Apple muncher's number crunching

apple_muncher

apple_muncher wrote: »

Tomorrow's list includes:
- drop bag off at Sally Army
- scoot round for Monopoly
- whites wash
- packing lists
- wrap dh's presents
- follow up wrong order email
- finish bags or birdies - both might be a little ambitious!
- more blackberrying

So far today is shaping up to be another NSD :j. Dd didn't feel like an adventure, so we've pottered at home.

And we have been offered a Monopoly set by a lovely frrecycler :T.

Whites got washed and mostly dried outside - before the thunderstorm arrived.

Dd and I have been blackberrying, and found loads of them. I think we had the best of the sunshine.

4 bags are finished, but I managed to shove a pin down my thumb nail, which hurt :eek:.

Email has been sent, so I hope for an answer soon.

Barbie is now on telly...

apple_muncher

Turned out to be a spending day instead! It turned out that the lovely freecycler had SCRABBLE in her loft and not MONOPOLY. She was most apologetic, but I was just grateful she went up there to look for us.

So we took the bag to the Sally Army and scooted round all 7 ch shops. I did buy a pillowcase - for crafting purposes as it is white with small red hearts on it, which will contrast well with the red fabric with small white hearts that I already have - for 50p.

And I asked in St Christopher's if they, by any chance, had a Monopoly out the back. AND THEY DID!!! It's an old set, but doesn't look like it has ever been used. And they only wanted £1 for it. Wowzer!

My workout was ZWOW #36 and took just under 12 mins, plus 3m30 for jumping jiggle free. Sweaty mess, I was!

apple_muncher

Today's list includes:
- haircut - yay!
- pick up prescription bread
- more blackberrying
- colours wash
- washup
- packing lists - MUST get started on these!
- finish birdies
- consider plans for rest of year - fitness, craft, work, financial
- plan meals for rest of week
- find a bday present for dd's little friend

And start it all off by reading to dd.

apple_muncher

So, I've been joining in with ninjasavingkat since last November, as she journeyed to debt freedom and humungous savings to go off travelling for several years.

But August is her last month of leading her challenges and although the challenges will continue, being led by different participants, I thought it was time for me to look ahead for more than just 1 month at a time.

I do have some annual goals for 2014, which I keep an eye on. However, September being the start of the new school year, I do find it a useful time to set more goals.

I shall probably lay these out under 4 headings:
- work
- financial
- health
- fitness

Work will mainly be accomplishing things - assessments, organise a day trip to France...

Financial will include making sure we hit a £1k payment off the mortgage each month (harder than previously, as my income is dropping by £400), putting £x into savings, reducing outgoings, and hopefully making money from a school craft fair.

Health includes getting new glasses, looking after my mental health by eating well, ensuring I warm up and cool down when I workout, getting enough sleep, managing my time well.

Fitness involves workouts and inch loss. I'm setting myself a big goal for the 4 months - to lose 14 pounds. That's only 1lb a week, but my total for the year to date is a paltry 4lb, so I'm aiming high (or low!). I also want to lose inches, so need to eat smarter.

I shall put the 4 areas into 4 boxes, with associated goals.

I shall also put the next 4 months into 4 boxes with various focuses (foci?) for each month, so that I can keep up the monthly momentum.


Each day can take me a step nearer my goals, or a step away from them. There is no standing still.

Enough ponderisation. Lunch is ready!

apple_muncher

apple_muncher wrote: »

Today's list includes:
- haircut - yay!
- pick up prescription bread
- more blackberrying
- colours wash
- washup
- packing lists - MUST get started on these!
- finish birdies
- consider plans for rest of year - fitness, craft, work, financial
- plan meals for rest of week
- find a bday present for dd's little friend

And start it all off by reading to dd.

I feel sooo good for having my hair cut! We did most of the list - no blackberrying is the only one we chose not to do.

I'm pleased to have finished off 5 more birdies - some have been hanging around for quite a while, so it's a psychological boost to have them completed. There are still 3 more (I think) + a tree to finish tomorrow.

Plans have been considered. I didn't use 'craft' as a separate goal area, as I felt it was part of health and financial instead. And I have 'health' and 'fitness' as separate areas, as I felt they warranted different aims and approaches.

Tomorrow we have a play date, so I hope the weather stays dry and they can all play out the front. Otherwise I'll have to do some swift and extreme tidying/ throwing piles into boxes!

Dh brought home 2 small boxes for me to package up the next parcels of dvds to go. Wbb and mm will have them, the dvds going to the site that offered me the most money for each item. Must do that tomorrow.

