Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 2 - Groundhog Day

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee: :wave:
I've been awake for an hour so I've figured I'll get up and make a start on the day. I can always nap later I suppose.
Hi Chev - thanks so much for taking the time to read my ramblings and to reply to me. I definitely need to lose weight that's for sure. I'm working on it - food and money are my 2 big downfalls. Not that I'm making excuses, just being honest. And you're also right, if I'm off my feet then there is no way dh could manage without me - I'm aware of it (but being a bit of a wimp I prefer not to think about it). I need to have a word with myself and remind me that I'm worth the time and attention I think that everyone else is.
As for ds - he's doing ok. Way better with a good night's sleep for sure. I've bought him some books to help him wind down in the evening (and to encourage reading). Just to sort my own sleep out next.
Yesterday was a nsd - ds paid for the shopping at Mr T :j (£80 food bill this week and plenty in that should see us through the rest of the month). I need to just tighten my belt a bit for the rest of the month , and also remind myself that I've bought plenty of stuff for Christmas and I don't need to be spending anything more at all. I'm terrible for last minute spending and panicking that I've not bought enough stuff (both present and food wise). I am actually sorted apart from a couple of small things.
Not much else to report. Off to my mams later for a bit of tlc and looking after - hopefully I'll get a quick nap in before then...

Eager_Elephant

Hi CCL


How are you getting on with cutting out the fizzy?


How is the healthy eating going? I see you have a Lidl nearby - your weekly shop seems very low but then Lidl is very cheap.


Sorry to read you are not sleeping, I often go through phases of waking up too early - in the summer it's fine as I can go and do the animals but in winter it is still dark. I find it better to embrace it than lay in bed wondering when I might go back to sleep and then 2 hours later wonder why I wasted 2 hours lying there!!


As for Xmas I think a lot of people are the same, they 'think' that enough is not enough so they buy more. The only thing I want lots of at Xmas is Turkey, Potatoes and Veg - Xmas holidays are a time for me to cook a roast every day except Boxing Day so I can never have enough!!
We used to buy loads of chocolates and would still be eating them in January, now relative buys loads of stuff to bring to ours and so we don't buy much but the problem is he goes overboard so we have loads of stuff like crisps and chocolate. He only comes to us on Xmas Day and late lunch is the roast and tea is the dessert we couldn't squeeze in so its not like we get a chance to eat any of it.
The plus side is that the kids have plenty of snacky things and I can avoid shops for the whole week.


Can't believe you are pretty much sorted - I was in Lidl yesterday and they have some nice kids books/games so I grabbed some for my nieces and nephew. DS and DD will be the worst, they haven't even done a Xmas list plus they have Dec/Jan birthdays so need to factor that in as well.
I used to go Pot of Gold for people but there is already too much chocolate about so now I give a scratchcard and a pair of socks to everyone, last year everyone got a bingo clipboard and a scratchcard (we have DVD bingo which we all play on Boxing Day - about 20 of us in one room playing for money and we always struggle to find something to lean on hence the clipboards!! Everyone was chuffed!!)

Bobarella

Cat sorry your insomnia is not going away. Poor you.

SpekySquarehead

Morning CCL,

I'm the exact same as you when it comes to last minute panicking. I set myself a budget and then give myself a pat on the back when I come under it in full confidence I've bought what's needed for everyone but as it gets closer I ask myself, "is that enough?", and end up adding on something else. I share you pain.

AspiringButAnxious

I do the same with Xmas soending, but my mum's worse when it comes to food — the more I bake to help her so she doesn't have to do so much, the more she decides to make! And then she buys extra food on top. They had an Xmas pudding she bought for last Xmas just a few weeks ago!

