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2016 12 Dec the Halls!

Think it, Plan it, Do it
Tortoise1000
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#14529

Postby Tortoise1000 » December 12th, 2016, 8:44 pm

It is 15 days for the 31 tasks now, FS101, because TJ announced he is coming home 4 days earlier than I expected. Then I split two tasks so it became 33. 33 tasks in 15 days is the revised starting figure.

More frogs have bitten the dust . The big one was the bookshelves. Horrible job. So much measuring and thinking and arithmetic to plan them out, full of potential errors if one does not concentrate. Then half a workshop-full of tools to put then up. Finally the terrifying moment of truth: are they level? Phew, yes, they are, bang on. What a relief. 42 feet of shelving ready to fill.

Unpacking the books is proving harder than I thought though, these boxes are full of all sorts of stuff. I have paused that for now.

Bedroom 2 is cleared for the carpet fitter tomorrow. The bed and other items have come out to join the chaos of boxes in the hall and sitting room; they are all having a jolly time mingling with furniture they don't normally meet. I was so pleased about that I tackled another frog job before tea, putting the curtain rail, curtains and blind up. Curtains are a job that never ceases to bore, measuring and ironing and spacing out the hooks. Ticked it off on the list though. This list is working wonders for a procrastinator. It makes it clear that any job can be procrastinated, but some other one has to be brought forward.

Each task comes with a comet's tail of preceding jobs before it. The dryer is stacked on top of the washing machine, but before I did that i wanted to insulate the pipes in the hall cupboard behind them, so when the friend's husband who said he would help suddenly announced he was coming round at lunchtime I had to scurry off to Screwfix to buy the insulation and get that put on. My friend came too, which was a bonus, and they did most of the appliance stacking task between them. She is only little, I didn't realise she could lift so well. What happy couple they are, you can see it in the way they can do an awkward job like stacking appliances in cheerful cooperation. It was like having the brownies turn up :-)

The stacking kit is excellent by they way. If you are thinking of getting one, get the sort with a shelf. The shelf pulls out so you can fold the dry laundry onto it straight from the dryer. My standard of living has gone up no end.

It is desperately dark doing these indoor jobs at this time of year and I keep popping out to do some outdoors tasks too. I have put the garden to bed as we were instructed and cleaned some of the windows. . I keep realising at about 3 pm that I must get out and catch the dying rays of the sun. Each year it is a surprise, just how short these winter days are.

20 tasks and 7 days to go

T

Wondergirly
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#14733

Postby Wondergirly » December 13th, 2016, 2:41 pm

A stacking kit with a shelf? How useful Tortoise, I did not know such a thing existed. That has gone on the shopping list for my futility room!

W

kodokan
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#14901

Postby kodokan » December 13th, 2016, 11:55 pm

I propose joint appliance stacking as a pre-marriage filter. It sounds like it'd be more effective than those talks about values that the vicar makes you have, in terms of predicting a unified and happy marriage.

My bike vs car mileage stats for the month currently stand at 58 bike, 55 car. My healthy bike lead of last week has been evaporated by a brief health issue that kept me housebound for a while, and now 4" of snow on the ground. It's dropping to -14C over the next couple of days, so I'm predicting more driving in my immediate future as that's a little nippy to make my 12 year old walk to school.

Tortoise1000
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#14908

Postby Tortoise1000 » December 14th, 2016, 6:40 am

Four more tasks ticked off yesterday, and the guest bedroom is carpeted and furnished and the bed made up. It looks cosy. Very inviting actually, I am tempted to move in. My bedroom is still horribly cluttered, full of random things put there to keep safe during the upheaval, as one does. Luckily my eyes are shut most of the time I am in there.

The house feels warmer too. It was cold at ankle level before, I think it was because the whole house was tightly floored but that one room, so all the cold air from under the suspended floor, coming in through the air bricks round the house, was being drawn up into that room and causing a constant slight draught. It seems to have gone now thank goodness. I was having to heat the whole house to 23 degrees all day to feel warm, rather extravagant.

