NST August 2022: Lights, Camera, Action!

greent

Good luck for next week @cuddlymarm - and great news that gd has been signed off x

Welcome back @f0xh0les!

Aug 5th
Money matters- £36 tax rebate received  

Decluttering - found a carrier bag of mouldy conkers in the garage! They went in the garden waste bin!

Dealt with a piece of paper based admin and got that posted off 

Thankful for DD making a curry tonight, good neighbours, DH getting an issue sorted with GP before hols, my mum giving me some money for hols to treat the kids (bless - we don't need it but it is very sweet of her!)

DrCarrie

Morning all, 

I spent yesterday - just Hair dye, I had planned to dye my hair last night, but that didn't happen. Fairly non-eventful day yesterday. Vacumed, did some yoga, worked - I think my newly delivered laptop from work is finally all set up. 

It's Pride here this weekend, I have a ticket but I am defo low key this year, watch the parade and see the headline acts, that's it really. 

Grateful for 
- Lovely chicken dinner 
- flat feeling clear 
- sunshine 

ldee2111

Turtles, I have lots of leftover parsley. Any tips on how to preserve for soup-making in a couple of month’s time?

Wide awake early this morning. Emptied dishwasher, cleaned kitchen surfaces, made tea, and am now back in bed catching up with turtle updates.

Good luck for Monday @cuddlymarm

@Toni’sfriend I’m in the business of sneaking broken tat into the bin too. It’s the only way to clear their stuff - they’d hold onto everything if they could!

Yesterday OH and I took DS for his pre-school eye test. DS thought it was great getting to play games and wear funny glasses. His eyesight is all good.

After the eye test we headed to the shops to buy a school bag - no luck in finding one. We’ll have a look in Saneberries today when I go to do a food shop. I’m not getting my usual grocery delivery this morning because we’re going to London on Tuesday so only need enough for the next few days.

Grateful yesterday for DS’s eye test going well, for kind neighbour lending us her bike pump to inflate DS’s bike tyres (hopefully we’ll get to the park today), and for DS eating 5 wedges of watermelon (finally found a fruit that he will eat!)

Toni'sfriend

Idee - I've never done it myself but I believe you can freeze parsley in ice cube trays for using later in soups.

So I did all my five minute jobs and now have an even bigger list of more five minute jobs to do today. Well, I suppose it's progress. In the process of doing the tasks I've managed to dispose of some more tat including a broken, never to be mended shredder (that had to be sneaked out whilst Himself was at the shop!) and many cardboard boxes which were being kept "just in case". Don't know how I'm going to get rid of the old roll of carpet which is taking up space in a cupboard without him catching me. I might put it in the cellar until we need a bulk uplift from the council.

I've been saving for that day in December by transferring £2 and any random pennies from my current account to a separate little bank account and yesterday I found a lovely gift for for my nephews wife with 50% off and the money was there to pay for it. So glad I started doing this because I really haven't missed the money and it's built up quite rapidly.

Himself has been decluttering the freezer by eating all (well, most. Some were really inedible!) his random leftovers. Seems to be working as there are definitely gaps appearing. His lunch is a bit of an adventure though as he hasn't labelled most of it.

Must get ready and go to the shops. I'm making a thai curry for dinner tomorrow and I've run out of some of the herbs I need. Have a lovely day.

abundant1972

Good Morning 🌞

Had a few really productive days at work and have been able to clear some work projects that were outstanding - so I feel like I have a bit of a clean slate for when I go back after my week off. Met new team leader from next door's office who seems really nice and pro-active. 

Less productive on the NSD front haha. Keep spending dribs and drabs - I need to get back to having designated spend days and leave my wallet at home haha. 

Today = NSD number 1 (still!).  

Yesterday/Today I am grateful for:

1) An opportunity to catch up with my work projects
2) New people and interesting conversation
3) Coming home to my little haven of peace and quiet

Have a day with the fam today and tomorrow I am planning on catching up on domestic chores. Wallet staying home. I will get another NSD if it kills me haha. 

Catch you all tomorrow x 

grandmanerd

Another tiring but productive day yesterday. Only tiring not exhausting as we curtailed it. New friend's (not calling her ex-s-i-l any more) Spanish student was due to leave today but told her on Thursday he was going Friday, so she wanted to get back home before he left to make sure she got her key back etc. She suggested 2 pm as a deadline and I said could we make it 1 pm and would she then take me to Morries.

