Cheery's country living adventure

themadvix · 2 January 2019 at 4:29PM

Belated Congratulations, Happy New Year and condolences Cheery (hope you can ascribe those to the appropriate places - don't confuse the condolences with the marriage!

)

You sound like the UFM is going well. I did find it really made me think last time. But the focus thing is such a problem for me too..... and when you're your own boss there's not enough guilt attached to rabbit hole wanderings.....

Cheery_Daff · 2 January 2019 at 7:09PM

Thank you ladies :hello:

The elder is part of my edible windbreak KC :j I'm very excited about it, although it likely won't be in full force for about 5 years :rotfl: As well as the elder there's going to be rowan, blackthorn (for sloe gin

), crab apple, gooseberries, blackcurrants etc :j and then elsewhere (not part of the windbreak) I'll have apples, plums, greengages :j Gosh I am SO excited and in a couple of years I will be SO pleased with Past Me

:rotfl: :rotfl:

I strive to always learn something down the rabbit hole themadvix which lessens the guilt somewhat :rotfl: and actually I don't think it's an inherently BAD thing so no real need for guilt :j "the internet" as a phrase contains a LOT of things, both useful and not useful. Researching how to do something, and ending up spending 2 hours looking at people's blogs about their gardens is (for me, anyway) a beautiful experience - I'd choose to read a book about those things, I'm being inspired and likely learning something too :j

However, if I use up the only daylight hours I had to go into my own garden, that's a bad thing

Or if I spend all afternoon looking at the "we want plates" twitter feed I've not really learned anything and only derived mild amusement and could have done something better with my time... Or if I'm at work and being paid to do something else that's very bad :eek: especially if it means I have to work late to make it up :eek:

So you go down those rabbit holes if you have fun, and stop if it makes you feel listless and useless :j

Anyway, I have achieved many things today! :j on top of all those things up there I have...

* Picked up prescription (always feels MSE as I don't pay :rotfl: )

* Got the cheapo version of some medication from the chemist rather than paying for branded

* Dropped my flute off for a service & in the process met a very nice lady

* Went to @ldi with Mr Cheery and picked up fruit, veg, loo roll, milk, and nothing superfluous

*Went for a blood test (and then stopped into the docs to ask why I'd been called when I'm on an annual review programme and had one in May... Sadly the receptionist got quite shirty with me - "well it just says here that it's because of your prescription, what else do you want to know?" so I said "thank you" and walked away rather than getting into a squabble and will bring it up with the doc next time I'm there.

*Booked a smear test - all the fun activities here! :rotfl:

Home now, tea is in the oven :j and I am spending 15 mins sorting out the mess of a study :eek: I'll be working at home for the next 9 months :eek: :j so I want this space to be cheerful and comfortable and not the dumping ground it"s become lately

rtandon27 · 2 January 2019 at 7:20PM

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

....I'll be working at home for the next 9 months...

Green with envy Cheery!

:D:D

The commute for me starts again on Monday, though I do relish the thought of some structure in my days again!

Karmacat · 2 January 2019 at 7:43PM

Oh my, edible windbreaks - wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Currant You (see what I did there

) is doing well.

I like that whole digression about what rabbit holes are, and how positive they can be in the right place - totally agree

and yikes to the receptionist but hooray for generic medicine, thats the way forward.

Structure at work - RT, I can understand why you like it but I can understand even more liking having most of 9 months at home, though :j

Cheery_Daff · 2 January 2019 at 8:43PM

Currant Me

:rotfl:

I suspect 9 months of working at home will have its downsides

rather like the PhD all over again, with a lack of routine and structure, endlessly feeling like there's more I should be doing

I will have to pop into the office occasionally - but after 3 months of driving 2 hours a day every single working day I am very much looking forward to NOT doing that! :eek:

Diesel bill should look a lot more civilised too

I've already got far more plans than I've got time available for though

themadvix · 3 January 2019 at 1:04PM

There's a difference between our rabbit holes then - yours are in your own time, while I should be working when I end up down them (and they are usually educational, but distracting me from the main idea of earning money!)

Your edible windbreak sounds amazing, especially coupled with the other trees too

Cheery_Daff · 3 January 2019 at 1:54PM

Yes tou're right, rabbit holes when you should be earning are dangerous, however tenpting! :eek:

Trees are expanding rapidly - some friends just popped round with six tiny oak trees in pots so we've planted those in a field, on the edge of an already wooded area. They're only about 6 inches tall so I'll likely never see them full grown, and there's the small matter of keeping the cows from eating them :eek:

Friends have gone for a walk and I was half tempted to join them but my foot's still a bit sore after the stupud race I did last week, and iit's SO very cold out there today

I tipped some ice out of a plant pot yesterday and it's still there in a frozen circle on the grass :rotfl:

So I'm going to stay inside with a cuppa and a book instead :j

starnac · 3 January 2019 at 3:26PM

I've just caught up after a hiatus! Congratulations on the wedding!!! I'm so happy for you. Especially as the wedding sounds like a perfect "you" wedding.

You really sound like you are getting on with things there. Must be easier now you've lived there a while and you can see how you would use things etc.

rtandon27 · 3 January 2019 at 4:18PM

Cheery - your analogy of internet rabbit holes has certainly struck a cord with us!:D

Today I'm managing to stay productive in 20 minute bursts with a timer! - computer/chore/paperwork - rinse & repeat:o

Cuppa & indoors for me as well! OH offered to take me to the village for a breath of fresh air & I asked if he'd make me a warm drink instead :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Cheery_Daff · 3 January 2019 at 5:38PM

Uber Frugal Month Day 3

Evening folks :hello: Time for an UFM update from me! :j Today has been another NSD! :money:

So, today's topic is reducing impulse spending by waiting 72 hours before buying non-essential things.

I'm actually pretty good at not making impulse purchases (although I confess I did buy 2 pairs of knitting needles in a charity shop yesterday for £1 because I have no idea where mine are since we moved

). Both Mr Cheery and I are quite capable of depriving ourselves of all manner of material goods and have done for many years :rotfl:

Mostly when I impulse buy, it's small things from charity shops... I rarely buy new clothes, hardly ever buy new books, and most household stuff is sourced second hand where possible. So I reckon we're already winning here! :j

However, just to be sure, I'm going to apply the 72 hour rule to ever non-essential thing we buy from now on this month, and I'm going to keep a running list of things I'm tempted by so I can see how ridiculous it is by the end of the month :rotfl:

Cheery's country living adventure

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