NST January 2025: Freedom!

DawnW

Good news re your heart @Thrifty_Taylor. Hopefully they will soon find out what is causing your discomfort.

Let them complain @grandmanerd - I live in a terrace, and if someone is having work done, everyone else knows that they just have to put up with any mess / inconvenience as it is only temporary.

Work yesterday. Not a NSD though as I found a lovely dress from Seas*lt C*rnwall in my size in a CS for £7.25. I wasn't going to leave that there!

Had my hair cut today and bought bread too, but had a cooking session before that. I made lemon curd, leek and potato soup and sausage casserole for the freezer. OH cut up various lurking veg for tonight's stir fry.

DD2 popped in with the kids before their swimming lessons. They got busy drawing and colouring which was nice.

I walked into town for my haircut this afternoon as it is a nice and sunny, if chilly day. Heavy rain is forecast tomorrow so I thought I would make the most of it and get some steps in!

Also did a couple of loads of washing. It dried a bit outside, but needs to go on the airer now..

ldee2111

Good evening, fellow turtles! Apologies for my absence. I’ve not been posting, but caught up on all your updates. Sounds like there’s been a lot going on with everyone!

We were under a red weather warning yesterday, and wow, it was wild. Thankfully, our house came through mostly unscathed, apart from a window seal that I will fix with some sealant when the weather is dry. Unfortunately, though, Mum’s brick wall and fence didn’t fare well. Both down. She’s on holiday at the moment but is aware of the chaos. I was over there this morning taking photos for her insurance claim that will have to go in because of the huge extent of the damage. 

OH and DS have been away at a football match today, so I have been able to get a bit of decluttering done, get to the charity shop to deposit a donation, and to get a number of items listed on V!nTd. 

I’ve completely lost track of NSDs, but I think I am only on about 8 days so far… unlikely to get much more. 

Today, I’m feeling grateful for Mum’s neighbours, who kept me updated on what was happening at her house; for our home escaping major damage; for being safe and cosy indoors while the hurricane caused havoc outside; and for having a video chat this morning with some of my family who live in Australia. 

f0xh0les

NSD 12, but sadly someone nicked my phone from the cloisters of a cathedral - I wanted to use one of the kids old phones with a cracked screen, but DH just went online and bought me a new one (why??) so £170 later, roll on payday! If I lose this one I am going to be so annoyed.

I went shopping early doors, before anyone else was awake, and came home to DH shouting ..... because DS4 had just put his new-at-Xmas mobile phone through the washing machine. DS4 now has my old old phone with the fuzzy camera but works for everything else.

Now I am trying to remember what apps I had, and installing the ones that will let me deregister them from my nicked phone, onto my new phone.  I tried for 3 days to 'find my phone', remotely set off the ringer, contacted all relevant people on-site to look out for it, but it is gone. We all know it is gone. So I have just remotely factory reset it, although it was already locked and pin protected .  May they enjoy the £20 max that they will get for the handset!

Baked 2 soda bread loaves, one walnut, and one with hazelnuts.  Lush.

DH has succumbed to the teaching term lurgy.  He lasted 2 weeks.  He is very grumpy.

So, I have earned money I will be paid for on the last day of February. At least I know something is coming in.

Thrifty_Taylor

Thank you @beanielou & @DawnW.

Glad everyone has remained unscathed. Very windy here first thing, so saved unloading the car & heading to town until late morning.

Took mum shopping, didn't need much myself, some fruit & milk, & a few other things.

Sorted through my stationery boxes & decanted both into a large storage box, then used the 2 smaller ones for storing bedding. I now have a clear space in front of my bedroom window, as could stack everything else in top of the one box. Some things still to sort through (bags of haberdashery), but in an envelope I found a 10(?) year old photo of DS3 saying he loves me because 'she reeds to me'. 😍 Aw, don't ever remember seeing it before, so glad I found it!

Watched a film with DH & did some knitting this evening.

Grateful for finding the photo, a nice review from a new customer, space in my bedroom, haggis for tea

grandmanerd

Another lovely day, yesterday. DS2 came for me around 3 pm. Spent time with my grand-daughter dressing dolls (to order), pushing prams, being buried under a mountain of soft toys, singing nursery rhymes. She wouldn't let me have an ice cream (wooden one) because I wouldn't sit on one of the little chairs (for fear of breaking it) but she relented later. 

I was given presents (consumables, as requested) and then cards, which had surprise presents. The grandma one said from GD and GD No 2 - I looked at my d-o-l. The other card had the scan picture in. GD is looking forward to being a big sister (though she'd rather have a puppy). They asked to know the sex in case they needed to buy different clothes (I wondered if they needed an extra room). DS2 is feeling slightly outnumbered. The new Australian cousin (due any day) is going to be a boy.

I think we're at the six months point. They have kept it quiet because darling d-i-l desperately wants a baby and DS1 is only being persuaded by inches (they're 'trying' but we're not sure if that's actively (now or just a definite plan). D-o-l asked if they'd said anything to me last Sunday - no. She hadn't pursued the matter for fear of upsetting darling d-i-l.

Did jigsaws and played games with GD (memory game then all 4 of us played a shopping list game, they DS2 went to make the main meal whilst d-o-l, GD and I played pop-up Bluey). Lovely food then a cake with candles (only 2). Lots of hugs then GD went for her bath and I was brought home.

Very tired. I tried to post but dozed off several times with the laptop open so gave up. 

Grateful for a lovely day with family, good news about a new addition (and another potential one), relaxing (grand clean up will start today and will be done in slow stages), DS3 asking if I wanted anything as he was going to the shop - he brought me chocolate and (not) jelly babies (he had to go to the second shop so I can't complain but the not jelly babies are weird).

f0xh0les

grandmanerd said:

DS2 is feeling slightly outnumbered. Tell him he is unique in his own house. Poor baby!

They have kept it quiet because darling d-i-l desperately wants a baby and DS1 is only being persuaded by inches  I thought everyone knew pregnancy was contagious?  They have public service announcements about keeping away from pregnant women in enclosed spaces due to social transmission.  Newborns are dangerous too. If you type 'is pregnancy contagious?' into g00gle - AI says yes.

Glad you had a lovely day and were spoiled. Congratulations !

beanielou

Lovely news @grandmanerd. 

Happy birthday 🥳 

ditty1234

Hi everybody - can I just brag that after a year of tax doubts, an unfortunate run in with a book keeper I am hoping it is now over. I have submitted my taxes, I have £142 to pay when I get paid later and then me and HMRC should be even. Happy days. I am much more comfortable doing my own taxes, and will make sure to do some seminars before April, so I can just submit in April May and get it out of the way. 
I am also grateful I have had a great morning of marking student work. I still have more to do to be caught tup, but it is really not too bad. I am frustrated how easily I get stressed at work, when I feel like such a cool potato when working through things quietly at home!
Happy rainy Sunday. 

f0xh0les

Well done @ditty1234

I am  proud of you for dealing with that.

apple_muncher

Beanie - hope you didn't go outside with a brolly - you might still be flying over Greenland!

Today I am grateful that Pip is on the mend, for my knitting, for not having to go out in the rain and wind, for a gorgeous pink sky this morning, for my couple of liddle boxes that contain about 30 bananas!