Living on next to nought - is that the key?

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Aw, little_sweetie - that's pants! I know what you mean about no-one being hurt, but even still...... I hate to think what would have happened if a motorcyclist had hit the object Thank goodness for your thrifty ways though, love And well done you for doing the 'reverse' advent. A good idea - a bit like 'doing something' for lent, rather than simply giving up a 'first world' luxury

Upsidedown Bear -

supersaver - ooh, I'm sure it's Pippi that has a similar cheap cheerful and instant 'pud in a mug' recipe too. Thank you for posting. That is bound to come in useful

So we achieved our target today :j In addition, I inadvertently scored a NSD :j Another bit in the article I was reading talked about seeking peace away from the constant-ness of TV sell, sell, sell. I have to say, we've not watched TV all day, but I know what the message is trying to say. It can as easily be family or colleagues, egging you on to spend to feel 'part' of things. I didn't realise how strongly I wanted to avoid spending today, until DP did his default, 'I'll have to go to scr3wfix, because we've got no........' I shall also be seeking 'peace' away from the commercialisation of Christmas this week. There is really nothing that we *need* if push comes to shove - or if there is any whiff of pushing and shoving, then I shall be exiting the store and not returning until well into 2015!

Dinner this evening was veg stew, dumplings and shredded sprouts Because everything has gone so well today, I am also going to 'treat' DP to an icecream just now - he has worked ever so hard today, and he loves icecream I got them cheap in the freezer centre, and intended keeping them for Christmas, but do you know what - they are a treat, and we deserve a treat today not just at Christmas time Picture here;



I gave DP the choice of mashed potatoes or dumplings - we couldn't have both (I'd be the laughing stock after pontificating on about *healthier* eating earlier in the week :rotfl:) And he opted for dumplings Luckily they turned out really well, and were light and fluffy I do occasionally get it well wrong and the resultant dumplings could sink a battleship :rotfl:

I might regret peaking too early with the stew. I've just watched the countryfile weather forecast, and there is some cold weather on the way this week

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

*Team Greying* - teamwork over egos everytime :j

For rounding off a good week with good progress which solved several problems in one fell swoop :j:D

for remembering to take time out to listen and look for the peace - anyone see the colours at sunset?

Thank you so much for popping in, reading and joining in. I greatly appreciate it.

Right, I'm away to dive into an ice-cream :j

Greying (obviously very easily pleased....... :rotfl:)

in_need_of_direction

Hi Greying, I know exactly what you mean about the spend spend spend. I'm now deleting must buy now for Christmas emails as I know deep down that I have enough.

mothernerd

Progress is going well. After the first two weeks when I worried that every slight movement could accidently be a 'wrong' one and once I had decided that I had 'enough' food and could stop worrying I decided the main business for the next few weeks is to get well.

I feel that I am really relaxing for the first time in years. There are still things that 'need' doing but I am getting good at determining whether I can do anything atm and if not putting out of mind. I am mostly sleeping well and have the odd doze during the day as well. I potter round doing what I can, then sit or go back to bad when my body says it's time for a change.

The commercialism is bypassing me - I delete all the e-mails (would still like to go on the 'hawk walk' sometime) every day and am amazed by all the things I don't need - I have read through the Arg0s catalogue from time to time, just to wonder at all the things I have never needed.

I am trying to do the reverse advent giveaway, with the added challenge that I can't get very far - I e-mailed a local organisation on Friday evening to see if they can use some of the things and if they can collect them. Ds2 left a kettle, toaster and sandwich maker and there are some pots, a couple of frying pans and a couple of duvet sets.

This organisation runs a foodbank, has a furniture store, provides suitable clothes for people going to interviews and last year turned the old tax office into a community cafe and bedsits for previously homeless people. I also have a bed (and some other items) at the old house but it needs dismantling, so hoping they can help with that.

Lurgy ramped things up in the night. I was coughing so badly it was jerking my operated leg quite painfully and am sneezing today, so have been very lazy, didn't get up until noon and have dozed off whilst reading several times. Think I should go to the doctor's but will wait till morning to see how I feel - thinking it may not shift without anti-biotics (had it for about 10 days) but effort of getting to doctor's and sitting in a room full of other people with lurgy. Would probably be best to get an all day ticket and go on the bus as I could then go to mum's for a shower in the afternoon (again, I want a shower but the effort involved) and maybe go for bread later (taken the last 2 slices out of the freezer as throat is too sore to have crispbread).

