NST Awesome August

Toni'sfriend

NSD No 4

Thank you for those thoughts, Grandmanerd. Very helpful.

So, I've done the washing and it's all dried. Dinner is in the slow cooker.

Kitty cat's owner returned this morning. Thought that was the cat sitting over until I discovered him fast asleep on our bed. He must have been there for about four hours without us even knowing that he was in the house. I think we might have a little friend here.

It's ben a bit of a quiet day. Watching The Little Drummer Girl. Absolutely love John Le Carre.

Have a good weekend. xxxx

lcc86

Afternoon turtles 

Woke up feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning so took myself off to the gym sharpish!

Cleaned "bunny corner" and topped up all their food boxes ready for the week ahead. Washed all the towels and got them hung out indoors - the rain set in at about 8am and hasn't stopped... Popped the slow cooker on to do some vegan chilli as well.

Had an appointment at the hairdresser, decided to treat myself to highlights which was pre-planned and of course very expensive compared to the usual! Have used the credit card, paid half off and will use expenses to pay the other half when they come through. Used the time sitting in the hairdresser to do some research into a volunteering/study opportunity I originally started before Covid, I'd like to take it up again if possible so have some ideas of where to get started.

Chilli is done so time to portion it out and put some mac and cheese in the slow cooker for tonight's dinner 

abundant1972

Good afternoon ☔

Checking in today after 2-day blur of stress-filled work rubbish. I am annoyed I let it get to me so much. I left work on time - but I was so annoyed and frustrated with the senior management that even writing a stinking email didn't make me feel better haha. Still - a quiet chilled morning and I finally feel I am on the come-down from it all. Pulled some oracle cards and got 'fog' two days running - all about not seeing a way forward - but that it's ok to be confused. Embrace it. The fog will burn away soon. I thought about when you drive in fog - and how sometimes - putting your beam on can make it harder to see... and that's how I feel now. I'm searching for a way out of a job I hate and seeing no escape. So - deep breath - I am trying to stay present... as the post earlier said - don't live in the future - for that path only leads to anxiety. 
___________________________________________________ [me drawing a line under it lol] __________

I have removed a lot of unhealthy habits I had - and today I'm itching to go and spend money to cheer myself up. But, I have food in... films or series to watch... it's warm and dry... so I am going to do some mindfulness and try and rebalance myself... Loving all the tips and strategies for people living with chronic illness grandmanerd. Always top of my to-do list is go to the gym... and I always feel bad when I don't go... I'm putting it aside... will recharge... early night - and make my yoga class in the morning. 

Hugs to Shrewbie - hang in there. It is such a difficult place to be in - but I always think if I was happy and content I wouldn't be even thinking of making this decision in the first place. I hope things work out for the best. 

Today = NSD number 2

Today I am grateful for:

1) My sister for cheering me up and giving me something to look forward to tomorrow
2) My new game and to all the creative souls that were part of its creation. A welcome distraction
3) Though it lands me in trouble and creates stress - the strength of character to speak up for myself and stand my ground

Have a lovely evening. I'm enjoying listening to the rain and feeling a nice cool breeze in my tropical apartment haha

apple_muncher

Sending you lots of hugs,Shrewbie. You have made a really big decision, so well done you xx

Today I am grateful for being home, for some massive rasps from the garden, for listening to the rain and wind from inside a warm and dry house, for DH supplying a solution to something that nearly sent dc into a meltdown, for a good 90 minute nap this afternoon to catch up a little on 5 nights of not enough sleep.

beanielou

Happy new hair@Icce86 
So good for the soul.

beanielou

Hang in there @abundant1972.
Keep plodding.

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD#1
A sunny day, so hung the washing on the line. After breakfast, we had a big delivery (30 bags if coal & 1.5 tonnes of cement mix). Loaded the car up with stuff for the dump, headed to feed the cat, unloaded the car, then went a walk up a large hill. 

Had more of the soup, then moved the bags of coal to the other end of the house. Picked some raspberries, then did some weeding. After tea, I pinned a woman into an outfit, then fed the cat & gecko (🤯). Washed the dishes when I got home, unpicked 2 zips & did a bit of my rug.

Grateful for: a lovely walk, an empty greenhouse (where we'd stored it all), that none of the crickets escaped when trying to catch them for the gecko!

beanielou

Lucky you @Thrifty_Taylor having sun!
Lots & lots of rain here!

thriftylass

Hugs to all that need them atm especially @Shrewbie and @abundant1972. 

On way back to the ferry and home 🏡. 

