NST JOYFUL JUNE

Thrifty_Taylor

@apple_muncher yes, I probably will be, as I'm the one he's bonded with most. He will be in primary 7 after the hols, so only one year to go!

@beanielou we break up next Thursday 😃 can't wait! The pupil knows my husband is ill, which makes it even worse! He also told my pregnant colleague, that if her baby's heartbeat stopped, she'd have one less thing to think about!!! Despicable! Thankfully, his relief teacher (regular teacher is on a phased return) has messaged his carer, so hopefully they'll have a word with him about it.

Thankfully the morning passed quickly. The sun tried to appear between the clouds & the temperature rose a little. Had fun with a little boy. I spotted the 'Scooby Doo Mystery Machine' (there are 2 locally) at the garage across the road from our playground, so we watched that & spoke about all the vehicles coming off the ro-ro boat from Scrabster as they passed us.

Dashed to town after work. Dropped sewing off & pinned a lady into @15 items! Didn't realise there'd be so many, so it made everything else late. Took mum shopping, dropped more sewing off on my way home. Put the shopping away after tea then watched a bit of TV with my crochet.

Grateful for a teacher having my back, little boy's laughter, it being the weekend 🎉

greent

Boxclever press also do g
Reat diaries/ life books/
 Calendars  - usually covering from June through to the following Dec/ Jan   

pollyanna_26

beanie whenI first looked at the BusyB site it was like being let loose in a sweet shop.I didbuy a couple of their pens a few years ago no idea what they're like now but they weren't as good as I'd imagined, They be ok now but I've not ordered them since.

The only other thing I bought was a stsnd up desk calender to have near the landline. With a lot of callsfrom surgery, hospitals etc it was handy to just write a new appt on it while on the phone then put it in the diary.

I'mpretty good at notbuying on impulse.After all these years I know the mid year diaries are good. My new one late Aug early Sept has been here a while. They go on sale quite early.

I searched my Amazon orders but can't find the details for the cheaper source I found. It was a good company selling on the Amazon site think it was just the diaries . Think they were a couple of pounds cheaper but thinking back they posted them Royal Mail with a postage charge. Prime means my orders come free with a courier so probably not much difference.

greent, I've ordered quite a fewt things from Boxclever. Two of my dds love all things stationary so easy place to find presents however I have my stash of diaries which work well for me. Handy to look back to check things.

My eldest dd used to call me Samuel Pepys.

Thrifty I'm a retired teacher we had a few special needs pupils and in the situation you mention some sort ofi ntervention was usually  needed. He may not be able to help saying those things but to say those things especially about the baby it sounds as though he needs some specialised help.

My dd2 is a senior child protecion officer dealing with neglected children or helping parents get a diagnosis.  She also has to arrange additional support  sometimes when a child is struggling and being disruptive. Like myself she believes no child is born bad sometimes they just need a different place and different methods to help them.

i don't know if you are in a normal school or one for children who can't cope in an average learning environment but  he sounds quite unhappy to lash out verbally in a very cruel way.

Maybe the message to his carer will mean some progress may be possible. Those who lash out and say horrible things are struggling which doesn't  help them move forward in lifeI I was lucky to not have to deal with  that sort of problem. We had one pupil who every school trip would end up in some sort of trouble on one of our coach trips . I was the fastest runner and would spend the day racing to catch up with him. Picking the flowers at beautiful Statley homes as the gardeners joined the chase.

Trying to smuggle hens on to the coach after a farm visit.

The strongest memory is running like the wind in Chester Zoo. The keepers had just let the penguins out for theitr daily walk along the path which drew crowds daily and he wanted a penguin. people switched their attention to the chase rather than the penguins while the keepers hustled them back through the gate.

We had two boys who fooled us with letters saying they had dentists appts that day. They got away with that the first time . Second time one of them signed the letter From My Mum and that stopped their days out at the local Botanical gardens.

They tried so many cons we predicted they would end up behind bars.

When they left the senior school our primary school  was a feeder for soon they were making the news in our local paper and went on to a life of crime.

