NST Joyful July

thriftylass

mothernerd wrote: »

Is anyone up for a turtle haka to get us all in the mood?

Couldn't find a turtle haka so baby haka will have to do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmXH6invEMI&vl=en :T

apple_muncher

Love it!!!

Lauralozzle

Yesterday was a NSD and so was today so I'm at 5/14. Getting there slowly! It was tough getting up for work this morning though! I've really enjoyed my 3 days off and I'm going to ask for another 3 days off next month too (I have the 7th off but I have six days holiday left which restarts beginning of October). So a couple days would be lovely.

Had a lovely time menu tasting yesterday - we have picked the dishes for the wedding so that's sorted. Was going to get invitations ready for weekend as I'm visiting family but I'm not sure if I should wait until we've given notice to marry. I have chosen 13:00 for the ceremony which they have on the booking form but I'm wondering now whether to wait until notice is properly given and everything is finalised. I'm a bit miffed really that we had to reschedule because it puts other things on hold!

Today I found out my overtime has been approved on time so I'm very happy about that!! My managers manager told me this afternoon he's approved it and it's in time so I'll see it end of the month! :j:j:j

I'm also making good use of leftovers tonight for dinner so a nice frugal dinner to be had - leftover Thai curry sauce from dinner the other day. I used it as a vase of Thai noodle soup. It was pretty good for something I made up on the spot! I don't think tomorrow will be a NSD as I've got to get some birthday present bits ready for my dad's BBQ on Sunday.

Oh, and I've put my name down for overtime on Saturday too. I'm worried I might burn myself out but I could really do with the money!

lcc86

Another NSD here. Had a conference at work today, all pretty boring but not too bad. Ate loads of rubbish though so def not a healthy eating day! Off to give blood this evening then home to bed.

apple_muncher

I am grateful today for being able to do shred level 2, for getting a dr appointment (for a weeks time, but with the dr I wanted to see) about my toe that I badly injured 7 weeks ago, for dd having a great day, for dd's wonderfully understanding teacher, for dh having a good and useful meeting, for having depleted my fabric stash so much that a wander around the charity shops is called for, for a lovely chat with a neighbour, for finding some uniform bits that are dd's size in the jumble-sale-style scrummage at aldee, for homemade coleslaw.

mothernerd

Good evening turtles. I haven't had a SFD and can't claim a healthy day either. Nothing disastrous but not perfect. I haven't even been frugal - I bought several things that I could have made myself. Apart from all that, I have had a really good day.

Gave up hope of sleeping at 4am and just kept plodding. Started to run a bath just after 9am and then decided shopping first, then bath.

This week's shopping challenge is to find birthday presents for mum's partner (3 yo in a 87 yo body, he has dementia). I had mentioned the tool set that my sons had when then were young - similar to mekano but wooden pieces with plastic nails and screws and tools. My friend's son had a board with assorted cogs - you arranged them on the board and then turned a handle to watch how they interacted.

Mum had suggested toys to his family as he has multiples of every clothing item he could want, but liked my idea - her partner likes fiddling with things and it would help maintain dexterity in his hands.

Had looked on-line first and it seemed the tool set is no longer made but the train set is. Looked at various options and then set off on a trawl of the town centre. Wilco, HB, B n M and then Tosco. Bought a megg blocks boat and bricks plus 5 assorted vehicles (1 tiny tikes but others chunky and sturdy too) for under a fiver at the YMCA shop, so I had a fall back position.

One or 2 possibles at B n M but not what I wanted. Remembered seeing good wooden toys at Tosco a while ago. Found a train with 3 trucks - each has a wheeled base with pegs and assorted wooden pieces that you stack on the pegs. Second item was a car transporter with 4 wooden cars. Train set was good value too, but wasn't sure if partner can cope with the jigsaw joining mechanism any longer.

Whilst I was there I bought apples, bananas, broccoli, reduced chantenay carrots, plain yoghurt to make dips to go with raw veg, fruit yoghurt as no-one has offered them at a reasonable price recently, more porridge oats (I stir them into the yoghurt). Also bought ready made pasta, noodle and bean salads and a sandwich (non-frugal bit) then hurried home as fast as possible with heavy bags.

10.30 am as I crossed the car park and had to meet best buddy at 11am. determined that whatever else had to go, I needed the bath. Set water running, unpacked stuff that was staying home, filled water bottles, packed what I thought I needed including a large board - we are making a collage in crafts next week and I said I had a large board so took it in for approval. Put stuff by the front door.

Bathed, threw my clothes on, phoned for a taxi (mum gives me taxi money), put my shoes on and taxi arrived as I opened the door - the taxi was because I had 4 bags for life plus the board.

