NST November 2021: Turtle Strength

f0xh0les

Buffythedebtslayer said:

I think I have felt like such an utter mug with no one in my family on my side or considering my future (cue world's smallest violin, yes I am aware I am indulging in self pity) and well meaning friends who clearly love me behaving as though I can just up and leave and everyone expecting me to jut keep on and be grateful for what I have, I  maybe one day I will look upon this time with affection but being in the middle of it I cannot. I must get through this winter and make sure my life changes. Things must change is my new mantra.

It is not self-pity when it is true @Buffythedebtslayer .  Massive hugs.  Boundaries are hard to enforce when other people refuse to respect them.
Normal service seems to have been resumed - woke at 6, laundry folded, coffee and breakfast, school uniform put on, hangers, 2 kids fed, kids ordered to bring down laundry (or else!!),  now for more coffee and politics and feeling quite happy all my chicks are back in the nest.   Still ridiculously happy we have paid off half the mortgage.  Happy Sunday everyone.

ditty1234

Right time to get ready for the next adventure, for my little family we need to get better at being neuro diverse, mobility diverse, kinder and more different. But this adventure is still primarily mine, but with extra seats and space in the boot!

I am fighting spending tooth and nail, and am clost to start catching up. 

I got back to paying into my debts this month, and a bit into savings, fingers crossed it will stay there. And that is after paying for a tyre and a dental appointment, which is in the budget but still hard when it actually hits. 

People makes me happy, I am trying to pay much more attention to others and also to socialise, also I am getting back into exercising and micro workouts. 

I try to do budgets, but I feel that being 'head of family' still throws in the odd challenge. I only really give my boys gifts these days, but need to sort out some family expectations. 

I can't plan NSD days, 15 is a good target though, who needs to go to the shops every single day ! And v4ults in my R3v0lut card helps w budgeting. 

I would like to put more time aside to go to local shops, but parking is often difficult!

I always bring lunch as hate canteen which is full of students (sorry young adults).

I will try to batch cook. Last week I batch cooked 2 meals on Sunday, andone on Tuesday and it fed me for the week. 

Right I will try to remove 60 items. Should be easy but it takes time. 

Have repurposed a body gel and an unpopular shampoo for hand soap, nobody will ever know. And yes were on 'empty that bottle' mode. Am still emptying various bits from ds1 student house. 

I have cheekily been on one outing that was on the oct 30th and it happened on November budget, but I am not counting it as I have 2 trips planned to L0ndon one next Sunday which was an invite and I don't have details, and the second one is a home country Christmas Fair at the end of the month, so both are social and expenses will be modest. 

I am changing my job to a local college after Christmas in the meantime I drive as I need to. Have taken the train on two longer trips this month though. 

If I give to foodbanks it will be local organisations. But I am currently working out how to be a carer, how to support people with encephalitis, epilepsy, through organisations like Mind and Headway, so might volunteering for some of the related charities in time. 

I am thankful every day, seeing a person slowly coming back from a dark place does that to you. 

I am slowly trying to reconnect people I have not seen for a couple of years. 

New habits - I am just trying to hang on to my good habits, writing, exercising, and getting outside every day. I don't really want new habits as such. 

'Control what you can (your behaviours and thoughts), cope with what you can't' Thanks for this apple, some of my days gets divided up into and managed hour by hour, others just pass by in a blur - but I have my book of lists and I seem to manage to tick off a couple of medium size tasks every week. 

Sorry for late start to actual challenge. 

• Today I am grateful for only doing one taxi run.
• For a lovely 4 m walk run in the sunshine, and for meeting a neighbour who might be a running partner.
• ANd for ds2 visiting and being lovely, and ds1 being home yesterday as well, and both giving my birthday day a lovely warm fuzz. 

f0xh0les

DS1 came for a sleepover?  how did you cope?

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

ditty - how lovely to have both DSs with you.  Hope it went well, you have a lot to deal with

I've scuppered my NSD as i bought milk to take to the office tomorrow, also YS crumpets.  Thought i'd have enough loyalty points to cover but 4p too short!

Have done some self employment work this morning so now up to date with that phew.  Been for a walk with DD1's bestie, acheived 11k steps so far.  Enjoyed walking by the river.  Trying to have days when i don't use my car so today is one of those.  

