Day 9: Happy Birthday, Daughter

 

I'd like to wish my daughter the happiest of birthdays. She may think I always forget her birthday... which is sometimes true. I should mention I forget mine as well. I'm figuring she must be turning 36 today. I usually cook her pancakes for breakfast. I guess I'll have to wait for her to wake up before I can find out if she wants them or not. This picture is not actually her cake, but I know she like Supernatural, so I thought it appropriate.

I'll be out working in the yard again today. I'll probably get a heap done before most everyone is even out of bed. I usually just wait until our noise restrictions say I can be loud, and then I head straight outside. I'm trying to play catch up from being sidetracked for two days and only getting half days in the yard.

My left knee is killing me. I'm not sure if it's because I'm overworking it or because of the rain, (have I already said that?) but at least I'm working through it and getting shit done.

I want to do a detox, (Not from drugs or alcohol), but just from the crappy way I've been eating. If anyone has any ideas, leave me a comment, because at the moment I'm just winging it. I've been sticking with my indoor walking. though it's painful to do the arm bits if I've done a lot of whipper snipping during the day.

Until tomorrow, remember: It's not about finding shelter from the storm, it's about learning to dance in the rain.

Day 8: Mr Bowie.

 Miss him every damn day.

Listen to him every damn day.

Just Awesome.

Until tomorrow, remember: Be happy... it drives people crazy.

Day 7: Crossing Off Another 2 Jobs

 

Today is the day my niece is coming over, and we are changing the wheels on the BBQ, and taking down the dog run in the back paddock. We'll also be having a BBQ, so I'll have to make garlic potatoes for my sister.

I'll get out early and do a stint in the back paddock. I'll also do more after everyone goes home, or if they annoy me while they are here at the house. I'll let my daughter entertain...LOL. Though while my niece is here, we'll make a plan to chainsaw up the one tree that is in my way of getting the bottom tier of the top drive completed.

Seven days into 2026, and I've already marked off a heap of stuff on my to do list. I just made up my mind this is the year I tell myself I can accomplish anything. I'm not taking no for an answer (not from myself I mean). Hopefully, the mindset and the momentum last throughout the whole year.

I'm giving myself little goals throughout the year... making it easier to achieve them. That's why I chose to do the hardest one first and I'm already almost halfway through it, by the end of this week, I'll be a little over halfway.  

Being the list lady that I am. I have made charts for everything just to keep myself on track. I have them for the following:

* Get shit done this week list

* Grocery List (because I want to see how much our spending changes)

* Food intake list (making sure I eat)

* Weight & Measurement Chart

* Yardwork Chart (keeping track of hours I'm working and what I'm doing)

* To buy List (household)

* To buy List (presents = Birthdays, Easter, Christmas)

* My chore chart

* Grandkids chore chart

* Budget

* Savings

* Debt pay down

I find I work better when I have a visual/physical thing in my hands that I can mark off and see that stuff is happening. This method might not work for everyone, but it works for me and that's all that matters.

Until tomorrow, remember: True friends are like diamonds, precious and rare. Fake friends are like autumn leaves and found everywhere.

Day 6: I'm Tired Today

Mental Health Check:

Today is the day my mum has to have hers done. It takes an hour; my daughter is taking her down because I'll be still working in the yard. it gives my daughter a break from the kids. and it also means I don't have to put a bra on to go downtown... which is the real reason that my daughter is taking her.

When she gets home, I'll be back out in the paddock and I'll start at the back fence line and work my way toward the dog run, to where I finished off yesterday. Hopefully it comes down easy.

As much work as I'm doing, you'd think I would be tired, but alas my insomnia is still ever present. So, I go to bed tired, and I wake up just as tired. It's a vicious never-ending cycle that I can't seem to break. It doesn't help that Monsoon has decided she needs to be bed buddies with me, because apparently, I let her watch the phone for longer. Though mind you, at the moment we are re watching Stranger Things.

 

Until tomorrow, remember: Dance to the music in your head like you think no one's watching.

Day 5: Marked Off One Goal

I might have already mentioned my yard is freaking huge. the top tier of the top drive is 140 steps from the front fence to the back fence and it's 27 steps wide. It's taken me a week but I finally whipper snipped it all down, plus another patch in the back paddock about 25 steps by 15 steps. I'm proud of the fact that I worked out a plan to tackle it and I've been sticking to it. I had just finished for the day when it started to piss down rain. My luck the grass will grow back twice as fast. I'm saving like crazy to get the ride on mower serviced and to get the seat either recovered or replaced.

Today I weighed in at 104.9kg so I lost 1.7kg this week; probably from sweating so much. I did lose 8cm from around waist, and 1.5 from around my hips. I'm not actually dieting (I might have already told you that) I'm just eating less and choosing healthier options for cooking (no deep frying).

My other goals to achieve this week are to remove the dog run, all the old dog bowls in the big paddock, and replace the busted wheels on the BBQ (which should be happening on Wednesday).

22 more days until the girls are back in school, which is good because they are driving me nuts. Hopefully this isn't a warning for what they are going to be like as teenagers, because I'm telling you now... I won't survive it.

Until tomorrow, remember: Stay weird... it makes the normal people nervous.

 

Day 4: Shit Happens

 

I was hoping to have reached my back fenceline on my top drive by the end of today... alas I think I'm going to need another day, possibly two. And yes, the damn dog run is still up. We don't even have a dog. I just want it gone because it's an eyesore.

Today's lunch is another classic favourite of mine, a salad wrap.  Some days I just don't feel like cooking up a big meal. though I do cook my mum whatever she wants, at almost 94 she can eat whatever she damn well pleases.

I'm feeling the burn of doing the paddock now, but it is so gratifying looking back at what I've already done and seeing it all down. As it is just as daunting looking ahead to see what I still have to do, but the best part is knowing that I am doing it myself... (okay, in all honesty, I did have to get the young fella across the road to put my brush cutter together for me. I had no freaking clue).

Today I also marked off the three shelves for the plate pantry.  This is another of my January goals to get done. I have all the supplies. I just have to get it done.

Until tomorrow remember: Drink more coffee, because murder is still illegal.

Day 3: Hit A Snag

 

You guessed it. still more yard work. I'll be at it for the whole of January I think, but at least the gras is coming down easy. I'm not as young as I used to be and move a lot slower these days. Anyway, today I have hit the old dog run. I need to figure out how to get the damn thing out of the tree and rolled up (It stretches from tree to tree), and I'm too damn short to reach it. Might have to ask the young fella across the road to give me a hand.

Another overcast day today, so I'm not dying while out in the paddock. though, I did get bitten on the same damn foot. they look like bull ants, could be worse, it could have been green ants or fire ants, thank God, we don't have them. well, not that I have come across any; nor have I seen any snakes as yet.

Today's lunch was a steak and salad wrap. It was another delicious meal. I have banned myself from deep fried food for a while. It was making me feel bloated and lethargic. So, I've cut it from my repertoire for the time being and see how I feel.

Is it bad that I'm counting the days until the kids go back to school. Graceful and Hurricane have twenty-four more days, and Monsoon goes to kindy the day after the house will be quiet again. All the gifts they got for Christmas and for the last three days they have been digging mud pits in the yard. They didn't like it when they were made to fill them in.

Until tomorrow, remember: Reach high like a giraffe and stay grounded like a turtle.