NST April 2023: April adventurising

Starlight_at_Sea

Gosh, thrifty your posts are making me crave some time in the Nordic countries. I've been lucky to have three trips to Norway, the first when DD was little, still believed 🎅  and we went for a few days of winter sports and festive fun. Then again a decade later, a few nights in Oslo towards the start of our interrailing trip. It rained a lot, I persevered with trips to the fjords so I could swim, she played her Joker and prompted us to move onto Sweden a day or two before our itinary suggested. I was sad but glad to be making our way a little faster through the expensive north!  Finally a long weekend in Bergen just before Christmas 2019. 

Today has been very much a family day. Sorted several things out at my folks this morning, prior to going to join my cousin for a picnic lunch at the park next to the hospital, as our relative is still in a critical situation. I had time to prepare today and took all the makings, retrieved from the freezer olio pitta and croissants, used the ends it salad, cheese, and a surplus of avocado that needed to be eaten. It was good to see each other despite the context. Was able to see my relative for a short while.

 I've bought my cousin's kids home to my house for a sleepover tonight, to give them a breather. This prompted an unplanned but lovely local adventure, exploring a park that has the most amazing accessible playground. Its so true that things that are designed to be inclusive are also just much better for everyone. I was very impressed by the wheelchair-'accessible swings, see-saw, ramp up onto the climbing frame, with lots of different textures of flooring to explore. 

We have had a really nice evening, watched Yes Day on netflix, ate popcorn from the cupboard, used up bits and bobs from the fridge, arranged the pull out beds in the lounge for a bit of variation from being in the spare room. They get on very well with 🇺🇦D so that was lovely to see. She has a first shift tonight working in a bar at a night club, so I wanted to be at the house in case there were any problems getting back. I don't think I will sleep well while she has this job! 

DD called from 🇺🇸 tonight, she was working through her financial aid form for college. We need to do some of this together - we scoped this out today and my goal is to get my part ready this coming week. She enjoyed time chatting with her younger cousins too. 

Did a bit of batch cooking tonight, made 3 lentil and mushroom lasagne, 1 to go home with the kids for their mum, and one for each of the households I have one foot in just now.  

Toni'sfriend

I don't know what happened yesterday. The day sort of ran away with me and I was in bed before I realised I hadn't checked in. 

So, it was a lovely day and we got out for a little bit of walk and a bit of fresh air. That's progress! I bought another container of plants but later on I was talking to one of my neighbours and he has offered to plant up my seeds and bulbs for me since my right arm isn't "working properly" yet. Such a kind lad. He has just cut all the communal grassed area. Quite a big job as there is a lot of it.

Chocolate has been distributed to all my little Easter bunnies (and probably already eaten if I know anything about them!). The Boy popped in to see me on his way to his girlfriend's. Instead of Easter eggs I bought them "cat" mugs. That is mugs with cats painted on them. They are really rather beautiful. The two of them are crazy about cats. GF has four of the cutest little furry things I've ever seen.

It's a beautiful morning. I think I can hear Himself moving about upstairs. So, after I finish this coffee I'll have a shower and maybe we can get out for a bit,

Have a lovely Easter Saturday. I'm trying to avoid the Eater eggs. xxx

grandmanerd

My large delivery arrived fairly early - dragged it in but left unpacking until I felt stronger (it's still waiting). DS3 came back downstairs at 11 am, having been unable to get to sleep.  With his  assistance (I brought one bag down, he took 2 back up and encouraged me to add extra food and drinks) I went back to my bed (he was willing to share the couch but I thought I'd go back to sleep).

Sleep didn't happen but extra oxygen revived me a bit. I felt guilty about wasting the lovely day but really didn't feel up to anything strenuous. I wasn't idle - I completed my list of seeds (wondering if people at the food bank would use them or if they wanted extra seedlings when I have them). I did more pages for my squared paper charts. My pretty trainers came in a box made of silver holographic card so I plotted how to make it into a 'dolls house spaceship' (I think the wooden ones cost about £75). The main box is silver, the top and three sides have writing on so I'm planning viewing windows (do spaceships have portholes?) and control panels inside. It's roughly a 3+ years toy so lots of time. I have press out cardboard astronauts bought from the Replenishery and then bought extra playsets online in 50% off sale so I may have bought the moon rover too. I also played 'clothes families' in my head - so joyful when this goes with this (this/ this/ this) with this as an alternative - I want to learn how to do pictures but may settle for sketches for now (will look at the library book - committment to learning how to use more features on the laptop)
 
