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NST June 2018 A JUNE ODESSEY (Staycation)

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  • DawnW
    DawnW Posts: 7,758 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 2 June 2018 at 8:40PM
    Help!

    Tis an odd problem but I am suddenly looking to screen our garden a little more on one side,for privacy from a very loud 4 year old who climbs on to their mini slide/climbing tower as soon as they hear anyone in our garden, and talks at you and won't take 'no' for an answer. The fence is 4'high and only 16' long. It rises slightly. Halfway along is an apple tree that is mildly bushy just above fence height, thus providing a little hiding shelter...

    Does anyone have any super ideas - that are super cheap too?


    How about some of that garden screening stuff, that looks like sticks joined together? Sorry, I don't know what it is called. It isn't expensive and would be instant, most plants will take a while. Or trellis and plant runner beans to climb up. You can alternate with Black Eyed Susan or Morning Glory (annual quick growing climbers) if you want flowers in amongst the beans :)


    NSD 2 for me today, and I made a super healthy fish and veg stir fry for dinner :)


    Grateful for;
    Another ripe strawberry (4 year old GD ate this one) :)

    OH doing the hoovering and only complaining a little bit (I am still banned from doing this due to recent surgery)
  • Puddleglum
    Puddleglum Posts: 851 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    No turtle gets left behind.

    J June challenge runs from 1st June to 30th. You will aim for 20 NSDs (tough target) or 10 NSDs (soft target - if you are struggling, take the 'soft' target and exceed it). 10 NSDs for me please. I'm going to aim to exceed it. Currently on 1/10+

    U Use the food you have in the cupboards, fridge etc. Will do. Always cook from scratch.


    N No takeaways, coffee, chip or pie shop purchases. Currently collecting coffe card points so that when I leave employment in September I know that I can have a free cup of coffee or two and a bit of wifi.


    E Eating. I'm retraining as a health/lifestyle coach and it's amazing!


    O Offer help and encouragement to other turtles and people you meet. Be kind to everyone, especially yourself. Will do.


    D Debt or savings payments should be made first - live on what is left. Spreadsheet done for the month. Next month should see the credit card paid off.


    E Exercise according to your programme or your ability. Minimum of 3 times a week. Try to get outside every day. Walking is good.



    S Set all your budgets before the start of the month. Food, travel, social, diy, other. Done


    S Someone, somewhere is worse off than you. Donate to the local food bank or other charity of your choice. Clear some of your clutter and donate the goods to charity. Will get going on this one


    E Every day check in is reccommended, especially when things go wrong.


    Y You are the most important person in your life. You are your own longest term investment. You matter. Read this and the daily quotes, take on anything you find relevant and helpful, ditch the rest. Read every post everyday.




    Go turtles
    "A thousand candles can be lit from a single candle without shortening the life of that candle."

    I still am Puddleglum - phew!
  • gien
    gien Posts: 1,649 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Checking in for day 2 and it's been a good one. I banked a cheque for a little over £300 for the baked goods I sold last month at the market, an excellent result and the most I have ever 'earned' (it's not pure profit though as I have to buy the ingredients). Also, I sold almost £100 worth of baked goods at the market today and since June has 5 Saturdays Im hoping to do as least as well this month. Afterwards I kind of crashed out a bit and drank tea and chatted with a friend most of the afternoon. We went out this evening for a few drinks with friends which was much needed.

    Spending wise I bought some food (market and butchers) but that is out of my food budget - I will tot it up tomorrow. Drinks at the pub (about £18 I would say).
    Tomorrow will be a garden then beach type of day I think.

    NSD 1/20
    Trying to keep in budget.

    2270
  • mothernerd
    mothernerd Posts: 4,858 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Debt-free and Proud!
    Keep him away from fmess - she'll adopt him in no time....!


    That's exactly what I thought.


    sashanut Ah yes the overwhelming 'to do' list bringing despair and exhaustion. Tips on tackling it:-


    1 Write everything down, saves it whirling about in your head. All tasks are not equal so make separate lists (some people put everything on post its and then sort them afterwards).


    2 For diy eg I would have 3 categories
    a) quick things I can fix myself with little or no money - these are good for mood boosting when debt paying seems to be taking forever.
    b) larger jobs that need to be divided into smaller chunks (15 minutes to an hour) and planned logistically eg you can't paint a wall if you haven't got the paint but don't buy the paint so soon that it reproaches you every time you see it.
    c) jobs that need saving up for or need expert help (or maybe just someone to hold the ladder or the other end of the plank)


    3 Proritise

    If you put too much down, you will feel too tired to even start.
    I would suggest
    a) my counsellor said to write down 5 things you want to do in the coming week and add 2 fun things for yourself. Any leftovers carry forward to the next week.
    b) from someone dealing with several chronic illnesses :-
    first work out what needs to be done this week/ this month/ any other unspecified period
    Second work out how much energy is needed for each
    Bear in mind on a bad day, this woman has trouble getting herself into and out of a shower


    You may need a separate list for work but don't let work encroach too much on your personal time (and don't waste time worrying about it).


