Mrs Van

This ^^^ And somehow I lost the post, but congrats on the PB when you went running! This for me too! Although now that we've started schooling again, I have no time in the mornings, and less time in the afternoons. "Luckily" we still have electricity outages when I can grab my phone and read on Kindle app. No one in our house has ever played any of these D&D or similar games. My boys love computer games, I like them too (but not as much as a book), and my hubby is stuck on racing or flying games. But I so understand how you feel when playing with your kids. We started playing card, and board games again, and it is really good fun! Except my boys are older (11yrs and 14yrs respectively) and they try their best to get mom out. Especially card games make for great strategic planning and setting up of said players On the other hand I'm 'scared' to play Monopoly (or any money based game) with my youngest because he is a shark! Within a couple rounds he owns most things, has the most money, and has to start giving you discount on fines you are supposed to pay him, just to keep the game going a bit longer. In real life, he can't keep his money in his bank account though! Go figure. Rho I hope you have a great week, and have some great play time with your little 'leopard'. You seem to be holding up great. @Yasha92's plan sounds doable for the writing goal?

Sorry I'm not popping in regularly at the moment. Thinking of you through the work struggle. Seems like Little Bit is enjoying creche?

The report said no bad sectors, so we formatted the drive and restarted all the installations from scratch. But we forgot the bios setting so Windows could read that the hard drive is 4Tb... long story short, I basically did two Windows installations, two motherboard, etc. updates, and it is finally running again, and he is downloading his games at night (free data from isp between midnight and 6am). Wednesday was a looooonnnnggg, tiring night. Thursday was a long tiring day with the computers. Electricity-, internet-, water-problems, potholes that 'eat' tires for breakfast, and criminals... welcome to South Africa. Sorry my frustration is coming out. Now to start the weekly finance updates, which I missed today due to my computer having issues, me afterwards doing backups, and then no electricity for a while+. ----------------------------------- So we are seeming to have a bad week on computers. After we got Rocco's computer up and running again, we decided to start training the boys to make backups, and I started looking into my (supposed) backups. Brandt is doing backups regularly as he writes for clients. My (automated) Windows backups haven't been running because of a bad cluster. I never realised. Had to run a checkdisk on my computer as well; the problem area was fixed, or cut out, and I spent most of today copying and making backups - sorting through all my documents on my computer for the last... couple of years. And then the electricity went out for just over an hour, and I was fed up. So I didn't get to do this week's finances today, but I will do it tomorrow. It is only two/three days to catch up on. On Thursday I managed to get to the bank to close the one small savings account I had for the boys. They'll be using a savings account that is free and connected to Brandt's account. So another finance thing sorted. We've been without electricity for a couple hours on Thursday and Friday, the usual story, and there's been A LOT of break-ins in the area. The scary part is that it is a group of three young men who actually gain entrance to people's houses while they are sleeping, then stealing tv's cellphones, money, etc. Luckily they are not hurting the people themselves! Just stealing. But there's been at least three to four incidences every single night this last week. Last night someone's dog got hold of the one guy's t-shirt (the owner saw on his security feed). They jumped into the yard over the fence, took a couple of steps, then the German Shepherds stormed them. One dog got hold of one guy's t-shirt, but it tore as the three guys jumped back over the fence and got away. Challenge wise: Day 3, 4, 5 (today) Exercises: outside, PASS, walked the block with Brandt (respectively on those three days); (2 PASSES left) Wednesday: Bathrooms were clean, wiped down appliances and other spots in the kitchen. Thursday: Nothing. Friday: Finances for the week - not yet due to computer hassles, electricity, and then fed-up-ness (I'm making this a word). I have a book to proofread, and my mom tried her luck on getting me to buy her something. Mmm... now this is going to sound weird, it felt kind of weird when it happened. I got a whatsapp message from my mom. As I opened it I heard this voice, clear as day say, "emotional manipulation". Then I read the short message saying that she didn't have any money and could I buy her a packet of earbuds. I asked her whether the home hasn't given her her monthly money from us yet. She said no, could I buy her the packet and bring it to the home the next day. I replied that the deduction had gone off for the home, so they will give her her money this week, then she can buy all her toiletries as usual. She sent a very snippy reply back telling me not to worry, she'll do it herself. Remember that part of the Christmas present I bought for her and another lady at the home was a lot of toiletries, so she shouldn't actually be needing anything. I was just hit by the fact that I heard "emotional manipulation" even before I'd read the actual message. Maybe it's my subconscious? Then today the sister at the home phoned and said that my mom has run out of her arthritis meds (it's actually just supplements) and could I please buy her some more, because she was "having a hard time" about it. Otherwise we are doing well. Have a good weekend.

Found you! Now going to catch up Normal burpees could help instead of walking, when you can't do the latter. Brandt said something like 20 burpees are close to 300m (yards)? With all the rain that we are getting at the moment, I've opted to do 20 burpees (no push ups), just to at least get some movement in and help with cardio. 300m/yards isn't close to how far you could actually walk in say 30min. but it is something to start my cardio off with. Or maybe even mountain climbers?

Glad you had a better day, and could get the exercises in to help your back. Also glad to hear that Sra. Tanque had a better day. Sounds like Little Bit is hitting the Terrible Two's year, leading up to the two year mark, not being two years old yet. Good luck, and hugs to you all.

Well done on those check marks. You are doing enough, because you are doing what you need for you. Hope tonight and tomorrow goes well, and have a good, safe week at work.

