NST February Challenge : A Winter Voyage

ChasingSunshine

Didn't check in yesterday as was so exhausted after work had a nap and only woke up this morning!! Oops but at least its the weekend now and it meant NSD yesterday (2/15) Spends today on food (20/100)

Grateful for
Free books from library online
Bluetooth in cars allowing me to have catch up chat with bestie on the way home
Being snuggled up on the couch listening to the wind howling - love storms when I don't have to be out in it!!!

crazy_cat_lady

Apologies for not reporting in yesterday Captain. My smallest child commanded my attention from very early on in the evening and I accidentally fell asleep before 9pm. I must have needed it though, although it did mean I was a bit restless during the night when I was actually meant to be asleep.
Mothernerd - sorry to hear your sad news
I am having a tough day today - my anxiety has reared itself because I had a bit of a fall out with someone at work. On the grand scale of things it's not a big deal, but I get very worried when I choose to disagree with someone and stand by it. I wish that I didn't get so worked up about 'normal' behaviour.
Busy day at work, catching up with planning and marking. Tonight's plans include getting the smalls to their various clubs and finishing housework and marking so that I can enjoy the weekend. Didn't manage a nsd as someone had used the last of the milk and I am like the Hulk if I don't get my cuppa morning and evening.
Today I'm grateful for:
The good health of me and my family
Not having to get up for work tomorrow
Having integrity

x_raphael_xx

Avast me hearties!

NSD no.3 achieved today. I'd love to keep this streak going but it's my turn to pay for the groceries tomorrow.

Today I did 2 hours of overtime, mainly as the boss has been summoning us into the meeting room all week.
"Can I have 5 minutes?" turns into 45 mins of just general chat. As we are having hours cutbacks at work (I thankfully have survived any cuts) it's not fair I'm doing extra when others are being cut.
But the boss understands that he's caused my backlog, and that I'm slower than usual as I'm training someone.
My trainee, is thankfully, really grasping everything even after only 2 weeks of learning. She's really competent and I'm happy to leave her with tasks knowing she'll at least attempt something even if she's not sure.

Today I am grateful for:
A switched on trainee, an understanding boss and puppy kisses

f0xh0les wrote: »

even with a naff oven I whipped up a massive bakewell tart

Any chance of a recipe? BFs mum loves cherry bakewells, but hates the cherry, always picks them off.
A giant bakewell might make a nice thank you for loaning us a big chunk of money to help towards our deposit.

Fmess

I feel so behind already and its only the 3rd!


My budgets for the month are:-


Food = £100 - its just for me but I am on slimming world so eating more healthily and need more fresh fruit and veg than my old diet/way of eating.


Spends = £250 - quite high as this includes a dentist visit, hair cut, cinema visit, meal out, money whilst I was at a spa last weekend, annual membership to a society and prepayment for an event next month.


Savings/debts - I am just paying the direct debit to my loan this month (my only debt ) as I needed to pay off three dentist visits from January.


My goals this year are/were to save for a new bathroom that is being installed in July/August and to pay off half of the loan for my new roof

f0xh0les

I use bought sweet shortcrust from Her0n foods (3 for £1) homemade raspberry jam, and a normal sponge recipe with 2 tsps of almond extract, bake as you would a normal sponge. You don't need to blind bake the pastry, just chuck jam on top and then the sponge mixture. Then when cool, just a normal water icing and toasted flaked almonds on top. Cherry strictly optional. Best with a nice cup of tea.

Warning - it does seem to evaporate rather quickly, one minute it is there, the next ... pouf!

x_raphael_xx

f0xh0les wrote: »

I use bought sweet shortcrust from Her0n foods (3 for £1) homemade raspberry jam, and a normal sponge recipe with 2 tsps of almond extract, bake as you would a normal sponge. You don't need to blind bake the pastry, just chuck jam on top and then the sponge mixture. Then when cool, just a normal water icing and toasted flaked almonds on top. Cherry strictly optional. Best with a nice cup of tea.

Warning - it does seem to evaporate rather quickly, one minute it is there, the next ... pouf!

