NST August 2022: Lights, Camera, Action!

Thrifty_Taylor

Happy birthday Toni Jr.

NSD#13
I'm still testing negative, phew! Drove DH to the hospital before heading to work. A mixed day again, didn't get a break for my lunch, so ate my macroni cheese whilst standing, supervising my pupil before dashing to pick DH up & take him home, then back to work for the last hour. Glorious sunshine, so strimmed the very long grass where the trampoline has stood for the past 4 years+, then cut all the grass. Washed the dishes after tea, did a quick seeing job, then crocheted & watched TV. Was scrolling through a local selling page & spotted a drum kit for DS3 for £50, going to collect it tomorrow. He's been wanting one for a while, so pleased I saw one at a bargain price!

Grateful for time to crochet, testing negative & my garden

Toni'sfriend

Got half the washing done before the heavens opened so I had to start off drying it inside. I thought I'll hang it out when I get up and do the other half. I've just looked out and all the drying lines are full already. One of the neighbour's must have been bored! Oh well, there's always tomorrow for that.

It's a beautiful morning so when Himself gets up we'll walk to the shops and then I have a lot of cooking to do. As predicted he came back from Aldi yesterday with a bag full of reduced items. He just can't resist. So I now have a glut (packets and packets) of tomatoes and peppers so I'll have to make a huge sauce for freezing in portions. And he bought even more reduced tuna steaks to add to what we already have in the freezer. I suppose the way prices are rising at the minute I should be grateful that he's so thrifty.

I had to dispose of some of my plants that were way past their best yesterday. Quite sad about that because they were lovely but they don't come every year. Are they called annuals when they only flower once? I've still got a lot, though. I thought I might buy some more but as we're away for a month in a couple of weeks I'll wait till I get back. I don't want to make things too difficult for the eight year old who has offered to water them for me.

Ah, I hear Himself in the kitchen so I'd better go get dressed and see what the day brings.

Have a good weekend.

grandmanerd

Toni'sfriend They are called annuals because they take a year to reach maturity (foxgloves take 2 years - they don't flower in the first year). However most 'bedding plants' will come back year after year, when it's their season. In future just trim back the dead parts so any goodness can go back into the plant/ soil and let them rest (hibernate) until they're ready to do their 'thing' again. Two years ago I replanted some pansies 3 times because after every time they flowered mum would pull them up and throw them on the ground, then they sprouted new growth.

Yesterday I went shopping in the morning - did well on restocking antiseptic cream, ibuprofen, another 3 months hayfever tablets (because any moment now they'll whip it all off the shelves and may not put it back out when my symptoms start again next year) and some bags (only 20p ones as they only had sandwich bag sized bag for life ones). They were on the list because I want to collect anything that's left in the bungalow (mainly cleaning stuff but some shed stuff - painting, diy and gardening plus the tool racks) and didn't want to go round tipping out all the stuff already 'on hold' at my house. As they're emptied I'll use them for 'putting away' (will either pack up my own kitchen stuff or theirs - less pots pans and plates means they'll have to round up the ones they've used, clean them and return them to the cupboards) and any plastic bags will be used to transport stuff to the charity shops.

I keep forgetting to tell you about the new shop I found when I cut through the mall to get to Icyland. The larger units tend to be empty for a while and the old b'n'm premises has been closed since before the pandemic (new outlet on the expanded retail park on the site of the pit). We are going to have a bookshop and a very special bookshop too. It's a charity shop. You can donate old books but you are allowed to buy up to 3 books a day and pay what you like for them. The proceeds go to support libraries and books fpor schools both here and abroad and they also do tree planting locally and overseas. The signs said they also sell trees and plants but they're still doing a final clean up, so will have to wait until they're open.

Made a hair appointment for today and will also get various facial hair threaded (I did wait but she had two customers in front of me). Went home, swapped bags (packed lunch and books to go back to the library) and went to film club. Came straight home (big queue for the toilets so quicker to get myself across the car park) and then had a relaxing rest of the evening (evening film was cancelled). Everything I needed was in the bags I'd brought upstairs. I did go a bit overboard on pen purchases. Bought a ten pack of black biros. This is the third pack I've bought since January and I've also used all the oddments both mum and I already had. However I bought a six pack of coloured ones by the same manufacturer and gave in and bought the special offer 24 pack of shar- pies for £10 (fifth or sixth time of looking so not really an impulse purchase but not an essential either). Will Cos also had the wider 'window sill' pots that match the pots I've collected over the past 2.5 years (this style only came in this year and they've sold out quickly each time they've been in stock. As I'm having to pay for my hair removal, I may go back and get those (DS2 will shout).

The resting included research (wasting time on craft and selling sites). However I've got some good ideas on garden chairs, sink for my new kitchen (very tempted by the IKea Varde ones on ebay - have been returning to them over the past months). I liked them when they came out but they were way out of my price range (a bargain compared to traditional shaker freestanding units which I looked at many years ago along with the long coveted aga cookers). They're still averaging 2k - 3k for 3 standard units at 2nd hand prices but I'm a messy pup and I like that the sink has a wrap over stainless steel top (not set into the worktop. A  standard unit is 146 cm long and 66 cm wide (2" under 5' x 2' 3" wide. My searches also strayed into industrial kitchen sink units(all stainless steel).

