Tuesday, November 20, 2012

What do you do when there's no tomorrow ?

On Fridays I think about the glorious 63 hours that stretch ahead of me and all of the things I could potentially do with MY TIME OFF WORK. I think of it in capitals because it's so exciting that I feel like shouting and dancing a jig.  And every weekend MY TIME OFF WORK ends up being taken up with washing and cleaning and all those other boring tasks that ensure I can function like a regular human being for the next 5 days that I have to go to work.  Whoever thought up the 5 days work/2 days off thing was an idiot. It would work much better for me  if it was the other way around.

The trouble with my life is that there is no tomorrow. I can't put off stuff and say "I'll do it tomorrow " because tomorrow I'll have another list as long as my arm of  things that need to be done. And if I start adding today stuff to tomorrow I'm really going to get myself in trouble because most of the time I can barely cope with today.

You may have picked up that I've been thinking about life balance a lot lately, and what I've realised is that I don't feel like I have it. So instead of sitting and whining about my lost weekends, I decided to take ownership of the problem. I bit the bullet and arranged for a house cleaner. I figure I'm buying back some of my life so it's totally worth whatever it costs. Just like my window cleaning dude and the personal shopper that does my grocery shopping and Ronald McDonald and the Colonel who do my cooking a lot of the time.  These people are an indispensable part of maintaining my sanity. I can't wait to come home to a clean house once a week that I didn't have to personally clean. 

So in keeping with the new regime, I didn't do any house work this weekend. I went mad with spray paint instead. I rescued this poor sorry looking thing from the "going to the rubbish tip "pile  and gave it a quick spray paint makeover because I think it will make a fantastic dessert display cabinet for Christmas Day. 


Mr. P had to evict a family of redbacks so I could take the before picture. Of course he told me that as I was cleaning it and I just heard the "redback "part and nearly peed in my pants.


 And here it is after...looking all white and pretty and redback-less.


 Then I broke out another spray can and went mad on this antique wrought iron beauty.


 Looks so much better black. 


 I finished a quilt top too. Now to decide how to quilt it. 


And immediately started a new quilt.....for my favourite grandson. And I have a super hero quilt to make for another special young person so I'm really going to have to get weaving on both of these to finish before Christmas. 


I'm anticipating much more crafting time with the new world order.  



34 comments:

Diane-crewe said...

sounds like a good plan has been initiated xx have fun... or rather .. KEEP having fun x

Three Birds Inspired said...

Long ago & far, far away I had someone who cleaned for me. I miss her! If I could find someone reasonably priced here I would do it again in a heartbeat. What's the point of having a weekend "off" when all you do is clean?! I am both happy for you & extremely jealous!

Mistea said...

Good to see you have settled into your new routine so quickly.
Love the dessert display case minus the creepy crawlies.

Nice quilt top you have there and fabulous fabric for the little man.

Enjoy your new found weekends.

Marg said...

Sounds like a bloody good plan. I'm all for having fun.
Looks like your change of plans is very good for you. Can't wait to see what you have planned for Little P's new quilt.

Rachaeldaisy said...

A cleaner is a great idea!! I had one once, it's such a treat to come home to a clean house though I'm one of those people who clean before the cleaner comes so she wont think we're messy. I love your spray painted things. Not the redbacks, don't like those. The car quilt is looking very cute!!

Jennifer said...

When I worked I had a cleaner.....it was my trade-off. It was either that, or my sanity!

Michelle Ridgway said...

Good for you!!!!! You do such a special job and deserve your time off. I adore your makeovers. Very cute quilts too. Enjoy your R&R.

Lorraine said...

Good work.......have to get that balance right....but you didn't say who was going to look after your Pinterest boards.....could you claw back some time there? :)

Helsie said...

I figure that if you work, your time is worth $** an hour so if you pay someone to clean your house for you, you may be saving dollars or at worst breaking even.... and saving your sanity.
Love the quilt. I'm constantly amazed by your productivity.
Cheers

Quiltn Mama said...

I want someone to do my grocery shopping for me--sign me up! And what's a redback?

Katy Cameron said...

I'm liking the sounds of your new world. I'd love a cleaner, but at the rate my flatmate makes messes, I'd have to double his rent...

diegoagogo said...

Look you have a cleaner, someone has a job, you have a clean loo & look at all the lovely things you brought into the world.
Isn't it amazing how guilty we feel for the simple act of employing someone to clean??
All is well. Enjoy the sanity.
Cheers
Lush
London, UK

Unknown said...

My sweetie is a better cleaner than me, so being retired, that keeps him busy at times. When we both worked, we had a house keeper on a weekly basis and it was such a treat! Coming home to the clean house was the highlight of our lives.
We de junked, and that made our life even easier. Good for you! Enjoy it.
Here, in Florida for the winter, most of the grocery stores have prepared foods. Doesn't pay to make almost. But, having said that I do enjoy making a meal if I can put the dishes in the dishwasher...the best invention ever!

Kristie said...

Wonderful. That is exactly what you need to be doing...I like your comment about buying back your life, so true! Life is short, so if you have the means to make more (enjoyment) time, I am all for it,a nd do the same myself, regularly!

Julianne said...

