NST December A - Z

ldee2111

Work’s winding down so I had a quiet day and by the look of my calendar it’ll be the same throughout the week. Yes please!  I’m hoping to do a declutter of work emails, folders, files, etc. I’d like to return to a digitally zen laptop in January.

Grateful today for a nice lunch and good chat with friend, for a quiet work day, and for DS being home from grandparent’s with a very good behaviour report. 👍🏻

mothernerd

Very busy afternoon (taxi couldn't come until 2 pm). 6 bags taken to my house, storage jars onto shelves (some temporary as 2 out of 4 shelves are supporting the farmhouse table top), pans moved out from under the stairs (will be going in the cupboards on either side of the stove or back on hooks when I find them (old ones were thrown but have some better ones). Waste wizards came, moved all our junk from the backs, told them to leave the items left out by our neighbours, lorry filled nearly to the top.

After they'd gone I took stuff to the textile bank and cans to recycling, got some cash out (want to know my bank balance) went in the shop where I hoped to get most items off my list (no bicarb). Very weary, had a rest upstairs after I'd eaten then got DS3 to help with the freezer. Defrosted food binned (brought back to put in mum's bin), DS3 poured the water down the sink, I wiped the drawers, he put them back, turned it back on and told him he can transfer stuff from the small freezer tomorrow first thing, I will take the things in the small freezer here (meals today have been brought to you by the fridge/ freezer - well it needs emptying before it can move across). Hoping I can sleep there tomorrow.

Grateful for having tins/ jar on shelves (matching jars, alphabetical order), waste wizards (lovely men, would be nice to keep one in a cupboard, to be brought out when needed) order out of chaos (still lots to do but getting there).

Thrifty_Taylor

A good day, went to work half an hour earlier to organise things off the list from an isolating colleague. Helped pupils cross stitch some lovely wooden baubles from B4k3r R0ss, quite wished there was one for me to do! Spent a lot of the day reading with my pupil, enjoying the book 'Goldfish Boy', can't remember who the author is.
Replaced a zip in some trousers after tea (final sewing job pre-sprout day), put sprout bedding on our bed (remembered how much I dislike it, it's like a brushed nylon & makes you sweat uncomfortably! At least it'll only be on a few days!!). Watched another episode of The North Water & did some knitting.
Grateful for one day left before the holidays, fun activities, & people making me laugh!

mothernerd

Thrifty_Taylor sai

Replaced a zip in some trousers after tea (final sewing job pre-sprout day), put sprout bedding on our bed (remembered how much I dislike it, it's like a brushed nylon & makes you sweat uncomfortably! At least it'll only be on a few days!!). 

This is not criticism, just advice.
Make a note. When you take it off wash and label it. Donate to charity from about September onwards (it would be unfair to donate after Christmas and give the charity the burden of storing it all year). You don't need it, you don't like it, it detracts from your enjoyment and adds nothing. If the person who buys it from the charity shop has the same experience as you, washes it and this is repeated, then perhaps the item will get some use.

The problem with cheap (or not so cheap) mass produced novelty items is that they are often made from nasty and even unsafe materials. They may not cost much when you first hand over your cash but single use items (particularly children's sizes) cost a lot if you think in terms of 'cost per use' and factor in the environmental cost of manufacturing (and the cost to you in storing them for however many days of the year).

That's why I always suggest looking in the charity shops first. Want to change the colour of your decorations (perhaps to co-ordinate with a newly decorated room) - look in the charity shop. Bigger tree as you're moving from a tiny flat to your first house -cs. Downsizing to a granny flat, still want a tree but don't want to have to limbo dance past to get to the kitchen - cs. The charity shops have beautiful special occasion dresses that will only fit for one year (and you know your little princess might tolerate wearing a velvet or taffeta creation 'to look nice for granny' but will want to be back to wearing real clothes as soon as possible).

If you're going to a fancy dress party (New Year or just enjoy fancy dress - DS3 just wears his top hat, candy cane sword stick and velvet coat or one of his cosplay outfits) cs.  Halloween costumes - charity shop (Mrs Frugalwoods did an excellent article on this, she has a range of Halloween outfits and does swaps with friends, each year she starts to plant seeds as to what each child 'wants' to wear, based on outfits in her stash that are the right size). 

