NST JULY KISS

f0xh0les

I can see the hills on fire from the roof of our building in the centre of Bolton. There was a lovely breeze here, but that was only helping the fire.

apple_muncher

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82068427#Comment_82068427

Yikes!

Today Pip's DBS arrived and he's got the all clear (of course!) so can do his summer job. He's really looking forward to it.

We saw the gastroenterologist this morning, who was fab and who will arrange for a couple of procedures to be done during the same visit.

Other than the above, a quiet day here. Watched some recorded rugby with Pip, made meals, finally finished all my marking (the extra, extra lot), enjoyed the honeysuckle, admired the sheer amount of greenery out there despite such dry conditions, watched utube. And it's still only about 4pm! The day is young 🤣

grandmanerd

Wednesday 15th July 2026

Sometimes peace can be found in unexpected places. Stay open to the possibility of discovering serenity just where you are.

(Positively present)

grandmanerd

Simple home updates on a budget

1 Declutter to make everything more spacious

2 Remove scuff marks from walls (using magic eraser sponges)

3 Replace (or spray paint) old hardware like door handles and knobs

4 Clean and tidy the house (as much as you can)

5 Make a list of anything small that needs fixing and DIY it

(Ordinary and Happy)

grandmanerd

Still struggling with hayfever - I'm feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed but there's that scratching at the back of my throat, my eyes are twitching and I'm sneezing. My legs haven't worked well for about 3 days (tiny steps or moving sidewards), lots of pain in my knees, hip and back and my ankle throbbing). Yesterday I spent a lot of time moving about on the bed (stetching and contracting various muscles, ankle circles and paddling, moving things that would move - left leg bent with my foot on my right thigh). I've also taken ibuprofen sparingly. Moving better this morning - first challenge is getting the washing out on the line.

Positives

Moving my legs, knees and ankles (hoping the back pain is collateral damage)

The fresh load of washing went in, washed, drained and spun

Picked quite a lot of small rubbish (soft plastics, rubbish, cans and bottles) and DS3 put the bin out for collection

I've added a new bit to both morning and evening routines and have been doing it consistently for nearly a week.

I'm plotting - mainly frustration as I need to get upstairs to sort my stuff plus other things that I just can't do

Cleaned out the salad drawer from the fridge + random stray items (most of the stuff was okay but there were some deliquesced bits at the bottom so it all needed to come out - only needed to replace half the foil lining and there was a roll of foil in the drawer)

Grateful for food from the fridge and freezer (especially ice cream), exercise (reminding my legs what they should do) and making plans.

grandmanerd

Friday 17th July 2026

It's utterly impossible for me to build my life on a foundation of chaos, suffering and death.

I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness, I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions.

And yet when I look up at the sky, I feel that somehow, everything will change for the better.

That this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will reign once more

(Diary of Anne Frank 15th July 1944)

21 Things you can do to be happier

Forgive yourself for small mistakes

Culivate an attitude of gratitude

Foster positive relationships

Live in the present

Set realistic goals

Surround yourself with JOY

Exercise

Celebrate successes

Get enough sleep

Spend quality time with yourself

Don't compare yourself to others

Prioritise self-care

Journal

Laugh often

Limit screen time

Practice deep breathing

Eat healthy food

Spend time in nature

Establish a routine

(MAYBLISS)

grandmanerd

Mrs Builder came yesterday. Kitchen and shower room are sparkling and we did several other jobs as well. I wanted the bay tree moving from it's current pot (extremely broken, no rim at all and a couple of cracks). As pots are now allowed in the cans/plastic/glas bin, my plan was to turn it on it's side on to a tarpaulin, break up the pot and move it into the new pot (one of the incinerator bins which I half filled months ago). I knew I couldn't do it on my own but thought it was only a quick easy job.

I was wrong. We couldn't get it to tip. The naughty bay had gone through the pot and shoved it's roots between the cobbles underneath. I reached for the lump hammer and smashed what I could of the pot. Mrs Builder pushed the how and later a shovel underneath to pry it out. I had to go and sit on my garden chair and Mrs Builder carried on hacking, wrestling and smashing until the bay surrendered. For context it was less than a foot tall when I bought it and now it towers over me. Mrs Builder asked where it was going, pulled the bin next to the tree and deposited it. I gave her a piece of the mini greenhouse (a bar with a corner attachment on the top) to support it and then she shovelled up loads of loose soil to fill in the gaps.