Hope you feel better and can get some more sleep soon. It's worth experimenting with sleeping tips, cos some are more effective than others. For me, reading in bed helps me sleep, but most tips say never to read in bed. Starting a sleep routine early is quite effective for most people though, because it puts you in the right frame of mind. You can also pick and choose what is most helpful in your routine, eg. warm milky drinks, switching off tv and listening to classical music, taking a bath, putting pyjamas on before actually going to bed, etc. I also came across a somewhat surprising tip recently: eating within half an hour of waking. I was sceptical, but it seems to work incredibly well. I usually grab something quick, like a cereal bar, and then have something more substantial later — I'm not a morning person!

crazy_cat_lady

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

How are you getting on with cutting out the fizzy?
How is the healthy eating going? I see you have a Lidl nearby - your weekly shop seems very low but then Lidl is very cheap.

Food and mission 'bin off the fizzy' is going pretty well. I don't miss the fizzy at all - I'm big into orange squash at the moment, which is doing the job nicely. Food is the place I regularly fall off the wagon. So quick and easy to just grab a bag of crisps or a takeaway.

AspiringButAnxious wrote: »

Hope you feel better and can get some more sleep soon. It's worth experimenting with sleeping tips, cos some are more effective than others.

I know we're not meant to have tv in bed, but I really just cannot get to sleep without the background noise. My brain gets too busy. I need some sort of strategy for the 4am wake up though. It's cold and my brain just kicks in and starts whirling all sorts of rubbish about. Mind you, I didn't have the 4am wake up this morning, but I'm still short of sleep. It was after midnight when I went to sleep last night but I was awake for the day just before 6, which isn't enough sleep for me. Thankfully though I had the day off work today! :j:j Traditionally known as 'teacher's shopping day' - it's a training day that has been converted into evening sessions. The original plan for the day had been to sit in front of the telly with my marking and a box set, but I arranged to go out with my mam instead. She's a bit down at the moment for some reason (I think it's the stress of her just moving house but she says it empty nest even though me and my sister haven't lived at home for 20 and 15 years respectively). So we agreed to meet up at an outlet village for a 'look round' and lunch. I think she thought that there was something wrong with me because I wasn't buying everything in sight :rotfl: we've not been shopping together for years. I didn't spend much but I did decide to treat us to a new Christmas tree having had the same one for 16 years now - feels long overdue. Also bought dd a pair of leggings she's been after. My mam insisted on buying lunch for us though and she also gave me £11 of M&S vouchers that she insists she can't use. Mams never change - always spoil their kids. It was a lovely day though - a really long time since we did anything without my kids being there (because they were at school!)
Whilst I was on a spendy day I decided to buy cat litter and fuel up the car. That should mean I spend little to nothing for the rest of the week if I'm careful.
The weather is vile - it's rained non stop all day and I'm starting to get a bit worried about the idea of flooding. It's not due to stop until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. Good job that I bought cat litter - the fur babies won't even venture close to the door at the moment. :rotfl:

1LuckyLady

Ccl, sounds like a lovely day.
Re the 4am wake up, can you put your headphones on and listen to a relaxing podcast or something similar? I sometimes have a problem sleeping and this helps me. (I also find it easier to fall asleep if hubby is watching something I'm not interested in on the tv!)

Bobarella

Sounds a lovely day Cat. Really hope you get some sleep tonight.

lcc86

Hi CCL, I suffer with the sleep thing too, although it's a lot better than it used to be. I'm guilty on the tv front although reading is always better so should do that instead. Anyway, if I just can't sleep or wake up early morning, I try and count backwards from 1000. I never get past 600ish, I think I just fall asleep out of boredom!! It sounds weird but it might help.

crazy_cat_lady

Thanks all for the tips. I woke up at 5am this morning and my mind started whizzing at a million miles an hour - practised the mindfulness technique and actually managed to fall asleep again. OK - it took half an hour, and then I get up at half six but I am going to take that as a positive sign.
After yesterday's loveliness I woke up to a morning of flooded roads and traffic misery. Took me ages to get into work and I couldn't be bothered anyway. Kids were hyper. But got loads of marking done so used my time really wisely. Just got to survive till the next holiday. New Year brings a new Head so change is going to happen - need to ride with it.
Nothing much else to report - just back from footy training with ds so I think I need to get myself off to bed and try for another reasonable night sleep wise. I'm worn out.