NST JULY

grandmanerd

Saturday 5th July 2025

Living NOW (taken from Filling the Jar's - 15 Tips for a Summer Slowdown)
1)    Embrace the power of mindfulness. Be present in the moment and pay attention to what's around you
2)    Start your day with a refreshing routine - morning writing or eating outside
3)    Keep things simple. Don't feel the need to chase after every new experience
4)    Unplug from technology
5)    Connect with nature
6)     Savour the flavours of the season - feed yourself healthy seasonal produce
7)     Take time for self-care and recharging your batteries
8)     Try something new - get creative, have an adventure, be innovative
9)     Connect with positive people and good vibes
10)   Take a break from the hustle and bustle. Take as much off your schedule as possible
11)   Be bored. Just sit with it
12)   Allow for spontaneity and inspiration
13)   Work towards your goals - but do it differently
14)    Start journaling
15)   End each day with gratitude and reflecting on the memories you've made

apple_muncher

f0xh0les said:

How many members of the New Gonk Army now? 

Legions, of course...

grandmanerd

Very tired today. Mrs Builder came yesterday and in addition to resetting the kitchen, we worked across to the window. I have now set out my bedside trolley. I now have so many pills that some needed to go in a drawer and there's little space for books, drinks and snacks. I have filled all three of the cubes designated for bedding (odd pillowcases have turned up since) and Mrs Builder put all my dresses on hangers and away (I pulled out clothes that were buried in the pile). DS3 took some things back to the kitchen.

I wanted to get outside to tackle the garden (nettles obstructing the path) but it started to rain heavily when I was ready - not torrential but heavy enough to soak me through in minutes. Lots of little jobs done - tidying carrier bags to return, moving the next set of filled recycling bags to the back door. I lost my phone for a while only the back was in the bag but I found the rest overnight.

Grateful for progress, good food (chicken stew and cheese spread on wraps with the remaining tomatoes), feeling hopeful about DS3 leaving (he even asked advice off Mrs Builder)   

Thrifty_Taylor

f0xh0les said:

How many members of the New Gonk Army now? 

This may be number 13. Think I have enough furry beards for another 4 yet!

Thrifty_Taylor

Went to town early, collected a second hand TV that DS3 was buying off a local page, collected mum, then headed to a jumble sale. It had been held last Saturday, so to get rid of leftovers, it was full a black bag for £3, with some things individually priced at 50p. We filled a bag between us, & I got some books, 2 to add to sets I'd got. DS3 was happy with hus 50p camping chair. 2 of my sweatshirts are white 🦊, not bad for 25p each 😀 (12 items in the bag, so £3÷12=25p). Did the good shop afterwards.

Had a nap when I got home, after dinner I put the shopping away, then emptied out the other 1.5 compost bins & lifted up 6 paving stones. Picked lots of red & black currants.

Assembled the gonk, just need to add it's beard & label.

Grateful for bargains, the rain eventually stopped, time in the garden

apple_muncher

I love a bargain too, ThriftyT! There's a charity shop nearish us that is decently priced anyway, but then drops items to half price, then £1 then 50p or 25p. Do you have a date for your cataract op yet?

I am grateful that yesterday Pip arranged to do 2 things, one with a friend and one a usual activity. He overdid the first one (walking about 3-4 miles cos they lost track of time and location!!!) and wasn't able to do the second, but at least he was brave enough to try. Also grateful that I live in an area with such lovely neighbours - you can go outside and there'll be different people chatting and chilling together- kids, young people, older ones, dogs! And for good strong coffee and 100% cocoa solids chocolate

Thrifty_Taylor

No date yet apple, every day I live in hope that I get an appointment in the post. Surely can't be much longer now... Is it your DH that's waiting on a cataract op too? Has he heard anything yet?

NSD
Had a lie in, hung the washing on the line, then walked 5.5 miles, past the loch & up to the graveyard, then back along the main road.

After dinner DH helped me put a new pallet divider in the compost bay. We've changed it from 3 sections, to 2 & planning to make the overall width wider too. I then filled up one bay, with all the contents from the 2 emptied the other day. It looks better already! Hope it works better too. Weeded a narrow border, now I have somewhere to put all the weeds.

Have any of you read Someone Else's Shoes by JoJo Moyes? I started it this morning & am loving it!

De-stemmed all the currants picked yesterday & put them in the freezer.

Grateful for DH, my new compost bay & good books

grandmanerd

Monday 7th July 2025

Some days you'll move mountains
Some days you'll move from the bed to the couch
Both are necessary

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD#3

Did exercises & Norwegian before breskfast, then a walk with DH. A friend brought me a metal owl shape to put in the garden, as I'd told her I saw one in the field behind our house, the evening we'd had it confirmed that it was DS1 who had died. Do thoughtful of her 😍

This afternoon I weeded the rose bed & finally planted the roses in it! Good to get them out of their pots.

Went to the cinema with DH & DS3. Had bought tickets last week, DS treated us to our snacks & drinks.

Grateful for my friends, time in the garden, family time

DawnW

Tried to post yesterday but the forum is still playing up. It seems to want to constantly check secure connections and verify that I am human. Then ate my post yesterday evening, so I gave up. Not sure what that is all about.

Anyway, I will keep this brief in case it happens again.

Can't remember NSDs at the moment but will check back and edit if it is possible to do so.

Shopping day today. I have my list which I must finalise shortly.

Yay, it worked! I am up to NSD #4 now.