September/October Aims and Goals Update

I've come to the conclusion that I'm most productive at the beginning of each month, perhaps I see each month as a new start and I can forget about the things I haven't accomplished in the previous month and think about all the new things I'd like to achieve in the days ahead.

Last month I listed my goals and aims for the year and although it's taking me a little longer to establish a routine here is what I have achieved so far.

Home wise, I've been making a list of all the jobs that need doing around the house in an old notebook and we've been managing to cross a few off. 

Last month we finally put up the coat rack that had been sitting in the shed for the past 5-7 years. It still needs painting along with the panelling but it has made such a difference.

With five people in our home there are numerous coats and what appears to be hundreds of shoes! Since this photo we  have also bought a new shoe bench with cubby holes and a place to sit. I have officially become the shoe police as there is only room for 8 pairs of shoes, the rest have to go back in their rooms. We also repurposed a plastic outdoor storage trunk which had housed Tomas's Bob the Builder toys but it makes the perfect outdoor home for walking boots, I just need to decide where to put it now!

We bought new storage boxes for the patio, I've wanted a bench or seat on the patio for some time and needed a more practical place to put the garden toys that would be easy to get to rather that having to climb over bikes and the lawn mower in the outhouse.

We decided to go for the Keter bench, 

storage box and small shed, 

which were on offer at Homebase, I ordered them online and dispatched Paul to collect them then it was my job to put them all together. 

They were fairly easy and didn't take me long, I didn't want to just throw all the toys in so I re used the Ikea tubs we had they fitted perfectly inside both benches.

I've hidden the small shed around the back of the conservatory we don't use this patio at all but having now realised that most of my gardens tools are too tall for the shed I'm thinking I might put Tomas' bike and cars in there instead and either buy a nice wooden sentry box shed or put up brackets in the outhouse and keep the garden tools with the lawnmower. If you are thinking of buying from Keter I have to say that their customer service was brilliant the lid of the small shed was cracked when I opened the packaging at home, I phoned them up and they sent a replacement out within about 5 days! 

So far this month I have painted the back door and frame, I did say that I'm better at the start of the month didn't I, it stills needs a second coat but I just need to wait until we have a few dry days before finishing it off. 

I also bought some pots to put by the door and I just need to put something in them now.

I'm thinking it might have to be artificial as although the porch faces west and get lots of sun in the afternoon I don't think it will be enough for any plants to thrive. If any of you green fingered ladies know what I could plant then please let me know.

Tomas and I also painted the driveway gates and fence, he did a really good job especially as I'm not very good at sharing my paintbrush!

This was day one and gives you an idea of what they looked liked before and after.

Photography wise, I still haven't sat down and had a look at my course but I did venture out with my camera both in September when I spied these "fun guys"

and then most recently at the weekend when Tomas and I went conker picking.

The conkers were  ready to burst from their spiky outer cases and a few nearly landed on our heads!

Tomas found a stick and we managed to knock a few from their branches

he then decided to use the spiky cases as missiles to hit some of the conkers that were out of reach.

Taking aim!

Health and food wise, I can't say I've been good or bad I've just enjoyed eating good food and I've tried another risotto recipe which was a chicken and lemon pepper one and it was delicious. I'm making another one tomorrow I just haven't decided which one yet.

I think I may have found a yoga class to go to as one of the mums at Tomas' school is going to be running a class straight after school drop off once a week so I just need to find out all the details and I'll be ready to give it a try. I've also added a Fitbit to my christmas list in a bid to increase my daily activity and after reading how Amy from Love Made My Home has been getting on with hers.

Craft wise I've been a bit slow getting going with this one but I have managed to sort more of my stash in my new studio and tidy some more things away. I was quite ruthless with my cross stitch charts and unfinished kits, only keeping what I really like and want to finish and putting the unused ones on eBay for someone else to enjoy. Today I finally started sewing again and I spent the whole day behind my sewing machine making an apron and I think this was the kick start I needed and I'm looking forward to more sewing days ahead.

Early nights wise I've made more of an effort to go to bed between 10 and 11pm but it's been a bit hit and miss so I do need to keep trying with this.

Routine and To Do List wise, all I'll say is if this was a school report it would say "could try harder"!!!

I do think I've got out of the habit of using the computer in the evenings as it's far too easy to sit in the living room with my phone and the TV which is why I haven't been blogging very much but I was thinking perhaps I should think of my blog more like Facebook and Instagram and just post snippets of my day as and when they happen rather than planning some big post that I never get round to posting because either there is now too much to say or it happened so long ago even I've forgotten about it.