Plant honeysuckle
Alter and sew sleeves
Tie up climbing roses
Pick peas
Pick sweet peas
Feed courgettes
Vac (a daily task because dogs)
Buy new toothbrush
Order photo frames
Order bus tickets
Do PP for Church
Done:
Work emails and admin
Data protection and information security training (online module)
Equality training (online module)
Annual deletion of old student data from my computer (I use my data protection training as a prompt for this every year)
To do:
Lunch - probably eggy bread
Cut up vintage skirt for a refashion (remove waistband and zip)
Read book on madness and anxiety in the seventeenth century
The goal of this conference I will be attending is to help local seniors learn to recognize scams and protect themselves effectively. They are sending a bus to take us. I am going for the company and the free stuff as well. It is put on by our local District Attorney.
Every day holds pretty much the same bunch of options. These include pulse-racers like empty/load dishwasher, laundry, put out/take in bins, cook dinner. Gardening is weather-dependent. There's the armchair options - reading, knitting, half-watching TV, footling about on the iPad. Watercolour painting if I can find a subject. Rarer excitements would be going to the shops, rarer still any social engagements.
Make a thermos of coffee for our morning break on the waterfront.
Spot treat, presoak, launder and hang dry the tea towels
Lie in the sun for 30 minutes of vitamin D and C.
Sanitize bird feeding station, water bowls and bath, and set out fresh snacks for our family of blackbirds (a custom blend of suet and mashed walnuts).
Make fish broth from the white wine marinade left over from the poached trout of last night.
Make balsamic vinaigrette for salad.
Spray the aphids on the ivy with soapy water.
Play an hour of Gems of War - I belong to a pretty high ranking guild, can't let my end down.
Browse the headlines and SoF.
It doesn't read like a day full of activity but it feels like it.
Plant honeysuckle ✓
Alter and sew sleeves ✓
Tie up climbing roses ~
Pick peas ✓
Pick sweet peas ✓
Feed courgettes ~
Vac (a daily task because dogs) ✓
Buy new toothbrush ✓
Order photo frames ✓
Order bus tickets *
Do PP for Church *
I tend to make my "to do" list after the jobs are done. My friend's Mum used to do this so she could see what she'd achieved each day. I find it helps me to see that I have actually achieved something, and anything left undone can be moved to the next day.
This morning I have
Brought both bins in from the street after emptying (green waste and rubbish)
Done 3 loads of washing and hung them out (well the third one isn't ready yet)
Loaded the dishwasher ready for running
Raked leaves and started to refill green bin
Walked cats outside one at a time because you know, herding cats and all!
I still have to email work colleagues to confirm/plan for weekend coffee/lunch.
I will also vacuum the main bedroom and prepare salad veg for tonight's dinner. Mince is already in the fridge defrosting.
I like the idea of a done list. I have a lot on at the minute and if I start listing it all, I'm just going to feel even more overwhelmed than I already do. Reminding myself of the progress I'm making feels like a much better way to go. Today I have tidied the house, taken Captain Pyjamas to the speech therapist's, done a first read-through of the document I am supposed to be editing/proofreading, practised the cello prior to tonight's rehearsal, and made the dinner. Well done me.
Emails
Racial diversity course (I spend my summer doing free Open Learn modules)
Filled in the application for next year’s history studies and funding
Reading on seventeenth century mental health
Might get delivered takeaway this evening as Mr Heavenly is out with work
Give the dog a bath.
Bake a loaf of bread for dinner
Give the house a final once-over vacuum.
Host overnight two young women biking from Texas to Alaska to raise money for cancer research.
Updated personal finances, moving money around.
Attempted to contact tradesmen x3 who have failed to get back to me.
Checked if son and his mate can repair shed roof, or if I need another tradesman.
Lunch out with old school friends, so no cooking tonight.
Catching up with emails especially re choir business.
Must make use of a free day tomorrow to continue sorting.
Today's list has centred around my lunch with friends tomorrow. We settled on my place as a Plan B for bad weather. So
Run dishwasher before leaving home
Shopping
Bake biscuits (dough made yesterday and refrigerated)
Make vege slice for lunch
Clean up cooking mess
Vacuum bit of spot tidying
Its such a horrible cold day outside, that I've really enjoyed being inside with the oven on and cooling
Walk dog
Doodle art zoom (five of us from round the country have been meeting to doodle/colour/draw for five years.Stsrted during lockdown)
Warm Spot shift (we put on soup, coffee, cake and chat in the Church rooms)
Call at post office for cash
Pick up lunch at farm shop
Son coming for lunch
Plant tomatoes out
Make brownies
Make ice cream
Plant verbena seedlings
Paint forget-me-nor pictture
I had friends coming for lunch today, so this morning I
changed cats' tray
emptied bin
vacuumed tiles and mopped
set table for lunch
couple of loads of washing
organised ice water and other beverages for lunch
cut lunch slice and prepared it for reheating
cleaned loo, topped up pump soap and set out handtowel for guests
wiped down kitchen benches
unloaded restacked and ran dishwasher
took scraps out to the worm farm
I’ve done my work emails and admin.
