NST JUST JUNE

crazy_cat_lady

Mothernerd - I love your strategies for getting stuff done. I've had a couple of days of feeling a bit like I'm swimming in treacle... just getting nowhere with a billion things to do. I've started my latest list of jobs and will continue my strategy of time doing something I want to followed by getting an annoying job or two or three off the list. DD and I are into decluttering now that we've discovered the joy of going to the tip - I've booked another appointment for 10 days time, which should be long enough for us to fill the car again with rubbish and recycling. Easy. I always feel like I'm being productive when I see a list of stuff and I'm crossing things off it - less so when it's all buzzing round in my head.
Thanks all for the comments about my shiny new bathroom - I can confirm that both the bath and the showering are absolutely amazing and I would consider moving into my bathroom if I could The kids love it too, and whilst I am stressed about the debt I am relieved that my bathroom no longer feels like a death trap.
So I've been working very hard with school stuff in between the bathroom fitting and I did four hours yesterday so I could have a day off today. I'm going to visit my dad and stepdad from a safe distance, then I'm going to do a mixture of jobs on the list alongside crochet and watching the box set with dd.

mothernerd

I just want enough money to decide for myself whether money solves everything. (Auntie Acid)
Sorry wrote a long post earlier and it wouldn't let me post - it was only when I came back that it told me I wasn't signed in.
Are there any thing you want more of (I found a 30 day self-love challenge - good ideas but a bit clumsily written) and a couple of similar things with different subjects. I 've not covered exercise, gratitudes or fakeaways which were in the challenge. Otherwise you will have to leave it to serendipity (a happy accident) and however I'm feeling each day and see where my wanderings go. The post I lost was days 1 - 10 of the self-love challenge and half a dozen Auntie Acid quotes.

greent

Today I am thankful for seeing swifts, moorhens and ducks whilst on our walk, for a yummy roast dinner which mainly consisted of things bought YS , for sunshine to line dry 2 loads of washing, for DD helping DS2 with an overdue piece of schoolwork, for having a sensible quote to have our fencing done which the neighbours also agree is sensible (splitting it, as shared boundary)

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for finishing my 2 weeks exercise challenge, for how good the back garden looks after a quick mow and bit of edge-weeding, for dd finding a really easy-peasy dress pattern and getting most of it cut out, for taking the weekend off from school work, for emails from the step-kids.

mothernerd

Very tired but very happy. Started the day with a frog - swept and mopped both the bathroom and kitchen floors and did the base of the shower again (me bringing in stuff from the garden - mum's insisting I scrub my hands before I get in the shower) which left me extremely out of breath (cough isn't bothersome but any activity pulls at my chest) so had a longish rest before I made dinner (set all the veg up last night and let the frozen ones defrost).

Went outside, watered everything in the polytunnel, brought all the stuff from Thursday's delivery from the shed into the house and rounded up all the veg (will sort that tomorrow - I may be having fish, new potatoes and veg several times this week). Had to do two trolley trips from the shed to the house. Came in through the patio doors and put it all on mum's bed. Sat with my legs up and drank nearly a pint of water, then went back and moved it from mum's bed to my room. Also moved large stones from the bottom of the yard to the space next to the gate as mum wants a rockery on the tiny patch next to the path.

Sat down and put 'Genevieve' on the tv and then the delivery man came. Two more trolley loads to the shed (really want to get things sorted in there - need one of the little 'filing cabinets' in the polytunnel to stand my water butt on (think that's due on Wednesday). A few fridge and freezer items including hot chocolate fudge cake which I left out (there was nowhere in the freezer that would take it, honest). Watched the rest of the film. Had taken prawns out to defrost (think they were bought for Easter) and made myself a large salad (mum had dozed off). Mum has cleaned and organised two cupboards - I took everything out and lined it up on the worktop and put a chair in the kitchen so that she wouldn't hurt herself bending.

We watched the final episode of the crime drama and then mum made me spend half an hour explaining the bits she hadn't got (sun was affecting the picture even though I shut the blinds and she took her hearing aids out because one of them was rubbing her ear). I have replaced the garden chair in the bathroom with the small set of drawers that were beside my bed (all my pills and toiletries are balanced on a large tray for the time being) and I've filled it with soap, toothpaste, cotton wool, antiseptic cream and plasters (if mum catches herself on anything her skin is so thin that she bleeds) and put other stuff in the spaces I've created.