I am out this morning but back to the list this afternoon. It is focusing my mind on the priorities, so I don't get distracted into anything more interesting for too long. It is also giving me confidence that it will all be done on time. It is reassuring to look at the list rather than the untidiness around me. The chaos is visibly dwindling now though. Yesterday was 'peak stuff'.

Speaking of the list, I hope the birds are not eating the berries on my holly. I bought it last Friday for the hall-decking task and put it temporarily in a bucket outside. You have to buy it when you see it, it sells out quickly. It has just occurred to me the birds might nick the berries if I leave it too long!

T

Tortoise1000
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16111

Postby Tortoise1000 » December 18th, 2016, 7:20 am

The list is looking good this morning:

04 Put furry feet on the kitchen chairs and table
04 Buy Christmas tree
04 Sweep drive and porch, clear drainage channels, replace gravel edges
05 Finish putting kitchen contents away and tidy up
05 Take delivery of tumble dryer
05 Tidy store room, measure shelves, plan where the boxes are to go
06 Put up shelves in hall cupboard
09 Buy holly
09 Paint study
10 Tidy the patio
10 Stack tumble dryer on washing machine
11 Put up book shelves
12 Put up B2 curtain rail and curtains
13 Empty and sweep B2, put down underlay
13 Get B2 carpet fitted
13 Make up the bed in B2
13 Move B2 furniture back in
15 Buy or make wreath for front door
15 Buy/make festive table decorations
15 Finish buying Christmas presents
15 Wrap presents
16 Clean all the windows inside and out
16 Clean and arrange the sitting room
16 Set up and decorate Christmas tree
17 Clean and arrange the dining room
17Move boxes from dining room into the store room

18 Amend online grocery orders
18 Plan Christmas menus.
18 Send Christmas cards
19 Conduct decking operations
19 Put hooks up in B2
19 Unpack the boxes of books onto the shelves
19 Work out how to reprogram the central heating, and do it

Phew! I am chuffed to see that two weeks ago I was still decorating in the midst of chaos and now each room is correctly furnished, the windows are sparkling and the lights are twinkling on the Christmas tree. It has been hard work shifting all the furniture and boxes around but It has really lifted my spirits, getting the place looking like home. And have even wrapped all the presents! Amazing! I don't think I have ever before had that done a week early.

OK, major frog to be tackled today, the Christmas cards.

T

amh4
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16124

Postby amh4 » December 18th, 2016, 9:28 am

Well done that Tortoise,

I am sending some cyber mincepies right now to help with the Christmas card writing

AM

LadyGagarin
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16125

Postby LadyGagarin » December 18th, 2016, 9:29 am

Tortoise1000 wrote:The list is looking good this morning...
Phew! I am chuffed to see that two weeks ago I was still decorating in the midst of chaos and now each room is correctly furnished, the windows are sparkling and the lights are twinkling on the Christmas tree. It has been hard work shifting all the furniture and boxes around but It has really lifted my spirits, getting the place looking like home. And have even wrapped all the presents! Amazing! I don't think I have ever before had that done a week early.

OK, major frog to be tackled today, the Christmas cards.

T


Well done, T and good luck getting the cards done!

LadyGagarin
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16129

Postby LadyGagarin » December 18th, 2016, 9:42 am

LadyGagarin wrote:Hello :)

I too am going to use December to practice on, I think. Sympathies to WrenChasen re the lack of flooring. We have spent the last few weeks in a state of mild upheaval too, a long and boring saga involving various leaky bathroom fixtures & a ruined front-room ceiling - we still have no sink upstairs and still have to repaint the said - now newly-plastered - ceiling, which I'm less bothered by than the consequence of not being able to put up our Christmas tree & decorations yet. (We always do it on 1st December, it has been a family tradition for the past 14 years!)

Anyway, Goals.

    1. Finish making Christmas presents soonest.
    2. Swim once, ideally twice, per week.
    3. Resume running, have struggled to fit much in during November.
    4. Update CV again, ready for Jobsearch January.
    5. Budget review.
    6. Continue decluttering project.


