Not the New Year's Resolution thread.

[Jeanied]

Well, we are almost into a new month - I have had a great April getting stuff fixed by calling in the professionals - I carried it over from March as there was quite a bit to do and not everyone was available immediately. In fact the window cleaner keeps promising but hasn't shown up yet!
Having said that I have been cleaning the ones I can reach with a step ladder so things are a lot brighter in here! And I have had a blown double glazed panel replaced.

I called a plumber in to fix a sink waste but had a burst of common sense and fixed it myself! I must have saved a lot on that one as I am sure the plumber would have said I needed a new tap assembly.

I think the fixit habit I started in February is going to stay with me as I really enjoy this one

Just musing on what to do for May ... I have a choice of picking up needle and thread or sandpaper and a paintbrush. I think I will do the painting - my hands are too rough from gardening to tackle the sewing stack. Also my exterior woodwork and fence / shed could do with a new coat of paint... and then there is the front door... the list goes on!

[bretty666]

Well done you. i always try and sort stuff out myself. im very d.i.y minded though. we turned four stone walls and a roof into a lovely home withh 11thoisand euros. mainly by doing stuff ourself. we did everything. we had an electrician fit.the main fuseboard though and we got impatient waiting for him so my mrs wired alk the downstairs up..and she did the waterpriofing on the kitchen roof..we learnt everything as we did it..all the plumbing,plasterboard and stud work, it took about 8 months as we waited sometimes ti buy stuff when it woukd be on offer. our most bestest part is definately our bath we bought an old cast iron roll top bath for 75 euros and did it up. oh and we went to an old monestfy and bought a louis 16 table and dresser. we cut a hole out of the top of the dresser and fitted our sink in it and painted it all white..yes..we sabbotaged an old cherrywood louis 16 dresser..but we got the dresser and table for 15euros!!!!!!!!!if ever you need any d.i.y help..let me know. im in the building trade but i mainly dk concreting and reinforcing

[Jeanied]

Well now here we are in May and I am setting myself two new good habits. One is to get painting in May so I have assembled some new paintbrushes, paint and brush cleaner and I have a number of jobs lined up. These include

• outside windows
• outside fascia board
• shed
• front door
• metal garden table
• metal garden chairs
• fences
• wooden deep beds on the allotment

Hmmm this list looks like it will last few months.

My second target is to make sure I give away something to charity every day - or 7 things a week - this may be the charity shop, or the collection bin, or a donation - whatever feels right each day or week. So I could put a bag of 7 items together and take it into the local charity shop and that would do me. Not hard but a good habit to stop accumulating 'stuff'!

[Nannysally99]

That's what I do Jeanie, I have a shopping bag hanging around and put things in there a couple of times a week, then take to local Charity shop. Then I bloody buy more stuff lol

[Jeanied]

And here we are again folks. Reading back I realise I didn't get much painting done at all - big ambitions but not a lot of progress. However the allotment has had a lot of work when it wasn't raining - my excuse and I am sticking to it!

I did, however, build and paint a potting table

My charity bag thing is going well - there is one on the go upstairs and another downstairs, hanging on a doorknob and every time I find something I don't use / want/ like, it goes in. Now I need to organise dropping the bags off and not letting them clutter the hallway

My habit for June then has to be 'Just DO it'! My new mantra for getting stuff sorted and fixed and not waiting for a round tuit.

In general this whole experiment has been really positive for me - things are getting done or I am getting someone in to do it - so it all makes me feel better and I like to challenge myself to do one small thing at a time.

[Jeanied]

Well I have had a good month of 'just Do it' - I am the kind of person who overthinks things and ends up procrastinating so badly that I never even start.

During June I have nibbled at a small job each day - from curtain washing and cleaning the windows, to turfing out a few bags of junk from the shed. I was pleased at how easy it was to take down my old rotary clothes line ( it no longer reeled itself in) and replace it with a brand new one for the princely sum of £4! Today I cleared out my desk corner that was really cluttered - the old papers have been recycled and important stuff filed. Last weekend I went to the dump and recycled a whole load of defunct bits and bobs.

Hmmm - now I am wondering what to do for July. I think I am going to try and do one 'fun' thing a week - going out for a meal (or more likely getting a takeaway in ) having friends round, treating myself to a visit to Wisley - that sort of thing. Luckily I have lined up a dogsitter as Rosie doesn't like to be alone and she can't be out and about with me in the car for many of these treats - especially in the hot weather. Here is hoping for a jolly July for me

[Jeanied]

Well now that was a good Jolly July. A night out with the girls at a superb Sri Lankan restaurant one week, a takeaway the next week (I have suddenly got my spicy tastebuds tingling) a meal round at a neighbour's a few times and drinks with other neighbours a few more times Dog is learning to be a good house visitor in other people's homes. I also treated myself to a birdbath / fountain which gives my tiny garden a lovely calm atmosphere and the birdies are very happy with it.

So now I have to decide on a new habit for August - and having cleared out some of my sewing stuff and with a bit of clearing of my dining table I have decided to have an arty August - out comes the glue, brushes, paints etc - I am going in for some arty play

Well this thread has really changed my year so far: instead of feeling I can't do things I have suddenly got a whole lot more positive and had a bash! Not all successful, but a lot of it is

[Jeanied]

Well folks I am doggedly staying with this one, even if it slips during the month. This August has been less Arty than I intended - but I certainly discovered the fun in tie dyeing with a friend of mine Here is the result of a happy session with tee shirts - apologies if you have seen this already.



I did realise, quite early on in August, that I had arty materials hidden away somewhere but they were still hidden behind the piles of junk I had accumulated and not sorted through enough. So I did a few dump runs and recycling trips instead.

Now we are in September and I am hoping to clear the dining table and have the sewing machine out for some projects which need attention. I seem to have a load of mending to do as well as creating a few things. As well as a sewing September I need to have a sorting September too - so the dog and I have been back in the shed and continued the process of clearing junk. She is brilliant at breaking down cardboard boxes She is also great at selecting stuff at random and picking it up and running off with it - meaning I have to deal with it there and then!

On the plus side I have just re-discovered a box of calligraphy materials - this is going to be great for preparation for Xmas!

[Nannysally99]

Good for you Jean, keep up the good work lol.

[Glutton4...]

Fab Jeanie! I, on the other have lapsed somewhat, but there are loads of jobs I have done, that I hadn't really planned to.

We've decided, although there is a lot we don't like about this place, it does have some huge bonuses, so we'll be here a bit longer. That has given me the incentive to clear and tidy the front garden, and plant it up with some fantastic plants. All of which will come with me when we leave.

We now have more space on the drive, so have put Hubby's project vehicle under cover so he can work on it, and Ican now start tidying the back. We'll get there. Slowly.

[Glutton4...]

... I am the kind of person who overthinks things and ends up procrastinating so badly that I never even start...

You've no idea how much that statement applies to me, too!