NST December 2024 – the TARDIS awaits

apple_muncher

It's the shortest day and therefore the longest night. Take care out in the dark, turtles. And keep as snug and comfy as you can.

Maybe take a step back from the next few days and ponder what you want them to look like. Enjoy them!

DawnW

I have little 7 y o GS with me overnight as his elder sister had a sleepover with a friend and he felt left out - therefore a sleepover with grandma was needed    He went to bed quite early, and so will I, as we had a very busy afternoon. We decorated another Christmas tree, a little artificial one I had placed in my unit at work to make it look Christmassy,  wrote Christmas cards to my work friends then took them down to the shop to give them out and wish everyone a happy Christmas. Amazingly the correct cards went into the right envelopes - I had visions of a muddle and people having to swap cards. I did warn them  

After that we got the spare bedroom ready. The second trundle bed was pulled out from underneath its twin, then we found the linen, duvet and pillows and made it up. Then we watched the Wallace and Grommit film and cooked and ate dinner. After some games it was time for stories and bed. Phew!  I am sure activity will resume very early tomorrow morning.

Before all these shenanigans, I sold a multi cooker thing I have had for quite a while and hardly used recently. I decided I would like the space back and put it on FB marketplace. It had been on there for a couple of weeks, so I was pleased it went today.

Off to bed soon as I am sure tomorrow will get off to a very early start!.

Thrifty_Taylor

Had a good day at work yesterday, followed by a fun staff night out. Thankful that it stayed dry for my walk back to mum's & that it was calm, unlike the horrendous storm we have today & tomorrow!

Took mum shopping late morning. Managed to get 8p veg from L1DL, have wrapped it in newspaper & will hang up in back porch til needed.

Wrapped most of the presents this evening whilst watching TV with DH.

Shouldn't have to spend anything now for a week, unless I get more diesel.

Grateful for being cosy & out of the storm, that the power hasn't gone off in our area, getting cheap veg

f0xh0les

Happy Christmas Eve Eve Eve!

I have wrapped nothing, not even DS4s birthday presents for tomorrow. 

In fact, after my coffee this morning,  I am going into town to pick up my last few clothing bits for gifts. Then I might have a wrap session on my bed with an Amaretto.

Whatever takes my fancy. I am just going to go with it.

Have to go to 'work' on Monday twice, but by 5.30 I will have stopped for the year.

grandmanerd

I've been thinking about what apple said about what we want to happen in the next few days - actually I'd already been thinking about it given the current state of my house and what I can't do. I haven't been to the library so may not get more large print books if they aren't open tomorrow (I'm hoping they're open until lunch on Christmas Eve and then have a big shut down - they're running on a skeleton crew and volunteers so when multiple people are entitled to several days holiday they don't really have a choice) but I have e-books on the laptop.

So what do I want
To be warm and comfortable
To be clean (the house too). Bits of the kitchen will be impossible to clean - the worktop under where the bathroom leaks have come through the big hole is black and swollen. I have just asked DS3 to give back the wipeable tablecloth I gave him as he hasn't used it but he couldn't find it. So I'll clean the surfaces as much as I'm able and then cover them with clean rubble sacks.
To be able to get round the house fairly well (anything better than now)
Candles and twinkly lights - a bit of a risk atm as I might set the house on fire but I have a large candle that DS2 gave me and I can light as long as I'm near enough to watch it.
Peace and quiet.

Strategy
Doing an extra bit here and there. I took two boxes of paper to the bins and a bucket of water to the grid to empty.
The turkey has been cooked so need to carve and portion that - decided I'll use as many of mum's plastic bags (and cling film) as possible to give me more space.

I've noticed lots of me that needs attention so when I went for my shower I took a moisturiser and some ibuprofen gel with me and sat in DS3's office chair after my bath applying them. It's Mediterranean if not Tropical up there whereas down here I dive back under the covers as quickly as possible. I also sat with two optrex soaked cotton wool pads on my eyes for about ten minutes. My knees are still troublesome so I think I need at least to prop them up to help the blood flow back and ease the strain on them

I've been told off for putting food in their freezer because they have a big order coming tomorrow so I think a lot of today will be about food. Chopping celery and carrots to nibble, condensing everything down and stacking the fridge neatly. I have some boned chicken thighs which I intended to tandoori but I think another huge pot of stew/ broth is easier and more useful - can use the frozen leeks and casserole veg and it'll keep in the pot until I can make more space. The cabbage will be chopped and added to the stew with some for salad and some to go with sausages.

Most of all I'm going to take my time. I'm too late to send more cards (another one came today from someone who keeps sending them) so I'll write general cards and letters and parcel up and send photos. If I can't put my sofa bed together I'll at least get the couch to the warm side (inner wall) of the room. As much rubbish and recycling as possible will go out (cleaning supplies and toiletries are being used up as well as food). I have things to watch, books to read and puzzles to do (also uses up scraps of old notebooks). I'm going to jot down any shopping that occurs to me but won't stress if it doesn't happen - more or less written off being able to get out to actual shops.

