Saturday meanderings

I had a fantastic idea for a post last night. Not a 'just dropping off to sleep' idea - they're never as good as you think they are in the cold light of day - but a 'late evening, mind wandering, what should I write about next?' idea that started to take shape and was worthy of a revisit before I did finally head off into the land of Nod.

Do you think I can now remember what it was? Of course not. I didn't write it down, it being so well thought out and all. If I could just remember the tiniest hint of a detail, it'll all come flooding back to me. I'm taking a notepad and pen to bed with me tonight in case that tiniest hint of a detail pops into my head then.

So I'm left with no option but to bore you with mundanities, if that's such a word, and if it isn't it should be.

I've had a few things happen this week that prove to me that procrastination is silly and pointless. Yes, I know the whole point of procrastination is that it's pointless, otherwise it would be called 'getting stuff done', but I actually got round to doing things this week that I've been putting off for ages. One of them was a work thing - a doddle, it turned out.

Another was re-arranging my mortgage. I've mentioned before, I think, that my last 'deal' ran out a while ago and I was paying full whack when I didn't need to.

I finally got round to ringing my mortgage company this week and getting them to change the 'product' I'm on. This basically means they continue to own my flat and take money from me every month, but by charging me a lump of money and sending me a telephone directory-sized sheaf of papers to sign, they very kindly take a little bit less money from me each month and in a lot of years' time I can still owe them the same amount of money that I borrowed from them in the first place. But it's bricks and mortar (well, the inside bricks and mortar, the council own the outside walls, or something) and it's the most sensible thing I ever did. So, hurrah!

I've also just got round to sorting out all my old crockery. I went to Ikea a couple of weeks ago and decided that I'd replace all my plates and bowls. My old ones have done me proud - over 11 years of loyal service - but I thought it was time for a change. The problem is, because there wasn't much wrong with the old stuff, what to do with it? I've even got a boxed set that I bought in the sales to replace any items that might get broken. I can't throw it all away, but I equally can't carry it all to the charity shops (due to the potential for dramatic dropping and smashing). I guess I could invite people round for a Greek evening, but think of the mess...

So, Mum put me on to Runnymede Freecycle. A service whereby you can advertise that you want to give a good home to some decent stuff. The point is it's a way of getting rid of things that are too good to go into landfill. What a great idea! Obviously not for your collectibles and antiques, but all those things that are surplus to requirements, but just too good to throw away, can be made use of by someone who really wants them.

Now, I know a car boot sale might seem a more lucrative way of doing this, but in my (limited) experience of car booting, I've found that you spend a few months hoarding, a day either boiling or freezing (not to mention the 5am starts, or whatever), only to come home with the bulk of what you went with. No doubt people with outbuildings and suchlike can spare the space to store their unwanted belongings for the next sale, but I don't have that luxury, or patience.

I've posted the crockery (and a pair of curtains, incidentally) to Freecycle and we'll see what comes of it. If Mum's experience is anything to go by, they'll be snapped up before I've finished typing this post.