DS2 still hasn't forgiven Claudia Winkleman for letting her daughter trick or treat with a lit pumpkin. When she appeared on Watchdog to complain about materials used for Halloween costumes (she's obviously not old enough to remember the safety adverts from before flammability standards were introduced for children's nightwear), the SM had the right of reply a week later. In one week DS2 had to test every single outfit the range of every major SM (he normally spent most of his time setting fire to IKEA mattresses).

Sorry, I've probably gone on too long (and it definitely isn't a lecture) just a more sustainable way of shopping and better for your wallet too.

mothernerd

Tuesday 21st December 2021
Happy Winter Solstice (Hiernal Solstice, Hibernal Solstice or Brumal Solstice)

Other days to celebrate
23rd Festivus
25th Isaac Newton's birthday
26th First Day of Kwanzaa
        Boxing Day
30th Baking Day
31st  New Year's Eve (more sleep)

(that's another 2 pages in the notebook gone - another 2 notebooks ready to go, especially if I can find a moment or two to transfer the info I need/ want to save). 

mothernerd

I may be late tomorrow as I'm hoping to sleep at my house tonight, hopefully in a bed, depending on how physically demanding/ stressful the delivery of the new to us bed and necessary moving of furniture is. I want to prioritise moving the freezer food and taking (and delivering) anything the food bank can use (they have enough soup, pasta and beans). 

I have things that are packed and could be accommodated at my house but tins aren't a priority and would like to expend energy on moving couches etc so the front room is how I want it. If left it will become DS3's work space and den - he's already assembled his exercise bike (only had it in a box in front of the radiator for nearly 2 years) and will be a permanent mess.

I'm not in pain but am very tired but following the eliminate, delegate, get it done (however imperfectly), compromise, make a decision, stick to it (you can redo bits later, if they aren't working).

Grateful for having enough (I'm far from rich but I love having enough food to share), bedding throws and candles (can make a cosy home even if I don't manage other decorations), chocolate and caffeine (the only things keeping me going at this point).

Prioritise going to think this through. What do I want?
Mix routine, pleasurable and necessary jobs.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

morning turtles

hope you do get to sleep in a bed in your own home tonight mothernerd

I did achieve a NSD yesterday - number 4!  The outdoor cinema was fun but it was mighty cold and i was glad to only be sat for 1.5 hours.  I drove home with DD2 and we did a slight detour to a nearby fave town that has lovely festive lights and then drove past a gorgeous house that always has a beautiful outdoor festive display - I said i call it the happy house and DD2 said our house is a happy house 

just logging back into work, hope everyone has a good day

love Deni

apple_muncher

mothernerd said:

Tuesday 21st December 2021
Happy Winter Solstice (Hiernal Solstice, Hibernal Solstice or Brumal Solstice)

2 years ago I had a hernial solstice and was so fortunate to get it all sorted before the first lockdown and subsequent check-ups being in the lulls. This year, I'm just going for a normal solstice!!!

Calling14

Omg where has this month gone. Sorry I was off few days last week, then booster jab made me call in work sick on Friday, worse flu like symptoms had.

Weekend blur already, kids all full of cold and schools closed early here in Wales on Friday. Lovely walk with just grandson on Sunday in sunshine before weird fog rolled in.

Busy in work as finish tomorrow and not being here most of last week not helping. Trying to keep paying off my credit card so not to build it up with Sprout day.

Wasn't going to spend today walked to lidlee to use my free £2 coupon but their system was down. Bought a few tins of soup, needed one for lunch.

Have a few xmas pressies still to get be easier if I knew what to get. Hate just buying stuff that's not wanted.

Grateful for

Feeling well again

Routine bre ast check not as painful this time.

Marzipan put on cake last night.

ldee2111

Grateful for lunch made by Mum, finding brand new unopened swimming goggles for DS in CS, for finishing audiobook ‘Happy’ written by Derren Brown, and for OH making dinner.