Taking Charge ~ March!

Well, it came in like a (wet) lion here, so hopefully that bodes well for seeing some improvement! We went to bed last night with most of the grass showing and woke to about 4 inches of snow! Pretty!

We had to battle the overflowing washing machine monster today...DH ended up not going to DD12's (birthday last Wed.) bowling party so he could deal with the sizable amount of water that overflowed and poured into the basement. This is the second time the stupid machine has done this...and I had just washed a perfectly normal load this morning, too. Go figure. Aside from the mess...and the resulting lack of clean towels in the house, the actual damage was minimal...what it did to DH's blood pressure though...

I had a great week at school last week. I finally feel like I have a connection with the students (semester change). That really helps.

I've fallen off my weightloss wagon for the last few weeks. I stalled out at 10 pounds lost. Tomorrow I begin working on the next 10 pounds! I'd like to lose that much before DH's birthday in May. Ten pounds in 11 weeks is a pretty modest goal, but my exercise habits stink and I really can't cut my calorie intake below 1200 or I'm miserable. I'm just going to be satisfied with losing this weight slower. So there!

I'm completely in love with some Cafe Latte scented candles that a friend gave me. My house smells latte-warm and just a bit sweet. I like it. I burn scented candles almost every evening. I love spice scents, but they always get "old" right after I clear away the holiday decorations. I like a fruit/berry scent when it is warm, but I've been hunting for the perfect mid-winter scent...this is it! Sometimes I add a couple of vanilla candles to the mix; just because I always love vanilla. After I get the rest of the cleaning chores done for this week (around Wednseday) I'm decorating for spring/easter...I may hunt down a new scent for spring. I'm thinking that a non-berry fruit (peach? citrus?) might be nice. (I don't care for florals.)

I'm off now to give myself a manicure. My nails can't go one more day in the condition that they're in!

Love to all,
Lenora

Lenora, washing machines are so vexing, aren't they? That is, though, one of the joys of renting: 'Hello? Letting Agent? The [insert relevant item here] is broken. Please come fix it now' You have to have good landlord/agents for this to work, of course!

We're off to see a rather wrecked stone cottage tomorrow. Bit more out of town than we had thought, but you never know.

We have both DBestFriend and DMIL coming to stay at the weekend (DMIL staying with sister-in-law) so there's a fair old housework frenzy going on here, including trying to shift some of the more persistant boxes that remain unpacked

Speaking of which . . .

Zillah

we've had some really glorious sunshine in between the downpours and it has been quite warm even (not that the whole winter ever got cold much). Reminds me why I LOVE Spring so much!

It also reminds me that this time next year we will be into the final weeks before we put the house on the market, so I need photos of everything, but I just got the camera out and either both batteries are completely dead or the camera is! I have major plans to tidy up the garden, and it will have to be complete and ready to roll by Autumn because at this time of year our grass is still sucking up buckets of water and cannot be trodden on. Nothing but minor pruning, front hedge trimming and planting some rapacious border plants in my wall beds to hide the carpet of weeds that has survived the entire Winter so far (related to clover so it's impossible to get rid of without chemicals or cleaning out and starting again!). Still, my lovely little narcissi are filling the wall now and look lovely. The scillas are a little less enthusiastic. I have a bowl of narcissi out the front as well by the door and it's a lovely welcome home.

I need to plan which rooms will need repainting and all the little irritating jobs we've successfully ignored but know that we can't if we want to get a reasonable price for the house and sell on our own schedule. Like replacing the cracked pane of glass in the greenhouse and clearing up some of the more cluttery elements from the previous owners. Since our office is in a self-storage place we know exactly what we'll do with most of our clutter when the time comes - just move it out so the house looks beautifully spacious and designerish.

Then there's the school thing - DD didn't get into the school we wanted, so may get stuck with another one for the first year. We're appealing of course, but just telling them that you intend to move next Summer may not be sufficient I'm guessing!

