NST NIFTY NOVEMBER

BadBookkeeper

Hello turtles, 

Met a friend this morning at local M&S cafe to exchange Christmas presents and her birthday gift did the usual ‘it’s my treat’!! 

Passed a terrible car accident on our way home.  Can’t stop thinking about those involved.

Money is slipping through my fingers.  Trying to keep it all under control but it’s proving difficult.  Mad that I’ve saved and planned all year I’d I still only just managing.  However I didn’t budget for cost of living increasing so much.  @thriftylass DS joggers/tracky bottoms also half mast & won’t wear jeans.  Ordered 2 pairs in @did@s sale. 

Emptied DS bedroom ready for his new carpet.  God we keep EVERYTHING!  He’s agreed to bin/donate 2 bin bags full and that’s so much more than I hoped for and we’re only 1/2 way through his things. 

Not an NSD as treated friend to brunch, bought a half price l£go set & clothes for ds.  Need to stop now! 

Also downloaded a 30 day cleaning challenge.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

x_raphael_xx

Evening all,

Busy couple of days, trying to plough through my to-do list.

Rang the pension people yesterday, need my log ins after the business change of ownership and texted some people that needed texting.
Then I had a spurge of energy in the evening and went through my entire wardrobe, something I've been meaning to do for a while. Now I have a big pile to go to the charity shop, and the undonate-able stuff has been binned.

Today I have met with the run coach for a session, had a visit from the SIL, and rehoused the big mummy  scorpion into a new bigger, bioactive enclosure.

Tomorrow I want to clean through the house, I have a potential visit from father in a week or two, so want the house looking presentable. Blinking downstairs loo seat has just broken, so now we need a new one.

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD#9
Exercises completed
Replaced a zip in the dirty coat, DS3 was heading to town on the bus this afternoon, so got him to leave it at my drop off point. Made a draught excluder & stuffed it with leftover offcuts of baby clothes. Walked to collect DH's prescription. Very windy on the way home! Did some cleaning this afternoon, ready for DS3 & friend coming home. Typically they'd missed the bus, so drove to town to collect them. Did some more knitting after washing the dishes.

Grateful for feeling good, think it's still the after effects of yesterday's comment, being cosy

ditty1234

Morning everybody just want to say how grateful I am for spending all day in a professional print studio yesterday and just doing one thing. It was amazing, but now I am tired after a full 6 day week. I shall try to plan more full day activities on Saturdays as worked out really well. Grateful that ds2 had friends to talk to after he almost got jumped with a druggie with a knife. I am a bit shaken, and think he needs a bit of self defence training. In the meantime ds1 have been accepted onto the teacher training course at our local uni next year. And as it's in walking distance he went by himself on open day yesterday while I was away. 
Have a lovely Sunday.

grandmanerd

Went shopping earlier rather than later, the man at the car park entrance wouldn't let me 'nip across' (they'd be liable if anyone got hurt whilst they were 'setting up') despite the fact that it was nearly an hour after the official start time and the council workers outnumbered the 'audience'. (It 'built' very slowly, I'm not sure the change from Thursday evening worked - normally all the children will see the funfair up and running on the way home from school either walking or going past on the bus for the older ones). 

Toddled round town, got cash out of the machine (should be seeing my brother soon), checked out the 'Christmas market' - only a few stalls, no interest in jewellery or 'smellies', a few nice bits on the wood carving stall and some very pretty hand painted terracotta plant pots but nothing I 'had to have'. However I did spend money because I finally joined the Lancashire, Manchester and Cheshire Wildlife Trust (hedgehogs may be extinct in 2 -3 years and other species are in massive decline). Free entrance to all their sites so something to aim for when I start 'adventuring' (and places to go with baby and her parents).

Mr Builder had found his last drain cover in the pound emporium but none there (other things I would have got but the queue was building - this is why I never go to the pedestrianised zone on Saturdays and I'd decided unless they had the drain cover, I wouldn't get the other items). Gave away some change in the bottom of my bag (must get thee pennies bag back in there). Tried Will co for a drain cover and searched in vain for the 'cold water washing up liquid' I'd read about.

Did buy a face flannel in B00ts because I'm fed up of using random rags/ my clothes that are waiting to go down for washing. I had some and brought some from mum's, so I've put off buying more but not found the missing items in months now. Only bought one because I want to buy several organic cotton ones. I bought 4 organic cotton bath sheets after my dad died (along with sets of jet and crystal beads as my sons each broke one of my necklaces when when they were young) and they're still going strong - bit of remedial action needed but good for a further 20 years use. 

