NST: February 2023 Freedom

grandmanerd

apple_muncher said:

Grandmanerd - did you buy the house at auction that you mentioned?????

The auction's on the 23rd apple. I've contacted the auction house and started the registration process but got stuck on the usual anti money laundering questions - no problem with the questions, just got to relocate all the bits of paper that are dizzy with going in my bag/  out of my bag and then 'scan' them or whatever to get them into a format to transmit them via the internet.
Beloved's dad has offered to go to the viewing on Saturday to check it over for us (train tickets for 3 of us were over £120, I refused to pay for an overnight hotel stay unless they looked at a bunch of other properties). 

I also need to check things out with a mortgage broker.  I have the cash available to pay and am proceeding on the basis that I buy it now, they continue to pay rent to me and then next year when DS3's 'buying a house ISA' matures they might get a mortgage (his share of their dad's estate would also be set aside, so their deposit is as large as possible). The starting price is £35,000 (was previously for sale at £45,000) and it looks to be in better condition than several others. It might be in a bad area, but that doesn't affect them - they only leave the house to attend appointments, have all their food delivered and DS3 is big enough that people tend not to challenge him.

It's at the closed end of a cul-de-sac so the back garden angles out (taking in the corner) and it's  open views at the bottom. So although Beloved struggles to leave the house, hedging on both sides makes the garden very private and in time, I'm hoping the view will tempt her out to walk over hill  and down dale. I do need to have a serious talk with them about lots of things - I really need them to stop telling me why things are impossible. There are lots of houses that are in far better condition than mine was and many of the ones I looked at during my 2 year search (one could only be viewed from the front door -  no floorboards up or down and only a remnant of the staircase). It's also available with 6 week completion so I could have them out of here in just over 2 months (and I think I really need that).

I haven't liked to moan but I've had a couple of days of feeling old, exhausted and a bit hopeless. I did quite well with last week's 'to do' list but this week's was even longer and all 'big' things. I've regained a little perspective  now and ticked a few things off but was hoping to complete all the 'buying a house' stuff yesterday and got a bit upset at getting stuck. Nothing will change unless I push things along but I really don't want to (I want everyone to go away, let me read and potter, plant some seeds and see my grand-daughter).

However today I took 3 more books back to the library on my way to my appointment at the infirmary (blood pressure is fine), collected blood and urine test paperwork, ate a sandwich, drank my water and read my book because I had a 25 minute wait for thee next bus, stayed on as far as Morries, bought   from the salad bar and some plant based meals. Was going to get off at mum's to try to collect some of the stuff that needs moving but decided to come home and put the food away. Not sure if I can motivate myself to go out again later but I can make the blood test appointment and it's bin day so need to see how many more bags I can squash in the bins. I've delegated the house viewing - reclaimed Saturday and I can't do anything about registering without my tech specialists. Scanning documents  etc will also help with one of the outstanding bits of mum's estate so rounding those up ready for when they wake up again would be helpful.

My lovely d-i-l did do a subscription for my puzzle book and that arrived this morning so that's one less job of the monthly list. Grateful for options, knowing I can and will cope with all this somehow (a lot less to do than at the beginning of last year), being amused by small people I met today.

Dfw38

Hope all goes well with the auction @grandmanerd. My fingers (and everything else!) Is crossed for you to get the life you want, especially treasured time with your granddaughter.

ldee2111

Grateful today for a lie-in because DS was at grandparents’, for tea and chat with Mum at lunchtime, for MIL bringing me a box of lemon and ginger tea, and for OH reading DS’s bedtime story so I could join my fellow turtles. 

Thrifty_Taylor

You made me smile @pollyanna_26! 🐰🔋

Woke up at 6am, decided to get up.at 6.30. Yoga & Norwegian done. Hung washing out, fed the cat & wild birds, then took DH to the airport. DS3 came too, to spend the afternoon with his GF. We dropped sewing off & looked in £stretcher. He talked me out of buying a cherry tree, but when I texted DH, he said I should've bought it! Will see if it's still there on Friday. Does anyone know if they pollinate themselves, or do I need 2, like apple trees? Saw mum down town, so we gave her a lift home & dropped off a couple of things I'd ordered on her behalf. Birdseed bought on the way home.

