NST September 2025: Keep It Simple!

Thrifty_Taylor

Snap, @apple_muncher, ive got astigmatism too.

Sending healing hugs @grandmanerd. It will be a very different festive period for us this year. DS1 loved that time so much, from making the cake with my mum, to his buffet tea on the day. The first one without him will be very difficult. Plus I have my 50th at the start of that month... I know, I don't look a day over 35 😂

NSD#6
Very tired today. Made a stir-fry for my dinners today & tomorrow, then dropped DS3's GF home before work. My patience was tried a little at work, but I stuck to my guns. Had to run round the MUGA (multi use games area) @6 times just before home time, keeping on the tail of my pupil so they didn't run off. Shattered by 3.30! 

Had a lay down when I got home, but don't think I'd slept. Shortened a sleeve on a blazer after tea.

Grateful for last year's ISA transfer being completed successfully, time to rest, dry spells in between the heavy showers

DawnW

The site was a bit odd earlier, with no sign of the forum, but seems back to normal now.

NSD # 9 for me today. 

My cousin and her husband came for lunch as they are holidaying in the area. It was lovely to see them 

I had a good clean and tidy up before they came, so not much more housework needed this week.

For lunch I raided the deli shelves at L*dl, got some nice bread, prepped home grown salad and made a cake. There is lots left for other meals. I suggested that OH takes a large portion of the cake, a jam and fresh cream sponge, to his friend across the road so that we don't eat all of the leftovers. Our waistlines don't need it. I used to bake all the time, but only for a treat when we have visitors now, or bits and pieces for GCs when they come round.

Since they left I have made some rosemary water for my hair, and currently have apples juicing in the steam juicer, which I bought earlier this year. I didn't want an electric machine to go wrong, and didn't want a press and all the paraphenalia that DD2 uses, had a recent disaster with a jelly bag that I do not want to repeat  and this seemed a good way to make juice from our own, or foraged fruit. It is basically a large pan with 3 sections, the bottom one to boil water, a a perforated section at the top to put the fruit in, and a collection vessel in the middle with a tube to release the juice. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to juice a lot of apples, and is impressively non-messy, unless I am clumsy with the tube when bottling the juice. Apart from the gas to simmer, the juice doesn't cost anything, so the pan will soon pay for itself. 

Grateful today for seeing my cousin and her husband, a tidy house and having the motivation to make rosemary water and apple juice.

Thrifty_Taylor

Another dark morning. Went to work with good intentions, despite a small van nearly driving into me en route, but all went t*ts up late morning. Really thought the steam was going to come out my ears, or my head explode! Noone to help, as all in a meeting! Was very pleased when the bell rang at 3.30. Had planned to eat my bodyweight in chocolate when I got home, but had received a beautiful card from a lovely lady, which made me smile. Instead I did an exercise routine, then 3/4 of the way through, the policeman in Aberdeen phoned to say that we're allowed to have the road/rail sign that DS1 had 'signed'. I'd offered to buy a replacement, but there was no mention of that, in the email he'd received. Said I'd go down with DS3 next month. Haven't told DH I'd asked for the sign, it's a surprise. Going to give it him at sproutmas. It'll be hard without DS1, but we'll feel like a part of him is with us. Finished the exercise routine, had 1 square of chocolate & some popcorn, then finished assembling the final gonk. Shortened another sleeve on a blazer after tea & removed both shoulder pads.

NSD#8

Grateful for my lovely card, great news about the sign, getting sewing jobs finished

Thrifty_Taylor

Thank goodness it's nearly fri-yay!

A slightly better day at work thankfully! Shut myself in a cupboard this afternoon (pupil had gone to an appointment) & got my overdue online training course done.

Headed to town after work, got my glasses tightened, then took mum shopping, as I'm island hopping on Saturday.

Had miscounted my NSDs, only on 7.

