It is scary when you start to notice that you are starting to forget the little things as you grow older. The fear that you will lose it altogether becomes very real, and when you live on your own even more so. In the last couple of years, I have slowly gotten into the habit of keeping diaries, one for the weight, one for the garden and a general one. Many diaries you ask, no, because they refer to different areas of your life.
Take weight for instance, a record of food eaten each day will enable you to lose weight, to eat properly, and be aware of what you are eating. It has helped trim my weight considerably, in that a written record of food eaten shows where you are eating the wrong types and how often. It is difficult to remember over the course of a day what and when you ate. Try it, its not easy. The odd snack here, extras when preparing food, cleaning up leftovers, out for a morning tea the list is endless. A written record shows it all up and why you continue to gain weight despite being on a diet! Truthfulness is a requisite of course!
Memory tricks are played on your mind when out in the garden as well. Remembering this plant or that plant becomes more difficult as well. I write in plant details, where, when and how they were planted. Recording in the diary, specific treatments or special requirements of each plant. The dates they produced, flowered, died are interesting in themselves as good results are what we hope for when gardening.
There is a lot of useful information to be gleaned by using a garden diary. One of the more obvious records to keep is the amount of produce gained from your vegetable plot; after all, you need to be able to compare the cost and benefits of growing your own as opposed to buying fruit and vegetables from the supermarket.
The cuttings you take need accurate information so that when you repeat them again you can refer to your diaries. It can matter whether you get the timing right to have successful outcomes
Other details to include could be the weather, as over the years you can get picture of the conditions at certain times of the year. I have a rain gauge in the garden to monitor the amount of rain that I get, not what the general forecasts say. You can travel across town or country and find a completely different climate!
We have such a lot of information to remember that it is small wonder our memories play tricks on us.
Maman is a sixty plus liberated woman despite having a husband and four children. She trained as a nurse and remains interested in health issues. Spent many years farming achieving farm mangement qualifications and a real insight into animal husbandry. The next career change included a Diploma in Real Estate and business management, covering buildings and their construction. Growing older then included some time in the hospitality industry and business.
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