I'm also wondering if I need an oven. I don't bake much any more and rarely have a roast (and really cutting back on meat consumption). I would need an oven at sight height so probably talking about a 2' x 2' tall housing unit which would block light/ access to parts of the kitchen. I mostly use the microwave and thinking I could have a small oven (bedsit or holiday flat type) for the odd occasion I needed one - I know the running costs would be higher but if I'm only using it once in a blue moon it doesn't matter. There are also halogen and Remoska cookers (or even a simple crock pot/ slow cooker). All options that take up a lot less room. 

Need to get on and do something - DS3 and Beloved are out selling at Doku Doku all day today and tomorrow so I have plans but need to tackle clean jobs before I go for my hair  appointment. Grateful for options, research, buying things I've been wanting for a long time. The prospect of having a new soil stack and working plumbing arrangements is making me ridiculously happy (who knew soil pipes could make your heart sing).

ldee2111

It’s been a full on few days…

Paramedics out 1am Thursday because DS woke gasping for breath. He’s had episodes of this since being born when he gets a bug. Not diagnosed as having asthma but has a prescribed inhaler for such situations. Anyway he’s absolutely fine now apart from a constant running nose and a mild cough. 

Kept him off school on Thursday and I took the day off work to keep an eye on him. He was exhausted, I was exhausted, OH was exhausted. Not sure we’ve recouped the sleep we all lost. 

Friday is my day off so I put it to good use by lending a hand at DS’s school to cut out classroom resources. They’re struggling with capacity but I think that’s pretty standard across the education system these days. Anyway I’m happy to help and it gives me something productive to do on my day off. It’s me and Mum’s old school and now DS’s school so I felt good contributing. 

Grateful for the chance to get involved in school, for DS being on the mend, and forever the NHS. 

DrCarrie

Gosh ldee, that must be very scary for you all. Glad he is much improved. 

I have been reeling from commuting, yoga, and some challenging turns of events at work. A lot of emotional labour to get through the week. 

Just been to Sainsbugs and spent 1.5 weeks' worth of budget; but the fridge, freezer, and cupboard are quite full. 

Grateful for seemingly my energy levels are steadily increasing the more I do. Ac all who a friend on Thursday and enough coffee in the jar to last to next payday ...I think. 

Should just about meet my NSD target. I'm on 14/16.

beanielou

Mothernerd~~that book shop sounds right up my street 
I loved my hallogen. If you get one get a 'good' one. My good quality one gave up the ghost & I bought a cheap one & it was not nearly as good.

Idee ~~Glad that your wee one was ok.
How scary.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for finding some wool for Draco's hair (!), for going out and about with dc and finding all the items they needed, for my first experience of bubble tea, for dh washing dc's blazer and it turned out ok, for some progress in some areas.

Thrifty_Taylor

How worrying for you all @ldee2111, glad your son is doing well now. Another fan of the NHS here, they work miracles 🥰
I also loved the sound of the bookshop @grandmanerd, good job it's not near me, or I'd never be out of it!!

An early start for a Saturday, hung out the washing before heading into town. Met a friend to return her sewing alterations I'd done, shopped in L1dl & Tosco, dropped sewing off at my drop off point. Went for a lovely walk with a friend, her youngest showed me some of his vintage camera collection, I was very impressed! Picked up the drum kit, had my hair cut, then headed home. It was only as I was pulling into our driveway, that I realised I'd forgotten to get frozen mice for DS1's snake... Unpacked all the shopping, & headed back to town to buy some. Went outside after tea, with the intension to do some weeding, but the midgies were out in full force, so only lasted 10 minutes, before I had to come back inside. Stuffed & hand stitched part of a bear instead.

Grateful for vintage cameras, a nice walk, chats with friends

f0xh0les

Aaaaaaaaaaand she's back!

Work done - 7am - 8pm mostly, couple of 9pms. Total killer standing for most of that time, my feets hate me, but it is lots of hours over a short amount of time and  I would rather work a month's worth of hours in a week, than the same hours over a month, mostly because I am lazy .  Could not possibly do it long term though, my feet would take industrial action. No pay til end of  next month aspayroll has already been for August  Will tout for a bit more business later on - can't blame a girl for asking!

Planning on going to town later to see the 10 meter tall walking sea-goddess puppet ST0RM walking the city centre streets of Le'Sta. Then home for lunch and watching football this afternoon.  Just chillin' really. 

School PE kit arrived yesterday along with a replacement tie -  Luckily I noticed the old one on DS4s bedroom floor, it looks like it has been savaged by a wild animal.  So  I just need to find one last blazer and I am sorted - they go back on Wednesday, I have time.

DS3 is officially taller than me. I am second shortest in the house. Rotten swines. No more hiding things on high shelves - I'd have to ask them to fetch them down for me.

Gratitudes for the week : a paycheque coming, the bungalow selling and all final utility bills done (no money yet though),  Insurance cancelled and a refund coming, DH missing me and being all happy I am back,  the sniff of a hint of a possibility of more work coming, having a really nice new team member who is not a lazy workshy layabout.

Toni'sfriend

Thanks for the information, Grandmanerd, That's really helpful. And I love the idea of the book shop.

Glad your son is ok, Idee,

Well I got all the washing done and hung out. Just needs ironed now. And I did lots of cooking but we still have a whole load of tomatoes so I think I'll  have to make tomato soup. Maybe do that tomorrow.

Think I'll have a bit of a rest today. Just potter about, Nothing too strenuous.

Have a nice quiet day, everyone.