Cooking up a storm

 Time to face the kitchen cupboards!

I know there's bound to be things lurking here, especially as I can't reach any of the top shelves to check what's there. Out with the step ladder and up I go.

Having defrosted the freezer and used up all the stocks of frozen goodies I need to repeat the process with what's in the kitchen cabinets. I'll do this in two chunks I think - this week it's the food and cleaning stuff and then the crockery etc. next time.

My first task has got to be checking that what's in the cupboards is okay to eat. I've already started a cull of the herbs and spices. The colour of some of them should have told me to dispose of them before I even looked at the dates. Once I've been through all of the shelving and tossed the past it selection throughout I'm going to do a grand reorganise so that I can see clearly what I've got all grouped together. The older packages, tins, etc. need stacking at the front with the later additions behind so that I make sure I use them in date order and stop any wasteage.

Combining small amounts of dry goods into their plastic containers is next - how have I got three containers all with granulated sugar in them - and two basmati rice - we rarely eat it!

I also seem to have multiple odds and ends of pasta in various shapes - again we only really eat rigatoni and linguine - I'll get back to using these spares in a moment.

The contents of the under the sink show much the same story - more than one kitchen spray, forgotten cloths and sponges. They all need to come out and be grouped so that I know what I've got and don't buy any more till they're all used!

Thankfully, the fridge - not being the greatest space saver in the world - doesn't give me the chance to stockpile - although there seem to be various chunks of cheese in differing sizes - time to pair this up with the pasta.

So back to that pasta mini hill (not quite a mountain). That's sorted tonight's dinner. I've written about my favourite way of using up these leftovers before. There's no magic to it really...

First I cooked the pasta ignoring the shapes as they can all blend together. They go into an overproof dish. Then I cooked up some passatta (or chopped tomatoes), herbs, tomato puree and (as it happens on this occasion a drop of red wine that's been occupying the counter having been left too long to taste great on it's own!). Adding sugar, balsamic vinegar and salt if tasting suggests it's necessary I mix this into the pasta. Grating up all the scraps of cheese comes next to add a topping to the dish before popping it into the oven to bake!

Phew, I'm not only sorted in the cupboards and tonight's meal is decided.... It's making me feel quite hungry..

See you soon....

Onwards and upwards

 Whisper it softly - I’m making progress…. Okay not a lot of cleaning has been done, but I have caught up with the washing and ironing I mentioned last week. The freezer is now defrosted and I’ve got most things tidied away.

Time to start decluttering and organising room by room. I’m beginning with some quick and easy wins. The bathroom has to be first on the list, that also includes the toiletries I’ve got stashed around the house!

The bathroom cabinet isn’t too bad so won’t take long. There are some opened tubes and bottles that seem to be well past their sell by dates so they’ll need thinning out first.

Then attention can go to the spare bottles of hand cream, moisturiser and shower cream that are lurking in my wardrobe for storage. It’s time I worked my way through these - I’ve been ‘saving them’ as special treats to use at the right time - well, I’ve decided, that’s now. So I’m going to use them up by putting them one at a time in the bathroom and then, just like my new approach to my chores list, I’ll concentrate on finishing one before looking at the next.

Finally, I need to check my drawer with cosmetics, facial moisturisers, nail polish, etc. on opening three of the polishes I’ve been able to ditch them pretty quickly as they were almost solid! Then I checked on a tinted moisturiser. I’ve tried using it for a few days and have decided it definitely doesn’t do anything for me - so that’s gone too. There's some other potions and lotions that fall into this category so out thry go too.....

I’m happy with how it’s going so I think I’m due a treat…. I seem to have accumulated some face masks, hand treatments and a foot pack (you can see from the photo that it was a Christmas present!). I can kill two birds with one stone by using them up over the next week or so to clear my stash AND give myself a treat too…

Very fetching ....

Here goes!

Catching Up

 I feel like I've been chasing my tail a bit.. In fact I thought I'd been away from here a lot longer than is actually the case, it's still too long though..

It's been quite a time of it of late, various 'stuff' both stressful and enjoyable and sometimes both at the same time!

With a final big, fabulous family happening at the weekend a chink of light has appeared in the timeline of getting stuff done. We were all involved in some hefty work  to prepare my sister's garden for the celebrations - hence the bunting. It was initially not so much for decoration as to cordon off part of the newly dug project. I was, though surprisingly happy with it.

SO now it's time to catch up. As usual I've done myself a mega, impossible to finish list that looks quite like all my posts from soooo far back. I even re-read the one about helping my friend to get cleared up after her husband ran off with the au pair. I was about to embark on one of my 'hit every area at once' campaigns when I paused over my morning espresso and read.

