May the (NST) force be with you

Lauralozzle

Today was spendy as I treated myself to a new bag for work - I have a 20 minute walk to and from work to the car and carrying a full handbag with lunch was giving me backache. I'm using a very old canvas rucksack at the moment but it's not terribly practical when it rains, because it gets soaked, and the clasp keeps undoing itself.

I've ordered a nice satchel from cath kidston sale which also has a laptop compartment. I took my work laptop home this weekend to see if it'll work (connect to work drives remotely) and it does, so hopefully I'll be able to work from home some days. The laptop compartment will come in very handy as I can lug around works laptop without having to carry two bags.

So, a spendy day but it's out of my personal monthly spending budget to myself, I've got £14 left and I'll try and save that for next month. I'll be looking for a new raincoat next month I think, as mine has disappeared off the face of the earth!

Tomorrow will also be spendy (not a lot though) as I'm off to see the OH play tomorrow night so they'll be drinks to buy at the pub. Maybe I should not feel so bad about my spendy days as long as they're budgeted for. It's when they are not it's a problem!

I'm grateful for a good day at work today, and a quick and easy dinner (love leftovers!)

crazy_cat_lady

Evening everyone. :wave: :coffee:
Still shattered, still busy and stull on the verge of burning out. However, there are always things to be grateful for...
My massive stash of wool
Bagging 2 nsd's in a row
My lovely boss.

Lauralozzle - I'm totally with you on the 'being too tired to do anything food wise when I'm home' - I fell into that trap badly last week.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for working with some lovely people, for getting back in touch with an old friend, for a chat with dmil who is now a great grandma!, for getting stuff done at work, for dd's drawings, for dh prepping tea, for being able to help a colleague, for getting more marking done, for reading dd's book 'flour babies' - epic!, for a peaceful evening, for having a plan for tomorrow as it is panning out to be a rather hectic day.

abundant1972

Evening everyone!

Well I'm finally caught up... new babies... Ofsted inspections... battles with housework and gardening - it's all going on! Congratulations on all the great work and good news!

It occurred to me this month I've been checking in but not really present - more of a hit and run affair. Had a lot going on... 1) Mum's on going dementia. I have had the same 30 minute conversation with her over the last 3 evenings and she rang me in the middle of work which has always been a no-no. 2) My car expired and I've had to rely on people and be dependent on others!!! 3) Medication withdrawal and coping with my head being busier than usual...

Despite all that I am well, sane and feeling positive. 1) Mum is accepting her diagnosis, and has told friends - being tearful is normal and it will take her a while to come to terms with it - but it's progress. I have 'contented dementia' to read <still> when I feel up to it. 2) After being messed around by crappo unreliable mechanics, I finally decided enough was enough. I traded in my car for cash and have bought a new one. I know - it means finance BUT it was a great deal and if it gives me peace of mind for the next 3 years on repairs and MOTs etc then it is worth it. Actually being approved for it was a MASSIVE milestone for me given how badly in debt I was at one point... 3) Off my meds for over 2 weeks - not sure how long they take to clear your system...? Sod's Law life throws a bunch of stuff at me just as I decided life was stable and it was a good time to stop lol... However - I've coped/am coping... I took myself off out for walks and ate healthy food, and gave myself many a kind talking to. It really feels like I've turned a corner in life generally...

Phew...

On that note - I have cleared all balances on my credit cards so am technically DEBT FREE! I can afford my monthly car payments and am putting away extra so that in 3 years I have enough saved to clear the outstanding amount. I am trying not to see it as a 'debt' but rather a payment like a mortgage. I was thinking of starting a car fund for when mine went - as it was, fate forced my hand... so I'll keep putting that away, only it will be paying my new one off and buying me stress-free motoring. I need a car - end of - and if I can I will pay it off early (there is no penalty for this - I checked).

So - Clean(ish) slate. New car. I had to use my EF fund pretty much as a deposit (£250 left) but my HelpToBuy ISA is intact. I will begin re-building my EF again from next month. I have some overtime in the pipeline too.

Hopefully now things are settling, once the emotional dust clears and I feel I'm back into my routine, I'll feel happier again, and better able to work a way to manage Mum without me feeling drained and frustrated.

Sorry for not really being 'with it' this month but I'll keep checking in at least!!!

