NST April 2020: Fools we are not!

mothernerd

I was out early feeding 'my' wild birds - they were all out there twittering at my lateness yesterday. Made a start on tree planting, cut two strips of weed suppressant fabric to line a large basket (water will be able to escape but the soil will stay in), moved the half empty bag of new compost and the sack of last year's coir compost from under the water butt to where the basket was. Leant forward to start scooping out with a medium plant pot and the walker rolled backwards as I went forwards and I landed on the flags, not far and not too hard but expecting bruises. I'm getting better at getting myself up off the floor (always a positive in every situation).

Did some paperwork. Got in touch with a local firm and will have a delivery of meat, cheese and a steak pie on Wednesday. I have had their details for a week but have to balance how much space there is in mum's 3.5 freezer drawers against the possibility of them being fully booked and not taking on any new customers. Got through first time much to my relief (another offer of help has fallen through and still not managed a SM slot). Had considered musclefoods and discovered a group of yorkshire farmers online this morning but am pleased to be able to go with the local option. These people started on the market two years ago and recently moved onto the main shopping street taking over a double fronted former travel agency shop. Passed several times and it's always looked inviting but haven't had time to go in for a look round.

Made lunch for us both (mum had another portion of korma, I had 3 bits of bacon with leftover cabbage from yesterday + the remainder of the bag in the freezer) and then went to read for a bit. Ordered the roses and lavender to make mum's little garden (original plan was for me to grow the roses from cuttings but I can't do that now) and some large bucket tubs for me (well for the fruit trees). Nothing glamourous, basic hard-wearing black bucket tubs (I have 4 that I bought several years ago from the same firm). I have a food list and a random list of items that would be useful - food is if anyone offers to pick up things/ get a SM slot and going to try and order as many of the 'missing bits' from one supplier. I have saved every bottle/ tin/ cardboard box for use as a possible planter/ cloche/ craft use - going to offer the larger boxes to neighbours with children on the residents bookface page.

I also returned the egg boxes and a couple of extras to the milkman as I believe they are in short supply. Read an article on the 'empty shelves' phenomenon which concluded that it was mainly due to every shopper adding an extra 2 or 3 items to their regular shop. Major SM all work on the just in time principle (lorry loads of stuff brought in at night to restock what has sold during the day, mainly ordered months in advance - this year's easter eggs were probably ordered 18 months ago) and cannot cope with any extra demand. At 'C' when they expect people to buy extra they use every extra space they can (above the shelves, any odd corner for storage and of course the huge displays of chocolate tubs).

Had a lazy afternoon (read and dozed) and just been out to check on the polytunnel plants and pull some rhubarb for mum (so the leaves can go in the green bin). Had to remind her it was only Monday.

Today I am grateful for good books, local traders, co-operation and thoughtfulness, looking at budgets (will report tomorrow).

f0xh0les

Went and bought loo roll today, went to Farm F00ds, the little boys on the till were telling me they had not run short of anything there, had never run out of loo rolls, never run out of bread or milk or pasta and could not understand why people were not coming in to them, while it is the big supermarkets where people can park and fill up their trolleys that are complaining about shortages.  So I bought my TP and so you can all stop worrying about me and mine now .  Having said that the Polar Bear shop had a queue of about 40 pensioners stood outside waiting for the shutters to come up at 9am.  All the people I saw walking along in the sunshine with their little cloth bags were white haired older people.  I would say I did not see a single person under the age of 60.

Sadly, one of the mums from the school gates posted that her mum died this morning from covid. So now I feel it is real. It has touched someone I know.

I was woken at 3.30am by slutty foxes doing what they do best, loudly, and when I went out to hang out my washing at 7am, one of my big heavy planters was on its side in the middle of the yard, instead of tucked neatly up against the wall where it was when I went to bed. Burglar Bill has obviously been trying door handles last night.  So check you keep your doors and windows locked chaps.  Most burglaries are through open windows/doors.  Please check before you go to bed.  People are getting desperate - people  who usually rely on  begging and have a dependancy on drugs or alcohol to feed, are doing awful things - our local post office has had to put up a sign on the door and block off some aisles  as people are stealing bacon and cheese, and our local newsagent got bopped on the head, the till emptied,  and her car nicked by regular customers she actually knew and could identify. 

Gratitudes - having my doors locked last night, having enough loo rolls, making a very tasty biryani for tea, LOVE.

greent

NSD - haven't been anywhere at all (as in haven't even left the boundary of our property) - was outside for a good couple of hours or so digging over the strawberry bed with DS1, though - we've done most of it once now - plan is to go over with a fork tomorrow (spades today) and then dig in the 'ready' compost (can then leave the 2nd compost bin to do its thing and re-start on the then empty one) and then re-plant the strawberries (dug up last year due to weeds taking over the plot and lots of runners rooted on)

Grateful for: getting more shredding done (although have stopped emptying it into compost for now as there is so much - have filled cereal boxes and put in recycling instead), DS1's help in the garden, catch up tv whilst ironing, sorting some things from the caravan (ready to get rid of it when we can!), a dry day

BadBookkeeper

Nice to read lots of positive activities from everyone.  I’m ok in the day but come 8pm I just don’t want to be in the lounge any longer, too early to go to bed, bored but can’t be bothered to do anything or maybe it’s just Monday!!
NSD 3/15
Grateful for:
DS coping well
Internet
Day going quick
Being well
NSD

facethemusic

Monday- NSD 4. Nothing else to report, all the days are the same! 
Gratitides- still being allowed to exercise outdoors (I assume if exercise is banned we will still be allowed to walk our dog, but am slightly worried), having a garden to spend time in, DD being cooperative about doing things today, a cat sat on my knee having cuddles, a tv show that DD and I both enjoyed. 

PurpleFairy26

Another NSD. Lovely walk locally which we all enjoyed. 

Cleaned the oven with old fashioned elbow grease. Gratefuls:
food delivery
leftovers for lunch
pavlova using left over egg whites
getting rest of winter coats washed and dried  

misstara

NSD 5/20 today   Grateful for a lovely walk in the sunshine after work, getting a load of washing dried outside, skyping my mum, hm banana bread, knowing that I won't have to brave the supermarket for a while.

apple_muncher

BBK - could you have 8pm as your time to do something specific? Like sit and read, do word puzzles, sew/knit/craft, have a dance, do a workout?!

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Morning everyone
Sorry i didn't post yesterday.  i started the work day early so i could finish early.  Still stretching out my tasks but i do still have stuff to do...  Had to pay union subs so that scuppered my NSD - hadn't realised my subs ran out months ago and need union advice re previous job so hoping union will still help me.
DD1 made tea while i did exercise class via Fb and then DD2 and i went for a walk; we walked past the local row of shops and it was so quiet it felt like the middle of the night.  Watched last episode of Liar on plus 1!  DD2 got really upset and couldn't sleep - in essence what is the point of life when we are all going to die!  We had a nice chat and i'm glad she could talk to me.
Gratitudes: inspiring exercise teacher; DD1 made tea; DD2 for talking to me; sunshine to dry the washing; all meals from supplies.
Deni x

abbi_aurelia

Thanks apple, so on 4NSD. I seem to have an ant invasion in the kitchen, think OH may reseal around a door on Thursday when off to see if that stops the blasted things. Grateful for the weather and being able to put the washing out, LO grabbing my hand and taking me for a walk around the room (so cute) and for having the next book in a series as the one I just finished ended on a bit of a cliffhanger