Thankfully our other pupils were well behaved but we often wondered if the boy who could run like the wind ever aquired his own zoo. The dentist duos parents just laughed about them lying to miss school but penguin boys mum and dad wer really upset although they didn't know of his other doings over the years.

pollyx

Toni'sfriend

Abundant - I think feeling guilty is a common reaction. I remember my Mother being the same when my grandfather had to go into care. But it really is better for her and for your other family members. Caring for someone with alzheimers is incredibly difficult. Sending you lots of hugs.

Thrifty - How awful! I do hope you're OK,

Thanks, Firstview. That's interesting. I have acid reflux too and it seems to be less frequent. I thought I was imagining it but there you go. It might be something to do with changing my diet. One of the reasons I wanted to lose weight was that I was starting to get a bit of joint pain so that's very encouraging.

Friday was NSD No 12 but yesterday I had to spend on a taxi to and from the funeral. Himself didn't go which for various reasons was probably a good idea. The service was lovely and captured the essence of the lady perfectly. Himself's friends were distinctly cool towards me (I think because he hasn't been going out for the past while). I felt really uncomfortable so I didn't go to the reception, I was actually quite hurt but I haven't said anything to Himself. It was a very difficult day.

So today is a new day, As you can see I'm up very early. I've done my budget for the next four weeks (it's a bit complicated when our pensions are paid in at different dates in the month but I have a system) and everything is looking quite healthy. It would be better if I didn't have to buy a new oven. I'll manage with the slow cooker, microwave, etc till I do some research. Might even save some money on the electricity.

I'm just about to make a list for Aldi. At this rate I'll be there for them opening.

Have a good day.

f0xh0les

Today I am Captain Sea Turtle, cruising to Belfast.  I took overnight oats in a jam jar, and have made a picnic lunch. I have budgeted for 3 coffees, and have so far had 2  but I had a 4.30am start.   

Another 7 hours on the boat, I might have to have a nap to keep in budget. I will keep in budget!

Gratitudes: remembering my keys, organising my breakfast last night, sunny skies and broad daylight at ridiculous O'Clock in the morning.

grandmanerd

Saturday 25th June 2022

My budget doesn't balance
No I haven't been peeking through f0xh0les or anyone else's windows. Sometimes I have a theme and will gather quotes ahead of time, now I have lots collected I scroll through to find something interesting or appropriate to that month's challenge and sometimes I sit in bed, looking at the chaos that surrounds me and think where do I go from here. I then try to formulate what I need and that's what gets written down. Happily, the things I've been struggling with usually strike a chord with other turtles.

This morning I didn't post because I wanted to get downstairs early to kick these !!!***$$$ records into place. Told DS3 where I wanted things to go - 2 large boxes on top of the drawers to replace the 2 boxes that had mostly been dealt with, went to the top of the stairs for a set of shelves that I'd emptied earlier and asked DS3 to put large boxes on the bottom 2 shelves (I had an empty box on the top). I've been sifting the classical records out (DS3 went through some boxes and passed them across). I started with about 8 cardboard strips with labels with letters on and filed them alphabetically by composer. When the first box was nearly full (left enough room to dig amongst them), I asked DS3 to place an empty box by the side of the shelves (he put a full box underneath so it was at a convenient working height) and then put half the sorted ones into it. Continued winkling out the classical records from the other 2 boxes, then asked for more help - heavy mahogany 'coffee' table is now alongside the shelves and the sorting box and the remaining full box went on top.

Think we've now made a first pass through all eight boxes. Two slightly smaller boxes have all records that have their details on record cards but now I can take all the Beethovens and deal with them together, rather than finding another handful with each new box (and really wishing I'd been there when DS1 and DS2 were packing up because it could all have gone into the boxes in much better order - although they would probably both be not speaking to me by now). Just getting occasional sarcastic asides by DS1 - I only asked if they had their dad's copy of the divorce papers. No-one needs them according to DS1. DS2 did say the relevant dates (marriage, decree nisi and absolute) would be useful. DS3 has entertained me by relating the heated conversation between the 2 eldest - DS1 is saying they didn't need to do this, that and the other, DS2 is saying it's a legal process and there are steps we need to take. DS3 and I are saying nothing.