We both had a sit down, she smoked her vape. I apologised because I genuinely though it was going to be quick and easy. I mentioned that I had difficulty moving the oldest apple tree a month back and she tried it. Luckily that hasn't put it's roots through the bottom. We were entertained by one of the neighbours swearing profusely. I came in and had an ice lolly, Mrs Builder stayed outside and the neighbour came to tell her his tale of woe (he was telling next door, before). Apparently he'd asked the neighbour at the end to lend him £20 until the end of the week and been refused. This year he's helped them frequently - he loaded his van with their rubbish and took it to the tip. he power washed their yard, so their unhelpfulness upset him.

This is the neighbour who reported our yard in the past, she recently reported the builder doing up the flats at the back - I told the Council worker who came round that the builder were very careful, they burn bits of wood in an incinerator and regularly have a small lorry with a grabber come and take away bricks and rubble. They were also the ones who complained to DS3 when he left the 3 seater couch at the side of their house (he'd dragged it along the front, they wanted him to drag it along the side of their house and all the way down the back to behind our house, only for the council collectors to have to drag it all the way back the next morning).

The problem is that the neighbour's husband had his car upholstery eaten by rats. They frequently block off access to the back by parking his car in the corner of the back and hers behind their house (but if it's not straight you struggle to squeeze the bins past to put them out for collection) and when sons come their cars are their too. Apparently the upholstery was very expensive to replace and it has made them paranoid, but as I said to Mrs Builder, the only thing proven to attract rats is J's car. I have little respect for J as when I had drug dealsers next door and I went to ask the neighbours to go with me to the landlord who rented the house out, J said that he was afraid of reprisals and would have to ask his wife. When he 'told' DS3 he 'couldn't leave the couch next to their house' (it was in the backs, which is communally owned) it was after DS3 had to ask her to move her car which was parked at the front, with half of it on the pavement.

Sorry bit of a rant there. I'm keeping quiet becuse you have to get on with the neighbours (only 5 houses in the row) but all the consideration seems to be one way (and the Irish in me is getting close to flipping).

I'd done some more clearing/ watering in the yard whilst Mrs Builder was tackling the bay. Earlier I'd put the last of the washing out on the line and set another load off as soon as she came. I asked her to put the quilt out on the line, it needs washing but I'm not planning to use it until it gets cold again and other things are more urgent. I put some washing out on the line last night, after bringing in the dried stuff, but coudn't manage a second trip.

Mrs Builder and I checked my bed as I'm slowly 'breaking' it. When I lie down I can hear the little screws popping out, they aren't going anywhere atm but I was worried about the slats falling through and me going with them. So we took completely cleared the bed and lifted the mattress, The slats are bending but are being kept in place by the IKEA unit I insisted on placing underneath. The screws are popping but more or less staying in place. I asked Mrs Builder to flip the mattress (I need to spray it sometime but the spray is upstairs so will have to go on the pending list. She made up the bed with the clean mattress protector and lots of sheets (I slept so well).

We have also told DS3 that when Mrs Builder comes next week, we will clear the cage and they can take it upstairs. He still says it won't fit. I asked if it came ready assembled or if they put it together (it was during the pandemic, I only saw it completed). He said they did and I've repeated my offer to buy a new cage which they can put together upstairs and the old one can be added to the bulk waste collection. The middle layer has a couple of rusted through holes, one of which is big enough for a chinchilla to fall through.

I have also adopted a cba attitude to some chores. In the past I've carefully sifted through piles of mixed rubbish, small stones, weeds and dirt (I have a good record of restoring dirt into useable soil). It's very time consuming and strenuous (just the concentration and hunched over a sieve bit) so some of the accumulated piles (dustpan sized) will be going into the black bin unsorted, especially if there are lots of 'weed tree' seeds in there. I have used plastic bottles with watering spikes to help keep the pots watered. The newest of these is approx 5 years old and I've been retiring them once they've been rinsed out (kept the spikes). Well the bottles and cans bin came back to the house yesterday and about 7 bottles have gone in (it's only a thin film of dirt). Similarly some 'mixed' rubbish (card/ plastic composites) are going in the rubbish bin not recycling. All this will give me more time for planting and growing.

