NST October ORGANISE OCTOBER

mothernerd

Have you noticed there are no recipes for using leftover chocolate

DancingDragons

Would it be too late to join in this month? If it is I'll start next month. I'm a natural MSE, but have only just come across this thread/approach.

f0xh0les

Day 13

Yesterday WAS a NSD so I am now at an impressive 2/15.

Last day of school today before half term for a week. What do the kids want to do?
Despicable Me 3. Which handily is on K1ds Club so cheap excursion. Also W0nderW0man is out on dvd. so will get one as it is even cheaper than K1ds Club, and I have found a whole lb of popping corn in the pantry. Apart from that they only want computers, so I will bring down the wellies and we can have a few mudlark expeditions (only petrol costs)

Also, late last night, threatened visitors for next week cancelled.
Glad I only bought a few extras

Plasterer came to quote. He really seemed to know what he was doing, but the price was horrific. Will get a few more quotes.
Why is there not just a list somewhere? Skimming ceiling, ££ per sqm. etc.

f0xh0les

Oh yeah, there is no price list as some are better than others. Boo.

laurenh1

Hi all:o

Hope everyone is ok

I am hoping today will be NSD #9 as I am only off to mums.

Wont be doing much on the organise & excersize front as Im away but I am hoping for a call about my tax free childcare im owed and I will be chatting about xmas with my Mum.

Not nice weather here at all. Greatful for a roof over my head, my gorgeous boys and birthday cake :)following a chat I had yesterday about zero hour contracts and food banks, I am feeling very lucky to have everything I need especially for my kiddie winks xx

misstara

Sorry have missed a couple of days of posting, work is incredibly busy and stressful so the last couple of evenings I've been in bed super early.

Organise - all meals from stores.

Budgets - £116.40/£150 food, £15/£20 social
Paid £4.62 to the debt on Wed

NSDs - now at 9/20

Be kind - am trying although struggling as I'm tired.

Christmas - :rotfl: no further on with this

Exercise - exceeding my daily step challenge plus ran home from work on Wed

Extra income - 90 mins overtime at work both Wed and yesterday.

mothernerd

DancingDragons you are October turtle #40. Welcome

mothernerd

I'm sending you a HUG because you are LOVED

Not forgotten you all. Had a lovely sleep but still a bit dozy (and clumsy). I have a list and you are on it. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

greent

I did do a post yesterday afternoon, but can't see it, so here's another one!

Organise/ Cook from Scratch/ Use things up -Yep

Pay debts/ savings - £10 transferred to kitchen savings fund :T 1

Budgets
* Food - 126.84/ 325 (stretch 290)
* Fuel 60/60
* Clothes 23/75 - £2 on a good branded immaculate condition base layer top for rugby for DS2 from his PTA thrift shop :j
* Gifts 58.91/150
* Toiletries 0/10
* Social 72.50/200 (stretch 150) - £2 for 2 cups of tea at a school event

NSD - 7/12 See above - £4 spent

Improvise -

Exercise
* Week 1 - 3/4
* Week 2 - 1/4 - ankle and front of foot still sore and stiff

Jan Goals - "By the end of the year I want to have halved the (non mtge) debt we have and have lost 20lbs - and also get fitter along the way"
Debt at start of year more than halved.
Weight/ fitness = 2/20lb

Extra income -£1.74 cashback claimed in Amaz0n vouchers New 0% (30 months for purchases) CC applied for and got (will use for some kitchen items and keep some money in account instead!) - £21 cback if it tracks properly

Christmas -

Get Ready Checklist
1 - Health - vitamins taken today so 9/31
4 - Maintenance - seeing kitchen designer again here on Monday.
Plumbing/ bathroom - emailed someone but tehy are fully booked until Feb :eek: - shame, as they looked good
Electrician - still to do
Plasterer - messaged him - need to send pics

Gratitudes:

mothernerd

Right, I've had a bath and a banana so am at least partly functioning.

Big round of applause for the turtle who donated six bags of baby clothes to the Women's refuge. Sorry I've just read quickly through at least six pages and can't find your name (bad mothernerd neglecting her turtles - it was in the notes I wrote earlier this week but I've decided they will mostly be irrelevant by now). Giving (to foodbank or elsewhere) is normally included in the turtle challenge but I know that many of you already make regular donations of money, goods or time. Thank you for all volunteers.

sashanut is DD having problems atm or is she always like a little whirlwind?

