Saturday 21 June 2008

A life more satisfying

The sub title of my blog.

A journey towards a life more satisfying and financially secure by a happy and rather chaotic woman, with her family and animals.

So how have I fared in the 6 months since I started to write.

Well, actually pretty good.

I love travel and understand that the journey is far more important than the arrival. A journey through all of my life will be just fine with me. My biggest self criticism was my inability to relax into the moment and actually enjoy what I was doing. I was always rushing to finish and get on to the next thing on my list. I have that pretty much concerned unless I get really busy and a bit stressy. I read on Down to Earth that there is no point in rushing your house work to finish it as it is unfinishable. And of course it is true but I needed someone wiser to point it out to me. I am getting a little stressy at the moment as work is still so busy and we are coming up to holiday time, but otherwise I have it sussed.

What about being more financially secure? My salary is certainly higher but the falling value of houses will effect my balance sheet, no doubt. On the other hand it may make it almost possible for the next generation to get onto the properly ladder. Or are they too smart to fall for that trap. In September we will re-launch the swim school. On the flip side I am working on habits which will make the money we have go further. Meal planning (in a relaxed way), cooking from scratch, continually re-visiting the cost of utilities and the like, using Freecycle and buying second hand. Recycling, re-using, renewing and revitalising old articles. We would like to shorten the term of our mortgage and if we are serious then we must be sensible.

Happy and chaotic? Certainly very happy. I generally am and indeed cant see the point of being anything else but I am not so sure I am still so chaotic. I think I might finally be getting organised. It has only taken me 45 years (less if you take out the time I was a baby!)

With my family and animals. Beloved is away from us for another 2 1/2 months but otherwise we are here or hereabouts. This might be his last really long holiday. Once the boys are older and have moved away ( I cant imagine them ever being this mature but presumably they will) then I wont want to be left home alone. I could have more animals. I could have chickens in my garden. A lovely big dog for walks. Fluffy bunnies for the cook pot ( I don't think I could do this - I am such a big girl!). However my other big love is travel. Not package holidays but actual travel and taking part is the daily events of another country. The cats and the bird are not best pleased with us travelling but they forgive. So dogs and chickens, goat maybe?,must wait until my travelling days are mostly behind me.

So actually, I don't think it is going bad at all.

4 comments:

  1. Hi lizzie

    Hope yuo don't mind me asking but do you plan to live in Crete eventually or are you staying in the Uk?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Laura
    I dont know, is the honest answer. My plans are never set in stone. I think it is more likely that we spend time in each. Also we like to travel (as you can tell - OH is away for another 2.5 months!!),so I am assuming early retirement will see us wandering. But maybe I get more of a homebody as I get older. I am begging to suspect I will never get to keep chickens!!
    Best wishes
    Lizzie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chaotic - what you?? lol

    Theres that old cliche Lizzie- 'Life is what you make it' - and sometimes its good to have a little think about what is actually going on in your life and what you actually would like to go on.

    It may be that you aren't destined to have chooks roaming your back garden but hey so be it. Compromise and buy your eggs from someone who 'is' able to have them roaming round 'their' back garden
    Take care
    Cathy
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Cathy
    Very handy but my neighbour across the way keeps ducks, chickens and bantams, so eggs in every size. Plus she sells he excess veg from the front garden. Also they have small holding somewhere else where she raises organic lamb & better yet, her husband is gamekeeper on an estate so he often has venison for sale. Oddly she also works in a supermarket so i assume that must be becasue she likes it because she doesnt seem to need to shop for very much.
    Life is what you make of it for sure, and its rather lvoely on the whole.
    Best wishes
    Lizzie

    ReplyDelete

My life

My wonderful husband has died. He was in hospital for some weeks but this was very unexpected. I won’t be reading or writing for the foresee...