RESET WEEK - TUESDAY

Ready?  SET?  September!!

Welcome!  How are you getting on?

I'm just going to repeat some of yesterday in case anyone new is joining in today...

😊  You'll need your cleaning caddy, pamper basket, pen and pencil and a timer or playlist.

Each day in FlyLadyLand has a FOCUS, these are....

* Weekly Home Blessing (WHB)

* Planning or Desk Day

* Odd Job Day

* Errand Day

* Car & Bag Day (& Date Night)

* Family Fun Day 

* Renew Your Spirit Day 

These normally run in that order from Monday (WHB) to Sunday (RYSD), but you can choose which day you do your FOCUS to fit with your schedule, or do 2 in a day!  Make a rough plan on a sheet of paper which days you might choose for your DAILY FOCUS.  📝

Also each day there are tasks to be completed to ensure you are fed, clothed and rested!  Mine includes....

* getting dressed to sensible shoes

* meals

* laundry (washing, drying or ironing)

* washing up

* feeding pets

* getting to bed at a decent time

Make a rough plan on a fresh piece of paper to include your important tasks (maybe medication, teeth/hair, exercise, water).  You can split this into 2 smaller lists for morning and evening so it's less overwhelming and more do-able! 📝

Diane has some extra information for you about planning and an extra mission about play! There's also the all important PAMPER!!  Don't forget to PAMPER!  You might not think you deserve it, but do it anyway!!  🧖‍♀️

Why not use your PAMPER TIME now to listen to her.....

Remember to use your timer, you can do anything for 15 minutes at a time...GO US!!  💪🏻

Christmas 2026

 

This is a slightly ambitious idea, but.... I'm going to try it anyway!

For some time I have lost my mojo and been quite down, lacking motivation to even do the things I enjoy.  My energy is not what it was and like many others it started after we tried to return to 'normal' after covid.  

I innocently took the jabs believing I was doing the right thing and suffered some of the most awful side-effects....and still caught covid from a client!  At which point I gave up having them, but the damage was done.  Feeling like someone had removed my brain and replaced most of it with cotton wool!!

Apart from that, I enjoyed the lockdowns, going my own quieter pace, spending time with my husband and daughter without school runs, growing our own vegetables,  collecting the eggs from our hens, taking time to cook everything from scratch, daily walks in our beautiful countryside and basically home-schooling our daughter.

It showed us that a slower pace suited us, in fact it was so calming.  We lived without someone elses structure and timing imposed on us, true freedom.  I discovered everyone else's 'normal' was not me!

Anyway, although I came here to retire, I found there were people in need of support and so I began caring for the older people in my local community,  what a privilege and a blessing it has been.  Working one to one or two suits me very well, so well in fact that I invariably stay longer and do more than required on my visits.  I can genuinely love them and look after them.  The beauty of self-employment and not working for an agency. 

But, here I am having lost the thread of housework, a house that really needs some TLC after a flood and the impending Christmas celebration which, for the first time in this house, will be attended by all 3 sons, 2 daughters-in-law, our 17yo daughter who still lives with us (maybe her boyfriend!) and possibly my Father-in-law....with his dog! That's 9 or 10 adults requiring 6 or 7 bedrooms....which we don't have!!

The race is on to declutter, clean, decorate (as in paint not make look pretty...although that too!) and organise space for everyone to relax and enjoy!

Oh...and we hold a Christmas party every year around 18th December!

I need to get some routines and habits in place, I need to find time to do DIY, declutter as we finish painting rooms and refurnish, work, support husband and daughter, eat decent food, get decent rest and organise presents, cards and celebration food.

So.... I thought I would encourage myself by posting my aims and recording my progress and maybe encouraging someone else to achieve.

I've given myself lots to do, that's the perfectionist in me.  But I won't be beating myself up if I don't achieve it all, I shall just be pleased with any progress from where things stand at the moment!

I hope this reaches and encourages someone else out there and we can do this together.  It would be lovely to have company.

First job of the day is sanding beams in the loft, I'm off to put on some grotty clothes and my face mask!  Delightful I assure you!  

Must dash...lots to do!

Toodle-oooo

Nora 

xxx

Before...

 That's it really....a 'Before' photo with the hope that it guilts me into getting started on a decorating project or 2!