However apart from lurgy am feeling fine and keeping cheerful. Today I am grateful for helpful neighbours (DS3 told me next door had said they would take in the bins at old house after I lay awake through the early morning gusts, imagining them careening down the main road to the next town), lemon sorbet (not feeling like eating much today so have finished the tub - echo your needing a treat now) and good drama (watched first four episodes of the Fall last night).

satchmo1

Mothernerd, can you ring your surgery and request a prescription for antibiotics, given that you're recovering from an op and can't easily get to the surgery?


I once managed to get antibiotics (decades ago) by ringing my GP, then my mother collected them and brought them to me (she was coming to visit) ... I was in Germany by my critically injured husband and didn't want to pass on a throat infection (wore a face-mask in the interim). Mind you, the GP had been the family doctor since husband was a child.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Ooops I'm running late. Back to *usual*

Mothernerd - there's got to be some way around the treatment issue surely? I agree with satchmo - however, I also accept actually getting to *speak* to someone at a GP surgery now can be a trial in itself. Glad that you are looking after yourself and progress is being made post-op.

INOD - thing is even if we bought it, would it arrive before Chrimbo? :think:

I should snag a NSD today :j

Just heard an interesting fact on R2 - if you send something by Royal Mail 1st class post between Dec. 1st and January 2nd, the 'guarantee' of it getting to its destination within 24hrs/36hrs (whatever the guarantee is) is *suspended*. Therefore, there is absolutely no guarantee that your 1st class item will get to its destination any quicker than 2nd class mail, and if it doesn't, you've no redress with the ombudsman. Ain't that carp?

Dinner this evening will be some sort of risotto/orzotto. Details to be finalised about 2 seconds before I get the saucepans out :rotfl:

Thanks for popping in, reading and joining in. Always appreciated.

See y'all later.

Greying

Upsidedown_Bear

Smilie of the day.

mothernerd

Well I was awake early enough to go to the doctor's (decided I was going to be a wimp and phone for a taxi), so got washed and dressed (put a skirt on to make it easier to pull up my top if requested. Took down coat and bag, gather bits then couldn't wake DS3 - he's not settling here and keeps going downstairs to use the bed I used before I went in hospital.

Can't get downstairs without my shoes - went in to panic mode when I tried with the slipper boots and the rubber socks a couple of weeks ago. So sat back on the bed reading. Have eaten an apple and a small tin of sardines (not my favourite thing (eat them because they are good for me) but they must be filling a gap in my diet as both times I have had them it has felt so satisfying.

Feeling a bit better, sneezing but nose feels clear, throat is not hurting - still sound 'like Yoda dying' as DS3 described it. So may leave it another couple of days and just keep resting. I had thought about requesting a prescription but I would still have to go to the same place to collect it and even if they let me have it, it wouldn't be available until after 4pm tomorrow.

DS3 claims I have given it to him. When I asked how I got it seeing as I have barely left the house since coming home from the hospital, he claimed I got it from his friend then gave it to him (friend has allergies and other problems and normally coughs a lot but he must have had an extra bug). I asked how it was my fault when he brought a 'plague rat' into the house.

Decided against a shower as mum will be more concerned about her and her partner getting the bug from me and if she does I will still be hearing about it at Easter.

So will rest, read, potter about and find something interesting/entertaining to watch on the laptop. Not impressed by BBC4's old film line-up for Christmas - gangster theme but seems a bit bitty, would prefer a proper season of Humphrey Bogart or even Sinatra and Deano but this doesn't make sense.

Hope onion soup and turkey stew continue to work their magic. See you all later.

Upsidedown_Bear

Smilie of the day.

Upsidedown_Bear

Smilie and friends are helping me celebrate.
I was the 500th Alphabeter on the Alphabet thread :j:T:j
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=67183996&postcount=5770

Some days it's the silly and little things

mothernerd

Am I the only one who waits until Upsidedownbear's avatar changes and I still chuckle when it does.

Feeling a little better so tidying - walking round with grabber stick and trying to sort/condense tools and fixings today. Determined to spend more time sitting.