    Planning and routines can help you feel in control but you can't do everything at once. Start small, do a few things until they are automatic and then add more/ move to another area of your life.


    One blogger said start with the basics food, laundry and money - we all need to eat, have clothes to wear and pay our bills.


    I will be discussing the 'undo list' later this month - tips on destressing the to do list and working out what can be cut.


    greent great work on using up hotel toiletries.


    laurenh there is a market stall that has slogan bibs. My favourite was 'If you come near me again with that spit soaked hanky....'.
    Love the luxury holiday and treats fund.


    Tropically big big hugs. 'handy' was not the word for your workman - after a traumatic early experience (workman who would only talk to bf even though I owned the house he was working on) I only have workpeople (lovely MR and Mrs Builder) who will talk things through with me.


    I think you should let yourself off the hook for the 'takeaways'. The lunch was outside of your control and one bag of chips between 3 of you is hardly a takeaway, a packet of crisp each would have cost more.


    indigo give yourself a break. Can you pamper yourself today?


    Toni'sfriend Congratulations to the boy. Well done on the clothes clearout. DS3's birthday was in April. He said he had no t-shirts, most have gone too small. I offered to buy one new t-shirt for every 3 old ones he gave me (fill the rag bag). So far none have appeared and he won't even look at websites.



    I owe him some clothes as I wanted to buy him a 'trouseau' when Beloved moved in. His jeans must be 8+ years old, his black (funeral) jacket hasn't fit for years and I've mended all his formal trousers at least 3 times. He also has lots of anime/ dressing up clothes keeping the wardrobes warm.



    I may have to trap him in their room and forcibly go through everything with him.



    p.s. there are no calories in birthday cake.


    Dolly84 I was wondering where you were. You have now been numbered


    Kerry woman I've also been pondering on the problem of plastics and following Dolly's example to go zero waste. I used to be very eco minded - anotther thing that got lost in the mire of the past 10 years. thinking I will try introducing one or two changes a month, starting with toilet rolls. Have also seen some metal 'ice buckets' in the £ emporium. I had already decided to switch to half buckets to avoid carrying too much weight and these would last a lot longer than plastic ones. If they get holes in, they can be used as large plant pots.
    My mission in life is not only to survive,but to thrive and to do so with some Passion, some Compassion, some Humour and some Style.
    NST SEP No 1 No Debt No mortgage
  • sashanut
    sashanut Posts: 3,252 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    edited 3 June 2018 at 12:17AM
    Hi all :j

    A Ask yourself 'Is this necessary?' Before purchasing anything. Have not purchased anything today...When you make a 'to do' list (is it realistic or even possible)!!!8230; Reviewed list last night & made a shorter one for today. Good job as furry alarm clocks got me up at 5am, leading to not getting much done as so tired..

    J June challenge runs from 1st June to 30th. Aiming for tough target. now 1/20 so far..


    U Use the food you have in the cupboards, fridge and freezer to base your meals on. Meal plan (for the month or for a few days at a time, whichever suits). Cook from scratch (short cuts permitted if you are feeling stressed) PrePrepped meal made life easier today, also used up some sprouty spuds to make mash, and some ancient ss peas...still tasty!

    N No takeaways, coffee, chip or pie shop purchases. None today

    E Eating well is a form of self respect. Ate well today.


    O Offer help and encouragement to other turtles and people you meet. Be kind to everyone, especially yourself. Hard to do for myself, but will try..

    D Debt or savings payments should be made first - live on what is left No debt other than cc I use for all purchases to get rewards - which is paid off in full every month. Must be getting the hang of it as this months bill was the lowest in ages.


    E Exercise according to your programme or your ability. Minimum of 3 times a week. Try to get outside every day. Outside at least 3 times today, although early morn in greenhouse whilst still bearable.


    S Set all your budgets before the start of the month. Food, travel, social, diy, other. Still to do..


    S Someone, somewhere is worse off than you. Donate to the local food bank or other charity of your choice. Clear some of your clutter and donate the goods to charity. Will be amassing stuff to take to CS as I clear the clutter; also intend to sell better items to pay for hols booked for August. Plus will donate to animals again..

    E Every day check in is recommended, especially when things go wrong. 2/30 here I am..


