Happiness Review #26 & Coffeeshares

November 17, 2018November 17, 2018 - Tobia 4 Comments

Good Morning you all,

hope your week was a wonderful one. Grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and sit down a while and let’s have a chat.

Advents Calender

My weeks been busy however I didn’t get any work done that brings money in. I guess it’s ok for now but I need to get going double next week. I had to catch up on my Christmas crafting for the advents calendar I participate in. Man some things didn’t work out quite how I wanted so I spent lots of time getting it done in time. The perfectionist in me is not hundred percent satisfied but more was just not possible. Now that I am done with this project I am thinking about participating in Julias a Secret Santa #StadtLandWichteln2018.

Advents Wreath

I have been collecting ideas for this years advents wreath. I usually make two wreath a year – one I am gifting my mother. It’s our little tradition. I get an advent calendar, she gets a wreath. Hers will be brown/golden this year with a nature base. I have that one pretty much figured out. I am not so sure about mine though. I have another interesting idea for a wreath made of recycled packaging waste however I am not sure if I will actually like it. But I still want to try out the idea. I guess I have enough fall backs if it looks ugly as hell. In case you also need inspiration I gathered a list of advent wreath inspiration of the last years.

Cleaning Extravaganza

Inspired by my previous post I had a motivational push to get the apartment deep cleaned. So I spent the entire day yesterday doing everything – hence the missed post yesterday because I just couldn’t lift a finger at midnight. Now I am having lots of aches but a wonderful shiny apartment. I even managed to clean chunks of my craft room so I could vacuum there. Rarely ever happens because it’s so packed with projects laying everywhere.

Lunch Meetings

Also I had two fun lunch meetings with sister and neighbour this week. My sister and I met at this deli close to her work. The food was really nice, the location beautiful but it was so good to catch up with her. Haven’t seen her in a while. She also told me a story about something that really shook me. Sometimes crime is closer than we think. So please take care you all. And yesterday during my Feather-Dusting- Dance I took a break to have lunch with my neighbour and her new born. It was nice catching up. Now the is staying at home for a while we see each other every other week or so to take a walk in the park or have lunch together. I guess lunch breaks could be worth.

Weekend Plans

As for the weekend ahead. I’ll be spending tonight with my sister at “Santas Workshop” to pack up gifts for “Christmas in a shoe box“. I am excited about that. I’ll share my experience with you tomorrow if you like so stop by. On another note I will probably have to write a few blog posts or at least take the pictures so I can make them happen. Because you guys it’s getting dark early and I don’t want to post without photos.

Now let me know what you have been up to. I’ll head over to Lecy, Eclectic Alli and Denise to catch up now. Maybe I see you there.

Happy weekend,

Tobia

Disclaimer: This post contains links to other Blogs. Due to current (German) law this needs to be labelled advertising. Furthermore I have linked a few of my older articles because I believe you might enjoy them.

Household Chores – an Attempt at a Scheduling Plan

November 15, 2018November 15, 2018 - Tobia 2 Comments

I am not a huge fan of housework. I can come up with many ideas what I’d rather do. Even sitting and looking out of the window sounds more fascinating than swinging a feather duster. However I have to admit that I also don’t like to living in a pig stall so I have to suck it up and get to work. For a while we had some cleaning support. It didn’t work out as I was not willing to pay for services I am not satisfied with and prices were constantly raised. Every once in a while though I hire someone because we have too much on our schedule or I just want to treat myself.

For quite some time now I was wondering if a scheduled plan will help. Here is my attempt in gathering all the household chores in one place. Also I have included all the things that easily get forgotten in every day hassle.

Daily

Wipe kitchen counters and unload dishwasher while making coffee
Start dishwasher at night
spent 15 minutes to clean up clutter throughout apartment to make it look tidy (fold blankets on couch, put away mail, etc.)

Weekly

Mondays: vacuum floors (or let little robot do it) & water plants
During phone calls: dust, fold laundry
Fridays: clean bathroom & wash all towels, deep clean kitchen, clean all mirrors and glass doors

Monthly

1st: Decalcify the water filter & electric kettle
15th: change bedsheets
mop floors

Quarterly

Feb/May/Aug/Nov Cleaning program for washing machine
Feb/May/Aug/Nov Cleaning program for dish washer

Biannually

Wash bedding when changing winter/summer bedding
Apr/Oct clean windows

Annually

January: clean kitchen cupboards
November: Vacuum the couch

Now I just have to find the energy to implement it. And I probably forgot about a dozen important things – or maybe it’s a work in progress. Please share what and how often you do things. I could really use some insights on how to do it the “right way” and also sent all the motivation please.

Happy housewifeing,

Tobia

All the Emotions on a Monday :: 12 von 12

November 12, 2018November 12, 2018 - Tobia 2 Comments

Today is the 12th of the month and I’ll share my day in photos with you:

As most days I grant myself a slow start in my favourite spot with the perfect morning light, a cup of coffee and my journal. However I remembered I had a call with a business friend. So excited and pumped but it turnt out it’s next week …

… it’s ok I squeez in some crafting for my DIY advents calendar swaping which I have to drop of on Friday. I am cutting it way close as those sticks don’t dry. Feeling a bit under pressure here.

After some email checking and business stuff – feeling all legit – I hit the shower and felt like putting a bit more effort into the outfit today. My cozy star necklace was perfect for today.

