NST December 2023 The Most Wonderful Time Of the Year?

grandmanerd

Found myself unexpectedly reduced to the 'I will not cry, I will not feel sorry for myself' mantra yesterday (so little time, so much to do, so little energy, day after day). Talked myself out of it but not a lot done - 6 sacks out to the bins (most were already downstairs but hadn't been dealt with) and one wash load done (need to go and sort that out and get the next load in soon). Much clearing/ scraping of floor.

Binge watching Bones -  just ate my lunch whilst watching the 'Christmas special' (in which they were all quarantined in the lab due to dangerous spores, of course) and finished 2 of the books I'd started reading. Today will be better despite all the symptoms/ medicine side effects (not clear which category some of them fall into).

Grateful for easy peelers, lots of water, what's left in the fridge salad.

f0xh0les

Hugs @grandmanerd and @Toni'sfriend .    

Do what you can, and more importantly, do  what you want to, it doesn't have to be Whoop! , Ta-DAH!! , and Knickers Off!! every year.  If you don't fancy it, don't do it, nobody is going to die over it, and nobody gets to make you feel bad if you simply cannot be 'arrised.

Grandmanerd, I think you need a bit of taking care of.  Are you off to see Superbaby for a couple of days? I think a change of scenery might do you the absolute world of good.  Even maybe a rainy few days in the Lakes?  I remember when you went a couple of years ago on a coach, I think Beloved might have gone with you and Great-GranNerd.   Hopefully by Spring you will be feeling stronger, and up for a few more jaunts, in between new kitchens,  and losing your housemates into the land of Grown-Ups.... fingers crossed for a bright shiny New Year for you, filled with independence and the freedom to do what you want, wherever you want to be doing it. 

to all Turtles, whether you are feeling Fa-La-La-La-La,   or Fu-Fu-Fu-Fu-ucket.

DawnW

((Hugs)) to poorlies and those who are having a hard time

Spent the morning cooking, using up fridge shrapnel in the process. I made a huge sausage casserole (with 6 sausages), a chicken curry and macaroni cheese with mushrooms. I took some of the macaroni cheese to my brother this afternoon, and heated it up for him. He isn't having a good day, but he did enjoy the macaroni cheese. He has a hospital appointment on Wednesday, and he isn't eligible for NHS transport, although he has quite advanced cancer, is frail, can't walk far etc. It is in a large, not particularly close city (not the usual one, which I don't mind driving to), even busier than usual due to Christmas shopping and roadworks. I simply can't face driving there so I have bought a folding wheelchair from the local hospice shop, and we will take the train and a taxi. Wish me luck! Seriously though, whatever would happen to him if I weren't around to sort these things out? He has nobody else.

I have completely lost track of NSDs. Today wasn't one, as I bought some stuff for my brother. I need to sort out food shopping for Christmas this week. We are going to my son's for the big day. Hopefully my brother will be feeling well enough to join us. I have volunteered to do the desserts, so will need to make sure I have all the ingredients. They don't like Christmas pudding, and sticky toffee pudding and trifle have been requested. 

Apart from a few treats, I shan't buy much else as we have plenty in, and I can make stuff  

Thrifty_Taylor

Sending hugs @abundant1972, you're doing the right thing & 2024 will be the start of lighter, stress-free future for you.

Glad you're DH's are ok @f0xh0les & @Toni'sfriend.

NSD#6/7

Had a lie in & finally caught up on some much needed sleep. Wrote on some cards & set off with DH to deliver them. Got half done, then had to head home to collect DS3 from the bus.

Got 2 sewing jobs done, then the ironing & made a few cards.

Grateful for chatting with the neighbours, it stating dry in our walk, the sewing going well & you lit. I'm thankful for you all every day x

apple_muncher

Toni'sfriend, hope Himself heals up quickly and you can relax into Christmas.

Today I am grateful for a lie in, for taking dc to the barbers and them loving the cut, for prepping a big a$$ salad, and frying up some bacon with sliced sprouts, and stewing apples and frozen blackcurrants, and making a passable fruit salad too, for DH prepping tea.

Esmeralda2662

I hope your DH's are both ok, @Toni'sfriend and @f0xh0les. What a worry. A maintenance man at my old works reckoned you needed one good electric shock a year to recharge your batteries but I'm not so sure!

@DawnW you're doing a fantastic job helping your brother. It's shocking that despite being so ill he doesn't qualify for any official help. 

@weenancyinAmerica that's great news that Bella likes her new home. Sounds like she's a man's dog. Hopefully you will have one less commitment and perhaps a little more money now that she has a new home. You've done a great job of caring for her.

@abundant1972 best wishes for planning an exciting new chapter in your life. Just in time for the start of 2024. You've sent your hopes and dreams into the ether so let's see what happens! 

Hoping you manage to get some rest @grandmanerd or may be even a few days away where someone else will feed and look after you and give you a break from your every day cares. Sounds like you are very low at the moment. It can be a tough time of year for many different reasons, despite all the tinsel and fairy lights. As my German friend says, "pedal slowly". Thank you for the points to ponder on over this year. Very thought provoking.

Zero NSD's. Not likely to get any this month, I'm afraid.

Wrote my last few cards to catch 2nd class deadline. Have a feeling I included a letter with one but forgot to write inside the card! Heyho. 

