This year started well.

Once we got back from Canberra and the Christmas and New Year festivities, it was time to create a list of things I needed to do around the house. But before I did that, I bought some books from Helena’s Curiosity & Book Shoppe in Bentleigh. ($3 each, BARGAIN!)

We have an old house that requires some maintenance. The work recently done in our backyard meant we have had all our fencing fixed and ivy removed; gas pipes fixed; site drainage fixed too. The outdoor area now that it’s all paved is a lot easier to keep clean and maintain. It’s also “back friendly”. I’m out there every morning sweeping the leaves.

Our intention is to live in this house until we can’t. Andrew jokes that the only way he’ll leave this house is by his coffin. So fair to say, this is – and will be – out forever home.

In the meantime, we have to make it as liveable and comfortable for us for the long term. It’s like nesting – but more in preparation of middle age. That means constant cleaning, clearing, ditching, fixing, servicing and maintaining.

So I created my list that I needed to be done this year:

That’s only half of the tasks but it’s enough to get started. I use the Notes or Reminder app on my iPhone now to plan everything down (having stopped use of other apps I used to in the past deciding only on one system – Apple – to do everything).

We recently bought 2 huge pots and 4 medium size Mediterranean looking pots that were stained to “look old” that need to be planted. I’ll be planting an olive and lime tree and also a dwarf lemon tree too. Other than that I have to seal the pots too. I’ve got to add that on the list.

So my intention for this year is to go through this list and fix as much of the house as possible. Work will commence also on a complete relandscaping of our front yard too. House jobs never seem to finish and most of the time, I have zero idea of what I’m doing anyway but thanks to YouTube, I seem to muddle along my way.

Let’s see how this goes but something tells me that I’ll be quite happy to see the progress of my house projects in 2023. Let’s hope.