And work! I started moving some of the clutter into our new larger office across the hall today - it was a slower day than usual, but that may just be me forgetting the really important things. We don't have a fixed date for when the furniture's coming but I want the vast majority shifted over there earlier. We're also moving the larger office chair from our home office over there - it was bought on company money and it's just in the way here. We rarely both sit at our home desks at the same time so we'll just use a stool when needed. The second desk will be one of the first things to leave when we're ready to start selling the house!

So it's all go here as well. Zillah, don't buy wrecked unless you know you are capable and willing to make the changes needed. If you're like us (bought a blackout blind for DS for last Summer and still haven't put it up) then don't kid yourself you'll get ound to stuff, that this will be different. I know myself better now, and I know Francis' limitations too. If you're not the type to paint your own walls then renovating a rundown cottage is not going to be something you do.

Lenora - I found some creme brulee candles which are divine, and mango is quite nice too. I don't like all florals, but I love lily of the valley and I have an inexplicable passion for rose too. Sometimes like lavendar. I also doubt very much whether you should be cutting your calorie intake further. This isn't medical advice, but I would think you need to work on movement rather than calories - running up and down stairs instead of walking is something I unfortunately do a lot of! And in order to have the energy to get moving you can't cut your calories or you won't be able to find the energy to exercise (dirty word that!). And are you eating breakfast? It gets your metabolism going earlier in the day. The old theory about breakfast like a king, lunch like a commoner, dine like a pauper has a great deal of value, because you have less time to work off a heavy dinner before bed. You're probably doing all of that stuff anyway. Maybe your body wants a rest from dieting, or it has reached its comfortable weight perhaps. I know you swim so try looking for a place where nobody knows you and everyone's older than you so you don't feel self-conscious about the swimming costume before you hit your intended weight. My mother goes to a great place, and at a clever time, which is actually only for over 50s but the water's warm and most of the over 50s are in their 70s! Maybe you can find a pool which does a time which would suit you and not have you swimming in front of loads of people you know! Not the over 50s of course!! You know what I mean.

Kerri.

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, I've got lots of jobs to do......

The job is going pretty well, but I am struggling to fit all the household chores into the weekends. I am going to sit down this morning and write myself a list for this weekend. I am sure it will have more things on it than I can hope to achieve in the two days I have, but it will be a start at least.

My garden desperately needs tidying - last year's half dead bedding plants are still stuck there in their pots and baskets. My excuse it that the birds take bits of the dead stuff for making their nests, so it would have been mean to clear it up at the end of last year. Talking of birds I have been rather excited to see two blue tits on my bird table this week. Ever since I moved here a few years ago all we ever get are sparrows (though that is nice in itself as the sparrow population is declining in London), and the odd thrush or pigeon. Lots of housemartins go swooping by too, though they feed on the wing so I don't get to see them close up Must dig out my binoculars. I would like to put up housemartin nesting boxes but they have to go up in the eaves, and I don't fancy going that far up a ladder!!

Whilst what I fancy doing today is sorting out the garden (I am so good at procrastinating), the house is what REALLY needs attention. It is looking so unloved. Dusting, hoovering and cleaning is the first thing that needs doing - and tidying away all my books and papers that seem to have no home - hate that job I have about eight loads of laundry to do too, and I want to change both beds. And the dog's bed. And bath the dog, if there's time. I'd like to really sort out DS15's room, too.......

Onwards and upwards, then.

Honey x

We did some work on DSIL's garden at the weekend (missing having our own TERRIBLY) and it was so great to get out and do work outside without freezing or being blown away!

We're moving in on the wrecked cottage. Don't worry, Kerri, we're do-ers when it comes to that sort of thing. DH and I both love rolling our sleeves up and doing physical work, and we're both really, really, really fussy. Our idea of a nightmare house is 'walk-in condition' or 'superb decorative order'. I'm not sure whether we'll get it or not, our solicitor seems to think that we can put in a competitive offer, but that someone else like us could well pip us just by being lucky in the amount they offer. Trying to do some Simple Abundance-esqe positive visualisation.

The house is returning to normal after our weekend visitors and I'm looking forward to a whole week of nothing out of the ordinary (apart from trying to sort out a mortgage, of course!).

