Daily Project - Round Two!

[Solosunrise]

We've filled up the last thread, so here's the next one!
All welcome- in an attempt to get a thing done around the home (or elsewhere) each day.
Ideally the sort of thing that will stay done- at least for a bit!

Today I have washed my shower curtain, and my 'boiling the kettle job' was to empty and clean my kitchen bin :)

Today’s achievements have been a trip to the dentist and remembering to book an appointment for DD that fits in with uni holidays and rescheduling one for DS. Called in at Asda on the way home to get a couple more Christmas bits and pieces and some unnecessary chocolate to cancel out the dentist trip! The dog has had his flea and worm treatment and I’ve done some ironing. Most annoyingly, the bulb under the plate rack thingy went so I ordered the right size, removed the old one and tried to fit the new one but I can’t make it stay on. The gap is really small and fiddly to access and you have to push the bulb then twist it. I’ve tried shouting at it but it still wouldn’t stay on and it just made the dog bark so I’m ignoring it for the time being. DH is away for work so the dog and I will be watching crap tv together later and maybe sharing a bag of crisps.

Hi, can I join you all?
i left my job last week due to stress (I was a school attendance officer) and am now officially unemployed. I’m finding it difficult tbh. I have lots of things I could be doing, should be doing, etc. but it’s hard to motivate myself and instead I seem to be quieting my mind with trashy carbs and lots of housework, which isn’t really the purpose of my being off work. I am inclined to make such a huge list that the whole thing becomes very stressful and then I do nothing.

we are about to start some renovations as well, so I am trying to get ready for that. I’m trying not to search for jobs (yet) but also don’t want to miss out on my dream job should it be listed. I’ve been allowing myself a short search each day, to calm my mind over it, really.

Some things I’d like to do over the next few weeks:
visit some friends
walk my friends dog
make some firm choices re: sofa, tiles, carpets and order some wood for a project
move some furniture about
do some yoga in addition to running and gym
plus need to book a dentist appt as my tooth broke eating stealing Halloween goodies
plus I have a wood floor which needs prepped and sanded prior to work starting.

today, I went to the gym. I have just batch cooked a few meals. House is looking very clean.

Well… sounds like my dentist was bang on the money! 😁 welcome @thenewaveragebear1983 !

Maybe you need to allow yourself the carbs and malaise and treat it as a period of “un-working” much like children who leave for home Ed do “un-schooling”.

@Solosunrise soft southern shite winds you say? We’re topping out at a stiff breeze force 8 tonight. Tie it down or lose it.

btw - for those of you lacking in bum, I’ve got LOADS spare. Enough for everyone!

@petalpower I’m intrigued (and jealous) - what do quince taste like? I’m thinking something like gooseberry? Also, shouting at tiny lightbulbs is definitely an achievement and it counts.

@Peridot1 @RunningKatie How are you both?

I didn’t do anything today except the “job” and ferry small people around to football practice.

I’m not sure how to describe the taste of quince @Hooverphobe . We’ve made quince jelly which has quite a lot of sugar in it. It’s kind of like cranberry sauce but smooth and with an aftertaste a bit like pear. I’m not sure what a raw quince would taste like!
Welcome @thenewaveragebear1983 ! Could you do a huge mind dump of all the jobs you want to achieve then break them down into smaller bits which are more achievable? So each day you could do something for you (gym/yoga), something admin based (phoning dentist), something housework based and something towards your long term jobs? Ex deputy head here who had to stop work due to a health issue. I found it quite hard to adjust to not working after such a busy and pressurised job. I’m a big list maker and each Friday sit and write my daily lists for the following week which I can add to as necessary. I try to get a balance of social, hobby, exercise, house over the week.

Hope you get some sleep soon @Solosunrise and @petalpower that's bad news about your daughter's laptop, poor kid.

@MarcelEtCeleste hi! I sent DH trick or treating with the kids while I went to my Kung fu class. Never liked the idea. Hope you had fun!

Hi @thenewaveragebear1983 ! Hope you enjoy your time off.
I know what you mean, I am kind of freelancing at the moment - whenever I have work I wish I didn't as the non work task list piles up, and whenever I don't have work I panic and think I'm unemployable and spend all my time fretting over job sites rather than doing anything constructive.

At the moment I have some work but I couldn't do any today as I spent the whole day trying to get my new phone working, and in the process (through an act of completely unforced stupidity) managed to break my work security app.

