NST November 2025: NOWvember

grandmanerd

Mostly domestic stuff today. Washing on the line, 2nd lot done. Nearly all the washing up done - one pan left soaking (and there are a few things in the front room. Many trips to the bin and another bag ready to go out tomorrow. I have cleaned the base of the shower and the room including digging out the waste trap and swishing it in a bucket. All back together and had a lovely shower - was so disgusting this morning that I just washed witha hot flannel. It did take 5 lots of mopping with sit downs in between but I'm using up lots of ends of cleaning stuff.

Gratitudes getting things done (may hurt tomorrow), my toilet smells like Christmas (Mrs Builder chose winter berry toilet cleaner, watched more Midsommer Murders. Found 2 more websites with several things on my present list. Some donations lined up.

dizzyblnd

Hi all. What a beautiful sunny day here in the south east. I could be so much happier if the weather was like this everyday. It’s a little crisp but bright blue skies. It makes me feel better and want to go outside. I have washing attempting to dry on the line which makes me happy as it means no energy costs to dry them. Happy days. 

Thursday and Friday were nsds so I’m up to nsd#5. Been so busy this week and next week is looking just as crazy so hopefully lots more nsds to come. 

Did my food shop yesterday as I had a voucher for £12 off and £80 spend so had planned my shop to maximise the voucher. Then got petrol using a double points voucher. Trying hard to keep my food shopping around £100 a week this month. It’s taking a lot of juggling- I don’t know how anyone with a family gets it below £100 a week. 

f0xh0les

It is grey and rainy in LeCity.  Just had a look at the weather forecast for Le'Shire for the next 14 days, rain, rain and drizzle when it isnt raining. Boo! Still, it will  be double figures at night mostly for the first week, and then plummets to 2 degrees on the morning of the week I have to get up early and drive 30 miles each way to work.  

I will  pull on my Big Girl pants and just think of the money. DH is on strike for 2 weeks this month. 

Read the riot act to my 4 menfolk this morning. Henry is waiting on their landing, I have stolen back my mugs and glasses, and told them to do their laundry, clean their rooms,  and hoover before lunchtime. 

Cleaned my bedroom, did my laundry, cleaned the bathroom, did the washing up, printed out last month's energy bill to show them over lunch. 

Lunch yesterday was 2 portions of the chinese rice casserole, one portion of curry and rice, and a frozen pizza.  Aka leftovers. They could just pick a plate. 

 Supper was cheese or cheese and ham toasties.  DS1 boycotted the whole thing and bought himself a takeaway - his choice. Some people think they are too good for leftovers, apparently (who knew?)

Lunch today is aubergine fatteh because I had 4 ys aubergines in the fridge, yoghurt is always here, and I got free parsley and pittas from the No-Waste-Food-Project place on Friday.  

The problem with feeding 6 people every day, is that some people don't (or pretend not to) like things. One gets uppity if you have rice 'too often', one would happily eat pasta every meal forever, one will not eat a chickpea that looks like a chickpea - but would eat falafel and hummus until they overdosed, but will also not eat hummus if it has been in the fridge (yeah, first world problems but everyone has to have a quirk I suppose).  

I have noticed that the idea of 'leftover food' is not appealing to 2 of them, even if they loved it when it was 'fresh'. I think this may be a social media food snobbery idiocy thing.  I am ignoring their nonsense. 

I cook one meal for everyone, and if there are leftovers, they do lunch for me and DH, or anyone that gets there first. There is always bread in the house, and cheese, peanut butter, jam, and crackers.  

It is not my job to buy snacks for them.  I am getting better at remembering this.  They have their own money/allowances, they can buy their own. 

grandmanerd

washing was done, tried to put it out but it was raining. A shame because the first lot was almost dry. Meh it needed a good rinse anyway (I hadn't realised it had stopped midway through the cycle when full of water). Swept the floor, more went out to various bins. Ticked off more of the shopping for December - tree ornaments for the girls, brio building set (2nd hand) for the eldest (missed the duplo that was on my watchlist, there is an excellent set but it's collection only and it's a long way away). Elephant throw (Leprosy mission) and a bracelet that lets you track an elephant (all proceeds to Save the Elephants) for darling d-o-l. Gin (WWT) and Turkish delight (Leprosy Mission) for darling d-i-l. Beer/ Ale for DS2 (some via a subscription which I will need to cancel, the rest from WWT). I also have a discount for the lego mini fig store.

If anyone has children who are into lego or duplo or collect the mini figures, Barnardos are having an online auction on the bay of E on Thursday - you can look at what they have (some playmobile/ Sylvanian families as well)

I tried to cook. Chopped a cauli but my hob seems to be 'locked' and I couldn't switch it off. Layered tenderstem broccoli and mushrooms and poured a carton of takeaway curry over them and heated it in the microwave (yummy). Some tidying done and looked through a box of toys to see what needs to come out and be wrapped.

I was awake in the night. I ended up on the edge of the couch and couldn't get in position to stand up. I went backwards in the end, did a multi point turn to get back to where I should be, by which time I was too awake to get back to sleep. I started to write a list of things in the fridge from memory. Checked this morning and only a few items missed - beetroot and radish. That's for using up and making meals. I started a list of things I'd like to est at Christmas and today I started to jot down what I've spent on everyone so far (luckily, I'd only bought one thing at that point). Need to even up amounts spent somehow, DS1 will ask for donation to a charity of his choice.

