NST Amazing August

ditty1234

Today I am grateful for a slouchy day i did not do much, but I did not do nothing, I did not diet, but I did not overeat, i wasn't particularly productive but I wasn't unproductive. I sat by the swimming lake and looked at the clouds and the swimmers, and got an idea for what to get my mom for her 80s, I went sloe berry picking with a bunch of ladies and got a link to do a skills test/personality test for my ongoing job/life review. 
So am grateful for friends of friends and for lovely clouds and for getting soaked in a shower, and for my jeans almost falling off due to my slight shrinkage. 

mothernerd

Yesterday was a quiet peaceful day. I stayed in my room once I'd decided that going back to my house (yard only, green bin will be emptied again this week and I wanted to clear more of the brambles and leave the bin ready for collection - don't know if DS3 put it out last time). Mum had already sorted her lunch (tinned soup) so I only emerged again when I felt hungry (body clock out of flunter) and then she had gone for a lie down. 

I sewed whilst watching 'North and South' (not seen it, not read it unlike the Austen's and the Brontes) and later on started to assemble 'Sunday lunch' (takes ages because mum wants all the veg well done). Still working on the first large piece of embroidery  although I thought it was done two weeks ago. I have picked up odd missed stitches, added six rows of cross stitch onto the top and bottom, an extra row on each side (didn't like the white space between the embroidery and the matte) and done 3 rows of outlining.

Mum emerged for the last 2 episodes and shortly before food was ready, I gave her a cup of tea and sent her to sit down. She didn't want to watch 'Call the Midwife' (she thinks it's peculiar that I do) so I left her to watch football and not funny comedies, played a game for a little while and then read (Friday's delivery included the next 3 in two different series). Had a good night's sleep but think I need a few of the same to be fully operational.

I've put going to town on hold. I might as well get mum's tax return done and post that (not sure about the post box near us any longer - not yet heard from my sleep department people, my appointment was July and I sent the info disc and survey off weeks ago). Mummy of twins visited briefly (another either side of the front window with the top window open for hearing and the blind drawn back so we could see) and I have passed on 2 items off my list to her (she asked me rather than accepting mum's "we're fine"). I asked for two large bags of compost for me (hard for me to transport) and she's going to the 'farm shop' to get mum's requested plate pies and the cheese we loved at Easter (Lancashire with spring onions - they were sold out when I went on 'taking my library books day).

Mummy of twins says the ban on mixing households ends for us on Wednesday so I've agreed she can have a 'socially distanced visit' in the garden (must scrub visitor's chair and little table) when the children go back to school next week (starting nursery for the twins) in between taxi duty. Her eldest starts senior school (high school? post 11 school) but she hasn't managed to get her a place on the school bus. Her DS2 continues at her current school but I think not full time, the twins are going 3 half days and sister's son goes part-time but not the same days/ times (that would be too simple) all accompanied by putting correctly sized car seats in and out of the car.

So I'm showered but back on the bed. I got hungry late on, ate too much and am not hungry now (no breakfast). I've a lot to think about and plan so I'm working on the 'food, clothes, bills, today, this week, this month' and 'start from where you are, use what you have, do what you can'. So that's a tuna butty when I get hungry, possibly cauli cheese for tea (made bacon soup and rice salad yesterday), a few clothes in the washer along with the bath mats and towels as it's a good drying day (scrub shower screen, base and mop floor), mum's tax return. Mum's birthday at the end of the week (card?, food?, present?) and dear d-i-l's in September (card from mum to be posted, need to decide if I send the completed sampler or if I have time to finish the other one and where the safest place for posting is).

apple I think you should do September unless someone else leaps forward (come on turtles). I will do October's and I've done September at least twice including the original September Squirrels (formation of the turtles when we took over from Kat - see brilliant NSK challenges).

Today I am grateful for this bed, a pleasant sunny day (not overly oppressive), for time to think and plan, for my sense of humour, for my 'adopted' brother who always played the fool saying that if people were laughing at him, they weren't calling anyone else, for my mother, whom I love dearly, even though I want to strangle her sometimes. She's tidied the bit of windowsill next to where I sew, the rag bag has tripled in size because it now has all the pieces of fine cotton I pulled out to make the inners for lavender bags.