I am grateful for Mrs Builder, clean sheets and taking shortcuts which mean I get to do some of the things I love.

grandmanerd

I'm succeeding at raising my mood (admittedly it couldn't get much lower). I just wrote an epic.

I've adopted Chumbawumba's 'I get knocked down' as my mantra (I even did something that might loosly be described as dancing the day before yesterday).

DawnW

Very hot and tedious day at work, and I still have the watering slog to do - but OH is cooking dinner 😊

grandmanerd

I've been off adventuring (non-exciting adventuring). I decided it was time to go to the bank in Bolton. I didn't say this earlier because I was worried that it would be another day when I just couldn't do it. I was awake at 5.30 am and ate and did my pills. I fell asleep until 8 am when I showered and washed my hair. Pause for drying. Then half an hour waiting for the suncream to be absorbed before putting clothes on.

At 1 pm I phoned for a taxi (I had worked out the nearest place to the bank where a taxi could drop me). Nothing for an hour. Okay I said, the bank will still be open so taxi booked for 2 pm. Ate, read a bit of my book and checked that I had as many 'proofs' of address as possible. Taxi came, the window beside me was fully wound down and it was lovely. Until we got to Bolton town centre. The driver didn't go where I would have liked him to (it may have been buses only or just that he was in the wrong lane) so we did a fairly wide circuit of the town centre. Everywhere we wanted to go was blocked (only buses, taxis and bikes - he said it only meant the hackney taxis not private hire). Major road works (27 weeks starting in May) threw another spanner in the works. I just concentrated on making sure he didn't end up going towards Deane or Hall in the woods. Finally after a series of small side streets and back alleys we got to fairly near the bank (a block and a half away). I got out where the pedestrianised bit started, paid and then told him which way to go to get out of Bolton.

I had 15 minutes to get to the bank but it was easy. I walked to the help desk and requested a new pinsentry machine and a new phone banking passcode (the machine didn't understand my security question answers but I've only used phone banking once about 7 years ago). I didn't need all the proofs of address just had to let her put my card in her pinsentry machine and put in my code. That's now sorted and I also withdrew cash.

I went back the way I'd come (only the half block) and tried to go in the shopping centre with the nice toilets - all blocked off. The large B00ts branch said it was closing in August. I went in for sandwiches and there were none. The old M & S store is now surrounded by scaffolding, the old C & A building has still not found a purpose and the shopping centre that runs across the back and through to the Pack Horse is all blocked off. The whole centre is looking pretty desolate. I wondered about how to avoid the temptation of Smiths but that too has gone. Three banks were the only flourishing establishments - my bank is in what used to be Mothercare. Headed across the square towards the bus station (that was busy but it was new graduates taking photos with their families). I did sit down on a shady bench under the trees and took the back street to stay in some shade.

I arrived at the bus station, red-faced, sweaty and exhausted and asked at the information desk if they could unlock the disabled toilet or me. No problem but there was someone in and a small queue. Didn't need the key because we were all carefully holding the door open for the next disabled person. I held my wrists under the ccold tap and then wiped my forehead with my wrist. Went to the bay for my bus and it came soon after (the driver was getting off but the new driver didn't lock us out and he signalled for me to go onboard as soon as he'd set up). I'd picked the side away from the sunshine and once we were out of the town centre and on the road I was comfortable. I read for a bit, dropped the letter I was using as a bookmark but a small boy picked it up for me and when we were at the bus station, another passenger shouted to the driver when he was closing the doors as I struggled to get up and then to move.

The journey back to the house was difficult. I sat to rest several times (I've actually been on the point of going in a pub multiple times today). Whilst I was waiting at the traffic lights my helpful neighbour came along. He took my bag, agreed when I insisted on staying on the shaded side of the street and finally asked me to sit on my walker and he pushed me in it as though it was a wheelchair (the manufacturer does not approve of this). He left me at my door, putting my bag down beside me.

I've mostly been on the bed since, stretching, circling and wiggling bits of my anatomy to persuade them that they are still viable (I went in the shower and sprayed my toeas and legs with cold water as soon as I got in). Feeling a bit looser but 2 big ticks on my to do list which is great (taking control).

Grateful for helpful bank staff (very thin on the ground, 2 or 3 desks have disappeared since I last went), kind bus drivers (already had the platform lowered for me, some just offer but aren't keen), good books and easy food.