NST December: Frugal festivities

Calling14 · 24 December 2015 at 9:54PM

Happy Christmas turtle team. Will echo what has already been said on here, thanks for support, group hugs and companionship. Can't wait for 2016 together with Bob there

Traveller - families don't get me started. Put yourself first.

Dolly84 perfect gift lucky you.

Hope everyone has recovered from all their illnesses. I usually find minute I stop work lurgy takes over.

Enjoy tomorrow I can hear sleigh bells x

mothernerd · 24 December 2015 at 10:21PM

Justforme so sorry to hear about all the sad losses. I have close family members with similar experiences.

Traveller just say no. Start practicing now for the next time it happens (in 2 years?). Say you have made plans. They don't need to know what they are. It's all part of the tyranny of treating single people as less than others, people who must be accommodated out of pity and then are expected to be grateful. Pleasing yourself does get easier with practice. As a single parent, especially when the other parent doesn't pull their weight, 'time off' can be very rare.

Sorry I went awol, the laptop has been playing up and then just stopped. Took it to laptop infirmary at noon and picked it up at 4pm, all clean and shiny (just had to go through remembering/ finding/ requesting new passwords).

Tuesday I set out to kidnap my mother. Shingles have returned with a vengeance and her cousins were concerned. I tried to sort a whole bundle of problems. Don't want to go into too much detail for fear of being recognised in RL but lines were drawn, riot act was read.

Also wrapped all her presents ( including ones for brother's ex wife, divorced 20 years and other brother's ex-gf - he's been dead nearly 10 years and gf broke up with him 3 years before that) and ended up delivering cards and presents in my brother's camper van (5 of us including the dog) after 11pm at night. Needless to say I offered to do cards and presents 6, 4 and 2 weeks ago but kept being told she could manage.

Yesterday I had a first appointment with the counsellor and I am seeing her again on New Year's Eve. I think I talked nearly non-stop for over an hour (not sure I covered everything :rotfl:)

Lost track of spending (can sort most of it). Spent £42.58 at the SM last night but that included 4 items of clothing. Rest was mainly apples, carrots, celery and bananas. Mini spend today on YS bits and a couple of treats I fancied. More bus and taxi fares. In between leaving and collecting the laptop I went back to the SM to buy a fake fur hat (mum had mentioned wanting one to complete a 'special occasion' outfit) and bus hopped to deliver it and some socks for her to borrow.

In between I have the house fairly clean, tidy, well-stocked and decorated. Kitchen could do with a bit more organising if my feet, knees and ankles stop hurting. Last surface to be cleared in the front room, the sideboard, is decorated with all the fresh fruit and veg with baubles mixed in (using what we have).

Wishing all turtles the best possible Christmas and a solvent New Year. I have a possible completion date of January 8th (not sure I believe it)

Today I am grateful for clean linen sheets, for being able to please myself (sometimes) and for having enough (and a lovely wrap round snuggly cardigan to wear tomorrow).

misstara · 25 December 2015 at 12:27AM

Merry Christmas everyone

hope everyone has a good day tomorrow.

Today I'm grateful for
- a good shift at work (paid at double time

)
- looking at everyone's christmas tree lights on the way home
- the gin and tonic I'm currently enjoying

traveller · 25 December 2015 at 1:27AM

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE :j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j

Bobarella · 25 December 2015 at 9:40AM

Merry Christmas Turtles!!!

Traveller - hope your dinner with your mum is ok.

Had some Christmas money so have made a £10 PAD to get my signature into the £600s (well the last part anyway)

NSD today too! Unless we run out of roses chocolates and have to go to the 24 hour garage