NST January 2025: Freedom!

f0xh0les

I woke up to about 1cm of snow on my car roof. None on the ground 😕.  All food from stores 
NSD 2.  Grateful for central heating and candles. 

ldee2111

High five @dizzyblnd! 

NSD #2

This morning, I listed two items on V!nTd and started a little log to track listing dates—so I’ll know when something’s been sitting around for more than two weeks and can make the call to donate it to the charity shop. One of the items sold in five minutes! Which probably means I priced it too low… but hey, it’s out of the house and a few pennies are back in my pocket. I’m calling that a win!

OH and I got stuck into some batch cooking. He made a veggie chilli and a red pepper and sweet potato soup, while I made a big pot of lentil soup for the week ahead. 

This afternoon, the three of us headed to a football match, and on the way home, we stopped for dinner—which came out of OH’s ‘pocket money’. I don’t count OH’s spending in my turtle reports because, honestly, I’d never manage an NSD if I did! I’m all for shared accounts for family expenses, but his personal spending? Nope, couldn’t cope. The shoes… oh, the shoes. And don’t even get me started on the jackets! 🤣 I am exaggerating just a little. After 20+ years together, some of my frugal ways have rubbed off on him.

Today, I’m grateful for getting organised for the first week back at work and school, my cosy heated body warmer, OH treating DS and me to dinner, and our lovely warm home.

Now I’m off to bed with my book, Going Solo by Roald Dahl. It’s the first in my completely random 2025 goal to read all the Dahl books on DS’s shelves—12 of them, I think.

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD#3

Tempted to go back to sleep when my alarm beeped at 8am, but reminded myself it'll be a 6.30am one tomorrow, so got up instead!
Did yoga & put washing on the airer, then went for a walk with DH. The track we walked along was severely flooded at one point, couldn't even go through the adjacent field instead either! Went part way back the way we'd come, then went a different route.
Tidied out the box where I store my sewing jobs. If it's full of carp, it's no wonder my sewing pile looks ginormous balanced on the top! Repaired a couple of my clothing items, found a long zip for a pair of joggers with a broken zip down the leg. Won't fit DS3 any more, but I could sell them after these been repaired. Disassembled the wreath I'd made.
Did a bit of my jigsaw, then polished my boots & got ready for going back to work tomorrow. Made a pot of parsnip & apple soup after tea (using some 8p veg), to take for my dinners. Pampered myself in the bath.

Grateful for our snow melting, hot chocolate to warm my hands up, time for reading & that DS1 accepted the challenge I'd set him 2 days ago to read 5 pages & he's read 3 chapters! (He is 22, but been saying for ages he wanted to get back into reading again)

ditty1234

Morning all, cooked dinner for today last night so hopefully can go running after work today without too much fuzz. And am planning a nsd day. 
Happy wet(at least here in the east) January morning all! 

grandmanerd

Mrs Builder was ill yesterday and couldn't come which took the pressure off me and meant I could work at my own pace and do things in the order I wanted. Lots of shuffling round but filled 6 cubes spaces, cleared things from the footstool and the couch and moved the small cube shelves across to it's partner in front of the chimney breast. Separated out cans I can use in the microwave (beans, soup, tomatoes and some tinned mushrooms) and things that can be eaten cold (bean salad, tuna) where I can get at them and put the rest away (I'm not finding new recipes and working out how to cook them in the microwave, I have enough to think about).

I had six 9" foil pie plates so halved a butternut squash to roast in the oven, peeled and cut up 3 large parsnips, 4 medium baked potatoes went on a 3rd plate (on the bottom shelf) and most of a pack of mushrooms went on a fourth. Used some lazy garlic which I've had for years and all the things I've eaten so far were lush. I poured the rogan joush from the takeaway into a large stock pot and added a pack of baby sweetcorn, most of a pack of peas including the shells, a large green pepper and two red onions cut into quarters. I set it off, stirring most of the time. It seemed a little dry, apparently there's only so far you can stretch a curry, so added halved baby tomatoes (picked the ones that were starting to wrinkle). I'd eat all the extra veg raw normally so only cooked until curry was warmed through and the veg were softened. I wet the remains of the naan bread (it did for nibbles in the middle of the night) and put that in the oven for a couple of minutes (hot and soft again). I ate curry with naan bread, about half of the mushrooms and a handful of parsnips. I thought I'd used half the curry but when I put the rest in a bowl I revised that to just a third so 2 more meals there. 

I wanted to do more but standing was tiring (I had to turn the curry off and go and sit down for five minutes in the middle of cooking). Lots of washing up was done and all the dry things were packed and brought through. Ideally I'd have continued to sort as I went along but realised I needed  to move things, so many hours of packing and shifting, piling stuff on the  couch and wherever there was space. Things could be sorted today, once I could move easily.
Continued as long as I could, then slept heavily (I moved a few things at 1 am and 4 am when I woke briefly).

This morning I added a towel and a dress to the things in the WM and set that going. I put one foot outside (snow has mostly gone) but it still felt slippy so the bag of cans, 2 bin bags and assorted items for the skip have been put outside the back door (to one side). I was going to stick the pans that need soaking out there too but Mr Builder wants the side where the bathroom is to go cleared first. I called up to ask if DS3 was awake and between the 3 of us we've moved the remaining stuff from that side, taken down the shelves and brackets and the roll of lino that was on top of the cupboards (DS3 even suggesting the best way to tackle the job). DS3 only has a problem with Mrs Builder (she tells him off and shouts at him) but worked happily with Mr Builder. Mr Builder brought the man who's going to help put the framework for the bathroom together and they did measuring and listing materials. Then the man went off to a job in Haydock. All the shelves are safely stored under the stairs (DS1's Japanese bed still working hard after all these years). I love open shelves but don't trust Beloved with them. It might be best to have wall cupboards and use the shelves when I move.

