Simplifying Life

ceridwen

Mary...re your comment about "bone idleness" - well.....you should see the lists, redone lists, etc I have to do to get myself to do things I dont want to (eg the housework). I've now got to the stage where I make up a mini-tasks list (ie stuff that will take 5 minutes max each) and scheduling them out over the days to make myself do them! (eg mini-task on way back from work tonight - done. 2 mini-tasks before work tomorrow and so on). I find it very difficult to motivate myself to do anything I dont actually WANT to do in my leisuretime - having spent hours doing a full-time job I dont want to do every day Monday-Friday. I think I've used up my stock of willpower making myself go into w**k every day - so theres not much left to make myself do housework. I dont have to find any willpower to sit down and read a book though!;)

mary43

ceridwen - good idea............think I might just do that......have a mini list for each day. Been talking about my endless lists to OH sitting in the garden -I'm sure he thinks I''ve lost the plot..............lol
I've craft stuff to do for christmas baskets and losing track what and for who, thats without the normal stuff of paperwork that I really ought to make sure I do on a particular day each week instead of having a mad panic.
Then there's stuff needs doing round the house -sorting out larder etc. plus keeping tabs on young lads activities arranged during the holidays -and older boys future, visit to Mum, phone calls to my kids, letters to write etc.
Still, having gone through all that while sat outside OH suddenly broke what must have been pure monotony to him and announced there was a shrub next to the herb plot that was on its last legs and he was getting rid of it !!! Shock horror !!:eek: Getting rid ? Unheard of in our house -so compromise reached that shrub would be transplanted somewhere else (I hurriedly found a gap) and in its place we'll have an apple tree in a pot ! Gardening catalogue out and we found one that might suit so we'll have to trawl garden centres and compare prices -another thing on 'to do' list...................lol
Bindweed raised its head in the conversation and OH wanted rid of it till I pointed out that the blue morning glory he lovingly tended were a close relation to the white flowered plant he was beginning to loathe. Compromise again.........where the bind weed is growing, pop up a trellis and let it happily spend the summer there thus hopefully not spreading everywhere else.
That was tonights decision (we do this every time we sit outside ) -remains to be seen whether all this actually takes place.
Some orange flowers my Mum gave me have decided to sprout everywhere -even in places nothing else will grow..........I'm haunted by them (were they my grans originally I wonder ?) and as fast as I cut them down when they die off up they come again flowering away. Nothing will beat them. Started off with four now I've lost count...................lol Have noted all this in my super efficient gardeners notebook -been really good about it this year.......so we'll see whether we end up doing what we say ............or not !
Enough of my gardening mishaps.................contemplating watching programme on tele about the dreaded saddam hussein........be interesting to see what sort of tale they tell about him.

Charis

mary43 wrote: »

Bindweed raised its head in the conversation and OH wanted rid of it till I pointed out that the blue morning glory he lovingly tended were a close relation to the white flowered plant he was beginning to loathe. Compromise again.........where the bind weed is growing, pop up a trellis and let it happily spend the summer there thus hopefully not spreading everywhere else.

Sorry Mary, this time OH is right. Bindweed left to itself will take over. Unlike morning glory, bindweed roots can go down for many feet and even leaving a little piece of root in means it will start all over again. I have a friend who has bindweed taking over the piece of land she lives on, she believes it to have come in with a plant someone bought in a pot, as bindweed is not native to the hill she lives on. Maybe systemic weedkiller will see it off?

ceridwen

Well - I just had to have a quick google at that mention.

So - conclusion: well if any of your lads are troublesome you could always say "It's bindweed for you my lad for dinner tonight" - yep, its edible - but it has a purgative effect and nasty aftertaste. See:

http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=421

:rotfl: :rotfl:

errrr....I wouldnt mention to him what it says in the comments though - lol! If he suddenly gets a lot of visitors and they all start hanging out in the garden - you might just hazard a guess why!

JenniO

must be the crazed american in me that thinks bindweed is beautiful! :rotfl: I don't have it growing in my garden though.

mary43

Charis - thanks for the info........we do only tend to have bindweed in a certain part of the garden...........the wild life area there's none of it, just seems to be this particular part, hence the thought of giving it a 'home' of some sort. Having said that I don't want to risk it strangling anything in the process. I'm always loathe to get rid of any plant that has a pretty flower on it.................Mum would call them weeds, to me they're all wild flowers and become weeds if they're growing where you don;t want them to.
OH will be so pleased he's right this time.................:p

ceridwen - thanks for the link......................lol Oh what a temptation but somehow I don't think I'd get away with that........the powers that be would be on my back too quickly after cries of 'she fed us bindweed for tea !!!!'
And I don't want a garden full of curious visitors either............lol

JenniO - not its not just the 'crazed american' in you...........I really do think its a really pretty flower, as are a lot of those wrenched up by gardeners to make space for the more popular 'bedding' plants.
I've come to the conclusion that is something chooses my garden as a place to live then so beit and it does make for an easy life sometimes.........save spending money on other plants that just may not want to grow but, seeing what Charis has said............I think this bindweed will have to go