We have lived in this house since Oct 2018 and in the first year we were finding our feet and learning what plants were in the garden and which we could move to grow veg plus and endless round of visitors!

We then shut up shop for winter except for Father-in-Laws visit for Christmas and then, of course, the pandemic started!

We could have decorated then I suppose, but the weather was so lovely and for us, life was quite normal because, we live quite a slow, remote life here, but also Missy still had school as she was in that transition year from 6 to 7 that only didn't attend school for about 2 months.

Anyway, we didn't decorate, we cleaned, sorted and really kept on top of the garden.  We thought we might decorate during the winter when we have to be indoors...but that didn't really work out as we tend to get a bit down and our motivation for such things, and in poor light, deserted us!

So here we are back in May 2021 with not a paint splash of decorating done and a house that is perfectly presentable, but starting to need a little TLC.

So that plan this year is to re-vamp the kitchen...we're thinking cream cupboards and woodwork and pale pink walls...yes, hubby suggested that!  So I'm all go with that as I'd been holding back on that suggestion.

So here are the 'before' shots of the kitchen / diner....

 

A little more info on that is.... we quite fancy copper or rose gold accessories and handles, no this doesn't involve a trip to landfill, but instead a can of copper spray paint to transform handles, utensil pots, frames etc.  And we'll also be sanding down and varnishing the floor and taking a look at soft furnishing...mostly from fabric out of my stash or the charity shop....or maybe dyed. 

Next up is mine and Hubby's bedroom, we're going soft cream or pale peach, probably with cream woodwork....we may well go the whole hog with a new carpet, but it depends....if the floorboards are nice, we might go with sanding and varnishing those...we'll have to see...

So...there we have it!  I've put it out there and now there is no escaping the fact that I have said it... hoping it motivates me and in a few months I will be able to show you at least ONE room!

Hey-ho and Toodle-ooo!

Nora

xxx

Penrith

 ...that's where we went today!

What a lovely place.  It has a market square and lovely church in the centre and quite an impressive array of shops.

But I'm ahead of myself.

Penrith is south west of Alston.  We have to take the road to Hartside and down the mountain, this was the view.....

sorry about the blurry foreground but you can't stop here!

Really lovely despite the moody sky.  The sense of space is quite incredible.  But sadly with the murk, no view of the mountains around the Lake District today.

Penrith has a great shopping centre, this is the heart of Penrith although not the Market Square....

There is a lovely mix of old style, traditional shops and the usual high street offerings.  My photo of the old outfitters doesn't do it justice, but I'm sure you get the idea.....

This one is also very lovely.....

We walked around the outside of the churchyard and gardens, it was so peaceful, just a stones throw from the hustle and bustle of town.....

Then after shopping, the hours journey home.

This is not mist or fog, but cloud!  At over 1900 feet this mountain climb is quite often sitting with its head in the clouds.....

The black and white pole to the left is for guidance in the snow.....

So there's another little snapshot of life in the rugged beauty of Cumbrias North Pennines.

Back soon.

Nora

xxx

The view from our kitchen window......

 Short and sweet....but lovely to share.

The River is the South Tyne flowing north.

So sorry about the date mark!  I'll work on that!

See you soon!

Nora

xxx

Belated Happy New Year.....I'm back!.....(sort of!)

Hasn't it been a while?

So sorry to have deserted you.

I will answer your messages and comments and also post the finished poncho as requested, thank you for your lovely comments and concern for my absence....heart-warming.

I've been unwell since early last year, but it finally caught up with me in September and I had to stop all but everyday activities, in fact, some everyday activities too!

I want to say it was nothing serious so as not to alarm you, but this would underestimate the severity and destruction of mental illness and play down it's ability to be life threatening. But for some reason, (and I generalise as I realise not everyone is the same) generally in society we do play down mental illness. I guess we can see a broken limb, but what we can't see we don't recognise and find it hard to know how to deal with mental health issues.

Having dealt with mental illness in members of my family, I never thought it would bite my backside!

Anyway, I'm not recovered by far, I have really bad days...and for no logical reason other than my head is working through some stuff.  But I feel OK enough today to stick my head above the parapet here and say......

Hellooooo!

In the New Year, I decided that I needed to be a priority and I needed to concentrate on helping myself so that I could be well enough to get back to being a Mum, wife, housewife, friend, business manager....the list goes on!  So I decided on New Year..... New Me.......I'm kicking my butt in 3 self-worlds....craft.....home ....and body!

