Perfectamundo

I had a perfectly busy day at the shop.

Very unusual for a Saturday morning!

I sold a lot of clothes today. This is fortuitous because I have new stock coming next week and now I have spare coat hangers to hang them on.

I ordered 60 new hangers from IKEA over a week ago and I received an email today telling me that they will arrive on 23rd August. The last time I ordered online, they were here 4 days later so I’m a bit annoyed, but it can’t be helped.

So my desk is still a mess. There was no time for cleaning today but I took small moments of opportunity to toss obvious rubbish, put all the papers in a pile and put loose pens in the caddy. Not really enough to make a difference but at least I feel like I’ve made a start.

The morning passed very quickly and it was nice to come home and put my feet up to watch the footy. So far I have a perfect round … along with everybody else in the tipping comp! But this is my joker round so I have double points haha!

Sadly regional NSW has now been forced into Covid lockdown for at least seven days. For the moment we are again the lucky ones and life is pretty normal for us.

I’m looking forward to a lazy Sunday. I’ll do some more life journaling, some study, some playing, some reading and some napping. I may even do some art.

For now, it’s approaching midnight and it’s time for me to sleep.

Nite all.

Change of Pace

A very quiet day in the shop today.

I made a large green juice to start my day. Mint, celery, cucumber, spinach, apple, coconut water and water. The cheap little blender that I bought for the shop works really well.

For lunch I ate a big bowl of strawberries and blueberries with some lactose free cream.

I finally completed some big items on my ‘to do’ list so I feel like I achieved a lot.

The Brains Trust paid me a visit which was lovely!

I paid some bills, did some filing, cleared some emails, washed the dishes, emptied the bins, made a list of orders, listed the deliveries due next week, emailed a stack of info to the accountant, stapled biz cards to my carry bags and started to clear my desk.

This afternoon I made myself comfy on the couch and wrote 5 pages to add to my life journal - which is coming together nicely.

I watched the first game of footy while Adoring Husband slept on the chair beside me.

Now I’m watching my team play a very tight game against the Roosters. I’ve tipped against my team so I’m torn! The score is currently 18 - all.

I’m craving a big block of Cadbury Snack chocolate! It’s been a lot of years since I’ve had one of those so I don’t know why that has entered my head. Maybe I need to order some more Poppy’s chocolates for myself!

It’s time for me to sleep now … 5 minutes left in the game and Roosters are leading by one point.

Nite all.

Picking Up Speed

On the weekend, I ordered for my girls who are in lockdown, a selection of specialty chocolates.

I had sampled the chocolates first and I was going order a second box for myself, but when I got to the website I decided that they would be a nice gift for the family instead.

I had an idea for my son too, but he’s not in lockdown, so he missed out.

They received their packages today and it seems they are very happy with the deliciousness.

I had another very busy day at work with lots of customers, a delivery of stock and I finally got a couple of things marked off my ‘to do’ list. I also had a visit from a lady in town whose husband has PD and she drops by every couple of months to vent and share.

The men’s shed representative dropped in to check on his consignment, as did the bread board/timber work man. I handed over the money owing to them and put in some special orders.

I’ve attempted to created a men’s display area ready for Father’s Day.

Again the day flew by, my list is still long, my desk is still a mess but sales were very good and that eases the pain somewhat.

Next week is going to be REALLY busy with four deliveries of stock due, so I’d best get that list cleared and my desk cleaned in the next couple of days!

My feet are up, Adoring Husband is at SES training and I am watching The Bachelor.

I can hear my pillow calling my name so I’ll watch the last 30 minutes in bed.

Nite all.

To Don’t List

Once again, my ‘to do’ list didn’t get done.

It didn’t even get started!

Meditation was enlightening and turned into a long morning catch up for the girls and a meaningful morning conversation between The Gypsy and I.

They had all left by 10.30am and from there I was flat out busy.

Sales were excellent, I had three visitors and the last customer left ten minutes after my usual closing time.

I felt a bit flustered because absolutely nothing else got done and there is MORE added to my list for tomorrow.

I put a chicken in the oven for dinner and then sat down to do some paperwork, which I discovered upon completion, didn’t need to be done!

Ugh!

We watched a silly movie and I reheated last nights mash, cooked some broccoli and made a delicious gravy to go with the chicken. It was a tasty dinner.

We watched the Farmer Wants a Wife reunion and then hit the bed.

I’m feeling pretty weary now and it’s after 11pm so…

Nite all.

Fill The Day

It was nice to have so many girls for coffee this morning and I actually got to sit with them for quite a lot of the first hour.

BUT

I forgot that I had a sales rep coming at 10am.

He was supposed to come last week, but the lockdown in SE QLD put a stop to that. Because the lockdown only ended on Sunday, I wasn’t even sure if he was coming and he certainly didn’t confirm, so it was a bit of a surprise when he turned up.

