NST September 2022 Picture yourself on a boat on a canal

firsview

Me please Grandmanerd. I promise to be a bit more visible this month! Thank you for a great sounding challenge.

Shrewbie

Sounds great! Please may I join?  (i have also been with the aliens but wish to join the human/turtle race again!! ) can’t wait to get started xx

hazeldreams

Absolutely love these intentions! Please can I join in? I do some of the list out of pure habit formed over years of working on behaviour change, but some of it has slipped this year. Mainly the decluttering, repairing, reusing and especially the questioning of every purchase! 

DrCarrie

Me please Grandmanerd, Early autumn canal trip. Love it.

BadBookkeeper

Budget ready for September and pots replenished.  I love this time of year!

Heres my plan for the month:
Simplify - Declutter by tidying.  Even if clean shelves/ cupboards and put every thing back at least it’s clean & tidy.  I also need to find homes for things around the house.  Our conservatory is not a storage room!

Essentials - I’ve done my budgets and expected costs.  Should achieve 15 NSDs.

Planning & Preparation- Will plan food plans to fit our new routine due to DS activity nights changing.  Will also renew passport and sort out problematic pension transfer.

Think about spends - I will try harder.  I get fed up half way through the month and buy unnecessary things. 

Eat to nourish - I find September a great month for a fresh start.  Also want to ensure I get enough sleep and keep alcohol units down.  

Mindfulness - I’m trying this more often and I like it.

Be kind - Everyone around me seems to be struggling with one thing or another.  Will be kinder to others and myself.

Exercise - Lots of reasons to do this but none to not.

Report daily - I will

f0xh0les

Can I join please? I just renewed my Northern Passport, so can scale the Peaks and join you on the other side.

apple_muncher

I have mulled over the September challenge and come up with this:

NST September 2022 Picture Yourself On a Boat On a Canal
This month (because we like to mix it up) we will be taking a cruise. Not a fan of canal boats as I feel they go far too slowly. However, that may be why it will be good for me to go on one, and slow down…

Life on the water is simple, pretty basic. I like the idea of this but get swamped easily.

Space is limited on the boat and you will be more exposed to the elements, so think about warm clothing… Most of the conservation areas have been reclaimed from old pit workings and spoil heaps - it's never too late to turn your life around, live the life you have always wanted and give something old and ugly a total transformation. Think about the space you inhabit and if there are any low cost ways you could improve it, for yourself and your community. If you can manage on holiday with a bag of clothes, a small toiletries bag and minimal gadgets, why do you need …? Amen!

SIMPLIFY Are you hanging on to things that are sentimental, aspirational, just in case?  Oh yes, I am the reigning champion of just in cases.

ESSENTIALS Pay to your debt or savings first, live on what is left – With an extra £800 to pay out each month, I need to keep a tight rein on spending. And so does DH!!! 

Spend Free Days Aim for 15 Yep.

PLANNING and PREPARATION The seasons are changing, What needs to change in your life, your home, what challenges need addressing… Live in the spirit of the season and enjoy your life, whatever the weather. Big changes for us in that pip starts GCSEs and I reduce to 2 days work per week. No excuse not to rid myself of clutter, then.

THINK ABOUT EVERY PURCHASE Yep. 

EAT to nourish your MIND and BODY and support your IMMUNE SYSTEM. I find that sugar is not good for me (not a surprising fact!) and I’m recovering from a bad bout of covid. I generally eat too much so a focus on simple and healthy food is a very good thing.

MINDFULNESS I have very recently re-started using headspace. And I aim to get outside for a 30 min walk every day. Walking currently makes my chest tight and hurty, but I hope that will sod off soon.

BE KIND Yep

EXERCISE 4 times a week for at least 30 minutes I can still go to the gym, but I rest for longer.

REPORT DAILY Of course! Try and keep me away!

REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, REPAIR, REPURPOSE, then RECYCLE.  Get your brain working on creative solutions, save money, reduce waste. Yes, yes, yes!!!

apple_muncher

Pinch! Punch! First of the month! No returns!

Especially to f0xh0les 😎

grandmanerd

Thursday 1st September 2022
Appreciate where you are in your journey, even if it's not where you want to be, every season serves a purpose.

Health does not always come from medicine. Most of the time it comes from peace of mind, peace in the heart, peace of the soul. It comes from laughter and love.

S   See your goal
U   Understand the obstacles
C   Create a positive outlook
C   Clear self-doubt
E   Embrace the challenge
S   Stay on track
S   Show you can do it

Today's journey
Our starting point is Haigh Hall and Haigh Woodland Park. This is where the canal enters the borough coming from Blackburn via Adlington. Bring a picnic lunch, stow your belongings on board and spend some time relaxing. The woods and plantation are great for walking or bicycling, there's a buggy push today for guardians, mums and grandmas. Activities include adventure golf, foot golf, adventure play and high ropes but save some energy.

When you're ready we'll meander through to New Springs to Wigan Top Lock. After the Top Lock we take a sharp turn to the left as the planned line of the Lancaster Canal went straight on (only a short dried up section remains). The name Wigan Top Lock is a bit of a clue. In the next two miles the canal drops 200 feet through a series of 21 locks (some only a boat length apart so it's not a matter of opening it and us all sailing in) to the junction with the Leigh Branch. 

Lots of exercise, lots of teamwork required but we will pace ourselves. I'm not sure about resting but then once we're in the locks no barges can come the other way so most of us can sit on the bank whilst the lock fills. There are 2 more locks between our turnoff and Wigan Pier so we'll carry on and settle at Wigan Pier overnight. 

Our Challenge
I'm leaving lots of time for stragglers and watchers to decide to get on board. Wigan Pier is only a short walk or bus ride from the two railway stations (North Western carries trains all the way from the tip of Scotland to all  points South, Wallgate goes to Southport and Manchester), so feel free to join us in the next few days. If the challenge looks scary just pick out a few bits you can do (mostly) and another couple to work on. No turtle gets left behind.

End quote
Once she stopped rushing, she was amazed how much more life she had time for.

wishus

Hello! Joining in for a simple September. I have no freelance travel plans at all at this point, will be aiming to do as much as I can from home. 
Need big savings to pay off the horrors of my crumbling Victorian house.

Aiming for. 13 NSDs.