I can't even remember the name of the article/book I was reading. It was one of those 'get yourself sorted/declutterd/organised' ones. This, however, was in 52 steps. On reading the first part of it I recognised myself starting, once again, with 'I do that already' or 'that's a simple step' hit me with another so I can do it quicker. This suggested a slower pace. A get one thing in place before you move on.

I know - there's lots of advice like this, but I'm usually pretty efficient in completely ignoring it!

This time I'm trying to rein in the rush for outcomes in order to make it sustainable.

I'm going to do the same with my catching up.

I've realised I can't write or make or create when my brain is chock a block full of urgent things that need to be done. I also know that my brain can't clear itself if my surroundings aren't orderly. This means I need to start right back at step minus one to get life back under control (cue hysterical giggling). 

First I'm onto the 'set one task a day and don't attempt anything else from your list until that's done'. At the moment it's working.... My first task was to take my impossible list and prioritise those items that are both urgent and important to complete this week. 

So far I've caught up with the washing, started trying to eat from the freezer to empty it for defrosting, completed the finances (Monday was payday so that's one thing I always do) and nearly finish the ironing (that's next once I close the laptop). I also wanted to restart my SubStack and this blog as a way of focusing my brain forwards.

Phew! Will this plan work? Who knows? it's worth a try 

so onwards and upwards - I'll let you know next week how I'm getting on and what I'm planning to do next - planning is top of the list for the weekend!

I know I can get my focus in - I  made bunting after all.. well I was particularly pleased with that. It was both urgent and important at the time - I had  not, however, realised that it would bring something meaningful to the table.

Having decided on bunting it couldn't a)take a long time to do as time was tight and b) cost a lot either. On looking at the general fabric stocks in the loft (clearing that will take a lot more time and far better focus - but I have plans) I found a number of items that were the right weight and content. There were a couple of the toddler quilt covers that my sister sorted out from her airing cupboard as the children are now well past the toddler phase and a school uniform dress that all three girls have worn. Both of these weren't in a good enough condition to sell online so had been parked in the fabric stash to make 'something' rather than be thrown away. Then there was some of an old skirt of my mum's and curtains from our old house and finally some of the fabric given to my sister when she moved that I made into garden bench seats.

In my ribbons basket I found a number of lengths of bias binding from old projects, some ribbon I bought for next to nothing in a sale with no idea of what to do with it and a streamer of multi-coloured ribbon from a circus twirly thing that one of my great nieces had thrown out. I set to with the pinking shears to cut triangles then sewed then onto the ribbons and binding.

Lo and behold bunting for the family celebration with the added advantage of the fabrics telling a story in  a way. Bunting with real meaning - meaningful bunting... now there's an idea ... or perhaps not I can feel the tug of a distraction away from my catching up project. Still, I'll hold that thought - meaningful bunting for parties, weddings, end of term balls, birthday celebrations.... nooooooo - I'm almost off again.

Come on Susan, focus, focus, focus.... we'll see!

My Pollyanna Year

 A Happy New Year - if rather belated!

Last year was rather challenging in so many ways that kept me away from writing…. Not all of the year was that bad, but there have been some difficult times so it’s nice to turn the page for the annual fresh start….

Here’s the last sunset of 2025 to gaze on …. So many things have happened, but the sun still sets and rises so it’s all good in the end…

I had thought that 2026 would be my year of consolidation ready to move forwards, but then I thought that last year. I am more sorted than before and now think it’s time to crack on with creating an even better time to come.

I’ve started the regular routines of organising and setting things to rights. Taking down the decorations and dealing with the Christmas cards always make me feel like the new year is well and truly started.

Having saved and dated the close family cards I’ve cut the rest up into handy list sized blanks, made a note of everyone that sent cards, taken any ideas or attachments that might be reusable and recycled the rest.

This year I also got to the local food larder where all the goodies which might otherwise be wasted are available free. I was spurred on to do it by my niece who had already garnered the giveaway veggies, chopped and prepped them, then froze her stash for later.

I’ve copied her with chopped carrots and swede…

Sliced and par-boiled parsnips and am feeling a bit smug about my bulging freezer contents!

Anyway - consolidation then. I realised that it doesn’t sound so exciting and a bit ‘stay in one place-ish’. But I don’t feel like it’s negative - more a way of giving myself a platform to push off from. Then I realised what was missing from my nice, sound, solid, productive sounding year … it just didn’t sound like me!

When I was little there was a film called Pollyanna (starring Hayley Mills I think). The main character was a girl with a positive spin on most things and a stubbornness in viewing the world through rose coloured glasses. At the time one or two adults started calling me Pollyanna- it seems that I tended to try snd see the bright side of things. Even one of my teachers did it.