For home, I'm following Flylady to streamline and clean a home that has been neglected for many months.  I'm doing OK, the loft has been cleared and cleaned....yes...I CLEANED my loft!!  Along with a bulging airing cupboard.

Little Lady has a pared down room, Teenage Daughter has done her own and redecorated!

I even managed to steam clean the velux window right up in the stairwell....it involved some dubious balancing and climbing on the bannister....but I did it!!  Haha! I'm now onto the middle level (3 bedrooms, a bathroom and the hallway) I am purging, selling, charitying and only storing real treasures in the new found space in the loft....happy days!

For body, I am aiming to exercise at last 4 times a week....it is said to help mental illness and I could do with a bit of shaping here and there!  I'm not beating myself up if I don't and I have no real plan I just ask myself everyday if I fancy doing something and I do if I want and don't if I don't!  It could be walking on the school run, vigorous housework or gardening, cycling or planking or pilates exercises from my Pinterest board of 'Healthy Hints for the Lazy and Uninspired!'

I've stopped ballet for now as I couldn't make the commitment and when I didn't turn up, I beat myself with a big stick (metaphorically!), so that's on the back burner and I shall reconsider that for September.  I do occasionally slip into my pointe shoes as they make me smile.....

Lastly craft.... my UFOs (UnFinished Objects) have got a bit out of hand, so I'm setting myself a UFO challenge..... to get at least one thing a month finished. I'll try and post those on a board in Pinterest, so if you want to join the challenge, leave me a comment and we'll do our best to link up on Pinterest and you can post your photos on the 2016 UFOs Challenge board, any shared inspiration has to be good eh?  And it doesn't matter what it is....gardening, DIY, craft, hobby, food....just something that's been nagging you and you have been inspired to complete!

Part of that is also not starting or buying anything new......well....that's fallen by the wayside a couple of times already!! Tee-hee!

I can't promise I shall regularly post here, but I shall do my very best to keep in touch.

Hope you might join me for at least one of the self-world challenges....no big sticks allowed!

I shall return ......when I have something to show you...even if it's a list of UFOs so you can all help motivate me! Haha!

Until the next time...
Lots of love
Nora
xxxx

Sunset

Just had to share this lovely sunset..............

When I took the photos, I wasn't sure if you'd get the shafts of light, but you can make them out.

They reminded me of Clarice Cliff.

Over a few minutes, it gradually faded to this and then more yello, so I feel I caught it at it's best.

Gorgeous, isn't it?

I've had Tooth Fairy duties, Teenage Daughters Prom and a lot of making going on....so I will be back with some updates soon.

'Til then, byeee

Love

Nora

xxxx

Crochet finish up!

Whilst de-cluttering I not only found unfinished knitting projects, but crochet projects too.

Do you remember me making these.....

Well, shortly a after I started making another one but never finished as I ran out of yarn.

With my cushion order I told you about here, I ordered some yarn......

 to finish of this UFO.....but it was the wrong yarn!

I use some to finish this....

And I decided that, despite the colour being out and the wrong brand (!), it is still cotton and a similar colour so I will plod on and finish the crochet cushion it was bought for.

My OCD is shouting at me not too....BUT..... I have ignored it and finished!

Look......ta-Dah!

...gracing my Ercol find on eBay.

I can tell you I haven't really jarred my eye on the colour change and I'm suitably over the moon having this finished and out of my UFO pile.

Have I learnt anything? Yes....don't leave stuff unfinished, don't faff about ordering, just do it (so that you don't miss the boat on colour changes as I did with this!) and don't always listen too closely to the OCD!

Not sure what's coming next as I have 4 party gifts to make for Little Lady, her party to organise, a heap of stuff to copy and send to Ofsted, a house to run, a family to feed, a Teenage Daughter starting her GCSE exams this week...you get the picture!

See you soon,
Love
Nora
xxxx

Magnetic Pegs

I've been looking for some pretty but fairly large magnetic pegs for my fridge and freezer.

When we had the kitchen revamp I vowed to have NOTHING on them....but Little Lady was only 6 weeks old and as she's grown there are the inevitable works of art, achievements and events that have no home.  So what better to use to display them all but pretty pegs?

