Household maintenance

It has rained today, so much so that I did wonder if a monsoon season had sneaked in on the end of summer!  My goodness, did it rain.  Several roads locally have been flooded, bringing back memories of the floods of the winter before last.  We always feel for the holidaymakers who've come to the island to enjoy the sun, sea and sand - keeping a young family entertained when it's pouring with rain all day can get a little expensive :(

It was a day for working indoors, so some housework for me and a bit of household maintenance for N.  It makes sense to me to look after what we have - the things we choose to have in our home have some meaning for us and I don't have a problem spending a couple of hours a week dusting and vacuuming to keep things clean and tidy (ish).  Photos, pictures, ornaments (not that we have many!) all have an association with someone or somewhere, and it's nice to be reminded of those memories as I clean the house.   Today, however, with a little more time on my hands than usual (not being able to get out into the garden), I did make a concerted effort to tidy-up all those things which seemed to have strayed from their usual home - there did appear to be quite a lot of craft bits and pieces scattered around various rooms ;)   I have too many little projects on the go at the moment, and just about every room seemed to have an odd ball of wool, or sewing patterns, or scraps of fabric apparently abandoned.   By the end of the afternoon two of those projects had been finished off and the rest are back in the work-room waiting for my attention.   And there is a new list, of course.

N has continued with some indoor house maintenance, again looking after what we have.  A house isn't self-maintaining (at least, none of the ones we've had have been!) and we think it pays to ensure everything is in good working order and will keep us warm and dry during the winter.  If we spot a problem, we would rather do what we can there and then to deal with it, than leave it to become a far greater problem later.  Those sorts of problems often end up costing money!

We've submitted the gas and electricity meter readings for the quarter, and we were slightly bemused to be told that we have apparently used 50% less energy than similar energy-rated houses in our locality.   How is that worked out?  Which houses?   50% does seem to be a big difference.  We do try to be mindful of our energy consumption so perhaps it is not surprising that our usage is a bit lower than overage.  As we move towards autumn our meter readings will begin to go up again, but because we have tracked our consumption through the year we have a very good idea of what our bills will be and can budget accordingly.  It makes sense to us.

Across the water

After the downpour that was Friday, we had more wind and rain yesterday.  I think we have probably had enough now, thank you.  The weather put paid to several events organised over the weekend including the second day of racing in Portsmouth for the America's Cup tour series.  That was such a shame for all those fans and spectators who had tickets to watch the yachts race (DD included) but conditions were deemed too hazardous for sailing to go ahead.  Such is British summer weather - totally unpredictable.

We have fingers crossed that it does at least stay dry for the next few days as we are venturing across the water to go to the New Forest Show.  We're looking forward to seeing the livestock (chickens especially!), exploring the craft tents and watching the various demonstrations and exhibitions.  And we've packed the walking guides and boots in the hopes of a bit of exploration, too.  We so enjoyed our short stay way back in January when it was cold and frosty and although I don't think we shall be having a heatwave this week, it will be interesting to experience the Forest in the height of summer - there will be a few more people about, for one thing!

Today I have worked my way through a list of no less than 14 items.  It's the first time I've made a list for quite some time, or at least one which I properly paid attention to, and I had almost forgotten how it enables me to stay focussed on my tasks; I really do work better with a bit of structure to my days.  I don't forget things, I can plan what I need to do and there is such a good feeling when an item is crossed off on completion.  Most satisfying.

We have a busy few weeks ahead of us and while we are away I shall be making a note of things that need to be dealt with on our return.  Those three weeks of temporary work really upset my routines at home, and although some people prefer a less formal structure to their days, I know I work so much better if I have a bit of order around me.  That is what I shall be attempting to regain over the next week or two.  And I might manage to get some photos uploaded, too.

 

Weekend round-up

Another year older (way past counting!); an excuse for some age-related cards:

We've had a good weekend pottering in the garden, and doing a spot of packing for our hols.  Oh, and an emergency repair to one of our bags - the zip had pulled away from the fabric, and yet again I was thankful that I had some strong thread (and needle and thimble) to effect a more than satisfactory repair.  Phew, emergency averted!  I've also finally managed to finish a project that got put on hold for a while, so the kitchen walls look a bit brighter at last.  It's surprising what a splash of colour does to life some plain walls.

Although we've had bright blue skies and sunshine where we are, the foghorns have been sounding out over the weekend and today, and on our walk into town this morning we understood why - the sea was completely blanketed with sea-mist/fog (I think it's due to an inversion of cold air over hot air - or is it the other way around?, I'm never quite sure!)  Either way, today it had cleared by the afternoon but as I'm typing this evening I can hear the foghorns blaring away again so I guess the visibility over the water is bad again.  It is a timely reminder that if you live on an island, weather conditions do have to be factored in to any travel arrangements getting on and off the island, especially if there are further connections to be made with trains etc.  A delayed sea crossing can mess travel plans up completely!

Everything in the garden, and indeed the hedgerows, suddenly seems to have taken off.  

Tomatoes and squashes

Trees that just a week ago had the merest suggestion of colour are now bursting with fresh green-ness; the fruit trees have blossom and the lawn is covered with bright yellow dandelions - I must try to pick the flower heads off before they set seed and go everywhere.  Every day there are new seeds emerging in the greenhouse and propagator, it's such an exciting time.  The promise of all that wonderful homegrown goodness to come . . . mmmm!

