NST Sweet May 2023 - Pick 'N' Mix Challenge

facethemusic

I am a very tired turtle-  😴🐢
Pup doesn't believe in sleeping at night, but happily sleeps all day at work! I'm hoping when we can start taking her for walks next week it will settle down. Does mean that I have totally lost track of NSDs, but there is still money in the bank so that will have to do! 
A large garden project is well under way and has cost nothing due to some help from my new friend (who looks like being a keeper of a friend- yeah to making friends as an adult!) 
Got some pots sorted out and seeds planted yesterday so provided I can win the battle with the wild  🐇🐇 we will have some 🥕🫛 and 🍅 later in the year. 
There are loads of 🍓 and it's a fight with the 🐌 for them! The 🐦🕊 will hopefully be defeated by the "cages" I've put up to house the fruit bushes. I will never grow enough berries to cover the cost of the cages, but I will tell myself it's worth it when I'm enjoying my mixed berries and ice cream in the garden! 

Thrifty_Taylor

Sending hugs hugs @Toni'sfriend. I totally agree with the wise words others have posted. Look after yourself & plan some nice things to do, that you can look forward to.

I didn't go into work today, still felt overwhelmed with everything. Went back to bed for an hour after I'd phoned in sick, then lay on the settee & finished my book. GF came over in the afternoon, was trying not to let her see I was upset. We put facemasks on, then I left her & DS to watch a film. Breaks my heart to think how someone can treat her so badly. Did a bit of sewing. Had a bath after tea, then hooked more of my rug. Planning to go back to work tomorrow, it's only one day, then it'll be the weekend 😃

Grateful for a bit of pampering, good books, friends checking up on me

@Starlight_at_Sea, if I remember rightly, it's your birthday today, so happy birthday! 🎂🎉🥳

(If I've got it wrong, & it was somebody else who posted it, my apologies!)

Starlight_at_Sea

Ah thank you! It was today, but I elected not to start 'the day' until 6pm, as the early part of the day was pretty tough, in fact, it was not a enjoyable day at all. I do have a couple of nice things coming up and I know I was remembered by friends and family today, which was lovely, even if birthdays were the last thing on our mind this morning. no

The evening was ok - we are all jaded and buffeted from things, so hyper low-key. Went to the gym for a class and an hour to myself, picked up pizza from a wood-fired van that's there once a week (it was tasty, and I have frozen some slices for another day), opened a few presents - a lovely hamper of cheese & biscuits, a couple of beautiful and necessary things for the new flat: toaster, posh Joseph Joseph bin, nice vase. Missed a call from DD unfortunately and her schedule overseas means we will probably catch up in a day or two, but had some nice messages. Then watched the last couple of episodes of The Bay with Dad. The venn diagram of things he and I watch on TV overlaps primarily in crime dramas set in beautiful places. Suggestions welcome! 

I had a nice day planned tomorrow, but am going to have to work a bit, which I am trying not to resent. My employers and boss are great and being very flexible about the caring commitments, but I so need the days off that are in my schedule, and yet I also really need to get some stuff done! Have agreed to start early tomorrow and do a couple of hours before I head to the gym and for lunch with my cousin. The swim, lie in and gentle wake up will have to wait. 

In more positive but not very money saving news, I am a huge step closer to buying the flat. Solicitors have emailed with a few compliance queries and to say the reports are in the post. Unfortunately they are in the post to my own house, but I hope to get over there on Sunday to pick up, and I can anyway act on their queries tomorrow. 

I picked up an extra olio collection tomorrow. Fingers crossed it will include a plain croissant, as I have some hotel-breakfast jam pots, and that would make the start of the day much more bearable! 

Sweet dreams turtles, sleeps important, and I hope it comes swiftly for you. 

Thrifty_Taylor

Sorry to hear you've had a difficult day, but pleased you could relax in the evening. Hoping things get better for you all soon.

While I remember to tell you all, in L1dl tomorrow, you can get free bee seeds. Hope those who have somewhere to plant them, manage to get some 😊

Shrewbie

Happy belated birthday @Starlight_at_Sea!

Yesterday was not an NSD as we needed a top up shop. I didn’t manage to eat any frogs so will have to do that today. Been meaning to try out a new anti-procrastination technique but haven’t got around to it yet😂

Did circuits class at lunchtime and spoke to friend in UK in the evening. She is hoping to move back to Spain (she lived here for 15 years but moved back during the pandemic) but needs help with the visa stuff. I said I would try to help. 

Grateful for and looking forward to a chilled weekend. Sending you all hugs xx 

lcc86

Evening turtles

I forgot to post yesterday, I think I bought a coffee so lost a NSD. I was sleeping on the sofa on Wednesday night as I'd started snoring, and I had a rough sleep so was very tired all day! However I did a few mini successes, got two train refunds approved for delayed/cancelled trains, plus a £10 win on the postcode lottery. Every little helps as they say.

