NST April 2024: April appreciation

weenancyinAmerica

Grateful for almost getting through April - only a few more frogs to tackle. Grateful to my sister for helping with the big hurdle - the property taxes. Thankful that I haven't done in any of my roommates - yet. Grateful that the Internet exists and that I can come on here and read, even on days that I don't post anything. Thank you for the April thread, looking forward to May. 

ditty1234

Hi all April went down a pothole for me, financially speaking. But I got caught up on a lot of life admin, so I'm in a better place. Now onto job searching and return to work in the beginning of June. It's been a weird start to the year, But I am now ready for an other decade! I hope. 
Sorry to not be caught up reading. 
Will try to catch up later. 

DawnW

Sorry everyone, I have not been posting much over the last couple of weeks. A bit overwhelmed with everything at the moment. The weather has been a bit warmer today, so that is a positive

Shopping done, and paid the deposit on the new bathroom, so definitely not a NSD! And I have lost track of those too!

My younger brother's partner's funeral is tomorrow, so I must text him in the morning. We aren't going, as we didn't know her, and I don't think we would be welcome in what seems to be a tight knit community. Not sure if my brother will end up staying there, or moving back to England. They had been together for a long time, and he had cut himself off from his previous family, including his children, sadly, and rarely communicated with us

My other brother (thank goodness I only have two) was at the hospital again yesterday for cancer treatment, but OH kindly took him to give me a break. I will need to go and help him with some household stuff tomorrow.

Thanks for April's thread, and looking forward to May - hopefully the weather will improve if nothing else   

lcc86

Evening turtles. Last day of the month, it is a spend day for me as have a big shop coming this evening. I lost count of my NSD's and didn't have a chance today to go through my diary to confirm, but will get to it tomorrow just for my own records. It hasn't been the best of months financially as just allowed spending to be a little uncontrolled, so need to get back on track in May!

grandmanerd

Thanks for this month's thread apple. I haven't done 'well' but mainly through struggling with multiple minor health issues and felt much less 'in control'. However decisions have been taken, I have a plan for going  forward and will  do  my utmost to stick with it.

Grateful  for the turtle gang, supportive relatives (some mutual limping along), taking control.

Thrifty_Taylor

Sending hugs to all today's posters. You've all had a difficult month, but today is the last day of April, so tomorrow the 1st of May is a new start, a new chapter in your lives. The weather will improve, we've got a long weekend coming up, so if all you do is sit outside & listen to the birds singing, smile & take pleasure in the little things x

NSD#22
Yoga & Norwegian done. Gave my friend, the art teacher, a new home present before work (it's been in my car for a week, so pleased that part of it hadn't melted!). A good day at work & the head teacher says I can have the 13th off for my auntie's funeral.

Watched TV with DS1, then after tea I did a hand sewing repair, followed by 2 on my machine. I've been trying to take Tuesday nights off from sewing, but my to do pile is so big, it's causing me stress! I now have 2 bags less on the pile, so hopefully can clear the backlog a bit quicker 🤞

Grateful for a relaxing time in art, being able to support a couple of different pupils who were struggling/needing reassurance & the little girl telling me again I was her favourite teacher & that's why she loves me. Aw!

Thank you @apple_muncher for this month's thread, see you all in May!

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for the sunshine, for a neighbourhood cat playing in our garden, for dh making tea as he got home first, for getting seats on our trains and buses, for pip's sensible side kicking in and him deciding not to go up to Lunnon for a concert tomorrow night cos he's really rather poorly!

Starlight_at_Sea

Ah! I feel for Pip @apple_muncher those kinds of decisions are not fun to make! Well done him! 

As @Thrifty_Taylor says, we have made it! I confess to feeling a bit bedraggled and washed up on the shores of May, so I hope it proves to be a nurturing island of a month! 

Not a NSD here, but did get another of the annoying jobs done - the most costly of them I think - swapping the door locks in the flat to be all thumb turns so they are safer in a fire, easier for anyone who struggles to grip and it's not possible to lock people in or accidentally lock them out by leaving keys in doors. In my house, I have sought to achieve same by selotaping over the door lock on the inside as it locks automatically, so it's not needed to put keys in on the inside. Before I did this I locked myself out by leaving a key in the inside of the door. It host £200 for two doors, one a complicated bifold door with a larger than average lock, but the price did include extra keys cut so I don't also have to do that! Anyway, very greatful for getting that job done and off the list, it turned out the locksmith had a cancellation so he came round and did it only hours after I enquired! 

Looking back on April
✅ Have managed a really tough month at work, without cutting hours or going off sick, both of which I think I got close to. Just got to try to pace a bit in May, and @grandmanerd 's challenge looks like it was made for me! 

✅ Have made the most of new offices in Londinium and combined seeing friends twice with visits to work. 

✅ Have found out a bit more about my pension situation and got all my online pension accounts unlocked so I can get information. Keen to keep the momentum on this next month, am keen to feel less daunted by this! 

❎ I didn't get my expenses for April submitted yet, but to be fair, I did only just get access to the system needed to. It's a job for next week. 

✅ I did go to the gym classes a few times each week, but was a bit half hearted most of the time,  I know my stamina, strength aren't good at the moment and so this is something to bear in mind when setting priorities next month 

✅ I made loads of progress in readying flat for more frequent paying guests, and hosted 3 guests this month plus 2 lots of friends stayed. However, there is quite a lot on the list still to do for May, but I don't think it's expensive things now!

✅ I have moved furniture between houses a bit and made a little progress at my house and at my dad's house with 'stuff' - the scullery/utility at dads had to be completely emptied cos of the leak, and we sorted as we put back in. 

✅I drilled some things, and the resulting hangings have remained on the wall. I also did a bit of DIY on dad's shower hose replacement, and that is nearly fixed! 

✅ I dealt with A LOT of life admin for relatives (DD and Dad and 🇺🇦D) but do still have actions for mums probate handing over me, that's a priority for next month - I would like to not feel stressed about this.  

✅ I updated my photocard driving licence BEFORE it expired, and updated address too! 

✅ I had my little mini break of 16 hours away with 🇺🇦D which showed me I could have a life even in small snatches of time 

✅ I swam in the sea. At least once this month, I'd love to do a bit more in May.

✅ I am acing remembering to do things with the help of Google tasks and my lists of lists

✅ I am ready for the awfully huge council tax backdated bill for the flat which I can see is going out of my account tomorrow, and I won't go overdrawn when it does!

✅  I am ending the month with a positive balance in a savings account, even if it is very little, and cc's paid off to interest free amounts. More to do to attack the cc's next month when I am sure council tax and other bills settled.

Shrewbie

Hi turtles,

I've just had a little look back at what I set out to do in April. 

Be booze free - managed this apart from 2 glasses of wine, so I'm happy with that. I feel brilliant so will continue in the same vein in May. I don't want to stop completely, but drinking will be the exeption rather than the rule. 

mix up the exercising to prevent boredom - used the running track opposite the house. 

support family and friends - started TAW with my sister so we can give each other some encouragement and in July I'm going to support my Mum when she does an ultramarathon 

I kept within budget - very pleased and happy with this one. 

I also pushed myself out of my comfort zone and went to a few meet ups in April. (picnic with a 30s -40s group, a few meditiation sessions and my book club). Will continue with this. Socialising is like riding a bike for me, if I stop pedalling, I fall off. So I will keep it up.

I need to get better at counting NSDs and meal planning so I will make an effort here. Oh and checking in with the turtles and writing my gratitudes!

Muchísimas gracias @apple_muncher for our April thread.

apple_muncher

Thank you to all turtles for joining me in April ❤️