NST Sweet May 2023 - Pick 'N' Mix Challenge

Thrifty_Taylor

I haven't spent today, but DH has! 

Didn't do yoga this morning, buy did do the exercises the physio gave me the other day. Work went well, despite a blip in the middle of the day. Even started a jigsaw with a pupil. I enjoyed it so much. Must find a space at home in our tiny house to do them more often. Went for a walk in the sun with work bestie at the end of the day, it was just what I needed. Spoke on the phone to a lady who gave me some advice about what I'm dealing with at home. Made a step towards making things better (I hope!), feel a little bit lighter now. GF was here when I got home, so took her home after I'd done some gardening & picked DS3 up. Watched TV with DH & did more of my rug.

Grateful for good advice, feeling a little lighter, a walk with a friend (who suggested a day trip to Inverness next month 😃), & doing a jigsaw

ditty1234

Hi All I am back and sorry I am truly participating pick and mix this week. I am struggling as the friends I lost in April, only have their funerals in the coming week, I have been supporting husband and daughter, as much as you can as a friend, it is in the middle of a full on working week and I basically struggle sleeping and feel everything has been put on hold a bit. I guess after Wednesday this phase will be over, and will be on to phase two of doing things. Not sure what I mean by this. 
My main problem is that my sleep and a lot of my good habits have thinned out and I feel a bit on survival moode, but at least am almost caught up with work, except I will have to do an other round of marking and writing stuff up this weekend, and I am also going for a run and maybe a river sewage protest, but otherwise a quiet weekend. 
I am grateful that my garden seems to be coming on nicely, I have some artwork in a online magazine and will have a print up at a open studio event in July. Baby steps. 
I have a few outstanding invoices so will be paid some extra money in June, which will be helpful. 
I am grateful for having a garden, for ds2 passing his second year at uni, for a sunny and quiet morning. 
Sorry I've not been reading much, will try to catch up on reading tonight. 

Shrewbie

Starlight_at_Sea said:

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

That's awesome. I'm glad you've had some time to yourself to reflect!

Shrewbie

Hugs @ditty1234 that must be so difficult

@facethemusic your own home-grown berries with ice cream sounds like a dream! 100% worth it in my opinion

@Starlight_at_Sea you inspired me to have a little review of my plan for May too.

Seville obviously counts on the exploring new places front but I'd like to see if I can plan some different places in Madrid to go in my lunchbreaks next week. Meal planning has been good but I haven’t tried any new recipes yet this month, bf loves to cook and it usually falls on him as he works from home and I get home from work relatively late. I would like to cook more at the weekends (I realise this is a nice problem to have) I will make bread today and that will do for this weekend!

I have been speaking to friends and family more so doing well on that front, need to keep this up. I have spent quality time with my sister and one of my best friends this month. Have been quite mindful of doing RAKs so will try to continue with that as well.

My progress with frogs has been mixed. I have really been pushing myself at work but still have a way to go to get past the fear which causes the procrastination; it feels like a constant battle.  I am undoubtedly moving in the right direction though.

Today I am grateful for my carnations growing, for a booze-free Friday eve and feeling fresh this morning, for bf’s cooking. 

f0xh0les

We made it to the weekend! 

ldee2111

Thursday I reached NSD 7 despite being on a school trip. I didn’t take the ‘Coronation holiday’ so I used it to be a volunteer helper on a Primary 1 visit to a castle. I laughed to myself a lot during the day from just seeing the excitement of DS and his wee classmates on their first ‘BIG’ trip. It was really quite funny and adorable. Tourists at the castle stopped to watch them jumping about from canons to candelabras. One man stopped me to say it was nice to see the children out and about, and learning about history. It was a really lovely day albeit one of the noisiest experiences of my life. 😆

Yesterday (Friday) I was back in the school reading with some children. Afterwards I nipped to the library to collect a book for DS and then to the SM for yoghurt and chicken (ingredients we needed for OH’s curry). The loss of the NSD was my fault, I forgot to add yoghurt to the weekly shop and forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer. I hate those mistakes! The chicken was YS so I know it technically doesn’t count as a spend but the 45p yoghurt does. Boooo 👎🏻

OH and I each got an email from NW building society to say they were giving us £100! Called Mum to tell her to check her email, and she too is getting £100! I imagine all NW account holders are getting this wee bonus next month. I think I’ll be saving mine to the holiday fund. 

