2 November 2021

Yesterday, step by step

This is a simple post laying bare what I do during the day. You've liked  these posts when I've done them in the past. It's my day, set out in chunks of time, so you can see not what I do every day because they're all different, but what I did on this day. I also took all of these photos yesterday so you can see some of what I'm writing about.



This is my work room. It's where I've written all my books and blog. There are a couple of laptops there, one under the fan, a sewing machine and overlocker.

So what happened on THIS day?


4 - 7am 

Up early, finished off a few things on the computer left over from the day before, had breakfast while catching up on one of the previous night's TV programs, then five minutes of news. I never watch TV at night. Breakfast was baked beans with ancient grains toast and black tea. Then I unpacked the dishwasher, placed the breakfast dishes in, cleaned the microwave and tidied the kitchen.


7 - 7.30am 

While I waited for Hanno to wake up, I tidied my desk, dealt with emails and finished setting up Adguard - I just bought a lifetime membership and changed a couple of settings. When Hanno was having his breakfast, I opened the windows in the bedroom and ensuite, made the bed and put a few things away in the wardrobe.



I don't like what's happening in the laundry at the moment. I have too many products on that top shelf and not enough folding space. I'll fix that next week when I have some spare time.


7.30 - 10am

Put load of washing on and scrubbed the laundry sink. Made some phone calls. Cleaned and organised the kitchen and started preparing lunch - corned beef, sweet potato mash and cabbage. The corned beef cooked slowly overnight and was really tender. Then I made morning tea, we had banana cake and tea, and I sat with Hanno on the front verandah.



10am - midday

Peeled and cooked vegetables and got plates, glasses and cutlery out to set the table. Peeled and cut up mangoes for dessert. Hung washing out, put some in the dryer and continued washing during the day.  Served lunch.


12.30 - 2.20pm

Man from Airtasker came to mow our lawns and do the whipper snipping. I finished setting up Adguard on Hanno's computer and starting installing the new iOS. It took nearly four hours! Set up Adguard on our phones and iPad.


2.30 - 3pm

Hemmed some small cloths on the sewing machine.


Cleaning the kitchen bench - a never-ending job.


3 - 3.30pm

Talked to our grandkids on the phone. Alex and Eve had just been picked up from school by Sarndra and were heading home. We talked about what they were doing at school that day, what they hoped to get for Christmas and Eve's newly pierced ears. I'm getting her some good earrings for Christmas. They were worried about Hanno's health and spoke to him but he got tired so I ended what he was saying. They said they wanted to come down soon to see him.


3.30 - 4pm

Took Gracie outside for a run around. She's still stalking lizards but happily they're much faster that she is.


4 - 6pm

Made tea and toast and watched some of the late afternoon news. Heated up a stuffed capsicum for Hanno's tea then tidied up the kitchen, packed the dishwasher and hung out sheets and towels.


6 - 7pm

Cleaned and tidied my workroom, vacuumed the floor and emptied the vacuum. I'm no angel, I hate emptying the dust from the vacuum cleaner but it was so full it stopping cleaning! It felt good that I emptied it though so maybe I am an angel. 😇


7pm

Checked on Hanno and Gracie watching TV, had a shower and went to bed. Couldn't go to sleep so I got up again and looked for cake recipes in Grandma's Cookbook. I love that site!  Also checked Grandma Donna's site. She has good, old fashioned, basic recipes, which is what I prefer to cook and eat now.


9pm

Got tired again so when Hanno went to bed, I did too. This time is was successful and I slept well.

 

I hang my dirty white cloths over the side of this tub and once a week soak them in oxygen-bleach. 


We have two air filters in the house now, we've had them for about six months and they're really helping Hanno with his breathing when he sleeps. They have HEPA filters so they can filter out Covid, cold and flu viruses and well as fumes from paint or carpet, outside smoke and cooking smells. It operates on a blue light most of the time but when something is in the air it goes to orange then, if necessary, red. It takes time cleaning the air then returns to blue. It's fascinating to watch because often you don't know why it changes settings. I'm grateful to have it.


Today I've just been outside to pick lemons for the slice I'll be making tomorrow. We had corned beef,  sweet potato and cabbage leftovers for lunch today. There are leftovers for tomorrow as well.


A few towels and a sheet on the line here. It doesn't take long to dry, maybe two to three hours most days.


It's a very calm and simple life we live nowadays. Most of the time we feel cut off from the rest of the world, we focus on what's here rather than what's out there and we work to our own rules and timetables. The work we do supports the lifestyle we've chosen and it consistently reinforces the importance of that work. I can't imagine living any other way now. It helps if you understand the significance of home to you. When you get that, it makes sense to care for what you've got.

