NST SEPTEMBER 2026

grandmanerd

okay, today should have been a catch up day (so many things need doing - I'm not going to say I should/ ought to do them). Decided my three essentials were to get washing out on the line, clear up the mess (there was an incident this morning which made everything sooo much worse) and deal with the plate. I was cold, my stomach hurt and I was so tired and sore. But I have done the 'mess' (supermess) and got the first load of washing on the line. It was all slow and very very painful but I did it, bit by bit.

The plate didn't get done but I moved several sacks full of rubbish and recycling. I spent some time hand-washing and soaking various items and then for my second wash load I did a bedspread and a few rags. I've moved some of the shopping which came Monday night. I wasn't able to do it earlier and then DS3 kicked some of it when he was trying to get through the door. I've put all the cans into a wire basket, any other food will go on top in a second basket and all the drinks will go back in the vestibule. DS3 will be acting as my legs whenever he comes downstairs, he can work out which water bottle he broke - I had to soak up a small puddle yesterday.

I've just set off a third wash load (dresses, 2 sheets and the knee sleeves, I have a second pair to wear tomorrow) after getting the bedspread onto the line (I've been holding onto the line to get up and down the yard. Mrs Builder is coming tomorrow. She was due to come Wednesday but got called into work. I've rested on both the couch and the bed today in between doing little bits. I've finished the second series of my drama.

Grateful for getting things done in difficult conditions, a good book (fun rubbish) and an excellent drama series, feeling clean from my shower.

apple_muncher

We visited a garden centre today- they're not cheap!!!

Bought some garden edging, 3 thyme plants, some non-standard daffs/ narcissi, and a succulent for dh. Tomorrow is possibly the day to get them into the soil.

Today I am grateful for my packet of cheese and onion crisps having double the quantity of crisps in it (I weighed it!), for getting the edging, for Pip's waterproof arriving, for my bed to snuggle down in, for going for a run this morning.

grandmanerd

Mrs Builder came yesterday, so kitchen and shower room are done. She also put all the thir lot of washing out on the line, brought the bins back from the collection point and took all the recycling (I had 3 bags by the back door) and brought in all the shopping I had delivered and put all the perishable items away in the fridge.

I am still unwell. I'm back on tinned soup and rice pudding. My stomach hurts, I'm wary of taking my pills on an empty stomach and I was so frightened of a repeat of Thursday's incident. I spent most of the day on the couch, sitting on an old towel and an old sheet and added a plastic sheet later (I had bought a pack for decorating). Thankfully there was no reoccurance.

Some of my mini can stock up had been substituted so I have multiple cans of DS3's 'grandma soup', which I can't stand. The new order was ingrediants for turkey stew, beef stew (wanted brisket but they only had beef strips so it will be either stew or curry) and bacon soup. I was hoping to spend the afternoon chopping stuff and dropping them into a large pan but that didn't happen.

I listened to my body and what my body seems to want most is sleep. I'm battling the resurgence of some old side-effects, which are time consuming. I also smell. Not dirty so I'm asuming it is just 'illness' smell. Ah well worse thing happen at sea. The rain has stopped and the sun has come out so I might be able to bring in some dry washing at some point. I have ordered some repeat prescription items.

Grateful for books and films (very short attention span so currently circling through drama seriees, a follow on funny film, a charity taskmaster and I believe there was the latest episode of Reacher due before my world got crazy). Grateful for the food I have had (eating sparingly) and the bed and couch. I have homework from therapy and will do anything that doesn't involve much movement.

DawnW

Hope you feel better soon @grandmanerd.

Done a bit of garden tidying today. There is lots more to do, but bit by bit is fine. It isn't as if it is a huge garden after all. Much as I would love to have a big garden again, I know I couldn't manage one now.

Picked the last couple of cucumbers and composted the plants.

Went to empty an old wooden trough and it fell to pieces. Too rotten to repair (it was thrown out by a neighbor a few years ago) so OH cut it up and added to the firewood pile. Waste not want not!

Watered the pots in the front garden, moved some of them around, and dead headed the geranuims. It looks much better now.

