NST December 2018 – Exterminate the debt!

sashanut

Hi all:j


Sorry to hear your problems CCL - glad of the vigilant neighbours & the police. Sounds scary, so you did right to seek all the help you can get.

Didn't manage to get on yesterday again, long shift at CS then visit to farm shop to get rug for DD present left me very wiped out. So not an NSD then, but did achieve one today..stayed in & tried to get to grips with bathroom which is in a mess, have hairdresser coming tomorrow so this forces tidy up. It has been neglected though in favour of the Christmas clean up downstairs so will finish tomorrow. Does help having no-one else in the house, feels like a real luxury.



NSD again today so: 6/15 NSDs


Gratitudes today: Managing to stuff more things into overstuffed freezer, not having to buy anything to make a meal with, visit from friend & a natter, compliments on the way the front door looks with its new paint all lit up & decorated with my HM wreath.




Go Turtles!!!

mothernerd

It has been a spendy day and mostly doing small improvements. Veg has been decanted from plastic bags into string ones and hung up in the kitchen, washing has recommenced (now I no longer have to tiptoe round the mattress to get from the doorway to the wm), 3 books back to the library, 10 items in a bag to the cs bin, paid for a missing library book so I don't have to deal with the nagging worry of where it is.


The library had yet another appeal box - a charity set up by a man from Rainford but now spread all over the country. His young son died of cancer and he set up this charity to give chocolate oranges to all the staff working in hospitals and hospices over Christmas, to let them know we appreciate everything they do. You are also supposed to do something nice for someone over Christmas.



I was on my way to little Arseda so added 3 to my list. Bagged a net of mixed nuts as mum decided yesterday that she is going to have some this year (no longer following advice of stupidly over protective dietician). They did not have the cider vinegar I wanted so after calling back at the library to put the chocolate oranges in the box, I carried on to the health food shop - which was shut.


Decided that as I had gone that far (crossed main road and into adge of town centre) I would go into the £ emporium for a couple of stocking fillers - I now know we have an extra guest for Christmas so need to replicate the £7-15 worth of bits I've already bought (X 2).


Slight slip into Christmas panic, meant to spend £2, spent £16. Not all bad, thought I might as well buy ibruprofen whilst I was there, bought a cat toy (one visitor goes home on the 23rd as she could not get anyone to catsit). I have said the cat can come so it needs to have a little present (£1) in case it does. Looked at stockings, then rejected in favour of gift bags (thought I can make gift bags and put them back, then thought when am I going to make them), finally gave in to 4 'Snowman' decorations - metal balls with jelly beans inside (DS2 can have the jelly beans).


I have a tin of loose change (mostly pennies but a few 5ps and 20ps) and was going to use it for bits of shopping but also going to put it into random collection boxes - some given to breast cancer research. Will also take one of each of the tin shopping to the food bank. Any children around will also be given pennies to put in collection boxes/ give to buskers.



Turkey is cooking (just left it to defrost when it was delivered). Have been wrapping presentts (still a way to go) and was going to listen to Christmas songs but found a delightful and enjoyable Margaret Rutherford film to watch.


One of the guests is arriving on the 17th which is Monday so kitchen cleaning and sorting will happen tomorrow (Beloved said she 'wanted to clean the kitchen before they arrive'). I haven't told them I'm away from Friday to Sunday. Need to have input into how I think the kitchen should be arranged.


I have extracted promises and the dw and additional fridge freezer have been ordered (£370 the pair) free delivery on Friday between 7am and 7pm (not told them that yet either) using a price comparison site recommended on the main site. I also succumbed to a reconditioned laptop for £99 (down from £370).


Got to go and check my turkey , For today I am grateful for turkey (smells wonderful), for bananas (ultimate grab and go food), for doing something even when I don't feel up to much and for realising how lucky I am now.

Shrewbie

Hi all

No NSD for me yesterday, my housemate was a bit down so we split a bottle of wine and laughed at stupid TV progs all evening, good value for €2.50 each...