Things I'm grateful for
My family, my sons, my grand-daughter, grand-puppy and grand-chinchillas and whatever cousins of whatever degrees of separation plus my nieces
Having choices - lots of limitations but I have a little money and enough income to live frugally but well
The turtles and all the other people on threads I occasionally visit.
Being happy and content - it's taken a while and I'm a way off feeling the 'joys' of the season (for some reason my mother's spirit is hanging round a lot recently) but I'm getting there. I will plod, I will do what I can, I will eat lovely and mostly heathy food and whatever I manage to do will be enough.

So my lovely turtles I wish you all the best, however and wherever you are, celebrating or not. To those who are struggling with money, with bereavement or loss, with your health or those of loved ones I wish you peace and comfort, be kind to yourself. take time to unwind and feel free to take a time out if you're not 'feeling it' and other people's expectations and excitement is overwhelming.

DON'T BE A MARTYR FOR CHRISTMAS

DawnW

Hope that you get everything done that you need in the New Year @grandmanerd and that your home situation is much improved.

Strange weather day here, cold and windy with heavy rain one minute, sunny the next.The wind is cold and is getting in somewhere. This isn't usually a draughty house, so it must be the wind direction as well as its strength. 

Small GS has now returned home after his sleepover. He was very good, and slept well, though I didn't. Not unusual for me though, even if in my own bed rather than in the spare room to keep him company.

I haven't done much today, and will be getting an early night. I did make leek and potato soup though. I must check through the fridge to see if anything else needs using up, as I will do the pre-Christmas shop tomorrow. This won't be a big one, as we don't need much, but I will buy some of the reduced Christmas veg if I see any.

I sold a large mirror today, so that is another thing that has left the house. And today will be NSD #8, so progress made on both decluttering and moneysaving   

grandmanerd

It finally stopped raining here so all the washing went out on the line (using the new storm pegs) It's very blowy so it's almost dry. I sliced up the turkey into 5 generous portions (big dinner for 2 or enough for 3 or a dinner and then sandwiches later) There were lots of chunky bits left so they went in the broth instead of the thighs. I used a bag of frozen leeks and a casserole mix, chopped up a cabbage (1/2 in the broth with leaves and bits from the celery, >1/4 sliced finely for coleslaw (probably with prawns which are also defrosting) and the last bit in one chunk to see which way I need it first. Also chopped 2 heads of celery (mostly sticks then chunky for pasta bake and small for waldorf type salad), peppers (sliced for salads and dips, chunky for pasta bake or curry), fresh leeks (for soup and salads), Chantenay carrots topped and tailed, radish topped and tailed, larger ones halved, mushrooms in big chunks for various dishes and some chopped finely for vol-au-vents (packet of frozen cases that have been in the freezer for yonks - last bits of the turkey chopped fine for the same reason). This all meant that the chicken thighs were still available so I mixed tandoori powder into plan yoghurt, chopped the thighs and left them to marinate - will cook in the oven tomorrow and bag them up when cold.

I've taken the vol-au-vent cases, a couple of frozen meals and some bits from the freezer (will be fine in the fridge until the end of the week) so all my stuff is now in my little freezer so they should have no complaints when their order comes tomorrow (they'd have loads of room if their's didn't have stupid things like Yorkshire puddings and dough balls, but they do seem to have used the ice cubes. Hoping to do more things tomorrow. I took everything out of the salad drawer and lined it with foil (also removed the 1/4 inch thick layer of ice underneath) then repacked it neatly. I've done half a door shelf and there's a lot more in but taking up less space. All whilst watching several episodes of an Aussie crime drama.

Happy with my progress and my back is much more relaxed. Going to try cleaning sitting down (oh I emptied some of their old shampoo and conditioner onto the bath rings whilst I was sitting on the bath board).

Thrifty_Taylor

Well done in all your achievements @grandmanerd. Each small step is another one closer to your target!

Another NSD here.
Pottered about a bit, then me & DH wrapped up & went for a blustery walk to deliver the last of the local cards. Then I've been sewing the rest of the day.

Grateful that the barriers were open so that DS3 could get home, watching TV with DS1 & another programme with DH, time to read my book

apple_muncher

Just spent an enjoyable hour or so watching Peter Pan goes wrong via utube. Laugh out loud stuff!

Today I am grateful for dh's final present arriving and Pip coming for a walk with me to collect it, for over £500 back from the Swedish store, for a clear sofa for us all to sit on and watch TV, for all the fairy lights.

beanielou

I have seen my DS today. A lovely family pre celebration today.