Things I've learnt this week

I've learnt that it's not just work that brings out the inner procrastinator in me. I can, and will, procrastinate about anything given the chance. This includes - but is in no way limited to - washing up, putting away, exercising (actually that's not a big surprise), shopping for specific things and, of course, cleaning. I am, however, turning into a little bit of a list-maker. Well, lists in my head anyway. So far I'm still too busy procrastinating to put them on paper.

I've also discovered I have an alarming addiction to buying flowers. In fact there's a very real risk that if I don't get my own garden soon I may have to start frying the old bunches up and serving them for dinner as I won't be able to afford groceries. That and the fact I keep forgetting what I went shopping for the second I clap eyes on the flowers. Ooops.

Budget

I'm doing up a budget. Well, at least I'm attempting to track our spending for a month or so to see where our money actually goes. Aside from into Puddleduck's tutu collection. It's such a depressing thought I can barely bring myself to do it. I figure some cool software might just help me over the line and towards cold hard figures onto a spreadsheet. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Or should I just keep my head in the sand and ensure I can keep sleeping well at night?

First day

Today is my first day as a lady of leisure. I'm just a teensy bit excited. Actually, I'm so excited I can hardly sit still. Which really isn't conducive to my plan to lie on the couch all day and read books in peace.

So I'm making a list of things I now have the time to do properly.

I can finally go through all my food magazines and pull out recipes that seem yummy (and achievable given I'm only a domestic goddess in training). I can even file and index them if the mood takes me (unlikely). Better yet I can meal plan. I'm told this is essential to becoming a fully fledged domestic goddess.

I can go to IKEA and buy jars and other random things I never get time to look at and find uses for. I am sure I have all sorts of things that will look lovely in jars.

I can attempt to create some semblance of order in the attic. That's if I can actually get past the stairs without a giant pile of books and clothes and toys falling on me and burying me forever.

I can sort my wardrobe out. Get rid of things that I haven't worn for ten years and the things that no longer do up without a seam bursting. I can colour code and hang in categories. Actually, first things first - I can take great big piles of clothes to the ironing man. Then maybe I can tackle sorting and hanging.

I feel so virtuous planning to do all these things. And surely planning is almost as good as doing them? So it doesn't really matter that I have spent my entire first morning drinking coffee and wandering around Surry Hills, does it?

Walking off into the sunset

On Friday I walked off into the sunset. I left work behind and haven't looked back. It helps that first thing Saturday morning we jetted off to warmer climes and spent the weekend just chilling. I've been able to wean myself from my blackberry without any withdrawals. I'm so used to being on holiday and still checking my blackberry and sending emails, but this time it seems perfectly natural to be blackberry free.

It also seems as though work is a million miles away. It's not uncommon for me to dream about it, but since Friday I've slept like a log and can honestly say I haven't thought about it at all.

It's bliss.

Now it's time to get stuck into the post-work bucket list.

Nothing to wear

Why is it that my wardrobe can be technically bursting at the seams, but I never have anything to wear? Why do clothes that I want to wear just randomly disappear into thin air only to reappear two weeks later when I don't want to wear them?

I'm going to the theatre tonight and I just can't find anything to wear. Nothing looks any good. Nothing fits and nothing says 'night at the theatre with a gorgeous girlfriend'. All my dresses are either too dressy or not dressy enough. My pants remind me of work and who the heck knows where all my skirts are hiding? Even if I could find my skirts I can't think of what tops I might wear with them.

So I've added wardrobe organisation to my post-retirement bucket list. If I do manage to organise my wardrobe it will be a minor miracle. Keeping it organised will be a miracle so major that someone seeking sainthood really should consider claiming it as one of their three miracles.

If only I had the ability of a toddler to throw on any combination of items in their wardrobe and totally rock the look. Then I wouldn't have to throw toddler-esque tantrums about having nothing to wear.

Stopping to smell the roses

I've started to make my 'bucket list' of things I want to do during my 'retirement'. Things I never really find time to do now - or at least to do properly. Attending to my blogs is right up at the top of the list. As is reading and following other people's. I love reading about other people's adventures and thoughts and loves. It's a bit like reality television without the trash.

I often read about blogger's fatigue - where they've diligently blogged and shared daily for a long time but life is finally catching up with them and they need a break. They need to step back and reinvigorate themselves. Blogging has become a job in a sense (oh I can but dream).

I'm the same except in reverse. I'm dying to blog daily. Not that I flatter myself people will want to read my random rants and thoughts on a daily basis, but I want to write them all the same. Bring on blogger's fatigue!
ps how gorgeous are these roses? I walked to the shop the other day to get some bread rolls for lunch and walked away with all these roses ... and totally forgot the bread rolls! Oops!

Wanderlust: Falling through the cracks of the system

Wanderlust: Falling through the cracks of the system

When I started Puddleduck's Basket I very enthusiastically joined the blogging 'community' through Digital Parents and started following a whole heap of Mummy blogs. Typically, life was always just that little bit too crazy for me to consistently keep up and my following fell into abeyance.

As part of my new focus on the small things and taking time for myself, I've tried to rekindle my connection with these blogs - some of them are inspiring, some are hilarious and some are humbling.

Some, like Wanderlust, are beyond words. Read this post from Kristin. Read more too if you have time, but if you don't, please just read this one. Her strength is beyond description.