Update:
1. Christmas presents done? Tick. Few last minute bits to buy, but those will need to wait until I get paid!
2. Since I posted that, 12 days ago, I've been swimming once. :oops:
3. 2 shortish runs 'achieved' which is I suppose better than nothing.
4. CV updated? Tick! Have seen a job I might apply for - not sure if I want it, should I actually get it. But it will be useful practice of course.
5. Budget review? Ongoing.
6. Ditto the decluttering. The more stuff I get rid of, the more I seem to find!

Wondergirly
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16168

Postby Wondergirly » December 18th, 2016, 11:56 am

Slightly late mid-month update......

Health I averaged 6233 steps per day in November, so I would like to beat that this month. Continue with my rehab exercises and hopefully have my final physio appointment this month. Chase up Pilates teacher for an initial consultation.
Signed off by the physio, with a 3 month window to go back to her if necessary. Rehab exercises down to 3 times a week and I commence light weight training in the new year.
Bad news on the Pilates teacher; she is completely booked up for the foreseeable future so I need to have a rethink. Physio has suggested a couple of others, so I will consider those in the new year.
Current average steps per day is over 7500 so that is going to plan.

Work Continue to monitor our limited company for evidence of any further attempted fraud. We have made the decision to close down the company after the end of the 2016/17 financial year so I shall close down one of the company bank accounts in preparation.
Finally managed to change the address on said bank account, I shall attempt to now close it. They have been very difficult to deal with!

Money Still on the back burner until January, but some cost-saving measures are being discussed.
Nothing new here.

Home We have the building regs. drawings from the architect, but still no word on the visit of the structural engineer. Continue to chase. Meanwhile, unpack the Christmas tree and decorations and get those up; that will at least cheer the place up a bit.
Decorations are up, just a few finishing touches to add (fresh greenery etc.)
Structural engineer booked in for 4th January, hooray!

Play A good bunch of social events already in the diary, but must remember to plan in breathing space!
Thoroughly enjoyable and have managed to plan in relaxation too.

Christmas Have a good tidy up and clean as I meander around the house looking for things I need for Christmas. In progress.
Get the house decorated, as mentioned previously. Almost done.
Pots cards to those we won't see over the holidays. Done.
Choose, buy, and arrange delivery of presents to family we won't see for a while. Done.
Choose, buy and wrap presents for visiting family, and do stockings for Christmas eve. Done.
Begin food shopping list (and attempt to run down cupboards/fridge/freezer over next couple of weeks), do food shopping, cook food, eat food (along with generous amounts of wine). In progress.

So, not many 'measurables' on there, but we are planning a very relaxing and festive month before cracking on with more serious stuff in 2017. Feeling quite relaxed about it all and looking forward to our visitors.

W[/quote]

splosh
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16228

Postby splosh » December 18th, 2016, 3:35 pm

Hi everyone,
Popping back in for another progress check, after being blown off course rather by circumstance - a bout of norovirus has not only wiped out my weekend, but has entailed cancelling several of this week's plans while I recover and keep myself in quarantine.

Work
1. One training session
Done
2. 2 choir gigs One done, the other cancelled
3. Choir planning for the new year In hand. Everything that needed doing before Christmas has been done, and there is space in the NY to do the small-scale stuff
4. Blog content set up for over Christmas Done
5. Book accommodation for conventions next year Done
6. Start new arrangement commissions One completed, just starting the second.

Play
1. 1 quartet rehearsal
Done
2. Host a party This has also been cancelled so as to avoid sharing my germs. Has given me lots of extra time, which had been allocated to shopping and cooking. Pity I'm not feeling up to doing much with it really.
3. Go to 2 other parties Done. Delighted that I didn't get ill until after we had finished celebrating my mother's 80th birthday.
4. Book mini-break in Jan Dome; actually going to happen in Feb

Home/Health/Family
1. Finish garden tidy-up
Pretty much. There are new bits of untidiness developing all the time, but the big stuff I wanted to get cleared is done.
2. Finish upstairs bathroom Yes! Yes! We are now a 2-bathroom household again, instead of a 1-bathroom, 1-DIY room one. This was mostly MrSplosh's project, but I put it on my list to make sure it got finished in time for use by guests over Christmas.
3. Prep for Christmas (for which I have a separate list!) Going okay. Got a few more bits and bobs to sort, but mostly on top of this.