    Y You are the most important person in your life. You are your own longest term investment. You matter. Read this and the daily quotes, take on anything you find relevant and helpful, ditch the rest. Need to invest in myself so I can stay healthy & able to help anyone who needs it... work in progress..


    Mothernerd many thanks for the todo list tips - I will read learn & inwardly digest!! I had posted without reading first as DD has just come off shift & had not mealed since starting at 1pm!! 10.5 hours without a break ..Luckily had some HM food leftover, quick popty ping & she is now sorted...

    Go turtles
    New start JAN15 - NOT BUYING IT 2015 :eek:. Long haul DFW #145 : 2011 DEBTBUSTING : £5500 OD GONE, £2000 OD - GONE £93,610.30 cc & loan debt - GONE 27.6.14 FINALLY DEBT & MORTGAGE FREE :happyhear
  • mothernerd
    mothernerd Posts: 4,858 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Debt-free and Proud!
    Just found another 2 pages of notes, here goes


    DawnW thank you for th helpful advice


    ccl here's to moving on


    f0xh0les you can't eat a unicorn. I'm going to add it in the rules No eating unicorns.

    MOguline Your cheap cinema sounds good. Our monthly film club is £2 for the 'classic' film in the afternoons (I take mum to that) and £5 for the evening one. They have a good selection of 'indie' type films, some foreign ones too and I would have to pay £5.60 on the bus to get to a cinema where I could see some of these films.


    I'm glad I'm not the only one who chats to old women on the bus (being a mere stripling of 60 myself). Well done on the toxic removal.


    Munchin good plan. I think the majority of us recognise the need for action on exercise and diet (except for superfit turtles like Dolly). I will post some lists of foods that are good for helping with depression etc this week.


    Littleskintdragon well done on the 10k. I would say the Boots points are free (keep your NSD) like a gift card or using money that has been given to you as a gift. It's cashback on money you have already spent.


    Back soon
    My mission in life is not only to survive,but to thrive and to do so with some Passion, some Compassion, some Humour and some Style.
    NST SEP No 1 No Debt No mortgage
  • mothernerd
    mothernerd Posts: 4,858 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 3 June 2018 at 12:23AM
    I've had a good day. I was a bit sore but not completely incapacitated - think everyone is used to the starnge noises (groans, indrawn breath, the odd yelp) as I move round the house.


    Have done quite a bit on rubbish/ recycling/ washing up/ putting away clean pots/ washing up more things/ several loads of washing/ hung up the spice rack and pans, wiped all my spice jars and put both sets of spices in order. Found something to balance the shelf.


    Have ate mostly healthy stuff and have been eating slowly and savouring all the flavours. Sat in the yard for a while as the sun was not so fierce early on. Have done some resting. Had a bath and slathered body lotion all over (been slightly neglectful and have been caught by the sun in odd places).


    I have rewritten a basic housework list and alocated tasks to days. Left one day spare to catch up with anything that did not get done in the week. Also been thinking about my shoulder. I don't mind having to rest for a couple of days after doing heavy work but it does bother me that everyday stuff like washing up and cleaning the bath is sometimes problematic. Set myself the fun challenge of seeing how much of the bathroom and kitchen I can clean sitting down (small stool in the bathroom, can shuffle round, bend down to the low bits and still be high enough for the sink and counter top). I have used the brufen spray today which helped enormously so will have to be a pick and mix of solutions.


    Today I am grateful for getting things done (there is a visible difference, carrying on from the things I did last week), for taking time to read, relax and pamper (broke most of my nails yesterday, probably moving the top layer of chippings back on top of the extra soil layer to hold the edgings in place - don't want any smallies getting their toes or fingers trapped) for my foxgloves and for finding some marrowfat peas so I can set off some peashoots..
    My mission in life is not only to survive,but to thrive and to do so with some Passion, some Compassion, some Humour and some Style.
    NST SEP No 1 No Debt No mortgage
  • mothernerd
    mothernerd Posts: 4,858 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Debt-free and Proud!
    For those who cross posted whilst I was typing


    apple expandingwillow trellis is probably the best. Look on the wilco website (wilco.com) to see a selection of options. W's are much cheaper than b n q and haven't seen anything suitable in the pound emporiums + usual places (b n m, h b etc we have the full selection) and I looked and looked (on mum's behalf). The grass/ reed type are only really useful with a fence behind them and they are quite expensive.



    The expanding willow with the fake leaves is a lot denser (I hate plastic flowers but it's done a good job of disgiuising the rotten fence at mum's) but it's £20 a section rather than £8 for the plain trellis. you might want to put pea netting over it to 'block' more.


