Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

savingholmes

Thanks KK and WD

Trying not to pressure on myself. Rearranging the floor fitting date to December effectively gives me 2 extra weeks to get it done - where otherwise I'd need to be ready a week tomorrow. The asbestos removal guy couldn't do it before anyway. So I have 3 weeks roughly. I've spent quite a lot of time decluttering when DD and her BF were here  I am making progress on my house just (always) slower than I'd like.

Dealing with noisy workmen is also quite sensory overloading - as well as the social side so that is also leaving me drained as they are still in the very noisy and messy excavation stage.

Today I've done the dishwasher and kept the counter clean. I still have spare cube 'slots' I just need to decide what to rehome into them. I also have shelf space. I'd fallen into the classic trap of piling stuff in front of the storage rather than in the relevant slot which was very counter-productive. I've also been over-buying art stuff - but it has a siren call.

I did a good piece of work today which I needed for a meeting tomorrow and got input from the right people which boosted my confidence. 

Self care wise I managed a shower which was positive. I've been to the chemist and got my prescriptions. I succumbed to a takeaway but wasn't impressed with it. It just lacked flavour and the texture was very wrong despite its high rating locally. So I've found another takeaway that's not worth the effort / cost - I may not even eat the leftovers. Tomorrow I have my counsellor again after work.

I just needed a rest today after work so did a little art although I squeezed a tube of paint too hard and it ended up both in my hair and on the rug! I painted some things in irridescent paint as well as a couple of clay things I'd bought with something that dries and looks almost glazed but stinks and is ultra sticky. Thankfully that isn't what I got in my hair. I'm going to have to rinse my hair a little though when I go upstairs.  

KajiKita

I did think having the workmen around might be hard going. There is an end in sight though. 

I see Awesome with the work task! 👏😊 Well done and I hope the meeting goes well today. 

It sounds like you are having Adventures in Paint … 😉😊

KK

savingholmes

Thanks KK - yes workmen of any description are difficult for me. Two of those on site currently seem to speak limited English and they are mainly left here alone with a roving supervisor moving between this and other jobs. I think they are 2-3 days behind currently as they haven't sent the manpower they said they would. I'm not desperate time wise - and I'm waiting for the new 0% CC to arrive - so at least it means I haven't had to pay them anything yet. There's room on a different 0% CC but it has a shorter time period left. 

I made them rescue my plants from the pavement and clear the mud beyond my drive before they left yesterday. I also insisted they met building regs on the damp proof course and paving levels - which I'd written into the instruction but they tried to negotiate on. They hit a rainwater type pipe yesterday so they'll need to sort that. I've taken a picture so I know where it is for future. They will put it in lower down when they replace it.

I need to drop an email with recent changes so there are no arguments later. I agreed they could take down a little half wall behind my shed which separates front from back so I get a continuous flow of tarmac and edging. The shed will be the barrier later. I think only wildlife can fit down the side of it.

I was asleep I reckon by about 12.30 which is my best in recent times. I'm having to get up earlier for the workmen so that is probably helping. But anything that moves my body clock to a rhythm that supports work better is good. Even though I've taken a very low dose it is also making me feel calmer during the day and I'm more able to focus for the time agreed. 

I get paid tomorrow which is also lovely. 

EssexHebridean

I listened to an interesting podcast earlier on - an interview with one of those "extreme cleaner" people who clears hoarder houses and deals with biohazard cleaning. A fascinating listen regardless, but something she said really chimed with me - that it is SO easy for clutter and mess to get on top of us, and even for someone like her, she had learned to put steps in place to mitigate against it. Her motto for her home is "clean as you go" - so if you splash toothpaste on the sink, wipe it straight off. Crumbs on the surface after cutting bread - get the mini hoover out. water round the sink from washing up? Wipe it down before it leaves water marks. It's all about habit - just getting used to dealing with the "thing" as you go along - which makes a lot of sense and massively reduces the mental (and physical!) load down the way too. definitely something I'm going to try to employ! 

savingholmes

Thanks EH - it sounds a good strategy but rather a lot of retraining would be required - as I don't even tend to see mess until the doorbell rings and then it pops out at me!! I also tend to be either struggling to focus or hyper-focused on my main activity and don't notice much around it until I've finished. Lots of half finished art projects and forgotten drinks and meals along the way too. The house is improving which is the main thing.

I saw the builder earlier after I sent them an email summarising the changes and where we are - and they are going to work Saturday but believe they will finish on time (end of next week). They are still mainly working in the back. I've offered to move some things inside temporarily if it helps clear their work area - and they'll look at that tomorrow afternoon. 

I've done slightly more hours than I though this week so hopefully my boss will be happy. I've produced the most important stuff. 

I've added some shop bought oyster sauce to the takeaway and it's better. Shouldn't be necessary though!

EssexHebridean

Yes - you're not wrong about the retraining I suspect - I'll report back! It certainly would make a massive difference to the way I deal with things if I can get to grips with it though, so I feel it's worth a bit of effort! 

Blackcats

You are busy, busy, busy.
hope your sleep pattern is improving.

SandyShores

So much going on, and you are definitely going in the right direction.  It will all get easier as every time you have something fixed or changed it improves. But I know from experience it feels like one step forward two back and you wonder if it will ever finish.

I've just got a few areas in my house to declutter but I've been ill for a couple of weeks and those areas have just gathered clutter and dust like a magnet.  Its given me renewed energy to sort them out, so that next time a blip comes it won't be so bad.  

astrocytic_kitten

You’re doing really well SH, progressing so many things on so many fronts is so tough. Home improvements are such a slog at the best of times. I’ve got workmen in at the end of the month so this is providing a timely reminder of how hard it is and that extra care strategies will be required.

Watty1

You are doing really well (I've just caught up)
@EssexHebridean - that is a lovely plan but I think it only works if you are clear to being with.  I'm good in some rooms where I have death cleaned the clutter away that it is so easy to just whizz round but others like my dreaded "tack room" which is really a dumping ground for everything I can't even get in there!