And after trawling the Internet and finding nothing that I liked at a price I wanted to pay, I've now got these.........

I found the pegs and some magnetic strips whilst browsing in my local The Works shop.

Here's the wrappers with the cost!.....

Not at all bad eh?

All I did was cut the strip to fit the full length of the peg and stuck it on!

So here is my newly organised fridge and freezer.........

...with space for Little Lady to use the bottom portions.

Happy Little Lady, happy Mummy & Daddy.

Catch up again soon, 

Nora

xxxx

New Year, new lounge......

That's a lie actually!

It just FEELS like a new lounge.....!

In fact it feels like 2 spaces...odd.....

Here is the before...........

Then comes the 6th January, for those of you not familiar with UK traditions, it is Twelfth Night and all Christmas Decorations must come down.

For me it is Spring Clean the Lounge Day!

I always give it a good 'do'.

This year was no exception, the sofa covers, cushion covers, quilts, blankets and blind all went in the wash, the walls, floors, skirtings, doors, handles and switches were all vacuumed and wiped. Windows, frames and sills cleaned, mirrors and furniture damp wiped and polished!  No speck of dust was left unturned!

It is then my challenge to re-arrange!

It then feels like you've moved...all fresh and new.

This is how it turned out......

(Still no covers on the sofa!!)

It smells so nice, it looks so nice.....it feels so nice!

Fresh look and fresh start.

We are all back to work and school now and a sense of normality is returning.

I am missing the madness of chaos and noise but I also love the calm of a quiet house and the time to clean, organise and appreciate my family when they return.

Hope you're getting into the swing of 2015.

See you soon,

Nora

xxxx

The story of my life at the moment

was summed up by this.......

Now known as a 'butter dish moment' it conjures up those moments and days in life when things don't go quite as you planned and yet by some miracle did not become the awfully disastrous catastrophe that you were expecting!

Needless to say that once I had got over the shock of the butter sticking to the front of the kitchen door (where it stayed for a number of minutes!!)  we all had a jolly good belly laugh about it....unbelievable!

A couple of days later I dropped the glass butter dish in this same corner of the kitchen and managed to 'catch' it with my foot which thankfully broke its fall and it slid off my foot, down my toes and slithered gracefully to the floor un-smashed!

To say I am distracted, accident prone and an utter nuisance at the moment is an understatement!!!!

Do you ever have a butter dish moment?

Hopefully this raised a smile in your neck o' the woods.

Love
Nora
xxxx

A little bit of DIY!

Brace yourselves....this is not a pretty sight!

 

Me togged up in painting garb ready to do battle with Alex's old, old and Charlie's old room!

 

They have both left us to go to University and Teenage Daughter fancied a change of room (3rd occupant!).  Charlie was happy with that (Bless him).

 

So poor old Mum has to re-decorate again!

 

Unfortunately there is no protection for my specs!

 

 

 

This is the job in hand.......

 

Why did we let the boys choose that dark blue!

 

Never mind, fill some holes, slap some paint around (Crowns Crème de la Rose) and ...............

 

Transformed to a Teenage girls haven....

 

Ta-Dah....................

 

Now to cut down the duvet cover from her double to a single because she still loves it (and no self-respecting young man would want butterflies on his bed!)

 

Next is her bedroom to be transformed for Dan!  He wants burgundy....why dark colours for boys?

 

So that's what I've been up to, that's what has kept me from making and blogging.  Am I forgiven?

 

Thankfully I've washed the paint off and I'm transformed back to my old self...... (but with added sore throat!)

 

 

Off for a nice cup of tea after all that activity!

 

By the way...this is my 100th post!

 

See you soon,

 

Nora

xxxx

 

FlyBabe!

You may have heard me mention before about FlyLady, it is an Internet site that encourages us less organised stay-at-home Mums to get into a routine for our cleaning.

Although I've only been at it about 18 months, I don't know what I did before!

Believe me....it was BAD!

Not unhealthy bad because I did it....but the way I did it was all disjointed so I was far more tired than I needed to be.

I also sought perfection, but by being perfect in some areas, other areas just didn't get done at all....so it felt like painting the Humber Bridge and NEVER having a tidy home.

Now I don't do perfection (much) and spend a timed amount of minutes to do it as good as I can every day, so everyday my home looks acceptable.....how does you loo look if a visitor popped in now?  Could they sit on the sofa?

