NST JULY KISS

grandmanerd

NST July Keep It Simple Stupid

KEEP

Keep any routines, habits and systems that are working for you. Look at what's not working and try to work out why

Kat Essentials. Kat was the originator of these challenges. She set really tough challenges with many elements. Kat's essentials were knowing your Debt Free Date. Paying to your debt or savings first and living on what was left. Setting BUDGETS for everything, before the start of the month

Kat's Challenges included targets for SFD (spend free days). Exercise (healthy mind in a healthy body), Cooking at home, Taking Your Lunch To Work and drinks (takeaways, convenience stores, top up shops, random coffees are all quick ways to get through your money). She also believed in helping others and loved RANDOM Rules. If you are new to these challenges, pick out 2 or 3 elements to try and add others as you can. Concentrate on what you most need eg Budgetting if you need to get your finances under control.

IT

IT Learn how to do something new on your laptop, tablet or phone

IT Have a screen detox (even an hour a day is a start) and clean up. Delete old messages and emails, get rid of redundant apps and things you don't use.

IT Recycle used batteries. Go through those drawers of old power cords and be realistic about how many will ever be needed. Recycle appropriately

SIMPLE

SIMPLIFY your food choices (cut cooking time in the heat). Soups, sandwiches and salads will get you a long way. Have a simple exercise routine. Longer days shouldn't mean working all those hours - stop to enjoy the beauty all around you. Take time to pause and be grateful

SIMPLIFY your possessions. Have less to clean, maintain (any 'timesaving' gadgets that take ages to clean and multiple implements to get in all the nooks and crannies). For those of us who are getting on, eliminate potential trip hazards, items blocking doors and windows, items that don't have a home.

SIMPLIFY YOUR ROUTINES. Shorten your 'To Do' list. Eliminate 'should's, ought's and have to's'. Look at your To Do list. Can any items be delegated? Do you need to ask for help? Are there any items which just get transferred from old lists to new ones - are they irrelevant?

STUPID

First of all, you are not stupid. You may be overwhelmed, exhausted or running round in circles but you are NOT stupid.

STRUGGLING What are your immediate needs. Write down all the 'to do's' in one place, rather than messing up your mind only to have them resurface in the middle of the night. My essentials are FOOD, Clean Clothes and FINANCES (making sure the bills are paid on time and don't incur penalties). In times of struggle work out what your next meal is, put clothes in the washer if you're down to a couple of long t-shirts, check for overlooked bills. If you are temporarily incapacitated (busted arms and ankles, operation recovery time) laundry can be kicked down stairs, quite a lot can be carried in a bag or rucksack, leaving your arms free. Think about food like yoghurts and tinned fruit which are easily opened (sprained ankle with 3 small children and an 8 week recovery time - the A & E nurse said I'd have been better off breaking it).

SURVIVAL All the bad things have happened, you're lying in bed either because you can't face the world or you're being physically forced to rest (temporary injury or chronic condition). If you need to stay in the bed or propped up on the couch, don't fight it, let your body recover. Acknowledge what you did do - on a really bad day this might mean you got in the shower. Congratulate yourself. Work out simple jobs you can do in bed (I got my sons to put one drawer at a time on the bed next to me and sorted all the contents, I also embroidered a lion). PACING is your friend. Don't be ashamed of needing to go back to your bed/ couch frequently. Plan visits to the bathroom like a ninja warrior - put something away in a drawer, kick something downstairs or drop items in a bag or bucket to be moved later, bring back more water or a cold flannel, grab an extra pillow or cushion and rearrange them or yourself.

SUPPORT It's important to recognise when you need help and support. It might be help with applying for money, finding out about any gadgets that would help, talking to someone, reading up on aids or therapies that might help, having friends who don't mind chatting, physical support in the home, help with tasks you can no longer do. Seek help as soon as you know you need it (some things have a long waiting list). The harder things get, the more important it is to have as much FUN as possible.

Most of this is written from my point of view but we can all twist an ankle (in the school holidays) or need an operation or just have times when life gets too much. We all have stages in our lives when we need to reassess (living with a partner, having a baby, first child going to school, last child out of school, parent or partner needing full-time care).

The challenge runs throughout July. Who will join me

grandmanerd

Reserved for Contenders

1 grandmanerd

2 weenancyinAmerica

3 beanielou

4 DawnW

5 Rowan9

6 apple-muncher

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55 f0xh0les

beanielou

I’m in thanks @grandmanerd. Can I be no 3. Thanks.

weenancyinAmerica

HI. Can I join in again. Thank you.

DawnW

Me please @grandmanerd 😊

grandmanerd

My Plan for the Month of July (subject to change)

Keep any good habits etc.