More watering at the back. We haven't had rain for over a week and some of the pots were really dry. We still have a hose pipe ban, but there was water in the water butts from the last time it rained. Also topped up both little ponds, and pulled green slimy weed stuff from the larger one. I have to be careful to remove the baby water snails from it before it goes into the compost bucket.

grandmanerd

I'm improving but slowly. I'm under par and side effects are attacking whilst I'm vulnerable. Get one back under control and 2 more start. I will get over it but I don't like that the 'winter bugs' season is starting so early. Will work on simplifying, habit building, taking out the trash and eating well (may have to rely on steamed veg added to everything). just had chicken and broccoli - lovely.

Grateful for early warning on the need to be prepared (for weeks of sickness), good series, cancelling a subscription

apple_muncher

grandmanerd, one of my go-to lunches is microwaving a big bowl of frozen veg, then adding a tin of fish (tuna, sardines, mackerel) and a squirt of salad cream. Yum!

We've had a very rocky few weeks for Pip, but that's behind us now.

Today I am grateful for my gym session, for making a new gym buddy, for getting Pip some new trousers and using a gift voucher so the cost for 3 pairs was only £10, for the sunshine, for dh and his unwavering support for my weird and wonderful schemes.

DawnW

Work today, and I hadn't a clue what to wear, due to feeling hot one moment and cold the next. Really strange weather! And the shop I work in is in a really old building which can either be really hot or really cold, with not much in between. I decided on a denim skirt, tights, t-shirt and cardigan. I can obviously take off the cardigan if I get too warm, and if it gets really hot, I can nip into the loo and take off the tights too!

Not much else planned. I may do the ironing in a minute, before I have to leave for work. There are only a few items and it would be good to get it out of the way.

f0xh0les

Today I am off to the West Midlands centre of the Universe til the weekend for an event I am working 🚄

I need to buy something for DS2 for his birthday, for DH for his birthday and for DS1 for his birthday all over the next 3 weeks, plus a 4th anniversary of paying off the mortgage celebration. I am celebrating 🍾 I don't care if anybody else joins in 🎁 Unsurprisingly they don't know what they want.

I found out yesterday that I was missed off an email list for work #2 - hopefully that will mean future work will come my way soon. At least I found out at the start of the season.

2 loaves baked this morning, bag packed, laundry done, now just ☕️ and waiting....

grandmanerd

It has been a difficult week. I've been hungry but also frightened of repeating last Wednesday's disaster and trying to work out what I could/ wanted to eat (some stuff just tasted/ felt wrong). Yesterday was the first day I could move beyond the back door so I walked back and forth with various rubbish/ recycling bags. I worked my way through the fridge, throwing out stuff that had gone off and chopping stuff that was salvageable. Made a huge turkey stew and cooked a pack of broccoli in the microwave and added it to leftover chicken noodle soup. Other things have been zapped in the microwave or chopped and boxed. The paper bin went out for collection.

Today was also the day for our bulk waste collection. DS3 refused to help so I just plugged away at things all day, moving anything that might obstruct the path to the front door. DS3 came down after dark and moved the couch (he expects to have a rent reduction - hah). I waited until the couch and tv were gone before having my shower and then smothered my hands in cream (found under the couch) - I've discovered the problems with my finger nails are due to hand-washing and soaking stuff (not taking care of my hands) so will bump that up my list of priorities. The laptop, with replacement charging cable, has been faltering for the past 2 days and gave up the ghost in the afternoon.

My therapy session was today so I worked on getting the new one up and running (will have to go back and do the questionnaire and then make sure to enter all the contact details in my little blue book. The front room is a mess but I'm so happy looking at the space where the couch used to be. Homework for next week is setting some SMART goals for the next 5 weeks (and a diary with pacing and spoons).

Thanks for all your good wishes. Time for some turkey stew.

Grateful for turtles, a very funny book and therapy.

DawnW

Morning all 😊

Had asthma nonsense during the night, but am determined to get stuff done today. I have cleaned the stove top and sink, sorted some other stuff in the kitchen and currently have a pan of fridge bottom veg soup on the go.

I have also planted out some lettuce, mustard and pak choi plants that were languishing in the mini greenhouse, and netted them to keep the pigeons off.

I have done some watering as it is still very dry here. I have more to do but can only carry so many watering cans before I need to stop for a breather.

I have at last found a tradesman to replace some render on the front of my house. Not very money saving, but it looks unsightly and if left will allow damp ingress.

The sun is shining, although it is jumper weather on and off, so all good.