NST February Challenge : A Winter Voyage

mrshubbard

Was a successful NSD.

Little man loved nursery - was upset for all of a minute after we left then 2 hours of happily playing. Was lovely when he did his little excited dance when we picked him up

I forgot we had no butter or eggs so couldn't do my planned scone base pizza but luckily the meal plan was salvaged by frozen ys muffins we had with pizza toppings. Crumble also went out the window and I made rice pud instead. Forgot all about it and was sat wondering why I could smell toffee when it clicked. Tastes fine but a bit set & dry. Going to heat it with milk tomorrow and should be all good. Veggie soup made for tomorrows tea. Butties already made for lunch. No excuses for buying food on my ling shift Weds No opportunity to go to the shops so it'll be another NSD in the bag. Don't think I'll make 15 but shouldn't be far off.

I am grateful for :-

A lovely nursery nearby
Getting a good walk in with hubby, little man & pooch before rain really kicked in
Getting 2 hours child free to get a load of cooking done

The_Only_Girl

Quick one for me tonight, one NSD added to the mix today = NSD 12/15. Dinner was left over from a big batch of butternut and mange tout stir fry yesterday with a side of smoked mackerel. It was also my packed lunch today, sans the mackerel.

A bit tired today as I didn't get much sleep last night. Went to bed at 8:30 but tossed and turned til 1am. It was my hubby's first night shift after a long time so I found it very unusual. I'll be turning in soon after posting.

Today I'm thankful for:
1. £5 from TSB as cashback for using contactless in January
2. Child benefit £82.80 which I forgot to include in our February budget so that would be an additional income that I could put forward to the March budget or added to the Emergency Fund (will discuss with hubby tomorrow)
3. Most importantly, for my loving family.

Bobarella

mrshubbard wrote: »

Was so tempted to go out for a brew and cake today for a pick me up. Dropped my little boy off for his first taster nursery session. It's only 2 hours but I'm feeling emotional! I've come home for a coffee and the last gingerbread dinosaur instead and a browse on here. Will have to bake something to replace them now for when I need a treat I think I've got stuff in for bara brith but need to soak the fruit overnight first. Also got some overripe plums in the fridge so thinking crumble for tonight Well on track for a nsd day.

Calling14 - I'm impatient too now I've got into it. I'll have £300 spare come payday and I can't wait to put it on my cc.

Hope your little boy was ok for his first session? Ah sorry. Missed your next post.

Bobarella

apple_muncher wrote: »

Today I am grateful for a good day at work, for time with dd and dh making a carriage for Cinderella, for agreeing with big sis that we do want to accept the offer on the house, for decent weather for a run, for the lone daffodil blooming amongst a sea of dark purple croci.

Glad you have made that decision Apple. Must be hard.

shyspender wrote: »

Hiya Turtles

not having a great couple of days so feeling rather quiet. Normally read even if I don't post but realised today I hadn't posted for a few days.

Haven't spent anything which is good.

Don't have three gratefuls at the moment but I do have two beautifully delicate snowdrops in my 'guess the bulbs' flower tubs.

Hope you feel better soon Shy.

f0xh0les

Today I am grateful to have filled all the holes in the doors of my ship (yale lock holes, a million keyholes, and poor disembowelled sides). All filled ready to be sanded (job for today!!). I think I am on my 15th NSD so pretty proud of me. :j

Went into a charity shop and found 4 books by my current fave author, at £1.50 each, took them to the till and the lady said she might have some more in the back. She looked very surprised too. She came back with another two and put them all through the till at 75p and told me to come back and look again soon.

It is a bit of a strange charity shop. I walked past on the other side of the road at the weekend, looked up and saw as a woman called two other people over to the window, and they watched me walk down the road. I wasn't wearing a skirt so I definitely didn't have it tucked into my knickers! Very strange behaviour. Or I am very attractive to ladies of a certain age:rotfl: Not an option I have considered before, but at least I seem to have brightened somebody's day.

thriftylass

Hello,

fell overboard and thought I resign myself to the sharks. Changed my mind and started swimming really hard to climb back on board. SFDs not looking too bad but spend too much money on the other days. It's all recorded and tracked though. Never mind, focus on the future, learn from the past, stay positive.

Had a great birthday weekend and did some painting in the guest bedroom (with a dim light on, so upon opening the blinds in day light I realised a second coat is needed at least ).

Had a look through my freezer this morning and will plan some meals and a careful shop for the weekend. Will also change my lunches from salad based to a cheaper and still nutritious HM soup option the next few days/weeks.

I'm also guilty of trying to change too much at the same time. So I'll split it up into weeks again. This week I'll try and get to the gym/walk every lunch time, next week I'll reign in my snacking, the week after I'll start limiting time online on my phone after work and start replacing it with crafting etc........

