NST OCTOBER 2025 Optimism, Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles

Rowan9

You’ve been busy thrifty. Glad ok. 

I’ve been busy sorting kitchen cupboards, big box for charity shop and smaller box of extra for the loft for when family come. I want to use the plates etc I like. Doesn’t that sound so obvious? 

Grateful for a day to clear kitchen stuff, the chance to pass things on which others can use and enjoy, easy tea of out of date (so what) nut roast day two for me and chicken from freezer for DH. Also grateful for a long sleep then two cups of tea in bed before I even thought of getting up. Back to work tomorrow though! 

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for having a bonfire yesterday as the rain has now arrived ( it was around midday and I checked that no neighbours had washing out), for a free bag of cement from a neighbour, for cheesy beans on toast for tea, for messages with my niece, for the washing machine doing a good job at removing the very strong eau de bonfire smell from my clothes, for seeing a helpful and useful person from sendiass.

Thank you for the reminder about winter prep grandmanerd. We don't get it badly down here, but a breakdown is always a possibility (the car, not me  )

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD

Once DH got up, I spent the rest of the morning hoovering cobwebs off & sorting the mass of books. Put a huge amount to one side for donating, don't know how many trips it took DH to take them out to the shed! 🤣

Moved the chest of drawers into the living room, then went to collect DS3 & his friend. DS couldn't get on the bus as it was full, so a longer trip to get him. A lady from up the road came to take our photo by the front door, to carry on a project started by an old lady, of the residents from the village to the corner by us, from 2000. She took one of us in 2005, when DS1 was 4 & DS2 was 9 months. The current project lady offered to copy the photo for us. Quite a few changes in buildings & residents up the road in 20 years!

Put up a couple of pictures in our bedroom, on the newly painted bit. Was sorting through some other things to move, & found a smaller picture the same as one I'd hung, so will do for a sproutmas present, as still in its wrapping. Sorted a load of paperwork for recycling.

Grateful for nice pictures, decluttering, a bit of time to craft, oh & my hot water bottle as I slept with it under my neck & I slept solidly for half the night

f0xh0les

Happy New Week !
Achievements last week:
Volunteered - took vol.friend to Dr's appt afterwards so he didn't have to wait for a bus .... well he is 82.
Paid work - 1 day of it (better than 0)
Fsh & chips in a restaurant on the pier at Cleethorpes after work - the sea is good for the soul.   
Charity shopped  a big chunky computer desk for DS4. Saved £15 by wheeling it home down the street. It honestly looked like we were taking it for a walk. DH still thinks we should have had it delivered - apparently he still has shame. Who knew? 🤣
It has been  spendy, because I have guests coming this week, and DS2 and DS3 needed new beds and mattresses,  so the guests get them for 4 nights first,  then the boys get them .  Everybody wins!  Another thing off the list.
Failures:  No baby seals yet on the beaches, so I couldn't see any. 
This week will mostly involve frantic cleaning and hiding things in boxes, probably under my bed.
I will be reading along, if I don't post. 

in_need_of_direction

Following foxholes’ lead, positives for last week include car being back on the road with a bill £150 less than estimated.  It still hurts me to pay but at least it was the first day of the credit card billing period so 6 weeks to gather it up as opposed to raiding the emergency funds.  Young relative got discharged from hospital. Progress made on work stuff. I have a useable bathroom again. I have realised that I have just over 4 weeks to my holiday so am starting to allocate work time before hitting a major panic.

loving how this thread is making me see positives.

DawnW

No spends over the weekend, so NSD # 8 so far (I think). Hoping for another today, unless someone turns up needing paying (it was the window cleaner last week).

Next weekend we are going away for a few days with DD2 and family, as we often do at autumn half term. Not much shopping needed this week, as I don't want to have to take too much with us and have to think what to do with it in an unfamiliar kitchen. I will make a cake, do a packed lunch plus one dish to take with us for evening meal, some staples such as milk, tea, coffee etc and anything that will spoil while we are away. I will then find a supermarket and buy what we will actually use during those few days. That is the plan anyway!

