NST: November 2023 – Sparkle

wishus

wishus said:

Decluttering: a couple of bags and an exercise weight have gone in the charity bag.
So that's 10 clothes items to Hasta recycling
1 top, 1 finger puppet and 1 broken keyring binned.
15 clothes items waiting to go to Hasta
2 bags and a weight waiting to go to charity

So that's 30/60 so far.

Addition to the decluttering:

1 jute bag. My husband made it and I loved it, but it was being held together by lining. 
My long-serving laptop bag. The wire was showing on all sides, it was looking scruffy. I realised I had a much better one, seemingly serving as a keeper of plug adapters. Time to use it as...er....a laptop bag!

Proper supermarket sweep dash to the ships today. I realise I'm much happier going by myself as my husband gets embarrassed by my using Perkbox vouchers as they're a faff. 

ldee2111

Yesterday’s…

It was a colleague’s 30th birthday at work so a group of us from the office went out for lunch and chipped in to cover the birthday boy’s. Still on NSD 2.

This evening I went to a body balance class and felt good for having been balanced and stretched. My favourite part is a wee snooze (I mean relaxation) at the end.

After I came home, I booked a holiday. 🙊 It wasn’t quite a spur of the moment thing, we’ve been talking about it and saving for it. We hoped to be one of the lucky ones to get a chance to buy tickets for Scotland games in the Euros in Germany next year. Sadly we did even make it through the first stage but we’re going to Germany anyway. Why not? There should be a good atmosphere. We’ve booked an apartment in a suburb a short train ride outside the city of Frankfurt. We’ve been to Berlin a couple of times but I’m looking forward to seeing another part of the country. We might hire a car and visit some of those stunning Bavarian castles and forests. Who knows?! I’ll do some research into the surrounding areas.

Grateful today for a decent day in the office, a tasty lunch, for chit-chat with colleagues, for OH making me dinner, and for getting a good stretch at body balance.

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
16. Table lamp
17. Wellies
18. Lanyards x2
19. Pack of pencils
20. Hoodie
21. Football stickers

weenancyinAmerica

Have to keep reminding myself that today is Tuesday. Today is the day we have to have the husky come in and wreck havoc while the pool person comes to clean. I can't make any plans for Tuesday morning as I never know for sure when the cleaner will show up. I work on the computer while the dog is in when I am not doing tummy rubs on the dog (most of the time). I don't get a lot done on Tuesday mornings. Dog went out without any problem after the pool person left. So I went to the library and spent the time getting the carts in workroom upstairs ready for the Book Sale Friday. 

Today became a Spend day when I went to the auto repair place after. Not as bad as I expected because the person working there went into the attached store (Walmart) and picked out the items I needed for me and I ended up only having to pay for the items as it took him less than five minutes to take care of everything - so new windshield wiper on driver's side in time for the next 4 days of rain. And the power steering has been topped up. Gave rest of power steering fluid to roommate J whose car leaks power steering fluid and has to be topped up almost weekly (it is a 1992 model, always surprised it is still going). My car I think only keeps running because it knows I will probably give up driving when it quits. Will make things difficult as, unless you are  here visiting Disneyland, the transportation for locals is terrible. 

When I came home, I was planning on working on the computer and then going to the FamilySearch Center for several hours, but I was so dizzy when I fed the dog and then when I came in, that I had to go lie down for awhile. I think my sugar level was too high. This is the Health area I need to work on this month and next - which is hard during the holiday season. But I need to learn to eat better. At least turkey is a recommended protein. We just need to clean out the refrigerator to find a place to put a turkey. May have to cook it and cut in to sections to fit it in.

Have made out my schedule for tomorrow to get three items done before the rain hits. Will see how it goes.

Hope everyone is warm, dry, and doing things they like to do occasionally at least.

wishus

Hope your Tuesday went well @weenancyinAmerica

Things might be a struggle for me today as I have brought an empty glasses case to work. Where are my specs?

My monitor and my book are fine, but the small text on my phone looks a bit drunk.

Trying to have a NSD today...meant watching the porridge in the microwave like a hawk! 

The porridge isn't blurry either.

grandmanerd

Yesterday was very satisfactory but exhausting. I move the bed but then spent the next 2 hours mostly on the bed resting (dealt with the stuff behind the headboard in some of the adverts). Lots of bits of empty pill foils and tissues with enough 'keep' bits to  fill a small box. It got progressively more difficult an I started to stiffen up. The last bit I did was to add the horrible towel (grey/ green/ aqua with dull  orange yellow blobs) to the bin bag, tie it up and roll it down the stairs.

Hobble down for a couple  of things and told DS3 it needed taking out when he went to put the bins out. Crawled  back upstairs and settled for  the night. I was worried about where I would sleep but slept well  albeit in a slightly  peculiar position. Trawling through old lists has reminded me of a couple  of important paperwork tasks. Paperwork and domestic stuff (2 loads  of washing to be done, DW to empty, find some flat surfaces) probably merit a day each but the muddle and mess in here  needs sorting first  (2 things to be washed to go back on the bed when it's clear). A couple of minor injuries incurred (trivial but very inconvenient).

