NST: February 2023 Freedom

facethemusic

A low spend day today, but stay on 7 NSDs. 
Have had a day doing things with DD- a sport thing this morning and just pottering about this afternoon. Nothing very much ticked off the list but the curtain rails are back up- need to find/buy some new curtains now (the ones I took down were in the house when I moved in, they were perfectly adequate but I never really liked them and they now very definitely don't go with the new paint work!). We have blinds as well so can live without any until I find ones I want. 
Planning a "day out" tomorrow so more spends will happen, some things might be bought as we have quite a few vouchers to spend some of which have been hanging around for a while so I'd better do something with them. 

pollyanna_26

beanielou said:

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

I haven't bought the book and don't intend to. I have never forgotten that little boy walking behing his mothers coffin. I thought his father would take his hand as he was obviouslyvery distressed and confused. I was relieved to see his mothers brother comfort him and to discover Diana was taken straight to her childhood home for burial by her beloved lake. 

I don't think the Royals understood mental health back then but later  it was revealed she had Borderline Personality disorder.

That was my youngest dds diagnosis after years of living with a diagnosis of Aspergers disorder from the idiot Psych  at CAMHS who'd discovered Tony Attwoods book.

Thankfully we eventualy voted with our feet and our brilliant Superdoc finally got her that correct diagnosis. I noticed one tiny sentance when he requested all her notes from birth / I missed it the first time but wading through our copy again I saw query Personality Disorder from a young female doctor where she had a number of residential stays.

The staff there used to phone me each morning to let me know how she was so far from home -she had just turned 16. No one mentioned BPD but the consultant in charge kept telling me it is not Aspergers

We'd already worked that out for ourselves but it took years  to get the correct diagnosis. Without Superdoc never giving up I doubt she'd have survived.

We often spoke of Diana and how she was expected to get out and sparkle knowing only her friends would listen to her and knowing there were 3 people in that marriage. There were days when youngest coudn't  face leaving the  house and I'd be sitting opposite Superdoc saying a bad night with the meds and she's under the duvet with the cat.

He  never complained just asked if there was anything she needed. Round about then there was something online from America fiction about a little boy who hated going out so cut eyeholes in the big brown bag his mum packed his lunch in for school. We discussed that at one appt but came to the conclusion walking round with a big paper bag on your head with eyeholes wouldn't help.

In recent years the queen seemed to get more in touch with reality and Princess Anne wasn't a probelm.

. Knowing her favourite holiday is visiting RNLI lighthouses with her husband I thought that a nice way to spend a break. I love lighthouses.

Knowing she escorted her mothers hearse all the way from Balmoral  in the car behind with her husband, All the way to  Edinburgh and standing watch. Finally boarding the plane to Londonand again staying with her mum until the end. She must miss her so much

I never liked the idea of 3 in the marraige but when Prince Charles was sent to Boarding school from his beloved Balmoral he was badly bullied because of who he was.

He was very young when he set up the princes trust using his money. It was to support those struggling in education and often being excluded leading to no prospect of employment. It helped many to find a different way and to find employment suited to their needs.

As well ss that he used his interest in Nature and the environment  joining a familiar family friend David Attenborough in the fight to save the planet . I joined Greenpeace and others in the early 60s and am an environmentalist and so is youngest. The dvds  were a lifesaver for her.

Over the years I've had people say it's ok for him with all his money but I think the land around his beloved Balmoral formed his ideas.

He's more in the public eye now  speaking out about mental health and being out and about.We can't turn back the clock to when Harry was a little boy he needs proper help but going on TV or writing books wont get him that.

Hope you're ok beanie.

pollyx

Oh the typos in my post. The young doctor was in an eating disorders clinic a long way from home where dd spent a few lengthy stays,

The staff were lovely but there was too much freedom for the girls who could go out and about and often went AWOL.

The main thing dd  seemed to learn was how to pretend you have eaten when the staff did the daily weigh in. It didn't work with me. If  she wanted to come  home she needed to make  the effort. A lot of the other girls were constantly being readmited.

pollyx

Shrewbie

Morning turtles

NSD 8 yesterday. Already doing much better than last month! I also managed to get to the gym despite a super busy work day. I can feel a difference in my flexibility already from doing splits exercises every day for a week. I read my Spanish chicklit book on the metro (very cheesy but enjoyable) and did some short writing exercises in the morning. 

I got an email from the student loan peeps saying I can now make payments in other currencies… this will help a lot with my budgeting as it means I can pay directly from my Spanish account. 

Grateful for the free gym at work, for managing to keep a clear head despite being busy.

KxMx

@beanielou I read Spare through the Library, I didn't expect it to have the impact on me that it did.