I was hoping to do some writing for a work project but my computer has decided it needs to do a major update so I am reading instead (history of madness, currently looking at medieval terminology and understandings which is before my own research period but good for context).
Taking some plant pots to a friend so she can give me some cuttings for my new garden.
Blogging this evening - there was a fire round the back of the chippy! (No-one hurt apart from a couple of plastic wheely bins).
Financial admin.
Contacting companies, asking again for precise dates they are coming. Still waiting for precision.
Getting my ID verified for my French pension. Posting docs.
First run through of new choral music.
Continuing sorting.
Call the vet about the dog's allergies; She itches every spring.
Prepare for a visit to the eye doctor and a blood test. (Do not apply any mascara, and wear a short-sleeved blouse)
Place things to give my son when he comes to take me to my appointment.
A book, cookies, and his sunglasses, which he had forgotten on his last visit.
Please prepare a small, busy toy to entertain the dog while we are away.
Yesterday's to do list
Attend conference second key note
Attend presentation on student first approach to conduct
Attend a drag brunch for he first time
Return to Saint John to start another work week.
It started off pretty well, but later in the day it's been bupkis.
Took advantage of early indirect light to put some more paint on a canvas I've been working on.
Took a dip in the chilly Mediterranean - water was choppy lots of bottom stuff floating around and the beach showers are non functional so damp and sticky walk back to the house to hose off on the back terrace.
Bicycle ride across town and down the 100m hill for coffee and to pick up a loaf of sourdough.
Bicycle back up the hill to do grocery shopping. Thank god for battery assistance.
Lunch at home and then siesta.
Not much else since. I will go upstairs now to take advantage of late reflected light and slap some more paint around.
I put the weekly shopping away.
I checked my work emails.
Today I started an online course on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It is supposed to be a couple of hours a week for 8 weeks but I am doing it over a couple of days this week instead.
Need to water the garden.
I must do the email about the kitchen fitting!!! (It has been on my to-do list for about a month and I am now driving myself potty in terms of not getting it done, when it is quite important in terms of moving my life forward productively ...)
Will also hopefully unload the dishwasher, cook, and do some tidying. But 'kitchen email' has been on the to-do list and not happened so many times, it needs to be today's top priority.
I don't know if other people get stressed on bin day, but that is always top of my list on a Wednesday.
It involves cleaning out the fridge, doing the cats trays, checking the government calendar to make sure I put out the correct bins and getting them both organised and into the road.
Once those things are done, everything else falls into place.
A lovely relaxed walk before work
Admin and emails
Started writing the piece of work I’ve been putting off
Picked cherries to eat straight from the tree
Watered the garden
Played with Mochi the cat
Petrol
Shopping
Admin
Prep music
Lunch
Bins out
Scrabble group
Congratulate grandson on passing his driving test.
Last choral society rehearsal before the concert.
Watch Race around the world last episode
Glazed two paintings I completed last week. Very happy with the outcome after more than a year and a half being c***blocked by something I can't understand or explain called artists block.
Staying warm. I'm wearing my usual clothes plus a small knitted beanie I bought at a church fair years for $5. It's one of my favourite pieces of clothing.
Your beanie sounds wonderful @Huia! I hope it filled it's role capably!
Lots of little jobs done today
Bins in from the road,
swept up leaves near our front door,
Topped up paper towels from the garage
watered pot plants front and back garden
vacuumed through house (no one to complain about noise)
ran dishwasher
prepared veggies for Thursday's burrito night
a couple of loads of washing
Think I'll just drink tea and read a book tomorrow
Shopping at the weekly market
Trip to the launderette
Checking bus times for a trip to the garden centre tomorrow
Taking some pictures that won't fit in my new house to the charity shop
Visit to old friend’s filthy public housing flat ( he is finally-Deo Gratias) in aged care & family are as much use as tits on a bull. 2 lrage bags of clothes ( not worn in years) didpatched to charity shop; trolley load of non perishables delivered by hand to local OzHarvest market and a jacket ( which he’ll never wear) & a few DVDs put aside to deliver to aged care tomorrow after going to the funeral mass of an old friend and former colleague. I don’t even want to think of the remaining crap to drag out of his tip of a flat in next few weeks. Just grateful that the shit hit the fan a few weeks after I retired.
