Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

Merlin's_Beard

I would second the idea that if the garage a) doesn't have anything of value in it and b) is already broken at the doors, then the risk of any further damage being done should someone try the door is pretty minimal, but of course it depends on your peace of mind.

I would also try and remember that you've only been in for a few months and you've had a major health scare in that time - you're not running out of time on any of this, the house has survived in this state for a long time and you've dealt with the big issue that had the potential to get worse (the roof)

dawnybabes

All our meds go in a huge box on a kitchen shelf.  Once a fortnight I pop them into oversized dosing boxes (they hold about 8 tablets) to last us the 2 weeks. I also have on a notice board on the fridge a list of daily meds for both of us so in an emergency they can see what we take (and I can check I’ve added everything to the boxes) 

JGB1955

Just delurking to suggest that, whilst you write a list of 'to do' items, you only tackle a maximum of one every month for the foreseeable future.  You appear to be  running away with yourself and making 'questionable' decisions on the way.  The effort involved in continuously getting refunds (but struggling to process them) must be exhausting - financially, physically and mentally.  Stand back and enjoy the view and bask in what you have already achieved.  Life isn't a race....

skint_spice

The garden is looking very pretty.

SandyShores

Love the red robin, we have two now as they seem to be hardy plants with lovely colourful leaves.  We also have a ceanothus puget blue.  Its about 1.5m high and probably slightly wider now - they go up to 1.5 m - 3 metres depending on which gardening info site you visit.  I'm hoping it will grow about 20cm higher than the fence (which is 1.8m) as that will give us a bit more privacy.  Visited by lots of bees, its a beautiful plant but apparently only lives about 15 years, so in about 6 years time I may need to take a cutting or two.  Gardening really does give you job doesn't it.

savingholmes

Thanks Beanie, Merlin, Skint, Dawn and @JGB1955

Thanks for the meds tips. I set up my dosing box last night. Went to bed. Couldn't find it this morning and ending up taking a separate tablet and writing in in my book... I give up sometimes... Just found it in time for evening meds... Where I'd looked 5 times already on the sofa hidden by art supplies!!

I get that it's not a race but part of my conditions is that I feel a constant 'now' pressure. Because I can't seem to keep any part of the house looking organised for long - I constantly feel behind and late - very Alice... I find it hard to see what I am achieving - although in the garden I'm taking photos so it's more visible.

I agree I make questionable shopping decisions - and for me this is a stress response - and I need to find a way of getting that back under control - as I agree its a vicious cycle and is adding to the overwhelm. Worse - all my deliveries particularly from Am**** mean I'm generating more cardboard a week than will fit in the local waste system - and I haven't yet had the energy to find the tip. Because I'm still decluttering the black bin doesn't have capacity to take cardboard...

Some of the shopping is displacement activity - and that need to feel part of humanity - while I'm waiting to develop new local friendships. I appreciate there are more effective ways of achieving the latter - but those don't feel attainable right now. The local course place still hasn't come back to me which is disappointing. 

I still need to return the 3 pairs of shoes - but am still waiting for a shipping label for the third pair. I don't want to go twice. They are in the front room. I still need to collapse the boxes the new hoover arrived in... I have cushion inners in a bag due to the cat's questionable flea status... I've washed the covers but they aren't going back on until I'm sure the cat is flea free... I am not up to date with putting things away and clean laundry is piling up. This suggests I should declutter more. 

My to do list feels very long just of daily life admin... My phone keeps running out of memory so that is another issue that needs addressing. I think the video doorbell is exacerbating the issue. It's hard to keep on top of deleting those from my phone... 

Achieved today:

• Worked a part day
• Did a washing load - it's now drying 
• Deleted loads of videos and photos
• Updated my finances
• Bought more fence paint
• Found a new Italian restaurant and ate out and brought half home for tomorrow. It was a really nice setting and tasty so could be a keeper...
• Collapsed a few more boxes
• Put a load of rubbish in the outside bin
• Packed the dishwasher and turned it on
• Updated addresses for two policies 
• Finished clearing bedroom 2 of surplus items and it's now ready for hanging art work and a mirror
• I moved 2 see through crates of mainly summer clothes to the bottom of my wardrobe 
• Fit a cube into my WFH cupboard space. Identified I have a spare cube box in there that I could use for spare towels and there's space in the bathroom cupboard. Put some flannels in the latter.
• Hung a clean hand towel in the bathroom

savingholmes

Thanks Sandy - thanks for the tip on the ceonothus life span. I think they are gorgeous. I now have two. I haven't had them before but my last neighbour had a gorgeous one until the new buyers cut it down. I was gutted. Glad you are enjoying your red robin. I saw at a HB they had some red robin standards for £25. They are £50-100 elsewhere for a similar size so I was impressed. I managed not to buy more though as I've already bought a lot of plants... 

savingholmes

I watched a magpie visit twice and a robin come to my bird feeding station. The magpie went for the 🪱 while the robin went for the coconut. Nice start to the day.

WelshmansDaughter

The 'now now now' feeling goes away with ASD friendly rest. Or at least it is less loud

savingholmes

Thanks WD - it goes away for me if I'm hyper-focused on something else e.g. art or garden but rarely just by doing nothing. My counsellor also nags at me to pace myself more - so you guys aren't wrong on that.

I woke up exhausted today and yesterday - but attributed it to my anti-d meds and the need to take them slightly earlier the night before. I'm belatedly realising it may also be that I'm pushing myself too hard - possibly influenced by my ADHD meds... I only tend to feel how tired I am when I stop. That just happened when I finished work at 3pm and felt utterly wiped. At lunch I even pushed myself to spend 10 minutes putting some washing away. Afterwards I realised that hadn't been the best plan and ate outside in the sun and extended my break. I was quite bothered by the buzzing of insects though so not sure that will be a regular occurrence even if the fabled golden orb of @Fortune_Smilesfame made an appearance. I am debating continuing painting the fence though as that uses physical energy rather than mental and in its own way I find the rhythm quite therapeutic.

Sadly my cleaner has just texted to say she can't come tomorrow (she'd already changed it from Friday). Can come next week on a different day but then can't come the following week. Feel I can't win sometimes. The agency would possibly send a replacement but not sure I have the energy for another new person. I still need to put the robot to work for the first time too. Perhaps that needs to be one of my next challenges to myself.

I just had a tasty ice cream though CB so all's well that ends well...