Gratitudes - getting washing dry on the line, including 3 towels, and having clean underwear for the new working week (it's the little things starting a new book that was a birthday present; relaxed evening at home

Love Deni 

ditty1234

f0xh0les said:

DS1 came for a sleepover?  how did you cope?

Sorry no that's this coming Saturday. I'm doing bite sized. That's how I manage. Ds1 visited 2 weeks ago and it was just him and me for a few hours and the dad popped by. It was all very emotional. Yesterday ds2 was home for the weekend and ds1 came home for the day and it was lovely. And we ate christmas amounts of food. Next weekend, we will start to swop their rooms, size issues, and ds1 will sleep over, so it will just be him and me, but I think it will be fine. Thanks for asking. 

ldee2111

Lost a spend day to ice cream and paying for holiday travel docs. Staying on NSD 3.

Our COP guest got somewhere else to stay. I’m a little bit pleased about that as I can continue to use the spare room to dry washing indoors 😂

Added a couple more things to the declutter list and hopefully the CS will be accepting donations tomorrow. 

Grateful for a lie-in this morning, spare room still being at our disposal, and DS eating well today.

Sunday sweep 

Food: £14

Leisure: £14

Transport: £0

Didn’t do as well as I hoped to. Suppose I’ve got the rest of the month to do better and reach my goal. 

November underspends goal

Underspends into holiday £28/£160

60 items challenge 

1. broken printer (to recycling centre)
2. 2x joggers 
3. baby towel 
4. 2x swimming tops 
5. tube of bubbles 
6. rubber duck 
7. kids tent 
8. kids cardboard playhouse 
9. plastic novelty trophy 
10. shirt
11. holey socks
12. kids playing cards
13. candle
14. recipe book
15. CD audiobook 
16. roll of art paper
17. pants x 2
18. Halloween treat bucket
19. bookmarks x 3
20. kids books x2
21. Pyjamas 
22. Joggers 

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for having a car, for dc enjoying being with friends, for dh enabling a switcharooni of drawer units, for a good book, for strong coffee.

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD#4
Boy was it blowing a hoolie this morning! The waves have been washing onto the more exposed areas of our island, so thankful that we are inland. 
Had a lie in, certainly needed it, then decided to have a pyjama day. Don't think I've ever had one unless I've been ill 😂 replaced zips in two coats, then did a HUGE pile of ironing. After tea I've sorted letters for posting, then finally got round to taking note of spends for business account & our own finances. Relieved I've done it, it was starting to cause me stress that they were piling up & I'd lose track. Just about to head for a bath with my book 😃
Grateful for staying cosy & listening to the storm outside, getting frogs sorted, soak in the bath

Buffythedebtslayer

I woke up this morning, ordered a black skirt, went back to sleep and promptly forgot I ordered it. 

This is what I do...... Only just got a message on my phone to tell me it is coming tomorrow. 

Love reading your updates XXX 

Esmeralda2662

Had a lovely afternoon celebrating my niece's birthday with her, her little boy, my sister and our Mum. Had a fabulous cream tea at a local hotel and then played in the grounds with the toddler. I had forgotten what fun it is to kick about in a big pile of dried leaves! Brings back happy memories. Dare I mention the good old day?! 😂

Had to smuggle my cream scone home in my handbag to eat later. The jam came through the serviette a bit but got away with it.

My niece took some lovely photos but i didn't realise how grey my hair had gone. Can't decide whether the badger hair has to go or whether just to accept it. I'm blaming the light as it was quite late in the afternoon!

Still on 0/15 NSD.

Came home and did some decluttering to make up for all the eating. Have put a big bag by the bedroom door and I'm putting bits in to get rid of. Tonight I've added:

Various pairs of brand new unworn socks that don't fit me.

Brand new replacement tv remote that will not recognise my tv. (Probably my fault, not the remote).

3 novels (too gory and frightening).

A babygro spoilt in the wash and a rusty beer bottle opener.

3 Sprout Day decorations. (Thanks again for this name, Idee2111)!

That catches up for the days missed so far. I'm finding bring accountable to the NST Turtles is spurring me on, so thank you all for that.

Grateful for a lovely get-together cream tea, playing in the leaves and decluttering a few items.

Night all x