I ate lots of salad (crayfish and mango with mixed grains with another ys salad on the side). It felt really extravagant but is delicious and is probably cost less than my mum's Good Friday tin of salmon in the 1960s. and read lots of books including finishing off two I bought myself for Isaac Newton's birthday. I did more orders - my pedaller thing is coming today, I ordered the 'Quantum Physics for Babies' book I was hoping MOSI would have in. A 4 pack of the 'baby university' series of board books. That can be my Baptism gift - I'm not buying a silver spoon or some other piece of tat that will lie around in a drawer for years. I'm going to ask about a savings account for baby but suggest the rich grand-parents sort that (grandma' s a professor, granddad is retired but lives in Surrey and makes jam from his garden trees and bushes as a hobby).

So much for babies is available second hand cheaply and they have lots of friends with older children to pass things down. The toys I have bought are quality wooden items (or sustainable cardboard playset figures rather than plastic). At the science museum they had a huge pegboard wall with wooden gears for you to make your own arrangement. I told them the baby's having gears for Isaac Newton's birthday (It's a little wooden board and you set up  the gears in various configurations to make little wooden ducks swim round the pond) and I'm aiming to buy one book per month. I want to grow sweet peas and beans to make a wigwam for baby in the summer (already discussed with her mum). I'm going to try getting to their house by public transport next month. 

I only need calendula and sweet pea seeds (+ more nasturtiums) but I looked at holly plants. When I was at the big 4 bed house I made a holly hedge from tiny plants bought as a set (one twig with a leaf attached and a couple of the leaves fell off). It's very slow growing - 3' in 10 years but easy to deal with and I want more to add to the 2 I still have (as an  extra barrier behind the trellis I haven't got yet). I found a shop on et-sey which sells tree seeds (can be used for bonsai) very cheaply - bookmarked for later as they only sold 10 of the same holly variety (or 20/ 25/ 50/ 100) but lots of others that interest me (fir tree growing as a side hustle?) but they had a set of 4 for £17 (£5.99 individually) and I added an extra black prince so I will have a male plant at either side of the gate.  Bought my flower seeds at the same time as they had more interesting varieties - older ones with better scent. I looked at other things but I'd got what was on my list (my list has everything from things I've browsed recently to things I've been planning for 5 years +).

I finally decided what to do with my back fence. I'm going to make raised beds - I still have some components (8' and 4' boards I bought over ten years ago which have been used for everything but their original purpose - they held DS3's downstairs bunk together when he broke all the slats) and a set of 4'6" bed slats which I painted last year (the paint tin got knocked over so I did a combination of scooping up, putting some back in the tin and using the remainder). I'll make shorter ones that fit on top of my new wall. The corners will be made from 2 x 2s and I'll make them with little legs for drainage. The inside/ yard side will have longer pieces so they can't be pulled off and the outside/  backs side will have heavy duty diamond trellis attached (one 6' x 3' for the short wall and 2 6' x 4' for the longer wall). They'll start as high up as I want them and the excess (1' - 2') will hang down in front of the wall (support for the pots/ beds on the outside of the wall - to be discussed with neighbours or I might just add them bit by bit).

I need to sort a suitable height surface to work at sitting down and I'll make them small enough to handle easily when empty. The last fence I built lasted 25 years, if this arrangement lasts 25 years I'll be 90, I won't care about a replacement and the holly should be high enough to deter anyone. So I found the panels (wanted both sizes from the same manufacturer), a multipack of 2 x 2s and some strong L-shape brackets (for repairs but I can bolt the little legs onto the wall. If it's too much trouble I'll call in Mr Builder and his power tools (he hates woodwork but if he only has to cut and drill to my instructions, he'll be fine). 

So put that all together (the big bits come next weekend at the earliest) and went to pay and my bank wanted me to verify the payment (arghhh!!!). I had the pinsentry machine in my bag when I was setting up DDs and previous orders. I took it out of my bag last Sunday because it shouldn't go  outside thee house. With help from DS3 I pulled the bed out, went round the far side, picked up  the few things  that had  fallen off since I did it all, then I went all over the bed (bear  in mind I've done the seeds and seed lists, puzzlles, books, food and drink,  new batch pills etc since I did the bed and taking off the duvet for washing tumbled lots of stuff. Can't find it so no order (it's held for 5 days before cancelling so I should have time. I wanted to cry (but didn't). I  need to add my hayfever pill into the mix as that can put me nearer to tears (and sad) without realising why.

