NST A Gentle Jog Through July

f0xh0les

Today I am grateful for always being a Helena Bonham Carter instead of a Kardashian, for the monkeys at Trentham - there are three baby monkeys there that would fit in your purse. Well worth the £8 entrance fee, we spent over 2 hours there and it was fabulous. All those crazy monkeys wandering about all over the place totally unconcerned with those humans standing around. They are such happy monkeys! I watched one eating the petals off every buttercup it could reach from lying on its belly stretched out, without having to move. The toilets were great, did not use the cafe there, but did eat at Pie Minister at the Trentham retail park, which was also fab.

In-laws took lots of awful photos of me. Whatever makes them happy! Would recommend the monkey forest to anyone.

misstara

Back from being away on holiday so can finally join in properly with the challenge. I've still got the next week off work so looking forward to pottering around the house and garden.

Not going to concentrate too much on counting NSDs this month as spent pretty much every day while I was away, however, today has been one. Since getting back yesterday, me and OH have made a meal plan and did a shop based on what we needed. Chicken fajitas for tea, some leftover which OH will have for lunch tomorrow. He wasn't too keen on the gf wraps that we'd bought so I'll have the last one for lunch with egg mayo and tomato. Went for a nice walk around the park after lunch.

mothernerd

I wanted to go to the Monkey Forest with DS2 - he's monkey mad, I used it as the theme for his 21st, his colleagues from the pub bought him a gorilla suit and his student friends went to build a bear and made a monkey wearing glasses and an England rugby shirt holding a guitar. He can't make the day trip as his boss (there are only two of them in their department) has the school holidays off.

This was why mum suggested the Bournemouth trip as Monkey World was included. I may see if there are any seats left and go by myself. There were baby orang utans at Monkey World.

sashanut

Hi all :j


A Adventure: None today

G Get creative in the kitchen Did not use the raspberries or lemons at all, but did pick some more raspberries. Tired myself out power washing outside, therefore supper had to be easy but not a takeaway. Managed to make a decent meal out of the fridge.

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 7/12

T Take care in the sun Out in the sun today & actually remembered to put on some sunscreen, which also had the added benefit (I think) of keeping the nasty little biting insects at bay. Never been bitten by them before, but they like me this year!

L Live on what is left Will do.

E Exercise: Out in the garden exercise today, plus power washing outside until I was dropping with fatigue. No progress on the upstairs hall, but DH will help with sorting out the paintings that have stacked there for years....

J July food days abound , Hot Dogs and Peach Ice Cream (17th - No not together), Caviar (18th) Daiquiris (19th). My favourites are Fresh Spinach Day (16th) 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. Trying to keep up with my water but I am fairly rubbish at it. Can't drink cold or fizzy drinks so it has to be tepid water for me to even drink anything.

G Geeks May struggle here. I'm with you dolly84 - never played a video game & not a fan of anything sci fi, just not my thing either.

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. Asked him back.

H Help those in need. Will do my best.

R Relax. Determined to get to a WIP tomorrow, have been reading quite a bit though, during the day which is unusual for me. Did not get to WIP as too much done outside.

O Our Bodies Our Selves: On hold. For the foreseeable future..

U Useless Have put a load of paper in bin, have a pile of stuff for CS, also a sack of rags.

G Get out and about: Plan to get out next week, looking at a theatre matinee. Will book tomorrow,

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

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

U yUo All meals taken at home

L Look at each purchase: No purchases today, though some internet browsing.

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

mothernerd

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sharing a room with a mosquito.

The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do

I don't believe in competition. You're not me. That's it.

No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else
P T Barnum

You're only given one little spark of madness. Don't lose it
Robin Williams 1951-2014

mothernerd

Not in pain but feeling quite frail and fragile, so will be easing into the day again (had pills, brushed my teeth, very hungry but still have dip, raw mushrooms and spring onions). Accept that this is the price of yesterday's efforts and go with the flow, I still have time for another little doze, if needed.

The slow start has the benefit of giving me time to think about what wants doing and prioritise. I am being more mindful. To get round town, I need to make frequent stops (move from bench to bench basically) but instead of stopping until 'whatever' (breathing/ legs/ other bits) stabilises, I have started relaxing and spending time taking in my surroundings - people watching, enjoying the day, noticing an interesting brick pattern. I'm finding this helps with my mood (all the little things, so precious) and gives me more focus. No rushing into bad decisions.

greent

I am being rubbish at reporting in daily!