With the heating now firmly off for the summer, our gas consumption has dropped right down (always so satisfying!).  We continue to record the weekly figures and whilst the gas is down, the electric usage is only slightly down.  Cooking, laundry etc still have to be done.  Perhaps it will reduce a little in the summer.

The list of projects I began at the start of the year now has lots of very satisfying ticks alongside the items and I think the time has come to begin a new one for the next two or three months.  Having this checklist to work to has kept me focussed over the winter and some projects that have been outstanding for several months have at last been finished.  I am now mentally compiling my new list and already it's getting quite long ;-)  

Back after our hols . . .

Saving money

The pieris with it's wonderful flames of new growth

Herb seedlings

When we had finished digging over the side border on Wednesday, we absolutely decided that we would wait until we came back from our holiday before we completed it.  Yes, well, that didn't quite happen ;)

All neat and tidy, just waiting for some plants

First thing yesterday morning, we were up and about, just trying out a few paving stones . . . and then a few more . . . no way were we going to wait another couple of weeks to get this border finished.  Once we had the paving stones in place we began to think we might be able to scoop enough gravel from elsewhere not to have to buy any more.  Always up for a challenge like that (no way were we going to spend a penny more than necessary!) I began racking off surplus gravel from pathways, and it was very satisfying to find we had more than enough.  We are really pleased with the end result; the whole area has been opened up and tidied up and now looks as if it has some purpose.  A few big plant pots and perhaps a climber, and we'll have a very pleasant area to sit in summer evenings.

In between gardening I've been trying to fit in a bit of pre-holiday sewing - or more precisely, altering - a couple of pairs of summer trousers desperately needed taking in (I don't mind loose-fit, but two whole sizes too big is too baggy for my liking).  Alterations now completed and the trousers are good to go and no cost except my time.  And even more money saved today - I had relented and decided to have a 'proper' haircut, to restyle more than anything else, and I even got as far as booking an appointment when I sensibly enquired about the cost of a dry cut.  Gosh, I knew I was saving money cutting my own hair, but I had no idea I was saving that much.  Oh my goodness!  I couldn't bring myself to spend that amount of money on a dry trim so tomorrow I shall be cutting my hair myself.  

Housework, house-keeping - and itching to get stitching

 Monday morning = cleaning the house.  I have got this down to a fine art now; one room at a time, dusting first (damp cloth/dry cloth), putting things away (although in reality we're pretty good at tidying as we go) and then vacuuming.  Close door, move onto to next room.  We don't have a lot of 'clutter' and it makes for streamlined cleaning which I'm all in favour of.  I take my time, don't cut corners and there is the satisfaction at the end of having a clean and tidy home.  I also managed to get a load of washing on the line and dry before the rain started (bonus), bake a lemon cake and make a veggie quiche for dinner.  I've make a start on the next quilting project (the pile is definitely going down at last); hopefully once I get going it shouldn't take too long to complete.

For quite some time, I have kept a note of the money we spend on food - it's just a little notebook in which I jot down the figures and at the end of the month I total it up.  In January we spent just over £100, and last month it was not quite £160.  We made a point of running the freezer down through January and using up what we had in the store cupboards; this month we have restocked and done a meat shop.  We were both pretty surprised at how little we have spent.  But - we cook from scratch, we meal-plan, we shop around, we aren't brand-led, hardly anything gets thrown away and we eat very well indeed.  It is possible to eat well and not spend a fortune.

Those sewing blogs I mentioned previously - I think I'm addicted!  So many lovely fabrics, clothes, buttons and trimmings.  So many beautiful patterns just waiting to be bought.  So many ideas - now all I need is to make the time.  I'm in serious need of a dressmaking 'fix' and the fact that I have cleared out half my wardrobe is obviously enough reason to getting sewing.  However, I am being sensible and clearing the work-table of other projects before I get too carried away, and in the meantime I am planning on what I'll make first.  Will it be a blouse, or a skirt, or a pair of trousers?  Colour?  Design?  When I used to make clothes many years ago there were only a handful of pattern companies - Simplicity, Butterick, New Look, Burda, McCalls - but now there is so much more choice with lots of small independent designers producing great patterns for the new generation of home sewers.  There are a few patterns I may treat myself to, and I think a quick trawl of the charity shops is in order, too; some of the older patterns (does '70s/'80s fashion count as 'vintage'?) seem to be having a bit of a revival, and a vintage pattern collection is a pre-requisite for any serious dressmaker.  Reading through these blogs has also made me realise that I could do with brushing up on some of my sewing skills and techniques, and I have always wanted to learn more about pattern alteration and making toiles.  

Hmm, I think I may need to start a new list.  Most definitely.

Anyone else planning some dressmaking?

Curtains, food shopping and staying grey

Peppers ready for the freezer - a bargain at the greengrocers

A Red Admiral found in the greenhouse

'Small' carrots pulled from the garden for Sunday dinner - the taste was just so good.

The curtain alteration is finished - hooray!  I will confess they very, very nearly got the better of me and I did a lot more than just mutter about the quality.  I have worked on those curtains for almost three days solid; everything else went by the way, and it required more patience and perseverance than I thought I possessed, so to say I am relieved they are done is a bit of an understatement LOL.  And so we move on.