You get me!

Anyhow.....I think the regime has been rubbing off a bit!

Take a look at this...............

 

First you brush down the loo..........

 

Then.........you wipe the seat, rim, lid etc............

 

 

 

Haha!  Cute isn't she? Only 3, and she's got it!

 

I shall remind her of this when she hits her teenage years and follows the Slob Regime with mouldy food in her room and her clothes in standard 'Floordrobe' mode!

 

See you soon,

Nora

xxxx

A new project....

...requires some purchasing...doesn't it?

And the excuse was the Lovely Mother in Law NEEDED a ball of Stylecraft Special Double Knit, there was (and still is!) a great offer over at Deramores.com of 15% off of Stylecraft....so.......not to let a discount pass me by....I, erm, well......I ordered some yarn!

Without further ado (coz I'm too excited to let this go on too long!), here it is....

(VERY dull light again today!)

 

The 2 balls top (green) and top right (lilac) are James C. Brett yarn, left over from a project my Mum made for Tiddly Toes (more of that another time).

 

These are my colours for the throw for my bed............

 

Not sure if that should be with or without the shocking pink....what do you think?  Not sure if that green is quite right either....might swap it for the James C. Brett green (top of the pile in the first pic).  What do you think about swapping?

 

I blame Rebecca. (sorry Rebecca xx)

I've been inspired by this gorgeous photo from her wonderful Hopscotch Lane blog to makeover my bedroom................

 

My OCD brain jolts at the irregularity of the popping red.  However, this photo.........

...seems a little calmer, but I think that my brain is tricking me, because there seems as much red, but it's not hitting me in quite the same way.  Don't know why.  Anyway, those are my inspiration for a change of bedroom decor.

 

We have all Shaker style Walnut bedroom furniture (not solid wood unfortunately), but the grain is nice for fake stuff!  So to keep light and airy and go with the woodland theme that's around (without getting too childish).  I've decided (I think!) on this wallpaper from Laura Ashley...........

 

 

..........it's called Cottonwood, it has a lovely pearlescent sheen.  That's going behind the bed.  On the remaining walls....well, there's another story!

 

I wanted to take a look at eco paints as I get really bed headaches (and sometimes vomiting!) when decorating and had heard that normal paint emits gases into your home for up to five years (is this why I have felt unwell for the last few years?), so read this article.

 

Having followed the links to other sites, I was quite taken aback to discover that Painters and Decorators suffer from high incidences of lung cancer....nice!

 

Do I really want the conventional stuff in my home!?  I'm a bit late coming to this as it's been well know for a couple of decades, but Petro-chemical companies aren't going to let the shaggy dog tell you that now, are they?

 

I've found 2 cracking paints called NaturePaint and earthBorn paint.  One is ready mixed, the other is a powder you mix with water....saves transporting water around!  Although they are more expensive, I think my family and I are worth it.

 

Well after a bit of a break from the blog (I have been keeping up with you guys though), it is nice to be back with a share.

 

I've got some makes and bakes coming soon, so I'll see you again shortly.

 

Nora

xxxx

 

Mr Blue Sky......

Yes, you did read that correctly....BLUE SKY!

The odd little fluffy white cloud, but on the whole, Beautiful Blue-ness....

 

...and sunshine!  Wonderful!  I can smell Spring just around the corner......*sigh*.  Bliss and smiles here in West Sussex.

 

I have nothing else to share just now as it has been a bit mad here....MIL down for a fortnight (delayed by the snow) but but wonderful coincidence means she is here whilst The Hubs is away on business...hate not having him around.  Not been feeling great, nor have the girls, nor has MIL!  Been sewing and will share the whys and whatnots of that soon.

 

In the meantime enjoy the sun if you have it xxxx

Nora

 

Bringing Spring in....

.... can't wait for it to arrive....so that seemed the ONLY solution to the
un-Christmas-y-fied bare lounge.

Whilst I was out and about in town I treated myself to a little bit of Spring.

They, yes, THEY were bought from a wonderful little market type stall that resides under the arches near a railway bridge...funny little place, but they sell great plants and flowers and eggs.

So here are my lovely Spring-y treats when I first bought them home.....

...a lovely bunch of daffodils and........

 

a pot of hyacinths.  So chuffed!

