing this thread. I realise now that part of the reason so many people don't ever finish decluttering is that when our minds are free of 'stuff' it is less easy to avoid issues that we have been delaying confronting. It can be an uncomfortable process as we face the things we have been avoiding - they will be individual to each of us - but there is sunshine at the end of the tunnel.

I have begun to fill the some of the spaces I created with things that really mean something to me. My bookshelves are full of books on gardening, crafts and green issues, and my carefully selected poetry books.

Life feels more authentic without the burden of junk, whether it is my own or that which I am storing or carrying for others.

mary43

Charis - you're so right. I look around now and sometimes still feel I'm cluttering up myself all over again and I'll be back where I started, but its 'selective' clutter..........stuff I actually really want -not stuff just for the sake of it. I've still a long way to go and maybe I'll never be totally 'simplified' but if I can get to the point when I don't feel bogged down by my 'stuff' as well as life itself then I'll feel I'm on top of it........sort of in control of 'stuff' instead of it being in control of me.........which sadly is what I think it was.

I've done fairly well this morning...........kids have both gone out so I've made a start on clearing up my desk...........paperwork is done that needed paying/posting/filing, only stuff left are those I'm waiting for answers on and that I need to keep within easy reach and at least they're in a tidy pile and not strewn everywhere.
Doesn't help that OH keeps giving me empty boxes.............lol (I'm always after them for doing Christmas/birthday pressies -makes for easier postage and the men/boys I think would prefer a box to a wicker basket with all the trimmings...........lol ) The intention is to cover them with nice paper or material which I've yet to get. So although they're clutter, they're clutter with a purpose...................lol

do_it_today!

Hi all :hello:

Charis wrote: »

I have found that too Mary, in the six months we have been reading and writing this thread. I realise now that part of the reason so many people don't ever finish decluttering is that when our minds are free of 'stuff' it is less easy to avoid issues that we have been delaying confronting. It can be an uncomfortable process as we face the things we have been avoiding - they will be individual to each of us - but there is sunshine at the end of the tunnel.

I have begun to fill the some of the spaces I created with things that really mean something to me. My bookshelves are full of books on gardening, crafts and green issues, and my carefully selected poetry books.

Life feels more authentic without the burden of junk, whether it is my own or that which I am storing or carrying for others.

I agree with this quote.
Its funny though even though I gave myself permission this morning to just pick at a drawer I have been wanting to clear for ages - not complete it - jus t pick at a few things and as a result have ended up clearing the whole drawer - finding new homes for the bits and pieces wasnt as hard as I thought it would be and I feel a whole lot better for it too! :j

Aril

Hello virtual friends:j
I had a bad night last night and really didn't feel like heaving my carcass out of my pit at some unearthly time to do the weekly shop at Mr T. However, I am glad that I did make the effort because it then left me the morning clear to start off some raspberry vodka which I am hopeful will taste good enough to give away as presents. I'd saved my voucher from the paper last week so that it would meet most of the cost of the vodka. I also stewed up some half priced rhubarb and apple as I have made a crumble for tonight's supper. It was OH's birthday yesterday and this was his request for a special pud:D:D We really are simple souls aren't we. I so enjoyed my morning but then retired to bed this afternoon for a nap and a read of my book because I could feel a grump coming on and was in need of a rest and some personal space. Have emerged feeling much sunnier and very excited at the prospect of our first bbq of the season:D
Tomorrow we are taking the small person and his best friend out for a belated birthday treat to a science centre over in East Sussex. I'm not sure who'll have the most fun us or the boys- I do so love the way museums and centres of learning are presented these days with all the interactive exhibitions and buttons to press. I just have memories of glass cases with dry looking shards of pottery!
The quote today isn't profound in any shape or form- it simply raised a smile
Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's paying
Frank Lebowitz
Hope you all have a lovely weekend
Aril

mary43

do it today - maybe thats what I ought to do...........just sort of rummage about a bit in the odd drawer and before I know it I bet I'll have clleared it !! Small goals........bigger achievements that way it seems.
I know when I've cleared stuff out before an found bits and pieces I forgot I had, finding somewhere to put them was quite a lot of fun, once I got over the initial severe scratching of head..........I'd end up moving things about and could give a corner a whole new look.

