Summertime

weenancyinAmerica

June-August was always the school break for us - and I loved that part of the year the most. I had my roller skates and could go almost anywhere. We played in orange groves, river beds, and other places children today would never be allowed to go. But it was great. So to me those are summer also - but the calendar has different dates. Our trees here know exactly when calendar summer ends and fall begins - our tree in front of the house changes to its yellow bud time almost exactly on the dot for the 21st of September as do the other trees of the same kind up and down the road. The jacaranda trees are the same with summer with their purple blossoms. Gives us some color around here as most of the plants raised in our neighborhood are just green. Not many blossoms. Kids do have to start back to school in mid-August now when it is just really heating up here. Used to be a problem as most schools had no air conditioning and they would be having the kind of weather you seem to be having over there now but in September and October. Some parts of the US are planning Halloween costumes to go over parkas to keep warm and here you always have to plan for ones to keep cool instead.

nakie999

I’m definitely focusing on simplifying my routines and cutting out unnecessary expenses this summer, less stress, more intentional living

greenbee

Having batched cooked LOTS of pulses yesterday and boxed them up, I need to label and freeze them.

Importantly I need to change the water filter (which means finding a bucket). I have a feeling it's 3 months overdue. And it may also be bacteria for the septic tank day. Plus I have some stuff to put down the bath/shower/kitchen sink wastes to clear out the waste pipes that won't cause septic tank issues. 

Wednesday2000

I missed my class today as I couldn't face walking there and back in this heat and I had a restless night too. The electric fan was too loud, but the room felt sweltering without it on.

I just got up in time for two deliveries, luckily, and I'm about to start another book and keep an eye on the tennis at the same time. I need to give my pets flea treatment today as it is the 1st.

I need to book the windows and gutters this week, redo my finances and I have the hygienist too. I have two appointments on Friday, but the weather should have cooled down a bit by then.

YorksLass

Round up of June OATS that have been completed:

• Living room radiators x 2 painted, two coats of paint each
• Living room carpet cleaned
• New cushion covers x 6 sewn
• Sofa seat pad sewn
• Cables for TV and aerial, stereo and speakers, router and table lamp organised
• Have found out when my hairdresser is going on maternity leave and for how long - one more appointment with her at the end of July (providing baby doesn't come early!)
• Appointment made for diabetic eye check (July)
• Have researched a new savings account to replace one that's maturing at the end of this month

A completed OAT that wasn't on the list:

• Have finally managed to get an answer from the DWP about the delay in my Pension Credit application - and yes, I can get a small amount each week  

June OATS carried forward into July:

• Sew up a jumper that I've knitted - I enjoy knitting but always put off the sewing up part
• Finish off a cross stitch - just some outlining and French knots to do
• Sort out the patio that's been taken over by weeds; I've made a start but there's still lots to do.  I'm planning on little and often bite-sized chunks rather than one fell swoop

New OATS for July:

• Make an appointment for my annual diabetes review that the GP practice has just sent a text reminder for
• Decide which new savings account to go for
• Look for a new hairdresser that may be a temporary or permanent arrangement (depends on if/when mine returns to work)
• Apply for a concessionary TV licence once I receive my award letter from the DWP

I don't mind continuing with a Summertime thread or even a new one called something else; either way it keeps me accountable!

Blackcats

@Wednesday2000 - thank you for the prompt about flea treatments.  I'll sneak up on the cat later and hide his crushed tablet in one of his favourite lickety lick gunge.  I need to submit a meter reading too as it's 1st of the month.

@YorksLass - I always put off sewing up my knitting projects.  My mum always did it for me so I never really learned to do it properly or appreciate how long it took.  Another on my huge list of "why I miss my mum" 😢

just summoning up the energy to measure a poster so I can chose a frame. 

 I did a quick clean of the outside of the oven and microwave which now look very shiny.  When I say quick, I mean the time it took for the kettle to boil 😁
tidied my candle drawer which I like doing cos I like sniffing them and reminding myself how many candles I have and why I do not need to buy any more no matter how tempting..

greenbee

Couldn't find the sharpie, so have ordered more. Just hope I recognise the pulses in the freezer when I get them out!

Bucket brought in for water filter change, but it'll have to wait as today was mostly spent dealing with another emergency vet trip as one of the cats came in at high speed just before 9.30 and on inspection had probably been fighting. So in for a checkup, anti-inflammatories, and confined to the house for a few days. Having all the downstairs windows and doors closed isn't much fun for the rest of us at the moment, and the cats are NOT happy about the lack of access to outside. They will be even more unhappy at the point where they have to resort to indoor loos. 

One of the important things on my endless to-do list is to sort out the utility room so the dog can share it with the cats (which means sorting out some privacy for the litter trays!).

PennysIntoPounds

Today's fantastic Friday task will be to take a long hard look at the ongoing to-do list and identify what needs prioritising to get rid of the jobs that give sinking feeling whenever I think about doing (and not doing) them!

Cheery_Daff

Oh dear, I have completely fallen off the OAT wagon! Although reading back i see i was washing recycling bins in the shower on 21st June so it's not been that long (that wasn't my idea by the way - can't remember where I read it but it was inspired, especially for those of us without an outside tap!)

Lots of OATs building up here though and making me feel slightly overwhelmed so time to get back into it! 

I did repot several seedlings yesterday mind you - they could do with going outside but everything outside is getting eaten so I'll wait til they're a little bigger!

greenbee

I washed my small (soft plastic) recycling bin yesterday, and changed the water filter cartridge today. 

I've also run a drum clean on the WM as the waste hose is disgusting (handyman was emptying the sink trap, which try to do every 6 months or so). So the WM and DW wastes are up for replacement, and the TD will be plumbed in at the same time.

And we're doing drains today. The septic tank is working much better, but still smelling - we've had some ideas, so those will be dealt with over the summer.