Thank you for being here today. I hope some of what I've written helps you move closer to your ideal life. It's a mindset change really but when all that clicks in, the rest is not far away.  xx
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35 comments

  1. Wow you get a lot done Rhonda Thanks for sharing a day in the life of......

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    1. It's not like that everyday, Penny. Some days I sit on the verandah all day reading and watching Gracie. I do as much as I can on the step by step days because I want to have free days too.

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  2. What a great idea giving a breakdown of your busy day. It makes it very relatable Rhonda. Thank you for a glimpse into your day 💐

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  3. I too have taught myself to not rush trying to get everything done how I used to. It’s quite liberating. My house is not as clean and shipshape as it used to be but we are both more relaxed now.

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  4. I admire that you keep focused and work through the day. Keeping house has always been huge challenge for me. Last weekend I looked in my daughter's fridge and wondered if she had used a ruler to arrange the contents! Oh well. I love that I can fill my washing machine to wash ready for the morning. Then I hang the clothing under cover and it doesn't dry as quickly but as I have had melanoma and have been a sun avoider I am glad I have that option. I love having a dishwasher. I love having a vacuum. A childhood of holidays spent in an older beach home that required sweeping sand off carpets and hand washing sheets and towels without a wringer makes me very happy for my servants.

    Stay safe and well.

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  5. Julie from MooroolbarkNovember 02, 2021 9:36 pm

    Hello Rhonda A day in the life of Rhonda Hanno and Gracie. They say that a picture tells a thousand words and even though you are so articulate with each of these photos the definition in these photos tells me so much more. By sharing the rhythm and flow of your daily achievements and aspirations of one random day, has encouraged me further to have a deeper sense of appreciation and satisfaction of my world in my home on any given day no matter what challenges present themselves. In essence it is that solid commitment to ones own life that gives us strength to be open to whatever else life may present to us.

    It has been special day for me today. Being out of covid isolation I treated myself to a special Belgian hot chocolate that our local cafe does so beautifully and spent time browsing our local book store which both stores have now reopened. It was lovely to be out and then return home after so many months of lockdown and in the open air masks are not mandatory so it was lovely to see the faces of my community again.
    Swallows are nesting in the Banksia tree and many of the regular bird visitors are bringing their babies to splash in the many water dishes in the backyard. It is a high rainfall year so far so outside maintenance is a must before it goes very wild.
    Everything is in full flower. It is one of our best spring seasons ever in Melbourne and particularly in the outer areas of where I am located.
    Thankyou for your caring comments regarding my tier 1 covid exposure. That experience has prepared me better if it happens again. Have a wonderful week. xx

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    1. Enjoy this beautiful spring in your neck of the woods, Julie. And have a great week.

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  6. It looks so pretty out there in your yard. I just got home from a vacation, and it made my heart sing to walk in the front door of my cottage. Our homes are filled with our love, creativity, and decor. Seeing it with fresh eyes after a week away made me feel so happy and fortunate. I love hearing about your routines...

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  7. What a fun blog post, Rhonda. I loved reading about what your days consists of.

    Ya know, I think blog posts are much more interesting when people talk about their day-to-day lives. The blog that contain scripted posts or perfect posts are simply boring to me and I think to most folks. People don't always want to hear about "happy"... and they don't always want to see "perfect". People want to see & hear about everything that goes wrong too. They want to hear sad as well as happy... they want to see messy as well as perfectly neat. Posts that show nothing but perfection have a tendency to make people think that their lives are crappy while everyone else must be living lives of perfection... and that's so not true. I've always been of the opinion that people who only show "perfection" are hiding something!

    Love~ Andrea xoxoxo

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    1. Hold on to your hat, Andrea. I'm going to write about dirty houses next week.

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    2. Love this Andrea! So true for me. Thank you for writing this, it's encouraging for me in my blog writing and my day to day life. Life gets messy, it's how we approach the messy. :-)

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  8. Thanks for sharing your day Rhonda, I always enjoy taking a walk through your world. All the best to you, Hanno and Gracie. Beth in MN

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    1. Thanks Beth, sending warm hugs to you across the miles. xx

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  9. Hello. I found my way to your blog from Donna. You have such a lovely blog and I've enjoyed so much reading over the weekend. I'm from the States, Ohio to be exact. My husband and I are about 4 months into retirement and are trying to adjust to this change. One new baby grandson in Chicago and one 2 year old granddaughter in Germany. Happily we'll be off to see both next month. Trying to settle in to our home after many decades of busy medical work. Thanks for sharing your lives. Hello to Hanno.