Haven't really got my head round 2017, that being the other thing I wanted to look at this month. Finding the logistics for Christmas taking up too much of the planning space in my brain, so might have another look at that in the NY.

Hope everyone is keeping better than I have been!

splosh

Brava21
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16409

Postby Brava21 » December 19th, 2016, 9:08 am

Well, I know I have been recuperating (and thanks to all for the good wishes!) but I feel very lazy compared to others. Tortoise, I am in awe of the work you have done and what you have achieved in the house and everyone else is obviously madly busy and getting so much done. Splosh, I am so sorry to hear about the norovirus, that is dreadful. These things can really wipe you out - take gentle care of yourself in the run up to Christmas.

Speaking of which, I can't believe that it's this Sunday. I am going to spend the break deciding on my January goals, and perhaps attempt something approaching normality by then!

kodokan
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16651

Postby kodokan » December 19th, 2016, 7:52 pm

You've all been very industrious little elves over the last week! I've finally got with the Christmas spirit - tree is up, cake is baking, and all presents bought so far are wrapped.

Meanwhile, ny bike vs car project has further declined, thanks both to more weather and a 20 mile round trip necessitated by having to take our pet rats to the vet for a mite treatment. I did suggest strapping their travel cage onto the deck of the cargo bike, but they (and my daughter) were Not Amused.

So stats as of today stand at:

- bike: 58
- car: 83

Oh dear. I'm going to be facing probably a 35 mile deficit to make up between Christmas and New Year. I shall cancel my Santa wish for a white Christmas.

LadyGagarin
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16678

Postby LadyGagarin » December 19th, 2016, 9:24 pm

Very wise, Kodokan - I always say snow is a **** nuisance - very pretty if you have plenty of groceries in and don't need to go anywhere at any particular time, but sooner or later you will have to leave the house!

doone100
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16798

Postby doone100 » December 20th, 2016, 11:11 am

2/3rds of the way through and things are starting to come together. We still do not have a tree in the house. It is outside in a bucket and has been since Friday. The plan was to decorate it last night now that the other stuff indoor work is done but as it rained all day yesterday the tree was too soggy to bring in. It is now in the shed in case of further downpours.

Work
Complete a quarterly review of reserves held- deadline 19th. Done
Start work on new project, no deadline but lots of documenting of Due Diligence is required A tentative start
Annual Workforce Planning updates- deadline first week of 2017 not started, I realised that I had to run the year end reports before I can complete this one

Home
Tidy the garden now that, as Wondergirly said, the frosts have killed off the last of the summer planting A little progress, 2 bags of rubbish clearedA little progress
Finish spare room, buy furniture, lampshades, rug etc Bed, mattress and wardrobe are ordered. All done bar the wardrobe which arrives ready assembled tomorrow, I am ridiculously pleased with how it looks. I recycled some curtains from the small spare room and re-used an existing bedside cabinet after giving it a bit of a facelift. These will be replaced next year. I still need to paint a mirror frame and have Mr Doone hang it once done
Deep clean in each " public" room Three rooms done, others in progress

Health
Keep up with 8 week BSD up until Christmas Have given up!

Christmas
Write the Master Shopping List Done
Write and post cards Done
Buy family cards Done
Wrap presents Done, need to add bows and label yet
Order Fruit and veg Done
Order Capon Done
Make two more meals for the freezer Not done, there was no room until Sunday and I've been too busy since then
Prepare and freeze stuffing, pigs in blankets Done and have made cranberry sauce

Hobby No progress on any of the below
Finish alterations to Mr Doone's joined hose by this Sunday
Finish his new split hose
Finish my new short hose
AGM minutes



Doone

LadyGagarin
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#16967

Postby LadyGagarin » December 20th, 2016, 5:28 pm

Not bad going, Doone - no wonder you haven't found time for any hobbies!

futuresaver101
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#17338

Postby futuresaver101 » December 21st, 2016, 9:57 pm

Hi all,

A brief check in. Hope everyone is looking forward to the countdown to the 25th.