Phoned about our passports, as my ID had been scanned onto DS3's application. All sorted now & approved 😄 phoned HMRC twice about DS2 leaving college, so will have less money from the middle of next month. Whizzed around the living room & put lots of things in the places they should be (mostly the shed 🤣), then cooked mine & DS1's tea before he went to work. DS3's was on the table when he got off the bus, talk about on the ball eh?!

Washing off the airer put away, & new stuff out on. All cats fed & sorted for the night, dishes done, now off to relax in the bath with my book. DH is away until Thursday now, so I'm going to be a ⭐fish & spread out in bed 😃

Grateful for DH being well looked after, a clearer space in the living room, DSs agreeing to chip in & help over the next couple of days

BadBookkeeper

F - Freedom - Nothing here today.

E - Exercise - 100 steps

B - Budget- Claimed a payout from tcb but can’t log onto my banking app for some reason so can’t see if I’ve received it or send it to its correct pot.

R - Rules - 1 in 1 out, reduce energy.  Washed 1 load of laundry, not quite enough to do a second load today so will do another tomorrow and dry on maidens.

U - Unburden tat, realised I’m

Not using a hand soap/lotion set because it’s December themed!  Decided to use it again.

A - Advanced planning, few ideas in my head need some time to get down on paper. 

R - Refuel - stuck to food plan except a sneaky triangle shaped piece of chocolate bar I’d bought for DH for valentines.  Wish I’d checked the calories before eating not after!! No alcohol though and refused cake at my parents house!  Sleeping well but was awake early this morning but nice to have a lazy cuppa in bed before starting the day. 

Y - You - self care - Lazy start to the day made it a nice start to the day.

2 - 2 trips out - both planned.

0 - 100 days - need to check this is achievable now plans have changed. 

2 - Read 2 books - none today.

3 - Gratitudes x 3 - card & fizz for Valentine’s Day, Productive day at work, since I increased my hours I feel I can do my job properly, cooking a lasagne earlier in the day to reheat for tea when short on time. 

NSD today so that’s 7/15 NSDs 

lcc86

Forgot to post yesterday but I think it was a NSD. Had to do a 200 mile round trip first thing yesterday morning for work. Then into the office where I felt like I was chasing my tail for the rest of the day. 

Went to pilates last night for the first time in weeks, was hard work but am glad I went. My sinus is still playing up and is painful but getting there slowly  

Today was a long day at work dealing with an emergency, took up most of my day. Didn't get to finish my work but I'm off now until next Tuesday. Going to try not to stress about it while I'm off!

We had a planned takeaway for dinner so not a NSD but within budget. 

beanielou

Thrifty~~you are a one woman machine!
I don't know who you do it.

DawnW

@Thrifty_Taylor it depends on the variety of cherry. Some are self fertile, ie you only need one in order to produce fruit - I have one called Stella (the variety, not the tree's personal name ), which is self fertile, another is Sunburst I think. If you know the variety of the tree in £stretcher, you can google to see whether or not it is self fertile, or whether you need more than one. Does that make sense?

DawnW

Oops I had better update - I have totally lost track of NSDs this month, but I know there haven't been many.

Weekly shop today. Bought a few extra bits for the food bank, and got a good £1.50 L*dl veg box.

I have read 2 books since I last posted, but only kindle crime novels, nothing highbrow

Most of my garlic, along with several other things in my garden, were unfortunately killed by the frosts and snow, so I replaced them by planting some sprouty garlic cloves. It is too late really, but worth a try.

Made a chilli, some of which we had for dinner. Also mushroom soup for lunches.

I need to redo the freezer inventory, and start sorting out the garden now the weather is improving, but these are jobs to think about tomorrow.

Grateful today for a decent L*dl box, the weather improving and nice home made food.

beanielou

I am reading 'Spare'.
I may be going spare if I carry on.
Sad. H obviously has/had severe MH problems.