NST August 2026: The Good Life

f0xh0les

Afternoon Turtles!

August is a strange month for me, after a very worky July, and expecting an exceptionally worky September, I have precisely DIDDLY work in August (??) but I do have GCSE and A level results to navigate with DS3 and DS4.

DS1 is now employed (bank staff) with the NHS and is out the back with DH fixing up the bike I bought him but he has never ridden, DH has ridden it occasionally, but it has been safely stored inside and oiled, so the £15 I spent on it years ago will be saved in the first week he rides it down to the main bus station as it will save him £6 a day until PM-AB reduces the bus fare, and even then it will still save him £4 a day. I was going to release it back into the wild if he did not use it before Summer was over, so at least it will be used. Bike #5 in F0xh0les T0wers

I filled up a partial year of NI contributions with my pay this morning. Shunted £££ to savings, and left myself with a small budget for the week. I have been getting up at 5am for the last week, so today is mooching around in my shortie pyjamas, I have been out into the back yard, deadheaded all the flowers, replanted and repositioned some plants that were not thriving, and gave everything a good drink. They were neglected all week by DH. I have some tomatoes and beans to pick, which is lovely. I have a free bunch of white roses in a vase, and fridge-dived for leftover ratatouille for lunch with some couscous. Last week's work will be paid end of August (boo!)

I've tried to do my expenses, but the site has fallen over, so everything is done and saved until someone picks it up again. I have done all I can until someone else does their bit, hopefully before Tuesday, which is expenses deadline for payment the following week. It is £300 worth, so really I want it asap.

Gratitudes: I have money coming to me, even though I have no scheduled work.

I have homegrown free tomatoes and a tiny cuke on the way,

I have an outside space, even though it is tiny,

I am having a lovely lazy day and will bake some potatoes for supper tonight. Apparently 35 minutes in an air fryer once stabbed with a fork (you can't say pr1-ck'd or the obscenity police kicks in) - who knew?

apple_muncher

We all survived the travel to and from Lunnon, phew. The performance was fantabulous and really reflected what a community choir is.

Today I am grateful for easy travel, iced coffee, easy food, my electric fan, Pip having an excellent day out.

grandmanerd

Saturday was a successful start to the month. I forgot to include in last month that I ha started new bags for each category of recycling and also the pinsentry machine arrived and I was able to access my bank account. I now have all the information I need to set a budget including a couple of new donation SOs and design a savings schedule (I still need to set up a separate savings account). I also have some information to add to mum's accounts.

Mrs Builder came yesterday and easily tackled the remainder of the mess that I couldn't reach. I was doing a push on small (ish) cardboard boxes and had told DS3 to throw down the cage boxes.

Cage building was going on upstairs (they still haven't taken the chinchillas). I was told later that they had downloaded a video because they knew from last time that the written instructions were rubbish, but still had to rebuild bits three times (a shelf layer was upside down and then the sides were the wrong way round, even though they were identical). I had passed on several bags of recycling for Mrs Builder to take out, she also pegged out the washing. Later when I asked DS3 where the cage cardboard was, he said that it was in front of the WM. Mrs Builder had taken that out as well and had turned my garden table the right way up. That will make a lot of jobs much easier. DS3 had also squashed 2 bags of cans at my request so more went into the already full bin (I had given it a good shake to settle the contents).

Later I added the 3 bags of weeds to the green bin.

Whilst Mrs Builder was here I moved things from the trolley into the set of drawers DS3 had brought down. This meant moving a pile of stuff from the garden chair. I worked on rooting out rubbish and things to go to the cs (I need to go and check on how full the bins are now).

The end of the month was quite spendy. I was actually considering a list of things for the boys to buy me for that day in December (I've vetoed more candles for now because if my hands continue to shake, I might not be safe with candles). There are some things that have been on my 'to buy' list for 3 - 6 months. Then I realised that there are some things I do not need to wait for. For many years my only new clothes, underwear and when my trusty handbag needed replacing came via my mother and Father C. I've sort of recognised this. When my father died I bought new towels (still going strong) and a crystal and a jet necklace - the boys each broke one of my necklaces (jet engagement present, crystal beads which had been my grandma's and a blue glass crystal necklace bought at an 'antiques' fair) and when my brother died I bought embroidery fabric and threads that I wanted for the first time (I started embroidering at 17 and I was 49 when my brother died, all that time I existed on scraps from charity shops and sales. using approximations of colours and then buying the last few which I couldn't substitute).

Three years ago I picked some handbags from Oxfam's second -hand September including one from the little dog. I love the little dog (his name begins with R) but I only ever bought one purse before (in the sale and with present money I had been given).

So my purchases included a set of 3 spectacles cases, a pack of brightly coloured combs - I haven't seen mine since DS3 used it to comb his hair whilst waiting for a takeaway (the bright colours should be easier to find). I did look in B00ts about 3 weeks ago but they wanted £5 for a plain comb. I knew I could get a pack much cheaper if I could walk a block and a half further up and round the corner but getting as far as B00ts was quite a stretch. I also bought new toys for the chinchillas cage. I've been looking at them for weeks and nearly did an order on Friday night but couldn't find a clothes rail (for me) that looked sturdy enough but was short enough to fit in the alcove behind my bed (the best one was 4" too long). So I went on the nasty river site (must get off it again) and bought a alot of bits I needed (all discounted/ on sale and much cheaper than ones I'd been browsing).