Unfortunately I have to work Thursday and Friday, so will need to get on with some of the packing and prep earlier in the week    Although I will enjoy being away, I do find all the stuff needed in advance stressful! I always forget something!

grandmanerd

Monday 20th October 2025

Journaling for when you are Lacking Motivation
(Ordinary and Happy, again)
Whether the lack of motivation is from unrealistic expectations or tiredness
How could you change those expectations to stay motivated
Three simple tasks you can achieve to build momentum
What you have accomplished this week no matter how small
Someone who inspires you and why
What around you in the house demotivates you
What around you in the house inspires you


I may do another batch of these.

grandmanerd

The post I made yesterday really inspired me, I was really revved up to go. I was definitely going to go out. I've been self-isolating for weeks now, don't want to pass on what I've got to anyone else or pick up a different bug whilst I'm knocked for six. For a lot of the time I've been too tottery to get to the bins. 

But I'm fed up, my mental health declines the longer I stay in, as does my ability to make myself go out. I want and NEED to live now. I have an ever growing list of things that would be easy to pick up at one of the cheapo shops rather than trying to get them online (in a 'normal' grocery shop) so I think I will go out but try to avoid crowded times and places. I could try going to the Cenotaph and sitting on a bench for a while before starting to shop.

However as the day wore on, my energy dissipated and I didn't go out. Will try again.

This week is going to be spendy. I tried to order supplements last night, specifically folic acid but would add all the ones I already use. It's not simple because the deficiency can be caused by my medication, some of the supplements are contra- indicated because of medication and in the end I left the order half-done (will have to read more).

The most important date in my diary is baby grand-daughter's Baptism on November 2nd (must be well). I had my outfit planned and was going to buy a new cardigan. I reviewed my clothes last month and have 3 dresses that are faded/ blotchy and 3 with holes/ runs (not 6 dresses, some fall in both categories). Two of the dresses have reached their end of life. The first has been cut into hankies for when I'm ill - the fabric is soft, absorbent and the pattern cheers me up. I stopped any ideas of what I 'could' make with it - it won't happen. The other ripped dress will be cut up to make soft wash cloths for sore/ chapped skin patches (use once and wash).

When I had my hair cut, I saw a dress that will make a good servicable ordinary dress (to replace one of the discarded ones) and the cardigan would repalce the other. I mostly have enough clothes except when I can't get the laundry processed quickly enough. I was going to check the dress I want to wear (some same size dresses are tighter than others over the magnificent bosum - shirts have been a no no for several years because the buttons ping open under pressure - due to cut and fabric, cotton jersy is more stretchy and forgiving. 

Anyway I can't find the dress I was going to wear (Mrs Builder hung up all my t-shirts and jumpers so it may be hidden) and I think a couple of items were taken from the back yard. I may try an online order and if I'm desparate I have an appointment at the Eccles hospital 2 days before the Baptism and the Trafford Centre bus goes past the hospital. Could go to the Trafford Centre in the am, then my appointment (mid afternoon) and on into Manchester is I'm still not sorted. Would be totally wiped out and have to rest all day Saturday but it's something to aim for.

Gratitudes 
Had a letter saying I will get £200 winter fuel allowance (not got anything the past 2 years).
I have a plan, a goal and some things to do meanwhile
Completed one housework task and one bout of exercise already.

grandmanerd

More stuff done, 4 trips to the bins, 3 or 4 trips hanging up washing, leftovers for lunch, bits from the fridge for tea, swept out the shower room ready for mopping. Very tired now as I did not sleep much last night. Trying to get back into my proper night-time routine.

Gratitudes I actually enjoyed the tasks and pushing myself a bit. I'm getting a clearer view of where my physical limits are. The sunshine after the rain was lovely

Thrifty_Taylor

NSD

A positive start to the day, DH offered to get DS3 up for work, so I could have another hour in bed 😊 Nipped to the doctor's after breakfast to get blood taken. 

We finished emptying the bedroom before dinner. Spent over 1.5 hours washing walls down & scrubbing mould off. Turned the bed round,then put some things back underneath, as had a customer coming to get measured. He forgot to come on his way home from work, so I was pleased I used the waiting time to finish my book. He popped over after tea, then I shortened one pair of trousers & made the waistband on another wider.

Grateful for making more progress with our bedroom (despite hardly being able to move around the living room), getting the trousers done in time for the wedding, a lie in, encouraging messages from a friend, & today is the 3 year anniversary since DH had his kidney transplant