A good plan. We dismantled the bed into it's constituent parts (mattress, 4 drawers, two base halves), she mopped the bathroom and kitchen (plus bits like skirting boards), I alternated outside jobs - must have done 4 loads (10 shovelfuls in an old kitchen bin which I then transported on a dolly) of stones (with big gaps doing other jobs in between), emptying a 1m x 0.5 m cube bag of soil and using it to top up other raised beds and bags (only one or two buckets at a time because I was in full sun which rapidly got too much), more weeding, planting all 3 packs of dwarf bean seeds (some done by scattering the seeds and then using the top up soil until they were buried at the correct depth) and several more items added to the definitely broken pile of tat. 

Couldn't do painting (didn't really want to, still aching in all kinds of strange places) as it was trying to rain, ditto nasty weedkiller as the rain would have washed it away - it was only spitting with rain at that point but it had a bit of a downpour as we left the SM. New friend offered to come back on Monday as we'd cut short our planned activity, so I didn't bother too much about packing anything else that is coming back to my house (we'll split the remaining cleaning supplies).

Spent quite a lot in Morries but less than I expected and I achieved my objective - lots to drink, lots of healthy grab and go food - stuff from the salad bar, some ready plant based salads, some cooked meat (love sliced beef with watercress using just a smear of mayo and a sprinkle of grain mustard), lots of veg to dip, a ys piece of brisket so went back and got a bag of casserole veg - will add more from whatever is in the fridge or on the table but my wrist is still aching from the painting so need to limit chopping time, it cooks itself once it's in the oven and can use spare shelf to do baked potatoes etc.

I'm having real problems with shopping. Even going to little Arseda is a chore (a couple of months ago, I'd go several times a week to check out the ys shelves before closing - loads of 10p bread/ wraps and veg) - one of the assistant's has started to come across and help me on the self-service till as soon as she sees me. The only place nearer is the off licence/ corner shop which has caffeinated drinks, crisp and choc if I'm desperate but not helping with my health goals (and this week for the second time they'd sold out of large bottles and I'm not paying for single cans/ small bottles). Peak heatwave nearly all their fridges were empty.

I can easily get a Tessimo delivery but the congestion at the front door (the chimney composter and the fridge-freezer are still behind the front door much to DS3's disgust) makes getting stuff in difficult. Tessimo sells decaff drinks and has the best bulk buy (multi can) prices but some of the other things I want are pricier than other places. Icyland have lovely pasta salad and cooked meat but I don't have spare freezer room atm and I don't like their yoghurts. I have an online account but couldn't find the password this week (there are more places it could be). I even have a Morries account but haven't used it since before the pandemic (got things at mum's via amazon pr1me next day or even same day service) and we're 3 or 4 laptops on from the one that remembered the passwords. DS3 and Beloved also have a Morries account - at some point I'll have to get the details for their account and add my card. The quest for decent yoghurts is ongoing (reverted back to the organic ones I like best, halving the quantity and adding oats to lower my cholesterol - remembered that other brands have upset my stomach in the past).

So for the past few weeks I've been trying to use the food in the house but have resorted to making poor choices when I'm tired or suddenly realise I'm hungry (expensive ones too) supplemented by trawls to little Arseda for drinks. It will all be sorted out (sleep pattern is off as well), I've cancelled the recipe box and veg/ salad boxes which weren't really helping but this should help me get in front and give me space to get organised.

Had a rest when I got in but only 2 -3 hours then went outside to do a few bits (not much but a polytunnel cover is draped over the bins to dry out and another cover is over the back wall leaving lots of exposed paving to dry out too) and put all the food away (brought a bag upstairs as well).

Grateful for gaining some space (physical and head space), remembering just in time to order a repeat prescription item (and really glad I found a spare half pack in the drawer this morning - thought I'd have to ration them), a hopefully gentle domestic day (rubbish, recycling, clean clothes upstairs and away, washing and out for drying, 'sort' the kitchen - make it so at least some of it is usable) and a proper weekend break to get ready for next week. Other good news - waste wizard had a cancellation, I accepted being upgraded to Monday so won't miss art therapy, he's sending '2 big strapping lads' so we don't have to wrestle the couch outside and new friend has suggested we have a day out at the seaside to reward ourselves for all our hard work (and saving the cost of a gardener and a cleaner).

f0xh0les

You have my vote for a turtle-day-out at the seaside @grandmanerd (I still type mothernerd first every time!) you deserve it.   We loved F0rmby for leaping off sand dunes (I am such a bad mum) -  but we never once saw a red squirrel in that forest, and Southport (so good they named it once) was the end line station from Swinton, Happy Days.