Get creative[/COLOR] in the kitchen. -nope - but am using up lots of stuff in kitchen (and also lots of toiletries, gardening things from garage and finished 3 bottles of EOs up making laundry gloop)

NSDs Low target 3 per week (12/13 for the month) - 4 so far

Exercise - take advantage of the long days to pack more in. - still busy with end of term craziness but have managed to get lots done in garden (looking SOOOOO much better :j:j)

Think of those who are ill. - visited one poorly relative last Fri

Relax. Take time out and remember your children need downtime too.- DS2 finished school last Fri. Just DS3 there now until this Fri. Roll on next week - #nomorealarms

Our Bodies Our Selves. eat well, move more Include a pamper day - had my eyebrows waxed and tinted at w/end. The beauty person suggested I get by vit B levels checked as my eyebrows have developed a bald patch. Have ordered a thr1va blood test kit (half price code) to start with as I can't get an appt at GPs for non urgent blood test within the next 3 weeks (appts on system only go that far in advance) My nails have also been growing really well - so much so, that I'm having trouble typing! :rotfl:

Useless and ugly objects need to leave your home. - delivered a bag of items and good sized mirror to CS on Sat.

Get out and about. Explore your neighbourhood. What exhibitions and activities are on?- we will be signing up to 'Beat the Street' in aid of DS3's school and lots of local walking

Half Year Review. Look again at where you want to be in one year/ 5 years - are you on track or do you need to make changes. - STILL need to re-visit goals/ targets from Jan.

YoU should take your lunch to work each day and take appropriate refreshments on days out - celebratory lunch out on Thurs for DD's graduation - but am using debit card which has 5% cashback at the place

Look at each purchase to determine if it is a genuine need or just a want. - items purchased over weekend: - new hosepipe (need), cement and sand (need) new tap for waterbutt (need - when full would drain to half empty in few hours through constant leak) mop bucket for DD's flat (need - she has mop but no bucket)


Thankful for: getting stuff done in garden, a lovely weekend, a lovely lunch with colleagues

Toni'sfriend

NSD No 12

The goulash was really lovely. A little left to which I'm going to add a bit of sausage and have with some baked potato.

it's been so hot today. I've done all the washing and most of it is already dried on the line. Just a few things left. Good news is that the Boy is now doing his own washing and ironing so that's taken a job off my hands. We're just having some antipasti tonight. Bought some in Lidl last week and found a jar of unopened grilled peppers and another of artichoke hearts in the larder so that sounds good.

Did the "alcohol" cupboard this morning. Loads and loads of bottles that we will never get around to using. Lots of nice glasses, dishes, etc. So I have another cupboard of glasses that I'm going to do tomorrow. I can move them all together and it will free up some more room.

We're going to Amsterdam and Paris in January and the Boy has said that he might meet us for five days in Amsterdam on the way home. That would be lovely but we'll see how it goes. He's becoming much more outgoing and confident since his difficulties some years ago but just having someone to meet for dinner would be nice. Although, I suspect if his best friend finds out we may have both of them. Not a problem. I love them both.

It's been fairly quiet child wise today but the child from Hell has just arrived and has started chucking things about, winding all the others up. Might have to go and have another word with the Grandparents. It's a bit difficult because I've been told that he does have medical issues but his Grandparents refuse to give him his medication because he refuses to eat if he has the medicine.

Really need to start thinking about getting out and about a bit.

dolly84

Hi all.


Got some jobs done outside yesterday, took forever to clean one window, in hindsight I would steer clear of uPVC windows, the frames get so dirty. Bought a grobag for my tomato plants but in all honesty I do not expect to ever see a tomato from them, all in all I think they are too expensive to grow at home, particularly if you are not very good at it.


Done two orders today for things needed to spruce up the outside of the house, did it in two orders to take advantage of a £5 and £10 coupon. Also booked a short break to Northumberland for October half term. Spendy, spendy.


Have cycled this morning, met a colleague from my last temping job and had a bit of a natter. Have line dried washing, cleaned bathroom and vacuumed everywhere (this takes ages as our dog is shedding his winter coat).

Toni'sfriend

Also booked a short break to Northumberland for October half term.

One of my favourite places. I'm going there in October as well.