NST December 2023 The Most Wonderful Time Of the Year?

weenancyinAmerica

@Thrifty_Taylor - and his elves are monitoring each of the cameras. Makes sense to me. Were the carrots and milk for Santa and the reindeer? We always made cookies for Santa. Each person had their specialty - mine was molasses cookies (Blue ribbon from County Fair for them), my father made chocolate chip, my mother made snickerdoodles, a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe, and my grandmother made peanut butter cookies. 

Last night one of our toilets backed up. I tried plunging it, but it hadn't cleared up enough, so I went to the store and got a stronger drain cleaner for it this morning - finally worked. Cost only $8 to fix it. My father always fixed everything - he taught shop classes for years, so I just took it for granted that you try it yourself first. While I was there, got some more aspirin and picked up my prescription at the same time. The prescription was free (diabetic medicine), and got the generic aspirin. But it was a spendy day today - about $13.  

Tomorrow we are helping out at a Family History Fair all day, so hopefully it will be a NSD. But we will need to go grocery shopping in the next few days and I will need to pay the city bill for electric, etc. on Monday. That will be a very expensive day. Our gas bill is separate and that shouldn't be too bad, but we have people up at all hours of the day and night here due to work schedules, so the electric bill really builds up. Over 4 times what it was when I was living here by myself. 

Today I am thankful that the drain declogger worked, that the aspirin did help with the headache, that the dog and the cats behaved themselves today and no one threw up, that the outdoor cat is doing his job as a mouser and protecting us from ferocious mice, and one of my roommates finally got around to getting rid of some of the large boxes that had been piling up here (deliveries bring boxes - at least they are being recycled).  

Mliz

Morning,

I’d like to join please and will aim for 15 NSDs - it is also my birthday this month but hopefully I have everything budgeted 🤞

beanielou

Snow here. Boo. 

f0xh0les

I am back to damp dusting, scrubbing, hoovering, and mopping.  It is deathly dull, but at least you can tell where I have stopped - there is a brick-dust tide mark!  I have also managed to have a budget meeting with DH, have a talk about plans for laying click-flooring in the bathroom ourselves over the holidays, festive fun! and won £50 on the premium bonds.

grandmanerd

Saturday 2nd December 2023

E    Empathy - be kind, be sensitive, do what you can (requests for winter clothes, food, household goods, specific needs of disaster zones)

Note to self
The plan is this. You do what you can, when you can, however you can with whatever you've got. And if you can't, you can't, you rest until you can again.You give yourself kindness so that your pockets are full and you can reach in and offer a handful to people you meet along the way. (Nanea Hoffman)

I hope this winter brings you
Patience to grow at your own pace
Forgiveness for your past mistakes
Confidence to conquer uncertainty
Gratitude for people in your life
Clarity of what you need......and don't
Courage to step up and evolve
(OurMindfulLife.com)

Empathy
Let me hold the door for you
I may never have walked a mile in your shoes
But I can see that your soles are worn
And your strength is torn
Under the weight of a story
I have never lived before
So let me hold the door for you
After all that you have walked  through
It's the least I can do
(Morgan Harper Nichols)

I lost my first post so this is a substitute and I'll try to repost some of the other bits another time. It's hard when so many good causes are begging for our help and we can't help as much as we would like. So some suggestions
1   Empathy isn't about taking over, telling people what they should be doing. It's about listening to their story and letting that guide your actions
2    Set a limit on how much money you can afford and who you will give it to. I like the charities that ask for specific amounts - a meal for a homeless person, a toy for a child who would otherwise get very little, warm clothing for those in war torn and disaster regions.
3    Find other ways to give.  A reverse advent calendar - give away one item on December 1st, 2 on the 2nd etc (to friends, family, charities or someone in need - check local free stuff and items needed). Carrying handfuls of small change to put in collection boxes - great fun and causes vary (lifeboats, local mountain rescue). 
4    Reject  the notion that those in trouble have brought it on themselves. Campaign for change (just sign a petition, it's not hard). People sleeping outside will die this week because of the low temperatures - this is not a lifestyle choice.

