NST: November 2020 - Madness!!!

Shrewbie

Hello everyone especially new turtles!! 

Haven’t managed to find the time to post much so far, even though I’m not quite working full time, it’s the most I’ve worked since March and i’m trying to get used to the schedule!!

Here are my goals for this month, better late than never. 

March to a different beat. 

I am trying to change career for the second time in my life. It requires courage to make a decision despite not being 100% it is the right one, but a choice needs to be made. I am hoping that online freelance teaching will give me the flexibility to  make the change. Much research has been done and the “why” question has been answered. Now is time for action. Everyday I will do something towards this goal. 

Alternate spending -  at least 15 NSDs – 

I am only on 2 NSDs. Mainly due to splitting the shopping bill over a few days. We are doing okay with the food budget (a few takeaways but we always buy on the deal days €6 for a family size pizza which is enough for me and bf. When we eat out we choose tasty but cheap places. Our favourites are a taco bar where we can eat for €5 each and bars which do topped toasts for  €4-5) However I am trying to cut down on alcohol, not that I drink a lot but trying to consider a bottle of wine at home rather than going out on both Friday and Saturday nights for example.  So I am putting a 2 drink per night limit on myself this month which I have stuck to so far (last night anyway hahaha) Bars are still open in Madrid but any potential lockdown will help with this as long as we don’t fall into the trap of drinking too much at home. 

Donate – pass items on to charity shops, to friends, to friends of friends. 

bf has donated to a food bank back in the uk and i aim to do the same here in spain.

I have helped out my oldest youngest sister who was struggling with money. 

Nesting – it is your house, in the middle of your street.

Need hot water bottles and new slippers/socks. Considering a trip to Pr1mani but i hate the place. Last time I went i think I almost had a panic attack in the crowds. dropped my basket full of items and hot footed it out of  the place. Will try other options.  Going to put up some paintings we did at a “sip and paint” session last month. 

Exercise to your level and enjoy yourself. 

I have not been doing too well with cardio this week but have been loving daily yoga (with adriene on utube) and I think that is helping with neck/back issues from not having a proper chair for working. That is also a cost I will need to bear this month. bf has ordered a fancy chair so I will see what his is like. 

I am going to try and get out to exercise while we still can. I doubt that we will have a strict a lockdown as last March (where we couldn’t go out even for exercise. People were apparently borrowing dogs from others just so they’d have an excuse to go out) 

Spending. It has to be done. But we can control it.

Extra costs this month will be a headset and possibly a monitor and office chair but I will try to get these next month. If I  don’t get to go home for the Dec day I will send home parcels. Going to keep an eye out for possible items today. I will only buy for close family and a friend who’s just had a baby. 

Stay strong and true to yourself

So true that everything ends at some point. I did a free 10 day meditation course in the summer and really felt like I was further along in being able to understand the meaning of impermanence. It requires a change in thinking that I thought I was never capable of but I think I'm learning. 

thanks again apple for the thread, it really is motivating to read what you have all been up to. Grateful also for some good classes this week with interesting students, for bf wanting to do yoga with me this morning, for a cosy warm flat. 

apple_muncher

Hi turtles!

We are a week into November, so have a look over the weekend at one aspect of MADNESS to focus on this week. (and there's no pressure to do this - I have good intentions on the weekend that just fly out of the window by Monday morning!)

I plan to do more prep for that day by ordering some presents online, but not from the big river company if I can help it.

f0xh0les

NSD 5, gifted some divan drawers and one of the huge 1kea cardboard boxes via a local giving site, went out to a local place that rescues food from supermarkets, and bought a bag of food for cheaper than ys prices. Honestly, 30p for bags of dried currants, raisins, sultanas and peel. I now have everything I need for homemade C-Puds C-Cake and M-Pies.  DH gave me £15 to go and play with,  and after rescuing my haul, I was able to give him back more than £10 and I shan't need any more d/f butter until next year easily. I shall support them again. Amazing community shop. Next time I will give a bigger donation as well.

Continued with my cleaning and clearing, and currently only have the floors to mop. It does not feel like my house

Gratitudes: having a cuddle with dh (it has been a while since he can raise his left arm  with his frozen shoulder), Trump not getting Pennsylvania, finally having a clear hallway with tidy stairs, and crumpets. Finding a place I want to explore.

lcc86

Evening all. I have spent on the last couple of days, needed some pet stuff and protein powder yesterday which I ordered and also sorted a couple of presents for Xmas today as well. Going to have pizza tonight from a local van, reasonably priced and supporting a local business. 

Did a good upper body workout with my resistance bands and went for a walk, also checked in on parents with a phone call. 

Got loads of annoying jobs around the house done today and then it got to about 3pm and I just sat and read for a bit with a cup of coffee, which was a lovely indulgence. 

mothernerd

More soil and stone sorting. Had a strange night alternately very tired and wide awake and unable to get back to sleep - finished my book and was rearranging one of the wardrobes at 4 am (sitting up was more restful than lying down). Working on my room bit by bit and going to do something with craft papers/ glitter felt soon. I was getting somewhere but then a tray full of stuff took a nosedive off the bed.

More frustration with ordering things. Had a couple of craft orders (need two particular grey threads to complete the cross stitch for Beloved, need a zip to sew a cushion together and pva glue has all gone) and was getting seduced by gorgeous craft goodies, then pared it back to the bone (wooden shapes to use as templates and a different type of embroidery cloth - makes up much faster and uses up a lot of thread) to make it up to a reasonable amount then had trouble at the till (the bank wanted to send a one time code to a phone number I don't recognise). So another NSD as can't be bothered - found a good clothes site but everything I looked at was only available in odd sizes and no filter for putting in the size you wanted.

Went in the 'toy cupboard' and have some colouring/ sticker books to use as a guide for some decorative templates (some animal, some trad ) so feeling happier. Will use what I have.

Today I am grateful for no rain (another dry day and I may be able to sweep the yard properly - patches of soil/ mud have gathered here and there and are too wet to scrape up), for finding two barely worn grey tunics (thought there was only one) so won't have to wear my nightie during the day, for not knowing what I want or where I am going but at least understanding the problem so can formulate a plan to get things moving in the right direction.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for waking up naturally, for having fun with my workout, for digging over more of the garden + removing skinny saplings and replanting a goose bush, for dd enjoying time with a neighbour, for a parcl of pressies arriving.

facethemusic

Saturday- NSD 5/18. Have some a bit of sorting and tidying in the house, but really done the minimum today to get by! Tomorrow I have a list and I WILL get stuff done 🤣. 

Fmess

Sorry all for my absence the November madness has definitely hit. School is crazy and as of Friday I am isolating but attempting to teach from home, which is a huge task and far harder than being in work. On the positives, I’ll save two weeks of fuel, I can’t physically spend in the shops and I can only eat what bf provides or we already have.

ditty1234

@facethemusic you're a top stepper, yesterday I managed 5000 just around the house as have been put under self isolation with whole house hold after trip to mink infested country over half term. All seems a bit pointless, as nobody are ill and no calls received, but I will do it anyways. 
So am grateful for my friend who did my weekly shop yesterday and for boys managing their frustration!
Made a proper meal plan though and dog walking neighbour can get extra bits if needed. Will probably write my whole november plan up later today. As don't have much todo - as the grand family walk is off. 

apple_muncher

Yikes fmess! How does it work? Do you send in cover work or are you doing live classes from home with another adult in the classroom the other end to supervise the pupils? Do you need a test yourself? Please don't keep teaching if you are poorly!