I had developed a habit of in game spending (I think because I was unable to concentrate on reading and serious drama). I've cut back a lot in the past 3 months and this month it needs to go altogether. I have a number of pure puzzle games which do not require purchases so it should be okay. The teaspoon of local honey each day is helping with the hayfever and sore throat and a couple of add ons are also staying. Not sure what to add next, maybe aim for more consistency (not clearing the bed and surrounding area of various recycling soon builds up to a big mess).

Kat essentials. I have no debt. I do need to have a serious look at my finances (move some money to split up my savings, make some donations). See if I can purchase somewhere for DS3 and Beloved to go and reconsider purchasing a bungalow. I've already listed some pros and cons and I've checked that I can stay with the same doctor's surgery if I move to my preferred location (swathes of 1960's bungalows in 2 adjacent areas, 3-4 miles away). These are larger than modern bungalows, with large gardens/ slabs and the possibility of converting the garage into a second dwelling. Moving near to DS1 and DS2 is financially impossible. I'm not keen on 'sheltered housing' options - saw some lovely ones set in parkland but high hayfever alert.

Budgets have not been set (I'm allowing you a week because the challenge was set so late). Setting a target of 10 SFDs because I'm so dependent on deliveries and have a list of random items I need to get (some would be exempt as they count as medical but I'm not going to bother with that). Last month I jotted down things as they occurred to me (did some research as well) and managed my main shop satisfactorily - just oos items causing snags. Random purchases were bundled to reduce costs (it's also something I caan do when my legs protest and I have to go back to resting). Cooking, meal planning and food waste need tackling - starting simple by preparing raw veg and grab and go meals (several purchased RM with no additives in the freezer). Exercise is going to start with lots of stretching, shoulder shrugs etc and allowing at least 2 days with my ankle strapped up and propped up. I try to take drinks with me but not food as it was mostly blood tests and I was afraid I'd snaffle all the food. I did take food and drink when I was sent to the hospital. Helping others Usual standing orders plus outstanding donations and the Replenishery (refill store) is collecting for Pens for Kids so I'll round up spare pens, pencils etc for that.

Plans for the month (budget adjacent) I'm going to DS2's new house on Sunday. I've been warned that the downstairs loo is small. I need to sort out presents for my elder grand-daughter's birthday (8th). I have an optician's appointment (12th) and a talking therapies initial assessment (30th?). Voting for Andy's replacement is at the end of the month. I'll continue with the 'coffee and chat' on Mondays and the 'TECH Mate' on Tuesdays. A colouring session run by the library has been moved to the slot before the 'C&C' (mindfulness, more very quiet socialising and keeping the numbers up to keep the sessions running).

Budgetting (Finances going forward) requires the Pinsentry (access to online banking). I'll try phoning the branch again today (I wrote down the 'helpline' - supremely unhelpful number and then the branch phone number - hopefully a real person, but couldn't find them yesterday). Otherwise it's a trip to the branch in Bolton, which will have to be next week. I want to go upstairs here to sort through what's left of my possessions (and look for broken items of their's) but want to keep the upstairs slog for DS2's house (it's his partner's and the girls' too). There are some small books with leaves and animal poos etc which will go with GD1's bug finder stuff (b'day). Maybe I can post them on when I find them. I've looked online and lots of guides are around the £8 mark for not much content. Will ponder.

IT Hoping to learn lots of things at TECH Mate. Will try to keep on top of the emails etc. Not sure I have many apps (the laptop games are apps) but something to consider going forward. The smartphone purchase was to take advantage of loyalty point apps. Think the current laptop is on it's way out

SIMPLIFY Lots to get rid of (some already in bags but need to pick my day - did try to get DS3 to drop some trainers in the hopper at little Arseda). Lots of crafts to go. I have thought about having a day of using buses to get close to various drop off points (will check the Council website to see what is collected where). Need to sort through paperwork, especialy my rough notes books. It's been a bit of a whirlwind since I saw the Practice Nurse in late March (Doctor/ hospital on Apr 1st, 2 lots of blood tests, multiple referrals - some followed up some pending/ on a list). I think I need to proactive about my MH and find something online to follow.

STUPID. Yes I'm struggling (but I recognised that my usual techniques wern't enough). I've followed through and asked for help. Some days are still about just surviving (physically daunting not self harm). STRESS has been a constant companion for 5+ years. I'm going to try to pass on some outstanding mum stuff to my niece (she's stressed too - we can be stressed together). Not done because the paperwork is upstairs and other more urgent tasks got in the way. PACING is my friend, plus building resilience and practical systems. MY priority is FUN.

