Planning for nice things ideas thread

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I'm feeling a bit as if life has been passing me by recently. Too much focus on work and not enough on the nicer sides of life. So with that in mind, I want to start some planning so that I've got at least inside thing to look forward to every week.
So far I'm thinking:thinking
Cinema tripC

Meal out, or even just coffee and cake

Weekend away somewhere relatively lose to home, so not too much wasted in travel time

Massage

Maybe getting nails done, when they've grown a bit

Train ride to another town for lunch and a walk

Art gallery or museum

Can anybody think of anymore? They can be big or small, just need to be nice!

Visit to a winter garden to see the snowdrops. Anglesey Abbey is fabulous if you’re anywhere near Cambridgeshire, but here’s a list:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/our-top-winter-gardens

Do you have a garden? I planted 250 bulbs this week (bit late!) to look forward to in Spring

Lovely idea. We have membership for a local garden, so that can be one we do very soon. Thank you.

Planting bulbs a lovely idea too.

I've done a little note on my phone where I've listed all the months and put bullet points of nice things in those months e.g. February - Go out for a nice meal to celebrate DHs birthday, start weaning DD, celebrate pancake/valentines day etc.

It's made me realise there are lots of little things I can look forward to dotted throughout the year.

What bulbs did you plant @SmallGreenStripes? Do you think I'm too late to plant some now?
I'm discovering lots of woodland walks, the dogs are loving the adventure of going somewhere new

I’m planning a spa evening. I like to visit spas during the winter when it’s cold and dark outside, especially if there’s a hot outside pool or hot tub.

There’s also a national trust property I want to revisit in the spring.

These are great. Thank you. A winter spa evening sounds great.

I know you like literature and style so:

Are there any books set near you, that you could visit the places in the book as a sort of book safari?

Are there any new books being published this year that you're looking forward to? Put them on the planner, and then re-read the author's previous works in preparation? (I am doing this in anticipation of a book on 31st March, for example)

Organise your wardrobe differently? Mine is currently organised by colour, but if I cared more about my appearance I might organise it into outfits and hang them together in order to be super-organised for work which seems a fantastic idea actually, and would save the dithering every morning, but I know I wouldn't keep it up!

Is there anything that you'd like to get into that you haven't had the opportunity because of the full-on relentlessness of the last two years? oh how I wish I had been furloughed

I got daffs, alliums, tulips, irises and narcissi, all from Amazon (but U.K. suppliers)
I planted them straight away - a few had shoots so I am pretty confident I will see them again in the spring!
And just when I thought I had planted them all, another 120 turned up! Planting them today

All the bulbs sound gorgeous.

Thanks @EtInTerraPax for the long post of ideas. I'll have a look to see if any good books are due out, though I'm feeling a bit jaded with reading tbh. So much of what is published these days is just trash.

I'm a bit of a freak about my wardrobes, so have already done a sort/cull over Christmas. Won't be needed again until around March now. 😁

[quote VenusClapTrap]Visit to a winter garden to see the snowdrops. Anglesey Abbey is fabulous if you’re anywhere near Cambridgeshire, but here’s a list:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/our-top-winter-gardens[/quote]

Thanks for this. My very local national trust park is apparently one of the biggest winter gardens in the uk...... how did I not know this!!

If you are near enough to a cathedral city, a guided visit to the cathedral.
Sometimes the guide will take the tour to places in the cathedral e.g. roof, not always accessible normally,. There is usually have a good cafe for cakes and/or lunch.

Cathedrals are fascinating for art, architecture, and history.

There is usually a good cafe

I've just come across a nice podcast that discusses each month in relation to what's happening regarding the weather & the seasons. It might work well with @JammyRedRooo great list of more personal things. The podcast is called As the Season Turns & it's by Lia Leendertz. She's also written a book - The Almanac 2022. It's making me appreciate the weather, the outdoors & the seasons in what we would typically think of as the grey & dreary months.

@TurnStone

There is usually a good cafe

This is important!

@JammyRedRooo

I've done a little note on my phone where I've listed all the months and put bullet points of nice things in those months e.g. February - Go out for a nice meal to celebrate DHs birthday, start weaning DD, celebrate pancake/valentines day etc.

It's made me realise there are lots of little things I can look forward to dotted throughout the year.

Would love to hear more of your bullet points.

I'd love a weekend away! I'd love to cosy up at a country hotel with a fireplace and go for little walks in the woods and stuff. Do you think January would be a good time to go though? Not hundreds of miles away, just somewhere about an hour or two away.

Great idea for a thread.
I’m doing similar - trying to think of the year as a whole and punctuating the dreary ongoing WFH grind with little days out, trips, etc to look forward to.
I’m on a tight budget due to renovations so most of ours will be outdoors with picnics and camping type plans. Got a NT membership for Christmas and hoping to make good use of that.
Thinking about a theatre performance or concert.
Arranging meetings with friends that live in different areas so we can put plans in place. Ditto family.
Gardening - what to plant when, plants to buy, seeds to order.
Renovation projects - I like painting so enjoy planning the colours etc.
Getting into a new or old abandoned hobby - mine is dressmaking. Ordered a couple of skirt patterns to make for when the warmer weather arrives.
Definitely plant bulbs. Summer bulbs may be your best bet now ?

@Slicedbread

I'd love a weekend away! I'd love to cosy up at a country hotel with a fireplace and go for little walks in the woods and stuff. Do you think January would be a good time to go though? Not hundreds of miles away, just somewhere about an hour or two away.

I think January/February might work better for a city break - museum, art gallery, food, a chance for walks on the edges of the city if the weather is nice but not screwed if the weather is vile!

Oh, I have read very, very glowing reviews of Lia Leendertz's almanac @Whatliesbeneath707

My gut feeling is she's a MNer

What about free things you can plan at home? I'd love some of the ideas above but finances...

Wine tasting
Cooking class
Pottery/painting class
Family photo shoot
Botanical garden or zoo

I need things to get me out of the house tbh. I'm not very good at just being at home! Happy for free/cheap things outdoors, but finances are reasonable too.

@SudokuRules

What about free things you can plan at home? I'd love some of the ideas above but finances...

Improvised cheese/chocolate/beer tasting with the family?

Just pick a few sortiments within your budget from your local supermarket and pretend you're a snobby connoisseur ranking the different kinds.