Very tired and  hungry but decided I would walk across to see if the flower stall man had any potted white hyacinth or cyclamen. I could see his 'stall' from where I was but not what was on his shelves. Another 'no' but then I thought about one of the stalls inside that sells a miscellany of household stuff (I could get galvanised mopping buckets there before eco-products got mainstream again). Yes, I saw drain covers and pounced. He also had a range of white enamel blue edged pie dishes (and more) but not sure if they were significantly cheaper than ones sold elsewhere. I've always avoided non-stick bakeware but it's getting harder to find alternatives. I'm thinking enamelware tins will be big enough for any joints I'll be cooking in future as well as pasta bakes etc and they're much lighter and easier to store than toughened glass/ ceramic or other dishes. 

Glanced at a few more shops in passing but avoided any obvious temptations - bought the sequel to Richard Osman's 'Thursday Murder Club' and some small festive cutters (to cut shapes out of some luggage tags to use them as gift tags). Mum liked me to make a label for her walker (the coach companies send one per person for your suitcases) when we went away and I've most of a set of colourful luggage labels that have been on my shelf for several years now. I reduced the number of cutters I had to the minimum and handed all mum's stuff over to my nieces to be shared out. An impulse buy but they will get used (more crafting than baking although peppermint creams can go back on the list once baby can cut out). 

Went home, ate and then out into the yard to recommence tree planting. Despite yesterday's rant the music was 'reasonable' - Wham was played once but there was no repeat offending, they didn't play my favourites (Greg Lake, Mike Oldfield, Steeleye Span, David Essex and of course the Pogues - DS3 had the audacity to complain that I'd played the Pogues at least twice in the past week) but easy on the abominations. DS3 came to slam the kitchen door shut when Mariah Carey came on - the only reason I didn't bolt inside was that I was just finishing the last of the apple trees.

I was very wet and muddy almost from the start but 4 apple trees are now planted, over 20 smaller containers have been weeded and the soil decanted into the incinerator bins (I know there are more but was only prepared to count the ones I could see). Most of 2 rows of my 'tiered' garden have been taken down. I scrubbed off the worst of the mud, stripped off the wet and muddy clothing, put on an old T-shirt nightie and huddled on the sofa in a blanket with food and books (the one I'd just bought so I didn't need to go upstairs for one) until my food order came. 

Just put away the fridge and freezer stuff, then dragged myself and 2 bags upstairs, had a shower to warm me up and ease aching muscles, put gadgets to charge and settled into my bed/ nest. DS3 has identified 2 items I need to add to the shopping lists - a sugar free version of his favourite soft drink and toilet rolls (well I've got away with them paying for all the toilet rolls for the past 9.5 months). Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (can substitute troubles for evil). That just popped into my head and I had to look it up. I think I worked (very) hard and I'm happy with what I did. I'm having some difficulty balancing what needs doing with what I can manage. 

This coming week looks very busy (I've now got both flu and COVID seasonal booster booked in) and I'm not going to get everything I want to, done today. Doing the kitchen was last week's target following on from the under the stairs success the previous week - last week I achieved hardly in the kitchen (some progress on the laundry pile but stalled due to lack of clothesline/ access to radiators/ anywhere to put up an airer). This week I've nearly conquered the washing up mountain (full cutlery drawer, must start extracting mine and hiding them) and it's mostly put away and I know what the next stages are and I've identified lots of sub-categories of stuff that can leave the building.

Okay I have an impossible to do list but I'm very calm (no panic although it would be a great relief if my niece messaged back and said brother can't do this week). I've had pills, I need to eat next (and sort clothes for tomorrow - could stay in this nightie today but wanting to see the reindeer might motivate me). Grateful for DS3 being helpful, for him adding my food to his orders and paying for it several times (when I'm cold and hungry and too tired or ill to stand up it's a great help), I'm also grateful for some healthy food 'snack options' (things like bananas, low fat spread cheese and healthy breadsticks - I'm taking some pills around 2 pm and healthy snack options are letting my spread my meals throughout the day rather than having 'big meals'). 

Very grateful for creativity - there's always a solution. It might not be the obvious route, more disposable income might make things easier (less complicated options) but I'll get there in the end.

grandmanerd

Sunday 20th November 2022
A happy belated birthday to my right hip which was eight years old on the 13th (so it's 8 years and one week old today - do I get cake, No mustn't have cake). 

What you need in your Mental Health Armoury
Music I will play all my favourite Christmas songs that didn't get played yesterday. I've seen some interesting playlists recently (punk, non slushy) although how Wham scrapes in under the 'Indie' banner is beyond me. DS3 is not allowed to complain until the Pogues have been on 3 times in a day (3 times in succession) and even then I might do it a couple more times just to annoy him.

Cuddly toy We don't all have someone to cuddle when we need it so having a substitute is helpful. A cuddly hot water bottle or similar (it always bothers me when apple talks about putting the bear in the microwave, but then I used to apologise to the soft toys when I pegged them on the washing line) will do if you feel foolish with a soft toy.

Basic hygiene Some days it's difficult to get into the bath or shower. There's a tipping point in having the flu when the struggle to get out of bed wars with the need to have a bath (which you know will help you feel better). If you're having a tough time for whatever reason, do count it as an achievement. Sometimes just getting to the end of another day is all you can do.

Take Action to fight overwhelm There's too much to do and you can barely stand up, you want to hide under the bedclothes until it all goes away (some times you may even need to hide there to rest but you're not going to stay there). Just make a start. It doesn't matter if it's the right thing, the most important thing, the one that will make the most difference. Those things matter but one small step will lead to another and when things are a bit better you can work out which tasks are urgent or give the greatest benefit.

Movement Walking is great, any exercise is beneficial but even doing chair based exercises or lying down and stretching like a cat will help, as will yoga and meditation (mindfulness too).

There are many other ways to practice self-care and help your mental health including reading, being grateful, avoiding social media, and making yourself something simple to eat. It's also a good idea to check in regularly with how you feel and take action before 'your battery runs flat'.


Listen to Your Body
Uh huh    Ok   Got it     It just wants more cheese

New self-care - Talk to myself the way I talk to my dogs
- hi sweet girl
- want a treat?
- ur so chubby and cute
- need a nap
- what a good girl

firsview

Afternoon Turtles. Had a relatively productive weekend so far. Went for our usual Saturday walk but unfortunately the ice cream man has packed up for the winter, boo!
Had to give in and put the heating on for an hour yesterday but it is the end of November so I am pleased with that. I am still £350 in credit and had a bit of good luck yesterday when DS1 handed me a letter that said he qualified for the warm home discount scheme and £150 would be paid into our
electric account (he is on esa) He was still named on the account from when we rented years ago and he was over 18 and had to be on the tenancy agreement and the energy supplier just used the names on there. I momentarily felt bad about it but I soon got over it!
Went for our Covid boosters this morning, no reaction as yet (had a violent one from the AZ before)
Have done all of the jobs on this weeks list and made another for next week. I also have a new list which has things on it I would like to do, can’t see it happening but I can dream!

lcc86

Evening turtles

Rainy start to the day but soon cleared up. Went to see my share pony and took him out for an hour. Beautiful sunshine and a really nice morning. Stopped off at the farm shop on the way home for eggs and coffee. And perhaps two donuts 

Watched some TV and did my nails, then adjusted my bike brake cables as basically had no brakes left on the back! All good to go. I plan to cycle partway to work tomorrow but the weather looks grim so we'll have to see how it pans out.

thriftylass

Hello fellow turtles.

Day started off ok. Didn't have much motivation but started doing stuff and it appeared. Got some painting done in the kids room and put some shelves up. Then DH dropped the bomb shell that his cousin and partner will pop in this afternoon. Haven't had guests in ages, so brain goes into grumpy panic mode - need to clean, can't be bothered, don't want people to see my dirty bathroom (not that they ever use it anyway). So frantic cleaning ensues. Peppered with expletives and cursing this house (too small, too tattered), gosh, was is right toddler tantrum mode, lol. Then I had to sit through two hours of conversations that I mostly couldn't think of anything to contribute, arghh. Was so not in the mood for people today. After that DH said I'll be off to a friend's house for an hour. Great.....

Luckily feel better now 😃 Appreciating my cleaner house and trying to enjoy the rest of my Sunday evening. Might have a bath later 

Oh and another NSD

DrCarrie

@DawnW - thank you. 

Defo still in a funk. It will pass, it always does. Looked at d3liv3r00 and averted the spending of at least 20quid. 
Another #NSD - 12. 

Grateful for being safe, silence in the morning, the window being open to my room, and brandy.