Simplifying Life

2cats1kid

Good news, Mary. I gave up on freecycle very quickly, as if anything interesting was posted it had already gone by the time I got back from work.

The plums are out of the oven. The recipe said not to squash the fruit down, but it seems to have squashed itself up, so the bottom half is now nearly all syrup and the top half is nearly all plum, so I now at least know that I can squash it down a bit more next time. Does look nice though.

I've also put some of the strawberries to mash for strawberry cordial as my sister brings some back from France and DD loves it, so I figured I'd see if homemade came close. That gets strained and bottled on Wednesday, so I'll need to remember or I'll be making strawberry wine instead!

I have this great desire to have one of those old fashioned pantries with row upon row of jams, preserves and chutneys. It consists of about 4 or 5 bottles so far, but everyone has to start somewhere I guess.

Like I said before, simplifying seems to be making me more work, but at least I'm enjoying it.

ceridwen

Thats part of the idea - simplifying may, at times, make for more work. But there is a huge difference between having to do paid work thats not of one's own free choice - and doing extra "work" in one's home that is freely chosen by oneself and one enjoys it.:D

looby-loo_2

ceridwen wrote: »

Thats part of the idea - simplifying may, at times, make for more work. But there is a huge difference between having to do paid work thats not of one's own free choice - and doing extra "work" in one's home that is freely chosen by oneself and one enjoys it.:D

Exactly right ceridwen. I come home from work tired every day, only able to sleep in the chair by 8.00, but at the weekend I can get up at dawn, well 5.30, do all the routine housework, shop, garden, decorate, cook tea, bake and still be able to do the crossword or ironing after tea. I can't wait to simplify my life properly in a couple of years but for now I just do what I can at the weekends.

ceridwen

Hi looby-lou

I know exactly what you mean.....I too find it problematic finding the energy to do what I want of a weekday/workday evening. But - come the weekend - apart from an "energy dip" of an hour or so in the afternoon (which I'm working on wondering what to do about) I basically have the energy to do what I decide on.

I dont know quite what the problem is on workdays - whether its at a physical level (working under fluorescent lights all day) or the sheer boredom factor/energy used having to force oneself to stay put till the end of the workday or what.....

Anyone with any suggestions for reclaiming one's energy of a workday evening purlease??

ceridwen

I've just found:

http://www.ei-resource.org/illness-information/related-conditions/electrical-sensitivity-&-hypersensitivity/

which you might find interesting re fluorescent lighting effects.

I do wonder whether these arent a good idea for me. Short of making sure I go out every workday lunchtime I dont really know what else I can do. Obviously - this is only a bit of a suspicion I have - and I can see that I can do my limited bit of computer usage I do at home okay as far as I can see. I know electrical equipment does seem to have a bit of a tendency to malfunction more frequently than one would expect near me (I'm well stocked with lightbulbs - considering how often they blow in my house - and, yes, I have checked the electrics). So: maybe/maybe not.....in my case. But people differ - this could POSSIBLY be the reason for some people.

mary43

2Cats - love the sound of your kitchen with all these things going on. I do wish I was more that way inclined and feel I must be missing out on something. Have to admit to a yearning all of sudden to make some jam tarts but I'd have to buy the ready-made pastry for them to be edible............lol

loobyloo - just read your post and worn myself out...............lol How do you do it ? I'm sure if I went out to work all week by the weekend I'd need the two days to recover................having said that when I look back I did used to work full time (at one time had evening job as well) and still managed to do all the decorating etc. Maybe it's a 'age' thing ?

ceridwen - I'll have a look at that link later. Thanks. Be interesting to know any effects as we've a strip light in the kitchen (only way to get enough light)
Well, I'm spend half the morning at the school boot fair.............no....I havent filled the house with yet more clutter:rotfl: I did buy some bits and pieces for christmas pressies and craft stuff, some little blue plants for the garden (bit of an impulse buy but they are really pretty) and OH bought some chilli plants that are that bit further on than ours..........these are actually starting to fruit so he's ever hopeful of them.
Last night one of our lads friends came in and honestly, I thought I'd choke !:eek:
How much after shave/deodorant or whatever it is - do that need to put on !! Since then I've had a nasty dry throat.........think he'll be banned from the house ! So, today its lemon and honey with a packet of strepsils until it goes away. Then came back from boot fair sneezing my head off...........hay fever methinks ? Walking round an open field in a high breeze maybe ? Oh who knows.............I'll not be doing a great deal todal I do know that.
I get the feeling that if I did, it would be quite disastrous and I don't have the mental capacity today to deal with any mishaps. So, its a 'take it easy sunday' for me.