We don't 'do' the commercialism of Valentine's Day - no cards, chocolates or flowers here - but N likes an excuse to mess around in the kitchen and we had a lovely meal of Indian-style tapas which he had made from scratch, including some delicious pitta bread.  I doubt we'd have got a starter in a restaurant for the price he spent on the whole meal - just another reason I love him so much ;-)))

We caught up with the final programme in the Eat Well For Less series and whilst I have been just slightly stunned by the way some people shop for food, there have been one or two interesting snippets we've picked up on.  Fruit juice from concentrate, for example, has exactly the same ingredients as 'pure' fruit juice.  Meat from a butcher is better quality than from a supermarket, and often cheaper.  Fresh produce, cut up and washed then packed in bags, has a very short shelf life.  Cooking from scratch is cheaper and of course you know what goes into it.  Use a meal plan and shop with a list.  Only buy what you know you are going to use, and don't get side-tracked  by so-called bargains.  The amount of money that some people spend on food for one week is double what we spend for a month.  And we eat very well indeed.  It was staggering.

I'm still pondering the wardrobe/clothing situation.  The randomness of my clothes has been a bit of a shock; absolutely no plan at all.  I think some of that may have been due to wearing a uniform for much of my working life, so I only needed to throw casuals on when I got home.  Also I know I used to buy sale goods (in fact I don't think anything in my wardrobe was full price) because they were a 'good buy', not because they went with anything else.  And such a lot of colour, which I love, but not much to tone any of it down a little.  Many, many years ago (probably over 25, thinking about it) I had my colours done ('Colour Me Beautiful' I believe) and I took my little colour charts very much to heart.  So all the colours are the right colours, just way too many of them!  And it was a long time ago.  And now I have grey hair . . .  Just before Christmas I had a wobble about being grey, and convinced myself I needed to dye my hair again, but with a bit of time, and some perspective, I realise that it's what I wear that's the problem, not the colour of my hair.  I just cannot face, or justify, the time and money to have my hair coloured, not to mention the chemicals involved, and I'm relieved that, as so often happens, I have worked my way through the problem.  So grey hair is what I have and grey hair is what I will stick with.  Authenticity rules!!  The clothing declutter has brought into the open one or two other issues which have been 'cluttering up' my life for a while, and I suspect there is a connection at some deeper level.  I'm not saying a radical revamp of my wardrobe is going to sort everything out, but I am quietly confident that it is a place to start.  

Planning, sorting, and resting

Yesterday morning N took an inventory of what was left in the freezer.  Then we sat down and worked out what meals could be rustled up from the list and after a bit of pondering, we managed another ten meals and we haven't even started on tins in the store cupboard.  We are wondering if we could actually get through to the end of February without a major food shop - I think N is looking at it as a bit of a challenge!  This evening's meal wasn't on the list at all because we had forgotten about the turkey I picked off the bones a couple of days ago and which was still in the fridge.  That became a fricasee of sorts, served with the last of the linguine, and very tasty it was.  

One of the projects I have on the go this year is creating a new quilt from an old pieced top, and it involves unpicked hundreds of hand-stitched hexagons.  I've been trying to do a little every day, but I have been aware just recently that my shoulder is beginning to ache.  After a very restless night when turning over was incredibly painful, I've come to the conclusion that RSI has set in again so the unpicking is now on hold until I have rested my shoulder properly.  Instead, I sorted all the hexagons into the various patterns.

Another session of clearing out, especially paperwork, in my sewing den today; I'm trying to be quite ruthless and quite a bit is heading off to the recycling bin or charity shops.  Order is gradually being achieved.  It would be easy just to put some more cupboards or shelves in the room but I need to keep things down to a minimum.  The pile of things to do (aka projects) is steadily growing; I added two more to the list just this afternoon =:o .  It's as well I like to be busy.

It snowed!

Not quite the blizzards and snow drifts of the US, or even north England and Scotland, but it snowed here overnight:

A few more flurries before breakfast but by 10am it had all but disappeared.  Never mind, it has snowed.

So what's been happening here, snow aside?  Yesterday we had a radiator installed in the bedroom/conversion and all connected up to the existing heating system.  It makes sense, short-term and long-term - it really has been like a fridge in that room since Christmas.  All the radiators are fitted with thermostatic valves so we can turn the temperatures down in individual rooms and only heat the rooms we use.  This morning, however, we did have the luxury of the heating on most of the morning (well, it was snowing ;)  ) and it was lovely to have the warmth.  N made an interesting observation a couple of days ago; he commented on the fact that in the winter, many people go on holiday to sunny destinations to get away from the cold, but instead of spending maybe £1/2000 going abroad, for perhaps £100 on the fuel bill they could simply have the heating on more at home.  It's certainly a thought.

The work in the spare bedroom was an opportunity for us to have another sort-out of odds and ends in the garage store, and we have recycled a load of bottles, and found new homes for electric cables.  Another two storage boxes have been emptied and I may be able to use them to tidy up the chaos in the sewing room.  We had a box of spare light bulbs and in the process of sorting through them we discovered that three of them didn't even work so they have now been disposed of.  It may be slow progress, and only a little at a time, but it all helps.

In between all of this, I did manage to do the Monday cleaning chores.  

This was the state of the vacuum head - threads all twisted round the roller, dust in every nook and cranny, and on the black cogs (top centre in the picture above) you can just about make out a tack that had managed to embed itself in the plastic.   It must have been hoovered up during all the renovations last year - I had wondered what the odd noise was!  Now it's all been thoroughly cleaned out, it all works a treat.

We've been feeling the benefits of the new quilt on our bed; goodness, it makes such a difference on these cold nights.  I had planned to start machine quilting it this week but I think that's unlikely now, plans seem to be 'fluid' just at the moment and I am adopting a flexible approach to each day.  Yes, I like to have some organisation to my days, but nothing so rigid that it can't adapt and change as needed.  Things still get done, just not necessarily when I thought they would.  

