NST December: Festive Fun

f0xh0les

abundant1972 wrote: »

Can I post my wallet to one of you, to be returned in the New Year haha :rotfl:
I used to be so good at this!!!

It doesn't take long to slip when you take your eye off the ball does it? It is like spending is the default setting but you have to work hard to plan and actively turn that off in your head. Well done for noticing and deciding to stop. But you still have to live, so you have to get that balance. :T:T Self awareness is the key.


Well, I have started the birthday/xmas present buying. The problem now is that I am going to be tied to the house awaiting deliveries. I might suggest to dh he works from home when he can. Or at least stays home until I come back from the school run. I will face down the grinning, smirking postman. He has a dirty mind:rotfl:, but then again, so did I!!

So, today I am taking random and various kids to town for them to spend their money, and gift cards from birthdays (still!!) with magic free parking on Sundays. Trying to find lactose free pain meds (not as easy as you would think) I will probably end up back on generic Cal-of-Pol type syrup. And I'd best go now or it will be lunchtime!
Just in case anyone thought we are all revolutionary flag-waving turtles, I am a gold flag waver, not a red one.

mothernerd

Sorry dolly, I'll change the subject.


I saw a TED talk on addiction recently. Rats given a choice of plain water or water with added drugs, would always choose the drugs. Then one day a scientist came along who looked at it from a different angle. "you have these rats in cages on their own", he said.


He built a rat park with lots of cheese and things to do and put a lot of rats in it so they could play together. The socialised, happy, occupied rats chose the plain water. The TED talk went on to describe a new drug management programme which finds employment for addicts and helps them develop social skills (because once drugs come into your life, that relationship takes priority over any others). It's very successful.


So whilst I was sleeping (busy brain, filing and making connections) I thought "Maybe I need more fun in my life, more things to look forward to, to talk more with others."


I've never had a problem with drink or cigarettes but I am a sugar addict. Like abundant I'm very much an emotional eater. One of the many counsellors I've seen in my life (when those major life crises start getting past 5, 2 - 3 is supposed to push you over the edge, that's my standard level) said there were too many "shoulds, oughts and have tos" in my life.


I want to spend less and save more, I don't want to hand over money to the megalith corporations pushing sugar and fat on us (or both in combination, as that's really addictive), I'm increasingly aware of when I've eaten something that wasn't good for me. I care about those who do not have enough, both here and in the world BUT STILL I go in a shop and get home with my latest 'fix'.


So it's time to look through the lists, ditch/ postpone what I can (painting here using paint I already have and planting lots of lavender at mum's have been moved to the first 3 months of next year) start making much more ME time and having a serious look at what me, my body and my mental health NEED.


Does that cover the part of the challenge about priorities?


Went downstairs last night and did a bit more of the kitchen. Cleaned the back door (appliances and worktops get cleaned on a semi-regular basis but the back door only gets seen when I'm going through it with multiple piles of recycling or to do outside jobs.



Also cleaned a drawer. Beloved had a bottle of cordial that's been hanging around for a few years, which was recently disposed of. I say cordial but syrup would be nearer. It was a lurid colour (decided red food colouring when it was still made of ground up beetles is the nearest) and if it got knocked over the stuff oozed out even when it was supposedly screwed on. So there was patch on the worktop in the corner near the boiler and when I opened the drawer a bigger puddle which had also soaked into the bottom appliance leaflet.


So multiple squirts of cleaner, several rags (put straight into the bin as I shudder to think how far it could spread if I put them in the wash) and two scrubby things exchanged for a clean drawer. I also nearly fell over when doing the door. I was using my left hand to reach the top parts (did the door frame and surrounding wall at the same time) but as I got lower down, I could use my right hand (I started with a rag in each). Went into a semi-crouch to do the last bit, felt dizzy and nearly went over backwards.


Think it's tiredness more than anything else (plus various bugs still working their way out of my system). I had to stop multiple times during the floor cleaning and DS3 was worried about me coming back up the stairs (I leant into the stairs and came up in a semi crouch/ crawl but I really wanted my bed rather than a perch downstairs.


Don't yet have a plan of action for today (I've had pills, water and food). Would like to press on with the kitchen but may stay up her for a while and potter. All the 'little puddles of space' (thanks f0xh0les) are starting to join up. All the laundry processing, making a small space then deciding what to use it for are finally making a difference to how things look overall.


Today I am grateful for my bed, the library and for having a workspace in the kitchen - think that was the worst bit, feeling like cooking something and then walking in there and seeing how many things I had to move to find a small patch of worktop.


