NST February 15 for February

Buffythedebtslayer

lcc86 said:

@Buffythedebtslayer sending hugs to you and your bun.

Thank you XXX He is eating and a little perkier today. Took one lot of meds but won't take the other lot. But I will try again in a bit. 
Today should be housework and tip but that depends on how well Mum is. 
I think I might buy her a foot spa.....the latest diagnosis is some form of inflammatory arthritis. It is supposed to help. 
XX 
 

apple_muncher

abundant1972 said:

My Gratitude List: 

3)    something you created - helped create a stable home for Mum and Dad the last few years

Big shout out to you for this, abundant!!!!

mothernerd

Buffy love and  hugs to the poorlie bunny.
Report on yesterday Friday 5th February
Intention  a relaxing quiet day (painting clothes into the washer, put on a pretty dress, sew, read, watch something fun, potter)
Waking thoughts  Everything working fairly well. Painting wrist aching, neck and back not 100% but improving (found the ibu gel)
Pampering Ease into the day, spent more time on moisturising, added a couple of 'maintenance' tasks I don't include every day (would never get anything else done if I did them all every day + some things make other problems worse). Cut my hair (just did the really irritating bits last time)
Something for others Sorted out the family tree bits for mum to send to her cousin's son. Cut down the task by working on the portion from my grandma down (+ adding names of her parents and grandparents from mum's scribbles), added more detail to notes made by another cousin and said could send further info on a different branch (going outwards to explain where my grandma's cousins fit - mum has told him some of this anecdotally but can't remember what she's already told him).
Outside To move painted slats (raised bed bits) from tops of bins (mostly okay but some bits need a bit more work - next week unless Sunday is fine) add accumulated recycling to various bins and sweep/ move anything that might hinder the window cleaner who was across the road
Speculation  window cleaner is having sex with the woman across the road (highly unlikely, he probably just sat in his car eating his lunch) but developing a rich and vibrant fantasy life for the neighbours is fun (and it did take him an hour to move ten yards)
Prepared to go into town (have been meaning to for the last two weeks but not sure I want to). Couldn't find my purse so took my outer layer off, then found it.
Plan get out the cash mum owes me, try to find birthday cards (mum wouldn't even look at the ones I found on the internet so I didn't order any and she assumed I had) or craft materials to start making our own (she's been looking at the Baker-Ross catalogue and has got up to a theoretical £140 spend without all the basics she would need - strange fantasy explanation involving card making, making things with children and the Church bleep, bleep, bleep December Fair).
In Town  1) Cash from machine and balances for both accounts.
2) HB had cards but £1 plus each (I've weaned mum onto 10 or 20 cards for a £ but was aiming for 50p each as a realistic target), however bought some medical bits, several crafty items for cards, and some foodie bits (liquorice for mum) including the two missing ingredients so could delay main shop to middle of next week
3) Pound emporium. Absolutely terrifying. Was keeping a safe distance from those in front of me but the old man behind me kept coming up close and other people weaved past me (did get more ibuprofen). Got very close to yelling at people. Turned the corner to the craft section and people with plague rats were letting them choose their own accessories for returning to school (help). Did my best to socially distance (think they have removed an aisle so a bit more safe, could have had one person browsing shelves on each side) but once I'd picked up packs of card blanks and some of the things on my 'possible' shopping list I was glad to go to the checkout and leave. Both the nearest benches were occupied so I decided I could make it to the final stopping point only to find the bench there was full.
4) Shop with post office counter is closed (letter to Australia from mum) but the puzzle book shop was open (last time I will have to do this as I've put it on subscription and the next issue will be delivered here on the 25th). Bought some Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth books (ones I haven't read), struck lucky with sticker books on offer at 5 for £5 so have enough unicorns, mermaids, pirates and some stuff I can cut up for borders and backgrounds (aiming for half a dozen children's cards for March/ April and have told mum she can use some of the wallpaper I bought for covering cube boxes to make some adult cards - it's neutral colours with gold highlights and features hearts, angel wings and inspirational words). Was considering the little bus but very out of breath (sat in the bus station for a break) so walked to my usual taxi firm
Grateful to get 'home' (mum's)
Proud of myself  resisted the temptation to go in Greggs and other excellent pie shops (local, renowned, award-winning)
Tasks locked gate, brought stuff in, put milk bottles and money out, more recycling, stripped off my clothes and mask, added them to the painting clothes and set the washer going, showered, put a dress on, sat and ate, showed mum the purchases and how we can use them (I have numbers - didn't see any but one of the alphabet letters packs had them at the back). She liked them but 'how much of my money have you spent' - well no where near £140 . We both ate - think my blood sugar was very low. Mum asked my to find her a film.
Internet playing up. Couldn't connect, diagnostics, got it back and it failed multiple times, found mum's address book (I put the little sticker with codes and passwords in the back). Finally had to scrabble around on the floor in a spider's web of wires. Did the turning it off and leaving it for 10 minutes before turning it back on. Modem flashed red, then pink. Checked multiple connections, box went green, then blue. Hauled myself up off the floor (always an adventure - not a lot of room behind the pulled out armchair). Tried laptop and it worked So grateful
Rest mum watched two films and I went for a lie down and read part of the new book (need a break from heavy multiple murder mysteries). Started a puzzle but couldn't concentrate. Some stretches to ease the hurty bits. Went back to the front room and worked on my embroidery (didn't need the pattern - on the laptop - as I was working a mirror image of work already done). Got the laptop back, mum went to bed, came on here and read some of your posts but too tired to post myself. Slept, and slept.