I have found the person to reset it though so hopefully can fix it tomorrow.

Hi everyone else! Better go now as DS has finally emerged from school and needs to be taken to his class (also Kung fu, in fact).

Hello all.

I’m still here. Will be in Dublin until Tuesday.

A bit peed off last couple of days as this week my three sisters have the week off and I’ve been here in my own doing things. One is sick with daily migraines but to be honest I didn’t expect much from her anyway. One had plans for yesterday and couldn’t leave puppy the day before. The other is just fed up that the others haven’t done much so she has backed off too I think. And I have a cold. Again. So I didn’t do much yesterday other than blow my nose and go out to buy more tissues and Lemsip.

Anyway. Skip arrives today and it’s supposed to be all hands on deck. We shall see!

Made some phone calls on Tuesday to arrange collection of various furniture items but none of that is happening till next week. Probably when I’ve gone. So sister will have to deal with that.

Glad you are all doing ok. I’m about to hang some bedding out on the line and put a towel wash on. Then I need to get sorted for skip arriving. Need to move car for a start. And it would help if I got dressed!

All sounds a bit unfair @Peridot1 . Are your sisters local? Presuming they haven’t had to travel the distance you have. Sending you germ fighting best wishes.

I’m feeling less grump now @petalpower! To be honest we are at the stage of just chipping away at things generally.

Today the skip came. Two sisters and a BIL. We did the attic. Oh my good god. It was ridiculous. Filled the skip. With utter utter crap. BIL was a star. We were all filthy afterwards. Skip being picked up tomorrow and replaced with a other one which we will also fill I think. Cannot believe the crap Dad had put up in the attic. Madness. No wonder he never insulated it! He couldn’t. Without getting a skip which he would never do. We actually had to throw away a couple of rolls of insulation that he’d bought and put up there but never used.

Glad today has turned out better than you first thought @Peridot1 . How’s the cold now?
Had another quite productive day here. Completed some slightly complicated legal paperwork which required cross referencing other documents sent by the solicitor and hoping I’ve understood the legal jargon, meal planned for next week, did online supermarket shop, cleaned the bathrooms and met a lovely friend for lunch. Out tonight to a music rehearsal. Also worked out which laptop is the closest to replace DDs vodka jelly soaked one which is now officially dead and acted as mediator between DD and DH as to who was paying for the replacement.
Hope everyone else has had a good day!

That sounds so frustrating @Peridot1 and I am glad that the day ended up being slightly better with more help. Hope your cold is better as well.

That sounds a very full on day as well @petalpower ! So sorry about the vodka jelly soaked keyboard. And the difficult mediation!

We are all fine here. Covid-wise I have totally lost my sense of smell. But as one of our cats has been having a flare up of her irritable bowel syndrome I am counting this as a win. DH is climbing the walls though. He is totally better but still testing positive.

Hope everyone is okay.

That's an epic project @Peridot1 !

You will be glad when it's done!

Hello everyone! Oh I believe it's the law that one should indulge in post- dentist chocolate, just to get over the shock @petalpower. It's our go-to in this house for any type of trauma. Not being drinkers and all (not much anyway) Am I allowed to admit to being amused by the computer damage being caused by vodka jelly? Solidarity re being the one dealing with the fallout though!

Reading this thread makes me realise just how human we all are. And tbh the standard stuff that women deal with, which is generally unremarked upon. And in general, with such good humour.

Here we all are dealing with incontinent pets, wayward offspring of every age, tricky families, twats of neighbours, health issues of all shapes and sizes (whilst navigating a failing NHS) and trying to hold everything together whilst holding down jobs and trying maintain our sanity. No wonder we get all over excited when we achieve an empty laundry basket or a clean cutlery drawer!

Am feeling slightly emotional this morning, and grateful for thread friends as well as those on the RL side of the keypad.

Welcome, @thenewaveragebear1983 we are pleased to have you here, and I hope to find our little thread somewhat soothing.
I agree about 'unworking' being like unschooling. You probably need to have a stint of just kicking about and doing things that you feel like doing before you think about the next job. And perhaps developing a routine around the house that you can get done first thing, so you don't spend all day cleaning it

Love all round xxx

cold is still a bit sniffly thanks @petalpower. Having tea and toast now but will have a Lemsip after which seems to make a big difference. You definitely had a productive day yesterday. I think the vodka jelly soaked laptop will be one of the stories you will all look back on with humour in the future. But I can imagine DH is probably not at that stage just yet.

