NST September 2024: A Turtle soap opera

grandmanerd

Good luck ditty.

I really must start writing down what I've done as I can't remember. I haven't done a lot but every day I do something. Dry washing came in, the rest of the load went outside. The day started cold and grey but the sun did get it's act together later (only weak - I noticed the trees on the town hall square were casting long shadows). I did more weeding, around the bottoms of trees, bits of the wall that I could get to. Sorting soil outside (some broken pots fell off the wall a few months ago and it's only since all the carp went that I've been able to get at it) into soil, weeds and rubbish (broken plant pots, sweet wrappers and things from the car park and from the big road on the other side).

I harvested the tomatoes from two plants that didn't make it inside (the front window sill ones have been done) - one plant were all green but a good size so they will ripen indoors on a windowsill or in a brown paper bag and the other plant was yellow tumbling toms and a couple had fallen off into a tub of water so a good time to collect the rest. Little bits of weeds and litter were collected each time I moved (only a handful as I soon go dizzy but multiple handfuls through out the day). Rubbish and recycling were binned and new bags/ sacks started. Finished one book and started another, ditto puzzles.

Found another bag of clothes to sort (lodger's family) so hoping to take them today to the cs that opens on Sundays. If I can get the bag of assorted crockery and the bag of diy bits filled as well that would be a good result. There are several parts of the kitchen I could tackle. The floor isn't clear but there are bits that are clear enough to sweep and remove the remaining detritus (involuntarily decluttered some white pots on Friday as they leapt onto the floor - I was at least 9 feet away from them but I had piled them up to clear the top of the fridge freezer that was leaving.

 There is an enormous pile of clean washing up to go into any available cupboard space (some of the cans went in there so that I could access the old (20+ years) cube shelves under the stairs to get them out.  It took most of a day to wash up (more to do when I have some rack and draining board space again). Will try to persuade DS3 that putting them away is a 'big boy' job (Beloved and I can only reach the bottom level easily and the top shelf is totally beyond us). he still hasn't brought my old scales down (they went where they are in the days when I could still go up steps) . If I do really well I'm hoping to move the new cans of paint onto the under stairs shelves and get the tools and paint brushes back under the stairs (may need to tape up a new set of fairy lights as the first set have stopped working).

I think I need to write this down and aim to do it over the course of this week (+ any cleaning jobs I notice that are doable). 

Grateful for getting things done, time to rest and recover and remembering to bring some things downstairs to make things a bit simpler (spare toothpaste and toothbrush for a start as I was too tired to climb back up to the bathroom on Friday evening). Will also start to take DS3's things to the upstairs cube shelves so I can accommodate mine downstairs.

Thrifty_Taylor

Good luck for tomorrow @ditty1234, we're all cheering you on!

NSD#10

Been feeling a little stressed & overwhelmed by things for a couple of days. The pressure if trying to get these 2 bags of sewing completed & sort mum out, is getting a bit much!

Mum lives in a first floor flat, & has received a letter to say that an electrician is coming next Friday to check all her sockets, etc. This happened a few years ago & he reported to the housing association that she had a lot of stuff & he couldn't get round easily. This led to a visit from the HA staff, followed by a woman, who helped her clear some things +which happened to virtually stock the charity shop she was running!). I helped clear some things too, & while it wasn't perfect, it made it easier for her to get around. Since then, she has promised to continue to sort things, even sitting on a chair while she watches TV & sorts through drawers +her mobility isn't very good any more), but she hasn't done anything. So now, we're in the same mess again! 

Yesterday, I moved some things away from the socket & heater in her spare room, near her TV & her meter cupboard, but then had a hair appointment. She knows I have too jobs, one of which I'm snowed under with, & I said I can't keep doing this. I stayed patient. She knows it's got bad, despite saying she's not been buying things. What is so frustrating, us that all the clothes we sorted into storage boxes before, have never been touched, nor has the nightwear in the chest of drawers behind these boxes, so in my eyes, she might as well get rid & put things she will wear in them instead! Sorry want over!!

My brother doesn't live on our island, he & all family are hundreds of miles away, so it's up to me to help her. On a positive note, I did find her favourite pair of earrings!

Been for a walk with DH this morning, then sewing all afternoon. Made a banana milkshake flavoured cake for DS2's birthday tomorrow. Have my eye appointment at the hospital finally too, so hope I don't have to wait too long for my op 🤞🤞🤞

Grateful for finding blackberries on our walk, the cake baking evenly & pampering in the bath

f0xh0les

Hugs @Thrifty_Taylor 🫂🫂 hoarding runs in families, luckily not in my DNA,  but my DH and his family are riddled with it.  'we were war babies / our parents had rationing ' really is no excuse in 2024 .... unless you could rig up a couple of parachutes from those nighties..... 🪂🪂🪂
Everything crossed for you @ditty1234 and positive employment vibes are flowing your way. The turtle powers are behind you.
My manic work session is over for the month. Bathroom refurb pot will be filled this payday. 
In-laws are trying to negate inheritance tax for when they pop off. They have had a visit from a financial advisor who is very cross they have not spent money. 

grandmanerd

Up and out early for an appointment. Took a taxi because of timings on when I could use my free pass and getting to the appointment on time. Got on the little bus afterwards and went to Morries - didn't want to but it was the least stressful option. Quite a few ys items plus the things I'd run out of. Yesterday I took out another 4 sausages from the enormous SW pack, some cooking chorizo and some pork spheres and stuffing spheres. Had the spheres with more cabbage, the rest are for meals tomorrow.