I guess it's time to start thinking about the 2017 goals. Wonder if I'll add decluttering the garage to the list...

FS101


1) Mentoring
. Meetings held with both my mentors, generally ok with progress. A bit of work needed over the holiday, but nothing significant. Although there is that Fellowship application :)

2) Health. Daily stretches, daily walk, and don't eat more food than I need (or booze). Ooops

3) Christmas. Presents - bought and wrapped. Cards - written and sent.

4) CPD. Review and update my records, make sure I am 2017 audit ready. Ongoing, something for tomorrow.

5) 2017 goals and objectives. I've had my appraisal. It went ok! Which is quite something, given all the dramas of the past six months and that I was removed as project manager. A few comments on previous issues, but when I talked about the need for a recovery plan they said that I had already recovered fine. Boss even said he had enjoyed working with me, and on the project. I was momentarily speechless!

futuresaver101
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#17955

Postby futuresaver101 » December 24th, 2016, 7:53 pm

Hi all,

I don't have much to report in terms of progress except for my online CPD record (am about 2/3rd of way there).

But, I have made a bit of a (re?)discovery. Sherry is surprisingly strong. There therefore may be some delay in the progression of my actions.

And, here's a festive "hic" (imagine a classy hiccup) to all fellow LemonFoolers, thanks to all of you for companionship and more.

Here's to 2017 :)

FS101

Tanya2012
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#18215

Postby Tanya2012 » December 27th, 2016, 12:57 pm

Pops head over parapet. Looks from side to side and spots a few familiar, friendly faces from old. Shakes head in shame. Wonders whether she can get back into the swing of this malarkey after a long absence. Long story short, I was almost there in 2012 but from nowhere temptation took a hold and I was back to square one. Without wishing to go back over old ground and to spare you all the unsavoury details I (read that as we but I am the holder of the purse strings so to speak) I'd like to start the New Year with hope and plan for our future. It's been a tough few years (mostly self-inflicted) but I'm pleased so say all I bring to the party now is a £30,000 mortgage and ZERO DEBT yay! Our offset mortgage comes to an end in June next year and we don't have the means to repay it in full. However, with over £1,400 to throw at it monthly I would like to think this time in two years it has gone and we can still maintain a reasonably comfortable lifestyle in the meantime.

I'll look forward to the January thread and try my very best to actively join in. For those who do remember me "hello", for those who don't I don't blame you and for newcomers I don't bite ;)

futuresaver101
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#18428

Postby futuresaver101 » December 28th, 2016, 6:09 pm

Hi,

Quick update, three days to go before the end of the year. Eeek. Still have stuff to do!

1) Mentoring. Gotta do that Fellowship application update before end of 2016.

2) Health. Daily stretches, daily walk, and don't eat more food than I need (or booze). Have done a bit better than my last oops post, soup today

3) Christmas. It's happened, presents all distributed ok. No (major) dramas

4) CPD. Review and update my records, make sure I am 2017 audit ready. I've done it (that's update records, and update plans for 2017, not do the actions themselves)

5) 2017 goals and objectives. I'll need to re-read (carefully) my appraisal form. Got it 23/12, will need another go around to update. He says nothing to worry about, but it's always a bit disconcerting to see "issues" on paper.

Tanya2012, good to see you - have a sherry, or other treat and then post :)

T - you ok, you're a bit quiet ? Looking forward to 1st Jan and thinking up some 2017 goals

FS101

Tortoise1000
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Re: 2016 12 Dec the Halls!

#18709

Postby Tortoise1000 » December 29th, 2016, 8:08 pm

Yes I am a bit quiet, FS101. Dramas with TJ as the exam dates loom. It has been a difficult Christmas But not the first, and no doubt not the last. I have just started writing a review of my 2016 goals, to cheer myself up. Perhaps we should have a new thread for those. The ones we posted in 'Sweet Sixteen' on TMF this time last year.

Great to see you back, Tanya! It will be good have you and the cats here again.

T


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