The girls got to see some of the clothes that I was selecting from and I was guided by their responses and reactions when choosing.

On his last visit, this rep was with me for about 3.5 hours, but this visit only lasted for two.

I purchased some of the clothes that he had on hand and I ordered some colourful leather lady’s wallets from a brand that I’ve been eyeing off for a year or two..

He left at 12.30pm and no sooner had he walked out the door when The Artful Dodger came for a visit and 5 minutes later a regular customer walked through the door. So I spent the next 20 minutes back and forth between the two of them.

I steamed, priced and displayed some of the clothes that I’d just purchased. Of course I selected one of the tops for myself!

I cleared the kitchen of most of the art brushes, cups, sticks and palettes that we washed on Saturday. 

Next thing I know, Adoring Husband arrived to help me close the shop.

Time flies when you’re having fun!

Journaling was cancelled so we cleared the training room, set up for meditation and I vacuumed the shop before we left.

We did a little grocery shop and checked the mail before heading home.

As soon as I got home, I put the sweet potatoes on so that I could make mash to go with the slow cooked lamb shanks from yesterday.

I sat down for an hour before preparing dinner early.

7.30pm was our bedtime of choice tonight and I am watching The Voice as I write this.

Early start tomorrow and a ‘to do’ list a mile long for this week.

Time management will be key!

Nite all.

Forced Productivity

The Childers trip was cancelled again.

Unforeseen circumstances caused the understandable cancellation.

It happened at the last minute, so I was up and showered, sitting wrapped in a towel with hair dripping.

So I dressed, made myself presentable for being in public, made a list and asked Adoring Husband to be my chauffeur.

He took me to the hairdressers so that I could purchase my favourite shampoo/conditioner/treatment.

We stopped at the shop to pick up my deposit book and a couple of letters that I needed, did some banking, picked up a big package of new stock from the Post Office, did a grocery shop and then returned home.

I made brunch and returned to bed to do some work including ordering some stock and figuring out more tax stuff.

Later I put some lamb shanks in the slow cooker and we returned to the shop to clean up the art room and set up for coffee and journaling.

I discovered that my slow cooker is wired incorrectly. The ‘high’ temperature control is actually ‘low’ and vice versa. It has only taken me seven years to figure this fact out! I usually set the control to ‘low’ and I always thought it strange that the contents would bubble away on low.

Today I set it on ‘simmer’ and four hours later I checked to discover that the water was barely warm - which sucked because that was supposed to be dinner! Ah well, now it’s tomorrow night’s dinner.

I threw together a mixed grill instead.

We watched The Voice and now it’s suddenly 11.30pm!

Time to sleep.

Nite all.

Slow Sunday

I was feeling unmotivated and a bit foggy in the brain today, so not much was accomplished.

My 40 year old Singer sewing machine went to a new home.

I believe that the last time I used it was to sew Vegan Chickie’s first school uniform - that was 36 years ago and it has been stored in the garage here for the last 13 years.

The Artful Dodger has recently had trouble with her sewing machine so I offered her mine. My intention was to pass it on to a charity, so she can use it until hers is repaired or until it dies of old age.

I honestly don’t even know if it still works but I guess she’ll soon let me know.

The only productive or practical thing I did today was order some bits and pieces for my new class that I’ll be running in September.

We’ll be making something like this …

… using family mementos, jewellery, watches, medals, charms, chains, ribbons etc.

I have a couple of dead watches sitting in my jewellery box that have sentimental value and I don’t want to toss. I can pull them apart and repurpose them. Old jewellery from grandparents and my parents that I never wear but could look at every day on a piece of art like this. 

Old prize medallions from their sporting events, gifts from Dad to Mum, silly birthday buttons, tiny compacts, hairpins. So many little trinkets that I’ve never wanted to part with but just take up space in draws and boxes.

I’m excited about the possibilities and a few of the girls in my usual art class were discussing all the little mementos they’ve kept over the years that could be repurposed like this too.

So I’ve ordered a few charms like elaborate metal keys, cogs, bees, dragonflies, peace signs and other symbols. I have containers full of old jewellery, beads, shells, chain, ribbons, crystals and more from my bracelet making days. I’ll donate all of that for the participants to use on their creations.

It’s going to be fun.

Adoring Husband brought me breakfast in bed this morning. I got up and made a tuna and avocado dip to eat with my fava bean crackers for lunch. Dinner was duck with spicy orange sauce and cauliflower, broccoli and carrot.

We watched the first episode of The Voice before heading back to bed.

Tomorrow I hope to be making that trip to Childers that I missed last week.

The weather forecast is for rain tomorrow! Let’s hope it’s correct!

Nite all.

