NST April 2019 - Spring Forward

dolly84

Fmess wrote: »

Morning all,

Up to 4 SFDs now. Today should be another. Didn’t get much done yesterday as got up at 4am to supervise a school sports event, then to the garage and in the gym pool whilst waiting for the car. No work needed so no spends there. Did the food shopping, had a back massage (such a luxury ) and then lay on the sofa the rest of the day.

Today therefore needs to be productive as I have school work, washing, dog walking and an exercise class to go to. Should have been visiting my heavily pregnant oldest friend who is due next week but she’s cancelled so guess I won’t be seeing her for a while. My other friend who had a baby before Christmas has also cancelled seeing me, so feeling frustrated at the changes in our friendships. It definitely feels like I’m the one who always gets cancelled on now my friends have children. Think I’d better suck it up and get used to it

I had my children a lot later than my friends and found that our relationship changed, baby talk was boring to me and they couldn't just do things on a whim anymore. Then when I had my children their kids were much older so it didn't really get any better.


Dull here today but dry. DH is going to the gym, I am going to get a curry on for tea, make some bread, make some energy balls and then we will be in the loft. Don't plan to spend but if we need anything for the loft job we may do.

f0xh0les

Simplicity - I like to walk into my bathroom and see nicely folded towels on the shelves. I know it is a bit weird, but it does actually make me happy and a bit calmer. When I came back home last week (was it really only last week??) I walked into the bathroom and laughed out loud at the terrible mess DH had made stuffing them in all over the place. Order was resumed in 2 minutes (we have a LOT of towels). Tidy towels are a simple bit of luxury, and they don't contain calories. Yeah, I folded the towels in the laundry this morning.

Perseverence - £6.5k in the renovations pot, it is so hard not to overpay the mortgage with it. I need the building work done. I must keep on saving. One job at a time. This year it is saving, next year will be overpaying.

Reduce - No food waste. Only one bin bag a week. All books were c/s.

Invest - looking at a night away somewhere now I have DS1s study session dates during Easter hols. DH is unconvinced (dh is always unconvinced)

New - job interview today, it marks a new part of my life. I accept my kids are no longer so small I have to be here 24/7, I need to remember there is another world out there where I am not defined by my children.

Grab - tbh the whole job thing is outside my comfort zone enough, did not expect to get an interview considering I only found it on the day of the deadline and made up my CV on the spot. Really should write a cv though. Will do that next week.

Lauralozzle

Yesterday ended up being another spend day (unexpected) - my friend has gone through a tough time at moment, and although unexpected - we got a text in the afternoon, he wanted to meet up with everyone and talk it out, be with friends etc and suggested to meet up for a meal and few drinks. I was driving, so didn't drink, but dinner wasn't cheap. Ended up spending £40.00 on food, drink and a table at a cafe where we could play some games. Expensive, but a lovely evening.

So - money spent I hadn't anticipated. Today will be a NSD as I still have the painting to be cracking on with. I also need to put out some seedlings in vegetable patch and put together workstation for tomorrow.

I do not plan on leaving the front door today though, so should get some bits done.

JoJo77

Currently being deafened by the noise of the heavy rain on the caravan roof! Off to feed some lambs in a hour so hoping it dries up a bit!

Not doing well with the NSD but I’m wondering if I’m counting them correctly. I have to shop for food twice a week as our fridge is tiny. Add to that top-up milk when needed, fuel when needed and a birthday present I had to buy this week I’ve only managed 2 days yet everything was planned and budgeted for

Anyway, I have decided that after a few evenings of drinking due to social functions that I don’t want to drink alcohol anymore. It make me feel incredibly tired as I don’t sleep well, it’s expensive and it has far too many calories in it. So the investment in myself is going to be to stop. We’ll see if I’m still saying the same think in a weeks time when I’ve got my energy back :rotfl:

mothernerd

Could JoJo have greent's milk exemption - greent has several milk guzzling kids and a tiny fridge so gets an exemption for milk purchases only.

I am determined to press on with the great declutterathon today. I've re-written my to do list (had several pages with just one or two bits still to do) but no doubt more things will turn up as I go through the remaining paperwork (filing also on the to do list).

I decide to do a throw it in the oven lunch and work whilst it cooked. I have tackled the pizza box mountain - there was a pile in the corner of the kitchen which I complained about (I have told DS3 and Beloved that I cannot pick stuff up off the floor - they think they've done their bit by bringing it out of the front room and dumping it anywhere in the kitchen). A second lot has been added and there were 3 more in the front room.

Piled them all up and it reached the top of my legs. Split them in two and climbed on top by holding onto the wm and the worktop - squashed both down to sub 4" then put them back together and put them in the correct bin with the 'squasher' on top (a piece of old rain soaked melamine).