I am not saying I believe 100% everything he wrote, but it's an awful lot more reliable than the press narrative. 

I came away with the impression that the RF was a business and institution ahead of being a family, and that there were a lot of other people with their own vested interests involved in the welfare of the Princes.
Very sad. 

I say was because I do feel that the Princes are raising their children differently.

I am pleased that he now has the freedom to write a book and give interviews, and whole heartedly support his right to do so. 


@grandmanerd It takes courage to admit when you are stuck in a negative lifestyle and that a change is needed. You seem to have taken that step recently (well done- I did myself a few years ago and it's hard!), DS and Beloved are perhaps not quite there yet. 

pollyanna_26

KxMx said:

@beanielou I read Spare through the Library, I didn't expect it to have the impact on me that it did.

I am not saying I believe 100% everything he wrote, but it's an awful lot more reliable than the press narrative. 

I came away with the impression that the RF was a business and institution ahead of being a family, and that there were a lot of other people with their own vested interests involved in the welfare of the Princes.
Very sad. 

I say was because I do feel that the Princes are raising their children differently.

I am pleased that he now has the freedom to write a book and give interviews, and whole heartedly support his right to do so. 


@grandmanerd It takes courage to admit when you are stuck in a negative lifestyle and that a change is needed. You seem to have taken that step recently (well done- I did myself a few years ago and it's hard!), DS and Beloved are perhaps not quite there yet. 

I always saw the Royal family as like a business steeped in decades of tradition and having to continue the norm.

Balmoral showed a different side to her altogether laughing , joking and doing her shopping in the local shops.

She was very young when she vowed to serve in years to come and losing the father she adored when she and Prince Philip were abroad must have broken her heart.

Imagine having to travel with black clothes among the dresses but she walked down the steps of the pane dressed in black to face the fact she would need to comfort her mother but prepare to be queen.

I found her handling of the pandemic perfect . She stuck to the rules and tv footage showed a woman in her home trying to reassure a nation.

Taking tea with Paddington had me laughing myself silly, Not something you see every day. All those Paddingtons along the route went to a very good cause once they'd been cleaned.

I wasn't too sure about Wiliam and Kate years ago but they're raisng some very normal children who seem to have a sense of fun and they have highlighted mental health cnditions during the pandemic and instead of just paying lip service get out there and support better services for children and their families and those alone.

Did you used to post on Mooloos/ Savvy Sewing thread? It's just reminded me I haven't posted there since Christmas Eve her youngest grandchilds birthday.

pollyx

thriftylass

Good morning,

Caught up with all the posts I missed. Back on track now.

Had a lovely birthday, took the kids to the beach and the zoo, DH cooked a lovely lamb dinner, my 90 year old aunty phoned (she rarely phones anyone, never mind abroad and she actually tried three times to get hold of me) and a friend surprised me by arranging to come over and take me to a gig in Glasgow in October. It was a day of many special memories...

Slightly sore head today as DH gave my a very tasty gin for my birthday. The rest is banished to the back of the cupboard till the next special occasion. Here's to a healthier second half of my life.  

beanielou

Yes, I got Spare from the library.

SAd news today of Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland standing down as FM 
A sad day for Scotland.

Toni'sfriend

Indeed, Beanie. Whether you agree with her politics or not she was, dedicated and honest. Saw us through some very difficult times. As did the Queen, Pollyanna. They may have been from very different backgrounds but two very inspirational ladies.

Glad you had a good birthday, Thrifty. 

My news today. MRI hasn't thrown up any nasty surprizes so I'm in an ultra positive mood.  xxx

lcc86

I'm reading Spare at the moment too. Agree with what others have said about Harry coming across as a very troubled man, but overall I can't stand the writing style of the book. These super short sentences make it all very stilted and it just irritates me more than it should!

Today was a NSD, I've had the day off. Started by collecting the carpet cleaner I hired and running that round the place. Then I washed the car in between reading my book. Should've checked the weather first as its meant to rain all day tomorrow! Didn't get round to waxing it and was going to do that tomorrow but may not have the chance.

I was meant to do a walking tour of London tomorrow as something a bit different but it's been cancelled. I guess at least I get that money back in my account!

Not much else to report today, just tried to get on top of the housework with washing and dusting etc so that I don't have to worry about it on the remainder of my time off.

Dfw38

I haven't read spare but have seen the Netflix series. Obviously I don't know what has really happened or what of the stories are true but you can see that he really feels as though the business side of the family was prioritised over his personal mental health and that is a real shame. Death of a parent isn't easy at any stage of life let alone at the age he was. I hope he can find peace, and that reconciliation amongst family is in the future.