Have a good day turtles. Definitely staying where i am for now, when I close my eyes the world lurches (and sometimes when I haven't)

DawnW

Positive thoughts for your sister in law, Toni's friend

Foodbank/charity donation - Done for this month

Eat well - Lovely HM celery soup and toast for lunch, will do a roast later
Savings/debt repayment. Pay to your debt or savings first and live off what is left. Always do this
Treat yourself - Might have a glass of wine later
Invitations - Accept a maximum of 2 invitations during December. No more invitations
Very merry Christmas - Don't get sucked into all the consumerism that surrounds Christmas, set your budgets for presents, food, etc and stick to them. Mostly done now, but still have the food shop to do. Won't go overboard!
Exercise - We had a load of logs delivered this morning, so plenty of exercise was had scuttling up and down the garden path with armfuls of logs to get them stacked in the woodshed
Fun - Had a nice afternoon and evening with family yesterday
Understand what motivates you - Not feeling very motivated at the moment
NSDs - Aim for 15 NSDs Still on 4 / 15. Not managed a NSD today, bought bargainous butter, cheese and bacon at the market this morning. Made sense not to pay almost double at the supermarket tomorrow or Tuesday. Plus the logs of course.
Plumber came yesterday and our boiler needs a new pump, and it will hopefully be done next week sometime. Won't be a NSD that day, for sure :eek: No doubt it will be expensive, but it needs to be done.

lcc86

Foodbank/charity donation - waiting for the second DD to go through, Crisis donation done.
Eat well - was good yesterday, about to go out for dinner with friends as a Christmas treat so will eat well but perhaps not the right things!
Savings/debt repayment - done.
Treat yourself - am continuing with the steam baths, they have made such a difference.
Invitations - no further invitations. Am off out in a minute to meet old work colleagues.
Very merry Christmas - got everything wrapped and bought my last few presents online this morning. Just OH to buy for now but he won't send me the links for what he wants, don't know how he thinks I'm going to buy him stuff if he doesn't tell me!
Exercise - managed a decent walk yesterday, it rained a bit but was still nice. Today I've been horse riding and also did a really quick workout and stretch when I got home. Finally starting to feel back to normal.

Fun - my ride this morning was lovely and I know I'll have fun with my friends this evening.
Understand what motivates you.
NSDs - Aim for 15 NSDs. Up to 8/15 after yesterday. I strategically saved some spends for today as I knew I'd be spending anyway on my meal out, so bought some last minute gifts and supplies for the rabbits.

Toni'sfriend

I think life is really trying it's best to tell me something. I don't know what though. I've just been told that my niece (by marriage) in America has had a massive heart attack. Beautiful girl, Clever, Only 50 years old. I saw her for the first time in many years this summer and my son met her for the first time. He's shocked and devastated as am I. What can you do but carry on?

So today I've done all the washing, put up the Christmas tree and decorated the living room. I've put the presents under the tree and can't believe how much I've bought. Nothing is expensive, There's just a lot of it.

No money spent today so I suppose that's positive.

Going to visit my sister in law tomorrow. My nephew's wife has told me to be prepared for how she looks and she may not even know I'm there. God, this is turning into a very depressive post. Sorry, everyone.

I'm off to see to dinner. Hope tomorrow is a better day.

mothernerd

Hugs Toni'sfriend. Just keep plodding. We had a scare earlier but it turned out okay.

dolly84

Toni'sFriend - sorry to hear about your relatives.


Have been to Chatsworth House today to see it decorated for Christmas, this was booked and paid for in November, we had lunch out at a favourite place of ours a few miles away from Chatsworth then we went into Bakewell. Busy day.

apple_muncher

Hugs, toni'sfriend. We went to see dh's mum at easter and 3 months later she had a bad stroke. She has fought back and regained speech and her limited mobility. But we are so pleased that we saw her when we did.


Today I am grateful for dd happily eating her own food with her friends while they all had hog roast, for her massive gains in her ukulele playing, for a dry day, for watching a mindless Bond film, for dh's homemade chips, for a tough sandbag workout, for all our twinkly lights, for headspace.

f0xh0les

Toni'sfriend - hugs. It is all happening at once for you, isn't it. Take good care of you. They say you need to put your own oxygen mask on first.


I have managed to wrangle 2 kids in and out of the bath. One more is pending the water heating up again. All kids will be going to school tomorrow. They can get themselves sent home if they need to. They are feeling much better and I think they can see their way to 4 and a half days of nonsense, shows and carol services. And I need them out of the house in case parcels start arriving, and volunteering.

For the Trekkies - E4 is showing StarTrek Discovery from tonight - for the freeviewers amongst us, and those who fancy being on a starship a few light years away. For anyone else there is X-somethingorother and SPOTY. Miffed they have moved his dark materials to 9pm. My evening is all mucked up now. But I mind less as my amaretto laced mice pies were lush, and I am also a lush now. tee hee hee.

abundant1972

Evening all...

Thank you F0xh0les and Mothernerd for your kind thoughts and wishes. I think shopping and comfort eating is definitely an addiction, and I notice of late when I am not doing that I feel restless and will binge-watch TV. I feel I am avoiding 'something' inside... and I am meant to just sit with it and do some minfulness, and let it come to the surface. I recently split with my partner of over a year, and got ongoing stuff with Mum and Dad, so am sure I've pushed some emotions away...

That said, when you hear about things like your niece Toni'sFriend - it puts life in perspective. Sending you big hugs.

Well I dodged the meal prep but haven't been out the house so finally clocked another NSD...

Today = NSD number 6

Might have an early night tonight, but I am going to do some mindfulness... and try to be still...

Night all... and thank you again x