NST: November 2023 – Sparkle

ditty1234

Hi all today I am grateful for a lovely warm house to come home to, for ds1 getting a job after just 3 weeks. It's a bit of a place holder job, but it is encouraging all the same. For getting a new tap soon after weeks of heavy dripping. For having lovely French students staying. 
Even after all this, I just want to hide under my pillow due to all of the stuff I am not getting on with at work, there is just too many changes, people getting laid of, timetable changes mid term, just not very encouraging. So happy Wednesday, just one more day and then I get to do my own stuff for a couple of days. 

grandmanerd

Went to collect my glasses (the old pairs with updated lenses) and despite 6 attempts she couldn't get them to fit my face satisfactorily (my eyelashes are brushing the left lens) so I have a new appointment on Friday when the optician will be in (she was frightened of breaking my glasses and also that if she bent them any more they could go out of focus).

Rain was slackening off so I went on to the library with 2 things for the food bank trolley and to return my books. picked up 2 new ones and then another 2 from the new books display (including the Peter Kay autobiography which i definitely wouldn't buy but might be a fun read). 

Then I carried on to the small pie shop and spent £5.20 but that's further than I've walked in over a month. Got home slowly, devoured all the food and then had a RM shortly afterwards. Three bags out to the bins and I brought the paper bin back as I'd heard the bin lorry whilst I was eating. I put my distance glasses on which was a bit scary as I could see exactly what was on the floor. Went round gathering it up and 3 more bags went out.

I had washed my mask and hose before I went out so when I started to feel dozy I did the quick dry method of running the machine and settled down to read. I went back downstairs before it went dark (broken picture frame added to the bin bag) and collected a bucket and a bag full of leaves. 

Filled the WM and set if off, cooked veg fingers and the remains of a bag of spicy chicken strips which I shared with DS3. Rounded up a few stray records and shuffled the bookshelf around - I have a pile of books upstairs to bring down.  My handbag, library books bag and a rubble sack of clean dry clothes came up with me (very hard work). 

I've watched another episode of my drama and done a bit more of my owl cross-stitch (owl is the last of six animals but I have trees to do.  They should all be in the same beige colour but I had trouble getting hold of the right colour (the sixth supplier had 8 skeins which were down to 3 by the time I got through check out) so I've used various leftovers from other projects and will finish off  the last plaque before I use  this colour for anything else.

New recycling bags started and a shoe bag.

Grateful for helpful  opticians, the library, an interesting and challenging day.

weenancyinAmerica

I just keep repeating to myself "If it is to be, it is up to me". I can't rely on anyone else to do what they need to do or are asked to do. I am getting a lot of the tadpoles eaten, have one major frog to do tomorrow. Took roommate Di for her doctor's appointment yesterday. She now has a stack of referrals to get through. She just got on a program for seniors so we will see how it goes. Her blood sugar level was 186 eAG (A1C 8.1), so way too high. No wonder her gout is acting up. Three bags of candy and 2 boxes of biscuits added to 20 bottles of sweetened tea in one week was a bit much, but she couldn't seem to stop. I may have to start hiding whatever I find - from both of us. Halloween definitely didn't help, especially the candy sales afterward.

I started a book while waiting at the doctor's office. Finished it last night. I have about 1500 to go through or get rid of in bookcases lining my hallway. All are light mystery cosies so easy reading. 

Today I see my skin doctor for my regular yearly appointment. It had to be postponed twice - when she lost her mother and when I got Covid. I have had melanoma once, squamous cell 4 times, and basal cell 4 times, so  I am always a bit nervous something else will turn up. But so far, just burning some things off has worked.

Then I have to go by and pick up the heavy things - kitty litter, and 2 boxes of cat food. Ordered from store by roommate for pickup so they will load into the car. Hopefully the 2 ex-Marine roommates will help carry things in. 

We are hoping to go out to eat afterward, but I will be using a gift card my nephew dog gave me for taking care of him while my sister was on vacation. At least the card said it was from him - maybe with a little help from my sister. 

Then I am going to try and put flea meds on the cats. The dog was easy. Sometimes the cats can be lured into sitting still with food to distract them. I will see how it goes.