Today has been a NSD, relatively quiet day at work, I was able to get fully on top of all the little annoying jobs I'd not had time to do for weeks or months and cleared out my email inbox! OH is out tonight so I'm going to make full use of the free house to do some batch cooking for the next week. Sure know how to live!

f0xh0les

Today I z0ffited some books and now they are all packed up ready to go - only £7 for 17 books, but still.... £7 coming in to my bank account, every little helps.  Did masses of recycling involving ripping up huge cardboard boxes. I can see the living room floor again!  Plus one box is full of books and a corner of the living room is clear.  I have 2 bags of rags sorted for recycling too.

Tidied my bedroom and the bathrooms. The kids can do their own - they have all weekend!

3 loads of laundry washed and line dried.

Made lasagne for supper tonight, and a chilli for lunch tomorrow, and I have masses of chickpeas on to soak for falafel and hummus this weekend.  So all in all a good day, with quite a lot done already.  No post though (boo!)

Starlight_at_Sea

Thank you! Today was much more enjoyable! Wasn't sure that it was going to be first thing, but dragged myself out of bed, had a great conversation with my work colleague, and we made progress with a few things that were really hanging over me. They still are a bit, but the branches are smaller! 

Made it to the gym, and am pleased I went. Back and forth to drs and pharmacy to get something sorted, it looked like perhaps it wouldn't in time, but the system and the amazing pharmacy team kicked in and I was able to pick things up just before they closed, which should help us all sleep a bit better tonight. 

Made it to lunch with relatives, we broke an aged relative out of her care home and went to a pub for lunch. Salad and chips for me, I was craving fresh stuff but not feeling 100% virtuous! Back to the care home for cuppas and olio'd pastries. One tip run done, just a few bits, but everything counts in a house as full as this one. Didnt get to the charity shop, but maybe tomorrow. 

Homes for 🇺🇦 payment came through, have moved it into the saver account. Still quite a long way from having the solicitors fees and stamp duty, am resigned that that payment may take me into debt but want it to be for as short a period of time as possible. Sent a few things off the solicitors needed to prove not money laundering. 

I've just taken advantage of a bit of mental space to read my intentions for this month at the start of the challenge. It's been such a good challenge Shrewbie.  I've made some progress in most of them, but the review has reminded me it would be lovely if a few things could just be wiped off the to do list for good (or until this time next year). I still have time to make that come true this month, so I will spend a couple of hours on those tomorrow as I have a mainly at home day planned, ahead of an exciting day out on Sunday! 

The alternative mini-lives... well, I had the amazing adventure of our trip to Liverpool for Eurovision, which reminded me I do love exploring new places, and I kind of like live entertainment!  The alternative active-person-life... well this week I have made sure I got to the gym every weekday, and two outdoor walks exploring new places last weekend. The organised,tidy alternative-life, well she hasn't popped up yet! The strongly-connected-to-community-and-friends alternative-life, I've had a lovely time away with friends on the aforementioned trip, and caught up with old friends for afternoon tea. 

Happy Friday night folks! A recorded Vera beckons for me I think! x

grandmanerd

Yesterday was a quiet day and I feel better for it - had no problems sleeping despite having napped for several hours in the afternoon. Started the day slowly, reading, giving myself the chance of an extra hour or two after taking my pills and having a shower. Did some tidying in my room - can't really see it but I can get all down the door side of my bed and along the bottom (and peer round the corner but my foot was really aching by then).

Several bags taken/ thrown downstairs both days (I will organise some sort of pulley system when I have spare time and energy) and bags out to the bins. After lunch I put two 60 l bags of compost on the walker and pushed them round to the back. I'd loaded 3 more bags onto the handles so after a short rest I continued to take most of the library books back and then the last bag went to a cs. Sat outside and counted my spare change (the remains of the money I put in a bag to take to my infirmary appointment on Wednesday). Only £4.41 left but I'd paid 2 taxi fares and for a sandwich (and a bit in the charity collection box).

Went in the £ emporium to see if they had any blueberry plants (no but lots of raspberries and blackcurrants and a couple of decorative shrubs - left them for now as they weren't why I went in there). Slow hobble back home, lay on the couch with my leg stretched out (did exercises too) and then came back upstairs. A couple of hours later I went back, moved 2 more bags of compost and put some piles of empty buckets into the backs (think I'm going to have to move more stuff out into the backs so I can move the things that need to move across the yard, I need some short cuts). Decided my feet and legs had had enough and the ericaceous bag will have to wait until tomorrow. Ate again then gathered my stuff to come back up.

Grateful for getting things  done, walking as far as I did and lots of rest and relaxation.

beanielou

Belated happy birthday @Starlight_at_Sea.
Sorry it was a difficult day but glad today was better.

@Thrifty_Taylor.  Glad that you are feeling a wee bit better today.