NST: August Adventures

apple_muncher

Toni'sfriend - you bet that counts as an adventure!


Today I am grateful for warmer weather than expected, for my workout making me feel more like normal, for good coffee, for a meander round town, for fun in the playground with dd, for finding more books to read whilst we're here, for finding some cycling on the telly, for doing more needle felting.

Karmacat

Grateful that my work on the garden is finally linking up - and I have a proper idea of how to go forward so that it stays much more weed free.

Grateful that I've sorted two thirds of my finances - I see August as still a "work" month (working on retirement ) in spite of the adventures booked in.

Grateful for the adventures! Two next week, Tues and Thur; two the week after; two booked up for August bank holibob, which is unheard of at this stage of August, so I'm very happy with that. Also that I feel *well* enough to have both work and adventures. Wonderful!

mothernerd

Toni'sfriend wrote: »

NSD No 3

We were at a christening today. The only people I knew were the baby's uncle, mother and one set of grandparents. I'm not great at social occasions at the best of times so was definitely out of my comfort zone. It was a nice afternoon though. Does it count as an adventure?

Dinner's almost ready. Just waiting for the boy to arrive. He went home to change. Never comfortable wearing a shirt!!

I second apple. Most socialising terrifies me.

Understand the shirt wearing. At my cousin's wedding, my brother's were under strict orders not to take off their ties. Bride's father exited the church and his tie was off before he reached the bottom of the steps - brothers and cousins looked at each other and all ties were pulled off.

Kerry_Woman

Grateful for:
NSD.
Walked 2 laps around the park, did a slightly different route.
Managing to get through the day, as I had a emotional time for a couple of hours.
Foraged some blackberries.
Started reading a new book and read a couple of stories.

mothernerd

I've had a good day. 350 things left the house before 11.30 am. You must understand that at this stage i am so desperate for progress that i am counting every handful of weeds, every piece of rubbish picked up (this includes assorted flotsam which has floated in off the car park), every single item i packed in the dishwasher. But progress.

Stopped to eat then did more after a short rest. Clothes out to dry. DS3 was not in the front room so opened the curtains and windows wide to let in fresh air, took the duvet cover and pillowcase from the spare bed and pulled a pillow out that was stuffed down the side. All into the wash. Put all four bins together in a square and have made a last ditch attempt at salvaging a quilt (not been to check on it yet).

More rubbish and pizza boxes from the front room. Washed my mask and hose. Chopped back the buddleia. Got to the stage where I could pull things out from under the table, put soda crystals and hot water down the kitchen sink and have swept from under the stairs and the far side of the kitchen as far as the back door.

Came back upstairs to rest as I didn't think I could stay standing for much longer. DS1 messaged me to tell me I had mice. Apparently one of the pieces of material I gifted to his friend had chewed packaging and droppings. I am blaming the chinchillas - when they were escaping one of them loved going behind the sideboard and several of the back boards were loose from when we moved (it wasn't square any more and I couldn't open an internal drawer). I think she could have sneaked in there, when the material was stored there and they chew anything and their droppings are like little black seeds (so could be mistaken for mice).

DS1 went into a tirade about how I have let the house go and he will come and sort it out if I am incapable. He will also conscript DS3. So I raised the 'mice' issue with DS3, who agreed with my chinchilla theory but when I said DS1 was threatening to come round, the house was a mess and I needed help. He asked what needed doing most right now.

I said the dishwasher needed emptying, the kichen floor needed clearing and mopping and all their clothes needed to return to their room. He said I needed to talk to Beloved as well so when he came upstairs five minutes later I followed and spoke with them both. I have told them that I am struggling most (I can't do them) with cleaning the windows and with clearing, sweeping and mopping the floors (particularly the bathroom and kitchen).

Miracle of miracles they both started doing (I swear I have never seen DS3 rolling his underpants neatly before now). Beloved and I worked through a pile of stuff on the floor - most of the clothes need washing and we have bagged cardboard, pots, cans and bottles recycling and lots of rubbish.