So another day, another bin bag, I already have part/nearly full bags of recycling plus a bag of kitchen items and found 5 strong carrier bags neatly kondoed to further subdivide the muddle (it's a tip but 'muddle'  suggests something I can handle and I need that for now). Must be ruthless with rubbish an old lists.

f0xh0les

I got my 10 year guarantee for t' roof.  

Managed to get an appointment with the nurse, got hrt patches of a higher value of H than previously had.

After that mini-success, went food shopping in Herr Leedl, nabbed ys bread and a lucky box, and enough coffee to see me through to 2024 and enough cereal to see me through until the cereal fairies hold an all night rave in the kitchen and destroy everything.  Date to be  confirmed.

Then went to Mr T's and stocked up on panad0l - DH eats them like sweeties, and will go back for kiddie ibruprofen syrup on Friday when I have to go back that way.

Mr Builder #2 rocked up this afternoon and said they start at 7.30 tomorrow morning.  So I spent a busy hour clearing every cupboard + the airing cupboard + the bookcase full of towels out of the bathroom and they will drop the ceiling in there tomorrow and put in the new floor of the new level of the back of the house.  Ta Dah!!  Trying to wrestle all the boys into the bath tub tonight, and I have two rolls of rubble sacks  and a roll of parcel tape to protect the bathtub and sink unit from 120 years of whatever goes on in a loft space falling on top of them. No plughole wants that!

Nasty, cold, horrid bathroom downstairs will be our bathroom of choice until there is a ceiling again. 

So sticking on NSD9, should only need to buy the kiddie Ibruprofen for the rest of the week.  I just need to stay out of shops. I have a meal plan for using up the weirder items in the pantry. 2 tins of banana blossom used up in a fishless pie with leeks and peas tonight - needs seaweed or soy sauce adding to be more convincing I think.  It was not unpleasant, but do not understand why the recipe got such rave reviews - it was nothing special.  They all ate it though.  It was comfort food.

DH is in Bristol being important overnight.  Will get him back tomorrow evening, so I can read all night if I want to, and sleep with the radio on - bliss!!

lcc86

@ldee2111 I love Germany so I thoroughly endorse your trip!

Didn't post yesterday as I was feeling unwell in the evening. Had a long day at work and had a headache and was feeling unwell. Spent the evening snoozing on the sofa while OH was watching TV. It was a NSD today though. 

Today was another NSD. Up early as had to go into Central London for a work visit. Saw the Christmas tree at St Pancras and snapped a picture as I was running to catch my train back. Came back and worked from home for a bit while the cleaners came and did their magic. Then went out to do another visit but much closer to home this time. Popped to the supermarket on my journey home and picked up a few essentials.

No physical decluttering but have sold my childhood bear so he'll be on his way to his new home soon. 

grandmanerd

Slow and wobbly but still progress. On my one trip downstairs I took out a bag of paper and a bag of cans and bottles. Filled two rubble sacks with clean clothes + 2 bedspreads but they are still in the kitchen, moved one load out of the TD (did the lint catcher again - very fluffy bedspread), moved one load from the WM to the TD and refilled the WM. Heated up a hot pot, asked DS3 to loosen the tops on a bottle  of water and a bottle of decaff drink  (thrown away the 2  bottles I've been refilling as they may be contributing to the continuation of the cold/ sore throat/ miserable bug), added beetroot and berries to the bag to bring back upstairs with me. I've given my mask and hose a thorough clean and yesterday I replaced my toothbrush (usually done on the first of the month but it was fine then). No money spent. 5 library books taken down ready to be returned but once to the bins was enough.

Grateful for money - so far I have found £195 in notes and over £13 in pennies for the penny challenge and found another £5-20 yesterday and 23p today. If I have rent money or have taken cash from the cash machine and it's in my bag I take most of it out before I go shopping. I have a jar inside my bag where I put change from shopping so I can give taxi drivers coins. My handbag has slipped off the bed twice in the last ten days and coins fell on the floor. My fumble fingers mean I sometimes drop  them too (pills, pens and other small items do the same). So as I tidy I'm collecting small useful items and bin all  the rubbish (more than usual as I scraped under the bed and have moved the bed across the room about 3'). At the moment things don't look much better but I know how much has gone. Grateful  for shops - I'm not a fan of shops or shopping but several  days of not being able to get as far as the nearest ones and being totally dependent on online retailers means I appreciate them more (lots of compromising). For books, dramas and puzzles, podcasts and music helping keep me sane. 

beanielou

Keep plodding @grandmanerd xx

f0xh0les

I love it when the cleaning fairies reward me for my efforts @grandmanerd .  Sadly I think mine have gone on holiday because they have not rewarded me lately... or maybe I need to do more cleaning ... judgemental fairies!

DS4 however, is finding loads of roadkill on the bike ride to school,  and asked me to transform his £4 of coins into electronic money for him tonight. I am so glad I got him the bike, and really proud of him because he has ridden it every day since he got it. It is going to pay for itself before Christmas, and I don't need to think about bus fares anymore.