Get stuffed 2020!

 

Oh how I started the year naively thinking I'd be closer to my retirement goals and finally enjoying the life I wanted.  Even without Covid, this year has sucked for my family. Organising funerals in the midst of a pandemic wasn't nice.  Clearing out a hoarder's house definitely wasn't nice.  My youngest son's relationship broke down and he moved back home. Not nice for him.  And I finally severed ties with someone who just couldn't be a friend once our relationship had ended.  So yeah, 2020 can do one!!

But since I'm not a negative Nelly I can acknowledge the positives that have come from this year.  Like many others I have been forced to slow down and reassess what is important.  And practise gratitude for what I do have. Throughout the year my job was secure and my family stayed Covid free.

I can now look back at my 2020 goals and realise I have achieved some of them, to some degree.  

1.  I did work out a retirement plan then changed it, several times!  I'm changing stages in school next year and have committed another 2 years to my school.  So I'm still teaching but I have a few other things in the pipeline.

2.  My son is currently living in the extended part of the house so we'll see how the Air BnB concept 'could' work.

3.  I managed to save then spent my savings!!  Ah well!

4.  I did reclaim my back garden from the chickens.  It's a work in progress but it's much better than it was.

5.  Gigantic FAIL!  Neither fit nor healthy atm but I'm working on it.

6.  I did grow more fruit and vegetables thanks to my new allotment!

7.  I've made a few permanent changes that will help but I could definitely do a lot more.

I really have no ideas what my 2021 goals are yet.  Obviously to stay healthy and Covid free is in there, plus growing more stuff on my allotment.  I'll have a think and read what other people are planning.  But right now 2020 can get stuffed!!

Hanging on...

Just 7 and a half teaching days left until the Christmas holidays!  We're all just hanging on for dear life!!  Despite the data from Public Health Scotland suggesting some types of schools are more likely to have outbreaks, my school is bucking the trend and so far we've had zero positive cases of Covid.  Staff, kids and parents have been following all the safety rules and it seems to be working.  It does hang over us all the time but it's worth it if we can keep this up.

In the midst of teaching in a pandemic and still dealing with my uncle's 'stuff,'  I did manage to get my wee downstairs shower room renovated.

Before

During

After

It took longer than planned as they found a few issues including the outside wall having no insulation!  They fixed that but it means the rest of the extended part of the house probably doesn't have any either 😲 So that's on my list for next year.  I've been told there are grants available for insulation so I'll investigate it.  As much as I love my new shower room I won't be using it.  It's mainly for visitors and guests (my guest room is downstairs) and for my son who is living in the extended part of the house for now.  But it does make me want to update my stuck in the 1980s bathroom upstairs!! 😄