NST Sweet May 2023 - Pick 'N' Mix Challenge

Thrifty_Taylor · 1 May 2023 at 10:54PM

Happy anniversary @f0xh0les, it's our 25th next month 😃 good luck for tomorrow @Toni'sfriend. Well done on your MFD @ldee2111!

NSD#1, going to beat last month's total this month!

A bit of an emotional rollercoaster of a day. Started off with some cleaning, the porch is tidier now. DS2 asked what the occasion was, were we getting a visitor? 🤣 Hi g the washing on the line too.

When DS1 returned from work, we went a walk on a route we'd not done before, which lead to a fantastic beach I've not visited for 4 years. Had a great chat, supporting him through supporting a couple of his friends having a rough time.

Struggled with my new banking app, as I'd put in the wrong phone number to get a code by txt. Snapped at DS2 a bit, but I apologised later.

Did some sewing & tried to send supportive messages to DS3's GF.

Then some ironing after tea. I'm shattered!

Grateful for a nice walk, supporting those that need it, reading more of my book, not eating lots of rubbish!

craftingmad · 2 May 2023 at 7:29AM

I love this challenge. Please may I join

Not sure which three I will focus on yet but I'm going to give them all my best shot

Shrewbie · 2 May 2023 at 7:58AM

Morning turtles!

it’s the last day of my holiday today. Yesterday we went for a big breakfast (bagel and fruit bowl to share) and then had a visit booked at the cathedral. Spent about 1hr 20 in there and climbed the giralda, the bell tower (34 floors) views were great, saw the bullring, plaza España, the river and lovely apartments with rooftop pools. Bf enjoyed himself on the way down muttering to anyone coming up about 60 floors… what a joker

we went for a walk about, got lost in the little streets and squares shaded with orange trees and tiled benches. Queued for a tapas place that does good cheese. Managed to get a perfect table outside. Had a new cheese which I think was manchego with garlic. Lovely and had a hint of Br@nston pickle about it, according to bf. He had meatballs and pork and I had chickpeas with spinach and all the cheese of course.

Had a walk across the river and found a nice bar for a drink on the bank of the river, was lovely. Ate more tapas, beetroot salmorejo (which i wasn’t a fan of ) and then back across the river to share a pizza and a chocolate orange ice cream before bed. 16km walked and a lot eaten! Definitely a lot of magic and awe. Will try to get some RAKS in today.

Happy anniversary f0xh0les! And awesome news @ldee

grandmanerd · 2 May 2023 at 8:24AM

Happy anniversary f0xh0les (and advance ones for Thrifty), sending good vibes Toni'sfriend and excellent news on the mortgage free date Idee. I gave up with the le Creuset about 12 years ago, I sent my 2 pans back here with DS2 when he rented this (little house) off me (I still had the big 4-bed house). Too heavy for me to lift comfortably.

The Baptism was lovely and the afternoon tea afterwards was even better. I was late and they waited for me despite my telling them to start. I left my house soon after 11.30 am to hobble to the bus station but the bus that was lurking at the back of the bus station didn't come round to the stop until just before noon. Stayed on that bus all the way to Manchester Royal Infirmary which is actually a whole campus of individual hospitals. The bus went right into the middle and stopped facing a small onsite m'n's, so I filled a bag with salads and fruit (some ys) to see me through the next few days.

Walked to the stop a few yards away to find information on continuing my journey, but the stop I needed was all the way back on Oxford Road. The bus soon arrived and I followed the route on my A-Z until I reached the stop I needed. The journey planner hadn't given me any information on the last part (I'll put the wheelchair option in next time). It said it was a 7 minute walk and I'd done 20 when DS1 phoned me to see where I was - 5 streets away. DS1 said to phone a taxi. I had written 2 phone numbers down for taxi firms in the locality.

Pulled my phone out (flashing to be charged up again). I made the call but the road was so busy I couldn't hear what she was saying (not that the taxi was on it's way) and made it to 2 streets away before DS1 phoned me back. DS2 would come to collect me so I hovered on the corner, sitting in my walker. Two people did stop to ask if they could help - a man in a car and then a woman, but I thanked them and told them my son was coming - he pulled up in the side street whilst she was still there.

The couple I'd phoned for a lift actually arrived after me, they'd got there when I was still travelling but had gone to find somewhere to park the car. They took me on to the afternoon tea venue and brought me home again afterwards (they hadn't got my message and were most apologetic). At least I had the chance to catch up with them - I'd scribbled a not in their card in December after calling and not finding them in (he was in once but was obviously fast asleep).

Baby and her mum did the rounds (as baby needed a nap) and circulated again later. I didn't know most of the guests (friends of son and d-o-l) but chatted with the minister and the couple I knew, son and lovely d-i-l and met d-o-l's father and grandmother. Lots of chatty people thankfully so no problems with my lack of social skills/ small talk.

Yesterday was a rest day. I made it downstairs once but found I preferred reading and watching a film to doing anything at all demanding. NSD 1 (not counting).

The May Challenge
It' s hard to choose and I will be doing bits of most of the suggestions but my focus will be on

* Monitoring Savings and Budgets
I don't really have a budget. Knowing there is enough in the bank to pay all the bills and buy food (after years of having not very much or frankly too little) has given me a sense of complacency and last month getting food into the house was more important than what it cost. I need to work out my current costs and how much of that I'm covering from my own income (then what DS3's contribution covers).