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    1. Welcome Lissa. What an exciting time for you and your husband. I hope you find what you're looking for on the pages here. xx

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  10. Love your show but productive days Rhonda. Living the dream. Have a good week. Kathy A, Brisbane

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  11. Thank you for another insightful post Rhonda. I enjoy reading all your posts but particularly enjoyed today's as I often wonder how other people spend their days in the real world. Thanks again, Tracy x

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  12. I loved reading about your day Rhonda - I feel somehow relaxed by all your activity. Bit by bit it seems more meditative somehow. Sorry to hear that Hanno tires easily and that there is cause for concern. I hope he is in recovery mode and will be feeling more himself again soon. I think anyone who cares for the home and others with such grace is undoubtedly an angel, even if they let the vacuum cleaner fill up! Take care, and enjoy the rest of your week.

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  13. Dear Rhonda,
    Thank you for your lovely post. Your words and actions always reinforce for me that simple healthy living is both life affirming and healthy for the spirit.

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  14. Oh thank you so much for sharing your schedule Rhonda. It was very encouraging. Blessings.

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  15. I so enjoy your writings and look forward to them. Like a letter from an old friend. Thank you and be well.

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  16. This was such a lovely glimpse into your world, Rhonda. It's autumn here so I enjoyed seeing your vibrantly green garden. Lemon slice is one of my favourite desserts to make - I bet yours, made with your homegrown lemons, was delicious.

    With love from,
    Kelly (Mrs. Kiwi)

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  17. Can you tell me a bit more about the filter. It sounds to be very innovative and helpful

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    1. Lissa, we use them because Hanno has breathing problems made worse by a variety of smells, smoke and pollen. My DIL is Korean and they've been struggling with poor air quality for years due to being on the edge of China with the prevailing winds. Sunny had air purifiers before we did but if you can't get USA made, buy Korean. Here is a page about purifiers available in the US. Make sure you get at least a Pre-filter, True HEPA filter, Activated Carbon filter, not HEPA-like filter.

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    2. Sounds great in the home Rhonda but how is he out and about ? Do you have a portable one for him ?

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    3. Prue, we are surrounded by pine forests here, the best air filter of all. Our outside air is excellent and often better than the air in the house.

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  18. Hi Rhonda, I am so thankful you shared your average day, and the post a few days ago about routines. This helps me to see...not what to do and try to follow yours exactly, but it expands my understanding of what others do and maybe there is a better or different way than what I do.
    Just two weeks ago my husband and I were on our evening stroll and I shared how I feel like I always struggle (after 20 years of being a housewife) that I bounce back and forth from a) having a weekly routine of certain household tasks assigned to certain days - like FLyLady or b) making a list of what I see needs done and keeping it to 5 things for today. Just doing the list of what ever needs done today.
    Both are stressful. The "a" system doesn't give way to pressing things that need done and I don't have the time or energy at this state of life to do all of it. Then there is the "b" system that I am afraid I will forget when is the last time I balanced the check book or I don't remember when I watered the plants last.
    Trying to meld these two are, what my husband noticed in my sharing, what is driving me crazy. Always makes me feel inadequate. About 30 years ago when I was first married, I learned of just the basic list of 5 for the day. That helped me so much, back when I was younger and worked. Then when I became a full time housewife, I fell apart trying to figure out how to maintain our home.
    I was overwhelmed, and Flylady came into my life. Helpful, but I have always tried to find the path of doing both: House blessing on Monday, Desk day on Wed, etc. and still add in the random other things that come up. To do both in my day, I run out of day before all these are done. I am still trying to find a peaceful rhythm that works for me. So I am grateful to read about how your day flows.

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  19. A day well spent! Very nice, Rhonda.

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  20. Lovely post, thank you. I really enjoy your posts and the glimpse of life in a different place (I live in the desert of Arizona). I agree with you on G’donna, she is a wonderful writer ;)

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  21. Thank you for sharing your life, I found it very interesting and enjoyable, filled with lovely homely photos! Love Mary-Lou N. IRELAND

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  22. Thanks very much for the info about Korean air filters. We'll check them out.

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  23. Really enjoyed this ,Rhonda. We have folk calling in for coffee most days, however we enjoy our home life and our days are much like yours really. In the home we lost during the fires I had a cross stitch which read “Live Simply” and that’s how I choose to live. Just gently and quietly. Have a blessed weekend, Gail.

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  24. I loved this. Sounds like a lovely, productive but not stressful day. I've been struggling to find my rhythm in our home this fall...I will never say that Covid has been a good thing, but not doing much outside of the home (and having that work for us bc no one else really was either) made for a more peaceful daily rhythm at home, and now that things out in the world are resuming, it's like I can't quite remember how to keep up with things at home and be part of the things we do outside the home.

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  25. Thank you for sharing your day.

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