It's Time To Do It...

Hi Readers,

This is sort of a sequel to my last post, as it prompted a lot of thought, but more importantly, some action. We often have time on our hands, but often don't use this time to get things done.

We al have things to do that forever get put off because there are always "more important things to do"

Agree?

I've been a great list maker each day of the things I need to get done at work or at home, and some tasks are perennial list cloggers! Just like that player on your AFL list that is always there, only plays the occasional game/s and never seems to get delisted.

So, these holidays I decided to have a crack at getting my list cloggers done. Admittedly, I knew that I was going to be around as I couldn't make plans to go away as I have been waiting to see when my surgeon is booking me in for my next renovation. Previous experience has been that I have been booked in with a few weeks notice, but then my last one was only 2 days notice. So, I sort of knew that I would be able to knock over a few jobs that have been front and centre. Some are minor, others more challenging as you'll soon see.

Possibly the kickstarter was selling Jen's car.

We bought this car for Jen 2 years ago and she only had it for one week before her diagnosis. She only got to drive it for a few days as she was immediately put into hospital and wasn't able to drive it again.

After her passing there was obviously no need for me to have two cars, so I put both hers and mine up for sale to see which one would sell first. As it turned out, mine sold quickly so I kept hers for the time being, but placed an order for a new car as hers was too small for me and my future plans.

My new car was taking ages to arrive (it still hasn't, so I bought something different that I'm happier with anyway) so now I was stuck with two cars again.

In the 12 months since we lost Jen I had only 2-3 serious inquiries about her car, but as the car market was changing as the Covid restrictions were lifting, I was beginning to think I'd never sell it. Lo and behold, in the week that I took delivery of my new car, I managed to sell Jen's to a lovely lady here in Bendigo. I did take a hit price wise, but was still happy with the sale. Maybe a special angel was looking over me that week.

I have to admit that it was a hard decision to part with her car, but as I said, it was too small for the plans I have in moving forward. Watching it drive away did pull at the heart strings, but I know that he lady who bought it is happy with it.

So there we are, my first major job done.

I think this gave me the strength to begin the next job, one that I have tried so many times to do but have stopped as soon as I have started.

Cleaning out Jen's wardrobe.

I just can't call it "getting rid of Jen's things" as some people say to me, but every time I see them it is hard to take as well.

Selling her car was the impetus and I now knew that the time was right. A few days beforehand I was in Melbourne, and the very visual sight of the many homeless people wearing scrappy clothes prompted me to begin the process. Jen was always a massive supporter of Vinnies and regularly donated anything that she didn't wear much, so where to take them was an easy decision.

Now the hard part. As soon as I started to take various pieces off the coat hangers or out of the drawers I was immediately flooded with memories of when she was wearing that particular piece. Not every single item of course, but pretty much each item that she wore most, or on special occasions. This was something out of my control and really surprised me. At times a smile would be on my face, most other times I'd get shiny eyes or even a few tears. I knew that I had to keep going, but I didn't just stuff the items into the garbage bags. I took time to reminisce about the ones that brought back the most memories. After gathering quite a few bags it was off to Vinnies and even that was hard to do. People have told me that I should take them to a different town so that I don't see the clothes on someone else, but for the life of me I don't think that I'd recognise them on someone else. If anything, I'm just happy to see them being put to good use by people who need them. They aren't benefitting anyone by sitting in our wardrobe. I'm also sure that Jen would have done the same with my clothes had the roles been reversed.

Not everything went however. I have kept just a few items hanging up to remember her by, ones that instantly bring back all that was so great about her.

Car done. Clothes done. Now the Study.

This has stared me down each time I head to the garage to get into the car. Two desks, two chairs and lots of files and school supplies etc.

Just like the clothes ( I went through my stuff first to find items to donate) I went through my part of the study and cleaned out anything that could go.

Then I started with Jen's things, files etc. 

Likewise with the clothes, there were a number of emotions stirred as I went though bags, files, drawers etc and removed things that were outdated or no longer needed.

Similarly, I have kept a few items in there of hers just to maintain her memory.

I think that getting these three jobs done at the start of the holidays has been a massive icebreaker for me and enabled me to get other things done now. If I'd left them too late in the hols then there is every chance that they wouldn't get done at all.

There is a huge feeling of guilt attached to clearing out many of her things and that still troubles me, but the fact that they are going to someone else who needs them is a consoling factor.

Now the other tasks....

The warmer weather means good conditions for a hobby of mine, Home Brewing.

Without really checking the stash in the shed, I went and got two barrels going and they'll be ready to bottle in the next day or so.

I even put them in the spare bathroom where the temperature is better, I hope Jen won't mind!!

After doing this I ventured out into the shed to tidy up my stash so that I had room for the 120 stubbies that would come from these two barrels.

I must have been a bit slack over the past 12 months in calculating how much beer, cider and ginger beer I might need, because my storage system has been somewhat neglected .

Imagine my shock when I actually find that I have hundreds of stubbies of beer, cider and ginger beer, and now I'm going to add another 120!!!

And some of them date back 2 years ! (They still taste good though)

I think I may have just got into the habit of continually making, and not using. Sort of a compound interest in beer making.

If only my bank accounts did the same!!

Looks like I might need to invite some people around one night to have a crack at them!

It's amazing how when you start one job, you notice another that needs doing.

As I sit in my lounge room lately I've been noticing some of those pesky Indian Mynah birds hovering around a corner of the roof of our house. As the weather has been so nice lately, I got the ladder out to investigate, thinking that they might be trying to nest in there. Upon getting up, much to my relief there was no chance of this happening, but I did notice a few weeds growing in the guttering, so I pulled them out and threw them down on the grass. Then I noticed a few more, then more still. A quick job to check for a nest resulted in the guttering getting a good clean out. 

But those birds still remain🤬

And what do they say about people over the age of 45 going up ladders!!

Now that my gutters were clean, I now had the weeds tossed over my shoulder and strewn across the lawn.

I'd been thinking about mowing the lawn this weekend (okay, procrastinating) so now that it looked so messy I just got onto it straight away.

Another job done.

I also had a large stack of wall and floor tiles that we were going to use in a renovation of our last house, but sold it before the reno's were done. As well as an expensive marble bathroom sink that was going to be installed.

I've been writing this on my list almost weekly, "Sell the tiles and sink", so while I was on a roll I sat down and placed ads for them.

No replies yet, but at least another of those finicky jobs to do that just never seem to get done.

I mentioned in my last post that I actually found the weeding of the lawns an enjoyable task, and looking out the window now I see that some of the "Spring Weed Specialists" are back, so a few hours out there with the radio on beckons in the next few days.

So Readers, what's in this for you?

Have you got a "List"? 

Things to do that need to be done, but the sky won't fall if they don't get done?

Time on your hands to do them?

I just took the view after selling Jen's car that now is the time to do these things, and that I needed to commit to doing them as I had the time.

For sure, I was quickly able to think of other things to do instead, but the liberating feeling of accomplishing things that have been on my radar for so long has been so refreshing.

The minor tasks such as the lawns, the gutters and the beers haven't caused as much angst, but the cleaning out of the wardrobe was quite an emotionally draining experience. I won't call that a task because I see it as something so much more important.

Okay then readers, I hope that you can now commit to making the time to get one or more of those annoying tasks on your lists done today! I surprised myself with how quickly I got some of them done yesterday.

In finishing, and with no particular relevance to this post, I must share a photo I took in Melbourne last week. This bloke obviously likes a stretch and there is no place where he is shy to do it, Even at the tram stop in Bourke Street!!

Until my next post,

Cheers    😁