I was lucky and got a few good surveys recently so have £35 sitting there in Amazon vouchers with another 15-20 to come soon. That will cover DD birthday and cheap and cheerful party bags (god, who invented them).

Off to do some planning while it's quiet at work.

Have a great day me hearties

Today I'm grateful for

the sun shining
new found motivation
tantrum free morning

greent

f0xh0les wrote: »

It is a bit of a strange charity shop. I walked past on the other side of the road at the weekend, looked up and saw as a woman called two other people over to the window, and they watched me walk down the road. I wasn't wearing a skirt so I definitely didn't have it tucked into my knickers! Very strange behaviour. Or I am very attractive to ladies of a certain age:rotfl: Not an option I have considered before, but at least I seem to have brightened somebody's day.

Talking of brightening someone's day - Has the henna toned down now? - maybe they were pointing the bright hair out if not...? ;):)


Didn't get around to posting yesterday - Tues evenings are a bit crazy during term time. Anyway, NSD (actually got some money back, as took some see through :eek: leggings back to M&S) Still using up food from freezer/ stores - am using up the odd portions of things/ stuff which only DD (at uni) usually eats (mainly stuff of the orange/ brown/ processed variety - she is the main consumer of processed food in this house) Lunch was a tasty breaded chicken fillet (real piece of breast breadcrumbed as opposed to a mushed up bit of reformed stuff) in a HM roll with salad - very nice and may have another today as I know there is one still lurking in the freezer. Dinner was the last piece of fish from the freezer with some previously frozen leftover cheesey mash and peas - again yummy. Small kids had pasta, teen had a single portion of curry from freezer :T - he also finished off the apple and cherry crumble made on Sunday (and verrrry nice it was too!)

Today is a paperwork/ laptop day with pensions and such like - very boring but very important/ essential stuff. Just need to make myself a(nother) cup of tea and then I can get started...

Roll on payday....

ETA:
Yesterday's thankfulness:
* DS2 riding his bike to school
* A dry and mild day
* A really good Zumba class

Calling14

Hi crew.

Just lost my post so in a worse mood if that is possible.

Got toothache, not a big tooth but I am grizzly with it be warned!. Luckily mananged to get a dentist appt this afternoon. Medicash should cover costs looking at benefits table I just need to pay upfront.

Yesterday I ended up shopping on the way home. Very impressed with how much food I got from Aldee for 36 pounds. Over my food budget but it has filled up holes in the freezer. I wrongly claimed a SFD yesterday, will adjust tomorrow.

Grateful for
Dentist appointment
Did food shop yesterday
warm office

abundant1972

Ahoy!

Yesterday was manic and I'm aware I didn't check in... I was grateful for:

• My sister sending me a surprise DVD
• My brother and his wife for their support and friendship
• My new work rota which I am enjoying

Today I am grateful for:

• The positivity and support I find on this forum
• Feeling like I have landed finally
• A day at home today

Today = NSD number 12

Today I'm going to get in a walk - my exercise went to the wall last week - no more gold stars - so that's 3 to make up if I want my full cash bonus in November. I have plenty of food in and some ready made meals so that's all good. I also have the house to myself for a few days which will be really lovely.

I notice a lot of people are losing posts - I am now highlighting and copying text before I post in case... Then I can just paste again if needed.

Time for my walk of the deck and Captain's Review...

abundant1972

Mothernerd – Thank you so much for looking after the crew – your advice was both thoughtful and sound. The BHF advice on goals was perfect. That could be great to add in to our monthly post permanently, as a reminder to keep us on track? As X_Raphael_XX said – there are different ways of looking at goals. I think focussing on what you will gain is more positive – and helps to counteract the loss of what you are giving up. They kind of go hand in hand for me – but weighting my focus on benefits is definitely what works for me. I always remember a Zen article saying that the oak and bamboo wouldn’t compare themselves – they are both perfect as they are. So why as humans do we? Focus on our individuality and how to nourish that. Anyhow – you did me proud last week – thanks again!
You are doing a great job at tidying up your room… I think you are gonna feel so much lighter and clearer – it feels really positive. I loved your notion of cleaning anti-clockwise! Sounds mad – but doing something differently from our routine does force us to re-assess and view things in a different way. That’s really great advice. Ps. Your bathroom tiles sound AMAZING! Can you still get them? I love rainbows (you’d never guess!). I have a crystal up that sends light shimmering around my room. It’s lovely! LOL re your swiss roll. I did indeed ask you to eat what you had in lol. On the health front – you are really owning up to it all and taking positive steps towards looking after yourself. You’ve been a great motivator this moth for me.

