NST July 2023: Jurassic July

apple_muncher

So pleased dh is home Thrifty_T! You have coped brilliantly with him being so far away.

Today I am grateful for yesterday being my last day having to go to work (whoop, whoop!), for dc's annual consultant visit going swimmingly, for making a top notch curry for tea, for a friend bringing dc back from dance, for next door's cat popping over for some treats, for the Tour (as ever!) and not having to record things on VHS anymore!

thriftylass

Quick check in. Did the big shop at £idl while DD was at gymnastics. That's the first time I managed to spend £113 in £idl. Shocked, no big extras apart from 2 ready made pizzas just food, meat, bread, pasta, veg etc. 

Thrifty_Taylor

Sending hugs @Toni'sfriend & @beanielou, the days will get better, I promise!

Happy holidays @apple_muncher, may the sun shine & you have lots of fun with DC.

NSS#4
Woke early to get DS1 up for work, put the bins out & the washing, all before 8am! Had a leisurely breakfast & read a few more pages of a thrifty book I treated myself to a couple of years back with big River vouchers. Not found any tips in it yet that I could use, & it's a VERY thick book. Planning to sell once read.

Took a steady walk to the village with DH after breakfast. He was thinking of going the long way, but I said to pace himself, so we went the direct route which is a mile each way. Did a sewing job, then had a nap after dinner. Think the lack of rest time over the last month is catching up on me.

Headed out to the garden. Staked the asparagus, planted more broccoli, then kale & cauliflower in a different bed. Have put chicken wire round both beds, hoping the rabbits don't eat this batch! Chopped up some small branches for the fire with my loppers, then time to cook tea. Washed up & did more of my rug.

Had a nice soak in the bath & used a bamboo hair wrap for the first time (got it for sproutmas).

Grateful for a nice walk, time in the garden, relaxing

Starlight_at_Sea

Congratulations @apple_muncher on your last day! Well deserved freedom. Be gentle with yourself - processing tough/toxic workplaces can be exausting! I found it caught up with me a bit after leaving, once I could really relax. You seem to have a great balance of self care alongside your busy life - I'm sure it will stand you in good stead. There is a summer of adventures ahead! 

I hope you feel brighter tomorrow @beanielou . I love the sound of rain while I am sleeping/dozing/tucked up in bed, but appreciate its not so nice if you are feeling fatigued and exhausted. 

Must be lovely having DH home @Thrifty_Taylor. A different kind of rest happens when everyone is where they belong! 

grandmanerd

One  frog resolved itself (or maybe not) on Wednesday evening. There was an unopened letter from the DWP saying they had made arrangements to repay the money in excess of that which I owed. Still have to phone if not in my bank account within 7 days. 

Cleaned my mask and hose (will change all the filters today), had my shower and made a list of 'extra grooming tasks I need to add in, as I'm going out with my grand-daughter and her parents on Tuesday (hair cut tidy up done). Pulled the old toilet seat off - it was only attached on one side and was loose, it came off with a few twists and the remaining underneath bits fell on the floor. I had to find something to put it in before I could get in and out of the shower. DS3 put the new (raised) one on in the early hours of this morning.

I had a list of tasks to split between yesterday and today, couldn't find the paperwork for one (it's in there, somewhere) but found time to go through my bank account . Council Tax rebate/ settling mum's account has not been paid into my account. I also wrote out all the amounts I have been paid (UC, PIP, COL, arrears) since April 2022) as I will need some of them for my tax return.

Went out to do one of the jobs (too late to go to the bank in Bolton by the time I'd eaten). I was hoping to take the 2 bags of cs donations but struggled getting back home (felt my ankle 'go' at one point and later my knee was protesting). Tried to order a repeat prescription but didn't get through (3 times engaged).