Awesome Thanks

Seasidegal58

Failed on the NSD today Cap'n and first flare went up! Please don't keel haul me!:eek:

Had to get my monthly stock up toiletries in Boots to stow under my bunk! Cost £28.83 (but the dolphins swam past and helped me with £6.09 on offers and triple Advantage points)! But I’ve now a deficit of £11.83 on the Make up/Toiletries Budget and still have to get my shampoo! So my compass (YNAB) directed me to sweep £11.83 over from the funds I had left at the end of last week

Also had impromptu coffee with my friend lunchtime. She is having some problems with her eldest son and needed someone to talk it over with. So I rowed the ship's dinghy to the rocks and sat down with her.

Apart from that quiet day in work - the ship felt quite becalmed (Groundhog Day all week!) and so pleased it’s the weekend! No getting up at 6.00am – nice lie in my bunk!

This weekend will also be spends – some shore leave catching up lunch locally with some girlfriends tomorrow and on Sunday sis, OH and nephew (small cabin boy) are coming round so we’ll be out for a bite to eat and hopefully over the park weather permitting!

Will also have to stock up on fruit and veg at the weekend. Interesting to see what will be available owing to the shortage of foreign veg at the moment because of the bad weather in Spain and Italy. People only being allowed to buy one cos lettuce! Apparently we’re still all right for English parsnips and potatoes…… so will ward off the scurvy.

Today I'm grateful for:

- it's the weekend! Yippee!:j
- discounts and extra points on my toiletries bill;

- managing to get a seat on the train this evening which was abnormally packed for some reason!

Bobarella

TOG thanks lovely interesting reading about how you averted possible spends situations too.

Mothernerd I am very sorry for your loss. And for the way your Mother's partner seems to be getting. He must be very scared underneath it all.
Well done on your long walk though, that's a brilliant thing considering how poorly you've been.

Foxy & NannyG I'm in the cleaning gang too today, it is so nice to go into the weekend with a lovely clean home. More time for coffee and lolling about tomorrow

Calling Hope you enjoy your relaxing time tonight and feel better tomorrow.

Today as above has been all about cleaning and planning menus feel very organised ahead of the weekend.

I am going to make a PAD as soon as my daughter finally drops off. I'm using my travel savings to do this.
I have walked 1 hour each day to avoid using the bus in one direction of my school run journey.
This has meant I have only spent £1.50 per day instead of £3 or possibly even more on the days I could take a lot more buses but choose not to.
My basic saving is around £9 to £15 per week from this activity if were to assume a £4.50 per day/£22.50 per week max bus spends as Apple tells me. I'm going to PAD £10 and see if I can do the same each week.

I also had an amazing windfall of £20 roadkill! This is the second large amount I have found in a week. Last was £15. I am amazed tbh as both times there were others around. So that's a nice to have. My son needs shin pads and a mouth guard to participate in hockey at school so I will use the money for that. And still have change!

Gratitudes

1. Being strong and healthy.
2. For the fun we all get from DDs endless cheery 'hiyas'
3. For a warm cosy home.

Bob

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for time with dd watching Annie (2014 version) as she had opted out of the school disco, for getting some knitted chicks finished and more bunnies cut out, for having a huge choice of foods to eat, for my new walking shoes doing the job, for a nic chat with big sis.

Mothernerd - thinking of you and your family members.

ps - I've not been bitten by the house cleaning bug, so could you send some my way as the place really does need it...

greent

Sorry to hear of your loss, mothernerd

Had to send a flare up today to signify a visit to A1di (may also have been lured by Matal0n at the same time, where I may have bought 3 joyful teatowels from personal spends.....) Ald1 visit came in at £45.23 on rations and £4.68 on personal spends (2 lots of planted bulbs and a bunch of flowers to pretty up the deck - should have been more but the cashier must have keyed in the incorrect code - when I checked receipt once home to note down spends the bulbs are showing as pineapple pots @ £1.09 each instead of £2.49 each)

Could do with catching the cleaning bug myself - too tired from work to do much this week and boy is the cabin showing it Will try and make amends over the weekend.

Today I am thankful for
* OH being home a day earlier meaning I had a lie in until 6.30
* My wet coat - it may be 18 years old but it still does the job!
* Snuggly throws to snuggle under on the sofa

I hope this weather lets up in the night - don't envy those up and about on deck in this weather otherwise - wet and windy up there... Stay safe if you venture up on deck!
x