So far today:
Up 6 am
Pootle about on iPad
Wash and dress
Breakfast
Read
Taxi with Mr F to optician
Hare off to pharmacy to collect his prescription
Continue on to art shop. Spend £97 on paints and paper.
Back to optician, collect Mr F.
He stops to buy tea.
Get bus which unfortunately can't stop where we want because roadworks.
Trudge back to photo/print shop, get photo and form taken/printed.
Taxi home.
To come:
Lunch
Very possibly nap.
Either exercise new sketchbook, or read, or both.
Make dinner - duck, asparagus, mange tout.
Probably finish book.
Bed.
It is odd weather - both very warm, but windy and humid.
Comments
Student Accessibility Centre intake meeting
Input student accommodation data into new platform.
Work emails and admin
Data protection and information security training (online module)
Equality training (online module)
Annual deletion of old student data from my computer (I use my data protection training as a prompt for this every year)
To do:
Lunch - probably eggy bread
Cut up vintage skirt for a refashion (remove waistband and zip)
Read book on madness and anxiety in the seventeenth century
Procrastination is on my list for tomorrow.
So I rewrite items as Urgent and Very Soon.
Get Through The Day
Damn!
Fly to Columbus, Ohio.
I'm in the airport waiting now.
Make a thermos of coffee for our morning break on the waterfront.
Spot treat, presoak, launder and hang dry the tea towels
Lie in the sun for 30 minutes of vitamin D and C.
Sanitize bird feeding station, water bowls and bath, and set out fresh snacks for our family of blackbirds (a custom blend of suet and mashed walnuts).
Make fish broth from the white wine marinade left over from the poached trout of last night.
Make balsamic vinaigrette for salad.
Spray the aphids on the ivy with soapy water.
Play an hour of Gems of War - I belong to a pretty high ranking guild, can't let my end down.
Browse the headlines and SoF.
It doesn't read like a day full of activity but it feels like it.
AFF
Alter and sew sleeves ✓
Tie up climbing roses ~
Pick peas ✓
Pick sweet peas ✓
Feed courgettes ~
Vac (a daily task because dogs) ✓
Buy new toothbrush ✓
Order photo frames ✓
Order bus tickets *
Do PP for Church *
✓ done
~ do tomorrow
* must do this evening!
😂😂
I started to-do lists when I retired. Until then every day was full and pretty routine.
Fly to Columbus, Ohio.
I'm in the airport waiting now.
This morning I have
Brought both bins in from the street after emptying (green waste and rubbish)
Done 3 loads of washing and hung them out (well the third one isn't ready yet)
Loaded the dishwasher ready for running
Raked leaves and started to refill green bin
Walked cats outside one at a time because you know, herding cats and all!
I still have to email work colleagues to confirm/plan for weekend coffee/lunch.
I will also vacuum the main bedroom and prepare salad veg for tonight's dinner. Mince is already in the fridge defrosting.
It's a very full day, but Fridays generally are around here! In fact I have an ongoing note on my phone just headed "Friday" for to-do items.
Travel to student services conference in Halifax.
Socialize.
Eat.
Sleep.
Racial diversity course (I spend my summer doing free Open Learn modules)
Filled in the application for next year’s history studies and funding
Reading on seventeenth century mental health
Might get delivered takeaway this evening as Mr Heavenly is out with work
Bake a loaf of bread for dinner
Give the house a final once-over vacuum.
Host overnight two young women biking from Texas to Alaska to raise money for cancer research.
Attempted to contact tradesmen x3 who have failed to get back to me.
Checked if son and his mate can repair shed roof, or if I need another tradesman.
Lunch out with old school friends, so no cooking tonight.
Catching up with emails especially re choir business.
Must make use of a free day tomorrow to continue sorting.
