NST February 2025 Love and Kindness

DawnW

Happy February everyone

NSD # 1 for me today - I will definitely try to do better this month!

Not a very interesting day - I made a quiche and did the ironing (I did say it was boring!).

DD2 came round. I made the GCs what they wanted for lunch before their swimming lessons, and gave DD some seeds that I won't be using. What she doesn't want  to use herself can go to the school for their gardening project.

After lunch I sowed some spring onion seed in a couple of troughs in the greenhouse. They could go outside really, but the greenhouse is pretty much empty apart from some logs at the bottom (it is really more of a perspex cupboard than a greenhouse) so why not. I used old compost, which I mixed with some new and a sprinkle of chicken manure pellets. Spring onions seem to grow best in containers I have found  

I sprinkled some chicken manure pellets around the garlic tubs. The garlic plants look a bit the worse for wear after all the rain and hard frosts, but they often look like that at this time of the year.

I toyed with the idea of sowing some more things, but it is really too early. It was cold, so I came in. Might sow some peas for pea shoots tomorrow though, as I have lots of seed.

Quiche for dinner tonight, with salad, coleslaw and potato salad.

Better go and wash up yet again!

f0xh0les

NSD1 here. But it did involve baking 12 bread rolls, 9 scones, a birthday cake and a walnut soda bread loaf. Otherwise I would have had to have spent on bread. I did not want to spend today because.......tomorrow will be quite spendy as DS3 is a whopping 17 years old.. he wants some clothes and new trainers and a meal out or a takeaway , he can't decide and I am enjoying his dilemma. 
So at least I am saving money on the whole cake situation, and all the laundry got done while I was faffing about in the kitchen with Jane Austen annoying me. 
Happy February Turtle-friends, it is only 28 days!

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for a decision being made yesterday about what Pip is studying, for the subsequent relief from near-constant stress and anxiety, for seeing a neighbour, for the 6 nations being on the box, for a lovely chat with big sis.

Thrifty_Taylor

I've had a lovely day! Stayed over at mum's last night. We ate breakfast, then headed into town. Dropped sewing off & collected more, then trawled 2 CSs, before going food shopping. 

Had the takeaway leftovers for my dinner, put the shopping away, then wrapped up & weeded the raised bed for the roses to be planted in.

Had a hot chocolate & finished reading my book, then after tea I did the ironing & watched a film with DH. Knitted the gonk's other arm & started assembling it.

Grateful for a new thread, a nice day doing my favourite things (not the ironing!) & seeing the spring bulbs emerging

grandmanerd

Sunday 2nd February 2025

Feb-YOU-ary
Be kind to yourself
Let yourself rest
Find time for things that make you feel like you
Eat food you love
Wear clothes that make you feel happy
Spend time with people who accept and love you as you are
Start your day with one positive thought about yourself
Buy yourself flowers
(murphys sketches)

No or Low Cost Activities (not mandatory, just suggestions if you've run out of ideas)
Library visit (must go and see that 'Home' exhibition before it finishes)
Yoga
City Tour
Play a video game
Call a friend
Go for a walk
DIY project (fix something - a 5 min example might be rubbing a candle on a sticking drawer, putting away something that you keep stubbing your toe on or gets in your way)
Bike ride
Local Park (wrap up warm, splash in puddles, bug hunt, ask the dog walkers if you can pet their animals)
Picnic (indoors if you want)
Stargazing (February is an excellent month for this)
Read a book
Board Games
Baking (if you have children this could be a half term activity - using up all the sprinkles and oddments you have)
Declutter
Make coffee at home (or hot chocolate)
Volunteer
Start a tv series
Listen to music
Crafting
Film night

5 Minute Declutter tasks (some taken from a 15 min post but do what you can - 5 mins x 3 times during the day)
Remove unused/ duplicate items from your utensil drawer
Junk drawer
Clear out your car pockets
Medicine cabinet clear out (expired items) -could be done whilst you're in their anyway
Go through your freezer and move up the items stuck at the bottom (I've found single chicken breasts and salmon fillets tucked in corners and hidden under big bags of stuff (and it's only a small 3 drawer freezer)
Is it time to change your toothbrush?
Move food from the back of the pantry to the front

Again no obligation but suggestions for 5 minute jobs that help smooth your path

grandmanerd

Yesterday I took a bag and box of paper and a sack of cans out to the bins, unloaded the WM and put it all on the line (three trips), 10 random bits went in the skip + there's a rusty butterfly can opener which was under/ behind one of the ripped out kitchen units (I've tried cleaning it but it's going now). I emptied the remaining items out of the dishwasher, closed it and turned it off (sometimes set it off by leaning against it). I put a wash tablet in the WM and added items as I came across them. I filled a bag for life with clean dry bedding and another with oddments (flannels and socks) just to corral them (fed up with rewashing items DS3 has knocked off and walked all over).