Niece and toddler visited for 3 hrs. Lovely to see them but exhausted afterwards. Put house back together and did 3 loads of heavy washing (muddy coats) to help her out then put my load on so we'll have clean pants!

Went to candlelit carol service at Church with Mum and our friend tonight. Really lovely although it was so relaxing I nearly nodded off!

Grateful for lovely carol service, mulled wine and mince pie, washing drying outside a bit, getting my cards done. X

grandmanerd

Thank you for all your kind comments. I  am going to DS1's on Christmas Eve and coming home on Boxing Day. The baby and her parents will be there for Christmas Day and I'm allowed to take her presents there and will see her open them.

Meanwhile I'm trying to  make things a little easier for myself. I've had a SM order in abeyance for about a week as everyone wants me to confirm it's  me and therefore been denied access to emails etc (some passwords are written down but the old notebooks disintegrated and only some info was transferred across). Finally cracked it  but had got drinks elsewhere so revised it and then edited it when I found I have run out of cleaning supplies. I still suspect there's another full bag of mum leftover somewhere. I tried to get the basics a while ago but Will  co had very little (just before the crash became public). 

So yesterday I received an order of mainly M'n'S salads and cleaning stuff. Very extravagant but I need to get as many vitamins as possible, as easily as possible and still be able to defrost and clean my fridge freezer at some point (may have to turn it off on Christmas Eve and sort it when I get back). So yesterday I cooked another pack of bacon and had soft white buns (already sliced) and tomato ketchup with it (the werewolves in ketchup prevent cancer).  My other meal was pink coleslaw (beetroot/ apple and pink cabbage), green superfood salad (edamame beans,  courgetti, cucumber, other green stuff and some grains) and baby chilli beetroot (yum - have been eating beetroot I had in but this is just that little bit special).

One load of washing outside, a second was done and a third will go in today so I'll have clothes (next weekend's will go in a bag  and I'll wear what's left - it probably only needs to be fit for getting to the bins and back. Today I want to concentrate on making up  my bed (mattress protector is out on the line) and sitting by the DW and filling it with as much of the piled up pots as possible (I also bought a pack each of paper plates, cups and bowls, £1 each with penguins to cheer me up) so I will have things to eat off if everything goes pear shaped again.

I've decide to leave the 'big clean' until Twixmas but on Saturday I sprayed as much of the bathroom  as I could reach wwith white vinegar and bicarb spray. The sink, parts of the toilet and a patch of floor have been cleaned but I'm hoping the stuff on it's own will start to work on skirtings and other ledges. The cleaning stuff that came yesterday will be deployed in various places so eg I can spray the front door and vestibule when I pick up letters or parcels.

So I have food and things to eat off, clean clothes (the ones on the line can come in and be hung up as I have space for them. I hope I've  got a clean made up bed by this evening. I wrapped more presents and brought up the ribbon I needed to contrast. They borrowed my sellotape  and didn't return it but I found an old one next to the pegs.

I might have to postpone getting things out of the house until the new year but there's lots of craft stuff that can go back in drawers. I found another layer of the stuff on my couch last week including another pile of records. Things which need lots of energy to organise - getting DS3 to have the remaining records collected (his latest game is a wild success, he beat his previous best monthly income), getting the pair of them to a mortgage broker to see what is possible and what they need to do, prompting DS2 to get the cameras to auction, crating, sorting the garden, sorting grandma's house. They have all been set to one side (if they get done, it's  a bonus).

I have just sent a request via Ask my GP for antibiotics (I think I have a water infection). Again the password needed to be reset after I'd realised it was  probably on my old email address. I've given up on the super secure passwords the computer picks and remembers and am replacing them with a variation on my old familiar ones that I remember.

I've had a shower and washed my hair and if I can, I'll order some holiday brochures and try to get some early booking discounts. If they clash with anything then either someone else will have to deal with it  or it will wait until I get back. My cards haven't been sent except for the 5 I had stamps for. I will be doing lots of restful activities.

Grateful for books, series, games and jigsaws (having space to do a jigsaw is a good incentive)

Toni'sfriend

Dawn - I don't know where you live but is there a local cancer support group who could help out. When I was having radiotherapy there was a lady who had to travel from Ayrshire to Glasgow every day and her local group would bring her by car with an escort a few days a week to let her husband do other things. Her husband said they were incredibly helpful with other things as well. Might be worth a try as it must be very difficult for you.

Grandmanerd - Take it easy over Christmas and let someone else look after you for a change.

Toni'sfriend

Thank you all for your good wishes. He's improving but as expected we can't get a doctor's appointment today. Can't even speak to one as they have limited cover. I'll try again tomorrow.

Ticked off nearly everything on my list yesterday and the Christmas tree is twinkling away merrily. Next door's cat was eyeing it up this morning. Think he was trying to work out if he could reach the star on top.

Today is my birthday. So I am intending doing nothing apart from a bit of ribbon and bow tarting up of presents. I like doing that. It's very satisfying.

Have a lovely day. xxxx

ladybird1106

Massive frog to gulp down today, it's something that happened when I was in a really dark place and it's not something I'm proud of. Anyway hopefully by the end of the day I will feel alot better and sleeping will be easier. 
Love 🐞