Rebooting Your Life
Discussion
So one of the areas under my reboot is the home, or in this case, garden.
Quite simply, it is shameful. I know rented properties can get a little messy outiside but my gardens, front & back, have suffered with many years of a lack of care. My aim is that before the end of the summer, I get them sorted. Might take me all summer but if someone suggested now that I'd be happy with my gardens in September, I bite their hands off.
The chair and old desk I can probably take to the tip in my car but that shed is full of stuff that I no longer need so thinking of getting a rubbish clearance company to come in and empty it so I can get different junk in there!! No seriously, I'd invest in some gardening stuff to keep in there once I've worked out what I have and what I need.
So, and getting ready for being flamed, here's my front and back garden. Any tips more than welcome...
but keep them sensible.
Quite simply, it is shameful. I know rented properties can get a little messy outiside but my gardens, front & back, have suffered with many years of a lack of care. My aim is that before the end of the summer, I get them sorted. Might take me all summer but if someone suggested now that I'd be happy with my gardens in September, I bite their hands off.
The chair and old desk I can probably take to the tip in my car but that shed is full of stuff that I no longer need so thinking of getting a rubbish clearance company to come in and empty it so I can get different junk in there!! No seriously, I'd invest in some gardening stuff to keep in there once I've worked out what I have and what I need.
So, and getting ready for being flamed, here's my front and back garden. Any tips more than welcome...
but keep them sensible.A mow, a strim and a good dose of Gallup would get most of that sorted!
Toms rubbish clearance are pretty good, especially if you can get everything out to the front or there’s rear access.
Anytime from Thursday is looking good for a spray. Im happy to drop round a full backpack sprayer if you’d get chance to use it next weekend!
Toms rubbish clearance are pretty good, especially if you can get everything out to the front or there’s rear access.
Anytime from Thursday is looking good for a spray. Im happy to drop round a full backpack sprayer if you’d get chance to use it next weekend!
bristolbaron - thanks for the offer, I'll decline at the moment though as not quite ready to tackle it properly just yet. Glad you suggested a good weedkiller though as the ones I've used before have been next to useless.....
mickythefish - great news, thanks for sharing. What are you trying to do/lose/change about yourself?
ASA569 - that's very true, good point. Not as enjoyable as walking but will still burn the calories off.
Speaking of walking, have nailed it this week. Friday, I worked from home but got a 6.5 mile walk from home to Saltford & back in by 8am. Yesterday, I went the other way and did 7.2 miles in total before this morning when I parked at Keynsham Station and walked to Bath along the railway path, a distance of 7.6 miles. Caught the train back but in a few months, will plan on walking there AND back once I know I can cope with five hours on my feet.
mickythefish - great news, thanks for sharing. What are you trying to do/lose/change about yourself?
ASA569 - that's very true, good point. Not as enjoyable as walking but will still burn the calories off.
Speaking of walking, have nailed it this week. Friday, I worked from home but got a 6.5 mile walk from home to Saltford & back in by 8am. Yesterday, I went the other way and did 7.2 miles in total before this morning when I parked at Keynsham Station and walked to Bath along the railway path, a distance of 7.6 miles. Caught the train back but in a few months, will plan on walking there AND back once I know I can cope with five hours on my feet.
GloverMart said:
bristolbaron - thanks for the offer, I'll decline at the moment though as not quite ready to tackle it properly just yet. Glad you suggested a good weedkiller though as the ones I've used before have been next to useless.....
No worries. Please feel free to let me know down the line though, I’ve got enough to last a lifetime 
More than happy to give a hand for a few hours with strimming/mowing etc too. We’d have it half tidy in an afternoon.
An update after week four....
Health
Lost four pounds this week meaning that's the first stone shifted now. Thought it had been a good week especially with the numbers I've been hitting on my feet.
Walking
Walking this week has been an absolute pleasure and the distance covered of 34 miles reflect that. Did four successive days over the BH weekend of 6.5 miles, 7.2 miles, 7.6 miles and 5.5 miles which meant I walked more than 82k steps this week in total. Got a blister in my new walking shoes but soon forgot about that once I was out strolling again.
Have got into a habit of getting up at 5.30am and doing 2-3 miles before work. Feel so much better and more alert at work although obviously my go-to-bed time has come down a bit to around 10.30pm.
