Monday 13 April 2020

Making it up.

Good morning on Easter Monday. So what will you be doing today. I have a new Crafty Club to attend, it's in my living room and I am the only member. This is what I am working on. I have cords, plenty of them, mostly from the Scrapstore and some I have collected. I am making spirals and stitching them onto a denim background. I have no plan, just making it up as I go along. See where the journey takes me. It's a bit dull outside so I will carry on with this for a while longer and see if it brightens up later. 
The view from my window. Look at the roof of my car, it's filthy. I ought to give it a wash. Maybe I will today, or tomorrow, or the next day. Having a new car and not being able to drive it, has sort of taken the shine off it, literally.

A couple of pictures from a walk last week. The memorial bench surrounded by fields which I have mentioned before. Nice to see someone is looking after it. New fresh flowers in the vases, and a dog bowl has appeared tied to the leg of the bench. Can't think that someone would pinch it but you never know. The grass in front of it, to the field edge, has been mown. Someone must have brought a hand mower up here on a trolley, it's half a mile from the road. 
Hidden behind the bench are bottles of water to fill up the bowl. How kind.


All this mooching about the house is making me lazy, it's not good to have no structure to the day. I have to make myself busy because if I don't, and do nothing, I think what a waste of a day that was. Time is ticking on, the years are flying by, and whatever time I have got left, won't be enough.

I find myself looking forward to the daily exercise walk, thinking about when in the available 18 hours a day I will be taking it. I sleep for six hours, sometimes stretch it to seven, I can't lounge in bed any longer than that, it gives me a headache. Three meals a day takes up three hours. Two hours on the computer in the morning, and another two at night. That makes seven hours, plus one or two hours for a walk, eight or nine hours. That's another nine hours to fill.

There's housework and gardening and being a slave to the cats, and arty crafty stuff to make. Best get up off this chair and do something then.
Toodle pip.  ilona

21 comments:

  1. you lazy...not a chance..It is always good to have a rest....I read recently, that if you put your feet up every chance you get, you will add five years to your life...

    Came across this, and from the sounds of this, this family eats very well on a modest budget.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8200131/Thrifty-mum-reveals-makes-dinner-family-five-50-week.html

    I was just curious "how good compared to you"> I know your budget for food is modest, but am curious if you times your by five, how does it compare , roughly, what you spend per week, to what these spend? I had just thought, if they took up your techniques, they would be saving even more.

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    1. I don't usually compare myself to others because everyone has different needs. I spend approximately £15 a week on my own food. The family in the article eats meat, I don't. And children usually eat less than an adult. We can all learn from each other, anyone wanting to save money can read up on the many money saving web sites and blogs. Thank you for your comment.

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    2. you're welcome. Your frugal eating/living has always impressed me. I did before, but even more, I look for those discount stickers. Not so much of them where i'm at, but still helps.

      You do so well. I was a bit surprised how well these folks do (cheaply), and without any mention of discount stickers. As you say, though, children do usually eat less than adult.

      Thank you for your work on this blog. It entertains, inspires, educates and generally is spot on.

      take care

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    3. Thank you. I am still looking after the pennies, because over a year they mount up to many £'s. It's important to stay in control, whatever your budget is, whether rich or poor.

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  2. Sending Best Wishes to you this Easter. Keep up the good work, you are an inspiration xxx

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  3. Yes it is a cold day today so I am doing my crochet and listening to the radio. Just having a coffee and then going to tidy up a little bit in the garden, I repotted a shrub yesterday and I want to but put some gravel round the base of it.
    Look forward to your new project. Enjoy the day.
    Hazel c uk🌈🌈🌈

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  4. I think I've gone dog crazy.From first thing about 6•30 I need to keep them amused until now.I did manage a very quick shower before they were running to tell me that there was a problem with only boring toys or no treats.I loaded their treat toys-well the 1st lot.Then a play where they want me to join in .Then the large joint food platter,then a play by themselves whilst next hidey game.Then lily (the newly demanding diva lily)wants something more.She's not a girl who likes toys so next twizzle treat trays then it's lunch.She likes it outside on a tray.I am making a rag tea towel as a variation for the naughty boys to drag each other around with.They have loads of toys but need a new one.It's like an old tag rug style-a snuffle mat.The assistant at the pet shop suggested it x

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  5. It's strange but I've found since having to stay at home the days have just whizzed by. Informed by my surgery that due to health reasons had to isolate even before the lock down came into force, no outings to shop or anything else, strict lock down. Thank goodness I can go in the garden. But the time has just zoomed by, it now feels like not enough hours in the day! But I don't spend long on the computer, perhaps 20 minutes or less a day. I was amazed that you spend 4 hours on yours, do you do that every day? I would feel I was wasting precious time and it would be far too long to sit on my rear end!

