NST OCTOBERFEST

dizzyblnd

Sorry, didn’t get chance to post last night. I am now on nsd#5. 3rd day in a row. Might managed a 4th today but then got things to pay for over the weekend. 

Looking at the devastation in Florida, I’m glad we don’t get such extreme weather. I’m not an autumn lover but at least it is less destructive. 

f0xh0les

On NSD 6 now. Appalling night's sleep again - it has been about 2 weeks with very interrupted sleep and disturbing dreams. Oh well, it will pass. 

DawnW

I don't know about spiders (though I am sure we have those, lots of hiding spaces in this funny old house) but we have a visiting field mouse - we noticed chewed up paper, and that the dog biscuits box had a corner chewed out, in the old kitchen cupboard thing in the conservatory which we use to keep dog food, bird seed and assorted other stuff in. I pulled everything out of first the cupboard and then the conservatory, but saw no mouse nor any holes it could have entered through. Then yesterday evening we saw him running about outside the conservatory door, obviously hoping to come in out of the rain   He (or she) has obviously been simply coming in through the open door - we tend to leave it open when we are home, unless it is raining hard or really cold, so that the dog can go in and out. Then simply climbing into the cupboard whose lower door doesn't always shut securely, and up through the other compartments to reach the dog biscuits. The dog obviously hasn't noticed the mouse coming and going.

Work day today so no spending planned. I didn't sleep well, so will be shattered after walking the mile to work (OH has the car today) and then being on my feet all day. At least I won't have to walk back afterwards, as OH will pick me up. Hope it will be a busy day as the time passes much quicker. I am not selling much from my unit at the moment,so I pulled a lot of stuff out yesterday to give it a fresher look. All the items I bought back home have been put away.

I will be grateful if I don't get rained on walking to work!

apple_muncher

DawnW said:

 At least I won't have to walk back afterwards, as OH will pick me up.

I first read this as 'At least I won't have to walk backwards'!!!

laura_lau

Hello Turtles, busy few days in my peanut box (as OH called the flat yesterday) trying to finish the works in the bedroom in time. We ended up realising that the builders didn't leave the room in a state where we can finish it with our limited skills, especially with time being fairly tight, so yesterday I asked for a few quotes from some professional decorators, and today Mr&Mrs Decorator (they remind me of Mr& Mrs Builder from Grandmanerd!) are here and have been working very hard. I must say, the stress level for both myself and OH has decreased considerably since I decided to just get someone to finish the job professionally. I can't wait for it to be Sunday, so we can re-build the wardrobe and I can start filling it!

Mr Decorator is very professional, a bit military style, and he already told me off twice because I ordered way too much paint (I trusted the website calculator, what do I know!) and way too much skirting (they only came in packages of 4, they said we couldn't order just 2 metres of it, what could I do!). I felt a bit back at school, but at least it's for a good cause. I have already contacted the paint website to request a refund and they said that, if the paint is sealed and shipped back in original packaging with also all the padding materials, I should be able to be refunded. For the skirting is a bit more complicated, because we needed to take some out, but in the end we can store it somewhere and keep it for the next room, we have 2 more rooms and the landing to redecorate, so it will eventually come back useful.

This said, this whole process ended up being much more expensive than I expected, and I am not 100% pleased with the work originally done by the builders, but I just want it to be finished now and move on. The savings I had put aside in the past few months, which were supposed to cover the works, to extinguish a remaining debt I have with a friend, and to still have a small amount as emergency fund, are dangerously low now, and I will have to choose between paying back my friend before the end of the year as I promised her (she didn't ask, but I wanted to let her know that I was paying her soon) and having barely any emergency fund for a while. 

On top of that, I developed a sore throat overnight, and feel a bit sneezy today, so I'm not feeling at my best. Drinking plenty of ginger and lemon tea, which I love. Sadly OH finished all my emergency honey, which always helps with the throat, so I had to do without.

