Things to achieve - Trying to get organised week ending 25.10.2020

I need to get back into the habit of making lists and ticking things off again.  This helps me plot and plan things out and then I feel a sense of achievement if I have managed to tick things off the to do list.  It also focuses my attention as to what needs doing next. A modicum of control is required otherwise everything just goes to pot and putting it bluntly my memory is not what it used to be.

+ alongside item means it has been completed

- means that has yet to be done.

This year I am in relation to Christmas decorations trying to use what I have for the best part maybe accentuated with either some fresh foliage or faux foliage.  Will see how that goes.

Traditional Christmas Items

1. Christmas cakes made. +
2. Christmas puddings made. +
3. Homemade Mincemeat. +
4. Nan's Fruit bread. -

Household Planning

1. Booked cats in to the cattery for their next stay +
2. Arranged collection of old appliances so that new ones can be installed 6 week wait though as still only doing reduced collections +
3. Arranged for Gas man to come and sort out meter which has packed up no gas not good at this time of year.
4. Ordered new fridge/freezer +
5. Need to order new Dishwasher. That has died as well.  Been a bit of an expensive exercise at the moment.  New one has been chosen.
6. Still need to order new deep chest freezer.

All kinds of Preserves Jams, Jellies, Drinks, Canned Goods, Bottled Goods, Dried Goods, Pickles, etc. etc. etc. (and in no particular order)

1. Found a jar of Sloe Gin which needed straining again and decanting into fresh jars. +
2. Made Pickled Cucumber. +
3. Made Souper Mix -
4. Made Picallili -
5. Made Pickled Beetroot.+
6. Made Damson Jam +
7. Made Damson Gin +
8. Made Jumbleberry Jam +
9. Made Jumbleberry Liqueur +
10. Made Lemoncello -
11. Made Orangecello -
12. Made Passionfruit Gin +
13. Froze Passionfruit juice +
14. Made Passionfruit Curd -
15. Pickled Onions (some more to do)
16. Pickled Shallots (some more to do)
17. Pickled Orange Slices +
18. Pickled Clementine Slices +
19. Dried Orange Slices -
20. Dried Clementine slices -
21. Dried Lemon Slices -
22. Bottled Lemon Slices -
23. Dried Kale -
24. Dried Salad Leaves -
25. Dried Spinach -
26. Dried Bay Leaves - tree gets its annual haircut soon so will preserve then.
27. Dried whole chillies +
28. Made Mincemeat+
29. Made Dried Apricot Chutney. -
30. Made Plum jam. -
31. Pickled Spiced Pears -
32. Bottled Mulled Pears -
33. Bottled Pears in syrup -
34. Bottled Pears in Ginger wine -
35. Made Ginger Beer -
36. Made Sweet n Sour Chilli sauce -
37. Made Nuts in honey  - mixed, almond, pecan -
38. Made Rum n raisin sauce -
39. Made Brandy Sultana and honey sauce -
40. Made Ginger wine and stem ginger sauce -
41. Made Chilli Jelly -
42. Made Chilli Jam -
43. Made Chilli Oil -
44. Made Fermented Hot Sauce -
45. Pickled Green Chillies -
46. Dried Rubbed Sage +
47. Made Dill Salt for Gravadlax -
48. Made more Rosemary Salt +
49. Make flavoured syrups for use in drinks, cakes, cocktails, drinks etc. and process in the baby steriliser. -

Sewing and Crafting

1. Get desk cleared so that I can start doing some paper crafting with my Sizzix. -
2. Started making some mini pumpkins for the dressers.  Not sure will get these completed in time but will try. -
3. Started segregating pegs and springs for Christmas decorations and then decanting into easily accessible bags. Four bags x 32 pegs sorted +
4. Need to start gluing the pieces together once I have found the glue gun.  It is hiding in fright! -
5. Made star coasters for Christmas table. -
6. Made large serving dish mats as well. -
7. Made star mats for Christmas table. -
8. Made star decorations for tree. -
9. Made star gift tags for presents. -
10. Paint job and final titivation on each piece as to what it is going to be. -
11. Made Christmas Bunting -
12. Made Christmas Quilt throws.  I bought the Jelly rolls last year and had not got around to making them up. These are going on holiday with me, with the sewing machine so that I can get these pieced together, cut and then sewn into the order I require them.   I at least want to get the tops pieced.  Batting and backing can take place at home where I perhaps have a little more room to lay things out -
13. 
    

Christmas Decorations

1. Need to source flowers, wreaths, sprays and picks for table centre decoration as well as some silver candle pedestals. Silver because I have quite a few Mercury Glass table pieces and mirror ware for decorating the table -
2. Need to source some Candle Lanterns for decoration. -

Miscellaneous

1. Buy a bottle of rum for Mazawatti coffee now the weather is colder. +
2. Found some dried Lavender that had been given by neighbour which I had forgotten about.  Have stripped this and bottled as I have some candles and soap to make which it will come in useful for. +

Gardening for next year

1. Bought 6 Mum (Chrysanthemum) plants two yellow and two purple, two burgundy for garden tubs and hopefully for next year's Autumn/Fall decoration. +
2. Six Rosemary plants bought for planters for next year harvesting and Autumn/Fall and Christmas decorating.  May get some more of these as the Rosemary sprigs are ideal for decorating the Christmas table and they smell so nice+
3. Bought two Christmas Cacti, one bright pink the other palest white pink. +
4. Need to sort out a planting flower garden list of plants would like for next year. -
5. Need to research and sort out a list of flowers that can be dried for basket decorations and gifts for next year. -

So that is the start of the list.  There  are still lots of items to do and lots of items still to go on the list.  Some of it is pre-planning in preparation for next year already and then hopefully will be able to build on this from each year thereon-in.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x