Plans for the month

Need to start working on diet and exercise - will start with more water and chair yoga/ tai chi (2 cheapo books on the way, free downloads available online but I would need a printer). I was going to do a food diary but I've already lost track of what I've eaten today so wil find another way to manage it. I did buy food yesterday (restocked the ice lollies super duper cheap) but will try to get through the week without more food spending (must go through the big freezer and transfer more rm).

Continue with puzzle book (I have several stockpiled). My writing is so bad (shaking hands and arthritis) that I couldn't bear how messy my working out looked. But I've tried over the past 2 weeks and it's helping me focus and be more alert so I need to ignore the fact that it's messy (sometimes unintelligible) and treat it as a positive thing.

Finances Need to get things in order, including the last bits of mum's accounts then meet with brother and niece. I did tell him at our cousin's funeral that he would have to wait until my hands co-operate more, he saw the shaking for himself. Set up saving account. Renew passport (just for identification)

Health Many appointments in abeyance - waiting for neurology consult, waiting for social services home visit, now on waiting list for CBT group counselling. Will continue going to Coffee and Chat. Work at getting more tech savvy with TECH Mate. Try not to obsess over things I don't know or can't do anything about.

Reducing Possessions I have a list of donations to charities and causes. I am going to think about if I can make use of things and if not pass them on to people who can use them. I need to get things out as I'm getting a logjam by the front door. I'll try to plan a day or two just bussing back and forth to the nearest stop. The cage and 2 filing cabinets will go to the end of the back for the scrap man or anyone passing who wants them. I will arrange a Waste Wizard appointment for anything left.

Gratitude keep trying to be happy (it's happening a bit, atm happiness seems to be a day when things got done). be positive when I can, don't beat myself up when it gets hard, don't think about things I can't do anything about (other than wait). Do what I can, rest when I need to, make a patchwork quilt of all the little scraps of happiness and joy which come my way

f0xh0les

Today I am spending £20 on cinema tickets to go and look up at a pretend Greek's thighs. I am just taking DH, I cannot remember the last time we just went somewhere together. I am always chasing DH round the kitchen table, a la Tom and Barbara, but this will be the first grown up almost romantic thing we have done together without any kids for ages. I did invite them, via text, at 9am, but nobody has got back to me so they can s0d 0ff. I am going to the pictures with my man. It is 3 hours long. He is already moaning about the death of the 90 minute movie.

I will come home and make a veg stew with fridge-bottom-gravel, DH will make a hummus to go with the wraps I took out of the freezer, and I will use up the last bits of salady-bobs and herbs in a salad, and make a sacrificial coleslaw with the rest. Fridge should be practically empty before I go shopping again. There are 2 empty drawers in the freezer as well. Will wipe round inside the fridge and give it a tiny clean. I have 1/2 the amount of food in the pantry that I had this time last year. I need to get out of the mindset that I need to keep 2 months worth of supplies in the house. The building works need to be done, and I don't want to have to store stuff in the back room for weeks while that gets done. The kids are huffy about it already. No snacks, no extras, no fripperies, no baking 3 x a week in case they ever get hungry. Suck it up Cupcakes, there is a new Sheriff in town.

There, food for tonight and tomorrow lunch/evening meaning no cooking needed on Monday, when it is supposed to be 30 degrees again and I won't be faffed with it all. I have a plan!

grandmanerd

Another (mosrtly) successful day. I continued my mission to rid the house of recycling. Moved small things eg emptied water bottles back to the kitchen and clean handkerchiefs into the front room (there is a space in the correct drawer). I looked through the contents of 2 bags, removed unecessary packaging and added to the cs pile. I took off a pillowcase, then decided both the pillow protector and the pillow would benefit and put them all in the washer and set it going.

IN the afternoon I took about 39 pens and pencils to the Replenishery (collecting for Pens for Kids) and then a bag of random stuff to the cs. Getting back was tough with many stops needed (my ankle needs to be strapped up again, my knees are doing great, thanks to Ibu gel). Rested when I got home and may have had a little doze. I cleaned my CPAP mask and hose.

At about 5 pm DS3 came down and started taking the chinchillas' wheel and bowls from the cage. I helped - he can carry a lot more then me and asked me to put the smaller items in a box (gifted to him to put his books in, so the humongous box he put them in can move off my teal 'velvet' box). Finally he took the chinchillas. I set to work cleaning out the cage. I had a rest. I did more. Another break.

The unsuccessful part of my day was that I ordered takeaway (my evening meal was a distant memory by this time). I enjoyed every mouthful. It was now 9 pm. I would have liked to finish the cage but wisely decided to brush my teeth, take the washing out of the machine, gathered my hose and mask, filled a water bottle from the tap,climbed into bed and took my evening pills.