I have found temporary accommodation for most of the things I've brought in. I will need to go back and organise it a bit better but my priority was to get things off the bed and floor. The chest of drawers will be replaced by a trolley I K E A raskog - either one of the two I have at home or buy another (I was planning on getting more as I could afford them). I'm going to be here for at least another 3 months, (more like 6 months to 2 years) and there are quite a lot of things I would like from home but buying new and having them delivered may be cheaper than paying for a man and van or getting DS3 to find the stuff (based on my best estimate of where things are in the house) and bring a taxi load here.

Today I am grateful for getting things done, especially the tough jobs (I quite often mop the floor using wet rags and doing a shuffle walk round standing on them), for having supplies, for using what we have, for lovely lamb dinner wjth lots of veg, for managing not to rip my tatty dress any more, for the bed, for reducing the number of painkillers I am using, for chocolate fudge cake and prawn salad. 

Toni'sfriend

Spent yesterday in bed with a blinding headache caused by an ongoing sinus problem which flares up now and again. Better today.

On NSD No 16 so I suppose that's a silver lining of staying away from the shops. 

Got lots to catch up on and the gas man is coming to do the annual safety check on Wednesday so I have to empty cupboards so he can get into the boiler and meter. I didn't think they would be doing checks at the moment but I suppose if it's a safety issue they have to try to keep going.

Better get on then. Back later.

mothernerd

June Challenge Day 22
Exercise your Gratitude muscles
Quotes
Gratitude helps you fall in love with the life you already have
Gratitude helps you see what's there instead of what isn't
At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us   (Albert Schweitzer)
We can complain that roses have thorns or be grateful that thorns have roses (it's how you look at things)

And for days when you can think of nothing to be grateful for, a few gentle reminders
1)   The air you breathe Be grateful for each new day and the clean air you breathe (much improved by wfh)
2)    A comfortable bed Be grateful for a comfortable bed and a good night's sleep, there are so many people who do not have this luxury. (As someone who went through a pregnancy with terrible back ache because my partner refused to check the bed - when I could safely turn the bed over myself I found that the base was a thick piece of cardboard with 3 supporting slats. The middle most important one was broken in a V that touched the floor. I then went through a divorce sleeping on a makeshift bed on the landing made from turning a wardrobe onto it's back, putting a piece of cut to size board on top with a thin eiderdown as a mattress. When he finally moved out, I slept on a mattress on the floor. Finally I bought myself a proper bed, even though I couldn't really afford it, because I had so many other things to worry about that I needed a good night's sleep). It's better than a pavement though.
3)   A roof over your head With so many people being homeless, be grateful to have shelter, a place to call home
4)   Running water Hot and cold water is a luxury that many parts of the world still do not have. Be grateful for access to instant water (ask ccl)
5)    Clean clothes to wear Open your wardrobe and see lots of clothes. Be grateful for the choice you have
6)   Opening the blinds to a beautiful new day (you have never seen this day before)
7)   You have food to eat Throughout the world, many are starving (even in our country 1 in 4 parents regularly goes without food so that their children can eat - many are in full time employment)
8)   Your family is well and supportive Your family supports you in many ways. Just being there. Loving you. Thinking of you. (yah boo sucks to any toxic relatives - just do what you can, but keep your boundaries)

I'm going to stop there (before I press the wrong button and my post disappears). Please ignore any erratic spellings, I seem to have 'press the key next to the one you want' disease today. 