Gave up trying to go back to sleep at 5 am (will probably drop off once I've had my shower). Grateful for helpful assistants, concerned passers-by, books, films, games (those silly woodland creatures will have got themselves into a pickle again. Not keen on adverts generally but FF 16 on PS 5 - I'm still mentally on 7 or 8 on PS2. I don't play it but I know it's the one with chocobos (coloured ostrich like creatures you farm to make money) and the boy with white-blond hair is called Ash 

f0xh0les

Morning Lovely Turtle Friends 🐢🐢
Logged on to my guv.ok account and I have a tax rebate!! Woo hoo! Surprise £83 coming my way, had to request it back. Cheeky!
Today I have two builders coming to quote for my extension. I am terrified .  The house has been scrubbed.  It is all I can do. 
One kid off school because of strikes, one in school as he has GCSEs next year and so they are trying to cover their lessons. It will end up with a PE teacher trying to do French and then end up playing 20 questions.
DS1 is doing an unpaid customer service course at HomeBased Store for the next 6 weeks. Today they will be unloading a lorry. At least he will be out of the house. 
Blimey it is hot already.  Keep Safe Turtle Friends 😁

Shrewbie

Morning turtles!!

sorry I’ve been missing. I’ve caught up on posts and I’ll be back to set out my plan for July albeit late to the party 

Amazing news @Thrifty_Taylor you must be so happy to have him back!! 

happy last work day @apple_muncher hope you are already enjoying the summer 

@toni’sfriend you’re doing so well 

well done on the frogs @grandmanerd and for getting out to film club. I’ll channel you when I’m trying to force myself to socialise this month 😂

Toni'sfriend

Glad to heat that Mr TT is home, Thrifty Taylor

Yesterday was NSD No 6

Did a bit of tidying, etc. My underwear drawer is now all in order. Had to dispose of quite a lot of things because they no longer fit or are not the right kind anymore, Nothing underwired or tight. Bit of a shame but you can't really take them to the Charity Shop!

Got the results of a scan I had so long ago that I'd forgotten all about it. Another two tablets required. I'll rattle when I walk.

Made chicken and rice soup with leftovers from the freezer and some home made chicken stock.

It rained heavily all night but it's cleared up now, I'm another one who loves the sound of rain so long as I'm not out in it.

Just waiting for Himself to come down and open his presents. He's forgotten it's his birthday. He always does!

Have a good day everyone. xxxx

thriftylass

Good morning. Received my new CC to that I got for 0% interest and 0% fee balance transfer (spied it in the MSE newsletter). Most of my debt is currently on a 10% CC but if I can save that interest even it would help. As soon as the transfer is through today, I will reduce the credit limit to what's left on it. The other card will be cut up or frozen as it is purely for paying off debt.

Will do my weekly budget update that I started doing each week, I think I came out under budget last week, hooray. 

Will gym today, do some more decorating tonight and plan for the weekend. 

Have a nice day

grandmanerd

Sorting the Council Tax was a bit of a wrangle - they sent an email to my brother in March asking him to confirm that he was a joint Executor. I explained he can't open his emails and has to wait for one of my nieces to do it. (think he also needed a new laptop at one point). Someone has also decided that the 'signatures are too similar' - that would be the one where my brother signed below my signature before my niece corrected him and he signed again where I had printed his name (ignoring my signature altogether). They wanted something official saying we are the Executors so I went back to the house for the Probate forms. Asked DS3 to run upstairs and bring down the big lever arch file.

The woman said I could go directly back to her unless she had a customer. I sat in the waiting chairs and looked through my file. I found a document from our dead brother's paperwork with mum's. mine and baby bro's signatures, witnessed by a solicitor. So she copied all those and sent them off and hopefully the money will arrive soon (too much for her to give me a direct refund). They  also seem to have a different set of payments and credits. 

Carried on to the cs and handed over the 2 big bags of donations, went a little bit further up the street and then found somewhere to sit and have a drink in the shade (had put 2 cans in my bag as I hoped to carry on to Bolton). Needed to take the big file home but decided to revisit the clothing shop from the other  day. The 2 summer dresses I bought last year have had a lot of use (worn with leggings and a t-shirt).

I know they suit me and are easy to wear so I thought I might go and buy replacements. This is part of the thinking about spending I need to do. I seem to be frittering away money but refusing to buy some things that are necessary or very useful and it wouldn't hurt to have an extra one. Given the difficulty of getting any shopping, there are some things that would simplify my life and I need to get them when I see them. Got back to the shop and they've moved everything around. I walked out again.

Met mum's cousin and had a long catch up session and then walked back. I've eaten and might have short nap