We're still working our way through the freezer, although there isn't too much left now, and N came up with a 'leftovers' meal this evening, using up some bits in the fridge.  Very tasty it was, too.  Nothing goes to waste here and N's talents in the kitchen save us pounds.  A lot of it is having the confidence of knowing what ingredients go together and of creating something out of whatever is available in the cupboard, fridge and freezer and not relying on convenience foods.  Our meals may not have gourmet names created by celebrity chefs, but they are tasty, nutritious, filling and made from scratch using fresh food wherever possible.  I am thankful every day that my lovely other half not only enjoys cooking, but keeps us so well fed.    

Full tilt into February

Hmm, interesting.  This post went to Drafts rather than Publish last night.  Let's try again.  This was from yesterday . . . 


Today has been a full and productive day of pottering in the house.  Both of us have cheerfully got on with things that needed to be done, a few things that we wanted to do and a couple of things that cropped up as we went along, but what was so good was that we were both perfectly happy and content to get on and do them.  The day has passed with each of us busy, creative in various ways, enjoying a bit of quiet as and when, and satisfied with jobs achieved.  One thing we haven't been is bored!

N has plaster-boarded two walls in the garage store, partly to use up some oddments of board left over from the conversion, and also to make good a wall we feel could be put to good use with some shelving/storage; it's all about making the most of the space we have.  In order to do this, however, he has had to move everything out of the storeroom and into the house (again) and it is now piled up waiting, I suspect, for a bit of a declutter again.  It's a never-ending process, this decluttering business, but after several months in the new house we are finding things which are no longer required or not going to be used, so they're on their way out.  We are also vigilant about what 'extras' come into the house (ie acquisitions of one sort or another) and between the two processes, we can keep 'stuff' to an acceptable level.  As we have recently begun to discuss the option of moving and down-sizing at some point in the future (and maybe the not-so-distant future) we don't want to have to pack up any more stuff than is necessary.  The decluttering continues.

My lovely DIY-ing other half has also fitted some storage clips in the airing cupboard so we now have somewhere to store the vacuum tools.  Just one more little job off the list.

Another apron day for me - I think I may need to make myself a few more aprons just to ring the changes - washing (another breezy day to make the most of), ironing, and cleaning/sorting out the cupboard under the sink.  One or two bits thrown out (dried-up shoe polish no longer fit for purpose), cleaning rags organised, and bottles rearranged.  Always satisfying.

I boiled up the chicken bones that were in the freezer, and stripped the little bits of meat off, it all adds up.  Tomorrow we'll make a chicken soup for lunch for a couple of days.

I made a paper pattern from a well-loved fleece polo-neck jumper - I find it so comfy and warm in this cold weather - and I have seen some suitable fleece fabric locally.  I think I shall make this one of my sewing projects for February.  I've continued unpicking hexagons for a future quilting project, done a quick repair on a pair of jeans, and caught up with some paperwork.  As usual, as I'm pottering around, other things spring to mind and I've taken to jotting them down on a notepad so I don't forget them.  Then, when I have a spare moment or two, a quick look at that list will remind me and I can make the time to get deal with them.

This cold weather is really playing havoc with my hands - they are so rough and dry - so I am going to watch 'Last Tango' and give them a soaking in moisturising mitts to see if that will help at all.  I'm going through hand cream like it's going out of fashion!

A look back at January, and forward to February

It's been an 'apron day' today - washing (machine and hand), bread making, bed change.  All morning it drizzled and I had almost given up and resorted to drying the clothes indoors when the weather cleared, the wind picked up and I managed to get both loads of washing dried on the line outside.  Result!

It was cold inside and the bread was extremely reluctant to rise so I tried the 'proving' setting on the oven for the first time and as the bread rose perfectly satisfactorily, I think that's a result, too.  It will be a last resort but if all else fails, it's good to know there is a fall-back.

In between kitchen duties, I managed to finish machining all the gridlines on the quilt (that was the target I set myself for the end of the month) so I can tick that off the list, too.  Yes, I want to do some machine quilting on the borders and part of the blocks, together with same hand-quilting, but the quilt is finished apart from the decoration.  Sometimes the goals simply need to be attainable.

So, at the end of January, how are things looking?  

• bedroom curtains lined
• tea-cosy hat knitted
• bowtie quilt stitched-in-the-ditch
• kitchen cupboards cleaned and sorted
• eaten from freezer/store cupboards throughout month
• hall cupboard shelved

Probably a few more bits and pieces along the way, but, all in all, a positive start to the year.  I have learned, very early on, that I can't do it all in one go.  I can't implement lots of new ideas and routines at the same time, I need to try one or two out and get those bedded in before I add anything else.  A little change at a time seems to be the way that works best for me.  I have plenty of ideas in the pipeline, but it's going to be a gradual process.  That's fine.  I'm OK with that.

I also want to record here the books I have read this month:

• The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
• The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
• The Story of Four Islands - Crawford Ivin (partly based on the IW)
• John and George - John Dolan

Not sure if I will remember to keep this list going but I've started with good intentions - sounds familiar!

And what of February?  It can often be the coldest month here, but at the same time it heralds Spring, so there's much to look forward to.  At home we hope to have a radiator installed in the guest room (the final expense indoors), have a proper sort out of clothes, and I need to set myself some sewing projects to complete.  I also need to spend some time getting some order in the sewing room which is currently in a chaotic state, once again.  Reading-wise, I'm trying to include a few of the modern classics in my library visits this year so I'll see what I can find on the shelves there next week.  Continue with the menu planning, which is working so well, and a tighter handle on the grocery shopping - it's almost there, just needs a little tweaking.  