mothernerd

Feeling good, tackling the frogs first thing is working and I woke up energised (helping it along with a little caffeine and a cheeky chocolate biscuit (had breakfast and was still stomach grumblingly hungry - I have two packs of chocolate hobnobs and when they are gone, that's it for the month).
Have cleared two whole drawers in the big wooden set of drawers (the ones mum said she was putting in here for me to use and then only left me half a drawer). Two old towels have been squeezed into a drawer with 2 other old towels (think these are being kept for hair perming or any stray wet dogs who may visit). Moved tins out of the top of the wardrobe (was trying to keep things separate until I managed to count and record it) to get at my t-shirts. Tins are in a bag for life against a wall (so there will be no disasters caused by standing on stray tins when I'm mauling with sheets and can't see where I'm going). 
I've unearthed my new sheets (bought with present money) brought from home several weeks ago (not been back for 5 weeks now) and am going to strip the bed and then layer it with sheets. I will take the top one off when it is dirty/weekly/ sooner if it's hot and humid and I want to feel fresher - I did this before I had my hip operation and it worked well. I am also hoping to find my phone.
Have had 3 deliveries so far: a book, a 0.5 l can of paint (fford blue, quite expensive but lasts 7 years and will cover most things including the 'eyesore' dustbin - originally painted a mixture of blue and turquoise tip if you are using odd bits of gloss to renovate old pots and containers, painting the middle bit one colour and the top and bottom bits a different colour then dragging the top and bottom paints into the middle colour looks very effective, then painted cream but now mostly black with odd patches of previous colours).
The water butts have arrived and gorilla tape and another little can of paint (cornflower blue).
So that's my jobs for the whole week sorted for me. I really need to take absolutely everything out of the shed. Last time I did I put two small filing cabinets side by side (they came from a junk shop, they have two shallow drawers and one deep one and mum used to keep her pans in them when she lived at her partner's house) with a set of metal shelves on top (last set of my original setting up house stuff from 1981). I've put hooks at the back of the shed to hold folded up garden chairs and I've been using the remaining floor space to 'hold' shopping coming in from outside (covid-19 is supposed to be able to live for 24 hours on cardboard and 3 days on plastic so I leave stuff there for 3 days and only clean things I need sooner than that). Also been keeping fresh fruit and veg in there. I want the shelves and at least one of the filing cabinets (for the water butt) in the polytunnel
But first I'm going to concentrate on making my space into a cosy retreat so that I can hide in here when I need a break (sometimes I need to stretch out on the bed, the recliner chair starts to hurt if I sit there too long) especially as I am cutting back drastically on painkillers (demand was outstripping supply). I hope as I keep doing things I will regain some strength and suppleness but will be careful not to do too much at once.
Today I am grateful for deliveries (I get excited about water butts and shelving and drool over hand tools), still being able to do lots of things as long as I think how to do them, what the most logical order for doing them is, and do a bit at a time and stop to rest between stages.

Calling14

Quick catch up for me, so much for not spending Friday. Popped into Sainsbobs to collect my new bathroom scales from Arges I had ordered. Ended up with new knickers and firm pillows(which I had wanted for ages). Few bits and bobs and £36 gone too much excitement being in a shop. Great night sleep since with pillows ace if you sleep on your side.

Saturday Powerwashing decking  and painting rest of love seat. Took hrs -result sciatica all night. NSD

Sunday Lazy day no choice ached all over, walk near beach, ice cream fell into my paws so small spend.

Today back in work, trying to look busy, Hate it being quiet, going to take a couple of days off this week and enjoy the sun hopefully if it comes back. Spent today, bought paint brushes from local hardware shop bit pricer than I would usually pay, but independent trader and his first day back and no queues to get in his shop. Needed milk and some fruit as well.

If rain not forecast I may start on decking painting later even though I dislike the paint colour when I opened it. Got it now!

Today is day 1 of me trying to lose weight. Jumped on scales this morning 13st 12lbs only going to weigh myself on Mondays. Not sure what the rest of my plan is? Get more active and eat a lot less.

Grateful for

No real stress in my life

Daughter has made it to Vancouver Island from NZ now isolating there for 2 weeks before starting her new job.

No rain as yet today.

f0xh0les

Not feeling the love today. 2 kids back at school, one announced he had 'forgotten' to pack any pens or paper when we were less than 1 minute from the school - he was told to pack his bag at the weekend - so manic trip to Tesco, and me throwing him out on the school car park (parents not allowed on school car park) 4 minutes late.  I am so ashamed!   Then 90 minutes later, other child decided to lie about having done his homework, and pretend, and then was found out, and so was 20 minutes late for his lesson, resulting in a Sweeney-esque screech to a halt and throwing his lazy carcass out the door (parents still not allowed on the car park).  So ashamed.

So, today seems to be 'Lie to Mum Day'  or possibly just ' Get found out day' or 'Comeuppance Day'.  Either way I am gutted, have a stress headache, and am ready to make them live under a bridge near a field of goats.  Trip, trap, trip.trap, trip, trap, trip....  

Today can only get better (unless one of them announces he is pregnant). The only way is up. Lies love daylight.  A pox on the school run. 

Gratitudes: School run was over by 1pm,  DH being lovely about everything, mangoes.