NST A Gentle Jog Through July

mothernerd

You're welcome anytime ccl.

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone,

Not had many check in's this week. Don't actually think I have managed a NSD so far this month but have had a few good days.

Thur went to chatterbox group with DS, his speech has come on amazing since he had his op and started the group! Treated us to a Maccies and then went to a toddler baking group. We made pitta pizzas and fruit kebabs. DS was more interested in eating it. The second group was in the village so we walked there and put suncream on. When we got home I mowed the lawn and DS "helped" by that I mean he took a handful off grass out the grassbox put it in the brown bin and then thought it would be funny to throw the rest everywhere. He did take my gloves and do some "gardening" too. Again we both has suncream on, DS thought it was hilarious putting it on my legs and rubbing it in.
We had such a lovely day, we watched a film before bed and had so many laughs it really was a great day.

Friday I took mum to hosp. app and then shopping. Dropped her off come home and went to do some housework but got distracted by my PS4 so was on that till I picked DS up from Nursery. Chatted to some friends online after that, had a laugh which was nice then went to bed.

Saturday me and DS had lovely cuddle in my bed watching Peppa Pig before his dad come to get him for the weekend. I then did the housework I neglected the day before and spent the night at my brothers house. His wife and I did face masks and had a pamper while he looked after their little boy and watched Netflix (he's not a fan of our girly chat haha)

Today I am at work till 4 and then out with work lot for Chinese after can't wait is nice to have a good old catch up with everyone out of work. Plus my manager is lovely and picks me up and drops me off home so it means I can have a drink, not too many though as working tomorrow as well.

That's about it for the last few days, my MH has been up and down again, I am trying to keep myself busy every day. I won't be seeing DS until tomorrow evening and that makes me a bit sad so Tuesday will be making a lot of fuss of him I think haha.

Need to write a list of things that I want to get done next week!

C xx

Toni'sfriend

NSD NO 4

Himself's birthday. He loved his presents. Nothing expensive but I put a lot of thought into them.Just books and chocolate type things.

We had a little bit of a walk and are now having a little glass of wine. (I know, sorry!).

The Boy is coming for roast chicken dinner.

Watching Harry Potter now. It's been a very relaxing day.

Kerry_Woman

Toni'sfriend - Wishing Himself a Happy Birthday.
Was a spend day. Train, bus and cab fares.
Grateful for:
Day out at Priory.
Getting home ok.
Good weather.
Brought lunch from home.
Chilling out this evening.
Good connections with trains.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

apple - I guess you do have to adapt if you don't have a car. I would struggle to get to work on public transport as although I live near 2 train stations there is no station where I do my main FT job. I would have to get a bus that takes an hour each way whereas by car it's 35 minutes both ways!
We've been out to look at the sea today and had an ice cream then a nice walk - plenty of suncream and 8k steps.
I have to go back to work tomorrow after being off to look after DD2. Not looking forward to work but it'll be nice to see some of my colleagues. In the eve we are going to the theatre - tickets bought last year on my CC before I saw the error of my ways and locked my CC away - not used it since November 18 We were supposed to go last week but theatre let me swop tickets as it was the day after DD2's op - we got a £5 drinks voucher too as the tickets are slightly cheaper than the ones I bought. I was told I had to pay £3 per ticket to swop but they didn't charge me that either!
Gratitudes - lovely day out with DDs; nice text chat with friend; quiet evening indoors.
Love to all
Deni x

apple_muncher

Happy birthday! to himself, toni'sfriend.


Today I am grateful for the rain, for a peaceful day, for dd chatting away to me, for writing plentiful lists, for finally washing all the blue spray dye out of dd's hair, for dd doing most of the packing needed for her sch journey, for the Web, for my gym induction tomorrow (am still ridiculously excited about this - it'd better be good!)

mothernerd

Plans.
I'm away from Monday to Friday. The hotel does have wifi so hoping I can plug into that. Otherwise I'm sure apple will keep you on the straight and narrow OR you could take turns on the chaise longue and try to outdo each other in the misbehaviour stakes. I may not check in tomorrow as I'm out very early and won't get to Bournemouth until after 6pm. Really not looking forward to being cooked in a bus all day.

However I have suncream and a hat and am now planning on wearing an old dress because it's very thin cotton. Still deciding whether I can be bothered to shave my legs - I only have very fine hair so you have to look hard to see it - or my little hairy hobbit toes.

Plan for the month
Adventure - lots of things scare me so I've plenty to work on. Will be playing dodge the sun all week and already thinking showers, cold compresses, sleeping on top of the bedclothes.