@OrangePumpkinLobelia - I’m not a cat person at the best of times (allergic) but a cat with ibs would try me a lot!

@Aria999 - it was always going to be a huge job but we’ve been doing it gradually so didn’t expect it to be so bad yesterday. The attic on the other hand was ridiculous. Some metal pieces from a doll’s cradle I had when I was a child. I’m 58 now. Dolls prams from my sisters. So much random crap. And although I’ll be glad when it’s done it’s very bittersweet as I always stay here when I’m home and it really feels like I don’t have a home anymore. Even though logically my home is in the UK with DH and DS.

Hope you are ok @Solosunrise.

And yes welcome @thenewaveragebear1983. Sounds like a big adjustment for you. As others have said take it slowly. I like @petalpower’ suggestion if planning things through the week and I think I might do the same. I definitely need to plan in some exercise.

Ah thanks everyone. I definitely think a bit of ‘unworking’ will do me good. Trouble is. I never relax! I am a busy person, I don’t think that’s a bad thing necessarily provided I finish jobs I start and don’t ‘burn out’ by trying to do too much. Today I have moved a kallax unit from the playroom to my sons room to get his (small) chest of drawers out. Now he is getting bigger he can’t fit enough clothes in the drawers, so they are all over the floor. Chest of drawers now in my under stairs cupboard hoping to organise that a bit as well.

I am going to hire a sander to restore my floor next week . I’m really excited about that. I uncovered an original parquet floor and it needs finished off. I love that kind of task so that will, although it sounds like hard work, be therapy for me!

I hear you re sorting the parquet floor being therapy @thenewaveragebear1983 I have several therapies, and one of them is helping at a friend's stables, where I take great delight in squaring their muck heap. In fact that is what I've been up to this morning. So I am feeling very mellow. I suspect @OrangePumpkinLobelia is the only one who'd be willing to take tea with me just now, as I've not yet showered off the aroma of rotting horse manure. The cat is keeping me company though. She doesn't mind!

Thank you @Peridot1 I was actually feeling emotional in a good way. I often feel a cognitive dissonance about the human race. So much going on in the world. But if I keep to my lane, I love people quite a lot!

I'm feeling the need to offer up another hug, too, Peridot because physically you have a lot on your plate, and the emotional consequences of losing Dad and the family home. I think cyber tea and cake is in order!

I have a couple of calls to make now. Need blood test pre CT scan, and some admin for my son that can't be done from the country he's in. What else.... actually I need to do a bit of a reset around the place and I probably ought to look in my own loft to see what clutter could be removed.

Oh definitely fine to admit to being amused by the vodka jelly incident @Solosunrise . I think DH has got his head round it all now and the bank of mum and dad has made a loan for the purchase of a new laptop which arrives today so hopefully we can all move on!! Young people eh! Hope you’re feeling ok now @Solosunrise . I agree that you have a lot on your plate @Peridot1 . Selling your dad’s house must be very emotional on top of losing him too. Going back to what you said about my planning, I like being able to see the balance of things that I do when it’s all written down and also get a sense of satisfaction crossing the jobs off the list. I’m sure it’s not for everyone but it works for me. I love the sound of your parquet floor @thenewaveragebear1983 . I imagine it will be a very satisfying project when it’s done. Hello to everyone else that I haven’t mentioned above. Hope you’re all having a good day.
It’s turned a lot colder here and I’ve swapped the bedlinen over to the brushed cotton warm stuff today. For the first time I’m not sure that the washing on the line is going to really dry as the sun is quite low and the air is chilly. May have to resort to putting it on the heated airer. Been out to do jobs this morning - put petrol in DD’s car (she doesn’t take it to uni but DS sometimes uses it if he’s home and has come by train) and ordered a new tyre for it, taken the glass recycling, picked up a prescription and been to the butchers and greengrocers. Need to wrap some Christmas presents to send with DS when he goes home as he will see part of the family in the next month. I’ve had to be very organised!

I'm glad you have the laptop situation sorted @petalpower You've had a really productive day -well done!
I've done my endless on holds on the phone whilst doing yet another bloody online training module for work. It's very simple but due to the multi tasking I took a couple of re tries to get the required 100% on the tests. I don't multi task well but all the things are out of the way now. Blood test booked and boy's admin thing no more successful than his efforts from afar. So a result of sorts- all things off my list.
I probably need to go for a walk now. I have cobwebs wot need blowing away and I suspect I might be irritable at poor old DH who does not deserve it at all! All from being sat on my arse in front of a computer for 3 hours. Low tolerance of such things! I tried an office job once and flounced halfway through the 2nd day. Much like happened mid way through my first A level year....