NannyGladys - I smiled when I read about you food hoarding – me too! I think it’s a psychological thing – I feel prepared for anything and ‘safe’ somehow with lots in. I think it’s totally valid to feel miffed off and taken advantage of. When you wrote that it suddenly struck me that when I do visit family they insist on paying for everything and how awkward that feels. Last time I insisted on buying something. It is really hard ‘asking’ for a contribution – you shouldn’t have to. Turtles – how would you get around this…? When I did some counselling work – they talked about delivering feeback in a ‘sandwich’ – something positive – then the constructive criticism – then end on something positive. It is generally meant to help it be received better… So – ‘It would be lovely to see you of course. Would it be cheeky to ask for a contribution to the food? My pension doesn’t stretch very far and it’s a tight month – it would be much appreciated. Of course though – I’m very happy to put you up for the night on your way home. It would be great to catch up’… I think that’s reasonable. It’s that or make the WORST soup EVER and serve it with stale bread. Let the cat sleep over the spare bed. If you don’t have a cat – find one and let it sleep on there hahaha!

FurryBeastOZ – Great break down of your budget there – thanks. It’s really helpful to see how you all manage your dosh! I totally get those days when you feel low and eat badly and the whole things just spiralises (get it!? Haha) downwards. On those days… maybe just say to yourself… I’m going to get up and go out for a 5 minute walk. If at 5 minutes you feel like coming home you can. Chances are – when you’re up and moving you’ll feel better for it, and carry on (unless torrential rain ensues lol). Great advice from Mothernerd there too – I think I’ll adopt that. Awesome job on the clothes repair front! Prob saved yourself a lot of money there. You use Musclefood? They any good? I hear good things, and like the range of food they stock. Hugs for the day you felt low. Sometimes we just need a day to be in that zone. Mark it – put it behind you. I get them – it feels like self- sabotage I know.

Bobarella – Where is your venue advertised? Are there days of the week that are unpopular when you could maybe offer cheaper rates to fill those slots? Could be stuff you’ve already thought of. I laughed about your daughter not saying ‘Mummy’. It’s hilarious how kids pick up things up! I like the term ‘deadzone’ too – it really does feel like that. Hmmm. My imagination is being fired now on how we can use that… I’ll have a think.

ThriftyCutlass - Awww what a nice day to have a birthday! That’s so lovely! Oh – I love that you named your apple tree ‘Oscar’ haha. Big hugs for those days when you are feeling that life is a one way street. I sort of have a foot in the scientific field and a foot in the spiritual camp. I don’t know that I believe in an all-omnipotent being but I do believe that ‘energy can neither be created nor destroyed’ – only transformed. So when I pass on – I am sure I will end up as ‘something, somewhere’ I’m just not sure what. Will I have the same consciousness? I’m not sure. I also think though that life is so amazing and intricate – it’s hard to imagine all of that complexity happened totally at random. I fall into the ‘there is something after – I’m just not sure what’ camp. That for me is kind of exciting! Brilliant news about the loan clearance next month, and you’re doing great with the internal ship decorating. Everyone!!! She has a GUEST ROOM! Party!!!

XSpender- I think there is definitely wisdom in not exercising when we feel less than well… You took time out to help your body recover. I’m no expert but gluten intolerance causes inflammation, right? So getting yourself back on track seems like the right thing to do. Haha – your emoji of wall hitting was funny. Hope you got your card sorted ok. Great job at getting back on the exercise wagon despite a sore hip! You’re doing great!

SpekySquarehead – It’s great you have found something you can do to stay fit and that you enjoy. I was always the guy picked last for our football teams at school. “No you have him – it’s fine… no really. REALLY!’ LOL. Good job on the stock take – making the most of what you have in.

Toni’s Friend– That’s brilliant that you have started an Emergency Fund. It’s surprising how fast it builds up and it can provide a real sense of security. Well done! I am awed by your Wombling prowess! Great advice regarding the weight loss - It seems there are so many trying for this right now – and heartening that you can all encourage each other on. That was a great MSE way to have some me-time; using up what you have in but putting aside the time for yourself too. Gold star! You deserve a nice treat and was sweet of cabinboy to buy a take-away for you. No walking the plank – but you can do a quick swim around the boat to work it off haha! He sounds awesome – giving you scales. Very supportive. Housework…? House… Work…? That is work… you do in a house? No – you lost me!!!

Seasidegal58 – I hope you’re ok and have not been washed overboard.

1LuckyLady – I’m really pleased the ‘lucky charm’ worked for you! I have found when I don’t have it I forget myself more often. Maybe I need to buy a new wallet and make *that* my lucky charm!