Simplifying Life

fluffalo

Speaking of random acts of kindness..

There was just a knock at my door and it was the local florist ..my 95 year old neighbour who is very ill at the moment sent ME flowers. It was such a nice surprise, and I am crying now thinking about the effort it must have taken him to get out and go down to the flower shop to place the order.

I've just committed the cardinal sin of phoning to thank him while he was watching the football . I'd like to do something nice for him before Christmas. I was thinking of baking, but I know he doesn't eat a lot at the moment. Any ideas welcome!

ceridwen

larmy16 wrote: »

Just a little aside about giving up television. I work for quite a few families as a cleaner and out of them, just one limits their children to miniscule amounts of tv. When I go to the house, it is these children who are engrossed in playing, the little girl is an avid book reader and they have such amazing imaginations in their play. It is almost old fashioned!

As I said they do have a tv, but it is never ever on in the daytime and the Mum told me they rarely watch it before bed either (not even the kid's programmes).

As a result, these kids seem to be living a much simpler life - not filled with wants due to the insidious influence of advertising. Hope this helps someone who may be thinking of going without tv.

When I went the other day, both of them were up in their rooms playing happily and I could not help thinking how wise the mother had been, as they dont seem to be saying all the time "Im bored - there is nothing to do!"

I like that one - thats one wise woman.

Primrose

I'd love to live a less cluttered life, but it seems that every time I have a clear-out of my surplus clothes and possessions, my dear OH acquires and hoards a fresh supply of new "stuff". As this has been going on throughout most of our married life, my only hope of having a minimalist existence is in the next world, where I am assured that neither of us will be able to take anything with us !!!

ceridwen

fluffalo wrote: »

Speaking of random acts of kindness..

There was just a knock at my door and it was the local florist ..my 95 year old neighbour who is very ill at the moment sent ME flowers. It was such a nice surprise, and I am crying now thinking about the effort it must have taken him to get out and go down to the flower shop to place the order.

I've just committed the cardinal sin of phoning to thank him while he was watching the football . I'd like to do something nice for him before Christmas. I was thinking of baking, but I know he doesn't eat a lot at the moment. Any ideas welcome!

I think thats really nice - my guess is that he got you the flowers because of previous kindnesses from you....aaawwww!!

One suggestion re something (more?) you could do for him - wonder if you could offer to do some housework of any description for him (?maybe the not so everyday and a bit more difficult type of stuff like cleaning windows/shampooing carpets perhaps?). If there is some money available - maybe he'd like a C.D. of music from his "glory days" (as in Frank Sinatra rules okay or something:rotfl: )

ceridwen

:rotfl: :rotfl:

Primrose wrote: »

I'd love to live a less cluttered life, but it seems that every time I have a clear-out of my surplus clothes and possessions, my dear OH acquires and hoards a fresh supply of new "stuff". As this has been going on throughout most of our married life, my only hope of having a minimalist existence is in the next world, where I am assured that neither of us will be able to take anything with us !!!

:rotfl:

.......memories? Thats one thing you WILL be able to take with you.:D

fluffalo

ceridwen wrote: »

I think thats really nice - my guess is that he got you the flowers because of previous kindnesses from you....aaawwww!!

One suggestion re something (more?) you could do for him - wonder if you could offer to do some housework of any description for him (?maybe the not so everyday and a bit more difficult type of stuff like cleaning windows/shampooing carpets perhaps?). If there is some money available - maybe he'd like a C.D. of music from his "glory days" (as in Frank Sinatra rules okay or something:rotfl: )

Thanks - The CD is a great idea.. That gave me the idea of having mt husband put together some video highlights of their favourite football team..I'm not sure if he has a CD player, but he definitely has a VCR and hubby has games going back to the 80's he's taped off the telly that he has been going through because we are transferring everything onto DVD.

Another couple and us do look after the garden in the block of flats, which is something George did himself for years, but it only feels like we are repaying him for all of the work he has done. We also want to make sure he has something pleasant to look at outside his window.

He would seriously kill me if I tried to do any housework for him. He won't even let us go to the shops for him.