First phase of my crafting has gone well I think. The photos have taken well to the wood, I just need to work out how to remove the last few bits of paper in stages. Lots of painstaking rubbing.

Grateful for.... a student making me giggle by teaching me a new saying in Spanish when I asked her a question "I am as lost as a donkey in a car park...." for Christmas spirit and for my housemate having dinner on the table for me every night! (she's not working much this week and loves to cook) However tonight she will be home late, so I will make a banana cake this eve with manky bananas that need using up, and pay her back with the smell of delicious cake cooking.

Have a lovely day all

SpekySquarehead

Morning all,

Got home yesterday to find that the batteries in my central heating hub had died and so no central heating on. Place was baltic. Had to put a jumped on while I made my dinner. Anyway, I replaced the batteries and once you do that you have to reset it, by pressing this tiny button which is only accessable by a pin. But I didn't have any!! I tried rolled up tin foil, a bit off my christmas tree and a toothpick. I resigned myself to going to Tesco to buy a pin and thus, ruining my NSD. Then I remembered I have a sewing kit (which I've never used and don't know how to).

So yesterday was NSD 6/15

1 - Morning coffee's
2 - Podcasts to keep me company
3 - My gran. I had a dream about her last night. It wasn't a particularly pleasant one but anyway
4 - Manchester. It's been great to me since I moved down here 4 weeks ago.

dolly84

bizzie wrote: »

mothernerd would a heated clothes rack work for you?
I have had one for years, as like you, aware of the environmental impact of a tumble dryer wanted an alternative.
I use for everything from towels, bedding, jeans, down to socks.
It's not as quick as using a dryer but it's useful for taking the chill off a room and a place for the cats to go ( I now deliberately layer the bottom rail and cover the clothes to protect them - the cats that is - as they would not stop climbing onto it.)

I have one of these too, it's the two tier Lakeland one, I do use my drier which I hate doing but there are lots of things which get ruined in there, they seem to shrink up and I am tall with long arms and legs so can't afford that happening, so they go on the airer.


Went for a 45 minute run yesterday and it was really cold, when I'd been home a bit I noticed I couldn't feel my finger tips at all and they were completely white and ice cold, it lasted ages and was a bit scary. I will be wearing gloves on my next run but I do hate extra stuff on me when I run.


I did spend in the charity shops in town yesterday, just £9.58 but still we didn't really need the things, I got DS some new fleece pj,s, a jumper for me, a shirt for DH and a layered blouse and waistcoat for me.


Put a couple of stitches in things yesterday, they had been hanging about for a while so I got those done, walked the dog for an hour, made bubble and squeak for tea and did some cleaning. Today I will walk the dog in the woods, do the ironing and cycle - will have to wrap up for the last one.

mothernerd

dolly84 wrote: »

I have one of these too, it's the two tier Lakeland one, I do use my drier which I hate doing but there are lots of things which get ruined in there, they seem to shrink up and I am tall with long arms and legs so can't afford that happening, so they go on the airer.


Went for a 45 minute run yesterday and it was really cold, when I'd been home a bit I noticed I couldn't feel my finger tips at all and they were completely white and ice cold, it lasted ages and was a bit scary. I will be wearing gloves on my next run but I do hate extra stuff on me when I run.


I did spend in the charity shops in town yesterday, just £9.58 but still we didn't really need the things, I got DS some new fleece pj,s, a jumper for me, a shirt for DH and a layered blouse and waistcoat for me.


Put a couple of stitches in things yesterday, they had been hanging about for a while so I got those done, walked the dog for an hour, made bubble and squeak for tea and did some cleaning. Today I will walk the dog in the woods, do the ironing and cycle - will have to wrap up for the last one.