Today would have been a NSD, but I had to pay a small amount in advance for the works to cover materials, so it will not be. Tomorrow will not either, as I will have to pay the remaining amount.

Tonight I am going to the pub for a postponed Book Club (it was Tuesday but no one apart from me could make it), but I will be paying for my half pint of beer with residual coins from emptying (OH's) pockets, so I don't count it as a spend.

I am actually enjoying wearing a thick and fluffy jumper today, as it's been quite chilly. It's sunny now, so the flat is warming up nicely, but it's still nice to snuggle up in the large and thick sleeves!

A friend has borrowed my dog for the day, as the dog she usually takes care of during the week is on holiday for the whole month of October (I suspect that dog has a better life than mine! Oh the envy!) so she asked if she could have her today, and it was actually perfect because, although my dog loves visitors and Mrs Decorator didn't miss a chance to cuddle her, it was not ideal with paint around. I will go and collect her later this evening, before the Book club. 

My mood has considerably improved today, so I'm very grateful for that and for being able to afford paying professionals to finish the room, despite everything. I'm also grateful for the Autumn sun lighting up all the beautiful colours, and for friends, near and far.

dizzyblnd

Wow hasn’t it got chilly today 🥶. Home having not spent any money today woohoo! nsd#6 achieved and that’s 4 in a row this week. Tomorrow I will spend money as I’m meeting a friend for coffee. 

Grateful for a microwave heat pad tonight that’s making my achey back feel better, slow cooker meals and hot drinks. 

Hope everyone is keeping warm tonight. 

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for someone collecting my non-fruiting-for-me gooseberry bushes, for Pip having a nice end to his day, for sorting out our prescriptions, for getting a bit of painting done.

Betharooni

Now on NSD #4. Loads of washing done today, put some clothes away in Mum’s room (haven’t been able to face it till now) and a little bit of tidying in there as well. More tidying needed in order to get the treadmill out of there, which I suspect will need to be moved sometime this weekend. Tomorrow is unlikely to be particularly productive as will be over DB2s after work, but looking forward to hugs from my nieces. Still awaiting telephone doctor’s appointment-hoping they will call tomorrow.

Thankful for a completely empty washing basket, saving some energy by not having to cook tonight and some nice news about a trip I’m doing next year.

B x

grandmanerd

Didn't even look at my prime basket so will wait for another time. I was ready for bed at 7pm yesterday. The drop in temperature is not doing my chest any good and my throat is sore (and I'm snotty). I moved my cushions and pillows around last night to help with sleep.

Today I've done lots of bits of tidying/ clearing - gat rid of about 10 thing at a time but most are only small - 3 ancient wallpaper scrapers. However it all helps. I've cleared and cleaned nearly half the windowsill - the 10 l pots I was growing tomatoes in are piled up on the other half. I put the box of candles and candlesticks on there then added 3 candles from the kitchen, 2 that were mixed in with DS3's clutter in front of the big tv (I've started a paper pile for him but twice as much was thrown away/ recycled) and one pillar candle that was on the couch.

Bending to pick things up from the floor is really painful today. It's always difficult but I felt like a rusty old gate - move 3 inches, then another 3. I found easier things to do/ better ways of tackling things (used my grabber to pick up recycling and sat on my walker to do it. I put the pile of clean sheets into a bag for life and all the pillowcases and protectors in a carrier bag which sat inside the bag for life. It's still on a chair in the kitchen but not in a heap on the chair and another heap on the table. 

Not spent any money today. The day bed which I thought was coming on Wednesday will be here on Monday - yikes. Wasted some time trying to find the website for furniture collection - another 3 large items out of the house would make a big difference.

Grateful for meals from the freezer, lots of relaxing and watching 'motivational' decluttering podcasts, half a clean windowsill.

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD#5
A bit of a stressful day at work, was so pleased when the bell rang at 3.30! One more day to go...

Had a nap after work, then did sewing after tea.

Grateful for being able to calm upset children, it's nearly the holidays, & for my bed