And, obviously, some lists . . .

Hall cupboard make-over

I'm not too sure where the last couple of days have disappeared to, which is always a little worrying when there's a birthday on the horizon ;-)  So let me see if I can scrabble around in the recesses of my brain and remember . . .
Wednesday was all mapped out, we had a definite plan and a list (maybe that was the problem!) but a very early and rather desperate plea had us rearranging our day before we'd even left the house.  We were very pleased that we were in a position to be able to help out but somewhat bemused at how a change of plan knocked us off our quiet little routine.  It gave us something to ponder over that afternoon; I think we need to be a bit more flexible and be able to take an unexpected change of direction in our stride.  

Before . . .

Yesterday found me on much more familiar ground, painting the hall cupboard.  Yes, I know where I am with a paintbrush in my hand!  It always surprises me how a coat of white emulsion can lift a space (and I finished up last bit of 'cheap and cheerful' emulsion to boot).  

. . . and after painting

Today, while I was at the donation centre, N fitted the shelves he made, and we now have a very servicable airing cupboard with so much more storage space than before.  So February's project is to sort out not only the linens, bedding and towels, which are in several different places at the moment, but also go through our wardrobes thoroughly - we both know there are items lurking in drawers and under-bed storage boxes which really need to be sorted out.  

And now with shelves!

It's been pretty chilly here of late, especially with a bitter wind, but to date still no snow although it came very close to it yesterday - the sky turned a very odd colour indeed.  However, what is very noticeable is that it is getting lighter of an evening.  It was 17.15 before we had to close the curtains today. And on a similar note, the rather elderly electric blanket finally gave up last week (I suspect it would have been condemned, truth be told), and we've reverted to the old-fashioned method of getting the bed warm, aka the hot-water bottle.  Ah, a warm and cosy bed again.

We watched a programme on television yesterday which we found quite interesting.  'Eat Well for Less' (can't find a suitable link to it, only iPlayer) looks at ways of saving money on families' food bills.  We were curious to see how well our shopping habits measured up.  It was certainly interesting viewing.  By the end we were feeling quite righteous!  Menu plans, cooking from scratch, buying value range products rather than branded ones, not falling for 'bargains', and knowing what's already in the store cupboard - it all seems like common sense, but it was quite scary how the food bill can rocket out of control.  At one point N and I just looked at each other and said, 'How much?' !  Taking closer order on shopping can really save pounds without compromising on quality of food especially if you cook from scratch.  We will watch again next week.

Pantry challenge

Joining in with Rhonda's Pantry Challenge.

The kitchen cupboards were on my 'to do' list so this was a very timely nudge!

We don't have a pantry as such, most of our dry goods are kept in a kitchen cupboard.

So here's the before photo:

And after a thorough sort out:

One or two bits have been used up in this week's meals, three jars emptied and recycled, and a couple of plastic boxes cleared out and no longer needed (and also recycled).  Just the remnants of one very out-of-date item ended up being thrown out.  
We have since stocked up on a few items (bread flour being at the top of the list) so the space on the top shelf is now filled up again.

Thanks for the challenge, Rhonda, it was a really satisfying morning's work!

A simple life for me

It's howling a hoolie here at the moment, rain lashing against the windows, and it's forecast to get a little wilder during the night.  Compared to many parts of the country, currently experiencing snow, gales and other wintery weather, we get off relatively lightly this far south.  It's no fun being without power in freezing temperatures and I feel for those folks who have been hit hard by the weather.

Today I started in on another task on The List, sorting out the kitchen cupboards.  As I previously mentioned, I've taken the plunge and joined in with the 'Pantry Challenge' on the Down to Earth blog, so I thought I'd better make a start.  It'll be done over two or three days to fit around other things that are happening, and today I did the wall cupboards.  Everything out, shelves wiped down, bottles, jars and packets checked and sorted before putting back.  Two glass jars emptied and recycled, several packets emptied into storage jars and recycled, jasmine rice used up for dinner, a container with nothing in it (!) recycled.  Out of date stock?  About a quarter of a packet of curry paste, BBE May 2012!  All in all, not too bad.  We keep a fairly close eye on the food cupboards, and are much better now at only buying what we know we will use.   Once I got going I really enjoyed the task and the end result was very satisfying.  It's tidy, we can see what we have, and everything is accessible for use.  I'll carry on tomorrow.

This afternoon was a bit of a treat for me.  I took a workshop at our local quilting shop; three hours of machine quilting - wonderful!  The shop owner and tutor, Vendulka, is a very inspiring teacher, and under her guidance I produced some creditable feathers.  Lots of practice, learning to relax and letting the fabric and stitches flow.  It's quite a different technique to the precision of hand quilting, which I do enjoy, but I find I don't have the patience to undertake weeks of hand sewing that I used to have.  I want my quilts finished and to be used, not remain as pieced tops never to be quilted and completed.  So, machine quilting it is, and I'm really enjoying the challenge.

This post is my 350th, and marks two years of blogging.  The blog is nothing fancy, just an online diary of our days 'pottering along', enjoying what our chosen lifestyle brings us.  Living within our means, free of debt, being self-reliant, and not being caught up in consumerism.   Thrifty, frugal, simple - whatever the label, we're loving our simple life.

