Finally sorted!

 Well that was a long week but I made sure I was productive. Every single day, I got up and sorted something! Work has been ok and not too horrific! Every single afternoon after getting in, I did something productive. 

 Monday, I didn’t sit down, I came in and sorted and cleaned the dreaded Tupperware drawer. Emptied, all washed, scrubbed and then lined the drawer and then wondered why I had so many spare lids. Then I remembered, I’d ‘borrowed’ the tubs when I was sorting a jigsaw haha. 

I then made tea, cleaned up and had a bath. I’ve also deemed Monday nights from now on, as bath night ( whether I need one or not )! 

Tuesday was slightly less productive but I did make sure I sided some things. Due to the de Christmassing taking longer, boxes and things were still out. So, as you probably know, we kept everything ( well most things ) from when the children were little. I bought some new storage boxes when my daughter was pregnant and we got down the baby clothes that I’d kept. They were all washed and bagged up and then the boy stuff was given to her for Oliver and the baby girl stuff that was hers was re lofted ! Anywayyyyy, Christmas came down in its boxes and afterwards, I’ve switched boxes and downsized just a little more! 

So now my Christmas decs are in 7 clear boxes, clearly labelled. There’s just one box of treasures I’m not ready to part with yet that won’t come down next year. Minimalists, hats off to you but you do you. My stuff isn’t hurting you! Honestly, I do not understand people who don’t hold on to things the same way they won’t understand why I do - I have read recently something on the art of death cleaning! Basically you get rid of all your crap so your loved ones don’t have to. I tend to find non hoarders really try hard to convert hoarders to their way, never the other way around. We are not at Channel 5 documentary strength yet though with all the boxes around at the minute, maybe I could be on TV!  Pssshaw to that! I am being more ruthless though and slowing down the amount of stuff coming in and periodically keep going through my things. I can see the cathartic effect people experience BUT not for me. For example,  I did throw a lot of my children’s birthday cards ( each child, Christmas and birthday cards from everyone plus Christening and confirmation cards etc ) away when the baby stuff came down out of the loft and it has affected me because I then found some of MY childhood cards and had a happy happy time re reading ones sent by beloved relatives long since departed and I denied my children that. Sigh. Well, I kept some of them. 

Fortunately, I raised heartless creatures and they are really not bothered! It’s a strange one isn’t it. 

So Wednesday’s job was more Christmas box sorting out. Thursday I was up early, shoulder of pork in the slow cooker, washing done. Work. Home again, veg done and I made a roast dinner which was absolutely delicious, even if I do say so myself. Cleaned up and more sorting. There’s a mountain of cardboard for the recycling which I was breaking down. 

Friday I went to town straight after work and picked up my new glasses which I am pleased about. I got three pairs, all readers. One for my upstairs, one for downstairs and one for work which will live in my work bag! My old ones will be kitchen ones purely for reading the back of packets etc haha. I get fed up of hunting for my glasses all the time but as they are for reading only, I can’t walk about in them as I’d fall over! They are normally on the top of my head but that splays the arms and I’m not ready for an old lady chain yet. Last time I got the cheapest frames on bogof but this time I went up a price bracket, but with a great deal using my Blue Light Card and an existing store discount also applied it was very reasonable and I am worth it! I nipped into Iceland on the way back to the bus and bought some Harry Ramsden’s chips and scampi for tea. Which we enjoyed with mushy peas. Delicious. I’ve also been knitting a little newborn cardigan using a fabulous pattern I got from Suzanne if anyone remembers her great blog Life at No. 38. It’s almost finished but had to put the needles down as after a week back at the keyboard, my shoulders were really protesting. I do love a new notebook and this was was a bargain £1.00. I always have a notebook to mark off every row these days! I wish I’d kept all my notebooks now as a record of things I have made! I always planned to write the date knitted, the wool used, the pattern, the recipient and a photo. Never happened! Putting the baby girl clothes away, there are so many hand knits from myself, my mum, my Mum in law and darling loved friends and family it caught my emotions at how I longed to speak to them and say aww look what I still have.  

Saturday and I finalised all the box sortage and labels. I put some ordinary stuff back in the lounge and dining room ( including a new bought in the sales plant stand. It’s faux wrought iron, two tiers - it’s literally like a giant cake stand but I’ve put my plants on it. I swapped my different vases round with some fake flower arrangements I have and that’ll do. Hoovered through and put down a new doormat in the kitchen! The HG had gone to the club to see his Uncle and he has just come home now telling me he was crossing the road on the green man and a car came round the corner, cutting the corner and he nearly got ran over - he said the driver looked like he was driving at him! Well I’m glad he had his wits about him and wasn’t too many pints happy! He only goes twice a year. I made him a beef burger for his tea and I had a lovely frothy coffee and then I was going to settle and do some more knitting but we put the film The bank of Dave 2 on which I was enjoying until the HG signalled he was watching through his eyelids!  So through the snores, I turned it over, and found an old Celebrity Goggleboxwith Jane Macdonald in - I love her -  but soon went up to bed. 

Now Sunday, It wasn’t at cold and this morning, up at 5.30, the grass has lost its pretty white coat. I do enjoy a cold snap but I was thinking how really lucky we are that we can afford to heat our house and keep warm without too much hardship. Yes, we work hard to pay for it and have the luxury of health and jobs. I really really felt for those people who will have been really struggling over the last few days to keep warm. 

I’m keeping warm in my new dressing gown, I bought it in the sale using Christmas money off my Mum. It’s made out of THE softest fur I’ve ever felt. It’s silvery grey and I feel like an arctic fox in it! Look more like an arctic seal mind you hahahah. 

It’s so comfy and warm. 

Because I worked so hard yesterday sorting and cleaning, there’s not much I need to do today. Think I’ll scrub the bathroom out later on so it’s spotless for my Monday night bath tomorrow! I got all the washing done yesterday too. I’ve some shin beef which I will stew today for tea tomorrow - I’ll just have to make the dumplings. Bit of a cafe tea planned tonight. There’s stir fry and salad in the fridge along with pizza and chicken that need using. I’m fairly relaxed about cooking different things too, it does not bother me in the slightest. As it’s Sunday it’s our day to go do Ma in law’s lunch. I hope to finish the little cardigan so I can start on something for baby Oliver. We had to laugh at Christmas up at the daughter’s, we were all sat on her sofa watching TV and I said we are just like the Royale family. I’d be Barb, The HG, Jim. Son, Antony, son in law Dave and the daughter, Denise although she is NOTHING like her but we do all tend to call Oliver, baby Oliver like they do Baby David. 

My lovely real life friend, who might read this,  - hello there !, and I,  have called each other Barb for years based on quoting that programme at each other for ever ! We even sign Christmas cards to Barb from Barb and her Mum who calls me that lovely lady who makes cakes even thinks I’m called Barb! Next time I bake, I will send her a cake as it’s a long time since I have. Me and Barb separated last Christmas, felt horrible like we did split up!!!!  after I left the after school club and it has been awful as I miss her and our chats because we do not text as much as we always say we will. I do not miss working the after school club at all though. The brain space and freedom it gives me is brilliant but I do still

miss you Barb err rah! 

Time to have another coffee and do some more knitting until the rest of the house gets up. 

Hope all is well in your world, 

Rachel.