Ideally I'd like to do the same for DS3 and Beloved but his latest game has dive-bombed so he's ultra pessimistic atm, so I'll sort myself out first. House buying and them moving out seems to be a way off yet so I need to find a secure place for my savings (looked last month but need to take action) and put together a plan of how to improve things right now. This means decluttering, DS3 finishing completing the Vinyl cataloguing (DS2 says Probate has gone beyond the anticipated waiting time) and using things we have in better ways (paint to clean up the areas with most fingermarks), improved kitchen layout and lighting (more fairy lights?).

* Magic and Awe
I need lots of this. I'm still using food to substitute for all the things missing from my life and there are still too many 'musts', 'shoulds' and 'have tos' and all the fun bits get lost. I think I need to go back to the Behavioural Activation part of my CBT course, planning a mix of routine, pleasurable and necessary tasks for each day. I need to prioritise the pleasurable activities (and take note of which activities deplete me and which enrich my life. I also need routines (see below) to make the 'necessary' and 'routine' tasks as simple as possible. So this will be about having fun (saw lots of museums galleries and parks on my bus route on Sunday) but will include CBT, mindfulness and keeping in touch (going to meet DS1 and darling d-i-l for a meal - they will look for likely places - near bus stops).

I've never wanted to travel to exotic places but hearing the Minister and d-o-l's grandmother comparing all the places they'd lived and worked (teacher and doctor respectively) did make me wonder. I struggle with the extremes of heat and cold in our very temperate country so I don't really want to explore most continents but I do want to go places in this country and in Europe (there is a possibility of trips to Greece in the future). I'll commit to a bus ride a week for this month.

* Meal Plans and EVERYTHING Plans
I have an optician appointment mid-month and need to book an appointment with the Practice Nurse (recent blood test results but it's routine so less alarming than the previous ones). I'm definitely reaching a crisis point with my health. I've been doing well on water consumption and raw veg recently but mobility issues and limited choices from big river and little Arseda (must try the big Arseda which is also on juuuust eat). I'm not making excuses but when you are limited to putting things in the microwave and want to cry because you can't find the proper can opener to open a tin of fruit (the electric can opener doesn't work on tins with deeper rims and I hide mine so they don't lose it) your world becomes very small.

I need and want to eat healthily and use up the remaining stock from mum's store (the food bank got most of the in date stuff). I'm very bad at trying new recipes but I do have a list of 'simple things' (bacon - barm cakes, omelette, crustless quiche, butternut squash to roast, tuns buns to freeze, boiled eggs, baked potatoes) which weren't simple enough in April (standing for more than 2 minutes, clearing things from the stove and moving the trellis panels into the garden so I can get in my oven). I'll bookmark some of the ideas in the cs cook books I bought and try internet ones later. I'm planning a bigger SM shop this week but need the fridge cleaning first and a clear pathway from the front door to the kitchen.

Housework continues to be challenging (positive speak for bl!!** impossible) both maintaining what's been done and making advances on the general muddle and disorder. There has to be a way (cue Sweet ear worm). Lots of plodding, lots of short cuts, lots of reminders. I may need star charts. Lots and lots of lists. Elephants and frogs galore (some elephants with sub elephants and frogs. I will maintain a Zen like calm

So that's roughly it.

Grateful for beetroot and broccoli, my bed, clarity of thought.

Shrewbie · 2 May 2023 at 8:33AM

craftingmad said:

I love this challenge. Please may I join
Not sure which three I will focus on yet but I'm going to give them all my best shot

Of course!!

thriftylass · 2 May 2023 at 9:18AM

Good morning,

Not much to report. Yesterday wasn't an NSD as I caved and bought snacks at work, naughty. Today won't be either as I have my mum-retreat, will buy myself a dinner somewhere and might pop into the body shop or Bo0ts as I have no perfume or body spray left. Realised, I do miss having one. If I get one it will probably last a good year or so again. Better get on with work so I can leave a bit early and head to the hotel. Can't wait

f0xh0les · 2 May 2023 at 11:27AM

Oh @grandmanerd I wish I lived closer, you should not be struggling like this with a big hefty DS and Beloved to help you out.

I also think you need to start thinking about taxis for family meet-ups and trips where the bus is just annoying. You are fab - you do know that don't you?

Toni'sfriend · 2 May 2023 at 3:26PM

The appointment with the oncologist went very well. She's a lovley lady. Gave me lots of detailed information, explanations and advice. I now understand why it is imperative that I get to a healthy weight and maintain a healthy life style. So, no more faffing about. It's really important that I get rid of that excess weight. Treatment will be every weekday for four weeks and it will be at my preferred hopital. The one that is easiest for us to get to. No date yet as there are a few things they have to do before they can start the treatment proper but another step forward. I'm sure you must all be sick of hearing about this saga. It seems to have been going on forever.

So little achievemnts today:

NSD No 2

Walked back from the hopsital (2 miles)

Emailed my brother and nephew

Read four chapters of my book last night

Basil and mint are looking quite happy in their new home ie I haven't killed them yet

I haven't done any tidying today. I'll do twice as much tomorrow to make up for it🙂