Routine days

For many years, I used to smile when I heard retired people remark that they never knew how they ever found time to go to work because their lives were so busy now.  (rolling of eyes!!)  How could that be possible, I used to think?  They must have all the time in the world, not working.  Hmm, that was then.  Now, I find myself thinking the exact same thing - how did I find time to go to work?

My days are busy and productive, and oh so much happier.  Even something as mundane as having washing blowing on the line makes me smile to myself.  

Being someone who likes things organised (I will admit I don't always manage it though I continue to strive for order), I find some routine in my daily potterings is helpful in providing a rough structure to the week - N and I quite often have to ask each other what day it is.  With that in mind, I set Monday morning aside to clean the house - dust, vacuum, tidy up and put away etc.  And it seems to be working well.  It certainly helps that the house is not overly cluttered to start with, and we are mindful of what extras (if any) come into the house - I do not want to spend hours carefully dusting countless ornaments and trinkets.  As I go round the rooms, I am making a mental note of the 'snagging' that still needs to be done, after the renovation last year.  There's a bit of remedial work we want to look at in the spring, and one or two small projects that will make the house work better for us.  And of course there will be a more thorough 'Spring Clean', but I'm hoping to have had a bit of a declutter beforehand, meaning less to clean ;-)

I don't have a set day for washing; I'm guided by the weather, so if it's dry and breezy, I'll get a load in the machine.  

We're now really into menu planning - not sure why we didn't do it sooner.  N is the main cook here, and he has found it much easier knowing what's for dinner for the week in advance, rather than having to think of something each day.  The plan is flexible but it certainly gives us something to work with.  At the moment we are eating our way through the contents of the freezer and what we already have in the cupboard and hopefully we won't have to restock until February.  

I bake bread once a week (and try to ensure there is something else being cooked in the oven at the same time), and have set days for changing the bed.  Library books need to be returned and changed.  I volunteer Friday mornings, and twice-monthly we give a lift for an out-patients appointment.  All these are put on the calendar, and suddenly there is a structure and routine to our weeks.  The times in between are filled with DIY, craft, gardening, mending, reading, talking . . . and taking time for a cuppa.  We walk and get out and about.  I don't think I can ever say I have been bored; there is just so much to fill my days with!

So, today - one of those hospital trips, a dash into Lidl for specific items (loo rolls on offer so stocked up there!), then pop into Tesco, again for specific items.  We have decided that we can get most of shopping at Lidl and Aldi now, and will just go to Tesco to bi-monthly - there's only a few bits that we haven't been able to find elsewhere.  We prefer the shopping experience at Lidl and Aldi; there isn't so much to choose from, the prices are consistently cheaper, the quality is more than acceptable, there aren't the gimmicks (BOGOFs; buy one, get one half price etc), and they don't hand out free plastic bags!  

I pinned out the bowtie quilt, hoping to get it sandwiched, only to find that the inside border isn't lying flat.  Deep breath, it'll have to be unpicked.  *sigh*  By now this quilt should have been in one piece and started on the quilting.  Instead, all I seem to have done is unpick the pesky thing.  

Really, it's just as well I'm not at work.  I wouldn't have the time to do anything!

Up for a challenge

Yesterday -

I took advantage of a dry and very breezy day and had two loads of washing on the line outside.

I've found a use for some bits of wadding I'd kept 'just in case' (never one to throw away anything that might come in useful, lol).  Lots of thin strips, herringbone-stitched together, becomes a sizeable piece of wadding, ideal for a quilting workshop I have treated myself to later this week (I need two fat-quarter sandwiches to take with me).  Not only have I used offcuts of wadding, but I reuse lengths of thread, too.  Possibly taking frugalness and thriftiness to new heights ;-))  

The cargo ship is just visible on the horizon, but my little camera wasn't really up to the task

A combination of high winds and wave action have eroded the sand and soil along the shore edge

We had a stroll to the local shoreline to see if we could glimpse the stricken cargo ship.  We had planned to return to Cowes to see it a few days ago but it managed to free itself from the sandbank and the salvage boats have now towed it a little further east, but still in the Solent.  It is now anchored while more assessments take place.  The recent high winds have hampered the process.  The ship is just visible from the bit of beach we were on; it's still listing badly.

I had every intention of making bread this afternoon, planning on baking it while the oven was on cooking the roast chicken.  It might have been helpful to have checked that I had bread flour first!  We are going to have to do a shop soon to restock the cupboards as there's quite a few gaps appearing.  Cleaning and tidying the kitchen cupboards is on The List, so I had a little smile to myself when I read Rhonda's latest post from Down to Earth, challenging us to tidy our pantry shelves.  I think this is something I ought to join in with; it may prove the gentle nudge I need to roll the sleeves up and get sorting.

Signs of Spring (?) and getting organised

I could hardly believe it myself but today I saw a group of narcissi in full bloom.  I wish I'd had the camera with me (perhaps tomorrow).  And yesterday we noticed an ornamental cherry, or something very similar, with a distinct pink tinge.  It's seems too early for such floral signs of Spring but I suppose we really haven't had a particularly cold winter to date.  Whatever, it was a lovely and unexpected surprise to see the splash of gold on what was a dreary, grey, damp day, such a change from yesterday.

We took the Christmas decorations down this morning although the tree is still up, just a bit bare.  Having a real tree was such a treat for us, the pine smell was wonderful and it just made it a bit more Christmassy that usual.  It hasn't shed anywhere near as many needles as we feared so it has had a reprieve for a few more days.  