mary43

Thinking now I just may have a head cold..................:mad: head feeling like heavy cotton wool, dry throat and you won't believe the tissues I've got through !!:eek:
As for feeling a bit fed up or below par............well must be something in the air round here........ex foster girl called and was miffed to say the least. Builder aren't making such a good job of her house since the fire........wallpaper put up in very bodged up fashion etc. So, she's taking next week off work to try and sort things out a bit. They've been living/sleeping in one room since the fire, she can't find stuff, etc. I'm sure you get the picture. I'm going up one day next week to have a look at what she's done in the garden and spend a bit of quality time with her -much needed by us both.
I'll be off to see Mum some time next week as well, once I know my brother's movements as I really do need to talk to him (hopefully in civilised fashion). Have decided to make it a 3-day stay........gets me away from here for a bit.
Currently feeling a bit 'trapped' what with kids off school/work and in and out like yo yos. Just discovered the oldest one ran off with another lad's hat on Friday night................today his Mum called demanding return of hat, cost of it or it'll be reported as theft !! Told our lad............he seemed to think it was all huge joke............needless to say, I did not ! He came in and went out so quickly so when he comes back I'll have to discuss it again with him and hopefully get a more adult response ? I wonder.................. If not, well, he must face the consequences. Certainly not going to let it stress me out. Daftest thing though, the Mum was there at the time the hat was taken and did nothing ! Beggars belief ! Oh well, takes all sorts.
On top of that I lost my internet connection !!:eek: Talk about panic !!!
Never mind, tomorrow is another day...............................:o

Greenshieldstamp_2

Hello there,

Finally got a day off today (if you can count catching up on the housework etc. as a day off!) Something very guilty about having a day off from work on a Monday but there you go.

I would like to send some honey and lemon to Mary43. Hope you are feeling better today.
I have just been checking up on the plants I've been growing and I have seed pods now on my radishes, so hoping I can salvage some seeds there. I know I should ask on Green Fingered Money Saving but any ideas how long you leave seed pods on the plants? Perhaps I should take them off and let them ripen that way?

Hope everyone is having a good start to the week. Off to tackle the ironing now. See you all later.
Greenshield

EagerLearner

Hey Mary I hope you are feeling better too...!

Thanks Ceridwen for your comments, it all makes sense now and hopefully anyone who posts on my blog now will find it easier. Also have added you to my list!

I have put a pic of the bread we made yesterday it came out luverly and we had it warm with some butter... I will get MrEL a new tin soon as he wants to make bigger loaves (this one is 1 litre tin I think, 2 litre would be better).

Our pepper and strawberry plant seem to have a few little holes in the leaves, it has me worried now as to whether a sneaky bug is attaching them in the night!

mary43

Feeling a lot better today............still bit of a dry tickly throat but managed to get through this morning with no lemon and honey/strepsils/cough medicine.

Meeting with soc.worker at 11am then, I thought, I'd cover my shoe box and door hangers..............got it all out ready for when she left.........thought she never would...............lol 12.30 and I actually got some peace.............right. I thought............now to sort out bldg.soc. hiccups to stop big bruv blowing a gasket at mums local branch ! Took an age to find the right number where I didn't have to press buttons 1-5............eventually got hold a very nice man who explained that now only one card can be issued (I knew that !) but after I explained the problems with big bruv living abroad etc. he went off and checked, came back and said we could have a cheque book each ! Problem now solved............long as I can pay for any weekly costs that crop up thats all I need. So, that little problem (which turned out not to be a problem after all) is solved and big bruv is happy.
By this time - must have taken me nearly an hour to sort it out......I'd completely gone off the idea of sticking paper on anything so logged on here instead...................lol
Planned to visit my friend tomorrow..........then OH comes in and says he's got a days work tomorrow.............how typical is that ! So, have to re-arrange that for later in the week and make sure OH has it firmly imprinted in his brain which day it is. (I'd told him I was going out tomorrow but it seemed to have slipped his mind.............:mad: )
So, office/den is a mess, cluttered with shoe boxes and bits of paper waiting for me to be in creative mode.....................maybe tomorrow ? How many times do I say that ?????
Oh, and the icing on the cake is the hoover giving up the ghost !! :eek: Last thing I needed. Not able to pay out straight away out came the catalogue...........found a cheap one that said 'lightweight'............that'll do I thought..................3-4 days delivery (or was it 4-5 ?)............so till then the floor will remain a total mess !:eek: I'll just have to make sure I don't look at it too often and keep my eyes literally at 'eye level'.................lol

Oh dear............and its only Monday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: