NST July 2022: A Turtle Triathlon

Thrifty_Taylor

Congratulations on the weight loss @Toni'sfriend. Pleased you found your phone @BadBookkeeper.

Walked 4.5 miles with DH after breakfast, then altered 3 pairs of trousers. Pleased that the waistbands I was letting out were increased by 2", rather than the 1" I'd thought! DS1 had an over the phone Dr appointment, then had to go to the surgery later, but got some inhalers (which he's not needed for 8 years +), so they should help him after his heavy cold. Went out to pick berries from the fruit bushes in our garden, very pleased with the amount. Still have some yet to ripen. Went for a 2 mile walk with a friend after tea (her dog unable to go further) then did the ironing & had a soak in the bath with my book.

Grateful for having something to look forward to (I've booked the boat to go to a different island on Sunday for the day, to climb our highest peak), lots of berries, DS1 getting sorted

ldee2111

Well done on the weight loss @Toni'sfriend

@ThirftyTaylor those berries look delicious

@BadBookkeeper hope DH finds something. My OH was in a similar situation a couple of years ago - stressful job and getting pushed out. 

Thursday update 

Stuck to healthier eating: bran flakes and banana for breakfast, snacking on strawberries, leftover chilli for lunch, and ate chicken, sweetcorn and a side salad at the Portuguese piri-piri place for dinner before going to the cinema with OH. We went to see the Elvis film - stunning! The music, the acting, and the way it was shot were all fabulous. 

Grateful for films on the big screen, for music, for a night out with just OH. 

abouttime_2

Hi, Everyone
I know its half through the month but id love to join this group.
I've read july and june and it sounds right up my street.
Ill come back later to add some more.
Ive forgotten to budget last couple of months, well you can guess what's happened ;-0

wishus

As I predicted, yesterday remained NSD 9, but today I have gone a spending - only a bit, just some salad, cheese, yoghurt, porridge oats and cat kibbles.

Tomorrow we are off to Somerset to explore the caves in Cheddar Gorge, late pressie for OH's birthday. It's going to be a budget weekend. There is a £££ budget and a TIME budget - not only the time we have to be there and explore, but the time to get ready for the weekend.

To this end, I have prepped by:

• Washing and putting away all clothes, bar 2 shirts that need ironing. We have a choice of attire!
• Baking a granary loaf overnight - there was no bread available at the weekend without soya flour, so I found a mix I could eat. I would bake totally from scratch normally, but this saved a little money being cheaper than the ready-made loaves and a bit more time. Now  we haz lunch for early next week!
• Not the only bread I made - set up the dough mix when we got up at 6, so I was able to make 4 lovely pittas before 9. Two will be for tonight's mezze tea, 2 for tomorrow's picnic. Pittas! So fluffy!
• Soaked a load of chickpeas yesterday so today I cooked them in the instant pot and made houmous and falafel during my lunchtime. Some will be for the mezze tea, some for the picnic.
• Made a few cheese, carrot and red onion muffins for the picnic.
• Ice blocks in the freezer, ready for the cool bag.
• I'll also take water bottles and apples. Maybe some hard-boiled eggs... if OH really wants them.
• Just got to make the lemon rice, tzatziki and a nice Greek salad for tonight's mezze. I can put tomorrow's lunch in the fridge as I go!

Now just got to book in breakfast and dinner, download an audio book for the trip, and decide on a walking route for Sunday.

beanielou

Great loss @Toni'sfriend 
So glad you found your phone @BadBookkeeper.

Nothing much to report.
Have a good weekend all 

beanielou

abouttime_2 said:

Hi, Everyone
I know its half through the month but id love to join this group.
I've read july and june and it sounds right up my street.
Ill come back later to add some more.
Ive forgotten to budget last couple of months, well you can guess what's happened ;-0

Welcome to our lovely thread.
Keep posting 

firsview

Afternoon Turtles. Well done on the weight loss @tonisfriend, you are on a roll now and your berries look yummy @Thrifty_Taylor they are making me want to make a summer pudding! 

NSD1 yesterday, not doing very well am I. Shopping at Mr T today with our Canadian guest who was shocked at how little food costs compared to Canada and how much fresh fruit and veg there was on display.
Not sure how having a 6th person in the house is going to affect my budgets. I suspect I am going to have to be very organised food wise. Yesterday I made a pie to use up some sad looking bacon and leeks and today it is lasagne which will feed 6. Luckily she isn’t fussy so I am not going to have to change the things I normally make.
DS1 had put some old clothes in a bin bag ready for the tip and left them in the hallway. This morning the bag had been ripped to shreds and the socks were scattered everywhere. My money is on naughty kitten who was saying nothing.
Today I am grateful for our lovely guest, my tomato plants going mad and DS1 seeming so much better

apple_muncher

Toni'sfriend - you are adapting to a new lifestyle and it is working for you. You are keeping within budget, eating well, getting out and about. No need to focus on NSDs (or lack thereof!). Wear your smug face at all the improvements you are achieving

apple_muncher

Welcome, abouttime_2, to the turtle gang! I'll add you to the list. I'd suggest you have a go at the challenge - but halve any numbered bits-, noting what you can do easily and what needs working on. And next month you can jump right in from the beginning.

Thrifty_Taylor

Welcome onboard @abouttime_2! We're a great group of friends who cheer you on in the good times & support you in the bad.

An up & down weather day. Got dressed in a long skirt & sandals initially, then half an hour later changed into jeans & boots as it was raining!!

Woke DS3 up & we went to town. Dropped sewing off in two places, collected mum & went to the supermarkets. There was a cruise liner in, so pedestrians everywhere, whilst waiting to exit T0sco carpark, 49 went past on pushbikes!! Roadworks too, so lots of diverted traffic. Was glad to get back home in the countryside!

Prepped all the blackcurrants then stewed them with 3 slightly soft pears & 2 apples, ready to make a crumble with tomorrow, prepped most of the redcurrants too. 
Received a letter in the post today about a life insurance/critical illness policy we've been paying for many years. It's due to end next month. I told DH I was going to phone to see if his renal failure is covered by it. FANTASTIC news, it is & for quite a large sum 😍 so it will be a massive chunk towards the extension we've been saving up for, for 18 years!!! And because he was diagnosed April 2021, all direct debit payments will be refunded on top of the payout figure. It still hasn't sunk in yet & probably won't until the money appears in our account, but it's so exciting! We have a tiny house for the 5 of us, 2 DS's have to walk through DS3's bedroom to get to their own rooms (DS1 also has to walk through DS2's to get to his too). And now my sewing business is really taking off, I can have a room to work in 😃 a dream come true!
Sorted all £2 coins & priced them up ready to list on eboy tomorrow, whilst selling fees are reduced.

Grateful for insurance policies, something good happening to us after a struggling for so long, lots of coins to list