I put pegboard inserts into 2 more kitchen drawers and put away some of the items (I have far more pan lids than pans so need to pair them up first). I worked steadily on tidying and was rewarded by finding a trainer. It made a pair - I had 3 different singles but now have a pair and it already had corrective insoles in. I'm struggling to walk and trying to make more effort on insoles and ankle wraps when necessary otherwise I get tired and my feet and legs ache very quickly. My main goal is to get the footstool (about 2'6" square) onto the small couch.  It was in front of the couch on it's side but has moved and things have fallen between it and the couch. I want all the floor clear as well but that may take a few days.

Grateful for meals from the fridge, finding a trainer to make a pair, lots of entertainment

apple_muncher

Saw a beautiful moon and north star (?) last night bringing Pip home. Lovely clear sky made it all sparkle. My right eye saw it with a halo (astigmatism) and my left eye saw about 6 moons (growing cataract)! 🤣😱😱

ldee2111

Please add my name @grandmanerd.

NSD 1 today.

While DS and OH were out this morning, I got a few things done: two loads of washing, putting away a big pile of dried washing, unloading and reloading the dishwasher, cleaning the kitchen surfaces, reading two chapters of a book, and listening to two chapters of an audiobook. I even managed to wash and dry my mane of hair, and squeeze in a 30-minute nap. Now, I’m about to start prepping dinner, Katsu curry, for tonight. 

My dad popped over this afternoon, bringing a golf putting set, including a putter, a roll-out putting green (like a roll of carpet), and a bag of around 50 old golf balls that a colleague had given him for DS. It was a thoughtful gesture, but I asked Dad to keep them at his house so DS can play with them there. I also nicely reminded him that we’ve got a small house and we just don’t have the space for every little (and big) thing the grandparents bring over! They are all guilty of it . Thankfully, he was totally fine with my “thanks, but no thanks.” I really need to start putting my foot down more because our house is full enough as it is, we have all that we need and a lot of what we want, and I have asked grandparents time and again to stop getting stuff for DS. Christmas was just over a month ago and it is DS’s birthday in just two months! STOP!

Feeling grateful today for getting things cleared away, making progress with my books, standing my ground on the golf stuff, a nice visit from my dad, and having a mix of me-time and quality time with DS and OH.

We have also hit my savings target for paying off the mortgage come April. Feeling very excited and proud. 

abundant1972

Good evening!

Have had  a very lazy chilled day. Felt a little flat - but think this was just me feeling peopled out after a full on family-day yesterday. My introvert battery life is much shortened around lots of people. So - nothing productive... but I did make myself get up, washed and dressed (which for me can be an effort when my mood is low) - and made my bed, and did some meditation. I was treated to a take away last night and had the rest of that for lunch. Slept awhile in the afternoon and just making dinner, and going to watch a movie. 

f0xh0les - am so impressed with your baking skills. I really need to learn to cook and bake lol
Idee2111 - congrats on the upcoming mortgage clearance - awesome news!

I paid a huge chunk of my credit card. I sat there looking at the money in my savings account - and thought - yes, it may earn a bit of interest sat there - but the psychological lift I will get from seeing my debt shrink will be of much greater benefit... so - I'm down to £1261.44! I still have my mortgage and help to buy loan (only got on the ladder in 2019), but the 'bad debt' is almost gone. Now to continue with good spending habits, and start building an EF.

Today I am grateful for:

1) A day to recharge on my own
2) Left over takeaway (yum!)
3) Time spent with Dad yesterday 

Today = NSD number 2

Have a lovely evening x

beanielou

@abundant1972. Great news. Your credit card will soon be into 3 figures. 🤗