Nst october

greent

apple_muncher wrote: »

Thank you dolly! I've made the appt for dec after dd breaks up. They said that schools have to treat their appts like hosp appts and give them the time off withut complaining, but we already have at least 2 hosp appts in the year, so I didn't want to push it. Yet...
.

I always tried with DD and DS1 to get appointments outside school times - it's the unexpected appointments when things break which messed that up!!
DD had private braces (just missed out on nhs ones) and DS1 nhs. Where we are I'd go private again with the others if they need them.... a much better experience - and much more convenient - the surgery is around a mile from home whereas the nhs one is the far side of the next town over with about 2 parking spaces

MOT at GPs today (bloods/ weight/ height/ BP etc) - think we are offered it every 5 years once we get past 40 here. Am expecting to be told all is well other than I am too fat . Wondering if they'll take extra bloods so I can cancel next week's appointment for folate/ iron/ vit D and b12 testing... would make perfect sense but I suspect they wont be allowed to..... sigh....

Not expecting to spend anything. Have above appt, lots of housework and lunchtime birthday cake for 2yo nephew today:) - yum

thriftylass

f0xh0les wrote: »

My kids are being rotten, properly awful this week.They think it is fine to ignore me when I ask them to do something, but if I do not do what they ask of me immediately, then I am 'evil mum'. They cannot see the hypocrisy, I am just being lazy. :mad:

dolly84 wrote: »

f0xh0les - my kids are just the same.

Must be the week for it :mad:

crazy_cat_lady

One more get up!!!
No more money....
7 days until payday
Ah well. I just need to survive tomorrow.

mothernerd

Well I listened to all your advice and had a lovely relaxing break. Didn't take my sewing which turned out to be a very good decision (I'm up to a complicated bit so I would need to take the book to follow the pattern and then ti looked like I was going to have to hunt for the required threads - I have 3 seperate little piles - so I just left it behind and took an extra book).


The first day's travel left us both tired (lovely and interesting but I kept reminding myself that I was very ill last week and to listen to my body when it wanted to rest). Wednesday was only an afternoon excursion but we had such fun doing gentle pottering that we stayed in Keswick. WE walked down to the lake (Derwentwater) and sat near the water surrounded by the mountains until we started to get cold (we were going north and higher up so I packed lots of layers, what did I get - brilliant sunshine). The road to the lake bordered a large park with many benches so we could stop to rest anytime we wanted.



I may have relaxed too much on the spending front. We have eaten out a lot. Beloved slept late most days so needed to be fed before the evening meal and I was glad to stop for hot chocolate and a toasted tea cake. We have supported the local economy and bought / donated to many charities including a mixed bag of hearts today for £2.99 - just looked and there are 3 small felt hearts, 2 red patchwork, 2 red tin with white patterns, two black painted thin wood and 1 slate).



I think 'C' is sorted but not sure about eating between now and then. Should be okay when I am refunded for the things mum is buying me. I have bought myself a few treats - a silk scarf, a turquoise necklace, reindeer socks and several sheep related items so the sheets and the kitchen stuff will not be the sum total of my 'C' presents.



Meals at the hotel have been excellent, plenty of food but not too much - the occasional lie down was needed. We were given a family suite so I had a double bed to myself, Beloved had a seperate room with twin beds and the bathroom was larger than mine at home.


Keswick is dog paradise. Many establishments allow dogs (in our hotel you caould have breakfast with your dog in the conservatory) and the cafe at the park had a dog menu including specially made for dogs yoghurt ice cream. There were shops which offered a made to measure service for dog coats and even dog hiking and ski wear. The hour after the shops shut was dog walking hour (my window overlooked the high street) although they were plentiful throughout the day.


All week I have consciously relaxed, drinking in the lakes (not literally - they had the blue-green algae), the trees, the mountains, losing myself in books, people watching, dog watching. sighing, letting my breathe go and letting the tension in my neck and shoulders go. In some ways it was an escape from normal life but has brought some clarity - I want to carry on looking after mum but need to smooth out some of the stressful bits and there is a lot to do at home (don't know if DS3 has made a mess downstairs as the light was off, he had only just woken up but did open the door in answer to Beloved's frantic knocking as it was starting to rain on us and my key was buried at the bottom of my bag).


Well I've finished eating cheese (bought yesterday at a lovely cheese shop), crackers and celery so I'd better go and wade through the e-mail mountain.


I have many many things to be grateful for.

f0xh0les

So glad you had a good time and just took time out to 'be'. There is probably some new-wavy hippy term for it - present-bathing or somesuch. Just sitting and looking at something that has been constant for thousands of years is sometimes just what you need.

My house is clean and tidy apart from the kitchen - boom! bomb site! Tomorow's task.

My budget until payday is £58 I am going to try and stick to it. 7 days to go. Creative cupboard time!

Creme Carmelle and packet jelly mix anyone? Time to use up those odds and sods.

Wet and horrid here today, tomorrow and most the weekend, so battening down the hatches, lighting the candles and getting rid of a pile of books (after reading) and will discard dvds once watched again.
Threatening to introduce the kids to The Lost Boys and Highlander over the weekend, plus the last 2 Dark Crystal episodes on dh's netfl1x.

Very excited about new Star Trek Discovery series coming out soon. So many bad guys!

apple_muncher

Mothernerd - your break sounds like just what you needed. Plus going away with someone who didn't need you physically to be often helping them.


I bought some (brand new - shhh!) candles from T1ger today, 50p each. It made me think of you, f0xh0les.