Everyone seems to be doing well on at least some areas and particular congratulations to any turtles doing Stoptober or our version of it - and if you have strayed from the path, just get yourself back on course.

apple thank you for your help with adjudicating. I support your decision not to have the flu jab. One of the phrases in this month's opening challenge staement was Question Everything and its important to discuss things. I always include 'any natural remedies preferred' when doing the 'medicine' list.

I don't think big pharmaceutical companies are working for our benefit. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but they frequently have a point - I still remember all the stories about aspartame causing cancer in rats which disappeared almost overnight when certain large companies put them in their soft drinks.

I find the flu jab helpful. Mum is suspicious (she thinks it's giving her flu). Some of her medicines have side effects which cause other health problems - her diabetes is down to some of the tablets she takes - but if she didn't take the other tablets she would die. Her doctors (gp and eye, chest, brain specialists) are all wonderful and try to get everything to the lowest possible level, without causing other problems.

Mum has no immune system and mine is severly compromised. It's only due to the permanent anti-biotics introduced in the last few months, that mum has overcome the debilitating illness she had had since last September. In October she passed it on to me and I was struggling until December. It is likely that I had flu during that period but the flu jab mitigated the symtoms so just had 'stay in bed at home days' rather than the ' month in hospital' my gp warned me about.

Atm it is taking a triple dose of anti-depressant, horse sized vitamin D tablets plus loads of tongue, watercress, spinach and salmon this week (+ got the bananas I like) just to get me out of bed so anything that helps is good. Last two months I have also been having a caffeine boost from a certain diet drink but am cutting that right back for Stoptober (only to find that a lot of the decaffeinated alternatives seem to have vanished from the SM shelves).

Sorry if that seems like a lecture, it isn't meant to be. I feel so guilty when I think of you all rushed off your feet with work and family and other committments, then I remember that I used to do 70 hour weeks, full time study + 42 hours working week plus loads of volunteering. That is how I got into this state (totally kn*ckered and still a long way from retirement because they keep moving the goalposts). Remember turtles Work Life Balance is Everything.

A warm welcome to all new turtles. Existing turtles you know I love you all. 40 turtles and a cheerleader (that's you Mooloo - if we aren't up to taking part in any month we pick up our pompoms and optional lycra and follow along). I really need to pull my socks up to be a worthy leader. As there are so many new turtles, I will hunt down and post the turtle backstory.

As I have been neglectful the past few days I will do a gratitude list.

I am thankful for being to look after mum, for our quiet times together, for our 'friendly bickering' which always shows the underlying affection, companionship (she doesn't always 'need' me since the anti-biotics have kicked in although I am doing meals, the garden, diy, bins - there is something for me to do every day but sometimes it's just the reassurance that someone is there for her).

I am grateful for crafts sessions, the variety of gifts and abilities each person has, each of us having our own problems some of which the others are unaware of, the quiet chat and the strange 'friendship' (caring about one another) between this disparate group of people.

Also grateful for the wider group of people I have met through the umbrella organisation (my counsellor is based there and my 'best buddy' was a volunteer who acted as 'meeter and greeter'). I am grateful for all their gifts, for all that they do for the neighbourhood and the various groups of people in their care, for the opportunity to learn more and 'socialise'.

I am grateful for DS3 and Beloved (and the grand-chinchillas - DS3 and Beloved aren't having children so I have these instead of grand-children atm). I may moan about them occasionally (they do make a mess - DS3 and Beloved, not the chinchillas) but they are generally fairly easy to live with (I ignore their mutual slobdom and it's a comfort when I am too ill to do much that they aren't going to complain, or even notice).

I am amazed that you are finding it so difficult to 'be kind' but reading your stories, I understand the provocation. I once asked someone, how come boys never tell you anything and then explode with anger because you are not treating xyz with sympathy (because eg they didn't tell you that the 'friend's sister' who commit suicide was 'their gf').

Wishing for good things for all those in despair, struggling with mental health issues and considering suicide. Giving thanks for all those who listen and lend a helping hand, the counsellors, the voice on the end of the telephone.

Hoping for a speedy and just resolution for all those who have been let down by the benefits system or who are wrangling with the bureaucracy and sheer incompetence.

Grateful for Autumn, the glorious reds and oranges of the leaves, the nip of winter, the warmth indoors, the comfort of layers of clothing (and not worrying about the layers of fat underneath), long walks, an unexpected fog (it's only mist), lovely soups and not feeling guilty about puddings.

Turtles, lovely , lovely turtles, so kind and supportive, will be a better leader.

See you later turtles. Now books or food - which first - library is nearer, better put some clothes on.
A warm welcome to any new turtles