Run dishwasher before leaving home
Shopping
Bake biscuits (dough made yesterday and refrigerated)
Make vege slice for lunch
Clean up cooking mess
Vacuum bit of spot tidying
Its such a horrible cold day outside, that I've really enjoyed being inside with the oven on and cooling
Doodle art zoom (five of us from round the country have been meeting to doodle/colour/draw for five years.Stsrted during lockdown)
Warm Spot shift (we put on soup, coffee, cake and chat in the Church rooms)
Call at post office for cash
Pick up lunch at farm shop
Son coming for lunch
Plant tomatoes out
Make brownies
Make ice cream
Plant verbena seedlings
Paint forget-me-nor pictture
I had friends coming for lunch today, so this morning I
changed cats' tray
emptied bin
vacuumed tiles and mopped
set table for lunch
couple of loads of washing
organised ice water and other beverages for lunch
cut lunch slice and prepared it for reheating
cleaned loo, topped up pump soap and set out handtowel for guests
wiped down kitchen benches
unloaded restacked and ran dishwasher
took scraps out to the worm farm
Having a rest day tomorrow
I was hoping to do some writing for a work project but my computer has decided it needs to do a major update so I am reading instead (history of madness, currently looking at medieval terminology and understandings which is before my own research period but good for context).
Blogging this evening - there was a fire round the back of the chippy! (No-one hurt apart from a couple of plastic wheely bins).
Contacting companies, asking again for precise dates they are coming. Still waiting for precision.
Getting my ID verified for my French pension. Posting docs.
First run through of new choral music.
Continuing sorting.
Prepare for a visit to the eye doctor and a blood test. (Do not apply any mascara, and wear a short-sleeved blouse)
Place things to give my son when he comes to take me to my appointment.
A book, cookies, and his sunglasses, which he had forgotten on his last visit.
Please prepare a small, busy toy to entertain the dog while we are away.
Attend conference second key note
Attend presentation on student first approach to conduct
Attend a drag brunch for he first time
Return to Saint John to start another work week.
Took advantage of early indirect light to put some more paint on a canvas I've been working on.
Took a dip in the chilly Mediterranean - water was choppy lots of bottom stuff floating around and the beach showers are non functional so damp and sticky walk back to the house to hose off on the back terrace.
Bicycle ride across town and down the 100m hill for coffee and to pick up a loaf of sourdough.
Bicycle back up the hill to do grocery shopping. Thank god for battery assistance.
Lunch at home and then siesta.
Not much else since. I will go upstairs now to take advantage of late reflected light and slap some more paint around.
AFF
I checked my work emails.
Today I started an online course on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It is supposed to be a couple of hours a week for 8 weeks but I am doing it over a couple of days this week instead.
Need to water the garden.
Will also hopefully unload the dishwasher, cook, and do some tidying. But 'kitchen email' has been on the to-do list and not happened so many times, it needs to be today's top priority.
It involves cleaning out the fridge, doing the cats trays, checking the government calendar to make sure I put out the correct bins and getting them both organised and into the road.
Once those things are done, everything else falls into place.
Academic Appeals this afternoon
Pickleball this evening.
Admin and emails
Started writing the piece of work I’ve been putting off
Picked cherries to eat straight from the tree
Watered the garden
Played with Mochi the cat
Shopping
Admin
Prep music
Lunch
Bins out
Scrabble group
Congratulate grandson on passing his driving test.
Last choral society rehearsal before the concert.
Watch Race around the world last episode
https://imgur.com/gallery/artists-block-ii-YzZw2zK
https://imgur.com/gallery/artists-block-i-E6Nj8Yp
Prepped and toned two more canvases. Hoping it's not another 18 months before they are complete.
Somehow, that felt like enough for today.
AFF
Sort of.
Lots of little jobs done today
Bins in from the road,
swept up leaves near our front door,
Topped up paper towels from the garage
watered pot plants front and back garden
vacuumed through house (no one to complain about noise)
ran dishwasher
prepared veggies for Thursday's burrito night
a couple of loads of washing
Think I'll just drink tea and read a book tomorrow
Trip to the launderette
Checking bus times for a trip to the garden centre tomorrow
Taking some pictures that won't fit in my new house to the charity shop
Academic Appeals
Graphic novel book club meeting
Up 6 am
Pootle about on iPad
Wash and dress
Breakfast
Read
Taxi with Mr F to optician
Hare off to pharmacy to collect his prescription
Continue on to art shop. Spend £97 on paints and paper.
Back to optician, collect Mr F.
He stops to buy tea.
Get bus which unfortunately can't stop where we want because roadworks.
Trudge back to photo/print shop, get photo and form taken/printed.
Taxi home.
To come:
Lunch
Very possibly nap.
Either exercise new sketchbook, or read, or both.
Make dinner - duck, asparagus, mange tout.
Probably finish book.
Bed.
It is odd weather - both very warm, but windy and humid.