A Week Off

Evening light

I had last week off work. I have so much annual leave owing, plus long service leave, that I decided to have a whole week off, not for any particular reason, but just because I could.

I had thoughts of clearing up and cleaning the house, tidying in the garden, planning a couple of new veg beds.

In the event, I did very little at all. 

I got out into the garden on a couple of sunny days, but not for long. After 10 or 15 minutes my hands were so cold I had to come back inside. 

I did do a little tidying, but no deep cleaning. I sorted out a couple of boxes of things to go to new homes, but no more. I did sweep and wash the floors in the laundry, toilet, bathroom and kitchen, but absolutely did not do the proper cleaning of the carpets I had intended to do. I have not tidied up the cables around the TV, though I have bought a cable tidy box.

In terms of productivity, it was a complete failure. In terms of a week of lazing around, drinking tea, watching TV, pottering on the internet, general inactivity, it was a considerable success.

I did some Japanese classes. I did not go to any water exercise. I dropped Stella's death certificate off at the solicitor, so her estate may eventually be sorted out. I collected bags for Ballarat's soft plastic recycling pilot, which I had registered for and been accepted on. I am now collecting soft plastics with enthusiasm. I have ordered a second electric throw, to live on my chair in the dining room. I went shopping and played around with some new recipes.

Oh - and I had a phone call from the estate agency that we bought this place from. He was, I think, just checking in, in case I wanted anything estate agency-like. I asked if it was worth re-doing the bathroom and he suggested that it would be very expensive and if I wasn't going to gain any benefit from it myself then it probably wasn't worth it. I had been thinking of getting rid of the bath (which has never once been used as a bath) and replacing it with a second toilet, plus, of course, updating the shower and basin. I almost never have a need for two toilets so I might not bother, although I might follow up Jim's idea of covering the bath and using it as a shelf. He was planning to do that before he got sick but of course it didn't happen. And I might think about having the kitchen redecorated instead of tackling the bathroom.

Lindsey and I went out to the Meredith pub for lunch yesterday, again, just because we could. Ian couldn't join us.  I had one of the nicest pieces of snapper that I've had in a very long time. Lindsey had lamb backstrap, which I had a taste of and which was also very delicious.

I'm back at work this week, and the calendar is also full of lots of social activities. I might have to take next week off to recover from the upcoming busy social whirl!

Eating snapper at the Meredith
Pub - and looking surprisingly
grumpy given how delicious it was
(Photo by Lindsey)