Well today is such a peculiar one............the weather for a start (how very English to start talking about the weather.........lol) After a very hot and sticky night, lack of sleep, waking up heavy headed, down came the rain........lovely we thought.......freshen the air a bit..........not so ! Rain stopped and I got all ready to go to view the new charity shop opening today........all set to go and the rain came again ! Bit heavier this time and looked like it would last so, back into my 'slop about skirt and top' and resign myself to being at home for the day at which point the rain stopped. OH by now had gone to get shopping (means he's got the money!).
Just as well really...........oldest boy not at work again and trying to fathom our how he'll get away with it -possible with sick note from the doctors ? Bet he'll be there tomorrow to pick up his pay cheque from last week ! Young lad isn't going out until 12.30pm now (was going fishing early but didn't wake up). So, I have to keep an eye on whats going on and stop the house being filled up with other kids, stop any arguments before they start etc.
Charity shop will wait until another day.................:o

moanymoany

I now have in my possession the ultimate 'simple living' book. It is written by a Mennonite woman and the book is based on the Mennonite principles of simple living and service to those less fortunate.

It has a lot of religious and spiritual content but is has a wealth of ideas and philosophy.

It's subtitle is

'a pattern for living with less and a wealth of practical suggestions from the worldwide experiences of Mennonites'

The book is called 'Living more with less' by Doris Janzen Longacre. I also have her 'More-with-Less Cookbook' which is excellent.


This is what I put on the OS book thread.

I bought the 'More With Less' cook book and also the 'Living More With Less', both by Doris Janzen Longacre and contributions by many, many others.

I am not a religious woman and I find the Christian Fundamentalists quite terrifying, however, this religion based book has inspired me. The religion in the book is Mennonite.

Clearly the basis of the Mennonite religion is simple living and serving the poor in not only the USA but also throughout the world. This book gives many ideas on simple living. They range from children's toys and entertainments to ideas on how to spend adult leisure time.

It also has lots of letters telling their own stories of simple living and also insights into what our lives are governed by.

One man had been to China and had wondered how the Chinese people could live whilst being bombarded by political slogans everywhere, on walls, on television. On his return to the USA he realised that it was just as bad there. The difference was that the bombardment was advertising, advertising encouraging people to buy, buy, buy - mostly what they didn't need and sadly as we are all seeing now, couldn't afford.

It does have a lot of information and ideas on what to make and how to make it, but it is more than that. There is a lot of religious language, but there is also a mine of ideas to live simply and in tune with the Earth and it's people.

It includes a way of making sandals from tyres. Simple patterns for making a one piece shirt, children's toy ideas, and recipes to feed 50 people among many other things!

Wonderful book. :j So glad I bought it.

mary43

moany-sounds like a very worthwhile read. Not heard of that before.

Well today started off with oldest boy actually getting up to go to work -no-one came to pick him up (not surprising as he's not been all week) so he phoned the boss and was told he's fired !! Pay for last week should have been popped through the door as promised and so far hasn't been so he;s not a happy chap !
OH bit down in the mouth due to friends funeral today, well not so much now but he was this morning.
Least the youngest lad is smiling -or least he was when he went off out with fishing tackle.
I've been at my disabled friends for the day having a mutual moan about gas/electric prices, food prices etc. and where she can cut corners without suffering too much herself. Still, the afternoon was livened up by going through a bag of her daughters 'throwouts' rescued from the wheelie bin and found little gems that both of us can used for home made christmas presents. Two more bags to go but we ran out of time when my bus came !
Roll on next week when we can attack the other bags...................:rotfl:

Now I need to check how she can get extra loft insulation - council maybe ?
Can't find out now till Monday.
Other than that...........pleasant day, head free of clutter (though sadly not the house!)............:j

Charis

mary43 wrote: »

Now I need to check how she can get extra loft insulation - council maybe ?
Can't find out now till Monday.

http://www.warmfront.co.uk/

Here's how to apply for help with energy saving. I've had a grant towards a new heating system and insulation and I told my neighbour and she qualified too, as she has MS. This is a bona fide company, they send a man round to analyse what you have, what you are entitled to and how best to spend the money. I think the grant limit is around £2,700 but I am a couple of years out of date with the facts. It may be more now. If the total costs come to more, you meet it from your own pocket. You are under no obligation to have anything you don't want or can't afford. I got a warm air heating unit (equivalent of a central heating boiler) loft insulation and a few energy saving bulbs (they were freebies). I had to pay about £450 in addition to the £2,700. Your friend could just choose to have loft insulation if she qualifies. Even if she has some already, as I did, they top it up over and above the latest recommendations if you haven't got enough depth.

mary43

Thanks Charis - I've had help twice from warmfront myself. They insulated the loft initially then two years ago phoned to see if there was anything I needed (i.e.loft insulation) I explained that they'd already done it for me and was told regulations had changed and they would come and do it again which they did. They also fitted a new boiler for me (ours was over 20 years old and we new it was on its way out). Luckily I didnt have to pay anything extra. I did wonder whether warmfront would be the people to try or whether my friend should try the council first as she's previously had help from them with new windows (property is listed so she can't have double glazed units.)
I'll contact warmfront and see what they say. Doesn't hurt to try does it.
They were more than helpful to me and at the time I did pass my friends name and address on to them but it wasnt followed up. I'll try again.