Honey, are you feeling better now? And settling in to work? One of the people in a neighbouring flat has bird feeders out and it's so heart-lifting to watch the birds on them at this time of year. There's winter cherry blossom out and the spring bulbs. Hope we might have our own garden soon to enjoy . . .

Zillah

we have gutters, and they're all full of sparrow nests - no sign of the decline in numbers round here. I must've counted about 3 dozen for the survey before they shifted around too much and I lost track! Starlings too, which are supposed to be on the decline all over. Our garden gets really noisy with those greedy little souls. Only the cheeky sparrow and one aggressive robin could confront those bullying starlings, so our single solitary greenfinch hasn't been seen since last summer I think, and the bluetit is very cautious too. Plenty of seagulls, but they don't land in our garden.

Part of me would love to do up a place from scratch Zillah, but the large, realistic chunk knows that I'd probably never even clean it properly, let alone fix things. I've lived in a flat too long I think. Our patio door curtains fell down last August and although I finally bought replacements they're not likely to go up, unless I decide that they will help sell the house! So good luck to you if it's something you'd love doing - just remember that you'll need four solid walls, a non-leaky roof and decent windows and doors before the cold comes, because it's not going to be comfortable up there in Winter if you don't have the shell in one piece.

I'm a bit hit and miss wth housework again this week. I had a phonecall on Monday morning asking if they could bring the new office furniture that afternoon (and since I didn't know when I might get it if I said no, and I have a meeting with the bank manager and the accountant next week and I'd like them to have somewhere to sit other than my dining table) I said yes. There then followed a great deal of frenetic activity as myself and my ops mgr rushed to clear up, empty off desks and get them moved into the new larger office across the hall. We didn't have time to carefully map out all the cables either so that was all yanked out and mostly moved across en masse. It took me till lunchtime on Tuesday before I had internet, fax, credit card machine and phone capability, so the last two days I've been playing catch-up at work and haven't had the chance to stay home for half an hour extra in the morning to love my home. Needless to say DH has been away since... can't remember, Saturday I think, and was supposed to be coming back today but can't because one of our staff (the mgr no less) got himself suspended from that big fancy shop (H). Good job our employment lawyers are in the next room because I think I may need to spend some serious time with them tomorrow! It's been one hell of a week and I still have Friday to survive. Next week's not looking good either with the meeting with the bank manager (accountant's no problem since she's one of my oldest friends!) and then the arrival of a massive container-load of stuff on Wednesday. DH won't even be around to help so we'll be drafting the two unfortunate Singaporeans who are arriving on Wednesday morning! Crap, crap, crap!

But hey, we've still managed to eat well all week so what do I care! I snuck out on Wednesday night to do my Friday night grocery shop too (no (organic) milk in the store the previous Friday) so I've freed up Friday judo to have some quiet time while the kids are out. Maybe. Still need to spend some time on Easter stuff, and I'm supposed to be doing a major school appeal in te middle of this. If it wasn't for my dad niggling I'd have given up on that by now because once we move she'll almost have to go to that school (the only alternative choice has even better academic results but a dubious reputation in some quarters - pushing kids too hard amongst other things). And then DH turned round on Sunday night and says we've only got 4 days to get ourselves registered under a lovely green EU directive coming into force (WEEE for those in the know). Done part of it, but I'm gonna be at least a day late for the rest (deadline for data submission was today), but I suspect I'm not alone. This is something we knew about and looked into months ago, but it was a long way away then and had already been pushed back a few times so we let it slide.

I'd ALMOST rather take on that wrecked cottage at the moment - it's touch and go!

there's no little screaming 'smiley'. Shame. But I don't charge to !!

Kerri.

ps. I started this post about 3hrs ago!

Kerri, that sound's like a bummer of a week. Hope things are starting to think about calming down. I'm sure you've read it, but if not, there's a book all about getting through the school appeals process - can't think of the author, but I'm sure a quick google will bring it up if you haven't seen it already.

Sadly our wreck fell through . We had the valuation done and it just turned up too many serious problems for us to be able to deal with. We simply don't have enough capital. Neither DH or I are big financial risk takers, so we decided that it was time to let it go. We're off to see something else tomorrow that's in need of redecorating and the kitchen doing rather than recreating from the bare walls!

