NST November 2021: Turtle Strength

Thrifty_Taylor

Hugs to everyone, think we're all needing one this weekend. Another NSD, will have to check total.
Went for a walk with hubby after breakfast. A small smattering of snow on the ground & a bit slippy in places, but the wind has dropped dramatically. Spent the afternoon sewing. After assembling a memory bear, I put a new zip in DS1's coat, plus more on the pockets. He'd removed the zips from a hoodie he no longer wears, colour not the same as his coat, but there are plackets to cover them, so not noticeable. Washed up whilst watching yootoob videos, then prepared letters for posting this week.
Grateful for a nice walk, seeing my tax rebate has been paid into my account, clean bedding

Siebrie

Mothernerd, (I'm just reading  along for inspiration), would it be possible for you to apply for a carer's stipend for looking after DS3 and Beloved? What you do and what they need is beyond 'normal' help. Or maybe a Social Worker could come by every so often to help them keep their heads straight with regards to housework (and finances?, hygiene?, diet?)? Does Beloved have friends or family that can help every so often?

Calling14

Esmeralda2662 Hope your mother is alright, extremely worrying. Make sure you get her checked out.

Well what a windy weekend.

Friday hailed lots and every road near me had a tree down. Kids were fairly well behaved and got them to bed reasonable time.

Needed fuel on way home from work.

Saturday - was really fed up staying in with kids all day, we put xmas tree up, I seemed to hoover up snow all day, cook and wash up. Then my back went after tea, so much pain couldn't stand up. Rested a bit and got into bath, with a 5yr old offering to put bath bombs in for me. NSD gained

Sunday - Glad kids went in morning, attended party for gd in afternoon, had to come home with back pain. Stayed long enough to see the fire engine and firemen though- so much fun. One of the dads offered to arrange it.. Missed the princess that was booked. Had to pop and get few essential food items on way home.

Today a NSD so up to 11/15 better than I thought. Made it into work as thought better to keep moving my back.

Need to buy a laptop/ cromebook I just want something with microsoft 365 on it as I need to get all my personal stuff off works computer before I finish here. Any recommendations welcome, don't need to spend a lot as only use it for my budgets, photos, shopping, social media.

Grateful for

Being bit more mobile today

No kids tonight - finding it hard work every weekend.

Baths and ray dox ;-)

ditty1234

Lost an other NSD day to a key safe, ended up getting a 'police recommended' cost the double of most of the other ones, but it is a one off, and I don't want people just walking through my door. 
I can't wait to get on with my actual Christmas shopping!

lcc86

Evening turtles, I hope everyone is doing okay in the cold! I'm absolutely freezing and we didn't even have the worst of it here by a long shot. Was working in the office today and it was cold in there too which didn't help. Did bring my own coffee but also ended up having to buy one as I was so cold, so I ruined a NSD, but when it helped me stay warm I'm not complaining. Was meant to swim this evening but they never heat the pool properly, most days I can grin and bear it but not today!

Finally heard back from a plasterer about getting a quote for the hallway. Was starting to worry I'd have to attempt it myself! Hopefully not an expensive job, it's only skimming but I've never had any plastering done before so I've no idea what it generally costs.

Also heard I was successful in one of the jobs I went for, it seems like a good place to work so I've accepted, just have to wait for all the paperwork to come through. I can breathe a bit of a sigh of relief now and also stop beating myself up over job stuff!

f0xh0les

Roll on payday tomorrow!  Been in limbo for days now.  Made it to NSD 15. 

For no reason whatsoever I am knackered today, was ready for my bed by 5pm, but I bravely soldiered on, and now I am going to bed for real. 

mothernerd

I've already had a sleep f0xh0les. The boiler (at my house) was making a funny noise last night. Thought someone was driving past playing loud music (lots of amplified base thumps). Tried the pressure knob and it came off (cracked across). Switched everything off and it 'worked' a little better. When I got there this morning it wasn't working. DS3 have googled and utubed and tried various things and we now have an error message which says to call in a professional.

I also noticed lots of other jobs that need doing from the hole in the kitchen ceiling (leaking under the bath has been fixed but because it had been dripping slowly, we decided to give it time to dry out properly before covering it up again) to walls and the stair bannisters which need painting. I'm going to have to prioritise and work out what to do when because it won't all get done this year. Mr and Mrs Builder called on Saturday (they were working nearby and parked outside the bungalow) - so various jobs, like the missing roof slates and getting a back gate fitted, are back on the agenda.

