NST August 2022: Lights, Camera, Action!

DrCarrie

Morning 

Had a lovely weekend at Pride, with gorgeous weather. Stayed within budget, very pleased with that. 

Grateful for :
- seeing an old friend
- gorgeous weather 
- a good sleep 

grandmanerd

Did several hours in the yard on Saturday, turned the large table on it's side and tackled the mess underneath and the bit of the yard just behind the back wall. I had lots of stuff stored under there and have been moving larger items including 2 sets of ladders onto that patch as I set up the beds/ pots along the side wall. Usual rubbish, weeds, cut back the ivy (5'6 inch leaves), swept - a lot wetter and more rubbish under there as it's been trapped under stored items (bit of a mini shed). 

 About 5 buckets of water - main water butt has sprung a leak so need to put buckets to catch the drip and swap them frequently. Can't do this when it's the middle of the night. Set up one of the slimline water butts that came from mum's, in the corner with the pyracantha, which had been cut back nearly to the ground but has now risen to small shrub height again.

Stopped to have a break (couple of hours rest) and of course DS2 turned up with the magic motorbike just before I was due to get up again. Woken by angry brushing from DS2 who claimed the whole yard was cluttered and a mess. Given that I've been ill this week (3 days when I really didn't want to move) and done 3 days at mum's and had still done some work in the yard each day I couldn't see his point.

He restarted his campaign for me to turn the yard into a barren wasteland with 2 plastic chairs, a table, a few specimen plants and then I can sit and read my book and 'relax'. 'I need to accept I'm not as young as I was' and cut back on the labour intensive gardening and crops. I countered by saying the 'work' is mainly in the setting up - I now have 4 tiers of plants on the left side of my garden (including a whole row of buckets with soil ready for planting up) which are easily accessible for working.

However the mobility scooter is in the yard, covered by the shaped tarp I'd dried overnight on the back wall and I also got him to empty the buckets into the newly set up butt. I also took mum's small tv to the hospice shop and binned the fruit and veg peeler - it was going to the hospice shop but I checked before I left and it didn't have a cable. I vaguely remember my niece finding a cord at the back of a cupboard and we had no idea what it went with. A few hundred embroidery skeins have been donated to my niece.  Ate lots of salad items and plant protein.

Yesterday I cooked the brisket whilst working outside but spent my time mostly in the backs and in next door's yard. I did bits outside all the yards, so if anyone complains about me using their green bins, it's their weeds. Major effort on tidying the end of the backs (metal fence to separate us from the shops and private parking), mainly to make it safe. Rubbish blows from the car park and from the main street and congregates by the fence, there are layers of soil, weeds and rubble and bits of broken furniture and it was wobbly to walk on (with a good chance of landing in the nettles).

I removed a bin bag of rubbish (a couple of takeaway polystyrene trays but mainly crisp bags, choc and cig pack wrappers - tiny stuff but plenty of it), a bucket of cans and plastic bottles, a bucket of stones and bits of brick and a bucket of soil. I'm part way through a 3rd green bin (towering nettles, odd weeds from here, there and everywhere and full house height tangle of ivy I pulled off next door with my trusty hoe a couple of weeks ago. I'm trying to make it safe to get across next door's yard to tackle the branches that are overhanging my yard as I don't feel confident standing on my raised bed atm. The property is in such a mess I don't think anyone will object to what I'm doing (may try to contact the Council to try to get more info if I have any time). The green bins will be emptied this Wednesday so want to fill as many as possible (did a handful of branches at the front that were threatening to take people's eyes out.

I normally take responsibility for the upkeep of the end of the backs but having been at mum's for two years it's totally out of hand, both the drains are blocked with rubbish - worked on one a bit yesterday, the other was too near the wall to attempt anything and now the wall has fallen it's covering the drain. Very tiring day, quite a lot achieved but left with the feeling that I might not have been doing things that were my highest priority. 

I should probably have had a 2 hour lying down (napping) break in the middle or stopped sooner. However the 'early night' has fixed my sleeping pattern, I've eaten simply but healthily (nibbled the brisket but had a bowlful of the veg that were cooked with it - bag of casserole veg plus hg onions and past their best mushrooms added). I'm ploughing through my books (half a dozen were returned on Saturday) and including lots of mindfulness practice in my everyday life.

It looks like DS3 and Beloved will move across the Pennines (she wants to go back and he can work from anywhere with decent wi-fi). Just have to start campaigning to get them to take as much as possible with them (he was talking about her parents moving them which may mean 2 cars, I want a proper van - new friend can drive). When DS2 moved to start renting this house from me (I still had the big house then) they reckoned the average couple spent £8,000 on 'setting up home'. DS1 and DS2 didn't have that expense (DS1 went through some of the process when he bought with his fiance but he still has the cube shelves that were bought for my kitchen 18 years ago, which have moved with him through numerous rented properties). 

The bungalow should be up for sale by the end of the week and then I can make plans. I will make plans anyway but some plans need serious money and professional help (have spent so many years doing as much as possible myself, I find it difficult to pay for things). Life is good and will be even better (I've decided).

firsview

Afternoon Turtles. Thought I would check in now rather than leave it until this evening when I will be too tired.
Very productive weekend housework wise and a trip out to the beach. Unfortunately forgot it was the local regatta so it was heaving and the ice cream queue was enormous so didn’t bother and an unexpected NSD was had! 

After reading grandmanerd and f0xh0les posts I feel somewhat inadequate so came in from work and have produced a huge vat of mince which will be a cobbler and a lasagne and chicken in white wine sauce for tomorrow. I have also changed the bed and done the ironing mountain. I am now knackered. 

Today was another NSD as although I went to Mr T for a couple of bits it was covered by a voucher my sister gave me so free to me. 

Today I am grateful for lots of ripe tomatoes, my Dad sharing his lottery win with me and my lovely new bedding.

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Evening

Went into the office today, was grateful for the aircon and put my cardi on this afternoon.  Had booked myself into the car park so I didn't have to walk with my wheelie briefcase.  Had a good catch up with my boss, we both agreed we want to leave our organisation within a year or so!
Achieved a NSD. 
Came home and DD2 made me a cuppa tea, I heated up a jacket potato that i'd cooked yesterday.  Watched some TV with DD2 and looked at some job adverts.

Gratitudes - nice boss, not much traffic on journeys to and from work, 4 days left till annual leave

love Deni 

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for liddle not being busy, for scoring a good f+v box there, for a good night's sleep, for my garden, for my bed.

f0xh0les

firsview said:

After reading grandmanerd and f0xh0les posts I feel somewhat inadequate

Totally not allowed!!  No feelings of inadequacy allowed around here!  You rock @firsview .  We are all on the same path, motivation comes and goes, ebbs and flows, and we all get hit by a totally unexpected blow every  now and again.  Turtles support each other.  You are totally adequate!!!!!!!!!!!

grandmanerd

f0xh0les said:

firsview said:

After reading grandmanerd and f0xh0les posts I feel somewhat inadequate

Totally not allowed!!  No feelings of inadequacy allowed around here!  You rock @firsview .  We are all on the same path, motivation comes and goes, ebbs and flows, and we all get hit by a totally unexpected blow every  now and again.  Turtles support each other.  You are totally adequate!!!!!!!!!!!

Seconded - I have days when getting myself from my bedroom to the bathroom is a challenge and resisting the urge to hide under the duvet is so hard. the only reason I stay upright some days is that I'm too stubborn to give up.

greent

Mon Aug 8th

Very sunny day! 🌞🌞 

Washed some things (we all deliberately brought less than we would need for the week with us as the cottage has a wm) and dried it all in the sunny courtyard Made fajitas for dinner for people but just had a small bowl of cereal for myself as feel a bit "off' .

Thankful for the weather - being on holiday in the UK in this weather is fab!, for playing cards with the kids - simple pleasures, for ice, cubes! 😁

BadBookkeeper

Evening turtles, hope everyone’s Monday was ok.

- Time outside spent pegging out, bringing in washing and had my after work brew outside.  Sat & sorted DS footy card (£££ stealers) swaps into number order for him.

- Not sure I’ve been kind to anyone today!  Maybe asking after a friends daughter who had to have a blood test counts?! 

- I took myself off swimming on my own tonight!  Don’t think I’ve ever done that but I desperately want to get fit.

- Reduced stress by organising my work day for nice straight forward things which made for a lovely day working from home & quite productive for a Monday.

- Still too many possessions!

- I’ve reduced screen time according to a notification (on my screen ha ha) from last week.

- Food choices ok but I’m hungry & that makes me grumpy!!  Trying to use tea as a fill up.

- Spent money on going swimming this was unplanned and not budgeted for so comes out of my misc pot which is already looking a bit sad.

Not an NSD today so still 4/15

Grateful for - A message off my friend after arriving at her holiday destination, a near empty of people swimming pool,  2 leftover chocolate digestives 🤫

Thrifty_Taylor

Well done on being so productive!

I woke early, as had an appointment to get blood taken at 8.30. Walked there & a bit further to do a circuit, so 3 miles. Has breakfast when I got home, did the ironing, woke DS3 3 times, took him to the dentist. His dentist & the manager there both said how muchuxh they're looking forward to coming to my sewing classes! Posted 4 eboy sales, then got diesel on the way home. Made a stir-fry veg concoction for today's & tomorrow's dinner, using up wobbly veg, then sanded down the paintwork again, it's now all washed & rinsed, so hoping to paint it tomorrow. Read some of my book, a bit of crochet, then met a friend for a shorter walk after tea 

Grateful for beautiful Scabious flowers, not getting wet on my walks, good books