DS3 had neglected to tell me he'd come back upstairs and gone to sleep and when I checked they'd tried to deliver another package. Dragged myself downstairs about 6-30 pm and the package was rescheduled for delivery before 10 pm. It ttook nearly all that time (I did other things and checked back from time to time as it counted down from 8 stops away). My book came and 2 packages for Beloved.

I have another package coming today but DS3 is downstairs and will tell me when he goes to bed.

I presume 'avoiding Eater eggs' was Freudian slip - I'm resisting with a combination of red grapes, a couple of easy peeler satsumas and a ys seed mix with a garlic and chilli kick (like a mule but gorgeous). I have pretty rainbow bars on my ceiling from where the sun is hitting the holographic card shoe box. I have looked at more clothing sites but I'll  take it slowly (Why do I really like the Hobs items on the m'n's website). My recently bereaved cousin says she's bought loads of clothes as a reaction to her mother's death. With me it was food. I will think very carefully about all purchases. Do my clothes families and identify the gaps. There is one thing I definitely want (it's  a need - thick winter cardigan - which I've been looking for forever but this one is much more than I'd usually pay but it is really special.(no, must resist, it's much dearer than I remembered it being - I'll watch it and see if  it reduces)

I've also just found a lovely linen site (I love it but it's high maintenance). My two demons when i was looking at clothes were 'Don't  buy anything that will make DS1 say I look like a chintz sofa' and 'don't buy anything that DS2 will say I look like an old hippie'. Linen site also has lots of lovely turquoise jewellery buts it's in the cheap Mexican/ Western style  setting that will probably affect my skin (i remember my geography teacher talking about that 40 years ago. Might be alright with the beaded ones.

I promise not to buy anything else online today unless I find my pinsentry machine and can do the trellis/  posts/ fixings order. I may buy in town (CH needs fixing and the little tap broke last time so DS3 can't turn it) He said no-one sold them on their own online but I vaguely remember seeing a 2- pack in Will - co. Otherwise it's fiddling with the bike multi size nut turner. It's too hot to  go out now, will see if I feel up to it later.

Grateful for so many things.

beanielou

@grandmanerd~~let me know how you get on with the pedler.  Thanks   

lcc86

Evening turtles

I woke up at about 6am this morning for no reason, very irritating! Fell asleep for a little bit but my alarm went off at 7.30 anyway. Went to pilates class then used the gym for a bit. Came home, did some washing to get it outside in the sunshine and also cleaned the kitchen and my aquarium filter. Some new aquatic plants arrived today so I planted those too.

OH and I went for a walk for an hour this afternoon, was muddier than expected so have had to wash my trainers just now. We took a detour to the corner shop and I was naughty and got some wine, fancied a treat. OH has gone out to a friends' but I didn't fancy it, glass of wine and an early night will do me!

As I'd lost my NSD I did two charity donations that I'd planned this month as well.

f0xh0les

I am being a good and dutiful d-i-l.
Polite, grateful and solicitous. 
I can do anything for 5 days. 
Blending like a chameleon. 
I look flipping awful in every photo, but it is making them happy and it doesn't matter much really. After all, I will just look better in the flesh to whoever they show it to. 😂
NSD5

Thrifty_Taylor

@beanielou & @Starlight_at_Sea it certainly has flown past!
Another warm, sunny day. After my breakfast, I returned the cans & bottles to the shop, then used the coupon to pay towards a loaf of bread. It paid for half, which is good, as the loaf was just under £5 for a normal sliced one!
DS1 still feeling ill, so left him home & we caught the bus to meet my friend (who's flat we're staying in). Had a lovely walk around a different part of the city (think we've covered most of it now!) & stopped for lunch. We paid for the food, she the drinks.
Caught the bus back again & I sat on her balcony with my book & a small tipple from her fridge 😃 lots of church bells were ringing.
Received an email to download a free issue if Pr1ma magazine, which will be handy if I finish my book at the airport tomorrow. 
Still to pack & clean but DH is having a lie down & DS1 is asleep on the settee. He is feeling a bit better though.

Grateful for an amazing holiday, great weather, lovely friends

Shrewbie

Hi turtles,

I would love to hear your sugar butty stories @grandmanerd! My mum tells me the only pudding she used to get as a kid was bread in milk with sugar sprinkled on the top!

