NST December 2024 – the TARDIS awaits

grandmanerd

Very tired. Mrs Builder arrived around 10 am and we worked for about 3 hours. We have emptied the kitchen cupboards and shelves. Another 3, small but heavy bin bags have gone out and she even did most of the washing up whilst waiting for Mr Builder to come and pick her up (and she's going to have mum's large airer - I didn't get the chance to drop it off at the cs). Most of the boxed kitchen stuff is still in the kitchen as the mattress for the sofa bed makes it difficult to squeeze from the front room to the kitchen. I put a lot of DS3 and Beloved's items on the stairs and most has gone up.

I started the day tired (fighting the urge to go back to sleep) and my legs were very wobbly, but stuff got done. By the time we stopped my back was nagging and after eating I had an afternoon nap. Going to turn the laptop off in a minute and let myself fall asleep.

DS3 needs to reach down the items on the top shelves for me but again most of that is theirs. Mrs Builder is coming again on Monday and we'll do a bit more clearing and move the boxed stuff into the front room. The Builders are on holiday from the 22nd so she asked if I wanted work doing before then or when they came back - I said before. It may not be completed before the holiday but the structural stuff - moving electrical sockets out of what will be the bathroom, lining the walls and ceiling  and building the walls for the shower and installation of the shower and toilet will be done. My next priority is a working sink. Those things will make life much simpler and I'll still have the drop leaf table to work from and the microwave for cooking.

Grateful for Mrs Builder, more work being done, not falling over despite weak knees and being so tired I was going dizzy and needed to hold onto things to get around.

beanielou

@grandmanerd. Yeah for Mrs Builder. 

Thrifty_Taylor

What great progress @grandmanerd! Well done to you & Mrs B!

Went to town after breakfast & took mum shopping. We were so chuffed with not buying a lot, that we didn't realise I'd left my bag of reusable bags in L1DL! Only noticed at teatime, when I was unloading the car. Have messaged my friend, who's partner is a manager there, he's going to look for them tomorrow.

Had lunch with mum & watched another episode of a series together. Then went to a friend's for Wool Club. It was pelting down with rain, so we decided not to go for a walk. Had a good chat & she loved her birthday present (for tomorrow).

I did more knitting after tea, & finished the gonk's body.

Grateful for spotting an error in the amount charged in Tosco & getting it at the on shelf price, as hadn't removed the special offer label, a nice time with mum, like minded friends, & knowing someone who can look for my bags

DawnW

Sounds like real progress is being made @grandmanerd  

I have been up since 4, due to my coughing and not wanting to wake DH. I don't have a bug, simply that my asthma is playing up for some reason. It hasn't for a while. I might have to take a nap later, but will try not to, as sleeping during the day makes me feel yuck!

Yesterday was NSD #12 for me. I spent most of the day sorting out the bathroom wall damaged by leaks from above. Leaks have been sorted and the wall has had time to dry out completely, so I filled the cracks and painted over them. Looks good, though the ceiling will also need doing at some point soon. I will need to buy more paint and wait till there is more light. Even a decent sunny day would do!  Definitely not today though. OH is going to similarly repair an area in the kitchen. No leaks, just looks scuffed on a corner. Should have enough filler and paint for that, as it isn't a big area. The joys of an old house.

Also made a huge chicken, bacon and leftovers pie, which was dinner last night and will be several other meals. At least no cooking needed today.

I am intending to take it easy today!

grandmanerd

Couldn't walk this morning, my left ankle doesn't want to do any work (it's not sprained or swollen). I'm up to shuffling  around with my wellies and the velcro support 'bandage' on, using my stick to take away from the bad leg but I've only recently got myself upstairs to shower and brush my teeth. 

I cooked lunch for myself (wedges and breaded mushrooms), cooked the salmon fillets, emptied the washing up water into a bucket, refilled the sink with hot water to do the remaining washing up and set the washing machine going. Took in a small food delivery - again mostly drinks and medicine. I only did 2 orders because I found a better price on the caffeinated drinks than the SM offer of 2 x 24 cans for £17. I want to do more and I need to talk to those 2 about the bits I can't do. Plus more cooking (parboil a bag of potatoes, do pigs in blankets and cook some gammon).

