NST April 2018: April Fool's Challenge

swimminginaseaofdebt

Evening everyone,

Took little one to £2 playgroup plus spent £1 on a soup mix bringing spends for the month to £239.06/£350.

Was going to cook the soup this evening but little one didn't go to sleep until the back of 9 so leaving it for some Sat night fun :rotfl:.

Did an online grocery shop for this upcoming week, it'll arrive tomorrow so will update on my spends once I've seen the final receipt. I'm thinking of making online shopping a regular thing (well every two weeks) so going to keep an eye out for some delivery pass deals.

I've requested a £2 cashout to PayPal from Qmee. It's not arrived yet. Strange as it is normally almost instance.

Read a bit of my book whilst the little had his afternoon nap.

Might go to softplay to tomorrow, undecided as yet. The local parks play area is closed for maintenance for 2 weeks which is a bit of a pain as the weather has been decent the last few days.

mothernerd

A NSD. Bought shopping for mum, added it to the 3 bags I already had (+ large piece of trellis to hide broken fence) and went there.

Have done some bits of gardening - making up coir compost and of course mum waited until 7pm to tell me there was a full water butt behind the shed.

Spoke to my ex husband for the first time in 5? years - he would ring to get me to put pressure on the boys to speak to him (after he had done something to cause the breach). Reasonable conversation, he has offered to pay for myself and DS2 to go to the weddin g and I have accepted. He originally wanted to share an apartment but it's looking increasingly unlikely that he will be fit to travel.

Think I am fighting too many battles atm and just decided to let that one go. Yesterday the counsellor was asking if my working hours and my caring hours were realistic (as long as I am okay with my house being a tip) so a weekend of purging stuff and simplifying my life is on the cards.

Got home about 8.30pm, DS2 arrived a few minutes later. Spent ages looking at comparison sites. Trying to explain to a sporty 31yo that I need a bed (not a sofa bed/s, not a 3" mattress). Have missed my cut off point for laptop but going to try to finish watching an episode of something (currently on my 3rd or 4th day and ahven't managed to get to the end yet).

Today I am grateful for sunshine, for walking better, for doing more, for declaring a truce with my ex, for the flowers in mum's garden pots, for a hot bath (waiting for me)

misstara

NSDs - 12/15
Report - 20/30
Interests - had a short walk
Love - perfume as usual
Outside - walk plus a little time spent in the garden after work
Organise - just work stuff
Overpay - nothing
Bad habit - no crisps
Gratitudes - a great staff team at work, sunshine, getting washing dried ouside

lcc86

@raphael congratulations on the marathon, that's some achievement! Hope you've recovered fully!

Unable to check in yesterday, spent the morning studying while waiting for my MOT to be done - all passed with no fuss so a very happy camper! Then off to work, and out for drinks afterwards for someone's leaving do. I managed not to spend while out, as I was bought a beer as a thank you for a lift, and then just stuck to water as I was driving. Lovely evening in the garden by the river, really fab.

Today I'm at a uni event, then just need to pop to the supermarket afterwards. Need a few bits but not enough to justify a shop being delivered. I've finally done a bit better with the food budget this month. Today won't be a NSD as I've paid for travel and a cold drink - I did bring one but there's no water at this event, only tea and coffee which I can't stand when I'm feeling hot, so treated myself, I shan't beat myself up over it, I'd rather keep my bottle of water for the journey home!

Today I'm grateful for learning more, sunshine, and iced drinks lol.

Kerry_Woman

raphael - Well done on doing the marathon.
Hugs to those in need of them.
A - 14/15 Was a spend day. Looking at the spends I have put into my notebook I seriously have to look into my spending.
R - Done.
I - Read a small bit of my book.
L - Had a lovely bath. Brought a bath bomb today.
F - Did plenty of walking about today to various places.
O - Done.
O - Still ongoing.
L - Ok with social media today.
S - Grateful for:
Seeing the blossom on the trees near my Mummy's grave. She loved them whenever we went pass them near where we lived.
Achieving everything I had planned to do this morning.
Having a really good night's sleep.
An afternoon nap.
Chilled out afternoon and evening.

apple_muncher

Well done x_raphael_xx on the run - how long did it take you?

mothernerd - to me it sounds good that your ex is paying for your travel. Well done you on accepting it. I was up your way today (meeting in Deansgate) so I waved to you from the train as we passed through Stockport and Manchester. :hello:


Today I am grateful that the first bus of the day actually turned up (it had disappeared off my bus tracker app and I was starting to panic!), for smooth travel, for meeting some great people, for the meeting finishing 90 mins early so I was home at a reasonable time, for a good book, for finishing a glove elephant.

laurenh1

Hi all

Sorry I was AWOL yesterday it was my birthday & I had a pretty full on day with getting the kids new shoes hair cuts etc.

