NST January 2024: This is Sparta!

weenancyinAmerica

Thankful today for getting my roommate Di into her Senator's office to try and straighten out her Social Security (she had been putting it off), for the outside cat to decide he can safely go in the back yard again now that husky has be rehomed and that he can stay dry under the house just before the rains started, for being able to share for with our neighbor, and for the helpers at the Library book sale and the cheerful buyers who come to the sale.

ditty1234

Toni'sfriend said:

Hugs, Ditty. I can completely understand where you're coming from

Edinburgh was freezing. Really too cold to do much walking even if I was able to. Hotel was lovely. I was hoping to to relax but the constant text from NHS and hospital were really stressful. Home now and going to try and get myself together till the next scary hospital appointment at the end of next week. xxx

I hope your brother gets information about treatments and timelines. I think standing next to is almost worse  big hug. 

ditty1234

f0xh0les said:

Hugs to all who are waiting for tests, or appointments for tests. The not knowing is awful.

Be kind to yourself, and try and plan in something nice, a coffee out or a walk, not just sitting very still on the sofa, going round and round  in circles in your head. 

Today was another case of demonic possession - I got up and I cleaned, changed bed linen, broke a bed by sitting on it, removed broken screws, replaced screws, fixed bed! (woo hoo, go me!)  remade bed, hoovered, scrubbed, let Mr Builder in to fix something he had done badly, he admitted it was not the best, and did it properly with good grace (ish), cleaned bathrooms, made a mountain of laundry in front of the machine, did 3 loads and gave up.

Went shopping, bought food, lost the will to live before I got out of the car. God it was depressing. I hate shopping. It was nice to come in to a clean and tidy hallway though. So that was really nice. DS3 came and helped me unload the car and put it all away. 

It was totally light when the kids rode off to school on their bikes - it was dark this time last week.

Grateful for:  central heating - living room is a positively balmy 16 degrees right now

food in the cupboards

paid work all next week  ( a week off from paint stripping!!  yay!! )

Thanks Fox, I did while I did take 2 days off work I got a lot of stuff sorted and deadlines tweaked on Friday and yesterday I went to London w ds1 for his Birthday treat, an exhibition and a meal out. It was really nice. 
Today is back to work, Marking and getting ready for the week. As I am planning on going back to work tomorrow afternoon, after my appointment. 

ditty1234

Grateful for lovely chat with my sister, I didn't give details about appointment tomorrow, no need to scare more people than absolutely necessary. Thanks for all of thoughts from this group. It is important to me. 

DawnW

It is mild and has been raining here this morning / overnight, but no sign of the storm as yet, so OH and I did a long dog walk, and then made a start on getting rid of an ugly dead / dying conifer hedge in the front garden. We only did as much as would fit in the green bin, but can already see how much lighter the front room will be. Although it isn't a big hedge, it will take us a few weeks to finish as we will only cut down what will fit in the green bin each time. It will be emptied on Friday so we can do some more after that. When it is gone I think I will just plant rosemary bushes along there. Cheap, useful and will smell nice when I clip it. The trunks of the trees that make up the hedge will go in the woodpile to dry off for firewood. They aren't big, but too big for the green bin, and at least they won't be wasted.

My brother isn't answering his phone, which is a slight worry. I can't get over to him currently as we don't have the car back yet - DS had to borrow it to take his daughter back to uni. Probably nothing to worry about, and I will get the car back a bit later today.

Flying_By

DawnW You put me to shame!  I'm still lolling around in my dressing gown, mind, I have been up for a couple of hours and the washing machine is powering away which always makes me feel good!  Conifers have been the bane of our family's life!  My dad and step-mum, my brother and his wife and DH and I have all had problems with them.  They are hardly pretty to look at and are so hard to get rid of when they are eventually cut down.  Worth it for the extra light though.  Like your idea of rosemary bushes.  We need to plant something on our front garden boundary for some privacy but it sure won't be conifers!

Hope you hear from your brother soon xx

beanielou

Am in bed reading. 

Food for the soul & a cat 🐱 around. 

f0xh0les

Hello 👋👋
This morning I have been up my ladder 🪜 in my loft with a hacksaw , a normal saw 🪚 and some motivation, and now I have two  header tanks in the back yard waiting to be turned into planters, and a pile of wood for the tip, and a lot more loft floorspace .   Chased the scrap man out of my front garden,  through next door's front garden and onto the roadside shouting at him - flipping thief! Oh Gods!  the neighbours will be talking about me again! 🙏. If it is outside the gate it is fair game, poking about inside the gate behind the hedge is thieving.  I have seen them rob kids bikes from front gardens too many times. "But it's scrap!".  My Aunt Fannie it is!
Anyway I only have one water tank in the loft now, and that will go next weekend.  I am loving playing in the loft ( nobody else gets it) . 
Paid the builder this afternoon, so I know my budget for the rest of the month now, so I feel calm and relaxed. 
The wind is howling here today, and we are not even near the weather warning areas ⚠️. 
Tidied up a Xmas Pudding (with custard) this afternoon from the pantry.  Tidied up the top landing of tools, and folded 5 loads of clean dry laundry 🧺🧺🧺🧺🧺.  School shirts finishing off in the dryer now. Lunchbox tat bought yesterday.
Working for money all this week, so there is now much less for DH to fret over having to do. 

Toni'sfriend

I've been trying to work out my NSDs. I think I'm on 13.

Himself did the shopping (not that there was much to do) this morning to save me going out in the cold. Bless him. He's a wee star really. Even made my lunch for me. It's wild and wet up this way and predicted to get even worse so I'll be off to bed early. Don't mind the wind and rain if I'm tucked up nice and warm with my book.

My neighbour popped in to see I was Ok and offered to pick me up from the hospital on Friday. It's actually quicker for me just to phone a taxi but it is nice to have the offer.

So it's been a really quiet day. Going to make dinner shortly. Pork chops and garlic potatoes and carrot.

It's been a positive day. xxxxx

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for sleeping well, for more tidying making an impact, for pip's friend's enjoying the games afternoon, for the cake I made getting many compliments, for Pip having a good day.