I'm ticking along pretty nicely with housework and related activities at the moment. I'm trying to do a bit of a mini-spring clean before Easter guests start arriving. We'll have about three weeks of back-to-back visitors, so I'm hoping to give each room a bit of a thorough going over this week. Started with DD's room today. Next week I'll devote to more pleasant Easter preparations! Also, all of DH's trousers have developed matching holes at the same time, so I'm patching like mad.

Zillah

People grow out of things waiting for me to even sew a button back on. Adults included! I can do it... sorta... but it's just slightly lower than ironing on my list of priorities. Should give most people a good idea!!

Shame about your wreck Zillah, but some can really become a "money pit" - watch the film again if you've forgotten how much money a wrecked house can consume! And with DD being very small still I can't imagine it would be ideal. Lots of decorating and a replacement kitchen sound like plenty of practice to be going on with. How long is DH's job likely to last? Is it contract-based? I know I've made it clear that the next time we move will be the last time for me. I may well shift back and forth between the UK and Singapore, but the next house in the UK will be the one they have to remove me from in a box. Hence the reason I've already started tentative discussions with our wonderful accountant about how best to ensure that our income matches my intentions when it comes time to get a mortgage, even though it's a year away. Since we're employed by our own cmpany we have some flexibility but equally I'm not looking to drain the company, so careful planning is required.

I think we've sorted out bits of our employee problem. At least we've covered ourselves in every conceivable direction - business with H is a primary concern, but we can't be seen to be going lax on a bullying case. There are so many political and legal angles to this whole thing, but I think the employee in question is digging his own grave at the moment, which helps. I still have to survive the incoming stock in the morning and we're down to just two pairs of hands and a darling forklift helper (the landlord!). One Singaporean will be coming late morning and the other will be keeping out of the way wih DH until the evening. Assuming the container still arrives since I had some trouble with the financial dept of the logistics company today and one very obstinate woman.

One piece of good news though - I booked us a cottage in the English countryside for a few days around Easter so I'm now counting the days (hours!). Didn't think I'd find anything with no time left and no time to dig deep, but I got lucky and it looks really lovely. The kids are also pretty chuffed. DS keeps going on about Greece for some reason but basically this will be our first holiday for just the 4 of us in about 2yrs, the last ones being 3 days in Malacca every now and then. Visiting the UK or visiting Singapore isn't a holiday and they really know the difference. I've already said that if it rains I don't give a tuff because we'll just sit indoors for the 3 days in the middle and play games. I'll find out what's available, but I'm not doing an itinerary, and if DH and I sleep for 48hrs solidly I also don't care much - the kids will have books with them! I don't do itineraries any more - too exhausting. Everybody should take their enthusiasm away from the house in April, though avoiding Easter makes it cheaper if you can!

I really have to sleep. My SIL just signed in so I'm gone... or I won't get to sleep at all tonight!

Kerri.

Done! Not for Easter Break like you'rs Kerri, though that sounds wonderful, but we've made plans for our big trip this summer.

We fly to Las Vegas on June 14 (NOT staying there, though.) Our frist stop will be Zion National Park in Springdale Utah. Then we're spending four days camping and hiking on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Once we get back, we're visiting Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley and the Navajo Nation and The Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. We'll be home on Friday June 22!

Deposits are paid, flight made (and paid) car and hotels reserved! We're pretty excited! I'm already counting the days! I MUST get out this week and get all of us thermal underwear. Nights on the north rim can get into the 30's and we'll be spending those 3 nights in tents!

I have one set of school papers to grade this evening and then grades close on Thursday so I'll be caught up except for scoring the presentations my Parenting students are doing this week on birth defects. The few that went today were really well done and I'm really proud of the work they're doing!

Yikes! Look at the time!

Love to all!
Lenora

That sounds like a great trip Lenora! How much for the girls! Good for you for planning it.