Realised I had forgotten my book when I got in the taxi, driver said she would wait but I chickened out of hunting through piles of paper flowers, birds, hearts, stars and 'inspiration' pictures to find it.

New attraction at the centre - my counsellor has acquired a puppy, absolutely adorable so we played with her and then had a catch up on how we were doing - missed him last week.

Last time I saw him he had been invited to a sportsman's dinner which required formal dress and he asked for advice on what he needed. He had done as I said, bought trousers, a jacket and shoes (all plain and basic, stick to black or navy, keep it simple). I had told him to get a tie, which could be a little bolder on colour but nothing silly and then go with whether or not the other men were wearing ties or not.

He had enjoyed the event a lot - 3 course meal then vip seats to watch the match and he liked his new clothes and was thinking of trying them out more often. My advice was spot on but he kept the tie in his pocket in the end. Counsellor wasn't seeing anyone so we all had a catch up and it was very relaxing.

Repeated my theory that if I am falling asleep when I sit or lie down, then I must be working to capacity (all that I am capable of atm) and need to not stress about the 'not done' and add more things as and when I can.

Taxi to mum's (thankfully minus the board which passed inspection). She liked the toys. She had originally suggested a budget of £20, spent just under £27 but she and partner's elder daughter are him a wooden toy each and I am giving the cs haul. Found 3 suitable gift bags in the craft case (that's the frugal bit). If he isn't interested in them, at least they will keep any visiting greatgrandchildren quiet.

Ate lunch then attempted more tree branch cutting (just into small enough lengths to go in the bin). Added more mealworms to the bird table, collected the post - only one letter but it was really special. From mum's cousin's son and he had enclosed some old photographs of her parents and grand-parents (complicated family history were the wrong person got 'custody' of family stuff).

I read the letter to her and we looked throught the photos. Mum said there were photos everywhere and could I go and look through - bundles and bundles in envelopes and bags.

I have separated out all her partner's family photos, his children need to take care of them now. At least 2 years ago I suggested that they put names and dates on them and I would put them in an album that partner could look through with great-grandchildren. They didn't do it and now it's too late as he no longer recognises any of them.

Found a few gems, photos of my brothers which I have never seen (baby brother has had long hair for ever but middle brother only managed to get his full length briefly so it looks like baby bro until you realise he's with #2' then gf - I'm #1), photos of my children taken when mum was minding them.

Best of all, a good photo of me. My ex thought he was Diane Arbus but set out to deliberately make people 'ugly'. This was taken on the bus coming back from a weekend at his parents. We only had DS1 and he had gone to sleep and been put in the carrycot, so I am just sitting in the corner of the bus looking out of the window (soft evening light). I always thought I looked a bit Virginia Woolf-ish - there is a drawing of her sort of from the side (but I have a tiny nose).

I remember showing the photo to mum when it was developed but then it disappeared, as other accurate/ flattering photos have done including the one with Tony Benn which I saw once.

I asked mum about a box on one of the top shelves, when I looked it was a lot of wedding memorabilia (I ate the sugared almonds) but also a clock mum had been fretting about earlier (bought by her colleagues when she retired).

Various things were added to the charity pile, I went through the 2 suitcases of 'craft' stuff (some of it is junk) again - I am running out of cardboard for templates (using card inserts you get in shirts when new). Asked mum if she knew there were two more suitcases in the shed.

Brought them in. One was full of 'our' photos. Lots of mum in various tap dancing outfits and more which I have never seen. In 1972 Leigh beat Leeds in the Rugby League final. Mum worked for the 'Pru' and some of the players brought the cup to an insurance companies event. there is a photo of mum and the woman who ran the office holding the cup, flanked by two of the players. When the move to the bungalow happened mum kept asking me to find this photo and I searched and searched. Turned up in the middle of a pack of photos.

Found a fifth case (a vanity case, one of the 1960's nearly round ones) in the cupboard next to the craft ones. Although extremely tired I persisted in sorting and have brought home 4 empty suitcases and a wheeled shopping trolley + a bag for life full of bits, to be taken to the charity shops in the morning.

I asked how mum wanted to keep the photos (as present 'system' is clearly not working). I suggested a sturdy box (mum has an old video storage box I gave her to hold her recipe clippings) and a pack of index cards to take any that will fit and then we do something with the 'special ones' later on. At some point mum had put baby pictures of herself, me and me brothers and our 5 children in little gold aperture cards but got no further.

Tomorrow I want to do some printing at the library (might involve geeky cross-stitch) and a quick trawl of the css for photo albums/ probably Wilco for a video storage type box (they may have one actually labelled photos) then back to mum's in the afternoon.