I've spent quite a bit of time today in organising mode - checking my personal end-of-year finances, getting the notebooks ready for this year's figures, drawing up a month-by-month wall planner (January is already looking a bit busy and we don't want to forget anything).  And making lists, of course.  I accept that not everything on the list will get done on that day, and that in itself is a step forward, accepting that some things take longer than I think and that there are only so many hours in a day, but it does help me stay focussed.  I confess that I like order and routine in my life.  For some reason I found myself remembering a topic I studied for my OU degree (Social Sciences/Sociology) a few years ago which had resonated strongly with me then.  It was the concept of ontological security - the sense of order and continuity that provides a framework of stability to an individual's life experience.  Chaos and uncertainty tend to have the opposite effect!  There's a lot more to it than that, obviously, but I found it an interesting point of discussion.  I know that I feel far more in control of my life if I have some order and organisation; I am calmer and get more achieved.  That's probably why I have the need to tidy up at work - I just can't operate effectively in a disorganised or chaotic environment.  However, as is so often the case, the theory is one thing, putting it into practice is quite another.  Hence the lists.

Another 7000 steps today (town and back for a few groceries).  I may try to record these figures, together with spend/no spend and petrol/no petrol days, on a weekly or monthly basis.  Just out of curiosity, really, and I don't know if it will fizzle out after a few weeks (or days, let's be honest)  Not a resolution at all, just interest.  

Tomorrow I must cut out the curtain lining.  And perhaps take some photos.

And now for the garage

We've only been back a couple of days and we're already working on the next project!  I don't think we'd really planned to get stuck into another big project quite so quickly but a visit from our builder just a few minutes after we arrived back this week changed that.  He has some free time next week so we will be converting the garage into a bedroom.  Materials have been ordered, an electrician has been around to look at fitting some sockets, and N and I have once again shifted furniture, boxes and all manner of bits and pieces out of the garage and into a 'spare' room.  

Every time we do this we decide that a few more things can be done without (really we are getting a bit fed up with constantly moving things around the house trying to find a permanent home for them) and we had another trip to the tip.  We're also becoming quite expert at finding an alternative use for something - an unwanted bathroom cabinet is now destined to be used to box in the gas meter in the garage/guest bedroom, and the wooden single-bed frame, which will now be replaced with a double-bed frame, could be useful for shelving in the hall cupboard - that's another little project for the winter.  This list is growing =:o

Tempted by a forecast for dry, even sunny weather today, I did 2 loads of washing (the worst bit of returning from holiday).  And it was quite nice so a good excuse to be in the garden.  Things are growing . . .

A pathway of weeds in-between onions to the left and garlic to the right

. . . and not just veggies.  Where do all these weeds come from?  It seems to be a never-ending battle we're not winning.  We have simply got to keep on top of them through the winter; we just weren't able to give enough time to the task during the summer months.  

We've given the new heating system a bit of a trial run since our return.  It's a bit of a balancing act, finding the right temperature to set the thermostat on, and the radiators, all of which can be individually adjusted.  It's a bigger property than our old place, so we know it will cost more to heat, but we will still try to make it as efficient and economic as we can.  As we record the gas usage weekly, we will be able to see easily how much gas the heating uses and N has already done the calculations for the amount of units we can use and still keep within our monthly budgeted figures.  I've actually found monitoring our energy consumption quite interesting; it's certainly made me more conscious of how we use gas, electricity and water.  

Clocks go back tonight - an extra hour in bed - but it also means darker evenings and shorter days.  Time to start quilting, I think. 

Booted and suited, and meter-reading

Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned 'rain' yesterday.  I was all geared up to paint the garage door this morning (or indeed, anytime today) but the weather decided to be undecisive and throw in the odd sporadic drizzle so Plan A has been put on hold until tomorrow.

The carrot seedlings are beginning to get some feathery leaves

There is, however, always a Plan B.  At 9 o'clock this morning N made some phone enquiries about bulk compost.  By 10 o'clock it had been delivered!  A cubic metre of lovely, local compost, dumped in it's bag on the front lawn and needing to be bagged up and moved to the back garden.  We booted and suited up - welly boots and boilersuits - and got stuck in.  N later informed me this is why he loves me, not for any romantic reason but because I'm more than up to heavy manual labour!  

About a quarter of the way there

There was a lot of compost (and it is lovely rich dark brown crumbly compost) and we have topped up all the raised beds, got big pots ready for potatoes and tomatoes next season and still managed to fill 13 plastic bags; we never throw the empty bags away, they get used over and over for storage, taking rubbish to the tip, etc.

We've made more progress with the porch, although we are a little concerned that the T&G we've lined the walls with gives the impression of an outside loo.  Or a beach hut.  

We always read our gas and electricity meters every Monday morning and record the figures and work out our weekly usage.  We can see straightaway if we've used more than usual - last week, for example, we ran the central heating for half an hour (as it's a new system) and that was reflected in a higher usage figure.  However, we seem to be using far less than the 'average' comparable household, according to our energy providers.  We are mindful of the energy we use, not wishing to pay for any more than we need to.  We don't need lights blazing in all rooms, just the ones we are actually in (and very often we just have a table lamp on).  We watch very little TV, preferring to read, listen to the radio, sew, knit or do puzzles and we couldn't justify keeping Sky so that's gone, and we have no need to leave anything on stand-by now.  We chose not to have a bath installed in this house, and we have short (ie 5 minute) showers.  Winter is approaching and we are interested to see how the house performs in colder weather.  We anticipate being able to close off some rooms and concentrate the heating in just the ones we are using.  Our heating thermostat will be set at a sensible (ie lower than most!) temperature.  We have double-glazing and cavity wall insulation, and the loft is thickly insulated as well.  Monitoring our weekly usage keeps us vigilant and hopefully means we will stay within our budgeted payments.  To us it seems such an obvious and sensible thing to do but we are aware of people who are quite happy to pay way more than we do, and just accept it.  It's surprising how easy it is to waste money unnecessarily.  I've often thought I'd like to see how much I could save on their bills by making some very simple changes, most of which would have little or no impact on their lifestyle.  Is it being thrifty, or frugal, or simply being a bit more aware that if everyone wastes energy, then we all have to pay the (higher) price?

A little calm in the midst of chaos

We cannot believe just how disorganised we are at the moment.  It seems like there is no order, no plan and everything is everywhere.  For two people who usually pride themselves in a degree of organisation, we are astounded at the lack of it!  I think we have worked so hard on trying to get the new house into shape that we ran out of steam when it came to packing up the old place.  So it was a huge relief when we had a visit from someone who has restored more than a bit of order to our lives.  

We now have lots of boxes packed up and moved, a large pile of goods ready for the charity shop, furniture flat-packed ready for moving and calmness (or something vaguely near to it) has been restored.  Thankyou, dear daughter!!

The main job this weekend has been emptying the loft.  Not a task we were looking forward to.  How have we acquired so much stuff?  Why have we kept so much stuff?  Did we really think we might need it some day?  It was quite frightening really.  However, with the three of us working as a finely-tuned team, we had that loft cleared far quicker than I thought we would.  We will have a concerted effort at reducing what we store when we have more time and space (ie at the new house) but it has been a salutary reminder of the burden of keeping stuff for the sake of it.  

Now we have the kitchen installed, with just a few bits still to finish off, we have moved everything from this kitchen into the new one.  We will, no doubt, spend the next few days trying to find things again; it was all put away in any cupboard with no real plan.  Never mind, it will give us something to do for a while!

Tomorrow is looking like a busy day.  The builders are coming back to put the finishing touches to the kitchen (we have remembered to replenish the tea-bags and sugar!) and the carpet fitters are coming to fit the bedrooms and bathroom.  There is the last of the packing to do and making sure the removal men have a clean run through the flat.  

We did have a brief break in the packing (and related stress) on Saturday when we walked to the beach to watch the yachts on the final leg of the annual Round the Island Race.  Sadly although the weather was very warm and sunny there wasn't much breeze for sailing, and as the yachts came along past Ryde many of them seemed to have stopped!   It must have been very frustrating for them, having set out in good spirits early in the morning for a days' racing, only to end up becalmed on the way home.  We found out later that many yachts 'retired' and motored back to Cowes.  Can't really blame them.

And so to March . . .

The meteorologists tell me it's the first day of Spring today, but I don't think that's until March 21st.  Whichever, today we have no less than 5 glorious golden daffodils blooming in our garden.  Well, actually it's now only 4, as one had fallen over so I cut it and brought it indoors.  It is now a little splash of yellow to the beautiful bouquet we were sent earlier this week.

The garden is still so wet and every time we have a little more rain (none today but more forecast through the coming week) we end up with puddles that simply won't drain away.  The ground is just waterlogged; we need a long spell of continuous dry, and preferably slightly windy, weather to help dry things out.

It's been an eventful week.  Emotions all over the place, tiredness levels reaching new heights, relief at having made the right decision.  But for some reason, these past 36 hours or so have found me on a downer I couldn't understand.  This morning, as I was trying to explain my feelings to N, I realised, in a moment of rare cerebral clarity, that what I was feeling was a very real sense of disappointment - our plans, dreams, hopes and aspirations that we had channeled into the prospective new house weren't going to materialise.  At least, not yet.  We continue to strive for a move and we will be able to re-engage those dreams once more.  But just for a brief while, yes, there was disappointment.

Having worked my way through that particular blip, I am trying to use my time wisely.  I'm continuing to make progress through the craft project list (currently making fruit and veg produce bags so I don't have to use plastic bags at the supermarket).  I'm also finally succumbed to reading the Soulemama blog.  I came across it before I started blogging myself but never really felt the connection.  For some reason I returned to it a couple of weeks ago and seemed to appreciate it far more (although I tend to skip through the sponsorship side of things).  Amanda certainly has an arresting way with words - and photos.  But what I'm particularly interested in is her craft projects, and I have begun the task of reading her archives to get ideas and inspiration, which inevitably leads me to other crafty blogs, too.  Her 'just do it' attitude is very appealing and I really love the way she has involved and encouraged her children to accept crafting as part of everyday life.  The only small problem I foresee is not having sufficient time to try all these ideas for myself!

I also baked today, so things must be getting better!  I finally got around to trying Rhonda's scone recipe, adding some grated cheese for a savoury finish.  Wow, they were tasty - N deemed them 'excellent' - and very straightforward to make so they will become a regular lunch-time snack.  

My toppings - tomato and olive passata, onions, garlic, mushrooms, peppers, sweetcorn and cheese.  Also it looks bigger in the photo than it really was - honest!

For dinner tonight we had a collaboration, home-made pizzas - I made the pizza base dough and we both piled on our favourite toppings.  They were, of course, far superior to anything shop-bought and cost us a fraction of what we would have had to pay in a restaurant.  We have the time to make them ourselves - it's only laziness that finds us searching the freezer - and taste-wise there is no comparison.

I'm sorting through my household journal and have decided to create a new file for crafting-related info.  The 'Ideas to Try' list is getting out of hand already ;-))