We have speared, splattered and steam rollered a frog over the last couple of days. Months ago, I told dd that we would swap her small room with the much larger back room/office. Well, we tried to do bits, but it's taken us until these last 2 days to get her fully installed there. It has been like playing tetris throughout all the upstairs. Tomorrow dd and dh are off to 1kea (lucky them), while I wait in for the door man (lucky me), to get her a 4x3 cube unit thingy to replace the 4x4 one we've moved out of her room.


I took dd to primarni to buy needed things this morning. Bless her, she came away with slippers, socks, jeggings, a l/s tee shirt and a zip-up hoodie. All for under £18. She was most unimpressed at the crop-top-for-everything fashion!


Today I am grateful for having a dd who doesn't ask for much, for getting home before it pelted down again, for an afternoon spent sorting out a lot of things, for my own new pyjamas, for the oomph to sort things out.

abundant1972

Evening everyone!!!

Had a great day at work with lots of laughs and no boss around to frown sternly and ruin our fun haha!!!

Today = NSD number 13... resisted buying chocolate and had some chewing gum from my drawer! Not quite the same lol.

Went for a walk around the block again as was a nice evening, and then just snuggled down for the evening, and off to bed now!

Glad you had a nice break Mothernerd! Much deserved. f0xh0les - your taste in films sounds like mine!!! I love the Lost Boys <swoons> and Highlander and... there's a new season of ST Discovery out SOON?!? Yay!!! Also wading through last half of the Dark Crystal... Is good but I have to be in the mood for puppets haha!

Night all

sashanut

Hi all:j

Glad you had a relaxing break mothernerd, sounds like it was just the kind of thing you needed at this time.

Managed to get another NSD today so now 13/15.

Forecast rain but thankfully didn't make its appearance till late afternoon so was able to get outside for a while. After that put some more pictures up, thankful they are no longer in piles, as they have been since purchase.

Out with the furries after lunch - from stores - and then spent some time with the rough collie giving him some attention & combing him without the other 2 thugs muscling in.

Not much clearing inside but some outside today. Need to sort cupboards in kitchen as having everything out is not good. Tomorrow's job right there.

DD came for her supper, all made from stores.

gratitudes: time with 'my' dog, invite from family to visit, lots of laughing after supper, pet sitter happy to come & let out floofers when we are away..

Popping in to say hi : Hello Turtles!!

mothernerd

I have been reading Mrs Frugalwoods on frugal celebrations. She loves All Hallowed's Eve and 'C' (not killing an elf) and even the random Thursday in November one. Some of what she said is familiar to us - use the same decorations from year to year (only carve one pumpkin, the rest are fakes), buy 'new' items at garage sales (have a set price that you think is reasonable) and donate things you are tired of, dressing up things are bought cheaply or borrowed from or shared with friends (small children often outgrow clothes before they wear out).


The hotel I stayed at had a solstice celebration weekend which included a walk from the town centre up to the stone circle with a ceremony followed by mulled wine or hot cider. It sounded lovely but I can't afford the price tag so I am thinking of doing something to mark the occasion at home (or in the woods). I also intend to celebrate Wolfemoote (may have got that wrong) in November - this is the one made up by a young boy for all doglovers / owners.


I wanted to foster when I was younger but didn't have enough space at the time (they said to get in touch if I extended or moved) and in later years I thought about helping at nursery school because of the way being with young children keeps you in touch with the changing seasons. My eldest two worked in pubs and clubs whilst studying (and for some years after) so they tended to be absent at celebrations - even 'Sunday' lunches were most likely to happen on Tuesdays if I wanted there to be more than 2 of us at the table.


I'm not going to tell you to savour every moment of your children's lives. Mrs Frugalwoods covered that the month before. Every moment of your child's life is not joyful and if your child is having an embarrassing meltdown in the middle of the SM or you haven't slept more than 2 hours at a time for the last 3 weeks then you need a hug, a sympathetic word or to be left alone to have a little weep.


When I was minding my friends' children as well as my own we had little celebrations every now and then and we also had times when things were getting out of hand - (one sulking, one not wanting to walk and me pregnant with DS2) and I went in a cake shop, bought individual cakes and then walked to the small park off the main shopping street where we all sat on benches and ate our cakes until we all calmed down.


I don't have an advent calendar so i'm just opening cupboard doors and eating whatever's in there.


Minimalism doesn't mean always tidy. It just means easily tidied.



Aliens probably ride past Earth and lock their doors.


HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS
Advice Love Empathy Affection Forgiveness Compassion Time Support Encouragement Comfort Romance Self-love Kindness Patience Tenderness Passion Connection Energy Inspiration Tolerance Trust Acceptance Vulnerability


I don't know why people have to 'get ready' for bed....I'm always ready for bed. minions


Slow down
Calm down
Don't hurry
Don't worry
Trust the process


I dwell in possibility
Emily Dickinson


In honour of Charles Dickens, I too will be poor this Christmas


When life gives me lemons, I make chocolate cake and leave haters wondering how I did it

thriftylass

Not an NSD today as I ordered Asda.

Will be busy tonight, cooking and tidying before a family dinner tomorrow.

I also have a wee fun aquathon tomorrow (750m swim and 5k run). Only annoying thing is it's in a pool and they don't let one person swim a lane but they'll start 4 people per lane, how are you meant to go your own speed? Anyway, it's just a bit of fun and a chance to get out of the house without children.

Also my mum phoned yesterday and we're starting to get a bit worried about dad as he's increasingly showing signs of having more than just age related forgetfulness. Worrying.....

On a more positive note, started to fill my amazon basket/wish list with things for Christmas, my wish, things the kids asked for and need like headphones, watches, lego, bath robes etc. Ready for the black Friday reductions.

Checked my freezer and I have enough lunches for all of next week as I kept freezing the ones DH didn't take. Saves me cooking this Sunday.

Have a nice day