NST July 2024: A July jaunt around Madrid

Shrewbie

Hope everyone is well! sorry I've been somewhat absent from the thread despite running it!! I am staying within my holiday budget so far, the only cost today was a 10 quid trip on the ferry on ullswater. Having a lovely time, a lot of hiking (my poor tendons), card playing and book reading. Have swum in three lakes so far. Feeling very wholesome.

weenancyinAmerica

@Mothernerd - maybe you need to good back through your posts over under "My Replies" and copy out all the things you have had to do for the house - or it might help with your remembering everything at least. You can do a copy-and-paste job in a word document. Good luck. Families don't really appreciate all that you do - had trouble with mine explaining taking care of our mother and cleaning up the house after my parents passed on. Still have trouble with roommates who make all sorts of problems they expect me to solve.

ldee2111

Saturday 

Today was grocery delivery day so I stayed on NSD 5. I also bought tickets for a film for the wrong cinema, then bought tickets at the refreshment counter at the correct cinema… because I couldn’t break the news to DS who was standing behind me cradling his popcorn, that we are not going to screen 1 with the rest of the excited children! Thankfully after speaking to a human rather than a chat bot on the cinema’s website, I was issued a refund for my botched booking. 

I enjoyed a lie-in after Saneberries dropped off our groceries, I got a washing on, we ate breakfast, and OH took DS to his football training. I lounged in bed with a book and a cup of tea… this makes me a very happy turtle. 

I’ve had to slightly up our food budget… only by a fiver but the old budget just isn’t covering us anymore. I used to regularly underspend by around £14 a week. I rarely underspend now. We’ve not changed our grocery habits so I know it’s simply prices going up.

I told the tale in an earlier update that I was saving up for replacement hair straighteners after my 15-year-old ones packed in. Well instead of saving up £209 for the new ones, I found an older version on VintD in excellent condition by a 5-star rated individual for £65. I offered £50 which she has accepted. 👍🏻 

Grateful today for getting a refund on accidental purchases, for a fellow VintD user accepting a lower offer, and for enjoying a fun film with my two loves, OH and DS.

Thrifty_Taylor

Another sunny day here. Took mum shopping this morning & collected some sewing jobs to do.

Had a quick nap after lunch, then moved s lot of stone in the garden, pruned a hedge & cleared some long grass/weeds. Hoping to use some of the flatter stones to make stepping stones to the apple trees & some on the larger lawn.

Noted my spends from the last few days, then cut up some slightly shriveled peppers & made soup. Threw in a chilli, some garlic, passata & home grown basil, so will have some for lunch tomorrow & then freeze some.

Grateful for getting lots done outside, good programmes, a sense of achievement

lcc86

Afternoon turtles

Been a quiet weekend, no complaints here. Yesterday I went to the gym in the morning, got a load of washing done and just did a few finicky jobs around the house. Managed a walk in the afternoon as well in between rain showers. 

Today I went to see my share horse, we had a schooling session booked for an hour but didn't make use of the whole thing. He gets bored after about 30 minutes and then I get bored of having to get after him about 10 minutes later! But we still had a good session anyway.

I had to buy some expanding foam on the way home so £6 spent, that will come from the house fund. I bought a bag of crisps which weren't necessary but hey ho. Also topped the car up with petrol which should last until the end of the month more or less.

OH has gone to London for a bottomless brunch with lobster, sounds fancy but pricey, being vegetarian has saved me a fortune on that one! Means I get the house to myself as well for the day.

Shrewbie

We hiked up Helvellyn today, it ended up being a 7-hour round trip as we went the long way (not the scary way) it was very cold at the top, but the mist cleared and we had great views. Knackered now. It would have been an NSD but we got the bus back one stop to the cottage! grateful for it not pouring with rain (only a little at the start) I think we will sleep well tonight.

Shrewbie

Tomorrow on our tour we will take a walk up the Paseo del prado, visiting the museums, the Prado, the Thyssen, if you fancy, and then ending up past Recoletos for my personal favourites, the Biblioteca Nacional and then the Sorolla museum, which is the former home and studios of Joaquin Sorolla, the "painter of light". There is something about this house, the studio with its high ceilings, that I really love. You can imagine him working there, it's almost as if he just popped out. The courtyard and gardens are beautiful too. 

ldee2111

Up earlier than usual for a Sunday to go to a football tournament DS’s boys team were playing in. Lost my NSD to a coffee and a chocolate caramel crispie cake! It was worth it after standing in the cold for 4 hours. 

Grateful today for the weather staying dry, for an evening walk with DS, and OH making dinner.

f0xh0les

NSD 15 !!  and I have actually earned some money this month.🍸🍹🎉 My credit card has taken a hammering though. It will get cleared on payday, and a chunk of it is expenses that will get reimbursed.
Emailed to get confirmation of future work dates, which have been changed, but I have not received that email, although Invisible -Work-Friend had.
I need clarification for my diary management, but made sure to apologise for email at weekend and that I was not expecting a response until next week.  I would have forgotten about it by Monday 🤣🤣 so had to send it while I remembered. 
Glad to be home, 4lbs down in a week, in spite of eating out every single night with a (singular) beer, coffee with syrup, and cookies. Stress and cookies! 
Half the house got tidied. Normal service will resume tomorrow morning. My 80 year olds are going to be horrified at my tales of woe at work - when they stop laughing, that is 🤫

Thrifty_Taylor

A NSD 😊

Walked 5 miles with DH this morning. After dinner I pottered in the garden, then picked 4 large tubs of blackcurrants. I was freezing by the time I'd finished, so pleased I could warm up in the bath. Did a hand sewing job afterwards.

Heading to.a different island tomorrow to walk around it - 13 miles!! Hope it stays dry.

Grateful for walking a different route, seeing 2 Rhea in a field, good books