I was physically exhausted but mentally it took a while to wind down. Tired but happy. Grateful that the chinchillas are out of my space (want the cage and mess gone), lovely takeaway, good book and entertaining series.

beanielou

@grandmanerd. So pleased for you that the chinchillas are finally out of your space. Sure you & Mrs B can get the cage away soon.

DawnW

Great news re the chinchillas @grandmanerd !

Very hot here today, over 30 degrees again. It is supposed to be cooler for the next few days, then get hot again, according to the forecast up till the middle of August. No meaningful rain in sight unfortunately. Farmers have harvested sparse crops early and are having to feed their animals on winter fodder as there is no grass. Not sure what is going to happen re food prices, but I guess the northern part of the UK isn't as badly affected (?)

Received the detailed quote for solar panels etc and it is a lot more than originally stated, almost twice as much, and there would be lots of hassle involved (including potential planning issues) so we decided against. We are going to have the house wiring checked and the fuse box changed though. It hasn't been done for many years, probably since the 1980s or even earlier, when major alterations were done, way before we bought the house. The fuse box isn't up to today's standard, and some of the wiring is suspect. Makes sense to get that checked out. We also need to get some rendering to the front of the house repaired or replaced, so money going out on house stuff this autumn I think. The joy of old houses.

Haven't achieved much, just some odd jobs and watering. More to do.

Going to make a veggie lasagne for dinner, so I had better get on with prepping that..

grandmanerd

Coffee and Chat was good but my leg hurt and my ankle should have been strapped up. Hobbled home limping then put my ankles up on a wedge pillow. Ate from the fridge but nothing much got done. I did return the final book to the library so now my account is clear.

Grateful for support pillows, coffee and chat people, food from the fridge.

grandmanerd

• My ankle is strapped up and painful so I couldn't do much. I hung 2 items on the line then sat for a while doing lazy weeding - just the stuff near enough to me. The rain got a bit heavy so I came in. Later I managed to get as far as the bins to check how full they were, then put food waste in the green bin (I ate 2 well past their date salads for lunch - they were fine, they taste fizzy on my tongue if they are starting to go off) but there were a couple of beyond hope things in the salad drawer. I sat and did more weeding, moved the chair to do more but there were bits I couldn't reach.

At the end of the afternoon, walking to the bathroom became really difficult so I took off my wellies (I had a bandage on and then the little wellies were helping to support and protect my ankle) and rested with my ankle on a wedge pillow. I've just been back outside with a few more scraps and added all the weeding (I piled it on the garden table). My exercise booklets came today. Oh the irony, oh how I laughed.

Grateful for food from the fridge (and a chocolate nutty ice cream lolly from the freezer), for using things up, for resting.

grandmanerd

Mrs Builder has been. She sorted the kitchen (not much to do as she came on Saturday) then finished emptying the cage of granules, hay and poo. I worked on filling the second set of drawers with 'things that are staying'. Mrs Builder took the cage out the front way and to the end of the street, then came back. Nowty neighbour came storming up. She had seen 'this thing' go past her window and it was now at the side of her house. I was so glad Mrs Builder had answered the door. She said calmly that the scrap man would be coming to collect it. Nowty neighbour subsided. I'm very fed up with her. She seems to assume that the land at the side of the house belongs to her when it is held in common between all the houses (I have the original 19th C deeds). The wedge shaped area between us and the car park entrance is bigger than the area behind the houses and since she and her husband are taking up 2 car spaces of it (all the bit that isn't double yellow lines) they are already using more than their fair share.

So Mrs Builder swept the floor where the cage had been (4 bags of food, 2 pumice stone ledges, one pet carrier, one bag of apple wood sticks, the food bowls and the kitchen bin are all on the stairs waiting to be taken up). I emptied the filing cabinet. 4 more cans of paint have gone under the stairs, the other few bits have been taken out and that too went to the end of the street. We then started work on the other filing cabinet in the corner of the kitchen. i gave Mrs Builder the laundry basket to pu everything in as it is mostly lightweight (bin bags, paper bags, batteries and a few tools). Whilst she was taking that (using my trolley) I came back in the front room and cleared the small trolley (it has a broken wheel) and DS3 came down to wait for his food delivery so I told him to take it through to the back door (he was in his underpants and no shoes).

There is now room for Henry to go in the entrance to under the stairs. I have 3 empty boxes, some carrier bags and a couple of bags for life. There's lots to sort but if I bag all the cs stuff, it will make a dent in it. I asked DS3 if he will move the couch with me later. It's going where the cage was, so it's easy to move out when it's being collected an

d I can use it to sort stuff whilst I sit in a chair. Mrs Builder mopped through, she also hung out the washing I set going this morning and also the piece of cloth I tied to the cage (to stop litter going on my bed). it will be brushed free of fur before it goes in my WM.

I've eaten and am now back on the bed, resting my ankle. It is much better today but still strapped up. I have been sitting in different places all morning as I worked my way through all the bags and boxes. Once the couch is moved I'll be able to access the craft drawers (most of the contents will be going), so I'm expecting further improvement before the weekend (and on into next week).

Grateful for Mrs Builder, lots more space and time to rest