I've discovered my "default" setting.......

rosenoir I’m so pleased to find someone else who uses the dressing gown sleeve method of dusting. Mainly on the top of the dark wood unit when the sun shines.

When the ‘lock down’ started I was full of enthusiasm and spring cleaned - I even went round the ceiling corners with a feather duster. But it looks just as bad as it did before. Not sure I’ll bother again.

SueDomin, now, please, do not overstretch yourself, it's very important that you pace yourself, and definitely dont overdo it!

May I suggest the following (feel free to drop out and follow your own regime where appropriate).

"Ok, you had a click and collect order, we can understand how stressful that can be, but don't worry, we are here for you. So, just follow the steps below, and remember to drink wine/gin breathe...

Step 1. Did the order meet your expectations? Were there any substitutions? If so, how did that make you feel? (If the substitutions were major, i.e. Chardonnay for Sauvignon Blanc, then shutting yourself in the airing cupboard and biting down hard on a towel is fine, we are here for you.)

Step 2. Was the person who handed you your shopping easy on the eye? We understand that under current circumstances, standards might change. For example, a hairy tattooed person with less than perfect personal hygiene, may suddenly seem very desirable, especially if they come bearing wine/gin/chocolate/hand sanitizer (delete where not applicable)

Step 3. It is essential that when you arrive home with your shopping, you give yourself time to recover. If your shopping included chocolate, (and if it didnt, then it should have) then sit in the car (or on the doorstep, if the chauffeur has taken the car round to the garage) and have at least 2 squares of chocolate to make sure your blood sugar/energy levels are maintained.

Step 4. REST before unpacking the shopping, then rest again before actually putting it away.

Hope this helps, if any of the advice isn't clear, just have a bit of a lie down until the confusion passes.

"After years of wanting to thoroughly clean my house but lacking the time, this week I discovered that wasn't the reason"

My tv table also needs dusting but it only shows up in a certain light so I avoid looking at it. I have made plans for tomorrow, I overdid it on the exercise today so the only exercise tomorrow will be getting out of bed and standing straight and lifting my coffee cup will be my weight bearing exercise.

I had so many plans for our enforced incarceration - sorting through boxes of photos which haven't been opened since we movd house 8 years ago(!); reorganising the utility room; ruthlessly sorting out my stashes of fabrics and other craft materials; sewing quilts and baby clothes; and clearing out the loft. How much have I done? None of it!!

But I HAVE spent weeks making a Christmas Village model which I've been talking of doing for years. It's not finished yet (it's a slo-o-ow process), and who knows whether our GC will be able to visit to see it this year, but I'm enjoying doing it in between lots of coffee and snack breaks.

I promise I will get around to the ironing and vacuuming tomorrow, or the next day.....

DH is far more industrious than me. The garden is tidy, his shed and greenhouse likewise and I think he might start on the loft tomorrow. And he cooks each day! Puts me to shame.

Useful tips, Phoenix, thank you so much!

Only one item was unavailable - red peppers, and the three substitutions were very acceptable. Sadly, the shopping was brought out by a scrawny callow youth, but tbh, the fact he had a face that doesn’t live in my house cheered me up immensely.

I also managed to smuggle into the house without my Dh seeing a bottle of gin and some tonic water, destined to be his birthday present later on this week. I shall need to taste-test it first, naturally.

However, to counterbalance that, when I arrived home, my neighbours were CLEARING OUT THEIR DOUBLE GARAGE! What in God’s name is that in aid of? Why? WHY? Nobody needs to witness that sort of behaviour when they’re in Idle Mode.

To be fair, when I spoke to the wife she said she was having a week’s holiday from WFH this week but admitted that her work was in fact preferable to clearing out the garage. And because the dumps are closed, it all had to be put back into the garage anyway, so really it was a wasted afternoon, as any Gransnetter on this thread could have told her.

Just holding on to our mental health is enough, I think.

This thread is light-hearted but I think it's important to remember that the reason for all this free time we have is actually quite scary, and is niggling away at the back of our minds all the time.
So, a bit of CBA and an absence of purposeful action is perfectly reasonable.

phoenix , Grandmafrench

Just for clarity, when I referred to the XY clique I was referring to the XY chromosome ie not female.
I'm failing miserably to be discreet......

I find this thread very reassuring.
Some days I manage to do something, a bit of tidying, gardening, making soup...
Other days I don't, I read and doze.?
Let the day unfold...

I thought that, but then the CBA kicked in and prevented me from reaching for Professor Google, my go-to advisor of all things whilst in lockdown torment.

Early night for me. I'm going to stretch out in my very comfortable bed and quietly plan all the things I sadly won't have time to do tomorrow, on account of all the other things that I really should be planning for the following day. Maybe.