Sorry i’ve been awol for a couple of days. My long weekend was super peaceful on all accounts until yesterday evening when I was sitting on the sofa at around 10pm and suddenly heard some sort of banging/rattling. I’d just been watching a suspense film so thought I was just in hyper-alert mode but went to look out the peep hole of the front door, nothing, then walked into the dark kitchen to find a random person on the balcony.  I screamed at him to get out and walked towards him trying to look menacing, not easy when you’re five foot three. He didn’t look much taller than me though, he seemed like a teenager but could have been in his 20s I suppose. He claimed he lived in the building and had forgotten his keys. I didn’t recognise him. How the hell he’d managed to climb up (I live on the first floor) I do not know. He asked me to let him out of my front door so i did.... I spoke to bf on the phone shortly after who confirmed from my description that he lives in the building and told me to call the police.. which I didn’t. In my mind I think I just didn’t want to cause any fuss in the building while I’m there alone (bf is in UK) but whether you are a tenant or not, (and I suspect he is an illegal one as bf says he never seems to have his keys) climbing onto someone’s balcony at any time of the day or night just because you've forgotten your keys (if that was the real reason) is not okay. I am not scared, just angry that now someone has made me feel that it is unsafe to sit in my own flat with the balcony doors open.

I wrote the rest of this post before the above happened…. 

 I’ve had a lovely couple of days all to myself. I have been rollerblading in the park (yesterday) and running this morning, doing my meditation a bit of sunbathing and a lot of writing.  After a late lunch today I took myself off for a walk and around a part of the city where I am thinking of buying a property to scope it out a bit more.  It’s one of those areas that is currently gentrifying at a rapid pace so I think I would need to move fairly quickly, but really I have no idea…

I walked down to the river and sunbathed for a couple of hours and read with a flask of coffee.  It was absolute bliss, the sun was warm, but not too hot (it was around 6pm at that point)  and there was a warm breeze. A little butterfly landed near me. And yesterday and today were NSDs, no money spent, and I’ve had couple of days moving forward, making progress but not at the expense of my peace and contentment. I am aware that I have not properly spoken to a single other soul in person  since Wednesday though! but I needed it. 

Grateful for perfect weather (before the inferno of summer hits me), for not needing to spend money to enjoy myself, for plans coming together.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter break. I’m back to work tomorrow. 

Update bf's mum video called me with some very sage advice. She recommends we go speak to the kid and just ask him to explain what he was doing and how he managed to climb up, and then explain to him politely that it shouldn't have happened, and if it does happen again we will be calling the police.

Toni'sfriend

Goodness, Shrewbie. That's a bit scary. Hope you've recovered.

It was a lovely day yesterday so I managed to get out for a little bit of a walk. The nice weather seemed to bring out all the neighbours and there were lots of children running around laughing, screaming, playing on various toys, jumping on the trampoline. Summer has arrived. It was lovely.

The adults decided to have an impromptu barbeque but by that time I'd already had my pasta but it was a really nice community day anyway.

Have a lovely Sunday. xx

DawnW

Evening everyone, 5 NSDs so far, though today wasn't one. We went to a market and OH wanted to buy a large cooked ham. I tried to talk him out of it, but it was big and cheap, so he couldn't resist. He did think about it when cutting it up though. Nothing wrong with it, it is ok, but only ok, catering quality.... and there are only 2 of us, so it will take ages to eat. I am not keen on boring ham, but no doubt the dog will be enthusiastic! Anyway, it is mostly in the freezer now. I think I have convinced him that it is better to have smaller quantities of really good food than huge amounts of mediocre stuff. If I have indeed convinced him of that, it was £10 well spent I guess 

It was supposed to have been a warm sunny day, but it was actually mostly cloudy, and with a chilly breeze. I got some gardening done, put in seeds and planted out my few broad bean plants. We had a yummy dinner, if not a very conventional Easter Sunday one. OH made fishcakes, and I picked leaves from the garden to add to a salad - wild rocket, land cress, lemon balm, lovage and sorrel. I also made a couple of  teabreads, the cake where you soak dried fruit in tea before adding the other ingredients and baking. Very easy, and yummy, and fat free unless you slather it with butter  

Grateful for getting some gardening done, as everything is behind this year, and finding some interesting salad leaves to add to the supermarket lettuce.