Get creative in the kitchen
I have been using up odds and ends all week. Today I've cooked the pack of chops Beloved requested but hasn't used. Had them with tinned pineapple. Also had the last fruit yoghurt, some of the ys grapes and most of the strawberries i picked at mum's. Will be taking celery and tiny carrots with quick raita dip (in a glass jar?) and using up more bits for food to eat on the journey, then we can concentrate on finding a cool shady spot to eat at the rest stops. Will be getting very creative when i get home as I have spent my food budget. I need to concentrate on eating well so tinned pulses and veg, fish and baked potatoes from the freezer with an added twist.

Eat beans - had couscous with beans, baked beans, bean salad. Will be making more bean salad, mexican rice salad (has kidney beans) and butterbean casserole and then finding new recipes. Will fill the gaps in the freezer with bottles of tap water (great with a slug of lemon juice added).

NSDs going for 17/18. Should stack a few this week - mum pays for most things whilst we are away (well she gives me a bundle of money, I pay for everything and keep track of what has been spent).

Stay out of the sun.
I definitely have problems with the sun. I'm not a red head but I have Irish heritage, very dark hair and very pale skin. Use extreme caution and lots of suncream to avoid headaches, sunburn and eczema caused by the sun (white skin patches, not a good look). I've also found the hayfever kicking up a notch in the last few days, even with the tablets.

Savings
The 365 challenge is going well even though I put money in sporadically. Two more 2 pound coins into the toucan. Will look for a savings account - saw yesterday that the credit union has a new office on the main shopping street.

Exercise
Adding an extra lot of exercise to do in the bathroom and exercises to do lying on the bed. Will try to walk more even if it is stop and start, from one bench to the next.

July food days
Definitely the ice cream (unless I can find frozen yoghurt). Going to try ys hunting (mum owes me about 10 pounds which I will use for food) and making salads and meals from them.

Water fun
A paddle is definitely on the agenda this week and maybe some messing about in boats.

Geeks Unite
Video games day tomorrow (8th)

mothernerd

Accidentally posted but will carry on from where I was.

I will be embracing my inner geek (13th) and rescuing as many small forest and farm animals as possible. Let's face it, I can't help it.

Think of those who are ill - must visit the poorlies again. Read a few posts but didn't take the time to add my own news. Special wishes to mum's old bf who was in hospital again last week but they've decided not to operate on the lump on his back, just make him comfortable.

Help others
Food bank donation done, bhf raffle ticket, purchases from several cs, church collection this morning. Sermon was about the church's mission and urged the congregation to donate to food banks (already working with the homeless) and consider the plight of refugees.

Relax
Lots of reading done and planned (all books renewed to 25th so no panic over returning them).

Our Bodies Our Selves
Will be monitoring food, exercise, mood and sleep. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise then add suncream. Have quit caffeine over the past two weeks.

Useless and ugly
More clothes to donate/ turn into rags. Think I may have a fling party soon.

Explore
Will be exploring Bournemouth, the New Forest and Monkey World this week. I have been to Bournemouth before but it was for a conference so it was a long day discussing rules with dropping DS1 and DS2 off at the creche beforehand and picking them up at the end of the day (except for the day DS2 got expelled from the creche for being disruptive - he was only one year old).

At home I want to walk more -try to get as far as the woods. See if I can fit into any local arts activities. May organise one or two days out alone.

Teddy Bear's picnic
I will have a special tea with Goth bunny or offer to help mum of twins (she has 4 girls including 2 yo twins and minds her sister's little boy in term time).

At Easter there is a group of vespa riders who take eggs to Manchester Children's hospital. It's grown over the years (Ginger, the organiser, has tried to retire a couple of times and there are now so many eggs that they go in a van rather than being carried by bike). So we have this enormous parade of old and new vespas, many of them decorated. I realised it was the right Saturday for it and was going to go and tell DS3 and Beloved but then stopped myself before I got the sad look and the 'mum'.

I was so pleased to find where they have put the elephants in Bolton and still want to stop and look in the model shop window in Manchester (it's how I used to get the boys to walk across town thinking of things that would interest them and get them to move from one point to the other). Mum was talking about a day when she was minding DS2 and had to get him to walk to her house. I had told her that he did not like walking but did like lorries, diggers and neenaws (fire, ambulance, police) and if she looked for these and pointing them out she could keep him walking. She said she had never realised how many of them were on the road.