I have spent money. I was out of decaff coke and wanted another couple of items (they were out of oven cleaner) plus have kicked off the festive season shopping with a ys 10p pack of filo pastry which will go in the freezer. I have also done an online order for cards for the winter solstice for both mum and myself from Oxfam (half price for last year's stock).

I have saved money (or talked myself out of spending it) by not buying from a 3 day garden sale - fruit trees, winter veg plants, bulbs. I am going to use what I have. I went through the seed box last week and i still have plenty of time for quick growing things like radish and spring onions, some things like one of the beetroot varieties could be sown now and some things can be started for next year. Beloved asked for some new potatoes on the last order and she hasn't used them so i may chop them up and fill a few potato bags (new potatoes with C---st--s dinner?). So I don't have to find enough soil for 64 brassica plants to grow.

Today I am grateful for a good day's pottering, for Beloved and DS3 helping (with no bad vibes or confrontation) and for fresh air.

sashanut

Hi all:j

Just a quick check in as I obvs have 1001 things to do before bed & also in the morning before we set off on our Irish adventure...

Not an NSD as bought an item from a FB selling page...

Woke up early & got out into the garden by 7am, working on the principle that it was going to get warm later on. Good progress out there, decided just to plant all my stuff in one border rather than attempt to put it in the 'correct' place - but had to put fencing round it to try & keep the beasts off..hopefully that should work.

DD back at work & has someone coming to her house tomorrow from the US to stay for 2 weeks - renting a room as she has family in the area. Hopefully that will work out & help the finances. Also a colleague want to rent the room for a few days each week as he currently drives a round trip from Newcastle every day....so she will get a bit towards expenses although she is not charging much.

All food from stores today. Need to shop tomorrow for food for animals & house sitter (DD).

Better get to it..


Checking in most days : Hello turtles!!

Fmess

Hugs Kerry woman hope you’re feeling better today.

SFD number 2 yesterday. Walked the dogs, tried out the treadmill at the gym (adventure as not been on one for 5 years or so!) and did aqua aerobics. Then went with mum to visit my grandad. Lovely day and now spends

Today I start my summer admin job so better get up and to the gym. Only going to the office this afternoon so not a hugely busy day.

apple_muncher

Mothernerd - what a change of attitude from ds3 + beloved! Wow.


Sashanut - have a great time away.


Fmess - I remember your admin/temp summer jobs. You never stop, do you?!


Kerry woman - hope today is a better day for you.


Karma - your puddles of clear garden will soon join up to be a sea of tranquility...

PheoniX

Hey y'all :wave:


So yesterday was a spend day on coffee and some milk and today will also be a spend day as Im joining a friend for a day out in a place not yet agreed/confirmed :cool: August is always an MSE challenge as I take a chunk of time off work using little leave and ma bestie is a teacher so we often hook up and go exploring. Today we will be taking packed lunches so Im hoping it will be a low spend adventure


Thanks Deni for sharing your advice on pet costs . I am lucky to have access to 4 major stores and will often look for bargains on the My$upamarket app, then cycle around the lot to save money. It seems you can still experience the joys of caring for an animal without any huge expense :A


Hope you all have a good day :wave:

crazy_cat_lady

Morning :wave:
Yesterday didn't go exactly as planned - life just keeps throwing this massive curve balls in my direction. So on top of the stress with my ex and my ds being in hospital I fell out with my mam and sister yesterday. It's a very, very long story which I won't bore you with, but me and my sister were just getting close again after not having spoken for 3 years. I know we sound like someone from Jeremy Kyle but believe it or not we aren't. My sister has spoken to me because she doesn't want to fall out but I've been left feeling very hurt by the whole situation and a bit like my mam has taken sides. I know it's just my interpretation of things, but I need time to process what has gone on and at the moment I just want to sit and feel sorry for myself.
Anyway - other stuff. I got a nsd in among all of yesterday's drama, and was particularly pleased that I didn't order takeaway bit did my own pizza for dinner, in spite of the temptation. I doubt today will be a nsd but I'm determined to get out and about and clear my head a bit, and perhaps tick off some of these annoying jobs that are on the list.
As ever though, I need to wait for the kids to get up and my teenager is still fast asleep at the moment.