Planning, Doing...Planning to do...

Three weeks in to the new year and things are much the same.  That means the gardens need work, the house needs work, I need work.  But hey, what would I do if I didn't have all this stuff to work on aye?

Umm, what would I do?  Probably spend more time than I do now on this thing so just as well I'm not up to date with it all yet.

I have been busy though.  Still at Vinnies, still liking it.  If I got paid for being there and doing what I do it would be the best job.  Being manager is a lot more work but I am learning and hopefully will soon get the hang of it properly.  It would be a help if I had someone that was more involved with my training but the Area Manager doesn't seem that interested so I am learning as I go. If they don't like it then they can sack me! 
I am wondering now if I could help more on the Welfare side of things.  The Conference women have asked for help and I have sat in on some of their appointments, just as a second person for safety reasons, and think t would be a good thing to do.   At first I thought it would be great, then had second thoughts and decided that I am too judgemental, third thoughts were that maybe some of the people that come in could do with some straight talking to...It would be nice to be able to help the genuine people though and good to get the others help so they can help themselves more.  Telling the difference between the genuine needy and the greedy needy is hard though and the CW get it wrong quite often so I don't know why I think I would be any different.  If they, the CW, ever ask if anyone would like training in that area though I think I will put my hand up. 

I have had a few days paid work during the school holidays but am finished now until the next lot.  Soon these kids will be old enough not to need me and then my main source of income will be finished. Not that what I get is very much, maybe $1000 for the year lol, but better than nothing.  I will have to get serious about selling the honey and getting the gardens producing more so I have some money to call my own and am not totally dependant on husband.   In the meantime I'll just keep the credit card in my purse.

Husband has put a shed up for me/us to use as an extracting shed for the hives.  It works great and everything to do with the hives is now together in one area.   We had the first extraction for the year in it today and it works great.  Quicker, cooler, cleaner.  It will be so much easier to get an extraction done now and best of all it is bee proof!  No bees to worry about while I/we steal their honey.

I'm going down to Nannup tomorrow.  Going down with one daughter to visit another...First daughter will be dropping her daughter off for a weeks holiday.  We need to get back early though so 2and1/2 hours there, stay a bit, 2and1/2 hours back again...Nannup daughter has a HelpXer staying with her and it will be interesting to talk with her again.   I met her last week, she is from Germany and will be traveling around for 6 months, in a van...I want some inspiration for next year when I hope to get another van and try again.

We haven't been anywhere camping since March last year and I need to get it into my head that if I want to then I will need to do it alone.  I'm working on it but...To help with the stupid irrational fear I have I am going away with Nannup daughter in March.  Three weeks in Tasmania.  She is going for some Permaculture thing and suggested I go along for the ride.  I cried.  She says we'll hire a campervan, stay longer and explore.  I cried.  She told me how big the van will be.  I cried.  It seems I am a crier.  I am working on that too.

Over the course of this year I want to get the gardens producing like they did back in 2010, I want to get the house decluttered and some bookshelves up so I can bring my books in, I want to get an extraction done by myself, from honey in a hive to honey in a jar and I want to get out and about a bit more, including overnight stays somewhere by myself.  I'm going to plan at least 2 trips away, invite the husband but go anyway, with or without him.  And, I already have ideas for next year but they will need a lot more planning.   Something else to work on...

How about you, what plans do you have for this year?  Not resolutions but real plans for things that you want to happen, things that will happen...