Saturday humour
Don't get down on the floor without planning how you are  going to get back up

I don't mind getting old but my body's taking it badly

Going to bed early
Not leaving my house
Not going to a party
My childhood punishments have become my adult goals

lcc86

Evening turtles

I'm on call today doing overtime, haven't been called in but phone has to stay on until midnight so there's plenty of time yet!

I did some cleaning first thing, including another bash at a stain on the carpet which seems to have gone now.

Got the slow cooker on and then popped to the gym for boxing class. I was the only one there so I got to have a one to one session, which was equal parts fun and hard! My arms are going to be very sore tomorrow lol.

Came home, had lunch while on the phone to my mum, and got the Xmas decs out of the basement. No big tree as the house bunnies can't be trusted but I have 3 lovely 3D paper trees to put on tables along with a bunch of other decorations I've used.

Annoyingly my Bluetooth headphones have broken, they seem to have forgotten Bluetooth exists and can't connect. Have tried everything the manufacturer recommended but no joy. They weren't expensive but out of warranty so I've bought a pair from Very using their 6 month 0% scheme. £75 to be paid but will likely just do three payments of £25.

Have got a couple of loads of washing done and now just sitting down to hopefully convince OH that we should watch The Crown!

DawnW

Very cold here today, and foggy as well. Got some steps in, as I did both dog walks. OH has hurt his leg somehow. Dog didn't want to go far though, in these temperatures!

NSD 1 today. I haven't been anywhere (apart from dog walks) or spent anything. Tomorrow won't be one though, as I will need to get milk to take to my brother, and to order a present for smallest GS's 6th birthday, which is next Saturday. Vouchers will cover nearly all of this though

Grateful today for a warm house!!

ladybird1106

Nsd #2. Not got above - 4 here. Been to the plot to take down the netting that covers the orchard. Visited by a lovely Robin. Couldn't feel my toes by the time I left. Couldn't feel my fingers by the time I biked home. Slowly thawed out and then set to cleaning the house as it's a birthday bash for an elderly relative tomorrow.
Love 🐞

f0xh0les

Brrr!  Only -2 here, so took DS1 and 4 out to town to look at the lights ( it is code for they wanted me to buy them a falafel wrap) DH decided he was coming too, so he paid    

Spent cc-loyalty voucher in S&M on Marshmallows, 2 packs cost me 10p so I put it on the S&M credit card, and will get another £3 voucher next month..  That seems to be the way it works. Oh well, 5p for a big bag of marshmallows is ok.  Fell into Wading Bird shop, spent £4  on  3 x alpro milk, 2 x alpro cream, 1 x peanut butter, and a plastic bag (I NEVER forget my cloth bag!!! grrrr!!) went into Morris' on the way home, so that it was done. The End.

Came home and boiled my marrowfat peas and my chickpeas that were on soak overnight.   Made hummus and wraps for supper with fried aubergine slices, fried green peppers, and lots of salad. 

DS3 has been complaining of feeling ill all day - I put it down to him scoffing an entire can of pr1ngles after supper last night, he has been in his room all day, until half way through supper when he marched into the kitchen and proclaimed triumphantly that he had just been sick all over his bed.   Nobody mention the N-Word please. or the W-V word.

The washing machine is in shock at being asked to wash at 60 degrees on a hygiene setting.

DS2 is in shock at the 'Christmas Bedding' I have just put on his bed - I won it ages ago, maybe April?? and I have been looking forward to spreading cheer and goodwill - what 18 year old does not want Christmas Dinosaurs and Fa-la-la-mingoes on their bed?  Mine apparently.   Ho, Ho Ho!

NSD 0

apple_muncher

Today I am very grateful for dh trawling the chemists to find one with my antibiotics in stock, for being able to lay up in bed, for my book, for my microwaveable polar bear, for clean water.