Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

[NatureLover]

It does sound distressing, @Dimity ... Sorry to hear. 😥

I've been awake for 4.5 hours and it's now 5.07am. 😣 If I manage to fall asleep now I might sleep through my alarm, which I don't want to do. I need to be up early to walk and water the garden as it's going to be 40C here today. Then I hope to be back inside for the day by about 9am. 

Some chores plus Christmas cards sound good.

I managed to do laundry plus random chores interspersed with resting. I was pleased with what I did.

I hope you don't have to go out today? Way too hot 🔥 

Good luck today with your chores. Hoping we both don't lose power. 

[Dimity]

I hope you got some sleep @NatureLover maybe through napping. 

I walked to the postbox before it got too hot, then stayed inside with the air-conditioning.

I had a lazy day other than telehealth, a bit of decluttering, and sorting out more arrangements re the op. The building site was quiet. 

Hoping your day worked out okay. 

[NatureLover]

Hi @Dimity , I had another night of being awake in the early hours of the morning. Scrabbling to achieve today's tasks, but I got there. Now the next 2 days at home, thankfully. 

Glad you were able to stay inside with the aircon yesterday. Me too. Is the postbox far to walk to? I'm glad the building site next door was quiet at least. 

I've almost decided to go back to using cash next year. I really don't want to, due to germs. But I need to curb my spending somehow. I figure if I only have a certain amount of cash in my purse, then that's all I'll be able to spend on food. I can use the card for things like medical appts. 

Hope you're having a good day. Much nicer being cooler.

[Dimity]

Well done for achieving what you needed despite not having slept @NatureLover 

Yes today was nice. The postbox yesterday is a comfortable walk, perhaps 10 minutes each way.

Hmm it sounds as though you're ready to rethink your shopping habits. Using cash could help. You've mentioned trying to eat more fruit and vegetables too. Are there any weekend farmer's markets near you? Or a greengrocer? As an occasional change from the supermarket with its multitude of tempting offerings. They welcome cash too. When I sometimes shop at different food shops in another suburb they actually have a surcharge for card payments.

Have you seen the dogs lately?

[NatureLover]

Yes, I'm noticing the surcharge for card payments more often. I have to think some more about the cash thing. 

There are some greengrocers near me, one organic and one not. 

Your 10 minute walk sounds OK to the postbox. Is 20 minutes enough of a walk for you? 

The female dog is here and is still coming up to me hoping for treats. That was perhaps not the best idea. The male dog is still away, thank goodness. 

Good luck to us both today with chores and/or decluttering...

@Dimity 

[Dimity]

I used to do a 35-40 minute walk without stopping but can't really do it at the moment. When I amble round the supermarket snd back it takes about an hour  which is OK.

I think the dog approaching you in a hopeful way is good  and wonder if you could still give her treats sometimes.

I cleaned the shower but didn't get much else done apart from shopping. I'll try to deal with the livingroom next I think. I'm just not decluttering at the pace I'd hoped - I've barely done any since realising my deadline. 

Hopefully you achieved more than I did.

@NatureLover 

[NatureLover]

I'm glad you can tolerate an hour's walk with supermarket included, @Dimity .

Cleaning the shower is hard work, so with that and shopping, you did well. I have to do the shower over 2 goes. 

Yes, I will be giving the dog treats occasionally. 

I did nothing yesterday - a rest day. But today I did 3 hours' solid work on chores, and it's barely made a dent! But my bedroom's perfect (apart from vacuuming, which I'll do all together once the rest of the house is tidy). 

Somehow I've ended up with 2 social events tomorrow, which is too much. Which means I need to pop put now to the library for 4 reserves, plus the supermarket. Hadn't planned on popping out, which makes it harder to leave the house. 

Better go out... Hope you're having a good day if possible. 

[Dimity]

Sounds like a busy couple of days @NatureLover 

I'm impressed that you can keep your bedroom perfect. And that you can tidy the whole house. I guess your shelves mean the old shopping bag situation is under control?

My house is still out of control. I'm back to chipping away at it just about every day but too little. I get distracted and waste time doomscrolling, a bad habit. 

I hope to get into the garden over the weekend. There are things to do there before the hot weather returns, and I'm not getting traction with the house.

[Dimity]

I did get into the garden @NatureLover . The ground is dry and hard so I'll have to work in short stints until I get the hoses set up for watering. I worked inside as well. I hope I start to see progress soon.

Good luck with your efforts. 

[NatureLover]

Well done for doing the gardening and the house, @Dimity 🙂

I hadn't realised I'd missed 2 days of the forums. But Friday was so busy and yesterday I took a complete day off from everything. Just knocked myself out with books all day. 

I'm SO glad I can just stay home now for a week if I want to. I doubt 2 weeks off work will be enough for me (I've had one so far). 

I don't keep my bedroom perfect but mostly neat, as it's my sanctuary. And I really only have the rest of the house tidy for inspections. 

The old shopping bag situation is not under control at all, somehow. However I gave some excess food away recently so have some space on the shelves - I just haven't filled it yet due to being over-busy.

95% of my house is out of control too. I empathise. Well done for chipping away at it every day, which is something I've never mastered. 

It's so nice outside at the moment that I don't blame you for wanting to get outside and do gardening.