So classical music is cut down to size and the rest of that part should be straightforward (although there will be mini sections of Spanish music, French music, Welsh music (some folk, some classical/ Eisteddfod), some in Gaelic (Irish rather than Scottish, I think) and then the other half of the collection - rock, prog rock, psychedelia, folk, folk rock, jazz, swing and comedy. But I have more floor space and it's all a bit more manageable.

Polly I have a diary but can't find it since the end of last week (it's an inch thick so shouldn't be so hard to find). I'm going to go and buy a mid-year one and then the other will turn up. I tend to have scribble notebooks so I can jot down details when I'm on the phone etc and then in theory it should go where it belongs at the end of the week/ month (notes from following u-tube videos etc). When I go through an old notebook a lot of stuff will have been crossed off (to do lists, things to buy, information I had to gather before a particular phone call) but there are some bits that need to be saved and transferred. This year's has about 3 pages of relatives, friends and officials details from dealing with mum's stuff - her address book drives me up the wall (she put new addresses in but didn't cross out old ones so there would be 3 or more for the same person with no indication of the order - a couple of people had to move with their job every year or two.

So my budget doesn't balance and there's not much I can do about it. My current income is Universal Credit and they've just started deducting £65 per month which is interest I'm presumed to be making on mum's money (think they calculate £5 interest for every £100 above £6,000 - see Martin's post on Pension Credit this month). Not that they've made a decision - I have to resubmit information next month. They are also taking back £13 + a month to repay the advance they gave me when I first applied, back in January. 

My current bills are £212+ for energy (gas and electric), £116 Council Tax (should have applied for housing benefit but didn't think it would all drag on this long) and approx £63 for internet (DS3 and Beloved are making an extra contribution towards the cost of this as they want that particular broadband) so I have a budget deficit. DS3's contribution means all the bills are covered and I have a small amount left over for food and everything else but not really enough. I don't want to be on Universal Credit (I half expected it to end as soon as mum's bank money cleared and I would rather be free of them) but I'm going to keep taking as long as they say I'm entitled to it, even if some has to be repaid at a later date. There are other bits of money I should be claiming (estate) and I need to have another conversation with my brother on Tuesday (at a funeral). Had a lengthy 3 way conversation with my niece and my brother on Thursday, some things sorted, some need more info and discussion.

So my budget doesn't balance but I'm not all that bothered (Kat  would be after me with a big stick) because there are just so many imponderables atm. I feel guilty about not living with what I have (for sure) but I'd be begging church mice for charity if I did that but I know there is other money coming. There are house jobs that need doing and I need to reconcile myself to spending that money. Going out to sort a few things now - next door's back wall finally came down on Thursday, I've chopped at some of the greenery but I think my brick moving days are over.

Hugs to all

beanielou

mothernerd~~I don't balance either.
I am scunnered though.

toni's friend~~How horrid of Himself's friend 

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for catching up with an old friend, for a very good day of meetings, for mango, for dc being quite chirpy, for my literacy and numeracy skills.

short_bird

@grandmanerd
about the records: I don't want to divert you away from other stuff in life but there's an online database called discogs.uk that lists records, what sort of prices they've sold for (highest and lowest) and how many are up for sale now. A lot will depend on condition of sleeve and record or if it's an oddity, but it will give you some idea of whether something is rare or common before you start spending time checking condition or trying to rehome it. 

abundant1972

Good Evening 🌘

Just a quick check-in today. Had a busy day with family. Mum in a happy place today at the home. I think days like today remind me that we made the right choice as you say Toni's Friend. She was all smiles, and quite content. 

Still sticking to my plan... though not beating myself up if I don't tick every box. Like today, I haven't done 5K steps and am not in bed by 22:00 but it's weekend 🙂 and I need to relax and not be rigid - as long as I don't derail. 

Today I am grateful for:
1) The amazing staff at the care home. They genuinely do an amazing job.
2) My loving and supportive family.
3) For the creative minds and all the people behind the making movies.

Today = NSD number 8

Today I send love and warmest wishes to my Sister. She does such an amazing job looking after everyone... she has really stepped into the space Mum left behind. She is thoughtful and kind, and always put others before herself. Tonight I am sending her love and support x

Have a nice night everyone x