Lunch to work and appointments
CPAP review last week (had to buy more food but only because I stayed out all day, could not have carried more than I did). Exercise class Friday (took 2l water as new cafe want 1.60 for a small pop). Need to prepare stuff to take with me tomorrow but have a few things I can use (and lots of water).

Each purchase a need not a want
Overspent this week but items were needed. I think I had so many years when things like a replacement handbag and bras had to wait until I got my Christmas money, that I automatically do without things until I crack. I was happily taking washing in the taxi with me to mum's after our washer broke until DS3 and Beloved asked when the new one was coming. I wait to see how long I can live without things.

Check in daily

Budgets
As last month (but already spent food budget on new rucksack). Taken sodastream off the list for now but good supportive shoes or mountain walking trainers definitely a priority (done).

Half Year Review
Improving but could do better, much better

Keep wondering when my life is going to get back to 'normal' then wondering if this IS my new normal - feels like limbo. Definitely need to direct my life rather than just coping / responding.

My main priority is looking after my mother but I need to take care of me too.

Looking forward I need to find a way of getting DS3 and Beloved to the stage where they are genuinely independent. I will also have puppy sitting duties (soon) and possibly future grandchildren (not counting chickens) and not sure how that will work alongside caring for mum. That in itself is going to start changing over time.

Various health issues don't help, in particular the ankle/ foot injury. Should have been right in six weeks, it's now over six months. It is much stronger, I'm no longer using mum's spare walker and I can now stand to dry myself when i get out of the bath (for a while I had to sit down again once I had got out). However it's still painful and I need to rest frequently.

Going to work on my CBT coursework book starting with
SLEEP
SCHEDULING

That all sounds a bit gloomy but I'm quite upbeat atm. Will leave it there for now. (Need to sort packing).

shabbychic12

You made me smile with the Easter egg run and ginger. Me and my late OH attended many years even before it went to the children's hospital in Manchester. Leaving from Lowton in a veil of 2 stroke engine oil. I still have his scooter lol.

sashanut

Hi all:j

Hope your holiday is good mothernerd & not too hot!


A Adventure No adventures today..although planning one for the week

G Get creative in the kitchenDefinitely not creative today, but am clearing the fridges tomorrow so then should get quite creative.


N NSDs Will go for low target as we are on holiday as well as DD this week & another week when she goes away later in the month. NSDs now 2/12

T Take care in the sun Need to be more mindful of this.

L Live on what is left Will do.

E Exercise: Gardening & housework exercise today..

J July food days abound Fried Chicken (6th - try "Kissing' instead), French Fries (13th), Hot Dogs and Peach Ice Cream (17th - No not together), Caviar (18th) Daiquiris (19th). My favourites are Fresh Spinach Day (16th) Blueberry (8th) and Vanilla Ice Cream (23rd). Other Ice cream days are available. Use these as a jumping off point to add some summer fun to your meal plan. Will pick a couple of these.

O (H2)O Water fun. Dogs have made holes in their pool, not sure how to get them in otherwise as they are so large. May have an old plastic one somewhere lurking in the shrubbery. Still to locate. Only water is the amount drunk by me. Now have food diary so water can be logged. Not started yet, will start tomorrow. Started with upping water & whilst I didn't drink all that I am supposed to, I did much better. keeping up with the water but not as much as I should do.

G Geeks May struggle here.

T Think of those who are ill Both elderly uncles are now suffering from terminal illnesses. Do think of them often. Had email from elderly relative, seems OK. Friend came who has been ill, spent 4.5 hours here so must have enjoyed himself..Thank you email from friend.

H Help those in need. Will do my best.

R Relax. Have lots of books & projects to do so need to make a time each do to actually DO them. Did a bit of knitting today but need to get organised with projects now. Knitted in car whilst DH had a meeting but forgot book. More TV knitting tonight. Took myself off in the midst of the chaos (DD back from hols) & sat in the quiet finishing some projects.

O Our Bodies Our Selves: Will deffo be doing this & am starting this week with a pamper day. Pampered self by putting on make up etc. Only pampering was a shower & putting some make up on. Plan for tomorrow. Still to do.

U Useless On this, will take some to CS tomorrow. Am still sorting & binning. Got rid of some bags of rubbish for collection tomorrow.

G Get out and about: No outs today but DH said we are going to plan tomorrow to go out next week . Didn't happen but will ask again tomorrow. TBC

H Half Year Review: Good idea & will work on this. Some progress but much more to do. 3 weeks till hols.

J Just a couple DH already looks like a combo of these two.

U yUo All meals at home.

L Look at each purchase: Nothing today.

Y You should check in daily Here I am, hello folks!