NST July 2023: Jurassic July

ditty1234

Hi all, just dipping in to say happy July, and give thanks to this group and life in general, including both of my lovely boys who are looking after each other at home while I am away. I somehow managed to get 6 weeks to just do my own art work, which is a challenge - I have not had more than 3-4 days in a row since I left art school so a bit of a choc to the system. But I am grateful and at it 6-10 hours a day 6-7 days a week. So am grateful for this opportunity. Have a great continued summer I'll check in here or there xx

grandmanerd

A quiet day yesterday. DS3 was asleep so I needed to go downstairs for drinks and yoghurt. I had pills being delivered at 10 am and really didn't want to struggle down again but I heard DS3 and Beloved talking so waited and finally asked if he was going down soon - he was so I relaxed and stayed where i was. 

I heard the pills come so went down for those (didn't have one to take in the morning) and collected a bowl and the salad-y bits from the fridge. Ate a large salad (10 veg in total) and added more bits to Thursday night's leftovers.

When I got downstairs today they had an unopened pack of spare ribs so I ate those (they rarely go back to use up their leftovers). More washing has been brought in and put out on the line (it looks like it's trying to rain but most of it will benefit from a rinse and a blow so no panic - I have a few dry things to wear). 

Picked up bags and rubbish in the kitchen (swathes of floor are now appearing - help) and I would like to do some cooking or even a stockpile of tuna butties. Bathroom is on a 5 minute wipe every time I go in there. If I get discouraged by all that is left to do, I'll open my lovely clean super-organised fridge and admire it.

Grateful for books and other entertainment, pill deliveries, food (just do one thing at a time, don't get overwhelmed).

DawnW

Afternoon all

@Thrifty_Taylor you are tired because you work so hard, and you have had a lot of stress due to your husband's recent illness, so do rest when you get the chance and be kind to yourself

@ditty1234 what an amazing opportunity! I hope you enjoy it, and find it rewarding!

DD2 and the two little ones have just headed off home. DD had brought round blackcurrants for me to make jam, so I did that. I have been making jam for many years, but have recently bought myself a jam thermometer which clips to the side of my jam pan and tells me exactly when it is the temperature at which it will set. This saves a lot of dripping onto saucers to test, having to tip it all back into the pan and reboil if it isn't quite done after all, or alternatively the possibility of overboiling (I had this disaster with a batch of strawberry earlier this year, the first time ever)    £14.99 well spent, made it so easy!

I also made scones and buns to feed hungry kids, and pasta for lunch. I gave them the leftover chocolate topped buns to take home, as OH and I don't need to eat those.

Grateful today for seeing family and for well behaved jam.

Toni'sfriend

NSD No 11

It's been another quiet day. Not a lot accomplished but I'm grateful for chilling out a bit.

Might manage a bit more tomorrow. xxx

apple_muncher

ThriftyT, you have had a lot on your plate for a very long time now, since dh first was rushed to hospital. No wonder you need to keep napping!

Today I am grateful for sleeping well, for seeing a friend at the gym (I'd been worried about her as I'd not seen her for a while; turns out she's been away - phew), for a lovely afternoon out with dc + friend + friend's mum, for getting the laundry done this morning, for being paid for what I've done for job #2 so far.

thriftylass

@Thrifty_Taylor you are a very busy lady and got a lot on your plate. You're doing the right thing by listening to your body and napping. Used to hate having to take them as a kid (we had them enforced till age 8/9 at home and before that in nursery till 6 😲) but I started appreciating them again in adult life.

@ditty1234 what did you study at art college and what do you do art wise now (sorry if you mentioned it before and I just didn't pay attention 😔). DH went to art college and so did at least one partner of most couples we know. He's good at drawing and graphic design but surprisingly bad at painting etc in a decorating situation, lol.

No NSD today, bought a cool box for our trip and the last few groceries I forgot to put on the list. Writing a list of things that last the week is getting more challenging with those growing locusts in the house. Not going shopping again till just before our departure.

Also harvested berries, took kids to play park (at 12 and 9 still not too old 😊) and got a good few hours painting done. Weather was like April, sunshine mixed with downpours.

See you tomorrow 

Thrifty_Taylor

Thank you ladies, you are right enough. I suppose I've got used to powering on through & juggling lots of things, that when I stay still, my body screams for a rest! I promise I will listen to it more.

Started the day with a different yoga routine on the Toon. Went into town, met the husband of the customer I'd made the memory bear for. Haven't heard from her yet to say she likes it. Hope so! Got a few bargains in £stretcher. If anyone is needing sugar for jam making, it's 89p for 1kg. Went over to mum's & helped sort out her spare room. Listed some books on FB. Then we went shopping.
Once it was all put away, I put on my shorts (torrential rain all morning) & snipped some branches. Washed the dishes then went for a walk with DH, saw a rainbow & lots of Swallows flying about.

Enjoy your art time @ditty1234, may your creative juices flow 😃

Grateful for time with mum, another nice email from my best friend from when I was at school, a nice walk with DH, nature, your kind words & advice x

grandmanerd

Struggled to get much done yesterday and gave up and came upstairs early. A couple of hours later the cough that was a mere niggle earlier in the week had turned into a bark and my throat felt like it was on fire (i'd been wondering why my hayfever was so bad when it was chucking it down). Checked the bathroom and asked DS3 to check the kitchen windowsill for cov oh nia - he said it was in the bathroom last time he saw it, so I think I must have finished it off when I returned from DS1's in December.

Did an emergency order for that and some sugar free throat sweets, which will come before 1 pm today. Had to use big river as the local convenience stores could offer me 5 types of condom and over 100 vapes but no cough medicine (none at all, not just my preferred one). (Please f0xh0les,  no comments as to how I could have used condoms as a cough medicine substitute). Also did an emergency but very self indulgent order for ice cream and ice lollies - all the ones I never allow myself to buy unless the wading bird shop has them in the cheapo freezer. In the meantime, I made do with a cup a soup and some of the plain vanilla I had in.

Have just been downstairs for supplies - cans, cheese triangles, yoghurt, my cucumber, carrot and celery sticks along with a dip, mangetout, half a pack of beetroot, grapes and nectarines (the last 2 were in my previous order) and an ice cream cone plus the remains of a jar of pickles eaten overnight. I've had my ice cream and am currently in 'no pain' (turn my focus away from it). I've stopped taking painkillers as other medication has increased (all in the potential future liver and kidney damage list).

So I have supplies and things to be getting on with. 

Grateful for currently being pain free, for food and drink and entertainment, for letting go of all the things I would/ could/ should be doing IF (I were younger, fitter, able to get myself downstairs without wheezing and crawling and if the walk to the bins was possible).

beanielou

Grandmanerd. Pain free is priceless. 

Toni'sfriend

NSD No 12

Take care Thrifty Taylor. You've had a lot to cope with. Be kind to yourself and don't do too much.

I've had another quiet day. I have relatives home from abroad for the next couple of weeks who want to meet up and do lots of things. I'm not really up to it so have suggested just going for lunch. Feel a bit guilty.

Tennis is exciting . xxxx