Things are getting done.....

I can't remember if I have posted about this before (short term memory problems at my age!)..but I have been on leave from work since before Christmas. I have worked full time for 26 years and decided it was time for a bit of a break. Time to recharge my batteries - and to get some of those things done that keep getting put off due to lack of time.The time has flown, as wise people said it would and now I only have two weeks left. So what have I achieved, and what's happened??I have actually done quite a few things from my theoretical list - I never did write a list as I thought it would scare me and paralyse me into inactivity.I have:Finally gotten rid of the two very old and stained floor rugs in my living area and replaced them with lovely new shag pile, soft and cozy ones;I have replaced my 7 year old microwave - the plate has been broken for the best part of a year - I made a few feeble attempts to find a replacement but had no luck and made do with a dinner plate - but it never rotated properly and the food was always heated unevenly. One day on my travels with a friend we found a discount electrical goods place and voila I have a new and better microwave for $89!! Amazing.I have cleaned out my wardrobe (and now have bags full of clothes which will be donated to the Victorian Bush Fire Appeal if they want them).Rebecca and I have cleaned out her toy cupboard under the stairs and started cleaning out the spare room.I have been picking Rebecca up from school at 3pm nearly every day - this is so good and I wish i could do it all the time.I have cooked dinner early so life isn't a crazy rush in the early evening.I have started printing photos of everyday events that will not get scrapped and putting these in slip albums. I have a long way to go to make up for the past 5 years or so of digital madness when I stopped creating normal photo albums. The key here was to start at a process for doing this and to take advantage of the cheap printing deals that occur at various places.I have finally had an electrician out to repair several broken light fittings that had been broken for 6 months - luckily the main time we went without these lights was also daylight saving so lots of natural light to compensate.I have started a major clean up once again of my scrap area...I have so much stuff that I had forgotten about - what a waste!It was my baby girl's birthday! I have been to the movies to see REAL GROWN UPS movies - rather than only seeing movies with Rebecca. I have seen Doubt, Valkyrie and Seven Pounds - as well as Bride Wars and Twilight several time of course! I have started to look after myself in an eating and exercise sense again (mind you this happens every January). I have slept in sometimes. I have chilled out and even watched daytime TV occasionally - although this is limited as it is mostly rubbish IMO.I have taken the opportunity to go off on my own and take photos of places I love.I have had the chance to spend time with friends - especially those that don't work FT and who I don't get to see as much as I like. This has been one of the best things.Still to do are:Take all the bags from cleaning out the various rooms and wardrobes to the Waste Station - so i can have half my garage back.Sort and print more old photos.Clean out all the drawers in my kitchen and living areas - I seem to have lots, and lots of drawers full of useless junk.I have also done some scrapping - but not lots really. I have just had lots of other things to do and have also realised that if I keep scrapping at the same rate for many more years I will have to add more shelving in the garage to put all my albums and the 100's of mini albums I have created...it is alarming.I also had some blood tests and discovered that I am very low in iron and also vitamin B - I have had a Vitamin B shot and am on B complex and Iron tablets. I am trying very hard to eat better but also lose weight and just can't bring myself to eat huge quantities of red meat - despite my doctor's encouragement. I am finding different ways to ensure I get enough iron.