I think the WM has finished so I'll go and unpack my clothes (they might have to go in yet another rubble sack for now. There's already washing on the line and Mr Builder might need to go up and down the yard. Very grateful that I've been bringing clothes in 2 at a time  to finish drying inside. I've just emptied another 2 buckets and the washing has another 25 minutes to go, so I'll have another drink then try for the stairs.

I was allowed to go back to the couch and have a drink (I'll go and have my shower when I think my legs will take me upstairs. My Builder has nipped out for half an hour to go and rescue someone who has no hot water

Grateful for getting things done, for DS3 and Mr Builder helping with the things I couldn't do or have time to do, for time to relax and do things at my own pace.

ldee2111

NSD 3

Back to work, back to school—do diddly do!

@Thrifty_Taylor My alarm was set for 6:30am this morning too, and after two blissful weeks of no alarms, it felt like a bit of a rude awakening. Hope yours wasn’t too painful!

DS had no trouble slipping back into his routine—he bounced into our bedroom at 7:02, bright-eyed and ready to go. I’m very grateful he was excited about going back to school… although it was more excitement about seeing his friends rather than the school work. 

Today, I managed to list two items on V!ntD, and I walked to the post office at lunchtime to send off a couple of items I’d already sold (and to squeeze in some exercise). It’s about a mile there and back, so it felt good to stretch my legs in the winter sun.

Also ticked a few things off the admin list: booked the car in for its MOT, called our plumber neighbour to see if he can fit a new kitchen tap (sadly, not a whole new kitchen), and got in touch with a roofer we’ve used before about a loose bit of roof.

Grateful today for a walk in the winter sunshine, a smooth re-entry to the work week, and some delicious homemade soup.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for last-minute contact with my niece before she flies out to Vietnam, for making decisions about the bunting I'm making, for taking down the decs and putting the nasty spiky tree outside on the naughty step, for frozen fruit, for Pip doing some physics hwk.

f0xh0les

NSD3. Fuel light came on as I parked outside the house, so that will need to be done soon. Volunteered, cleaned house, made supper from fridge shrapnel and pantry items, put Xmas in the loft, neatly packaged.
If I make a shepherd's pie tomorrow then can keep another NSD.  The part for the dryer has not arrived yet. This is causing me huge problems. 
Grateful for candles, hot tea, central heating, and Brazil  nuts.

DawnW

Still on NSD #3 as we walked into town today and bought a few small but needed items such as batteries and painkillers from Poundstretcher. Cheaper than the supermarkets. Also went to the library to return my books. Took a couple more out.

Shopping list almost done ready for tomorrow.  It isn't a big one by any means but I will need some fresh stuff, veg and fruit, butter, yogurt, etc.

Made a batch of pastry, now in the fridge. I will make pies tomorrow.

Did a load of washing and pegged it out on the line. It was cold and windy, and it did dry a bit. Now on the airer to finish off.

Lunch was tuna mayo rolls (the rolls were a use-up from the freezer), and tonight's dinner was chilli, also from the freezer, with some baby potatoes that had been lurking in the fridge for ages. I cut these in half, coated them in a tablespoon of olive oil with a small clove of garlic crushed into it, and air fried for 20mins, then sprinkled with chopped rosemary from the garden. Also had some HM coleslaw with it, for crunch and extra veggies. I still have some potatoes and some coleslaw left for another meal.

Grateful for a decent walk and for seeing space start to appear in my overstuffed freezers!

dizzyblnd

ldee2111 said:

High five @dizzyblnd! 

NSD #2

This morning, I listed two items on V!nTd and started a little log to track listing dates—so I’ll know when something’s been sitting around for more than two weeks and can make the call to donate it to the charity shop. One of the items sold in five minutes! Which probably means I priced it too low… but hey, it’s out of the house and a few pennies are back in my pocket. I’m calling that a win!

OH and I got stuck into some batch cooking. He made a veggie chilli and a red pepper and sweet potato soup, while I made a big pot of lentil soup for the week ahead. 

This afternoon, the three of us headed to a football match, and on the way home, we stopped for dinner—which came out of OH’s ‘pocket money’. I don’t count OH’s spending in my turtle reports because, honestly, I’d never manage an NSD if I did! I’m all for shared accounts for family expenses, but his personal spending? Nope, couldn’t cope. The shoes… oh, the shoes. And don’t even get me started on the jackets! 🤣 I am exaggerating just a little. After 20+ years together, some of my frugal ways have rubbed off on him.

Today, I’m grateful for getting organised for the first week back at work and school, my cosy heated body warmer, OH treating DS and me to dinner, and our lovely warm home.

Now I’m off to bed with my book, Going Solo by Roald Dahl. It’s the first in my completely random 2025 goal to read all the Dahl books on DS’s shelves—12 of them, I think.

You have totally motivated me to load 2 things on Vinted today. Thank you. 

I’ve also done a day of no fizzy drinks and a nsd. Think I’m on #4 as yesterday was a nsd too. My aim is to do 3 or 4 nsds a week.