Neat And Tidy and a lesson on doing the right thing


I have a soft spot for Jenny our now retired village postmistress.
She remains as disorganised as ever, (indeed she only posting our Christmas card and those of our neighbours through our letter boxes after Christmas) and today I remembered her post office counter with some affection as it always looked in total disarray and as though she had just been burgled.

I am trying to organise myself better.
It's a product of having a new orderly kitchen for I am liking everything having a place and a purpose.
So, when I am waiting for a new arm chair to be delivered ( it's to go in the corner of the kitchen ) I'm sorting out our piles of paperwork. It is these that is reminding me of Jenny and her chaotic post office counter.

I'm not making any  I must be organised resolutions this January, indeed I'm not making any unattainable goals which could ( according to the charity MIND ) affect my mental health negatively if I don't fulfil them .
But I have decided to orchestrate more nice things for us to do.
Retirement must have its own perks.
So 2018 will be a year we travel a bit more. I have already organised a couple of London jaunts and we are having a whole week's holiday in Sitges in the summer.
We also hope to get to Canada and Sweden too......

The John Lewis arm chair arrived early so the paperwork was stuffed away to be forgotten for another year.


Have you made any resolutions? 

I'll leave you with a handmade thank you heart which arrived  by post today.
It was from someone we gave a Christmas present  to.
A gift that we easily bought and we easily gave
The recipient was strangely moved when we handed it over and only then did we find out it was only one of two gifts they received over the Christmas period (the other gift was a small parcel of sweets)
Christmas is about giving, and we often forget that fact.
It was nice that The Prof and I exchanged humbled glances when we realised we had done the right thing



57 comments:

  1. Yes. One. And comment boxes will be the poorer for it.

    U

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    1. I suspect you will never pull your punches

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  2. I thought I would try that too, what Ursula speaks of ... Less time online, more time in the Real World. I will probably be back online in a flash ... sometimes the Real World isn't that great ..

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  3. ps- I love the pillow on the chair !

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    1. The Prof bought it in Chelsea New York

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    2. Aaahhh I miss going down to Chelsea on a Sunday and having brunch and shopping in Soho.

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  4. I decided to call mine 'intentions' and not resolutions.. I have good intentions for the new year...lol oh you know.. move more... eat less.. be more productive.. So many projects in the wings with remodeling our house... I want to get some things done and that probably means less time online.. I usually only post on my blog once a week so why do i need to be on there 7 days a week?? Anyway .. like i said good intentions.. we'll see.. Love your chair John! Hugs! deb

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    1. Yes intentions are good
      I intend to see. Old friends more
      I intend to organise more interesting things for us to do
      I intend to make the most of my retirement x

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  5. I just renewed my passport and I was thinking about traveling more this year. Other than that I don't make resolutions.

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  6. Yep. Made a resolution not to make any resolutions.

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  7. And intend to be kind, especially randomly.

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    1. We all should subscribe to this one joanne

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    2. I was really quite touched to be referred to as 'The Kind Lady'. Apparently that is how I am described to people who might want to join our walking group.

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  8. Ah, I see you've bought Winnie a new bed. (The doggie bowl beside it was the clue.) So thoughtful of you!

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  9. That's a nice looking chair, which dog will have first dibs? I have a simple resolution this year...Less Fear,More Do x

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    1. I lined the dogs AND Albert up and told the lot they are not to step within one foot of the new chair

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    2. I hope you recorded this and saved it as evidence for when they *ahem* disobey you hehehe x

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    3. You know, I sat here with a wry smile reading your response.

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  10. The chair is lovely, the paperwork is indeed in the right place...resolutions...I never make them. I always start out the New Year all organized, everything clean and tidy, and then things go downhill from there.

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    1. No I am getting on top of things my kitchen is still pristine x

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  11. The new armchair will be a useful place to put newspapers, professorial papers, laptops or a horny bulldog. Failing that it could become Albert's new day bed.

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    1. If the Prof reads this his blood pressure would be diabolical

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  12. Love the new armchair.
    That last story is very humbling John and so true.

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  13. Nice armchair -- love the cushion too! Hey, if you make it to Canada, swing by Edmonton, eh?

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    1. Debra, tell John this was not planned!!! lol

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    2. I think we are off to Halifax

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    3. Nah, you need to come west! I mean here in Edmonton, you can keep your frozen food in the back garden for a good part of the winter and then sweat your bits off in the summer.

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    4. The Prof is working in halifax

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    5. Well, fine then. GO to Halifax. But sooner or later The Prof may get a gig in Edmonton? I remember reading on your blog a couple of years ago that he worked in Calgary so . . . .

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  14. I have never done resolutions/intentions. I hate to disappoint myself!!
    Travel, eh?

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    1. Indeed jimbo, to your neck if the woods

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  15. Will you agree on who sits on the armchair when you are both at home? I don't make New Year resolutions.

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  16. No expectations either. My one big kitchen counter is empty. My bed is made. It's a good start. As is your chair. :)

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    1. So far there are no paw prints on it

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  17. Add me to the list of people moved by your story. And to those who don't make resolutions. I refuse to set myself up for further failure.

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    1. I was moved by it cos there wasn't a hint of self pity in the person involved

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  18. I can see Albert in that chair.

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  19. Ah, your Christmas gift story made me sad, although the bright spot is that you and one other person did try to alleviate the situation.

    My husband and I both tend to be chaotic in our stacks and piles, but we can both find whatever we need with very little trouble. So maybe it's not really disorganization :)

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    1. I think we both realised just how lucky we and our nearest and dearest actually are

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  20. One resolution for you John is to straighten the mat under the dogs water bowl. The kink against the new chair is annoying. Lol

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    1. I was thinking the same thing... does my head in lol. It should be straight!


      Jo in Auckland, NZ

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  21. 'Take one day at a time, and savour it'. I do try to start each year with a tidy workspace and kitchen. I do wish there was a Magic Fairy who would help me keep it that way.

    Love the new chair - it looks so inviting. Are you taking bets which animal will be the first on it?

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  22. I like the idea of travel. I like the armchair next to the heater. And I like that you gave a gift to someone who really, really appreciated it. Good on you guys!

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  23. Well, if you two come somehow out to southern central Montana, not 3 hours from Alberta or SE British Columbia, you've got a room that's quiet, and a kitchen that does not compare with yours. But maybe better local wild forage, flora and fauna.
    Always welcome,
    Mike

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  24. Make no resolutions in Jan. Jan is for practicing. If it works and makes it thru Feb, by march it may become a resolution. If not..So be it.

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  25. Very handsome chair, tho I am disappointed it is not for you to sit in, too bad. Can you pls fix the rucked up corner of the food mat too?

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  26. Love the chair ... maybe Albert will let you sit in it occasionally 😉

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  27. Want that cushion x

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