NST: November 2023 – Sparkle

Doris17

Please can I join in?

ditty1234

Hi Can I please join for November!
From a quick read my favourite part of the challenge is to remove 60 items. True joy!

KajiKita

May I join. I will try and keep up this month! (I find it moves so fast in here I can’t seem to match the pace.) 

I could do with some sparkle (for me this means moments of joy) as both home and work are full on atm, and I need to look after me to ensure I survive to the end of the year. 

Main additional target for the month for me is to try and get outside and walk at least one circuit of the site each lunchtime, preferably two, unless it is absolutely thinking down with rain. I have done 10K steps yesterday and today (mainly outside in the garden) and the difference it is making to my sleep is remarkable. It’s all too easy to hunker down and hide when the days close in. I won’t manage 8K steps on work days (too much of a desk jockey) but 8K would be good. 

KK

pollyanna_26

Me please Apple. I haven't been well and need to get back in to a normal routine.

pollyx

weenancyinAmerica

Spending - I have set up a budget for every month this year in my calendar. Each bill is listed in pencil until paid then I change it to pen. I also do a little chart as to which payment needs to cover which bills since I get paid twice a month, plus odd payments when two of my tenants get paid. Just have very little left over for anything. Need to start selling stuff - especially old and expensive books. Need to up my water intake and relax more also.
Plan - I make out a chart for eight days at a time from our group calendar and make sure everything fits in. Need to plan some fun stuff too. We spend Sprout day at my sister's. We help her decorate her house starting in November and take it down in February after she has had a lot of group come through to see it (23 trees last year). For the actual day, we just make sandwiches and add salads and desserts. So we don't have to take much with us. Presents this year will be less than $50 for birthdays and holidays since I have gotten some amazing finds at our book sales and at charity shops. 
Aiming for at least 20 NSDs. Trying to remove at least two items a day as house is a tip. But unless I can download roommate Di, can't make too much progress. Did take two bags of food to the neighbors this week and am getting more ready to take to them (at least 10 people in household). Have several major items to take to local nursing home this week. I need to get outside more and get more sunshine. Am having difficulty walking because of diabetes and heart, but I will try to make it to our corner and back every day.
Am grateful for:
1. MSE (started lurking when it first began 2002?)
2. living as long as I have
3. hugging the dog even if she tries to knock me over (a husky my roommate brought home).
Nancy

ldee2111

NST:  November 2023 – Sparkle

Spending. 

Budgets set, savings saved although I’m trying to save a bit more from underspends - the goal is an extra £20 per week to put towards mortgage OPs and all else to holidays.

I need to get back into my habit of drinking a large bottle of water a day and sticking to my new morning routine: get up, porridge on, washing on, dishwasher emptied, and make a morning cuppa. Doing these things early makes such a difference to my day. 

Plan 

I do have a couple of social events in November, such as a meal with colleagues and a night out with OH and our friends in celebration of Sprouts Day. Money has been put aside for my meal with colleagues, and the night out should be covered by OH’s business. 

Lunches will be leftovers or cobbled together from what’s hanging around in the fridge. We’re in soup season so I’ll be doing more making of that. 

On Sprouts Day we have a few people from my side of the family over for a buffet breakfast. I’ll start adding some of the breakfast items to my weekly grocery order to spread the cost… our group is small but my uncle and Dad can fair pack it away. Actually so can my Mum! 🤣

I need to have a think about gifts. Thankfully we have a small family so THAT DAY really doesn’t break the bank. We also get a wee minding for DS’s teacher and for the lollipop lady. 

Alternate

I’ll try for 15. NSDs is not my strong point… there always seems to be something.

Remove 

Removing 60 items from my house would delight me! Fully behind the idea… can we make it 600? OH and DS might not want to live with me anymore though. Hmm. I’ll stick to 60.

Kindness 

Two new charity donations set up as DDs on new ‘burner’ account. I’ve got a charity bag sitting in the cupboard waiting for some of those 60 items! And I’m volunteering at DS’s school when needed/ when I’m free. The Head asked me to do reading with the kids again this term but she’s still to give details. 

I give smiles a lot to people I know and to strangers… to the point where I wonder if people find me weird. 🤣

Live your life. Love your life.

I will report my gratitudes - I know I’ve lots to be thankful for even on days when it feels nothing has went well. 

Exercise

It’s in the plan! First class tonight.

wishus

Hi @apple_muncher - it's been a while, but can I join in NST's for November? I feel like I need it.
Having a wobbly time, OH's job is threatened and the crumbling Victorian house did a big crumble just as we don't need it at all. Now's the time I feel to get back on the NST-mindset horse.

Hello everyone!

weenancyinAmerica

Looking forward to November now. Will probably be a month of doctors' appointments, but should have most things covered before December. Ended October with money for gas ready to go in November and $1.02 in my food budget fund. Better than last month. 

Thankful: 
1. That we made it through two days of winds with just a few tree branches down.
2. Got my laundry done this morning.
3. Was able to cover what I needed in the grocery store without going over budget.

wishus

Good morning! My office has asked everyone to go in today (we're hybrid) for Halloween. There is a costume competition, decorations competition, and free food. I've cobbled an outfit together from what I have. I've also got my breakfast and a snack handy ( blackberry porridge and some carrots and hummus) as the food won't be ready until lunchtime. 

I'm supposed to be going to an event after work, but we're also needing an electrician to come round so we may have to scrap the Halloween event.

f0xh0les

Morning lovely people.  Can I join you for November please @apple_muncher? 
I only have one day of work booked in all this month, DH will be flitting about the country,  and the roof will be coming off, and hopefully going back on. So I will need to pay for that - it is not going to be a cheap month, but it has been budgeted for, and you don't need a £9k roof every month, so sometimes you just have to accept it is a one in a generation expense and be done with it. 
Just checked the diary and apart from the single day of work, I have a dentist appointment to look forward to. That is all. How rubbish is that?  Maybe I should just accept every invitation I receive for the rest of the year?  Hmm, one to ponder 🤔 🤔