@Peridot1 im shocked I tell ya! I pictured it more like the Walsh sisters - lots of merry japes. More shocked than when listening to “Rachel again” that Luke Costello is pronounced Cost’low rather than Cost-ello. 😉 You’re doing a great job - I dread to think when my dad goes as he’s the best part of 1000 miles away.

I need to know how vodka jelly trashed a laptop @petalpower - wasn’t it always jelly-like and not liquid? I’d-a licked the keyboard dry when I was a student. 😉 Glad a solution has been found.

@Solosunrise i never pass these online work trainings either - because I drift off and don’t give a fuck then discover the questions have literally NOTHING to do with where my mind had been going the previous 20 minutes.

I’ve run out of oomph so when this hits if I can just toss a few things in the bin it’s a win. Off to do the bottle bank shortly. So much judgement! Next six weeks will be a real slog here as the sun is gone by 3 and of course this will shorten… bottle bank will get filled quicker.

@Hooverphobe. It can be a bit Walsh sisters at times. The fighting anyway! And the laughs at times. When everyone is on form it can be hysterical. And when they are not it’s a bitch-fest! The middle two don’t get on. Never did. But can be very funny at times.

Lots done today. Second skip half full. I think it will take about an hour tomorrow to finish clearing upstairs completely. And same for the living room. Then it’s cleaning.

I don’t know how it trashed the laptop either @Hooverphobe . As with most things that happen at uni, I find it best not to question too closely. (Not that she would tell her aged mother everything anyway!!)

Sorry for dropping off the face of the earth. I have been feeling incredibly anxious and overwhelmed recently and have wanted to do nothing other than hibernate. I’ve given myself a stern talking to about the pressure I put on myself and I’m trying to understand my subconscious perfectionist a little better. Anyway, when it comes to stuff needing to get done I’m just trying to do a little at a time now and trust that it will all come together in the end.

I’ve been quite productive and I’ve ticked almost everything off my tiny to do list - sort through freezer and pantry, meal plan and organise online shopping to be delivered tomorrow. I’m just pottering about now if anything else gets done then it’s a bonus if not it’ll all still be here tomorrow! Only thing left to do is pack an overnight bag as DP is whisking me away for a lovely night away.

You guys are such a lovely supportive bunch I’ll try hard not to disappear anytime soon as I do find this thread really comforting.

I’ve just seen this on Instagram and it could not be more true. I just struggle to remember it sometimes! I’m so busy feeling guilty if I’m not being productive I often forget just to stop and enjoy all the little things.

Sorry you have been feeling so overwhelmed @outoftimeagain. The whole point of this thread is to just chip away and do little jobs and they make a difference long term. And by posting the little achievements we feel we are getting stuff done even if it’s just one little thing. It adds up. Looking at the big picture is often far too overwhelming.

Enjoy your night away.

One of my sisters took lots of stuff from the house yesterday. She’s just been back with her husband to get rid of a lot of it!

My plan this morning is to get upstairs cleared completely other than the room I staying which just has my stuff in now. The bed is built in and my sister is taking the mattress tomorrow. Then I’m cleaning upstairs and putting that to bed.

@outoftimeagain I’m sorry you’ve been feeling shit. I admit I took Valium Friday because I was hit by a wave of anxiety. 😔

Today I’m just trying to catch up and have a little paperwork to do. I feel like I’m never caught up and it’s getting me down a bit. Went out last night and my ex-bff had taken the “prime” table with her family and so despite the potential dalliance with a Norwegian fisherman 😉, I bowed out and came home after just one.

Sorry to hear you’ve not been feeling good @outoftimeagain . Hope you have a lovely night away.
You’ve managed to achieve loads during your trip @Peridot1 . Is it Tuesday that you go back home?
How’s the house of Covid @OrangePumpkinLobelia ?
I think the feeling of never being completely caught up on things is part of a lot of our lives @Hooverphobe . Just keep chipping away at things as @Peridot1 said. You have a lot of health issues on your plate too. You were very restrained to just have one and ignore the Norwegian fisherman!
Very wet here. DH is out at a neighbour pressing apples to make cider and I’m not aiming to achieve much today apart from cook a roast, drink wine and spend time with DS who goes back home to his flat tonight.