It's endless, no wonder I'm tired. A fun day today and met lots of like-minded avoidance junkies who have lent a whole new meaning to the word procrastinate. Nighty night from French France, ladies (and SluttyLaine) Think it's your turn to keep your 'phone on, Phoenix in case any XY's call with a job they need doing?

This morning I thought I would sort out a box of clothes that lives under the bed in the spare room, and dumped them on my bed. Then I got waylaid by coffee, a crossword and a book. Then I had a late lunch, and contemplated maybe doing enough for a meal tomorrow, then changed my mind. Had coffee, went to kitchen and had a glass of wine. Found a cook book I had forgotten about. Can't do anything with it, not the right ingredients, but the pictures are nice. Oh, yes I meant to get my paints out. Had coffee. Put tv on, did another crossword - a hard one - had a coffee. I have needed several visits to the loo, and tidied the towel rail whilst there (multi tasking). Just gone into the bedroom to get my nightie and close the window. There's a pile of clothes on my bed. And I've been so busy today I think I'm tired. Maybe lie in tomorrow.

I've chucked all those clothes on the floor so I can go to bed. So, maybe tomorrow, later. Ah, there's a handy box I can put them in. I'm sure it will fit under the bed in the spare room

..I think that this thread DEFINITELY merits a place in GN classics...its cheered so many of us....as Phoenixalways does ...my life ...as per many of us...is like a crazy graph at the moment..up/down/up/down/cant be bothered....but to know that so many of us feel the same..restores my sanity....we are coping..we are normal...and thanks to this thread...we are still laughing ..??

farview and others who have posted appreciative or complimentary comments, thank you so much, your comments brighten my day as much as I hope my daft posts and threads might bring a smile to you!

GrannyLaine thank you for the clarification, makes sense now! Although I think it may be a very small clique.........

Yes, I agree farview, it’s one of the best. I laughed at your contribution, lettice, it sounds so familiar. It’s good to read all these confessions. Now I know it’s not just me.

keep your 'phone on, Phoenix in case any XY's call with a job they need doing?

Grandmafrench, this is not a house of ill repute!! No one would have the energy....

Lettice
I love the clothes on the bed story_ are you sure you are not me in disguise!
Time for bed.?

Had decorators in just before lockdown which sent me into a frenzy of boxing stuff up, moving to other rooms. Cleaning cupboards, chucking stuff out. Then lockdown happened, decorators obvs not here any more. Spare room still full of boxes. ? I need them back to motivate me!

My get up and go got up and pissed off ?
I have done almost zero house work. Its only me here, who is making the mess???
I have baked a bit but I'm not really cooking meals.
I have decided that after lockdown I'm going to do my bit for the economy and employ a (team of) cleaner(s) ?
I'd love a garden to doss in, sadly it's my saggy sofa to match my saggy backside.....

I have been busy only when I'm not sitting in the sun ,I had a new roof 2 days before "lockdown" & corner of my bedroom repaired. I discovered the leak in November 2019, due to awful weather I had to wait, now decorating my bedroom grey with shocking pink blind & bedding.

I've also started painting my garden fence, very slowly.

Housework, never did like doing it, much prefer being in the garden.

Most days I CBA to do anything but I have baked a couple of cakes something I haven't done for years. Crosswords, Sudoku, daily papers, social media are much more fun. I am a master of the Art of Prevarication.

Dust, it doesn't get any thicker after a month just don't write in it, hoover when necessary. Washing done as necessary, kitchen & bathroom are clean.

I do get up & dressed proper clothes at a reasonable time, no make up unless I'm going out.

Will my behaviour change after "lockdown"no I doubt it

I had so many plans.

I've done nothing

I've sat in the garden and read books.

Yesterday. a real CBA day. I finally got going at around 11. Stripped the bed, chucked in washing machine then sat down for a bit - until around 2 to be precise, to recover. Later, by which time I had repaired to the garden, a neighbour arrived at my gate with a wheelbarrow full of plants - lupins, michaelmas daisies and sweet peas. Very kind. I had to get up off my sun-bed to plant the bloomin’ things. Not best pleased. It really interrupted my day. I had been reading a book about mindfulness at the time. Went to bed at 10 only to discover it was unmade - how did that happen. Sleeping on a mattress cover with a naked duvet on top is a first. I have really arrived in the Kingdom of Slut.

Loved reading this thread. I so identify with it.

My plan for today:
Breath in
Breath out
Repeat

If you re-read your post, maybe I think you’ll agree that’s quite a demanding schedule you’re planning. Maybe you could get around to considering the word ‘slowly’ for inclusion in the last 3 lines of your plan. Just an idea, you don’t want to break into a ? sweat.

There is no way I’m coming out of lockdown with a new skill, a tidier house or a fitter body. I will have perfected the art of staring out of the window with no thought in my head occasionally.