My passport is back already @Toni'sfriend   Honestly, it is £10 cheaper to do it online, plus no cost for the photo, all you need is a white wall and someone to take the photo.  I submitted the online form on day one, and the passport was delivered back on day nine.  So much for 10 - 12 weeks waiting time!  £75.50 + a first class stamp =   job done.

Got home just after 10am, 3 hours of driving, read the meters and submitted online.  Need to do a stores inventory.

I did, however, discover a new to me salad this week - 3 large carrots grated, pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of mayo, and curry powder, mix. Leave for 5 minutes for the carrots to release their juices into the mayo,  and it is lovely!   New favourite thing, and  quicker than coleslaw, actually totally different to coleslaw, I would happily eat both on the same plate.  Dieters could probably sub yoghurt for mayo for a similar result.    Anyone else got any cheap salad recipes?

Oh, and the parsley question - chop roughly, put it in a  plastic bag, freeze flat, once frozen break off what you need.  If you crumple the bag while it is frozen then it will crumble into finely chopped, but as it is only for soup, just roughly chop and freeze.

Gratitudes:  DH, DH, and being back at home.

Toni'sfriend

Thanks for that, f0xh0les. It's encouraging to see that it's not taking so long as they say although I won't need mine until January anyway. I'm still not confident about taking the photo myself but apparently my local photo shop can take the photos and also give me a code which I can use for an online application. I think I'll do that as I might need some photos for a travel pass anyway and get the Boy to hep me with the online application.

The salad sounds lovely and if you use lighter than light mayo that should bring down the calories. One of my favourite salads is something similar. Grated carrot, grated cheese and raisins or sultanas which have been soaked overnight mixed with either mayo or French dressing depending on your preference for dressing. Peaches stuffed with cream cheese is another, You can use cottage cheese to cut the calories but I really don't like cottage cheese.

abouttime_2

Thrifty_Taylor said:

Wow, @grandmanerd you have been busy!
@abouttime_2 what age are your children? Might be able to suggest some activity ideas.
Well done in the job @cuddlymarm, good luck for Monday 😃
What film did you see @Deni_debt-free_dreamer? We've booked to see Where the Crawdads Sing next Friday.

A friend asked me to join her this morning for a trawl round the CS. We went in 6! She bought quite a bit, I had a dress, 2 books & 2 t-shirts for DS1 for sproutmas. Picked mum up & did the big monthly shop. Well I spent the max in L1dl to get all the vouchers this month, so prices have definitely increased. Bought some seeds from there & had money taken off them, then bought more in Tosco as they were half price, so lots of veg to plant next year! Put all the shopping away when I got home, brought the washing in before it got soaked with the rain, washed all the dishes, then watched TV & crocheted.

Laughs with my friend this morning, getting reduced price seeds, time to crochet, hanging washing on the line

Have teenagers Thrifty Taylor......great if i can get them out of their pit, Any tips with that!

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Evening

Hope you get to the seaside grandmanerd I really like Southport  and I've never seen a red squirrel at Formby either  

Love the sound of that salad f0xh0les thanks

Thrifty -we saw Maverick!  I know it was out months ago but we never got time to see it. Loved it!  We will see Crawdads next week, really enjoyed the book.  Well done on progress with the kidney donation too 

Went to the library this morning, a different branch to my usual one - found 3 books by some of my fave authors, glad i went elsewhere. Met my friend for coffee this morning, her treat, but i bought one to take back to DD2 to help her power on with her dissertation.  DDs took me out for afternoon tea  It was lovely but i am still full and we took a doggie bag home with us!
Found some woodstain in the garage so put one coat on the garden chair.
Decluttered 12 magazines after I offered them for free on Fb and they were collected last night.  Also shredded some more (neverending) paperwork for the recycling bin.

gratitudes - my lovely DDs, for taking me out and that they get on so well with each other - currently they are having a trip down memory lane and watching Glee before going onto Tracey Beaker! Also grateful that i don't need painkillers today and can have a glass of wine 

love Deni x