Over the years it’s cropped up now and again. What was a rather endearing quality in a child can wear a bit thin though I guess. Finally, a very obnoxious boss I worked with who was incredibly negative snapped under the weight of me looking for a speck of sunshine in some hard work situations barked about my ‘Pollyanna attitude’.  It was a great compliment to me although it wasn’t supposed to be.

I still try to keep this tendency up, although I don’t think I’ve recognised it of late or valued the effect it has on my outlook enough!

So this year, even though I want to sort out my belongings, organise myself and do some about the new business I mentioned wanting to start many months ago, I think the Pollyanna me needs to head up the operations.

It’ll be less boring, mundane or ordinary and encourage me to enthuse and be interested in all the many projects that my brain will want to fidget around.

From now on I need to ask myself in any situation- what would Pollyanna do or think to make the most of the year’s opportunities?

I’ll finish with the last of the Christmas mince pies from 2025 …. Or is it the first of 2026? Now what would Pollyanna say?

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

 So, now I've given myself time to think I've made a couple of decisions.

From my list of possibilities I've decided to go with the creating idea - more specifically to start with - bags. They are something I enjoy making, quick and easy to complete and sell well. As I mentioned last time I've plenty of fabrics waiting to be upcycled or used from new. I've also got a small stock already and people who've seen them on Marketplace or Vinted asking if I have more so it seems like a positive place to start.

I've got both knitted and sewn bags in a variety of designs and sizes so building a stock should be easier than starting from scratch.

 

This isn't the only part of the business idea!

I want to record the process for each bag and write instructions so that anyone wanting to can make simple bags too! I haven't decided how to set them free into the world yet. It may be that I make them available through this blog one at a time and then build up a saleable pack for a number of them, or even make them into a downloadable ebook. I did think a 'getting ready for Christmas' theme would work - I'm just not sure which Christmas!!!

Before I can get any further I need to do some homework.

I need to know where the best place to sell the physical bags would be. Next where do I make the patterns available and how do I market them. I also need to investigate the software to make it all look good - Canva might be my way forward.

Research then - platforms for sale, creative software and marketing. Luckily I've already got a month long course in creating boards and using Pinterest from Sophie Ingleby so I've somewhere to start.

While all that is going on I can get making and produce some bags all ready to go.

Going to be a busy time .. Ahh yes, the time scheduling I mentioned in my last post.

The only real free time I have is about half an hour each morning, a couple of two hour blocks twice a week and possibly some snatches of time in the evenings. That gives me a total of about 11 hours a week.

It's going to be tight, but my idea is that, to start with, the research and computer work happens each morning. Making the bags fits into one two hour block and then listing and creating instructions goes into the other. Packaging and dispatching can be a moveable feast in the evenings as it won't necessarily be an everyday occurance.

To make sure I can access all these things I've had a long hard think about the tools I'll need. All the sewing/knitting/haberdashery/packaging stuff I need is already in the house. Sharing a laptop - especially when I want to work before anyone else is up or after they're in bed is more difficult so I've taken the plunge and bought myself a new one!

So - off to work...... I'll report back next time...

I know, I know - it's been a while

 Well, almost a year if I'm honest.

It's been quite a full on time and that hasn't abated yet, but it's time to grasp the nettle and just write...

It's a weird kind of coincidence that I started thinking about getting back to this blog and musing about what to write on Saturday morning during ParkRun. Having just opened my blog I see that it's virtually the last thing I wrote about before disappearing without trace on here.

I have been struggling to find time to write especially as I wanted to keep my SubStack going. So, I've decided on a plan... Great what running along the beachfront can do once your lungs get fresh air and the sun hits tour back...

I've been diving off in so many directions that I can't keep up with myself.... So I'm going to simplify things to make life easier and the writing under control.

The SubStack writing was going haywire, with too many different strands. I felt good about getting something written each week, but the stress of juggling with topics and voices was too much. In order to keep it managable I've reverted to writing about just one thing each week. It needed to be something with a common theme where I already had some draft material to fall back on when life gets in the way.

So, I've gone right back to the beginning of the writing I did on this blog about eating the tidying/finances elephant one bite at a time. It's serving more than one purpose in that it's keeping me writing to a schedule so that that get it out there muscle doesn't slacken off. In addition it's keeping the SubStack going, even though I think it's only my loyal family reading it along with a couple of others. This way if I approach growing the membership in a more structured way, the material will already be building up in an archive. Finally, it's making me re-read and re-structure the work so that it's easier to convert into an e-book when I'm done.

It was always my intention to try and collate the ideas into a book. This way I'm writing it, ready for editing and polishing in small steps - one bite at a time you might say!

Now my BIG project is that I want to start a business. Don't know why and don't know why now! The problem is I've got so many different ideas that I'm not sure where to go with it, or even what type of business it's going to be. I'm going to record my progress with it here so that in the same way as the Elephant book, it can grow into another ebook once I've got to the end to see if it was a daft idea or not.