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    1. Most days when I am at home. My computer is my lifeline to the outside world. It is my communication hub talking and messaging people on forums, blogs, and social media. It takes me anything up to two hours to write a blog post, depending how much I have to say and if the topic requires any research. I often have six or seven pages open at a time and flit backwards and forwards when I see there has been some activity. It is my entertainment centre, I watch videos, and listen to music. And I answer emails.

      Although the computer may be switched on I am doing other things, and go back to it periodically to check things.

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    2. Thanks for taking the time to share with us, Ilona!
      I'm always interested to see how long other bloggers take to write a post. I think non-bloggers don't realize even a short post may take a good, long time. A couple hours is probably the average for me, but it can be much more--after all, I don't post everything I write...


      Walking the dog is a lifeline for me these days--he's not worried.

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    3. I am trying to make my blog posts shorter, and being selective about what I write about. But at this time I think people need the contact to distract them from everyday life on lockdown. My page views have gone up significantly since this started, so I know people are reading.

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    4. I am not really coping well with this lockdown well at all Ilona-my nerves are well and truly jangled.I'm very apprehensive about it all and I can't keep picking up the phone chatting to relatives and friends-So your blog and a few others are keeping me from the madhouse where I luckily escaped from many moons ago(No pressure Ilona!) x

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  6. Sometimes I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to get things done. And then other times it seems to go so slowly. Today I'm feeling like it's a good day to just sit and stitch once I've caught up on some blog reading. I'm thinking...put on a good audiobook and find something to stitch. I can ALWAYS find something to stitch. Just not the time....

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  7. You echoed exactly what my husband said just a few minutes before I read your post - "What a waste of a day"!

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  8. Its lovely how you plan your day out Ilona and firstly I would like to say a really big Thank You to you and all the other people in blogland who keep us non bloggers..I aint that clever to know how to do one,lol....entertained by keeping a daily up date of what you are up to.It is hard going at the minute for us all,but by seeing what you and others are up to,gives us maybe some thing to aim at.I will be honest..I cried again for about 10 mins this morning...just emotions all over every where again.And then I switched the lap top on and realised that I am in a good place,with our health ok,family at the end of the phone,pets all fine,food in the cupboard ect.There are some heart breaking things happening with some poor families and my heart goes out to them.So I told myself,not to be such a mardy arse and get my self sorted.Tonight I had got the end of a cucumber that had gone soft so I made my self a facemask with it and laid down for 15 mins,soft music in the background,eyes closed and convinced my self that I was in a health spa,lol.Well at least it didnt cost me about £100 doing it that way!Stay safe,xx

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  9. Hello Ilona, i look forward to receiving your Life after money emails. I check them once I have had my breakfast. Nothing for me has changed during this pandemic. As a carer for my dad the days are similar I have my usual routines. I have beautiful flowers blooming lots of calendulas that I have made into oil with tea tree for my eczema. Lots of decluttering and repurposing going on here. Days are sunny here in Brisbane, Australia with next ot no rain. My cat is always by my side ~ follows me around like a puppy :) ~ live laugh love

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    1. Thanks for your comment. Just to clarify, I don't send out Life after Money emails. I think what Unknown means is 'blog posts'. Just in case someone thinks I have an email list.

      Pleased to hear that you are getting on with your life.

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    2. I do apologise ~ I completely wrote that wrong. I meant to write blog posts. :)

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  10. Just a thought with your sewing skills have you considered making some masks? I know there are tutorials on YouTube. Anyway also enjoy reading your blog and thank you for keeping us motivated. Sharon

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    1. Hello. I have been reading up about face masks, most of what are produced at home do not offer adequate protection against the virus. They are a barrier to stop droplets from escaping from your own mouth and will help others, but won't stop you catching it.

      Some people say they are better than nothing, others disagree, saying they are no better than wearing nothing at all.

      Certain types of fabric are needed to make useful masks that will do the job and give protection. And when you try and find out which fabrics, no one can agree on what is best. So in answer to your question, no probably not.

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