We just returned from Phoenix/Mesa area - our second trip there. Loved it. I have never been further North though, so am anxious to hear about your trip. A good friend just moved to Utah near Zion and they love it. They are opening an RV Park.

Enjoy it!!

Another of my flying visits, I don't get time to do anything much these days Since I joined the real world and went back to work, I don't seem to have a life A little more money but less time and even less fun

I am still reading along with you guys when I can, even if I don't post much. Hopefully I will catch up with you more in the Easter holidays (7 school days and counting).

See ya...

H

I HATE working! I think it's for a different reason though. Honey you're kinda doing what you want to do, but I know you're in a lot of pain so that will make it harder for you to have energy to do anything else. For me I didn't get much choice as to what I wanted to do, or even if, and I've found my true vocation at last - lazing round the house where I belong!

one thing we have in common though - lack of organisation means our time gets wasted so we don't get much of a life in between work and housework.

all my posts are short today because I have to get the kids to judo and do my weekly grocery shop. Never thought I'd do it all in one trip, but I have no choice now, so it gets done!

Kerri.

well...I'm still not sure I'll get everything done that needs to be done before morning...but it won't be for lack of trying!
(10:00 pm check-in)
Let's see.....

Done:
*Sewed bolero jacket and matching clutch purse for DD16.5 to wear w/dress tomorrow.
*Purchased goodies for Easter baskets, my 2 DDS, DD16.5's BFF who is spending the night, and DH because he thinks I'm silly when I do it, but I can always tell he's tickled

In Progress:
*Watching The Ten Commandments 'cuz it just wouldn't be Passover/Easter-time without it
*Pie crust for strawberry pie cooling, strawberries cleaned and waiting
*Laundry...'cuz it's always "in progress" around here. Never done

Still to do:
*Finish Strawberry pie (Done)
*Cook pudding and make banana pudding (Done)
*Roast pine nuts for tomorrow (Done)
*Clean up sewing machine and remaining mess (Done)
*Clean up kitchen (Almost done)
*Paint fingernails (I'll be cutting them off on Monday)
*Fill Easter Baskets once DDS and crew go to bed.

Yikes, my Still to do list is the longest, isn't it? I think part of my lack-of-motivation is the 6+ inches of snow outside. It's lovely, but not really "Spring" inspiring....more "curl up under a blanket" weather. Regardless, I better get back to it!

Happy Easter!
Love to all,
Lenora

Well, we had a glorious Easter...from the first notes of "Morning has Broken" at Sunrise Service, to "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" in worship, to the family dinner at my sister's and the carb-and-sugar-induced stupor after ; it was just a joyful day!

The Easter Bunny was very practical this year and brought us sun hats and rain suits to have for vacation this summer. (Smart bunny! ) Decent hiking shoes/boots are next on the list. I'll probably buy mine, DH's, and DD16.5's after payday this week, but DD12 is growing like a weed so I plan to wait quite a while to buy hers! (She's 2.5 inches taller than she was a month ago...almost as tall as I am!)

The DDS and I cleaned a bit yesterday and I finally got the floors mopped. DD16.5 and I had appointments with the eye doctor and we both ordered new glasses. I kept her to a pretty small $$ frame-budget because she rarely wears her glasses...she actually puts her contacts in before she gets out of bed! I would look into extended wear for her...but this seems to be working fine so we just kept the same brands.

I'm getting ready to call a couple of flooring places to come give us estimates...yippee! I have hated this ceramic tile since the day after we moved in, and five-and-a-half-years-later, I'm getting rid of it!

Other then that, I need to do a bit of laundry and get the DDS started on some cleaning/purging.

I guess I'll know by the end of the month what my teaching contract for next year will be. Part of me wants a full time contract, but part of me would realy like to keep the schedule I have right now. According to the current contract, they have to notify us by April 30th. Of course, either way I probably won't have course specifics/schedule until the end of the year, but at least I'll have some budgeting guidelines.

I really need to get moving, though!

Have a great day, friends!
Love to all,
Lenora

Remember the state (observational) exam that I had at the end of January? I Passed! It was actually a horrible, awful, no-good, very bad experience, and I haven't said much about it...but I passed!