Podcasts
Missed these last week so binged on them this week. James Smith with Joe Marler kicked off the week on Wednesday and on those long walks at the weekend, did the Diary Of A CEO podcasts with James Smith (part 2), Russell Howard, Ben Fogle and Chris Williamson. Many, many useful bits of advice that I'll use - Ben Fogle suggesting that you "don't try and be the person other people want you to be; be the person you are!", i.e be natural. James Smith is always good for a soundbite and Chris Williamson was another one that advocated making your stepping stones smaller so they are achievable rather than huge great steps that could make you falter. Russell Howard was quite a listen as with Jimmy Carr, you see a side of them you don't normally see. All very different characters, all with great tips for me.
Home
After posting the pictures of my garden last week, I went out there on Monday for an hour and got rid of most of the brambles in the front garden. I could have gone on for longer but I'd rather do a little each week and take it steady.
Money
Cancelled the website for the football club I used to be secretary of, this will save me £38 a month. Because I didn't ever have much in the way of spare cash, I used to do their website for free and pay the subscription myself. Whereas if others were to stick a few quid into the club, my contribution was the website, one reason was because it was paid monthly rather than having to pay a lump sum. I've done that for seven years now so my contribution was around £2,500 in the end. Someone else will be paying from now on.
Also chased, and got paid, for the final programme invoice of the season. I did the matchday programmes for four non-league clubs in recent seasons earning me around £1,200 a year but I've given that up as part of the decluttering process. It's only around a tenner an hour and often I'd do the programmes then the game would get postponed. Anyhow, was paid the last £75 for that so it's all done now.
Work
Nothing to report really.
Social
Quiet week really, first weekend since the end of July 2023 with no football at all.
Not going into work till 1pm tomorrow so a long-ish walk tomorrow followed by a short one on Friday and, drum roll please.................... my first parkrun ever on Saturday! Had a chat with a couple of work colleagues this morning who said it might be a good idea so rather than wait several weeks or months, I've cracked on and registered & got my bar code ready to go this Saturday.
Off the record, if I can complete in sub-50 minutes, I'll be happy. When I walk three miles, it takes me around 55-60 minutes as I amble along so this should be reducable, just by how much initially. Also gets me out and about meeting new people too at a time when I'm usually quite quiet in the summer.
As always, thanks for all the support.
Health
Lost four pounds this week meaning that's the first stone shifted now. Thought it had been a good week especially with the numbers I've been hitting on my feet.
Walking
Walking this week has been an absolute pleasure and the distance covered of 34 miles reflect that. Did four successive days over the BH weekend of 6.5 miles, 7.2 miles, 7.6 miles and 5.5 miles which meant I walked more than 82k steps this week in total. Got a blister in my new walking shoes but soon forgot about that once I was out strolling again.
Have got into a habit of getting up at 5.30am and doing 2-3 miles before work. Feel so much better and more alert at work although obviously my go-to-bed time has come down a bit to around 10.30pm.
Podcasts
Missed these last week so binged on them this week. James Smith with Joe Marler kicked off the week on Wednesday and on those long walks at the weekend, did the Diary Of A CEO podcasts with James Smith (part 2), Russell Howard, Ben Fogle and Chris Williamson. Many, many useful bits of advice that I'll use - Ben Fogle suggesting that you "don't try and be the person other people want you to be; be the person you are!", i.e be natural. James Smith is always good for a soundbite and Chris Williamson was another one that advocated making your stepping stones smaller so they are achievable rather than huge great steps that could make you falter. Russell Howard was quite a listen as with Jimmy Carr, you see a side of them you don't normally see. All very different characters, all with great tips for me.
Home
After posting the pictures of my garden last week, I went out there on Monday for an hour and got rid of most of the brambles in the front garden. I could have gone on for longer but I'd rather do a little each week and take it steady.
Money
Cancelled the website for the football club I used to be secretary of, this will save me £38 a month. Because I didn't ever have much in the way of spare cash, I used to do their website for free and pay the subscription myself. Whereas if others were to stick a few quid into the club, my contribution was the website, one reason was because it was paid monthly rather than having to pay a lump sum. I've done that for seven years now so my contribution was around £2,500 in the end. Someone else will be paying from now on.