So efficient today and only 11 am – time for breakfast. I decided it’s a day for French toast with homemade apple sauce. Gotta start your Monday right.

While eating I watched another episode of Nashville (why too emotional) and did some crafting along the way. Another deadline this week: my gift for the “Christmas in a Shoebox” needs to be handed in. Time to hassle.

Now let’s do some “real” work and stop procrastinating. Trying to build a website, feeling overwhelmed and inadequate…

12von12_work laptop … time to step away and take a walk.

Feeling much better after this (and the not pictured bag of chocolate I inhaled) to get back to it. After re-installing the software twice, almost crashing another site once, I finally got the hang of it. In between I do the household thing… carry towels, move the vacuum robot, water plants…
It’s getting late and I am hungry. Time for dinner. All time fall favorite red beets with feta cheese.

While it’s in the oven I enjoy my fire and type a blogpost.

How was your day?

Good night,

Tobia

Happiness Review & CoffeeShares

November 10, 2018November 12, 2018 - Tobia 10 Comments

Another week in the books. Can you believe how this year has flown by? I am a bit amazed, scared, dazzled and surprised. I mean I have had so many plans and now it seems like I won’t get it all done. On the other hand so much has happen in 2018 already.

Cologne & Blogst

Just last weekend was really amazing with me attending the BLOGST conference. So much energy in one room and so much motivation when coming out of it. And then it’s like a little depression when you hit your daily life and realize you need to catch your breath.
But even before I attended the conference I had a two hour window (carefully planned) to finally see the Cologne Cathedral. It was somewhat a lifelong dream and on my bucket list. I am amazed by sacred buildings and looking at the architectural structure just leaves me speechless. I managed to be there with sunset and it was just so beautiful. I can’t show you a photo with the perfect light because I just enjoyed.

Fall Foliage & Light

Speaking of light – this fall is just amazing. So many moments there is such beautiful light. It seems like the foliage is brighter and more colourful, the sunsets are more ruminant. I don’t know if this has something to do with the warmer temperatures we had in October but it sure is so beautiful. The other day I decided to skip the last 2 subway stations and walk home because it was just so gorgeous. Those are moments to cherish and I can not imagine living in a place with no seasons.

Christmas Crafting

On another note I relized this week that I am running late with my DIY advent calendar. As in the past years I am participating with 23 fellow crafters in an DIY calendar. We are all making one item 24x and then swipe-swaping around so that in the end everyone receives a full set of a calendar. I have to turn in my packages with #14 by November 16th so I really needed to speed things up a bit. It is a lot of work however it is an even bigger treat when I can open a package everyday in December. So much love and creativity went into it. Have you ever participated in something like that?

NaBloPoMo

I’ve been busing writing blog posts every minute of the day. I like a challenge and here I am doing the daily writing again. I haven’t much pre-planned so I have to come up with something on a daily basis. Also November seems to be a website-kinda month for me. I usually tinker on my blog a bit. Try some new things, try to update stuff, lean some new tech things. It’s always good, but I am soooo slow in all this. I get easily annoyed because I just don’t get it and then I get tired and almost fall asleep at the screen. Anyone else suffering from exhaustion by boredom? However this is probably what my weekend is going to look like. Spending a bit more time writing, reading, tinkering.

While I finish sipping my coffee I will read the #WeekendCoffeeShares and then hop over to Denise.

Happy weekend,

Tobia

Current TV Shows I Watching

November 9, 2018November 12, 2018 - Tobia 2 Comments

Hello there,

It’s the time of year were snuggling up on the couch is favorite thing to do. If I don’t have a fire burning and read a book or surf the net I often have a show playing. So I figured I let you in on my current TV shows I am watching.

Nashville

A show about my guilty pleasure – country music. I have just finished season 4 and I love it mainly for the music. Which means a lot because music usually doesn’t play a big role in my life. The characters of the show are ok but sometimes i’s a bit too much drama and especially in season 4 I felt like all the political debates needed to be voiced. But I am having the soundtrack playing on my phone so I obviously like it enough.

How to get away with murder

I believe there was movie with Sandra Bullock about the story. Now it’s a tv show. I enjoyed season 1 and am currently in the middle of 2. However it sometimes feels a bit slow. I am not sure if I will watch all 5 seasons. However I do like a good crime show and I have recently watched all of them so this one it is.

Scorpion

I love this show. I like shows with case work and when I have the feeling I can actually lern something while watching even better. This show defiantly makes me feel “stupid”. Season 4 just became available.

Salvation

What happens when an astroid collides with earth and extinguishes all life? It’s a bit nerdy and interesting to consider if this would really happen. This is a show we watch together. We are done with season 1 and can’t wait for season 2 to be on Netflix.

Lucifer

We just started season 2 of this show a few nights ago. I probably like it a bit more than Mr. ♥. When winter comes around I am craving supernatural stuff with demons, vampires and such.

This is just a snap of what is currently on my list. So many more I am in the middle of. I keep track of it all with the TV time app. How do you do it? Only watch shows that are already completed? Or watch it as soon as they come out and then wait for the next season? I like collecting a few seasons and then just binge watching them. I am not a patient person and it drives my nuts when I have to wait.

Now leave a recommendation for a show I should put on my list.

Happy weekend,

Tobia

Disclaimer: This post contains links. Due to current (German) law this needs to be labelled advertising. Furthermore I have linked a few of my older articles because I believe you might enjoy them.