Calling14

Hiya everyone and wow Fmess glad to see you back and hear your lovely news. Can't wait to hear more.

Not a lot to report, paid for drive on Friday. Did lidlee shop on way home from work £30 spend.

Saturday - made a huge veggie lasagne which batch frozen. Grandkids arrived demanding Pancakes, made them, went to local park and popped onto the beach after. Great fun day out. No spending.

Sunday Went and did cleaning job as it was raining. Looked around a local outlet store, bought a lovely dress for work for a tenner and treated myself to beet dinner. Blackberry picking after and a walk.

Grateful for

Man bearing gifts, Sunday morning - neighbour seen me blackberry picking Friday and promised me some cooking apples to go with them. Got loads of Bramleys.

Finally sorting out car insurance, now some companies charge to renew with them, mine was charging £20. Cancelled from renewal date and taken same insurance, same company out through my bank and no renewal fee and they also give me £20 in vouchers back.

Weight not gone up but ate too much naughty food and no proper exercise, running after children doesn't really count

Fmess

Hi calling, glad to see so many of you are still on here
SFD here, went to the zoo but bought a membership at the beginning of the summer and my friend bought me an ice cream for carrying her rucksack whilst she carried her toddler all morning. Now back home and will be spending the afternoon in the sun, catching up on jobs and a little back to school prep.

apple_muncher

How is your workload looking for next year, fmess? You were doing about 3 peoples' jobs before...

Toni'sfriend

I really feel for all you teachers. You do such a difficult and important job and I just don't think you get the recognition you deserve.

I have to confess to spending today. Bought some clothes and things for my holiday. I've put on so much weight I can hardly fit into anything I have. So I'm trying hard to loose weight slowly so it stays off and I want to look reasonable whilst I'm doing it. A few pretty tops in nice colours and some new underwear that I'm not bulging out of in all directions. I did resist the temptation to buy any more black trousers. The one's I can fit into will have to do.

Got all my washing done and dried. Just about to go and bring it in. I do washing about once a week. Twice maybe if I do some for the Boy. My neighbours all seem to have lines full every day. 

Right. Off the check the dinner in the slow cooker.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for getting dd out of the house and walking up to c0sta, for getting the 50% off in said coffee house (I'd forgotten all about it and even queried if they had added everything to the bill!), for my next 1000 piece jigsaw, for good coffee, for tech.

f0xh0les

Today I am grateful for  biting my tongue while being patronized by a man I volunteer with.  He has blotted his copy-book and no mistake.  For coming home just after 8 and dh having saved me some supper (lovely man), and for remembering the towels were on the line before I go to bed, as it is supposed to rain tonight.  There were about 9 on the line, now safely gathered in and dry.

For lists, so I know what I am supposed to be doing, even while I am not doing it.  

Fmess

Luckily I am back to doing just my own job and it’s the one I applied for originally so I’m quite happy with that.  How are your back to school plans looking apple?  Ours are so complex, every year group has different start, finish, break and lunch times which means that I start, finish and have breaks with the classes I have at that particular hour. Plus now all students stay in the classrooms and the teachers are mobile. It’ll be crazy but hopefully safe!

Today will be spendy. We are going out to dinner but my boyfriend and I put money aside at the beginning of the month, so that is covered from that pot I need to do lots of jobs today but the weather is so wet, I am having a slow start to the day.

apple_muncher

Fmess - we're 'lucky' in that we're a small school, so only slightly staggered start + end, and breaks + lunch are all taken within the usual timings. KS3 stay in rooms mostly + teachers move; KS4 and 5 are separate bubbles and they + staff move between certain rooms. Each year group has a certain entrance/exit point to the building. It's not much different for me from what I've been doing as a part-timer, but it'll be a shock to some full timers who are used to having 'their' room! And, of course, there's always the chance of having to teach classes remotely - either they are at home or I am!

Reminds me of Holly from Red Dwarf... disembodied head on a screen, and all that...