NST March 2023 LIONS and LAMBS

Starlight_at_Sea

Evening all! Just sending a distant hug to thriftylass as we are coping with similar amongst older relatives; it's tough in so many practical and emotional ways. 

Am away for work today, so it should count as a NSD #1...but only if I claim back relevent expenses spent today! Have put a reminder to do so on Monday when I have time to master new system.

I'll borrow from other turtles the need to research house insurance this month, and also to deep clean my car. The latter is a job I could theoretically easily do when at my parents for a few days, though it's been a fairly tough week there, so nothing on top of getting through has occurred. Hopefully stabilised a bit now. I also have a raft of life-admin linked to house-purchasing to wade through. I find the paperwork so stressful, and let the tasks build up, I don't know why! 

Enjoyed the quotes grandmanerd, am trying to sit comfortably with an awful lot of uncertainty just now. So far some difficult decisions seem to be working out for the best. A reminder to myself that sometimes I get it right! 

Grateful for an uninterrupted night's sleep, mortgage broker who seems very on-it, a walk to work that took in the Thames and central London tourist spots today, friendly colleagues and a chance for a subsidised catch up with an old friend, who I know well enough to meet & eat with early, so I could finish some work off afterwards! 

beanielou

I am grateful when my hand bled in the night that it only went through the sheet & the mattress procector & not the new mattress.

Thrifty_Taylor

Thank you for this month's thread @grandmanerd, it has rung s few bells with me today when I read it! Please count me in (could I possibly be #18 or 21, if they're not taken?)

Woke up feeling rubbish, so didn't do yoga. Doses up on a couple of medicines, then headed to work. Another strike day. Got some bits done, one of my work bestie's is having a tricky time outside of work, so me & our other bestie gave her support throughout the day. Pleased we could concentrate on helping her without having to dash off after a child. Spent the afternoon drawing & painting Notts castle for play scenery.

Looked at the bulbs flowering in our garden, then had a nap when I got home. Phoned a customer, then sorted some paperwork out on my bedside table. Logged items into my side hustle accounts, then after tea I unlocked the hems on 2 pairs if jeans & pinned them ready to sew tomorrow night 

DH informed me that the readings from his blood test this week, are all over the place, so he'll likely have to go back down to Aberdeen very soon.

Grateful for leftovers for dinner, time to support my friend, medicine to make me feel half human, painting

beanielou

@Thrifty_Taylor.  Sorry that your DH's bloods are all over the place 

grandmanerd

Hugs Thrifty_Taylor.

I had a very busy day but achieved my target of clearing a swathe of the front room from the middle door (bottom of the stairs) to the chinchilla cage and my possible (hopeful) target of getting the drawers and bureau into their designated (by me, in my head) places plus laundry, part of the kitchen move round and putting all my bedding in labelled rubble sacks and moving them into the bath. At 3  minutes to 5 pm DS3 said I'd done more than enough for the day (+lots of nice things) and I came upstairs with drinks, food and books and fell asleep between 7 pm and 8 pm.

My side targets were laundry, finances and clearing the bed. My budgets for the month are not finalised but it looks like an expensive month. Hair and threading still need doing so that's moved from last month. No idea how much taxi fares on Sunday will be - the taxis to Wigan RAEI and Salford Royal are £15 - 20 each way but this is further (although we'll probably go via the motorway rather than through all the villages and townships) and I think I need to spend on food and drinks to take with me - not sure about canteen services (Wigan is the A & E so lots available). There is a vending machine at Wrightington but not sure about 2 day old sandwiches or how the machine works (except that it's expensive).

I'm meeting DS2, daughter out law and my grand-daughter at the Trafford centre for Mother's Day so should have a think if there's anything I need (last visit was on the  way back from one of mum's appointments to guy things at Lakeland) to buy or just look at. There will be some diy expenditure but not counting that (the money from mum's bungalow must cover the jobs that have been put off for lack of money, for up to 20 years) and I'm going to have a big shop delivered in 2 -3 weeks. I never fight for the festive delivery slots and I like to cook things in advance. Planning a batch cook to use up some of the 'speciality' ingredients - lots of bottles of sesame oil, soy sauce etc with just a bit in the bottom - and the nuts (mum loved them and I've got quite a lot. Toilet rolls will last the month but will get the next batch delivered near the end of the month.

Use ups are going well, a tub and a part full box of bicarb were used on the moss in the backs yesterday and several more cleaning products are nearly used up, some spaces on the food shelves but still lots to go at. Plans for today - I'm so near to having the bed completely clear (I just brought one sheet, one cover and the 2 couch cushions back in for the night) so would like to do that, moving craft and stationery downstairs is a fun job (+ reclaiming more of my house and making the bedroom more of a sanctuary) and I need to think about the basics (food, money, laundry). Will read, play games and rest to reward myself for yesterday's hard work.

Grateful for achieving (exceeding) a tough target, a swathe of beautifully clean front room (and my skirting boards and floor are fine (chinchilla droppings are dry, something else to be grateful for), DS3 doing the things I asked him to and being properly appreciative of the work I'd done (it's easy to shrug it off unless someone else notices and comments), stretching out on the long couch (I'm trying to relax into the back pain not tense against it). 

grandmanerd

Thursday 2nd March 2023

What  if I embrace my limitations and stop railing against them. Make peace with who I am and what I need and honour your right to do the same. Accept that all I really want is a small, slow simple life. A mediocre life. A beautiful, quiet gentle life. I think it is enough. (alifeinprogress.ca)

It is slow and steady, one stubborn step and then another, that we walk our way into our dreams. Small steps with consistency lead to powerful results (Krista O'Reilly -Davi Digui)

Feelings are like children. You don't want them driving the car but you shouldn't stuff them in the boot either (thanks for sharing)

apple_muncher

beanie, hope your hand starts to heal up properly very soon. Does it hurt?

ThriftyT, hope DH gets more settled bloods next time.

grandmanerd, it sounds like DS3 is opening his eyes more and seeing all that you are doing. Long may it continue!

DawnW

Morning all,

Off to work shortly, so just a quick one. Yesterday was NSD 1 (I am determined to keep count this month). DS and his lovely fiancee came for dinner last night. It was lovely to see them

I seem to have lots to do after work today - sort out the freezer as I need to get more stuff in, pick out some strawberry plants for a colleague, to take in to work tomorrow, and load a large item in the car, which is being sold on FB and collected from my workplace, plus dinner and all the usual evening stuff. Dinner should be fairly easy though, as I have a quiche made and in the fridge, so only need to do something to go with it.

It is pleasant and sunny outside atm, though cold, and I can't believe the BBC weather app is forecasting sleet and snow for next week   Really had enough of winter now!

Shrewbie

Good morning turtles

hugs to @beanielou and @Thrifty_Taylor and anyone else who needs one.

yesterday was NSD 1. Today isn’t as bf and I went for breakfast at a local bar, but planning to run down the fridge and cupboards as bf will be away for most of the week. I can’t wait to indulge my frugality! 

grateful for managing to get to the gym yest, for an easy work day and for a cheap and cheerful brekkie this morning. 

Have a wonderful day 

ditty1234

Gosh just got the interest on my housing ISA and it's over 1£ hurrah still well under inflation though.
Happy Thursday.