Bored on the drive I thought I pop on here and checked my email. At 45 I will go back to uni in October 😁. Finally got the confirmation of my place to do Post-grad qualification in Academic practice in higher education, i.e. uni teacher. Really looking forward to study again. Now just need to contain myself and not splurge on stationary 😏 Might celebrate with a fountain pen though as I wanted one again for a long time. 

see you later 

grandmanerd

Sunday 6th August 2023
I'm really not feeling motivated this morning (I wasn't even feeling 'with it' but I had an extra hour's sleep after taking my pills) and then I found a blog called Yes and Yes (strapline - want to spend your time money and energy on purpose. I'll show you how) specifically an article called 'Why you need an Every D*mn Day List and How to Create One'

There's nothing new here -  it's basically an extension of the smallest possible habits that you can build on - but it was  very funny, made me smile and the comments were good too. Here's the link https://www.yesandyes.org/2018/03/every-damn-day-list.html  Tiny habits that make things 'just a little bit better' (one of my favourite tools) and if your whole day goes to pot, you will still have achieved something.

I particularly like the part on creating your own to do list (I'm including the questions here and a couple of the suggestions in  case you don't want to read the article).

What's the smallest possible action that will make your space feel nicer? (spend 5 minutes cleaning the kitchen, make your bed)
What's the smallest possible action that will make you feel healthier? (drink 2 glasses of water, eat one fruit or veggie)
What's the smallest possible action  that will make you feel better emotionally? (Listen to  a song you loved in high school)
What's the smallest possible action that will make you feel on top of your life? (put on perfume, check your bank account)

This article made me feel good. I frequently feel 'lazy'. I've been 'under par' for most of this week - not ill, not anything I could put my finger on (part of it was the missing hay fever tablets), just a bit 'meh'. I have done some things every day but I 'could have and should have' done more (how many times have I told you to eliminate those words from your vocabulary?). This article reminded me of the things I already do (automatically) and something mentioned by another chronic wellness blog how much time we spend just 'managing' our conditions. 

So on my EDD list I could include
Drinking Water- slipped a bit recently but have been trying to drink 2 l of water before allowing myself a can of caffeine free drink and I haven't had any drinks in the house for several days (I had a drink on Friday that I specifically asked DS3 to include in his food order but that was after craving it for some hours). When I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night I take my cup and fill it with water, drink what I need and then top up the cup to take back with me.

Taking my pills Some people have to set reminders to take their pills. I take mine the first time I wake up after 5 am, then if I drift off to sleep again, it's done. I usually try to eat something afterwards as it's approved with some pills.

Brushing my teeth In the morning and before bed and whenever I feel the need (furry tongue as a side-effect of my pills)

I always have food in my room - Some people will  disapprove of this but if I have my morning yoghurt and any drinks I need first thing in the morning with me I don't need to struggle downstairs unnecessarily or put on my ankle strapping and shoes and then take them off again when I get back upstairs (this unsettles me and isn't the right way to start the day). About a year ago I noticed that I was waking up feeling ravenous in the early hours of the morning so having fruit/ yoghurt/ crackers to hand helped balance my sugar levels. 

I nearly always have a shower in the morning. Occasionally it might be noon before I get round to it and sometimes I leave it if I'm planning to work in the garden or do other heavy stuff and will shower afterwards. If I don't feel up to having a shower (dizziness, not able to face getting on the board and lifting my legs over the side of the bath, full of disgusting germs and a throbbing head) I'll sit on my stool in front of the sink and have a slow all over wash.

Antiseptic and other creams After showering and making sure I'm properly dry, I apply antiseptic cream to any sore/ chafing parts. At various times (and in various places) I also need hydrocortisone cream, bite cream, sun cream, moisturiser/ body lotion and ibuprofen gel. I have dry skin + eczema and dermatitis and need to keep things under control (long term conditions I've had for many years but I also need to check my feet for any signs of damage to prevent infection and am unable to use medicinal foot creams).

 Rubbish/ recycling I'm getting very good at getting things out of the house before they cause problems, utilising all their takeaway bags and tossing them out of the window or downstairs when they are full. Cardboard boxes are cut up/ folded, junk mail is gathered up, old paperwork is ripped up and added to the paper sack as I go through it (mostly old to do lists and used pages from notebooks)

NOTE I don't need your sympathy. This is mainly for me, so I recognise the things I am already doing and stop beating myself up. I now have a place to start with the To Do list (and the Do it when I'm up to it list/ the Do it sometime but not right now/ any time soon list/ and the Hope to do it sometime/ are we sure about this/ Is  it time to call someone else in list).  

Grateful for eye drops, ear drops, lip salve, throat sweets and all the things that have made my life more comfortable this week, for reading and all the things that help my mental health, for a bit of clarity to help tackle the overwhelm.