A- today is NSD #10..no plans to spend tomorrow either.
P- car tax on 2 cars & MOT & insurance along with new shoes for the kids means my EF is now none existent or at least accounted for. However still saving the £400 per month into our H2B ISAs so not all is lost.
R-hello
I- no baking but I have taken the email address of someone willing to teach me to knit. Much more excited about this than I should be
L- long hot bath & book

F- went to 2 English heritage sites this weekend so lots of fresh air & getting value for money from my membership.
O- spent the weekend getting organised but also just going what I can - not getting too stressed
O- put 3 pounds in my savings jar. Probably the best I'm gonna get :rotfl:I think it's probably adding up though the change in there now.
L- really not going on my phone much at all :cool:
S- grateful for- my mum. Who suffers from mental health problems & alcohol addiction- our relationship has been a lot better in the last few years & she's really made an effort with my children. Today she gave me a little bit of cash to treat the boys & I know she doesn't have much. For being able to go in the garden & feeling like I've been in hibernation- it feels so good. & for living in such a lovely area :A

apple_muncher

Happy (belated) birthday laurenh!

x_raphael_xx

apple_muncher wrote: »

Well done x_raphael_xx on the run - how long did it take you?

5 hours 22 mins and 51 secs 24 minutes faster than my first Marathon 4 years ago.

Quiet shift in work today, then a nice sunny stroll with the pup.
Almost had a spend day, popped into Go outdoors to look at running shorts, was tempted by a very nice pair, but they were £32 so I have resisted and will see what sports direct can offer me tomorrow.

Aim for at least [STRIKE]15[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]25[/STRIKE] 22 NSDs. 13/22 NSDs.
[STRIKE]Pay to your debt first.[/STRIKE] Mums monthly payment made.
Report in every day. Back again
Interests - Gaming. No games played today (apart from the daily pokemaning) I'll see what I fancy playing tomorrow.
Love yourself. I've been meaning to catch up on The Walking Dead recently, so I'm treating myself to a binge tonight.
Find time to get outside. Sunny walkies after work, then bf painted the back yard while the weather is good. He's chosen 'roasted terracotta' (or something) and it's looking smart.
Overpay - Still chipping away at the surveys.
Organise your month. Nothing planned for the month.
Lose one bad habit. - Not practicing my sax. Didn't practice today, naughty me.
Sign off with a gratitude. Today I am grateful for bf buying tango icepops for the freezer

mothernerd

A NSD. Lots of cardboard boxes have gone in the paper bin, which is now nearly full. Usual rubbish and recycling round ups done and parts of 'under the bed' which have not been reached recently (used a brush handle but also been down on my hands and knees - as a result quite a lot of my is hurting but did not take painkillers until late).

Was spurred into action by DS2 who came round for my passport so that he can book our accommodation. After consultation with his father, he has now switched to the same hotel I had found rather than the tiny apartment. So we will be together but separate.

DS2 and I are now flying out together. This means he can have a day of 'sightseeing' (tried to tell him he cannot 'do' Pompei and Vesuvius together), as once his father arrives he will be needed. He is prepared to go back to the airport to collect his father and I have suggested hiring a nurse or companion to get his dad on to the plane.

Lots more tidying to do but feeling confident - getting myself into more of a 'why am I holding onto this?' attitude. Going to try putting stuff I don't need for now under the bed to go through later (it will be sorted by category but eg if I select the 3 embroidery projects I want to work on - may be 6 as I have 3 that just need finishing off and passing on to the intended recipients - then any unused embroidery fabric can be packed away until those are completed). Tools and threads will stay accessible (but in boxes/ small drawers) and part completed projects will be together (not sure yet if they will be in a cube or under the bed.

Winter quilt and the Christmas decorations definitely need to go 'away' but pretty sure the decoration boxes do not fit under the bed - may make a 'support for the desktop I haven't yet set up.

Want to do some 'mental clearing' as well and at least get the accounts stuff into order for doing tax returns (mine and mum's). I have ticked off a couple of jobs from the mini list I jotted down, so quite pleased with progress. Also changed sheets, towels and bathroom mat.

Today I am grateful for looking at things differently, for the tidying I have done, for finding my passport, for air fares and accommodation being sorted, for a wonderful 'mindfulness bath' (getting much better at those) for good reading material, for finally finishing the episode I have been watching for 3 days, for all you lovely turtles (waves to apple).