Also chased, and got paid, for the final programme invoice of the season. I did the matchday programmes for four non-league clubs in recent seasons earning me around £1,200 a year but I've given that up as part of the decluttering process. It's only around a tenner an hour and often I'd do the programmes then the game would get postponed. Anyhow, was paid the last £75 for that so it's all done now.
Work
Nothing to report really.
Social
Quiet week really, first weekend since the end of July 2023 with no football at all.
Not going into work till 1pm tomorrow so a long-ish walk tomorrow followed by a short one on Friday and, drum roll please.................... my first parkrun ever on Saturday! Had a chat with a couple of work colleagues this morning who said it might be a good idea so rather than wait several weeks or months, I've cracked on and registered & got my bar code ready to go this Saturday.
Off the record, if I can complete in sub-50 minutes, I'll be happy. When I walk three miles, it takes me around 55-60 minutes as I amble along so this should be reducable, just by how much initially. Also gets me out and about meeting new people too at a time when I'm usually quite quiet in the summer.
As always, thanks for all the support.
LastPoster said:
Hi Mart
Which parkrun are you going to?
If you are going along on your own (rather than meeting the aforementioned workmates) I can come and say hi and show you the ropes if you like
The workmates won't be going, they were just encouraging ME to go. Which parkrun are you going to?
If you are going along on your own (rather than meeting the aforementioned workmates) I can come and say hi and show you the ropes if you like
I'm doing the Chipping Sodbury one.
GloverMart said:
LastPoster said:
Hi Mart
Which parkrun are you going to?
If you are going along on your own (rather than meeting the aforementioned workmates) I can come and say hi and show you the ropes if you like
The workmates won't be going, they were just encouraging ME to go. Which parkrun are you going to?
If you are going along on your own (rather than meeting the aforementioned workmates) I can come and say hi and show you the ropes if you like
I'm doing the Chipping Sodbury one.
LastPoster said:
GloverMart said:
LastPoster said:
Hi Mart
Which parkrun are you going to?
If you are going along on your own (rather than meeting the aforementioned workmates) I can come and say hi and show you the ropes if you like
The workmates won't be going, they were just encouraging ME to go. Which parkrun are you going to?
If you are going along on your own (rather than meeting the aforementioned workmates) I can come and say hi and show you the ropes if you like
I'm doing the Chipping Sodbury one.
I'll look out for you. Am obviously wider than you but with short, grey hair. Probably be wearing blue shorts and if weather isn't great, a hi-vis yellow think jacket too. Are you going to be running then as I was initially planning to walk with the odd little bit of running?
LastPoster said:
Ok, CS is very well organised for a newbie. If a random bald headed guy as tall as you are approaches you and asks “Are you Glovermart from Pistonheads” that will be me
We met up!!!!!! And I didn't even have to wear a red carnation for ID.... My huge thanks to Last Poster for his help, assistance and pre-race calming words this morning, great to meet you. Pleased to report that I completed it in 42 minutes 54 seconds, just over two minutes inside my target time, and with all limbs complete.
Last Poster lapped me once when I was about halfway and still managed to give some encouragement as he zoomed past, really appreciate that and thanks for taking the time this morning.
GloverMart said:
Pleased to report that I completed it in 42 minutes 54 seconds, just over two minutes inside my target time, and with all limbs complete.
Ahem! GloverMart said:
Off the record, if I can complete in sub-50 minutes, I'll be happy. When I walk three miles, it takes me around 55-60 minutes as I amble along so this should be reducable, just by how much initially. Also gets me out and about meeting new people too at a time when I'm usually quite quiet in the summer.
I make that over SEVEN minutes inside happy! Well done! bristolbaron said:
GloverMart said:
Pleased to report that I completed it in 42 minutes 54 seconds, just over two minutes inside my target time, and with all limbs complete.
Ahem! GloverMart said:
Off the record, if I can complete in sub-50 minutes, I'll be happy. When I walk three miles, it takes me around 55-60 minutes as I amble along so this should be reducable, just by how much initially. Also gets me out and about meeting new people too at a time when I'm usually quite quiet in the summer.
I make that over SEVEN minutes inside happy! Well done! Thanks for those kind words. I'd kind of recalibrated my target time down to 45 minutes as when I recently went on a few quick walks at lunchtime, I was going around 15 minutes per mile which equates to 45 minutes for a parkrun. The more I can run (rather than walk), the 45 minutes will come down to 40 minutes and then maybe 35 minutes in time.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff