The Simple Woman's Daybook - Monday 12th August 2019

FOR TODAY - MONDAY 12th AUGUST 2019

Outside my window ... it is pitch black. I can't sleep so am writing this in the early hours of the morning.

I am thinking ... about what's next for me? The past few years have been filled with renovating my home and garden, but both projects are reaching the stage where I can call them complete. I am trying to come up with something else to focus on, something big enough to occupy my time and thoughts but ... I have no idea what. I have considered courses but nothing has grabbed my attention, so I'm looking and wondering!

I am thankful ... for the lifestyle I have. I know that a lot of people are not as fortunate and I am grateful every day for all that I have.

In the kitchen ... I'm trying out a couple of new to me vegetarian recipes - a different recipe for split pea soup, and one for a spicy dhal. 

I am wearing ... a pink and white striped dressing gown.

I am creating ... a revised handbook for issue to new players who join the band.

I am going ... to meet with the executive members of the band committee later this evening to discuss, amongst other things, plans for the next year. The standard of playing has improved to a level where we can now resume playing at summer fetes, something the band always used to do.

I am wondering ... whether to employ a gardener to help me finish of the garden. The buddleia in the front garden has outgrown it's space, blocking light to the kitchen window and growing over some of the other shrubs. It's a shrub variety which is only supposed to be 1.5 m high but it's much bigger than that and I think I'd like it to be moved to the back garden. This will mean some more planting in the front garden as well as creating space for the buddleia in the back garden. I also have to finish clearing the centre bed in the back garden.

I am reading ... 'The Left Hand of Darkness' by Ursula K le Guin, this month's choice for the Sci-Fi & Fantasy book group. I've only just started it and have a week in which to finish it, so I'm hoping it's going to be an easy read.


I am hoping ...  that the tweaks I am making to my diet will kick start the weight loss. I have decided to return to calorie counting as that has proved to be the most successful approach in the past but will utilise what I have learned from trying Slimming World again. SW only worked for me for a short while when I tried it before and that has proved to be the case this time, so ... back to what I know works for me.

I am looking forward to ... the weather improving so that my planned day trip to the beach can happen. Every so often I feel the need to see the sea ... there is something very therapeutic about watching the waves roll in and out.  

I am learning ... about previous generations as I trace my family tree. So far I have discovered a murder victim, a thief, an imbecile, and a female arrested for bawdy behaviour!

Around the house ...  it's clean and tidy and definitely feels like home. I still have a pile of items cluttering up the dining room which I will have to dispose of in some way if they don't sell, but for now I am happy to wait ... some things are selling, but more slowly than I'd like. Once all these things have left the house I will be able to say that the decluttering has been completed!

I am pondering ... the changes I need to make to my current lifestyle to eliminate, or at least reduce, plastic packaging and in particular, all single use plastics. I have already made some important decisions on how and where I purchase foodstuffs, but everything else is proving to be harder than I thought it would be! 

One of my favourite things ... solving nonograms ... my latest obsession!

A few plans for the rest of the week ... I'll be going to a quiz night with friends on Tuesday, meeting S for coffee on Wednesday, may have other friends coming to stay on Thursday and Friday (we're still trying to coordinate diaries!), and will be playing my flute at a wedding on Saturday.

A peek into my day ... a morning in the kitchen cooking, an afternoon reading and/or finishing off a letter to my penfriend, and an evening with friends from band.

my daily photo
A favourite quote for today ... "Life is a series of thousands of tiny miracles. Look for them!", Facebook.com/FFL.fightforlife

Comments

  1. I really enjoyed reading this post and the daybook format. I hope you will find what's next for you (or, maybe, it will find you?) when the time is right. Maybe something music related? Maybe travel? I think employing a gardener might be a good thing, if the funds are there. M has been doing my garden for me for the past 26 years! He was my neighbor Katy's nephew and Katy had him mow the lawn for me (without even me asking her!) when I was in hospital having my daughter. After that, my mother decided to engage him to work in the garden and he's been tending to the garden for me ever since! He's more than a gardener, now, of course; he's a friend and my daughter considers him as an honorary uncle!

    By the way, you've got me hooked on nonograms, too! :D I've been playing them, on and off, all day long!

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    Replies
    1. I'm still enjoying nonograms and have started doing logic puzzles again.

      If I get a gardener to help it will probably be a one-off for now. I have the funds for either a gardener or a cleaner and the cleaner wins!

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  2. This was such a a delightful read. I know what you mean about a change coming, I have felt this for a while now & of late it feels very strong. I think Slimming World is much like Weight Watchers, which worked for me in the old style. Maybe that's what my change is, finding an eating plan that works! Mr Man would agree with you about needing to be near the sea or in our case, the lake. I chuckled about your finds in the family tree ... Marvelous quote at the end!

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    Replies
    1. I might get the quote printed and framed and hang it on the wall.

      The feeling of change coming has been with me for a while now. It feels positive so, whatever it turns out to be, I'm looking forward to it.

      I may write about some of the characters I've discovered in my family tree ... I'm still undecided.

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  3. You sound very organized. And that is wonderful. Having completed projects, has to be satisfying.

    Hope you find another thing to concentrate on.

    Or.... Maybe..... Just let it "percolate" for awhile. :-) You don't have to start, right away.

    ✨🍑✨

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    Replies
    1. I won't rush in to anything but also don't want to settle to doing very little - that way lies depression for me and must be avoided at all costs. I'm currently thinking about doing a photo project for the walls in the hall and for one wall in the living room.

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