    If the bench is secure enough, could you fasten broom handles/ curtain poles/ clothes poles to either end and tie the trellis between them (starting at the level of the back of the bench.


    Would it be worth asking on freecycle if anyone has one of those 'pergola' type things - a frame with a top and sometimes let down side panels. I am thinking they were everywhere a few years ago and maybe some people have only got the frame left. Perhaps you could get old duvet covers to hang from the frame , blocking the 'view' until your flowers grow.


    Sunflowers grow quickly and are tall. Clematis and honeysuckle will shoot up and spread (honeysuckle can take over). If you can buy a young eucalyptus or two and put them in a large pots they grow like wildfire (9' to 18' in a year). Dappled shade (not too heavy or oppressive in a small space) but would certainly give some cover.



    Do you need it to look elegant. When they built the multi storey behind my house and I wanted to raise the level of my back wall I was thining of using hula hoops to train ivy over. Thinking maybe you could use your creative talents to add bunting/ streamers (maybe a unicorn in outline in the middle) to a row of hoops.


    If you have access to a willow tree or two (they grow along the canal bank which does have an owner but as the willow isn't damaged by cutting or tearing bits off no-one has cause for complaint). you could try your hand at willow sculpture.



    Some firms sell willow striplings (think that's what they are called) for building green dens or tunnels or even a fence. Ken Muir sell soft fruit and fruit trees but they also sell edible hedging - ten packs of pear, elder, sloe and another one (it's a while since I looked) or a mixed pack of all four. Very environmentally friendly, feeds the birds and the bees and some human uses as well. Very economically priced - should be on sale price now as Nov - May is the best time for planting fruit trees (so it's off season but just means they will have a slower start.


    Hope that helps.


    Puddleglum will you be a self-employed lifestyle coach or is it tied into a local authority/ nhs scheme?


    gien excellent news on the takings and the time with your friends sounds well deserved.


    sashanut you could also write a done list so you can see what you have achieved (if I do things that aren't on the list, I sometimes write them in, just so I can cross them off).


    Right, so much for my laptop off at 10pm, reading, then asleep by midnight. Oh and I need to write today's (Sunday's) inspiration, now.
    My mission in life is not only to survive,but to thrive and to do so with some Passion, some Compassion, some Humour and some Style.
    NST SEP No 1 No Debt No mortgage
  • mothernerd
    mothernerd Posts: 4,858 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Debt-free and Proud!
    This isn't the post I had planned but that one is very long and I'm not sure whether I should edit it..


    The six best doctors anywhere and no-one can deny it
    are Sunshine Water Rest Air Exercise and Diet


    None of the lists is medical advice



    Foods that reduce stress

    Blueberries, nuts and seeds, turkey, leafy greans, avacado, lemon balm tea, salmon, dark chocolate, oranges and sweet potatoes


    Natural remedies for anxiety (foods)
    Cinnamon, Turmeric, Ginger, garlic, Raw honey, fruits and vegetables, grass fed meat, eggs, bone broth and stock, olive oil, coconut oil


    Foods that help you sleeep
    Almonds, honey, herbal tea, Banana, Cherry juice, Salmon, Turkey, whole grains, warm milk, kale, dark chocolate, walnuts


    Detoxing foods
    Green tea, garlic, onions, ginger, lemons, apples, grapefruit, pineapple, kale, asparagus, beets


    Most effective fat burning foods
    Whole grains, eggs, avacado, cinnamon, peanuts. lean meat, honey, turmeric,bean sprouts, green tea, chilli peppers, curry leaves







    I am a person who wants to do lots of things
    trapped in the body of a person who wants to sleep a lot



    Sometimes self care is exercise and eating right.

    Sometimes it's spending time with loved ones or taking a nap
    And sometimes it's watching an entire series of television in one weekend while you lounge around in your pyjamas.
    Whatever soothes your soul.


    My mission in life is not only to survive,but to thrive and to do so with some Passion, some Compassion, some Humour and some Style.
    NST SEP No 1 No Debt No mortgage
  • laurenh1
    laurenh1 Posts: 996 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Good morning Turtles


    So today we are all feeling the stress of prepping for our hol. hub has tooth ache & is on with the task of cleaning out all the animals & sorting the garden. I am making sure the house is clean & we have all our final bits. We all need to breathe lol.

    DawnW thank you RE the peppers I will do this right now :D


    I did end up spending yesterday however it was for the greater good - we are now going to our MILs for tea before we go to the airport as I had budgeted for tea out but if it can be helped then it seems a waste of money. It would have been nice but we have a full week of eating out.



    Swimming this morning as I really did not want to miss any more. I have missed 2 this term & I want to make a huge effort not to miss anymore.



    Have a lovely Sunday all :o
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