Had to fight the urge to hide under the bed clothes this morning, felt better when I went to get in the taxi but felt rough from lunchtime onwards. However progress has been made. About a dozen tech gadget boxes from Beloved's room plus some larger boxes and other bits (I keep going back to beloved's room because I can sit on her office chair and wheel myself around the floor - chair is duct taped all over but still very comfy).

This afternoon I've started (again) on the kitchen. Dishwasher has been filled and run (it heats from a cold water feed). Washer run was less successful - my bedding which DS3 has been using is still somewhere between grey and beige (very Vogue greige). Swept/ picked up more from the floor (including a few socks and undies). I have a finely balanced system where by items get rescued or binned according to how long they've been lolling around with chinchilla poo or other unmentionable stuff. I put some things in a bucket of water to rinse, wiped a couple of shelf covers, did a deep degrunge on most of the sink (worst bit), more successful degrunge on drainer, taps, surrounding worktops (less bad ). 

Some of the filled bin bags have been put in the backs next to the black bin (DS3 says he prefers to go out the front way and round the houses to get the bins - he usually does it in the middle of the night). Some bags need rebagging. I've put the old pet cage outside. A couple of the neighbours have put broken items out there and I've suggested moving the items that are waiting until we get a skip out there - it will make the job of clearing the green stuff, piles of semi rotted leaves etc easier for me.

Phoned for my taxi early, sat and watched a quiz with mum (ate wraps and sandwich filling) but went to bed mid way through the second. Feeling not well and tired but my little sleep helped. 

Grateful for easy food, sleep, cough medicine and vapour rub (everywhere -throat, chest, feet).

Thrifty_Taylor

Well done on the job @lcc86 🎉

Hope you feel better soon @mothernerd

Another NSD today, think I'm at 15.
A different day today, received a message at breakfast time to say I might be accompanying a class trip first thing. I'd never been to the local museum before, so enjoyed our visit. Covered another member of staff at lunchtime, ended up jogging 5 laps of the school (6 is a mile!), but pupil enjoyed our stop/go game. Headteacher saw us & told me I was good with the pupil (a different one from last week's compliment). Had a more relaxing afternoon thankfully, as I was tired!
Finished the last of the memory bears, so packaged them up ready to post tomorrow, also an item sold on the bay of E.
Grateful for school trips, finishing a big commission, helping teacher rearrange sprout day decorations

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Morning
Had a long day yesterday as had to go into the office for an evening meeting.  Was worried about the snow and ice but had all gone by the time i drove home; enjoyed looking at the sprouts day lights as i drove back through various towns.   
Achieved an NSD! Don't think i've made it to double figures this month. I finally cashed out £50 from Ugov and have done a few surveys.
DD2 went to the gym and had her coat, hoodie and gloves stolen It was actually my coat that i'd let her borrow as it is very warm.  She had her flat key in the pocket too.  She rang 101 and managed to find a member of gym staff; both have been helpful and there is CCTV, the thief will have been a gym member but don't know if she will get her stuff back. 
Was grateful for a good meeting and easy journies to and from work.  
love Deni

mothernerd

Staying at the bungalow today. Feeling weak (flu weak not normal joint trouble), dizzy, pounding head. Just had a wash (two previous attempts abandoned) so will work on preparing my reverse advent calendar, food that needs to go back to my house (not taking it yet but want to work on one of my cupboards and whatever's left in the shed and can separate my stuff as I go). Will not be taking back as much as I brought here at the start of the pandemic (although last year's Christmas presents included some sale price ceramic storage pots with bamboo lids so possibly heavier).

Thank you very much for this challenge apple. NSDs were a bit of a washout and healthy eating pushed out by DS3 feeding me (takeaway stuff as kitchen is not really usable at present). I love 'escaping' to my house, even though it's in need of much love and attention. My life is going to be even more uncertain but I have taken steps to tackle some issues, mood definitely on the up and sense of humour regained (I'll need both). Need to look for boiler man's phone number (I know I have it in one of the alphabet notebooks as I saw it recently - probably when writing cards for relatives) and send instructions to DS3and Beloved (they may not do the things on the list but they might do some).

Gratitudes- I'm warm, fed (emergency custard creams after I tottered to the kitchen and ending up having to lean on walls for a break), had a wash and I have a plan (well lots of plans, back up plans, either/ or plans, plans in careful stages - need clothes and medicines in both houses by the end of the week, what has to be done before I move back, where will I be if we go into lockdown?)