Thanks for the idea. I use the large front room radiator (since they keep putting the heating on) and then put the airer in front of it to catch any stray heat that may escape. I do have a second airer but DS2 has it atm. Bathroom towel rail is used for socks and knickers and sometimes I use doors to hang sheets and large items. It's getting harder to do that (put the weight of the sheet on my shoulder and do a netball throw with the loose end, then pull it about until it's in the right position)


TIP for those with poorly babies - using the doors is very useful when littlies are being sick. I had lots of cot sheets (mum cut up all the old 'too small for turning' sheets). In the past I've used the landing railing (they have a row of wardrobes along it now, to give them privacy), Step ladders opened out with broom handles/ spare pieces of wood balanced across the V, backs of chairs and hangers (although wood can mark clothes and wet clothes can damage wood) and am very good at making 'tents' out of large items with one end tucked in the radiator and the rest draped over an airer or similar object so the heat goes in underneath.


In need of healing vibes and gumption today. Willpower and dogged determination are helping. Putting myself first - my clothes are in the washer (ones worn this week) and my clothes (and only my clothes) are in the dryer. My ankles are both strapped up and I'm wearing a nightie (long t-shirt type) and wellies. Will do what I can and then may start putting 'post-it' notes on things as I remember them (is that too passive aggressive). Later turtles.

f0xh0les

I don't think post-its are passive aggressive if you sign them 'love Santa'.

MOT and service out of the way - so glad I ditched those robbers at h4lf0rds and
went rogue and found a small garage. They are brilliant, and honest.

So now I have my Xmas budget, but went to Mr T's and Mr Morris' shopping Emporiums and filled my car with petrol. Used masses of vouchers and money off coupons and allsorts. Spent £100 all in, and now feel spender's guilt.
Pantry full of tins - Mr M's are 4 toms/chickpeas/butterbeans tins for £1 and 2 coconut milks for £1 so I decided as I had a £6 off a £30 spend I really should utilise it. Plus a free £5 voucher. Freezer full, pantry full, only sandwich fillers and bread needed, and lunchboxes for next week are sorted. I am ahead of myself already.

Surprise £800 cheque turned up in the post. woo hoo!

Feeling a bit fa la la la la now.

Just realised m-i-l has spent twice as much on DS1 as DS2.
I hate it when they play favourites. I cannot understand how they can justify it to themselves. Oh well, I shall make up the difference. The smalls will never know and neither will m-i-l.

So ,DH was out at works do last night, and another one tonight. Shall not seem him before midnight, so easy 'kid food' and a deep clean of the kitchen is planned, a lovely bath once kids are in bed, and a carp book in bed with the radio on. Rock and Roll!!!! might buy some mice pies too. Radical!

dolly84

mothernerd - I think you put up with a lot from what you say and you do it with good grace (I wouldn't) so don't feel guilty about notes, they are young and should pull their weight.


f0xh0les - yay to £800 cheques - how do I get one of those?


Just back from a bike ride and warming my hands around a coffee. Decided I needed some thin gloves for running after yesterday, had a look on ebay and then remembered a pair of very thin gloves we got DS for under his goalie gloves, I fished them out of his drawer and will be using those.

Kerry_Woman

apple muncher - It is an Adult Mental Health First Aider course.
NSD today 8/15.
Brought my own lunch to the course.
Walked home from station - saw Christmas lights. It is a route I usually take.
Not spent a lot of time on computer, mobile and no computer games.
Self-care.
Grateful for:
Nice people at the course.
Coping with the contents of the course.
For the homework given - happiness hour - to do something nice.
A decent night's sleep.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for a lovely day at work, for my elf jumper - complete with big jingly bell on the hood - making lots of people smile, for lots of people getting involved with the clothes 'bring and buy' event for charity, for finding a beautiful brooch for mum in a ch shop, for finally getting on and doing some proper tidying up rather than just moving things around haphazardly, for deep conversations with my y10s about Christmas and consumerism, for finding cheap petrol, for peace and quiet, for dd enjoying school, for getting some wrapping done (but still written 0 cards...!)