This is my reverse bucket list, not want I want to have done by the end of the year, but what I actually achieved. Ready for January's contribution?
This month I did a job which I had not only put off for most of last year, but had even tried to delegate to Paul (who also put it off for a year) - it involves wooden Venetian blinds. A large bay window full of them. 7 feet of wood slats just for the main part of the window then two narrower ones each side. Made more difficult by the fact that in order to reach them, you have to lean over/kneel on the sink and work surface beneath the window.
But what a feeling of accomplishment when I had finished the last slat, and when I opened them the next morning and the early morning sun caught the clean and polished wood, it was worth every moment. Now please be my witnesses when I say I will never leave it so long without cleaning them properly again!
Something much nicer than housework next - Arranging our June holiday and buying two new tankini swimsuits. Last year I left it too late to buy anything nice for round the pool and anything I liked was out of stock in my size, well it was August when I started looking so it's hardly surprising I suppose. I wasn't going to be caught out this year, there's definitely lots to choose from in January! Now I just need to keep this shape and size for the next 6 months - step away from the chocolate ... as although the label insists one of them has 'magic shaping' there's only so much magic one piece of lycra can do 🤣
I have also added some new recipes to my tried and tested file. I have a subscription to Delicious magazine and intend to try at least 6 new recipes from each months' magazine and put those we like into a file for those 'what on earth can we have for dinner tonight?' moments. This month we have also stuck to our good intentions to help save the planet and managed to reduce the amount of red meat that we've eaten and keep to weekly meal plans to avoid food waste.
Finally a 'ta dah' moment that other people might just call 'a night out with friends'. I participated in a social event I would probably normally have turned down. You can read all about it here when I went to a place I don't feel comfortable in, to listen to a band I don't like.
I know it might not seem much but every little 'ta dah' counts I reckon!
Indeed each one does count - and especially when some of them involve a LOT of work and energy. I remember when we had white venetian blinds in a room with a coal fire (what were we thinking?). W used to unclip them and lay them down on a big sheet on the floor to clean them, and the satisfaction once they were up again was huge. You have my admiration, for that is LOT of slats to cover. How nice to be ahead in the swimsuit stakes as well! Hoping your week goes really well with lots more 'Ta dahs' to come.
ReplyDeleteWell done on the cleaning job of your wood blinds. What a beautiful window. We have something similar in the majority of our windows - oh the pain of cleaning ...
ReplyDeleteCheers to each of your "ta dahs" - life is made up of those ordinary moments to make an extraordinary life.
Bathing suits - oh I don't even want to think, but yeah that you got ahead of it & what great motivation to put that chocolate down.
Oh nice, I have those same type of blinds on lots of windows in my house, and while I am fairly diligent about dusting them, they could all use a good wipe down - I think it has been 9 years since I last did that during spring cleaning. (I only remember because we did some other work at the time.) I too am trying not to make lists up ahead of time of what to do, so much as counting what I actually did. Pushing myself out of the house to be more social is something I could work on as well.
ReplyDeleteThat quite the job - well done on seeing it through? Do they mainly pick up dust or they affected by grease and the occasional splat of food?
ReplyDeleteMy daughter Lauren and her husband have inspired me to eat less red meat and prepare less for PC. We don't eat that much to begin with, more ground beef than steaks or roasts. But I am paring that back, too.
ReplyDeleteBravo on cleaning those blinds. I bet that was quite a job. But tasks like that are so rewarding when they are completed. I am working my way through the house, decluttering and organizing, as you know. Each little shelf or drawer that I neaten brings me a sense of pride.