Anyway.. simplifying life.. we are both lucky enough to be able to walk to work, so we don't have a car. We've stayed living in a flat even though our salaries have increased and we could probably afford something bigger, but we decided we would keep a mortgage that one of us could afford if need be - my husband goes through phases of wanting to go back to university and not being over stretched on the mortgage would give him the freedom to do that if he wanted to. Besides ,we have great neighbours!

JoJoB

Older people often like listening to audio books and it is possible to download them for free from various file-sharing websites, maybe he'd like something like that? Otherwise I'm sure he loves just having someone to pop round for a cup of tea and a natter. Sounds like you have a nice little community of neighbours there.

I used my first day off work to organise myself re shopping. Scoured the Aldi/Lidl/Netto thread for the best things to buy, made lists, wrote down recipes from the cheapest meals threads and trotted off to Aldi.... leaving my nice long list at home.

Luckily I remembered most things and had a great time in Aldis going "wow" at how cheap everything is. I'd been to Nettos before but Aldis just seemed to be much better quality and less squalid. Spent £20 and got loads of stuff, so have cut down without at all feeling like I've denied myself anything - the complete opposite in fact. I :heart2: Aldis.

Now I am all organised for Christmas. Got my 20 quid shop in and have bought my pressies - all 3 of them. Couldn't afford to buy for everyone so told them so. Another simplification gone well. :j

[Deleted User]

I've decided to be brave & come out of hiding from "lurker land"!

I've decided that me & DH should try to live a more simple life, think before I buy stuff and be more frugal. I loooovve this old style board - I have learnt so much! DH is impressed with some of the ideas I have 'introduced'!

I have given up my weekend job, I now only work 5 days a week (like a normal person!). We'll be £120 a month worse off but I thought I'd save the petrol costs of getting to work and back, and if I planned meals out in advance, bought meat & freeze it when on offer etc, not just buy things for the sake of it (magazines, choc bars at lunchtime) etc, then we'll be okay. I am going to try this year to buy clothes/bag/accessories etc from ebay/car boots/jumble sales/charity shops this year. That will save me a lot.

Btw, am loving all the blogs too!!

rosieben

Deleted_User wrote: »

I've decided to be brave & come out of hiding from "lurker land"!

I've decided that me & DH should try to live a more simple life, think before I buy stuff and be more frugal. I loooovve this old style board - I have learnt so much! DH is impressed with some of the ideas I have 'introduced'!

I have given up my weekend job, I now only work 5 days a week (like a normal person!). We'll be £120 a month worse off but I thought I'd save the petrol costs of getting to work and back, and if I planned meals out in advance, bought meat & freeze it when on offer etc, not just buy things for the sake of it (magazines, choc bars at lunchtime) etc, then we'll be okay. I am going to try this year to buy clothes/bag/accessories etc from ebay/car boots/jumble sales/charity shops this year. That will save me a lot.

Btw, am loving all the blogs too!!

Welcome Looplou! You'll find loads of good ideas and information on here, and if you have any questions just ask, there's always someone here to help out.

I bought last summer's and this winter's wardrobe from ebay and a lovely leather bag too.

Charis

ceridwen wrote: »

I've often wondered what it would be like to live on a boat - would be lovely to hear how it is for you if you ever have the time to tell us.

My friend retired and thought it would be fun to live in their boat for this summer. She and her husband are experienced boaters. As we all know it rained almost all summer. Hers was a miserable, damp experience. When I saw her last she apologised for looking so unkempt. It is impossible to dry things on a boat so washing has to be kept to a minimum, then done at the launderette which takes hours and is not cheap. She had to use the library for the Internet and missed keeping in touch with everyone. Even taking a shower requires understanding friends or ingenuity with a bucket. Try a holiday on the Norfolk Broads first, then imagine what it would be like if you didn't have anywhere else to go to. Lovely on a good day but scary on nights when the river overflows its bank for miles, then drains away and leaves your boat lying in the middle of a field, at a curious angle. :eek: Choose your mooring carefully if you decide to do it.

Charis