Grateful for getting done what needed to be done, some lucky 'finds' - there are some things that will need to be bought (replacement light, scissors for cutting borders - just children's ones to make wavy and zigzag lines, food at some point, more arch pads for my feet), for unicorns and mermaids and pirates (my 35 yo niece may get a card with angel wings on the front and her inner lego pirate on the inside), for lego, Doctor Who, books and The Beatles (my constant friends since childhood), for some relaxing Going to have bits yesterday. Right breakfast time now.

Porridgecat

f0xh0les said:

We had the venison come to us too, and crates of muddy beetroot and celeriac - the van before ours could not collect their whole allocation, so we got ours and what was left of their order as well.  Our foodbank looks like a fruit and veg market stall! Last year it was Venison curry, so ragu is not quite as weird.

I'm glad we dodged that one, probably on our order for next week. We're also building up a very impressive tuna mountain. They keep sending us 48 tins a week. I might take some down to the local food bank next week as they're always short of it. 

Porridgecat

Had a lovely meet up on Internet last night with a group of friends. We tried to play scatagories (Spelling?) but never got around to actually adding up scores. Lots of fun though and far too much wine drunk. 
Mr Porridge has gone shopping, with a strict list, we don't need much but he is very capable of spending on all sorts that he thinks is:a bargain, interesting, just looked nice. He has to go as he does his mum's as well. 
I've baked two sourdough loaves this morning but the dough was much too soft. The end result tastes good but the texture of the crust is all wrong. I now have another recipe to try, this last one was one of the many steps variety. 
Today I'm grateful for good friends, an understanding and indulgent other half, edible bread and having time to experiment with recipes.

lcc86

@Buffythedebtslayer have you tried mixing the meds with something like banana? Always works a treat with mine, I know banana isn't great for them but when it's a choice between that and fighting a feisty bunny I always choose the banana!

Am going to declare a NSD now, was on call this morning but didn't have to go in. Going to go for a walk soon and watch It's a Sin as keep hearing good stuff about it. 

Shrewbie

The snow is now but a faded dream apple! Yesterday it almost seemed like spring here. A friend of mine in Mallorca had 20 degrees the other day. 

Do any of you have snow over there?

Food - batch cooked this week but nothing crazy. The usual stuff. Want to try a new recipe next week. 

Fakeaways - on not one but TWO occasions this week bf has ordered takeaway while I am finishing my last class of the day so I can’t object. So a veg burger for me on Weds and a pizza on Thurs. Although it may have been a case of me doth protesting too much this week, I am under strict instructions to ban him from doing this next week. 

Finances I am  on NSD 3. Have done sort-of well this week although I do owe bf some cash for the 2 takeaways of shame. This only amounts to €10 though, which could be worse. Today so far i am having an NSD but I’m not going to call it yet. 

Feelings, focus, Family - spoke to my  dad yesterday. Will call my mother and sisters tomorrow.

Flights of fancy - work in progress. Feel very motivated and am making some progress with the things I want to improve in order to change career.

Fun - went to another language exchange last night. It was really nice to see ppl in the flesh. I stopped at 2 glasses of wine :-)

Doing well with reading, mediating. Could do better with exercise although I did go to the gym today. Go me. 

Grateful for new gym clothes, amazing free podcasts and for some students making progress. 

f0xh0les

Today is NSD3, just made (and then ate ) scones, and I have two loaves of soda bread fresh out of the oven.  Really I was tidying up all the odds and ends of packets of things in the pantry, so it was rye/chapatti blend,/artisan s/r/dregs of a bag of el cheapo plain flour.  Makes a rustic loaf, and never the same twice.   But it does mean I will not run out of bread before Monday and the kids can go and slice themselves off a bit and do not snack on other things (like my cashew nuts for stir fries) that they find while they are stood in the pantry contemplating the meaning of life.

Home schooling continues - we are now on Thursday!!! -toot toot!-   I am knackered already and losing momentum.

Lunch was soup, supper is a chinese tofu something or other. All from stores, no more spending until Monday, have made nearly £15 on p/a since yesterday, so all good and heading in the right direction.

Weather forecast still predicting light snow here for tomorrow and next week,  will see what actually happens.  

Keep your shells warm Turtle-friends.

Toni'sfriend

NSD No 5. I'm having my usual lazy Saturday. The only things I've done are finalise the Tesco order for us and the Boy and get the dinner sorted out. Actually, I've only taken it out of the freezer and Himself's prepared the vegetables. 

I love venison but curry might be a step too far even for me!!

 abundant - Looking after your parents in such a really difficult situation is an enormous achievement and a wonderful thing to do.  I know how hugely difficult it can be. Well done.

BadBookkeeper

Hello turtles 🐢 
NSD 4/15.  Very nearly wasn’t as heard on the radio about a Chinese cookbook that recipes require only 5 ingredients.  This sounds like my kinda thing and would help with fakeaways but I didn’t press ‘add to basket’ I’ve added it to my wish list to have a think about it.
Made a PAD to cc and transferred money to my 365 1p a day pot.  I’m saving £1000 for Christmas and ds birthday. I made a Christmas tree savings tracker today to colour in as I reach £20 increments (I have a lot of time on my hands and have no interest in cleaning or decluttering today)! 
Nothing else really happening here today.  Forecast snow for later so we’ll see!
Heard a good quote on our local news last night from a 103 year old lady  - make sure you have memories as well as dreams!  How true is that! We live in North Wales and I’ve always wanted to go to the top of snowdonia.  It was booked for last year but got cancelled.  Such a small fantasy and won’t take much to actually achieve so hoping to tick it off this year.  We have a campervan and drive past snowdonia on every camping trip so wouldn’t take much to go.

Need to improve my eating fresh food / exercise, but happy I lost 2lb this week.  One of my goals for 2021 was to lose 21lbs.  However I had a big gain a few weeks ago so now have 24lbs to go 😬!