NST July 2023: Jurassic July

grandmanerd

Yes polly I had lots of plans but I only handed over her birth sampler in April (and it was only a postcard sized one and in the past I've done A4 and bigger and the picture was already done - some patterns I really liked with gingham borders so using  up 3 shades of a colour). I only actually did the outlining and added the lettering.

I'm making a garland for her bedroom (woodland animals theme). I cheated by buying wooden stencils to base my animals on (in Autumn, there are mushrooms) and cut out some animals freehand copying roughly from pinterest but so far no sewing done. I did start off the beans and sweet peas to make her a teepee in her garden but then they were off to Australia for June (just come back) so it's a bit late. I did buy some cardboard colour in play houses (one's a rocket) when they were in the £10 sale at Hobb ee craft - if DS3 and Beloved  have moved on by then (fingers crossed) I'll put it up for the festive season.

I've just found a marker in my diary and I had the trellis and paint (to complete the back wall) by March 1st (long BH weekend job) but so far not done (I've thought of a temporary fix until I can get Mr Builder to come and help me put the framework together (with his magic saw and magic drill) but this busted foot/ ankle is still holding me up.

I forced myself to go to film club on Friday (the more I stay in the harder it gets to go out and mix with other people) and even the trip to the library and back meant my legs were aching on Saturday. The swelling has reduced and I've got a lot more movement in the foot (yesterday I managed to stand on the bad leg alone for one whole minute but I kept hold of the heated towel rail with one hand and the upright grab rail next to the bath for the whole time). It is getting stronger but it's a slow process (currently thinking of alternative ways to exercise and get more movement without adding more stress).

I went downstairs yesterday morning to wait for a delivery but it hurt and I stayed on the couch for most of the time and only brought the laptop and a drink back upstairs (laptop needed charging but I couldn't carry any of my other stuff). However in the afternoon I managed to go downstairs again (baby's presents and books are now downstairs and the wrap and ribbon is out of the drawer (that meant moving two large boxes of toilet rolls but  I managed to get them all upstairs by myself). I also made it out to the bins with lots of bags of plastic/ paper and cardboard and a few rubbish bags.

I read in chronic illness blog about 'moving things on' and I've realised that subconsciously that that's what I've been doing. I throw bags downstairs as soon as I've filled one (one stage) or across the front room (I sit on the couch and stuff as much rubbish as possible into their takeaway bags (paper delivery bags are used for paper) then throw them across (to the middle door at the bottom of the stairs) and if I can I throw them across the kitchen to the back door. If I throw them into the yard I can concentrate on getting myself across the step safely and if I can throw the smaller bags down the yard, I can just balance myself to walk down the yard without bags looped onto my fingers. When I get to the bins I have a chair and sit beside the bins and decant stuff into them. 

I know the 'moving on' means putting a load of washing into the WM (or out again) which I was doing a couple of weeks ago but yesterday I was thrilled just to get the rubbish/ recycling out (and many many boxes were cut up and disposed of). Currently on the bed and one half has 9 category piles of mum's estate paperwork. I've killed a second set of A4 files (the first ones were pre-used ones of mine) so it's all  moving into a lever arch file (there's a box file with the deeds to grandma's house in). I have a proper set of dividers and I'm going to put them in by category rather than going back and forth with individual bits). There will probably be a few more sections as I've not finished unpacking the second bag (not a lot more to do). Having a short break before I get back to it.

f0xh0les

I have just finished cutting the privet hedge in the tiny front garden.  Had to keep stopping so the bees could fill their knees with pollen, stuck a load of cut flowers back in the hedge for them to pillage.  Next door's hedge is covered in privet flowers, but the bees seemed to think as mine were going they needed to come over to mine first, like some weird Bumblebee pub crawl.

No idea how much ££ I save by doing it myself, but a chap came up to me and said he did gardening if I wanted help. I told him I just liked power tools and hacking things to pieces, he left quite quickly.....

Premium Bond Fairies awarded me £250 this morning. Thank you!

Researched train travel for next week. Feeling prepared.

Hugs to all Turtles having tests, treatments, waiting for results, or recovering,  and to their loved ones who are doing the same.

I'm off to scrape some flaking paint off windowsills in preparation for repainting on a non-rain-forecast-day, and to cable pin the few remaining odd shaped pieces of green plastic trellis to the wall, as my passiflora is going bonkers, as is the solanum, and I have decided I am going to try and get a couple of cuttings of honeysuckle to weave through them, and possibly after all the building work is finished (not even started yet!) maybe devise some kind of arch, or pergola, or scaffolding for it.  

Once I have  stolen and successfully  rooted it anyway - see, I got plans!

DawnW

Evening turtles 

Hugs to all poorlies, and a special hug for @Thrifty_Taylor. I hope you all get positive news soon.

'Proper' rain here today, and chilly with it.

Dog won't go out, as he doesn't 'do' rain. Managed to persuade him that he needed a wee a short while ago

Shopping done this morning, but not much else. I was shocked to have spent £70 on 3 not particularly large or luxurious bags of shopping at L*dl.

Washed my hair to avoid having to do it tomorrow, ready for work on Thursday

Made a nice mushroom risotto for dinner, which used up some chicken stock from the fridge.

And finalised spends / budget spreadsheet for June

Still not managed a single NSD

beanielou

Toni~~Hope the burns get better soon xx

Big hugs thrifty xx

That's great Starlight xx

beanielou

I met my DS for lunch today.
All is well in the world.

thriftylass

Big hugs to those who need them especially @Thrifty_Taylor and @grandmanerd.

@DawnW, I'm shocked too how little we get now even in the discounters for our money.

Finally decided what to do to generate a second kids bedroom (boy, 12 and girl, 9 needed it now desperately). Couldn't move or extend due to cost atm. DH is working from home and in the guest bedroom, which he will now have to vacate,I decided. I started making him a space in the conservatory. It was mouldy, dated and too hot in summer so far. Cleaning it up at the moment, painting some windows and roof panels with solar reflective paint and moved now onto the hideous green wood. Not a forever solution but should do as an office for a while. Got a few hours done tonight. Had a pamper shower (i.e. with facemask) and now cosy in bed with a book. 

apple_muncher

beanie,does your ds have a job yet? I can't remember when he qualified!

Today I am grateful for a good day out with y10, for sourcing some free garden toys off 01i0, for free gf doughballs and pizza for lunch, for just one day left at work 😎😎😎.

beanielou

apple~~He starts next month.
Has been into new school.
Scary!!

grandmanerd

I only got back from my brother's just before 10 pm. Very tired so will talk in the morning but I have spent quite a bit of money.

Toni'sfriend

NSD No 4

I must admit I didn't really do very much yesterday and I feel so tired I don't see today being much different. I did take a pair of trousers which have been in the wardrobe for ages to the alteration shop to be shortened so I now have something else to wear that's quite smart.

Chilli and pitta from freezer for dinner.

Sun is shining here. Hope it is where you are too. xxx