aril - sorry you had a bad night, but all things considered, you've got a lot done and certainly earned you're bit of 'space and relaxation'.
Science museums are a lot of fun.......the new lad we've got is off on a trip to London next Wednesday and I suspect the Science Museum is where they'll end up.........he'll love it and I wish it were me going. I remember taking my kids and that was some years back now (more than I care to think about) but it was educational and enjoyable even then.
Love the quote..............thats another one to keep.
Have a great weekend:j

My afternoon didn't go quite as expected...........boys came back early and have been in and out ever since.........think they're in to stay now but at least they're upstairs playing music (if you can call it that)......been trying to make some cards for mums care home and due to the 'activity' of the boys I just couldn't concentrate and everything seemed to go wrong. Well, not all, at least I got a few more done. And the rain stopped, hung the washing out and then lo and behold it rained again ! Still, could be worse......least the washing was dry. ow that shower is over and we've got sunshine.
OH's inspected his veg in pots with great pride and looked at the wild like area.Seems to take care of itself but needs thinning out now and then. Needs the love and care of ex foster lad who created it in the first place so I'll see if I can him to come up next week and give it a bit of a 'tidy'.
OH now enjoying a pint in the garden.............simple pleasure and aren't they the best ? Think I''ll join him....................:j

shaz_mum_of__2

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4276490.ece

I am so pleased i have been stockpiling


Shaz

PS anyone read the News of the world? is ther a tecso voucher in it ?

Charis

shaz_mum_of__2 wrote: »

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4276490.ece

I am so pleased i have been stockpiling


Shaz

From that article:

David North, the company’s community and government director, said food supplies could be hit by fuel protests, though he assured customers that the situation would have to be “fairly calamitous” for supplies to run out.

Our petrol station, the only one in a town of 8,000 - and not even a Shell outlet, was out of petrol for five days during the recent scare. Fairly calamitous is what happens when the press fan the flames and panic buying kicks in. Anyone else remember the rumours and panic buying in the 70's? First sugar, then salt were unavailable, solely due to scare stories. As fast as it was delivered, it was snatched up. The rumour which sparked the salt buying was that the salt mines in Siberia had a strike on. People will believe anything. Maybe David North is hoping they will believe him.

By the way, what exactly is a community and government director???

mary43

Thanks for the link shaz -bit of a worry .........the way things are going I can see folk rushing to 'panic buy'..............Ive got enough stuff to keep us going for 3 weeks (enough loo roll for about a year thanks to OH's obsession with buying it........lol) but can't really afford to stock up much more as it means buying extra each week .........more than we have done. Still, OH used to be a chef and can manage to create a meal out of next to nothing thank goodness.

charis -I remember the 70's............sugar shortage almost turned me intoa criminal.............I was at Butlins for a week and used to take a few extra sachets of sugar back to the chalet two or three times a day..............lol
(worked on the principal that I'd paid for it in a way by buying a coffee or two.............lol) Shelves in the supermarket were totally empty of sugar.
60's was worse in a way when there was a bread shortage (can't remember whether the bakers were on strike) but there was just no bread so everyone made there own resulting eventually in there being no yeast in the shops.
Mum gave me a recipe for a milk loaf (think thats what it was called) that didn't involve yeast so we got through that ok.
You just never know whats round the corner............round here the first things to disappear off the shelves seem to be bread and milk.

ceridwen

mary43 wrote: »

Mum gave me a recipe for a milk loaf (think thats what it was called) that didn't involve yeast so we got through that ok.

Hi Mary

Could we have that recipe purlease Mary?

love
ceridwen

(who is too tired to lift a finger to make it today - after all the walking I did yesterday...but might do it next week:D )

mary43

ceridwen - had to clamber over four cardboard - sorry no, five, that I keep 'aquiring' to cover for christmas boxes..................phew !! Done it, rummaged through my little bookcase (thank goodness I de-cluttered it !) and found what must be it only its called a Cob Loaf -trust me to call it the wrong name. Here goes anyway:

Cob Loaf

8 oz Plain Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 pint of milk

Set oven to 425 degrees (gas mark 7)

Sift flour and salt into bowl. Add baking powder.
Using fork mix to a dough with milk.
Knead until smooth and shape into round.
Put on to a greased and floured baing sheet.
Brush with milk and bake in the over for half an hour.

That has to be the recipe.............I've got it written down in an old exercise book from the days when I collected a few cheap recipes and actually used to cook !...................lol