Fire and Ice

It was a great day in the shop.

Sales were good and I was able to set up for art offering three options.

1. Dandelions
2. Fire and Ice
3. Face to face silhouettes

The class was relaxing and therapeutic …

The girls all made purchases after the class with topped off my day perfectly.

At home I put a chicken and vegetable casserole in the oven and then put my feet up to watch the football.

It was a relaxing afternoon and evening and I can’t believe it’s almost midnight!

I’m looking forward to a lazy Sunday, most of which I hope to spend in bed. I have much to study, videos to watch, notes to take, paperwork to complete and information to gather.

Ok so maybe it won’t be THAT lazy 😳

Right now, I’m done. I’m getting cozy under the covers and soon the 😴😴😴 will come.

Nite all.

Draining

It has been an emotionally draining day.

In the last four days I’ve learned of twelve people (friends and close acquaintances), whose pre-existing conditions have worsened OR they’ve been given a new serious medical diagnosis.

It’s concerning and disturbing.

I don’t like it one little bit.

It was a slow day at work.

Just three big sales, so I used the quiet time to rearrange the clothing and bag displays and set up the iMac in the training room so that I can run an instructional video during class.

I had lots of visitors during the day and sat down for a chat with most of them - except for Aggie - who, being the most important of all,  I should have sat down with!

So I still didn’t get to clear my desk. It’s going to be a big job when I finally get to it.

Adoring Husband arrived 20 minutes early to help shut the shop and at home we hung out a load of washing and I folded my clothes that came off the line and we played a game of Scrabble!

Winner winner chicken dinner for me!

We watched the men’s 10m platform diving qualifying round.

AH cooked his usual Friday night dinner and by 8pm I was ready for bed. I’m in bed watching the Olympic javelin event in which we have three Australians in the final.

I’m tired though and need to sleep now.

Nite all.

So Little Time

So much to do, so little time.

I rode my trike to work this morning, something I hope will become a habit, as it once was.

Today passed so quickly and I didn't get everything done that I wanted - I certainly didn’t have time to clear my desk. In fact I added more mess!

The clothes that I ordered yesterday, surprisingly arrived today! So it felt good to call my customer, who is here on holidays, and let her know that she could collect her top before leaving for home!

I had to order a stack more coat hangers because I have a stack more hanging space and a stack more clothes to hang there!

I paid for my Fathers Day order from Men’s Republic so it should arrive by mid next week.

My meeting with a sales rep has been postponed until at least next Tuesday because he is in lockdown on the Gold Coast.

I steamed clothes, tried them on, took some photos and posted on Facebook.

There was a break where I made some lunch and sat down to enjoy it with a cup of tea.

Even though I was riding my trike, Adoring Husband was still available to help me close the shop. He took my laptop and money tin home and I rode home with my handbag.

I was still feeling pretty energised as I walked in the door, so I changed out of my work clothes, pulled the bedding off the bed and asked AH to help me rotate the mattress.

This is a task and a half because it’s an ‘extra deep’ king size mattress and by the time we’d completed that task, I needed to sit down!

We watched Melissa Wu win the bronze medal in the Olympic diving. How freaking amazing was that 14yr old girl, Quan Hongchan, from China!?!? She was beyond awesome! So deserving of the gold medal and I felt like she deserved more prizes … a gold medal didn’t seem good enough for her.

I made paleo style tacos for dinner.

Eventually I found the motivation to remake the bed with fresh Lorraine Lea linen sheets and now I’m looking forward to sliding into bed. There is nothing nicer than fresh clean sheets. I wish I had a housekeeper to make my bed with fresh sheets every day!

When we win $80million in Powerball next week, that will be my first priority 👍

I told AH that we were going to win $60million tonight and he responded with “why can’t we win $80million?”

Nobody won tonight so the prize jackpots to $80million - AH has preempted the win so I look forward to celebrating with you all this time next week! 🥂

I’m off to bed to watch the footy as I fall asleep.

Nite all.

Plum Tuckered

It was supposed to be an early start, but my body decided that 4am would be a good time to be awake!

Ugh.

By the time my alarm sounded at 6am, I was ready to fall back to sleep, so it was a struggle to get out of bed.

We still arrived at the shop with plenty of time to spare before meditation started and was such a good class it went 20 minutes overtime!

Almost everybody hung around afterwards for individual chats with both The Gypsy and I. I didn’t have the shop to myself until 11am.

Business was steady and I had an above average sales day.

My three new mannequins arrived as well as a new clothing display stand which Adoring Husband helped me assemble and I immediately filled it with Jenny Jazz clothing.

I’m feeling a bit scattered because I’ve let my desk area get messy again. I plan on spending tomorrow getting it sorted.