Today I am grateful for:

• The time and headspace to catch up with myself
• Meal prep!!!
• Seeing light at the end of the tunnel

Today = NSD number 8

Night all x

Toni'sfriend

Well done on everything, Abundant. My son has been off his medication for a few weeks now as well. At first his sleeping pattern (never good to begin with) was all over the place and his appetite disappeared (felt nauseous all the time) but it's levelling out now. Great achievement for you both.
Nothing much happening with me. Being very lazy if truth be told. Must get back into gear!

Eager_Elephant

Lauralozzle wrote: »

I'm irritated with myself but I have no effort/energy to make dinner when I get home later than usual. Most meals I cook from scratch take me about 45/60 minutes and sometimes I'm not home until 6:30. I think I just need to make dinner before sitting down when I get in.

I also need to stop making excuses and just get on with it.

Sorry to mention again how I work my evening meals as I know most people have read about it by now but thought I would post again.

Not sure of your family make up but I have me, DH and DD (14) at home.
I work full time so used to come in from work, walk the dogs and then start the tea and we would eat about 7 -7.30pm as I used to cook from scratch but then a while ago I got mighty peeved about this as DH comes in from work (longer hours than me) and just watches TV while I do tea and housework.
It then dawned on me that DD has cooked lunch at school (at her school it is cool to have school lunch and she does actually have the meal of the day - I can check her dinner money account online) and DH had been working in a school for a few months and would have a 2 course dinner there so really they were having 2 cooked meals a day.
I remember growing up in a family with 6 children that we all had school dinners and then tea was something easy like egg or beans on toast, corned beef with beans and bread etc and we were all content and not hungry.
So for the last few months I do not cook a 'proper' meal in the week, I cook on Saturday and Sundays only. Although sometimes on a Friday DH and I like omelette, chips and salad.

So is there anyway you could either not cook in the week or could you cook easier things like the aforementioned omelette?
If you can't could you plan to cook for 2 nights in the week and make enough for 2 nights later in the week? I'm thinking lasagne on Mon that would also do Tues or failing that later in the week if you don't want the same thing and then cooking say minced beef and potatoes with enough for another night leaving 1 night where you could do something that takes 20 mins or so???

Or do you have a slow cooker that you could put on in the day time so it's nearly ready when you get in? I know some people do jacket potatoes in the slow cooker and then if you like crispy skin they take 10 mins in the oven - add salad and some cheese or tuna and you have a healthy meal suitable for summer.

Hope you manage to sort something out.

Eager_Elephant

Congrats apple!!

Abundant - dementia is a cruel disease isn't it? My MIL had it from her late 50's, she was already in a nursing home having had a severe stroke that meant she could not live independently. it completely shocked us when she started talking about kittens under the bed and going on the train etc. We used to correct her and she would get upset so we did some reading up on it and realised it was better to go with the flow and agree with her and gradually change the subject. I wish the nursing home had told us that when she first was diagnosed as it would have made life easier for her.

I hope you can manage to read the book as I am sure it will help a lot.

Eager_Elephant

Sorry for all the posts but felt some needed to be more on one subject only.

I am back from my girls weekend away - well, what can I say???
I withdrew £130 on Friday and have come back with about £30 so not too bad going as this included all food and drink.

Need to sort my NSD's now - yesterday was a NSD as travelled back and have just been pottering about.

I hope today will be a NSD as taken the say off work to fully get the alcohol out of my system!!

I am grateful for:
1. A wonderful group of girls on holiday
2. My family surviving while I was away
3. Being back in a routine (of sorts) today.

misstara

Hope you enjoyed your weekend away Eager

Re evening meals - on days that I'm working, we tend to have meals such as salad, stirfry, ham, egg and chips, omelette, egg fried rice or something from the freezer such as bolognaise, lasagne, casserole, etc which I've previously batch cooked. On my days off I'll do something that requires a little more effort and batch cook to keep the freezer topped up. I also usually do baking on my days off so that I'm not tempted to buy expensive sweet treats.

Yesterday was a NSD and today will be too, that will take me to 10 . Today I'm grateful for a long lie, a good run this morning, homemade lemon curd on toast for breakfast and the weather staying dry on my walk to work.

Calling14

Abundant - well done keeping up with everything. Dementia is horrible, my sister had it worst disease ever so frustrating. Here if you need any advice as got through ups and downs of it.

EE - nice to get away and let your hair down. Glad you had fun.

Spent yesterday under a tenner milk and fruit. Gig tickets already mentioned oops

Today a SFD to add to my total 8/15:)

Tomorrow won't be planning to order some aerial I need for DAB radio but not sure which one until I get home.

Have a nice day x