A while ago I did some ghost writing for an organising website which I enjoyed immensely until the owner of the website decided to go all AI and disposed of her human writers. The website is American and so it could be that a UK version would be good. It would allow me to use all the draft material and ideas that I built up as well as organised the content ready for publication. But would it be for subscribers only, or in a newsletter, or as an ebook, or supported by paid for printables? Hmmm...

Then I have a whole lot of '10 Things to Do with/Ways to...' that are in the same saved folder. They could be a good resource, especially if they came with downloadable printables too...

Or perhaps I ought to write some more Phonics materials with downloads for practise or video content to help with early readers....

Then there's the possibility of creating courses in some of the things I've delivered as a schools' consultant or advice on...

You see my dilemma...

I need to do this properly as dabbling about all over the place has only led me to confusion and lots of saved files and folders with valuable, but muddled content. This will mean some research and learning. Time spent now on deciding on platforms, selling, marketing and so on - even though I have no product yet - can only pay off.

There's also all the decluttered stuff from the loft (and if truth be known a lot of the rest of the family's throw outs), waiting to be repurposed and reworked. That would produce a physical product as well as material on making various creations - again with instructions, downloads, patterns, videos.. Ooooh - where to start.

While I'm making these first decisions I need to carry on clearing. Lots of things are selling online through platforms that make the job easy. I've also been listing some of the things I've made perticularly for craft fairs that are just lurking in the loft. I just haven't got around to going to many or organising the stock effectively. Interestingly enough the bags that I've listed online are selling quickly with some people asking if I have more.. perhaps that's a good place to start.

So, enough rambling. Plan of action.

Number One - I need to sit myself down and design a work schedule with set times for concentrating on the start up. Once I've carved up that time I need to go through all the multifarious emails and webpages I've been saving up to read and work from.

Then I'm going to list all the possible businesses and decide which one to pursue. At least with a list, if one doesn't come off I'll have already done the thinking about other ideas to start with something else.

That to me seems a sensible starting point, so on that note, I'll stop rabbitting on and get my head down to some serious planning..

I'll let you know how it goes!

Getting it Sorted - Healthwise!

 Okay, it's been a while - there's reasons for that  - I won't go into all of them. suffice to say that just when I thought I was back on track and ready to go into what the doctor has agreed to (no pills for a while - hooray!) I got shingles so was derailed a bit.

Anyway, I've only got a short (3 month) window to get my blood pressure and cholesterol in check or I've got to seriously consider the doctor's request to take medication. 

It's easier said and done as stress is apparently playing a big role, but I'm going to give it my best shot!

Obviously the first port of call is my weight. Don't get me wrong. I'm not humungously (is that a word) in trouble here. I had been doing well, dropping a stone and a half, when the doctor first put me onto blood pressure tablets. The weight then stopped dead and exercising got more and more difficult due to the side effects of the two tablets we tried! Now I'm off them it's time to really concentrate on slimming down.

Exercise has always done it for me. Particularly running!

Sadly, due to work on our seawall my regular ParkRun exploits sort of ground to a halt as my knees object to running on sand. Along with some time pressures it all got put to one side. Luckily the ParkRun is back to it's usual route, my shingles (let's not go there) have gone and I can grab back my Saturday mornings for this week!

I still get to tennis, but the doctor also wants more strength training. I used to go to dance and martial arts fitness at our local sports club. The class times no longer fit in with what I can do so I was in a bit of limbo. I haven't renewed my membership till I work out if it's worth it just to use the swimming pool - time has been my enemy again there. So, as I had a good time during the pandemic with online classes I've decided to restart those. The package I've picked also has some quick start programmes to try to get you into the swing of it quickly. I did start the initial one until the shingles got in the way. The plan is to begin again at the end of this week when the diary is a bit clearer.

I'll report back on this first element next time - along with my eating plans - I'm still working that one out as the summer is a really busy time for family birthdays and there's just far too many temptations for success. Next week will be a good time to examine how to adjust my willpower there!!!

The other thing that's well and truly slipped has been my making. I haven't got to my spinning group in ages and I've been too tired to concentrate in the evenings. I did manage one or two bits though...

Birthdays mean cards and mini presents so that gave me the kick I needed to get these done...

 

I've also managed to keep up my SubStack contributions. I did think that was going to sink without trace as well as so much other 'stuff'. Then I thought I could keep my weekly posting going by being a bit kinder to myself and readjusting my expectations. For August I'm sticking to a photo and a quick message to go with it to give myself a rest from the pressure of regular longform writing till September.

How's that?

Now I've written it all down I feel like more's been moving forward than I originally thought - hooray!

I'll let you know how it all goes.....