Happy half-term break!

[SueJ]

All this talk of SEFs - I'm beginning to feel left out! Almost want one of my own... Currently reads

 

Wider, greyer, heavier, shabbier and tireder than she really ought to be. Full of both toffee and good intentions. Needs to have more realistic aspirations in all areas.

 

Is that the kind of thing a SEF should have in it?

Now come on Froglet where is your impact statement. After a week navvying I think my personal SEF should be

Kn*****ed, aching, sore and dirty and feeling every one of my extensive years, bubbling with diet coke (easy to just slug from the bottle when you are at the bottom of the garden and can't be a***d to trundle back to the house to make tea ) and distracted from main task too easily (why when you start one gardening job do others just pop up out of nowhere?).

Impact - Shows willingness to persevere and undertake new and challenging activities resulting in the transformation of what was once an inadequate patch of gravel.

Action Plan - Have massage and consider how to turn a blind eye to odd jobs and in the spring sit back and enjoy the drifts of daffodils and crocus

[Froglet]

Now come on Froglet where is your impact statement. After a week navvying I think my personal SEF should be

Kn*****ed, aching, sore and dirty and feeling every one of my extensive years, bubbling with diet coke (easy to just slug from the bottle when you are at the bottom of the garden and can't be a***d to trundle back to the house to make tea ) and distracted from main task too easily (why when you start one gardening job do others just pop up out of nowhere?).

Impact - Shows willingness to persevere and undertake new and challenging activities resulting in the transformation of what was once an inadequate patch of gravel.

Action Plan - Have massage and consider how to turn a blind eye to odd jobs and in the spring sit back and enjoy the drifts of daffodils and crocus

OK, will get working on it - I've never done one of these SEF thingies before and based on what I read here I've got at least 3 years before I need to say I've finished it! My current action plan after finally finishing all my planning at an unmentionable hour last night (this morning!) is to get dressed and contemplate which yeast based product I shall be baking next... Our IT technician is in school on Monday too and I promised him that I'd make him some millionaire's shortbread the next time he was in. I need to go furniture shopping and food shopping and I desperately need some new pyjamas!

[sunnyday]

OK, will get working on it - I've never done one of these SEF thingies before and based on what I read here I've got at least 3 years before I need to say I've finished it!

Oh - at least 3 years - it doesn't do to rush these things! :rolleyes:

I've been fairly 'virtuous' so far today - have vacuumed (downstairs only - don't want to overdo it :blink: ), ironed, put washing on (will just cause more ironing ), cleaned kitchen and bathroom (ah need to mop floors yet :blink:) , written plan for Monday (hooray), have dealt with paperwork (not pre-school related), need to make nice fresh play-dough for Monday next (that will just 'mess up' kitchen again).........might even get some tulip bulbs planted this afternoon :1b

[Rea]

I'm back!!

Fabulous week away with friends even though at passport control in Palma my friend received a phone call telling her her dad had died that morning. Very sad time but she decided to enjoy herself, he'd been ill for years and had said he was fed up with it. She'd seen him before we flew and she had told her hubby she didnt think he would be alive in the morning. She'd said goodbye and had a hug and a kiss. PM showed he died in his sleep, he just stopped! What a way to go!

We drank the ship dry and laughed so much we invested in some Tena Lady!

Photo I took yesterday morning as the sun rose

 

[Panders]

Ahh Rea glad you are back safely. Similar thing happened to one of my friends a few weeks ago, her dad insisted she went away for the weekend and he passed away on the day she travelled back. It's meant to be sometimes

[Upsy Daisy]

We had a lovely week away in Yorkshire although I didn't bump into any other forum Daisies as far as I am aware.

We took my dad back to the house where he grew up and a few landmarks we recognised from some family photos plus visits to some family we hadn't seen for years.

Yorkshire was stunning and we had lots of sunshine which added to our enjoyment. We got a halloween train ride, a lovely walk to Malham Cove where small daughter got to sit on the limestone pavement where some of Harry Potter was filmed. She also got a lovely canter across the heather on the moors at Nidderdale and came back on a high! She's making plans to live there when she's older B)

I had forgotten how beautiful Yorkshire was and am now rather envious of those who get to see those stunning views every day

We came back today in time to make rice crispie cakes and take them to a friend's bonfire party. What a lovely way to round off the week.

 

[Froglet]

Sounds like a lovely trip Upsy. Well it's the last day for me and a bit grey but my plans include lots of cooking: soup and bread for lunch this week, caramel shortbread for the IT technician and ginger chicken for tea tonight. I might even get to do something crafty - not sure what haven't done any for ages! I might even move my books back downstairs to my new shelves in the living room! What is everyone else up to? SEF avoidance, gardening?!

[finleysmaid]

cooking full xmas diner for my daughters bday! :blink:

[Upsy Daisy]

Back to reality today. A shoe shopping trip with the same daughter - the least enthusiastic shopper in the world. Oh joy!

[Froglet]

cooking full xmas diner for my daughters bday! :blink:

My mum did that once for my brother's birthday meal request - including the pudding! He also used to request a "fresh sponge cake" because he loved them when they were just out the oven only having cooled long enough to put jam in!

 

Back to reality today. A shoe shopping trip with the same daughter - the least enthusiastic shopper in the world. Oh joy!

Upsy - I have every sympathy - I'm a horrible clothes shopper and I hate taking myself shopping! Good luck!

[sunnyday]

cooking full xmas diner for my daughters bday! :blink:

Oh my life - once a year is enough for me!

[Panders]

Oh my life - once a year is enough for me!

Though, strangely, less pressure! Perhaps the lead up to Christmas just makes it seem as if it has to be just right, - I always try to say it's just a normal roast dinner with bells on to keep calm!

[SueJ]

Well I've finished my garden project and now just have to wait until the spring to see if it's worked - project comprised:

• Clear area to move gravel to
• Sift 1 tonne of gravel and move to cleared area
• Extend york stone paving (dear me are they heavy) :blink:
• Repair york stone pathway
• Re-edge pathway with wood bits on a roll
• Sort out area that gravel used to be on (approx 20m square) raking, flattening, sifting, weeding, clearing ivy etc. and saving snowdrops
• Plant area that gravel used to be on with huge sack of daffy bulbs, crocus corms and saved snowdrops - approx 300 bulbs in total - break cheap rubbish bulb hole maker in the process :rolleyes:
• Shift 21 rolls of turf delivered to kerbside to back garden (look like drunk as you wheel extraordinarily heavy wheelbarrow with only three rolls of turf in it down garden)
• Lay turf - ignore rain and look on the bright side that the new turf won't need watering
• Feel every single aching muscle as shower off dirt
• Enjoy being able do knotch belt one hole tighter (this has been a workout and a half this week)
• Enjoy sense of achievement in a job done

I do sooooo hope that come the spring I shall be able to enjoy my "spring garden" :1b :1b

Well done everyone else lucky enough to have half term who took some time out away from work to do something different - good luck to those who had to go shopping and hope the Christmas dinner was a success.

Tomorrow we begin again

[sunnyday]

Wow - that was one impressive to do list there Sue! :1b

My week has been far more leisurely

I feel ready to go back tomorrow - quite looking forward to it :1b

Good luck everyone!