Today is grocery delivery day. Used necKtar points to get £2.50 off my Saneberries shop. 

Earlier in the week I applied for a new credit card which should give me about £100+ in necKtar points/ Saneberries vouchers if I spend a certain amount in the next couple of months. I will manage this because holiday payments are due in June. The card is fee free for a year so I’ll likely keep it to get the double necKtar points  on my grocery shopping, but cancel before the fee kicks in.

Sold a shirt for a £1 on V!ntd this morning which I’ll post either today or tomorrow. 

OH and DS are away to football training right now so I’m going to sit in my bed with my tea and enjoy listening to the birds chirping away outside. I’ll make sure to savour the peacefulness because later today I’ll be back with the noisy Primary 1s when I take DS to a classmate’s birthday party.

Grateful for having the opportunity to volunteer at DS’s school; for getting to know some of the other children, parents and teachers; for free money from NW, for Mum grabbing a YS lasagne from MnS for me (my favourite one that’s too pricey), for OH making his top-notch curry last night and for his pizza dough right now rising in the kitchen for tonight’s dinner, for my family… I am very fortunate.

P.S I have had plenty of drama this week, sleepless nights from anxiety, but I have deliberately chosen to focus on what was good. I’m listening to an audiobook (free from library) and it’s called The Stress Solution by Dr Ragan Chattergee. I’m finding it very good. He’s also got a free podcast which I think is worth listening to. 

Sending my love out to all the turtles x

Starlight_at_Sea

f0xh0les said:

We made it to the weekend! 

We certainly did! Well done everyone. I hope you all have a little sunshine with you this weekend x

Starlight_at_Sea

I nearly-didnt-but-did make it to the early gym class today, my first time since January doing this session as I think it would have been too intense while I was recuperating. Managed about 90% of it, and adapted the rest, so am counting that as a win. We had a little celebration for someone's special birthday in the class and it felt nice to be included in the surprise preparations, so a tick on connecting with community too. Now sat with olio croissant and hotel-breakfast-jam enjoying sunshine in my folks garden and feeling calm, probably for the first time this week. Sleep helped! 

Am not a NW member but am so happy for all that are getting the bonus. I moved to a couple of building societies for their saver account rates this year and does feel less of a corporate beast than mainstream banks. 

This weekend will be a lot nicer if I get on with a few jobs today, so my day out tomorrow and night aty own place tonight can be relaxed and my transition back to work less stressful on Monday.

Am going to blitz the cleaning at this house for an hour or so while the household is quiet, and organise the stuff that is accumulating for the new house here in proper boxes.
 A max of 90 min planning for next week at work and at least 30 min on a frog. 
A proper shower, hair wash and a bit of self care time.
Post something to solicitors so it goes on their to-do list not mine. 
Reply to some friends messages (this could be done tonight).

Toni'sfriend

Sorry for not posting yesterday. I had a really bad day. Spent the morning in floods of tears. Just couldn't stop. Himself and the Boy talked me through it and I perked up a bit in the afternoon. Also had a day of hot flushes and for the first time night sweats. I can cope with those but I'm more convinced than ever that the tablet is contributing to the terrible anxiety I'm feeling. Sorry for being so negative.

So:

• I changed the bedding this morning and the old stuff is in the washing machine as we speak. 
• Had a good look at the freezer and we are making a plan to use everything up and make some easy meals for June when I'll be having radiotherapy (unless the Team come up with another whizzo idea!). All my appointments are mid to late afternoon so it makes sense to plan ahead. Tonight we're having chicken in white wine and cream (this week's new recipe made up by me  ), soup in the slow cooker and a chicken breast marinating in sweet chilli sauce to go in a salad for lunch tomorrow.
• Tidied up my little "garden". Some new plants required to replace some that are past their best
• Started another book. I was awake half the night so I finished the last one.

The boy made me laugh by telling me he'd taken over laundry duty after he found out his girlfriend just bungs everything together and washes it at 60 degrees for 45 minutes. Some of my household skills training must have rubbed off on him after all!

Thanks for listening. Have a lovely weekend. xx

f0xh0les

DH got the £100 Nationalwide email too. He switched for the £200 bribe so he is a very happy camper and likes his new bank quite a lot!