Meanwhile I've watched 3 enjoyable films that didn't require much concentration. My favourite programme so far is 'A baby reindeer's first Christmas' which started off sad but ended triumphantly and I'm quite tempted by a couple of 'travel' programmes (one's an Alpine train ride). So I'll just loz here until I can do a bit more or I feel up  to talking to them (Mrs Builder wants my mattress upstairs so we can move easily between the front room and kitchen (the mattress is currently in front of their freezer to motivate them). I'd prefer them to help me put the sofa bed together (then I can sleep better and work my way through the pile of clean bedding, putting it all onto the bed).

Otherwise feeling happy, a bit sleepy and looking after myself (time to smother all areas of dry skin in whatever I have to hand)

grandmanerd

My phone isn't working. It needed charging, which I did. It took a long while and when it said it was fully charged' it still didn't light up. Will ask them 2 later or maybe put it in some rice.

Edited to take the extra t off 'it' wonder how the censor elves missed it

Thrifty_Taylor

Did some pottering & cleaning first thing. A friend came over for a walk, but torrential rain, so we stayed in & chatted instead. 

This afternoon I wrote out the pages for my next year's spending diary.

Did the dishes after tea & had a long bath, read quite a bit of my book. Started a new series & did some knitting.  DS1 returned from work with a huge slab of our locally ginger fudge cheesecake. He gave me a massive portion, but didn't quite manage to eat the whole thing! Ive eaten lots of unhealthy things today, so will definitely need to walk tomorrow whatever the weather may be! We have a yellow warning for ❄️ on Tuesday!!

Grateful for a lovely message last night from my friend, someone coming up to me in a cafe on Friday & asking if I was the crafty lady, as she has enjoyed seeing all my sproutmas jumper posts on my business page (all 15 of them!), good books

Betharooni

Still on NSD #14, but hoping the next couple of days might be NSDs, as I think we have everything needed for new years and can’t think of anything else I might need to buy.

DB1 has gone to bed in a bad mood, after kicking ‘something’ in the dining room in a temper (unsure what, will have to see if there’s anything damaged out there in the morning but it sounded solid and heavy). He was playing with the kitten and she tried to jump onto his lap through a tiny hole where he had one of his legs crossing the other and scratched up one of his hands. I know she didn’t do it maliciously but he’s still angry, giving her the cold shoulder and, as he will be working and gets a bit moody when she tries to distract him while he’s working, I assume I’ll be getting up to a stroppy brother in the morning. I’m, thankfully, on annual leave this week so I expect I’ll be tasked with keeping her out of his way…

Have booked a small Icyland delivery for tomorrow afternoon of a few much-needed frozen items, will be interesting to see if there’s anything that they can’t supply.

I need to get up early and try to make a docs appointment (no panic for it but just want to get it booked), get some washing done, make some phone calls to get some frogs munched and, after DB1 finishes work I want to scan some pictures so I can sort out a photo album to give over to my aunt.

I’m grateful for a good shopping trip today, clearing a few bits off the $ky planner this evening and for a successful attempt at trying something different while cooking dinner tonight.

DawnW

Yesterday was NSD #13, but did a bit of shopping and paid some bills today.

Ended up sleeping for most of yesterday morning yesterday after my bad night. Didn't sleep too badly last night, less coughing thank goodness!

Today I have done a load of washing and put it out on the line. Not sure if it will dry at all, but I will get it in later and put it on the airer.

Few bargains to be had in the supermarkets today. I went to L*dl and W*itrose as usual, didn't bother with the others. W*itrose did have their nice fresh garlic and herb chickens for 33% off, so I got one of those and put it in the freezer. Also got some reduced mince pies and rescued a small poinsettia plant that looks cheery on the dining table.

I have also had a tidy round outside and taken the Christmas decorations down. The small Christmas trees have gone outside in their pots, where they will hopefully be happier, and keep growing on for next year. I will repot them at some stage fairly soon.

I dug up another self sown foxglove that had grown in a daft place, and put it in a pot for my friend's new garden. I love that things self set, but they can't always be left in their chosen spots. I give plants away to friends every year. Another form of decluttering perhaps!

Speaking of decluttering I gave some silicon air fryer liners away to a freecycler and have listed an unwanted calendar and greetings cards received from a charity I support. Hopefully these will also find a new home soon.

apple_muncher

January is live!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6577254/nst-january-2025-freedom/p1?new=1