I have had my shower. Going to strap up my ankle next. I bought a new mid-term diary for £2 so I'm going to start putting new appointments, addresses etc in there and use my old diary and the weekly planner for scribbling (diary is nearly full). The heat/ sun means lots of unfinished jobs but there's also a lot of green stuff already cut that just need to go in bags and put in the bin. Lots of rubbish and recycling to be collected. I did put out a sack of cans + a small bag, a bag of paper and moved the blue bin to the end of the back for collection

Grateful for the bed, time to rest, the turtle gang

grandmanerd

Self Care for July

Inhale a fresh start

Unpack your emotions

Be your own fan

Reflect where you shine

Enjoy the moment

Free yourself from limitations

Hold on to bits of beauty

Find a place to be creative

Cherish simple pleasures

Love despite distance

Recall happy memories

Celebrate your progress

Dance to your own beat

Pay attention to what is blooming

Venture to a new place

(Positively Present)

Rowan9

I’d love to join again please.
I have the good habit of bringing my lunch to work and having supplies in my locker eg tins no drain tuna and salmon, oatcakes and peanut butter, nuts. I always feel good at this thriftiness

i don’t have debt and I also need to rearrange savings.
I am going to ease this month, kindness to self

Today I’m grateful for

Lovely salad lunch from home

Lidl telling me I have free stuff to choose

One carnation still blooming from birthday flowers at the beginning of June

Oh and an extra, this shiny new month, thank goodness

Have as good an evening as possible folks x

weenancyinAmerica

Off to a good start this month. Plans are all entered in calendar. I have a separate 16 day calendar with the entries from the regular calendar plus at least three things I want to do each day. Budget has not only been set but will pay all bills for the month tomorrow after 2 roommates pay their share of expenses. Will start an emergency fund savings account also. Need to do better at planning meals but tomorrow is also the day for making a big order at local grocery for pickup. Voucher for 10% off also. Will be taking a class this fall in using my cell phone. I don't like them because I find them difficult to hold with pinched nerves causing tingling fingers and arthritis causing actual pain holding on to phone. May consider making a holder I can wear. So far there are no apps on my phone. Doesn't even have phone numbers in a contact list. Have been simplifying my room. Took bag of books to library (one bag a week for several months now) today and didn't bring anything home. Would like to have a mini-vacation but it looks like that will be my stay in the hospital instead. Not until October though, but it will be three days in the hospital followed by two weeks in rehab. Can I consider that a vacation? At least it is a change. We have been having the strangest weather for California. Only about 20C for a high here and we had light sprinkles today. It was grey skies until almost 4 pm. We still haven't had the heat. Summer probably won't start until the middle of July (and lasts until the middle of October), but they aren't expecting any day to be over 26C. Normally we are much warmer. Back East here in the United States is getting all of the horrible weather.

DawnW

Yesterday was quite hot at work, but it rained a bit overnight and it seems a bit cooler this morning. So far, anyway!

Today I need to tidy the house as OH has a podiatrist visit at lunchtime, go to the building society and ask for a savings statement so I can finish my tax return, and go for a blood test later this afternoon. I also want to do some gardening between these tedious things! The sweet peas were over before they had really got going due to the heat wave which despite watering, just shrivelled them up 😌 so I will replace them with something else I already have. I am aiming to cut down on the number of pots I have to water. I need to sow some spinach and harvest basil which I will wash, dry and put in the fridge till I get the chance to make pesto. I also want to feed the raspberries today. Busy day, so I had better get on with it!

Dinner will be a frittata to use up last week's eggs and some fridge bits. I bought far less food this week (need to continue with this to use what we already have and make freezer space) so there is less in the fridge to use up, if that makes sense😊 We are eating less as we are trying to lose weight (successfully) and I have been struggling with how much to buy and then scrabbling to use things before they go off 🙄 I rarely waste food (one banana went in the compost yesterday) but most weeks have ended up doing extra cooking to use things before they go off and then trying to cram the results into the freezer. No fun having the oven on during the very high temperatures last week!

f0xh0les

Sorry! I fell overboard, and woke up on a desert island clasping a wooden plank… or something like that.

Can I join in for July please.

All bills paid yesterday, money shunted to savings (still can't find a builder to do what I want them to do - grrrr), but there is quite a lot of days for work listed on my calendar for this month, I will be in Bolton soon too @grandmanerd maybe we will pass in the street!

Then another week in a West Midlands city that I was sure (when I lived in the West Midlands ) was in the East Midlands, but now I am in the East Midlands, I am assured it is in the West Midlands. Maybe because they each want to 'send' people there? I dunno.

There is lots of driving around the place in my immediate future.

In other news, I have applied for my Irish passport and it should all be finalized this month, and then I can get all 4 boys on the Irish Birth Register and get them their passports. Then they can travel and work wherever they want.