At least yesterday was NSD - number 4. I have two days marked on my calendar when I know I have to spend this month. One day is refilling the gas tank. The other will be when two of my roommates pay their rent (timed for when their checks come in). Then I will finish paying the bills and get some of the things I need for the car and household - new windshield wiper for car (1 done) and tp. Other than those two days I will be trying to keep from spending too often. I may have one more day at the grocery store to finish the month if I don't do it the day I pay the bills. Trying to keep days as NSD gets to be fun after awhile.

grandmanerd

AS I'd spent money, I did a donation to Crisis at Christmas and to DS1's requested charity, ordered some bed linen (sale prices  and a £35 off code). More bedlinen and bath towels will be bought in January. 

ldee2111

Staying on NSD 2. DS was still at home with us today and we all had a bit of cabin fever so we we went to a cafe from which OH and I could work and DS could play games on his device… and of course we spent money, on three hot drinks. I know, I know, I’ll take myself to the naughty step. I’d like to think we recouped some of our money from using their electricity to charge our laptops.  

OH received his new HSBC card and has started the process for getting the free £125, sadly I’m still waiting on mine. Mr Spendy Pants says he needs a new phone and his plan is to put the £125 towards it. Ms Ninja Saving Turtle over here is putting it into a mortgage OP. Big pat on the back for me 🤣 

Grateful today for OH being at home, for us both having the option to work from home, for DS being a bit better, for an easy oven dinner, and for a warm home. 

Declutter 60 items:

1. storybook
2. electric fan
3. pair of holey socks
4. ceramic container
5. card reader
6. Jewellery box
7. Selfie stick
8. storybook
9. Passport holder
10. T-shirt
11. storybook
12. Storybook
13. Storybook
14. Kid’s boots
15. Drinking glass

apple_muncher

Well done on the win, beanie !

Today I am grateful for the coin sorting machine telling me I had just over £40, for a warm and dry house to return to after being out in the wind and rain, for finding a few bits for dc in the ch shops, for scavenging a couple of bits from a neighbour's skip and his blessing to dig and delve tomorrow 😎.

Thrifty_Taylor

@f0xh0les 🤣 I laughed after reading your comment too! I often type things & don't think how they can be interpreted!!
Congratulations on your win @beanielou, I hope you find some goodies to treat yourself to 😃

NSD#4
Did 3/4 of exercise routine before I was too puggled (technical term 😂) to continue. Left for work early, as making a detour to give a colleague a lift, she gave me money for diesel, so don't mind doing it.

Work went ok, the day seemed to pass quite quickly.

Sewed the eyes on all the felt robins, then the last few buttons on the trees, so all the decorations are finished. After tea, I did the machine sewing on one chicken, will try & get the other 2 done tomorrow night, then stuffing & hand sewing Friday night. It's all go, eh?!

Grateful for the last of the homegrown cherry tomatoes, DS1 being outside when I got home & having a little chat, that I'm getting sorted for the craft fayre on Saturday

grandmanerd

weenancyinAmerica said:

I just keep repeating to myself "If it is to be, it is up to me". I can't rely on a

Then I am going to try and put flea meds on the cats. The dog was easy. Sometimes the cats can be lured into sitting still with food to distract them. I will see how it goes.

Our oldest cat was  half wild (gifted by a neighbour who planned to go and do voluntary work overseas).She had  to be trapped in a corner (or the bathroom) then wrapped firmly in a large towel or an old sheepskin jacket mum had given me (we dropped it on top of her then wrapped her up) and me eldest son held her firmly (so she couldn't claw me) whilst I did the business of getting her mouth open and  the pill inside her.

Good luck with everything else

Toni'sfriend

Ah "puggled". One of my late Mother's favourite words. Normally used in relation to my favourite uncle who on a regular basis over indulged in our national drink. My favourite is "fankle".

Edinburgh was lovely. Didn't do much but it was relaxing and the hotel was lovely.

Not long home, The washing is on, Back to normal (whatever that is these days!) tomorrow. xxxx

f0xh0les

Today is another NSD, so #6!!
  I am relieved to say that I did not get the job. I did get a rather rude email saying only 3 candidates bothered to turn up to interview and none of them stood out.  They were obviously looking for someone exceptional... or possibly mythical.   Spent the afternoon terrified that I had got the job 🤣🤣🤣 so finding my rejection email was a joy.