I was in a teaching funk for almost a month, and seriously, had to rethink all of the reasons I went into teaching as a result of this exam...the gentleman who assessed me caused me to seriously doubt if I had what it takes to be a good teacher (jerk)...and I had nightmares about it for at least 6 weeks...ugh.

Anyway. It's over. I passed. I have a strongly worded letter already written addressing my concerns about this particular assessor ready to mail...

All is well!

Lenora

Now if I just knew what my contract was going to be......

I am sorry about that terrible experience Lenora. Just forget about it! We all know you are a perfect candidate to be a great teacher. Hope things work out for the fall. I was in your position two years back and ended up going FT, but was very torn.

Good Luck!
Andrea

Glad it is all behind you now, how nerve wracking it must have been. Good luck getting your contract for next year. When do they have to notify you by?

Heidi

Congratulations on passing the exam, Lenora Get that letter in the mail, it will make you feel better

I am currently enjoying the Easter holidays I appreciate time at home so much now that I am working I have been catching up with ironing, working in the garden etc and really enjoying it. It's nice to have some extra money too

Honey

Yes, this weekend we've had glorious sunshine. Yesterday we even went to the beach. IN SCOTLAND!! We've been cycling for miles, enjoying the sunshine and trying to take our minds off yet another house which we are trying to buy.

Lenora, well done for passing your exam, but how horrible to have such an experience of it. Mail that letter. Your Easter sounds wonderful. We also had a very joyful day. A houseful of guests (not many, it's a small flat!), a table full for Easter lunch (9 in all), the chance to get out the silver and linen and candles and glasses, a wonderful leg of lamb, two pudding successes - rhubarb and orange jelly and Sussex Pond Pudding - then DMIL staying for three days giving us three precious lie-in mornings!

Honey, have you had the good weather as well? How well timed was that? Hope you enjoyed the last few days.

Zillah

we had good weather throughout our 5 days away, which was wonderful. I love this time of year!

Lenora - the driving examiner who passed me on my 2nd driving test was much nastier than the one who failed me the first time. You're probably right to send a letter about him, but you're DEFINITELY WRONG to let him get to you. We all know you're great at what you do, and you're an inspiration to us, let alone your students who have even more to learn than we do! So yes, post your letter, hopefully get some revenge, but most of all remember to believe in yourself.

Zillah - so glad you're etting some nice weather up there, although with global warming perhaps even Scotland will become tropical before long!

Honey - hello! I know exactly what you mean about enjoying the sort periods you're at home between work. Makes you realise how lucky you've been, although in your case that extra money must be making a world of difference. And just think - you've had the perfect training to become a thrift-millionaire! Can't believe I haven't been around here for nearly 10 days, and I haven't even been out of the country! That must be a first in 8yrs!

I had a quieter day at work today and got quite a bit cleared up, but I still have a big writing project to do for the bank, and I promised my lovely accountant I'd have something for her to read by Friday so she can get back to me before she goes off on jury duty for a fortnight! She's working like crazy to get her part done, so the least I could do is get mine done too instead of coming here chatting you guys. Aw heck... maybe just a few more minutes!

my pantry shelf mysteriously collapsed yesterday. Leastways, it WAS mysterious until I sent DS in to see why he couldn't have his favourite snack after school, and he came out saying something like, "Ah yes Mummy, that was an ..." He'd somehow knocked it off the wall leaning in to get his favourite snack out for lunch that morning, though how I didn't hear the collapse is beyond me, especially with DD and DH both in the house too. It's total chaos in there now (it was already small and far too full) but fortunately nothing was damaged - it was the bottom shelf and it fell onto the cans beneath, so most things juts had a gradual slither onto more clutter! I'm just gonna eat my way through it to clear up. The kids weren't impressed at my dinner tonight of couscous with a tuna and tomato sauce, but they're gonna get a whole lot worse in the days to come.

crap - just downloaded my emails at home for work which I haven't done since before I left... there's easily a hundred sitting there, but at least I archived (at last) before I left, and Outlook hasn't shut down in disbelief!

one day at a time...

Kerri.