If my back is willing branch cutting may be completed, if not a little gentle sorting (or maybe just sit and watch an old film) and do a SM order for delivery next Tuesday (not to clash with appointment).

Today I am grateful for using what we have, for comfortable relationships and being able to see the bottom of cupboards.

And puppies, must not forget the puppy,

mothernerd

Dance - no-one is watching

(firefox to the rescue)

Sleepy and wobbly this morning (and my upper arms ache - I still have biceps:rotfl:) so will stay in bed and read a book until I can get to the bathroom without having to hold on to things.


Will drink lots of water, take my pills (later than usual, might be adding to dizziness), eat a couple of bananas and maybe do a little gentle tidying and cutting out. Library and charity shop run tomorrow.

Realised I have a box that is the right size for standard photos (kept mine in it for a while). I could make the index cards too, but need to work up some enthusiasm for that (had to do it, far too many times in the past).

Have a great day turtles - remember to be awesome.

thriftylass

Thanks for the motivational posts, mothernerd.

I'll be doing a wee dance later on today.

No SFD today as we'll pick up the big asda order.

Random box from freezer for lunch (thing it's ancient sausage roast).

Will try and go for a run a bit early today as we have kids coming to work just after lunch do so some fun experiments/crafting etc. I'm responsible for the felting. That should be interesting letting 5-11 year old loose with felting needles/pens.

Lovely day and today I'm grateful for healthy (if disobedient ) kids, a healthy 80 yo FIL who we spend a lovely evening with, a quiet sunny office (last day of that till my colleague come back on Monday and the blinds and windows are forever shut again). Definitely need to focus on positive things like that more. As I get older I tend to focus on misery too much, the cousin with CF, the cousin with severe dementia, the bedridden aunt, the colleague's mum that just died, the mate's dad in a hospice, the dead cat....and the list could go on. I guess these things always happen just when we were younger we weren't so aware of them? I should count my blessings and try to enjoy life in the now more, care less about mundane things like the hoovering that should've been done. Sorry for the heavy post, just sth that has been on my mind a lot recently. I wonder how people stay positive in later life, I guess they just do. I should try that more too. Here's to a good positive day.

PlaysNicely

:wave:

Yesterday ran away with me, so just a quick post of yesterday's progress

1) NSDs: no, it was market shopping day so still on 7 / 16.

2) Frugal food shopping: previous week's target met so this week's £35 budget started anew. Whilst I was working, OH went to market (sounds like the start of a nursery rhyme) :rotfl:
He did really well, spent £17 on fruit and veg for the week & came back with ideas for how to fit it all together as a meal plan, rather than just buying random items! So, am limiting us to the £13 left for the rest of the week and have put the other £5 into one of the savings challenges to help that along! Will also need to shop in week for laundry stuff but hopeful to meet the slimmed budget!
He did an experimental dinner based on some of his shopping: apricot and mushroom curry, with spinach dahl - very lovely!

3) [STRIKE]Try to up my own income in some way (legally of course)![/STRIKE] Achieved!

4) My NST health goal: 10,000 steps a day (as total of 70,000 across a week)!
Long work day but good evening walk with dogs, just managed to make the target with 10,007 steps! Total so far this week 60,263 / 70,000 - just today to go to make that 70,000!

5) No FleaBay shopping for the whole month erm, bread bin ordered so didn't manage this -
have high hopes of it tho and sold something via Shpock so using that cash! Timed the purchase for market day so as not to lose a NSD to it! So far this month: 12 / 31 achieved, 1 glitch!.

6) Frugal focus: sourcing instead of spending: busy day, nothing else achieved yet, remaining work in progress ...
* Valance in progress - one panel hemmed, still needs sewing to base.
* Doggy glove puppet in progress. ... just needs a tail, ears and sewing up!

Simple pleasures:
OH really getting into the frugal food shopping and meal planning!
Cat spending the day in my room with me whilst I was working.
Saw two barn owls and a Marsh Harrier whilst on evening walk!

TFI Friday everyone, have a great day, PN x

Toni'sfriend

I'm afraid my determination not to let things get me down has disappeared. C has been having problems since his brother died some years ago in very tragic circumstances and drinks far too much. Most of the time he is the lovliest, kindest and most generous person you could wish to meet but on occasion he gets very down (especially since the death of his sister last year) and just seems to lash out verbally at the world. To cut a long story short he was very nasty to our friends (actually they are his oldest friends) on Wednesday night and they left to go home yesterday, a day earlier than planned. It was really upsetting and they have said they will not be coming on holiday with us in September. I think I cried all day yesterday. I am at a loss on what to do. In fact, I don't think I can do anything. He'll have to want to do it himself.
Anyway, I'll keep on reading all your adventures and post again when I feel more like myself.