Exhausted when I got home in time for a late lunch. It's rained on and off throughout the day but I didn't get too wet (caved and sat on the bench outside Morries, waiting for the return bus). After some rest and recovery time  I've tackled 2 huge cardboard boxes and a load of paper. Huge sack of cans out, bits of weeding added to the trug and more kitchen sweeping done (leaving the broken crockery until last. My cutlery drawer has lots of forks for the first time in months (last weeks washing up and previous weeks clearing, searching and rounding up. Some shelf shuffling (under the stairs) - looking promising for getting lots of stuff out of the way  Use ups going well

Grateful for doing what I can and using what I have plus internet pods (5 minutes a day declutter challenge, living on a £1 a day)

Thrifty_Taylor

Thanks @f0xh0les, might be able to supply parachutes for the whole island! Buy 1, get 1 free 🤣

Woke DS1 for work. Watched DS2 open his presents, then had a lazy breakfast, as I had a later start, due to my hospital appointment being at 10. My appointment went well & the consultant agreed to do both cataracts. Should have an appointment to be measured up & then my op in @6 months from now. Couldn't drive for 2 hours, with the drops out in my eyes, so phoned my mum & then my uncle, & read my book. 

An ok afternoon at work. Iced the cake when I got home, mistakenly put one of those reigniting candles on. DS laughed, so all good! Cake was delicious too!

Spent the evening making lots of alterations to a dress. 3 quick alterations left to do & then all 20 items good to go!

Grateful for having a rough idea when my op will be, having my DS's around me, that my 'dad' lives a long way away & I don't have to rely on him for anything

f0xh0les

Today 'stuff' will be leaving the house. I am determined. A turtle on a mission. 🐢 🏠 ♻️

apple_muncher

How ds2 had a good birthday, ThriftyT.

Ditty, do let us know how you got on.

I'm grateful for our new kitchen, for rasps from the garden, for my needle felting, for good coffee, for visiting neighbourhood cats. All on a daily basis!

grandmanerd

I was awake for most of the night. Very tired, my muscles ached and my eyes were heavy but sleep wasn't happening. I mostly read but tackled small easy jobs - emptied the sink/ bowl and a slow cooker dish (theirs). That took more than one attempt as even doing half a bucket at a time, my legs buttocks and back ached after a couple of trips to the drain outside. Swept more of the kitchen including dealing with the broken crockery. Swept it all onto a large garden dustpan (I already had a takeaway container filled with shards), poured that into a strong food bag (kraft paper exterior with a foil inner), folded it over and added it to the junk bag I've been filling slowly. Tied it up and took it to the bin. Decided it was too dark to try taking it to the end of the backs for collecting - will do that today. Also cleared the area around my couch (litter, tissues, random pieces of paper).

I slept for the first part of the morning but not feeling very 'with it' so going slowly, watching a lot of decluttering videos. I've taken one can of paint to a space on the under the stairs shelves (more shuffling needed before moving more of them). I've finally packed 2 bags of clothes and one of kitchen racks (2 x 24 spice jar racks, 2 pan lid holders) and diy bits (spare light bulbs for fittings that are going, a padlock and a bolt I bought for mum's house before she died). There are more things to go but I'm just going to take these 3 bags for now, if I do more I may not have enough energy left to take them. Like f0xh0les I am determined that stuff will leave the house today (it's rubbish bin collection tomorrow so more will be rounded up later).

Grateful for treating myself gently, starting to get my cooking mojo back (once I can access the stove top there'll be no stopping me), good books, seeing floor space appearing. 

f0xh0les

Mine is definitely at the " looks worse til it looks better " stage.  Took 6 big bags of cloth out of the house. Don't care if the rag man gets most of it. It fits nobody in my house so  - adios!
3 bags for life full of books went into the book recycling container as well. Charity will benefit.
Going to get rid of a big piece of seating via the free council collection service, but will have to wait for them to collect next Monday, so it is sitting in the middle of the living room until Sunday when it can go live outside.  An armchair is now in front of the radiator so DH stays toasty and the rest of the room gets heat .  Might* stop him moaning about it being cold.
Grateful for having a plan, for it being a week until payday, and for progress, even if it is slow. I could just dump the lot, but I am recycling what I can, and that takes a lot more time than just chucking stuff. 
  *nothing will stop him moaning about it being cold 😭

ditty1234

Grateful for an other 2 days done, just one more day this week in the not so fav job.