Grateful for it being mostly dry at breaktime, though VERY windy, that DH has decided not to go to Aberdeen so I can arrange his surprise with the sign, without him knowing anything, that I had time to get my training done & my pretty blue diary to write in next year from L1DL

dizzyblnd

Today is nsd#14. I’ve got a cold and feeling poop. I hate being u well x

grandmanerd

Mrs Builder came today so bathroom and kitchen are clean and mostly tidy (still some stuff that got moved in there but is only part sorted). We (mostly her) moved some stuff around. The bureau has moved so that it's an extension of the vestibule wall - more of a corridor when you come in the house and the top is handy for holding things that are leaving the house like the ginormous pile of library books. The small couch and the chair are in a line in front of the window (much juggling).

 Best of all, all the old plant pots (last year's late tomatoes) have been moved from the windowsill. All the soil was swept from the sill and Mrs Builder cleaned the window. I threaded the 4 voile curtains onto the tension rod and DS3 put it up. For the first time in months the light is off and the curtains can be opened. DS3 applauded the progress and admired the big centre floor space I now have. 

Very tired despite a little nap this afternoon. An early bedtime for me again.

beanielou

Great progress @grandmanerd.

DawnW

Hope you feel better soon @dizzblnd.

Sounds like good progress @grandmanerd

I think I am on NSD #9, but will double check. Have checked. Actually NSD # 10 

A bit worried about both DDs. DD1's eldest has gone off to uni, and although she still has another at home, she is bereft. Hope she will come to terms with it soon. DD2 is suffering from work stress. She works in further education. Say no more.

DD2 seemed ok today. She came round with both littlies. I did a big round up of ingredients before they got here, and made curried parsnip soup, chocolate chip buns and roasted tomato sauce. Little GS was let loose with the scissors (he is nearly 8 and very sensible) and cut the remaining decent leaves off the basil plants. Then we made pesto together. And now he knows how pesto is made. I got him to list the ingredients we had used  Gave everyone lunch, then sent them home with some pesto, most of the loaf OH bought this morning (local shop only had large ones, and we wouldn't get through it before it went off. Couldn't freeze it as the freezer is bursting), some kale and chard plants, a holly seedling, and the rest of the cakes as OH and I don't need to eat them.

Summer pruned the quince tree this afternoon - basically cutting the new growth to half its length, on the advice of a horticulturist friend. Had to dodge a couple of showers, but it seems to have brightened up now. The heavy rain that was forecast didn't materialise.

Grateful for using up some fridge gravel, DD2 being OK and the weather being better than expected.

Thrifty_Taylor

Get well soon @dizzyblnd. Hope your DDS feel happier/less stressed soon @DawnW.
Well done on your newly cleared space @grandmanerd.

Another 2 NSDs here.
Friday was a better day at work thankfully. My friend wasn't well enough to host Wool Club, so went to mum's & knitted. Had a nice evening together. I stayed over, as had an early start the following morning.

Saturday, met a friend down the pier & we caught the 7am ferry across to another island. I grew up there & she often visited & stayed with her granny there, though we never met until we worked together. Walked along the village heritage trail, then visited a couple, before heading for lunch. Visited the part of the island where I used to live, & walked through the fields to my old house, as the sea had washed the cliffside driveway away! Collected some stones from the beach, then dropped flowers at my best friend from school's late mum's grave. Visited another couple, then caught the boat back. Had an absolutely fantastic day, everyone made us feel welcome & great to bump into some other islanders, who recognised us too. Lots of laughter & reminiscing. We plan to return next year & stay a night.

Today has been spent pottering, doing the ironing & managing to conquer the new bauble craft I'd attempted last week. DS3's GF loved looking through my box of finished gonks too. Her excitement was endearing! Best friend from school's dad phoned to thank me for the flowers I'd left & catch up before he goes for his op tomorrow.

Grateful for welcoming people, an amazing day, GF's excitement & lots of laughter, oh & a man trying to flirt with me on the boat 🤣

f0xh0les

Still got it eh Thrifty? 😍🤣