Hi Shay! I am so with you on the 5 day/2 day thing..who DID think of that?? I work 4 10hr shifts a week and I still bitch about not having enough time to myself..argh!! You are so lucky that you have the means for a housekeeper...YOU GO GIRL!

Pokey said...

What an added blessing, a person to help with the house! That sounds like money well spent, and it not only frees up your time, but also your mind to be creative. Love the quilty, craftsy visuals, pure sugar to art addict in us all ~
:-}pokey

Canadian Abroad said...

That's all I need to get my mojo in top gear and everything done is a cleaner?! Wish I had known that years ago!!

Paulette said...

Good for you, hiring someone to do the cleaning! What a liberating thing. Look at all those lovely accomplishments. Ooh, aah, and...huh? What's a redback? Please keep them on your continent, whatever they are. Love the black coat/hat rack, and your quilt is all sorts of awesome. Much admiration all around!

Brenda said...

Ah, the cleaning lady/service (whatever you call it) - I miss that myself - good for you! I was teetering on getting one, but now I only work 3 days a week, so I think the hubby might fall over dead if I signed up! You're so clever with paint AND quilting - a multi-talented gal for sure!

Kate said...

Sounds like an awesome solution to take something off your growing list problem.

Love the quilt top, it looks so summery (must be the green grass behind it, ours is brown).

Terri said...

Years ago when I worked, we got a maid for a few months... it was so nice to come home. I thought,"so this is what it's like to be a husband and just come home to my supper and kids and newspaper." They really have the life of Riley.
Glad you worked out some time for creativity. That is soooo important.
Hugs

Kirsten said...

Cannot wait to find someone new to clean my house. I so understand what you are talking about. Unfortunately I also have to clean my office- tadaaaaaaaaaa - twice the bullshit!!!

Well love your new quilt - wanna send it to me...I´ll promise to handquilt it if I get to keep it :p
(just joking)

AnnieO said...

I like your blog post labels :) New world order, huh? Looking forward to seeing lots more pictures of completed beautiful things like your spray paint wonders and the quilt top! We have a cleaner but only once a month--the weekly thing would be heaven!

Sarah said...

Good on you! I have a fortnightly house cleaner and it helps immensely with 3 small kids and work 4 days a week. I look at it as providing employment too! Love your blog. Have been reading it for a while but just started following. I'm in SA too, on Yorke Peninsula.

Shevvy said...

Good for you. Finding a balance is so important. I'm still struggling with it at the moment. I knew my studies would get tougher this year but I haven't got disciplined enough yet to have a working routine. Still things like blogging are slipping away as I'm not sewing much. I'm glad you are working on a solution.

Unknown said...

Many years ago, I had a house keeper. It was the best thing I ever did, other than have my daughter. It left me so much time to do what I needed to do. Of course at that time it was mostly work to support my daughter! I often wish I had one now!
You are a spray painting fool! Everything looks so good. I am not sure what a redback is, I don't think I want to know either. Please don't mail me one!
Keep up the good work!

Kirsten's Cooking said...

So happy you've bit the bullet! Love the dessert display case....how do you think up such clever things?? You really do have a good eye!

Way to go on.....everything:)

thea said...

Great plan! I want one too. Maybe after the hubs gets a job, we can do that and put money back into the economy that way. Can't wait to see little P's new quilt. How many does he have now? I agree with you on life balance. it's really important to work on that; however you can. Life is too short to stress over anything unnecessarily.

Sue SA said...

I cannot wait to see what you make to go in that display case!
Ha ha we need to make some fabric red back spider's for next Halloween for our USA friends...criky thought Steve had let the whole world know about our dangerous pals!
Loving the boys quilt, sure it will be awesome and loved to bits. Check out this friend http://apprenticeextrovert.blogspot.com.au/ for further painting inspiration, I will admire from afar as paint fumes are not my thing...baking fumes yes!
Your quilt top is lovely...let the long arm quilter decide! Sorry just jealous cos I want a house cleaner too! Yet to order my groceries on line, but did order some quilting books...that helped my work/life balance!

Sarah said...

Have realised today that I was one of those no reply bloggers! All fixed now. Hope you're doing we'll in your clean house!

Elizabeth said...

I love that quilt top! And I love your made-over coat-rack and desert display cabinet!

Good for you for hiring in a cleaner. I know exactly what you mean about spending the whole weekend cleaning. I do it too. I've been gone or busy with other things for so many weekends in a row that things are in quite a state around here, which means less time for sewing. Or, I might just do the bare essentials and sew anyway. At any rate, enjoy your weekends in your spotless house! I hope you get every penny's worth out of it :)

xo -E

P.S. Redbacks. Eek.

Brandie said...

I like the way you think!

Vesuviusmama said...

I'm on board. Unfortunately, I live out other boonies and cleaning people don't want to come out here. But if I can find someone, that's my plan for using the $$ I earn for teaching e school kids. Love the makeovers!

Jindi's Cottage said...

Right now my cleaner, personal shopper and secretary are perilously close to being sacked...oh wait, they are all me! bugger, mutter mutter...that's what I need, other humans to do those things...jealous much me? yep...the display case thingy is looking rather fabulous, you are brave continuing after mention of the redbacks!...loving the quilt top, looking forward to seeing how you choose to quilt it and what fun fabric for Little P...