Hmmm, tomorrow:
- workout before doorbell rings
- shower too so am non-smelly
- make cakes for all to eat
- pack up and print out labels for boxes and take to drop-off point
- wash up
- tweak packing lists
- wrap dh's presents
- sweep floor
- pack away paddling pool if it is dry enough
- craft another 5 items
- make a decision as to what craft I'm taking away!
- phone cottage owners
- email auntie

apple_muncher

apple_muncher wrote: »

Hmmm, tomorrow:
- workout before doorbell rings
- shower too so am non-smelly
- make cakes for all to eat
- pack up and print out labels for boxes and take to drop-off point
- wash up
- tweak packing lists
- wrap dh's presents
- sweep floor
- pack away paddling pool if it is dry enough
- craft another 5 items
- make a decision as to what craft I'm taking away!
- phone cottage owners
- email auntie

Workout - done.
Shower - done
Cakes - done
Labels printed and parcels sent - done
Wahing up - done
Floor sweeping - done
Paddling pool - brought inside
Dh's presents all wrapped up

So, still to do:
- crafting
- email auntie
- tweak packing lists
- make phone call tonight
- decide on craft to take away! I may not get any done, but I'd like to have the choice...

Today is another NSD so far, despite dd and I going up to the shops - we just dropped off the 2 boxes and trundled home. I'm impressed with her, as she didn't want to go out at all!

The heavens have just opened and dd wanted to go out in it with her brolly! Why not? She didn't last long and is now firmly inside and warm and dry.

Habibiboo

:wave:

Busy times A*M!

Glad the bedroom is finished and dd is now cosy in her new bed. Nice to get other painting out of the way whilst you're there ... we're just starting the hall which will be a bit of a nightmare but I'm desperate to lighten it up, so best foot forwards and all that.

Speaking of which, just as I think I'm starting to 'get' your workouts, the activities change and I'm lost again ... no burpees but lots of jumping jiggles? I may have done one of these when the wind blew a puddle of rain off the hen run roof and straight down the back of my shirt but not sure it whittled my waistline any!

Birdie progress sounds good, as does bag making ... great result on freegle fabric!

Glad you've got the chance to go away altogether before the new term, it's nice to get away! x

apple_muncher

Helloooooo Hbbb! Thank you for popping by.

Dd is all snugly in her room now. The 'mural' hasn't yet been done - sure I'll be told off about that soon enough. And I've not finished the hall - job for next term now, methinks.

Steady with your jumping jiggles! You don't want to do yourself an injury...

We are all looking forward to a week away together. Chilled out, getting on well, earing healthily, getting out and about... I dream!!

My 'dilemma' is which craft to take! I think I've decided to finish off some knitting bits... Until I change my mind...


Hmmm - packing. Best do some soon. Maybe I'll think about it a little more. Then have lunch. Then dd is off to a little party opposite, so I'll have 2 hours then. But may go blackberrying instead!

I know! I'll set the timer for 20mins, go and start getting stuff together, then do lunches once it pings at me. Genius!

apple_muncher

Ooph, we are home from holibobs. It only took us 6 1/2 hours to get back from North Devon, compared with the 9 1/2 hours required to get there!

On Monday we all headed down to the depths of Cornwall to see my uncle. It was well worth going, but was another 6 hours of driving. I think we have all gone off the car at the mo!

We were staying in an internet and phone black hole, which really irked dh and he spent 3 days trying to hook us up with some wifi, however slow!

We stayed near the coastal cliffs and did plenty of ups and downs. I went out once on my own for a traipse and did 100 floors according to my fitbit - that certainly worked up a sweat. Dd did lots of walking too - and with her little legs, she probably did twice as many steps as us big people.

There was a good arts and crafts centre in the town and I bought dd a bunny from there - with a view to getting the pattern off it and trying my hand at making one myself!

There was also a hospice shop where I found some great spotty fabric - great for making bags or bunnies! And I got myself some 'fat' knitting needles - 6mm and 7mm - for £1. Bargain.

So, the week away is finished and we are all happy to be back home. Not quite sure that should be the feeling! Dd and I are going to visit gma on Tues, but we're not thinking about that just yet!

apple_muncher

Yay to lovely ladies in charity shops! :T

I found 3 Rainbow Magic books (RRP £4.99 or £5.99), 2 were priced at 25p and 1 at 40p. The lovely lady said I'd have them for 25p each. Then there was a sewing book at £3.50. She commented that she thought it was a lot and asked the manager who dropped it to £1.25. :j. So I got it all for £2 :j.

Whilst away I realised that ribbon is what I need. I finished off some knitted sets of 3 hanging hearts, linked with wool. But the sewn hearts need ribbon. I did find some while away - rather costly, but with a good design on it. So I am now making hanging hearts, which are small red hearts on a white background, then I'll sew a loop of ribbon on.

And I have already done an outline of the bunny parts and will attempt that soon. Otherwise dd will have my guts for garters!