Collected clean dry clothes from the garden chairs (I can no longer manage to peg on the washing line) and brought it upstairs which left me breathless and with my heart pounding. Sat for a few minutes then went back to do recycling (2 lots) (short pause to sit on a garden chair and cough my lungs up) and fill the dishwasher. Gathered more pots and utensils (but not the rice pot with the rice climbing out, again) but left them by the dw because food was ready.

Going to rest for a while before going back to do battle again.

Today i am grateful for lovely weather, good easy food and clean clothes. I was also out of sync with baby making - my ex is 10 years older than me so all his group had teenagers when we got round to it and I'd always struggled to fit with those who could spend the best part of an hour comparing kitchen floor cleaning methods.

crazy_cat_lady

I am struggling this month, and it's only the 7th and I have 2 full weeks of Easter hols to get through yet. I've been just popping to the shops, or grabbing a pack of sandwiches on the way home and horrifically overspending on food. This is usually a symptom of my being overtired. As always the things I hate doing go first - this is cooking and food prep. I need to urgently rein it back in and get up with just spending money when I need to. On the plus side, I have more food than I could possibly use in the next week so if I am good I may not shop for myself again this month (doesn't work with the kids unfortunately).
I am getting into holiday mode so starting to do jobs. I have set myself the challenge today of every time I get up to do something I have to throw or put 3 things away. So far so good, not a lot of effort and doing well for decluttering.
Spent all of yesterday relaxing and catching up with bestie and my sister. It was much needed in terms of looking after myself... Oh, and I got my other daith pierced. Just to be sure the migraines are gone, but also to allow the first one to heal if I need it to - it was pierced almost 2 years ago but hasn't properly healed. I just put up with it because it's better than a migraine.
Right, dinner is ready - I'm off to throw 3 things away and then eat something (not takeaway).

Fmess

Thanks dolly was just particularly annoyed as one had been in the diary for a month and I was cancelled on so she could prep for other visitors next week. Plus I am away from next Saturday for a week so we won’t rearrange for at least 3 weeks by which time she’ll have had the little one and probably be busy looking after the baby.

Ended spending as had to pay parking to collect my free glasses and got the last bits for my holiday.

apple_muncher

Fmess -my mum told me years ago that when you were the single one and your friends were couples, then you were the one who had to always make the effort to see people. Hope you've had a nice day. And that you have a great holiday.

F0xh0les - good luck with the job hunting.

Mothernerd - I thought you'd thrown the paperwork in the oven at first!

JoJo - fuel is exempt so if that is the only thing you buy, then it's an nsd still. Another vote here for your milk exemption too.


Today I am grateful for staying in, for planting some seeds with dd, for getting all our packing done, for the panic about expiry dates on our ESTAs not actually referring to our passports as we'd thought, for time with dd, for the robins and tits that frequent the garden, for a good long chat with big sis, for the opportunity to travel and see MIL for a bit - fully recognising that this may be the last time....

Lauralozzle

My previous, longer post disappeared as I went to submit it. I do not have the energy to write it all up again so a short one from me.

I'm now on NSD number 2.

I've painted some more cabinet doors, shelves are back in lower kitchen cupboards so I have some of my dining room back.

OH put together the work desk and chair so I'm ready for tomorrow as I'm working from home.

Put some seedlings out in vegetable bed today, hopefully they'll survive the move!

sashanut

Hi all :j


Simplicity - think about the simple pleasures in your life which you really appreciate, friendship, family, cake. Focus on those this month as much as you can (maybe not too much cake though). Took time to appreciate the birdsong in the garden - whilst still doing some work - and what a peaceful place it is.
Cake also featured somewhere..

Persevere - I know that trying to reach your goal can sometimes seem never ending but try to remember that each time you waste money/time it can take you further away from what you really want for the long term. Still getting time outside to get things done, also cleaned downstairs windows . Plus have been doing a short 15 mins clearing before bed, not much but all adds up to the 'puddles', hoping for a lake in the not too distant future.


Reduce - I wouldn't be me if I wasn't asking you to reduce. Think about what you really need and what will be left at the end, is there a better way to consume. I threw a few bits of salady stuff that had gone slimy in the packets, but otherwise had all food from stores. DH had a moment & filled the paper bins with loads of books from one of the outside sheds. Not books that would be welcome at the CS, mostly technical. Have 2 bags of books also for the CS. Only another million books to go.


Invest - in yourself, your family, your home - the things that really matter to you. Investing in self by doing some FH & almost - finishing my complex fairisle cushion.


New - new month, new beginning. Don't look back at past mistakes and failures, there is nothing that can be done about them, learn from them and move on.

Grab - take life by the horns. Do something which takes you outside of your comfort zone at least once this month. Have got a book that is supposed to be the easiest one to teach oneself sewing & will be starting with some PJ bottoms.


NSDs: now 4/15

NO spending in coffee shops, work canteens, vending machines. If you do it needs to be planned in advance and budgeted for. Never go in coffee shops, no canteen, don't use vending machines either. But I still waste money! Going on a planned outing tomorrow so will be spend day & will eat out, but that is our me time.


Go turtles!!