Moving on

Cherryfudge

peb said:

It's hard.  I'm trying to decide whether to ask for a cut in hours for a work life balance which would be better for me but would mean I couldn't save as much so would have to work longer before retirement 

It's a tricky one, complicated by the fact we can't tell who is going to live to 100, so how much to put aside for later! (I know there's a thread on this and my conclusion was 'how long is a piece of string?' The cost of our desired lifestyles, as well as our longevity is going to be very individual).

Having time outside of work does create cost-cutters: no commute, no workwear, cook from scratch, etc. There's also the opportunity cost: taking that time out of work reduces income, social interaction, stimulation and possibly others.

I've not made the tiffin yet: I decided to listen to the talk we're going to discuss later, which turned out to be a worthwhile investment of time, but it didn't wash the dishes so I'll do that first then maybe the tiffin and draw up a shopping list. Mr T has just sent me some coupons for extra points if I meet a qualifying spend on frozen veg, coffee, dried fruit and nuts, rice/pulses/lentils/beans/herbs & spices and fruit teas. I don't think I need the beverages at present so they will only be bought if I see a good offer or can put it towards a Christmas present or two. After all, these coupons are only really a way of putting my money in their pocket, when I think about it. If I can't make good use of the things and am only buying because it's on offer, then they win and I lose. (By the way, why is Sains still offering me special rates for goats' milk when we haven't bought it since June? But I digress...)

WelshmansDaughter

Potentially a mini retirement acting as a restorative?

Cherryfudge

WelshmansDaughter said:

Potentially a mini retirement acting as a restorative?

In a way, this is what we've done. DH changed jobs a few years ago and reduced to three days a week which suits him well. He still has an income from working but for various reasons is also going to draw a pension from this month. I reduced my hours after an accident a few years ago, realising that tiredness had probably contributed.

I spent from mid-January to September last year off sick (stress) and now I have two relief posts, so I can pick and chose my hours, never more than three a day because of the types of work. I also spend part of a day with the grand children (this will shortly be a day a week) and one morning a fortnight in a voluntary post - as well as being a team leader for the Sunday morning kids' session and study leader for another group, and helping with the church cleaning and garden. So it all takes up time and doesn't let me slump too much! However, the days DH is at work can be slow and I rarely feel I use them as well as I could.

Certainly the time off was restorative, and I suspect saved me from worse issues, but it's also given me a sensitivity to things that lead to me being under pressure ('peopling', noise, morning working) - things I'd lived with all my life but once they slackened, I became reluctant to have to go on coping. I can't be the only one, but I do have the privilege of things that let me take advantage of the opportunity to step back: some income, savings and another earner in the household. Those are all game changers.

And have I made the tiffin yet? Actually, I came on the computer to look for the recipe, and look where that got me. At least the dishes are done.

Cherryfudge

The tiffin finally got made, following one of those mega-side-tracks which I think may be common among the ADHD community. If it's an ADHD symptom, I'm the poster girl for it.

I had unopened biscuits bought for the tiffin and they were in the 'emergency' cupboard to save them from my marauding fingers going into general circulation, except they only got as far as the spare room bed with a few other items. I decided I should put the things I wasn't using away in the cupboard. That led to things being pulled out of the cupboard because it was an opportunity to move my sewing machine from the floor of the cupboard and onto the little table I put ready for it. Once the machine was out, I realised it's not mine but one of my sister's which I was supposed to donate to a charity, but that's on hold because the plug in lead is misplaced. I stopped to glue a rubber pad back under the treadle before cleaning the floor of the cupboard and replacing the machine, along with the Kenwood and the bread maker, which only get used infrequently. Then I got my machine from where I'd just seen it in another room and put it on the table, and had a brainwave about the emergency cupboard storage, so I went to the shed for a sturdy crate that we use for groceries when self-catering. At some point I realised the wheelie bins were still at the collection point so I fetched those back then opened the shed and got the crate out, taking advantage of being out of doors to put a bucket and spray pump away. Shed safely locked up, I put the crate in the cupboard and filled it (we have too many boxes of cappuccino), gathered up some oddments for the kitchen and went to make the tiffin, which turned out quite well, thank you very much.

Incidentally I also got some of the glue on my hair, which I had to cut out. That's only relevant if you noticed the glue in the middle of the preparations for making tiffin.

All the washing dried nicely, ironing is up to date and the bed is remade. Dinner was salmon, peas and baked potatoes from the freezer, and I saved myself a trip to the shops because all the things needed were already at home, including marmalade which had sunk to the bottom of the cupboard.

DH and I both had meetings this evening (both went okay) and I've come to the conclusion that a few days of not feeling I ought to be out and working will be a good pause for me. Nothing planned till cleaning tomorrow evening, but there are plenty of things I could be doing around the house.

DH bought some sort of groceries for the meeting he went to, but I don't have the receipt and for me, it's been a no-spend day.

Cherryfudge

A quick list of possible things I could get down to today:

Prepare something for dinner using stores
Bits of grocery shopping
Short online refresher course for work
Some of the basic Maths book
Some proofreading training
Some of one of the Futurelearn courses
Plant up the freebie strawberry plant that's sitting in a saucer by the kitchen door
Wash some more plant pots for recycling
Paint the kitchen door frame (second coat)
Put dried fruit to soak for the Christmas cake.

in_need_of_direction

should we vote?  if so, i'm in favour of dealing with the strawberry plant

Cherryfudge

I'm happy with that! As it is, I've done nothing from my list, spent quite a while doing Duolingo and now moved on to catching up with WhatsApp admin messages.

Cherryfudge

The strawberry plant - which turned out to be two plants - are now potted up with the side effect of discovering I've been neglecting the compost so the top has been turned and watered. It's lovely out there, but not warm.

Other than that, and discovering my celery seeds aren't ready to harvest, I've done the course for work which was supposed to take 20 minutes but took an hour. I've also claimed for the time and checked I was doing the right course! Then I went into my work messages and discovered they are running a version of the Digital Skills course I wanted to do last year, so I followed that up and have been sent a link to do an assessment questionnaire. I have hopes that I could start as soon as 4th November. It's one evening a week which would mean not working on Mondays, but I often don't get work on Monday, so for ten weeks it's a worthwhile balance of CPD and actual work.

I remembered to check the freezer and took out some ham for lunches (turns out it's nice with some of the surfeit of cheese oatcakes and cream cheese) and the walnut and parsley pesto I made back in April, which I will try with pasta for tea.

Cherryfudge

Annoyingly, when I did the pre-course assessment, I realised it wasn't the course I thought it was. I've been back on the website and can't find a current course that fits what I'm hoping for either, so I'll email to ask if there are plans for something suitable.

In better news, the chicken rescue people have sent out another email much sooner than I expected. The flip side of that is I've moved the chicken coop to a more suitable position but not repaired it, so I'm not chicken ready.

I tried the basil and walnut pesto with some pasta but it was quite bitter and oily so I may not finish it. DH got fishcakes so I had a fishcake sandwich after work and a third piece of tiffin, oh dear.

Work tonight was quite full on and tiring, and DH feels under the weather so I think we need an early night. I've not spent anything today.

Cherryfudge

Eek - I've just had a second potential Christmas dinner invitation! The trouble is, much as I like the people, I'm all peopled out at the moment and I think it would hang over me if I agree to go. But - they are asking for availability.

I'm not deciding anything tonight. I started a message with available dates but deleted it. Perhaps all that tiffin has clouded my judgement? I can't work up enthusiasm for a menu when I'm full of chocolate and golden syrup, and weary to boot.