 

After I housework-ed the other day, I decided a sit down was in order and as I walked towards the sofa realised I had flowers either side and behind it...what a delight!

Look.......

 

 

.... my poinsettia from my birthday (I haven't killed it yet!)

 

 

a lovely vase of those mini carnation things (sorry no idea what they are called...so that's my best description!), and......

 

 

(not sure how the date and time appeared on these photos as

it's never done it before!  Little fiddling fingers methinks!)

 

...a smashing bunch of daffs...oh! and my super teapot for one with bucket sized cup of Earl Grey....................mmmmmmmmmmmm!

 

Sip and relax!

 

Unfortunately Spring-mania was short lived as yesterday this........

 

 

arrived...yes, snow!  And tomorrow there's supposed to be another 4 inches more (at least).  So expect some snow-y snaps in the next week or so.

 

A little craft update...I have finally decided on the fabrics for the Melman Quilt.  I have also run up a table den for the kids at our Out of School Club, so I'll show you that soon as well...PLUS!...I had a bit of a moment and decided to crochet a cupcake hat!  It went quite well and I'm happy, but I have discovered a few things along the way so I am now running up another for Tiddly Toes with a few modifications!

 

So, there we are.  If you're having a dose of the White Stuff, stay warm and eat your cupboards bare!  If not, the enjoy whatever you've got, craft on (and let me know what you're creating...PLEASE!) and keep well, until the next time,

Nora

xx

Advent...and we're off!

 

Yes, it is here!!  Hoorah!

I love it!

I wanted to make a special advent calendar this year BUT...time ran away again!

MIL fills a snowman advent calendar for the kids every year, this year it was decided to do it for just the girls and get the boys just choccie advents.  MIL put the Santa somewhere safe...so safe, she couldn't find it!!  Hahahaha!  I did laugh!  She thinks it's old age, so I had to set her straight and let her into the secrets of the things that I put somewhere safe and can never find again (until, that is, you are doing something totally unrelated and then find it in the most obscure place!!!)

I knew I had a fabric advent calendar, and I knew where it was!!!

I had a rummage in the loft for it and discovered that we had had furry visitors who had nibbled a couple of the hanging bits of it right off!  Couldn't even find them!

Look....

 

Here's a close up of their handiwork!!

 

Little.....*muttley muttering*.....mice!

 

Anyways....I grabbed some ribbon the same colour as the sky, seam ripped the bottom of the calendar, turned it inside out, rotary cut the top off, restitched the top with ribbon angers in place, turned the right way round, pressed, sewed up the open seam and........

 

here it is filled with chocs and an Advent activity.......

(gosh these photos aren't good are they? )

 

And here are Granny's (MILs) pressies in our Christmas Dish for the girls to pick out on their day (Tiddly Toes is odd number days and Teenage Daughter evens!)

 

 

And the Advent activity for Day 1 was to write to Santa!

 

This is Tiddly Toes offering (Teenage Daughters is on the computer!  Technology...pfft!)  She even managed to sign her own name without any help...oh! and 2 kisses for Santa too!  Bless.

 

Advent activity for Day 2 was to go to Tiddly Toes pre-school Christmas Fair, sadly I couldn't go as I was ill in bed, but she had a lovely time with Daddy and Teenage Daughter and this is what she came back with............

 

......a balloon, hot chocolate for 2, a bracelet, a Santa springer and 2 Christmas tree decorations that she had made....ah!  Lovely!

 

Advent Activity Day 3 (today!) was to make a Christmas Garland, I found an old bookazine filled with lots of lovely, good quality papers and ripped out the ones that were greens, pinks and whites.  I chopped across the A4 pages to about 3cm strips, we got out the glue stick, like this......

 

...and in no time at all already had the start of something beautiful going on......

 

Here's the pile down to the last 6 chains!

 

And here it is hanging across the ceiling in our lounge with some other gorgeous paper decorations that I found in Wilkinsons for £1-£1.50 each!

 

 

Well, that's us so far....can't wait to see what tomorrows activity is!

 

Are you doing something special for Advent?

 

Going to leave you with this slightly smudged but rather cute image of Tiddly Toes after another school Christmas Fair on Friday where I did face-painting......

 

 

Shame she has a cold and had to keep wiping her nose!!!

 

Until the next time....have fun!

 

Nora

xx