We arrived home a little later than usual and I got to work in the kitchen making a stuffed butternut squash for dinner. AH said it was delicious.

The Bachelor got our attention before bed called to me.

Here’s my grandbabies…

Time to sleep.

Nite all.

Sad Face

I received some stock today.

Stock that I had been looking forward to because it looked so beautiful in the catalogue.

Most are one size fits all and this particular brand is usually ‘oversized’ but these are snug on me, in some cases, tight! 

I had my eye on a couple of those tops for me and two of my regular customers were waiting to grab them as soon as they arrived, but alas the sizing is all wrong.

I will contact the supplier tomorrow and arrange some returns I think.

I’m very disappointed.

There were just three visitors for coffee this morning but I didn’t get to spend much time with them because I had customers requiring attention.

After the others had left and while the shop was quiet, The Brains Trust stayed a little longer and we had a good old natter.

Even though it was a busy morning, it ended up being an average day for sales - it would have been much better if the new clothing were better sizes 😳

There was more talking than writing in the journaling class today but we came up with a lot of new memories to add to our stories.

It was after 4pm when I got home and there were a few chores to do before starting dinner - home made paleo pizzas. Nice and easy.

We watched the finale of Beauty and the Geek before calling it a night.

Early start for meditation in the morning so it’s sleep time for me.

Nite all.

Change of Plan

Our trip to Childers was canned at the last minute.

This didn’t bother me one bit because it meant I could stay in bed longer 😋

We decided to take a trip into The Bay.

I needed some canvases for the next art class but alas I was unable to find the sizes that I wanted.

I did find some paints, paint brushes and round brushes that I needed.

I bought the winning ticket in the $60million Powerball which will be drawn on Thursday.

There was grocery shopping, which included some toilet paper ‘just in case’ we go into lockdown and the crazy people out there go on a bulk buying spree.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch at Aquavue. I had grilled Barramundi with salad and the fish was cooked to perfection. The weather was  absolutely perfect and we sat outside under an umbrella.

I didn’t bother going into other shops because ‘checking in’ on the phone app is a pain in the butt and I wasn’t in the mood. Being a business owner, I shouldn’t be so fickle because so many businesses are suffering in the current covid climate.

We checked the mail before returning home and I received my new Rubyyaya top in the mail …

I already have this in three other colours, but I got this in the smaller size and it was 60% off on sale! I LOVE it! I’m considering getting a 2nd one!

When we arrived home, not so psychotic dog Colli had left a nice mess for us to clean up. I guess it’s to be expected when the poor old lady is locked inside for 5 hours.

We were both pretty buggered and Adoring Husband didn’t drink water during the day so the Parkinson’s tremor was a bit out of control, which put him out of action for the rest of the day.

We had an easy dinner and retired to bed after watching Beauty and the Geek.

I’m lying in bed watching the Australian girls lose the soccer against Sweden at the Olympics.

Time to turn off and sleep.

Nite all.

Got The Bug

The cleaning bug that is!

Adoring Husband brought breakfast to me in bed at about 8.30am.

Toast with tomato and a cup of tea.

I enjoyed a lazy hour or so in bed and then enthusiastically removed myself and began cleaning the ensuite.

It’s such a small room, it’s difficult to comfortably reach behind the toilet to clean it and the floor behind and at the side of it, so I was on the floor twisting and contorting trying to get the job done.

It took me a good 90 minutes to get it all sparkling clean, using a toothbrush to scrub oil of cloves into the shower grout to kill the early signs of mould.

I used the diamond scrubber to polish the glass of soap scum.

I washed the walls and cleaned the door front and back.

Got down on my hands and knees to scrub the floor tiles and wipe down the drawers and cupboard.

I was quite pleased with the result and even left the bathroom door open so that I could admire my handy work!

I got a couple of loads of washing done before I spent time with AH watching some Olympic action.

I’m trying to train AH to respond to my AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE with some OY OY OY, but he refuses to play the game! He’s such an old man.

We had a bit of ruckus happening in our outdoor area this afternoon.

Every Spring we have wattle birds nesting in a plant pot right outside the sliding doors. Today, a Butcher bird decided to move in on their territory and even though there are no eggs in the nest yet, the Wattle birds were going off! Swooping and attacking and squawking and flapping all about!

I went out with my trusty fly swat to gently persuade the Butcher bird to move on, but he was a stubborn little bugger and just kept returning so I left them to it. They must have come to an agreement because it eventually went quiet.

Later in the afternoon I was feeling a bit weary so I lay down and dozed on and off through the Olympic diving.

There are a few Burrum residents caught in Covid lockdown in Brisbane and the Sunny Coast at the moment. What a pain in the butt! Who knows how long this debacle will last?

It’s now 10pm and we are off to Childers in the morning, so I’d best push my sleep button.

Nite all.