Had a phone call from mum's cousin this afternoon. Her husband has been very ill for the past 18 months - 2 years. Two weeks ago he fell in the bathroom, the ambulance took 5 hours to come and she couldn't get him up by herself. He's been very needy since having a stroke at the beginning of the year but she thinks he's given up now. I told her I'd been thinking of her but I'm a walking germ factory. I feel so sorry for her. Her mother died at Christmas when she was only 16. She left school, started full time work and kept house for her father and younger brother. Her hsband's mother (abandoned him to the care of 2 aunts when he was little) and her estranged father both died at Christmas. Her brother died in Ireland about 6 years ago. 

Grateful for a fairly healthy family (all in their ibuprofen years and with a hotch- potch of genetic ailments but stumbling along), contact with DS2 (he's very close to mum's cousin) and seeing little patches of clear floor)

BadBookkeeper

NSD - 5/12 went to a firework display organised by the village football club paid the suggested donation for the 3 of us.  Also ordered some bits online 2 planned 1 not. 

Outside - yes went to watch the fireworks 

Winter Planning - Good chat with ds about his birthday/Christmas presents.  He’s of an age where he understands how much things are.  Sensible list and I’ve decided what we are buying and what other family members can buy if they wish and ask for suggestions. 

Veg/Fruit - just a satsuma! 

Enjoy / Grateful for - Family tradition of seeing the fireworks 

Make Time / Lists - Feel organised 

Bring your own / use up  - Nothing here today

Exercise - None today

Remember others - Donate / Act of kindness - More items for charity bag 

dustydigger

Started to sort Xmas today. I save up all the year round and I have £600 in all to allocate for Xmas. I have 18 family members  to sort in all! Today I started with drinks. In all there was nearly £130 worth for 10 adults  plus some to give any visitors for Xmas and New Year week. But by using my Tesc* clubcard that went down to £97,and I applied my vouchers  from the year,£93,and so only had to pay £4. Drinks all sorted
Then there were all the selection boxes and chocolates and crisps  to order. Got those at Icel@nd. I had £90 saved up there,and used £73 of that. Icel@and are really generous. Every time you have put £20 on your bonus card you get a pound bonus.Thats £5  interest! I usually put some money in every month or so and at Xmas and Easter and some other occasions I look out for good deals and take advantage. eg now they are selling trays of Pepsi Max for £7  eachif you buy 3.All the other stores are charging £11 a tray. So i now have cola for the next couple of months,saving £12.and I can share them with the families with children so good show all round.
Also ordered the gift vouchers I give to many of the adults,which arrive tomorrow.I also ordered cash money envelopes to give to the grandkids and greatgrandkids. I have the cash ready to put in them.Will do that tomorrow
All there will be left to do after this friday is pack family goody bags,and sort Xmas food. I am severly cutting down on that ,last year I spent a fortune and ended up eating it myself. So will be stricter this year. Family gathering is at DS2,,DS1 cooking our dinner,so much less spending.Want as much done as possible this month so I can relax job well done in December
Off now to make supper. Feeling depressed at how some senators in US have kowtowed to the orange one,giving  govt about the shutdown.The cracks were starting to show,darn it,a little longer and something could have been achieved. Heartbroken.
But I have had a nice stress free weekend and a productive day sorting Xmas. Will try to get in a couple of hours reading tonight if I can get Mr D settled.. He has a cold and is miserable and restless. So, supper ,and try to get him to bed early. Then and only then do I ever get the use of the telly for myself! Of course within 20 mins I doze off so I never see anything!

grandmanerd

I'm very tired today, only woke up properly at a quarter to 12. My knees don't want to do anything and my back is protesting so have mostly stayed on the couch. Wrote an email to the planning department about getting a map of grandma's house, then did the bulk waste collection. A neighbour asked if he could have the roll of lino in my back yard - he's helping sort out a house for someone with 6 kids (I said yes). I went through the file of mum's paperwork. Found the receipt for the purchase and installation of the new boiler (2021), Couldn't find the safety certificates but found my house accounts for 2022 with the check down as an expense (hope that's enough for them).

I've been nibbling at a meal all day so just had a yoghurt for tea. Several parcels came, including my Christmas cards so will do those tomorrow if still not up and running.

Grateful for parcels arriving, finding difficult paperwork, letting myself go back to sleep (not a lot of choice)

dizzyblnd

Evening all. 

Donated all the change in my purse to the Poppy people Saturday, forgot to mention that. Going to do a charity run as soon as I’ve sorted stuff out. Cleaned the house yesterday ready for the impending decorations etc coming out. 

Today was nsd #6. All meals from stores. It was a wet day and that seemed to have affected everyone’s mood. Bring back the sunshine. Hope everyone is well. 

weenancyinAmerica

@dustydigger - I wish they had held out too. But now they have to swear in the new Senator and maybe the Epstein files will be released. May lose a few top men in office included the orange faced one - can always hope.

BadBookkeeper

For Yesterday - NSD - 6/12 Took ds for planned haircut, paid for from hair/clothes pot.

Outside - yes 

Winter Planning - Nothing here

Veg/Fruit - nope

Enjoy / Grateful for - Found some Christmas diamonds art kits from last year. DS did a small one and I started a bigger one.  Enjoyed it then watched the darts.  Did not work extra hours and feel better for it.

Make Time / Lists - Nothing here today 

Bring your own / use up  - Using diamonds kits from last year

Exercise - None today

Remember others - Donate / Act of kindness - started a food bank box to donate