NST September 2021

nannygladys

Mothernerd - I know I'm not doing the challenge but I do read along and what you said on your last post was very moving and true, we are too hard on ourselves trying to do everything for everybody and not looking after ourselves. Wise lady
Nannyg

ldee2111

NSD 2/20 yesterday but not today. 

OH away since this morning and DS went with grandparents to a park for most of the day. As well as making soup and browsing the CS, I did a good bit of binge watching Outlander. 

My browse in the CS cost £15. Picked up some more games, books and puzzles for DS’s visit from the man with the bag. Really pleased with what I’ve managed to get from the CS. I think that’s DS covered now. If I’d bought the same stuff new, it would easily cost £100. A couple of the things are in fact new - two unopened books and one unopened game! 

Cashed out £45 from tcb which I’d earned from renewing house insurance a few months ago.

I made my first pot of soup in many months - carrot and coriander. Used up the coriander from last night’s fajitas. Had a bowl for lunch and tubbed the rest for lunches. 

Grateful today for time to myself, but also time to appreciate how much I love being around OH and DS. The house is so quiet without them.

greent

Thankful for tasty food, DH doing the supermarket shopping, an afternoon nap, a fun social event (outside and with lots of distancing also going on), for DS3 meeting up with friends and having fun

Thrifty_Taylor

Still on NSD#2
Glad your hospital appointment went well Icc, hubby did cook tea last night. I lifted the bread maker out of the cupboard & grated the cheese, but he was able to roll out the pizza dough & chop the toppings 😃 good news about your son Ditty
Sorry I've been awol a couple of days, been absolutely shattered!
Took mum shopping after my work on Friday, then stopped off in the next village at the Friday night chip van on my way home. Put a film on I'd recorded off the TV whilst we ate, so lovely family time 
Yesterday I met up with a current colleague & 2 former colleagues in a cafe. First time we've been together all year! Great catch up with special friends. Did big monthly shop. Had a nap, then felt able to tidy round, sort out budgets, get more knitting done (a week to go until the big birthday it's for)

Grateful for Mothernerd's wise words, catching up with friends, family time, sunny weather

ldee2111

Not anticipating any spends today so I’m going to claim NSD 3/20 now. 

I’ve done my Sunday Sweep this morning where I sweep underspends in weekly budgets for transport, food, and leisure into savings. We overspent by £3 in transport but underspent by £18 in food and £32 in leisure. I swept £3 to balance transport and £47 into mortgage OP.

A challenge for myself has just popped into my head. It is to make £200 in OP from underspends by end of the year. So as of today I’m £47/200.

Grateful today for having woken up with a clearer head, OH and DS being around, and tea.

DrCarrie

Hi all reporting NSD 1 yesterday. 

Grateful for 
- a break from work
- doing some sewing
- quite a lot of sleep

thriftylass

The AA want £400 to make a new key! Their membership definitely gets cancelled. The city street workers gonna open the drain this afternoon though and try to find the key. Fingers crossed because then he can drive it home and we can get a spare cut for £70. 

Hopefully and SFD today. Off to a walk with the kids soon. 

Made lunches for the week, beef stew in the slow cooker, and some cleaning done. Kids sorted their clothes last night and got a bag ready for the CS. We'll sort their books this afternoon 

Have a good Sunday

mothernerd

Not a lot done on Friday but a few important bits. Checked mum's pills and made a phone call about one that has been missed - trying to get it all on the same prescription for the next delivery (on the 14th) but that was sent through on 26th August. Won't happen next time but an extra delivery of that particular pill. Mum's consultant appointment for next week has been cancelled and there is one pill we can only get from them. She has enough for now but must keep them in mind because they will run out Oct/Nov.

Cooked two chicken dishes which had been defrosting, both eaten yesterday along with the roast veg I'd prepped. Yesterday mum lost her purse. We tried retracing her steps from last time she had it (not a lot of luck). I found her glasses in the waste bin (she thought she'd dropped them back in her handbag and missed) so checked the kitchen - washing machine, fridge and then the bin (I was trying to think what she might have done whilst holding the purse). Luckily it wasn't far down the bin (due to go out and a bit stinky). Visitor suggested she keeps her bag on one side of her chair and the bin on the other.

DS2 came yesterday (lovely gf got called into work). I'd emptied the water butt into various receptacles and moved them across the yard, so the butt could be moved. He mostly did what I asked - moved the water butt, large planters and other items then swept but got into a tussle when he wanted to throw away all my plastic water bottles. He said it was hoarding - I think it's borderline but I do use most of them, cut down for plant pots or water drippers and for storing snow melt water earlier in the year. It's just this time of the year, most things that were started in them have been planted out. We compromised on him bagging them in bin bags (some were already bagged). He thinks they are going to the tip, I will have to retrieve the ones he's put in the brown bin as it's 10 days until collection day and there will be actual recycling to go in there (I do feed spare bottles into the bin when there is space).

He went all the way round the back of the shed (more tip items - bin men definitely won't take them) and then after we'd eaten (2 pm) he emptied most of the shed, swept that and then we conferred on what everything was and how it should be stored (his default being bin it). I was sorting and sifting soil (one container took a long time because it was bound with nettle roots) and getting him to add his 'sweepings' to my sieve so that I could extract the weeds and rubbish. When all the big containers were full of soil (very tight). He gathered all the tools (diy/ gardening/ decorating) and fixings (half screws and half all sorts of things) and sort through it, binning the unusable (mostly rusty bits and things I either don't know the purpose of or I can't imagine needing any time soon). i have a tray of items for the cs and a tray of miscellaneous to be sorted (have an idea what some of them might be for and will try them before binning). All hooks are on top of my fixings box as I hope to use them to help with shed storage.

He did give in to my request that the base for the old dining table should go behind the shed and all the covers and tarpaulins be stored under it (even with my best folding and squashing they are bulky). It looks lovely (even have a clean parasol in the garden table and chairs round it) but I was exhausted by lunchtime and just plodded as best I could. We ate our evening meal at 8 pm and I put my washing outside again after that (he made me take it in, in case all the dust flying around stuck to it). His gf came to collect him in the car at 10 pm (she would have been home before him otherwise).

So I've had my pills and breakfast, showered, scrubbed my nails and washed my hair. We have leftovers to eat (2 slightly wrinkly peppers, a few mushrooms, more red onions and some hg beans will be added. We have a small piece of brisket if we want another 'dinner' (Friday's was gorgeous) and then I'll be able to see what's left (jotting things down for the shopping list and suspect we're low on frozen veg as well as fresh). No plans for today, will see how I feel (lots of things I could do but may just draw up a list for the week).

Grateful for DS2's help (he also filled in all the cracks in the front room wall - was going to paint it but is trying to talk 'grandma' into having a contrast wall), for lovely food (mum had decided on takeaway earlier in the week - not my decision, not my money, anything she wants to eat is fine by me - except not more of the vile pea soup, please) and time for leisure and no guilt because I put the hours in yesterday (slave driver that DS2).

CEW

NSD # 4 today. Lost a day as I had run out of yogurt and really wanted some so added that and a couple of croissants to my milk delivery so only a very small spend of £3.95 but that’s life.

September Challenge 

Season of mellow fruitfulness
I’m looking forward to making soups again for my lunches. Healthy, economical and tasty. Plan on spending time curled up on the sofa with my dogs, hot chocolate and candles. To make the most of any sunshine I am planning to eat my lunch in the garden as often as the weather permits.

Planning ahead
No birthdays, anniversaries or social events due this month to plan for. I will concentrate on planning for that day in December we do not mention for the sake of the little elves. I’m also in the process of planning various home improvements.

Also planning my spending for the month so I can buy most anything I need or want next weekend as my Mum is coming to stay and always wants to go shopping so I will try to get as much in that weekend as possible to minimise spend days.

Time for learning
I will pick up my German Language learning. I know more than I think but lack the confidence to speak it (unless I’ve had a few German Pilsners)

Embrace the concept of Getting There Slowly
This I do by necessity due to MS. My focus at the moment is to start walking again. After a couple of falls I lost confidence walking alone. I’ve recently started taking 2 of the dogs for a short walk every lunchtime and my confidence is growing. 

Mental Health and Meal Planning
Mental health is generally good. I’m naturally a very positive person. I always meal plan but don’t always follow it. Need to work on that. This month I want to try to eat out of my freezer and cupboards. I have more than enough to last this month and next.

Extend a hand to those who are struggling
I always try to help out wherever possible. I will donate some items to the food bank when I go food shopping. I also spend time helping neighbours who are in need of help with everyday tasks.

Sorry for the long post but finally managed to list my plans for the challenge this month.

cybertortoise

Just checking in.

No NSD yet, I ended up food shopping yesterday but couldn't get half the stuff I needed so I'll have to grab that today. I'm back at placement tomorrow so that should mean no spends for most of the week.

I tidied up the garden the day before yesterday and have a busy day ahead preparing everything for tomorrow and next week. I've got to go and collect a dining table too so thats going to eat into my day. I'll try and post a quick update daily through the week.