We only have one cat, but three dogs, and a bearded dragon. Stampy Cat has been in a (excuse the language) hell of a mood these last two days. I think it must be deceased frog pheromones or something (he killed one gecko and two small frogs). He was zooming around the house, attacking my feet, attacking my hands! Jumping on the dogs! Which he never does, because they then growl or bark at him... This morning was the first time that he was actually calm, rubbing up against my legs, purring, talking back when I ask him about his food... He also hates tummy rubs! If he goes onto his back it is to play; attack your hands, nibble on your fingers, or something like that. Needless to say my hands are usually covered in scratches. Not deep ones, but visible. @Rhovaniel I love this next part of your story! Those footsteps, and the creepy feelings leading up to the night... Oh!

Yep, that's the way it seems to work here too, except I'm also told about it, but no one else does anything about it. Thanks. Having two boys made me come to the conclusion that selective hearing and vision is ingrained in male DNA. And yes, no one sees the dead geckos, the mutilated frogs, dead moles... I've had to clean those up these past few days as well. Hallo! ❤️ --------------------------------------- We're having electricity and internet problems (city wide), as usual. Please bare with me if it takes a day or two before I reply. As I mentioned before, the city's electricity infrastructure is collapsing - the main boxes (substations) are so old and haven't been maintained, they can't even find spare parts for it any more. One again burst into flames Sunday evening. Apparently it will take ~R70million ($4m) to replace one substation. Our city is bankrupt, and has been for the last couple years. Even the interim people who are trying to get it to break even have given up. They find more money stolen and problems wherever they dig and try to fix things. W.r.t. the internet (adsl copper lines) - it is being stolen faster than Telkom can replace it. We are waiting for fibre (has been laid) and we have an appointment with a company to install our connection beginning of February. But then it will still take time before they 'switch it on'. In the meantime we continue as best we can. It is manageable with some juggling. Along with this news ^^^ was the bad news when Rocco's computer failed to switch on, on Monday. Brandt is running all kinds of tests and checks, and it looks like the brand new hard drive failed. It happens. This last check should finish tonight, then if there are bad sectors we'll send it back and ask for a replacement. Otherwise it means Win.10 conked out, and we can just wipe the disk and reinstall EVERYTHING. The poor boy didn't take it well when we realised what had happened, but Adam and I are giving him computer time on our machines, and he is keeping himself entertained on the XBox, playing outside with the dogs (when it is not raining), and with board games. Whenever he is on my computer I either sort out slips (invoices, the paper work), or now that finances are done, read on my cellphone. One author sent us a link to various genres being sold on New Year's eve on Amazon, for free. I think I got about 50+ books out of the hundreds available. Some are really short, others are a bit... racy , others are proper science fiction and action, supernatural, then good, clean romances, rom-coms, or just funny. All fiction to relax with. I have to think enough with the other things I do. I have finished a couple of the shorter ones already. I also managed to finish updating ALL THE FINANCES! I'm sorting out the final kinks to the new spreadsheet system. I'm going to change the way I do the budget to my old way, otherwise there were just one or two little mistakes (formulas, etc.) to fix so far. I've sent Brandt's mom the old spreadsheets up to November to update her systems and send on to the tax accountant. Challenge wise: This week Day 1- Exercises inside; Vacuumed and dusted; Finances done. Challenge wise: This week Day 2- Exercises inside (was raining outside); Very little washing, but done; Finances almost completed - sorting out the last kinks. And that's it folks! Hope you have a great week, and things work out for the best, for you.

I try. No gold was found, but I can live with that. Examples set as well. I did all my cleaning today. Off to bed now because tomorrow is a 5am morning with exercises, then a lot of things have to be done in town. Rocco's music teacher has postponed lessons till beginning of Feb, and then it will most likely be online, because of Covid restrictions, etc. In the meantime she'll send Rocco some lessons to practice, and we'll take it from there. That is more pressure off me, which I'm grateful for. There is a new "tree tops experience" adventure sport/group that started in our botanical gardens (close to us). At some point I want to take the boys to see what happens there. It will have to wait for another week I think (restrictions). I'm hoping they have some low level obstacle climb-kind of activities, but so far the photos I've seen are only of higher up tree-top kinds of activities. Totally safe, but none of us like heights that much. Good night y'all! Have a good week.

Still slept like a log last night, after all the day sleep I've already had. Even the boys are taking cat-naps during the day then sleeping solidly at night, but they've had a couple nights where they stayed up throughout to download games onto their new computers. Thanks. All the food was/is yummy, especially since I don't have to cook, either yesterday or today. Delicious. Very similar to Buffalo wings sauce, but without the bite. There might have been a scraping up of the left over sauce on the platter, to make sure nothing goes to waste ------------------------------------ Woke up at 5am. Let the dogs out. Locked up behind them when they came back in (10min.), then went back to bed and slept solidly till about 8am. Got up, heated up the coffee Brandt had brought me at some point, then sat in bed to enjoy it, after feeding all the animals (only 4-legged, the 2-legged ones made due with rusks and cereal). Then Brandt sprang the 'surprise' on me. At some point during the night/early morning someone had accidentally pushed over our 2Lt container (flip lid) with milk and cream mix; the latter is now decorating the bottom of the fridge (we use a box freezer as fridge on fridge setting). "Huh!" was my first reaction. Brandt was grimacing. I told him that since he hadn't cleaned it up in the last hour or two, it could probably wait another hour till I was ready to get up and clean up the mess. He didn't make the mess, he said, but none of the boys fessed up, he just thought it accidentally tipped over, as it wasn't standing flat on the shelf. It happens. I got up after having my coffee and I cleaned up the mess. It took nearly an hour, because the milk got in everywhere! In the cling wrapped pizza, the baked pudding, the vegetable baskets... Anyway it is clean and we are having pizza for brunch. I'll have to wipe down the bottom of the fridge everyday for at least the next week, because the silver lining isn't sealed at the bottom, so some of the milk got in under the lining. It is coming out little by little, and I sprayed an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial cleaner there. This won't affect the food because everything is either in plastic baskets or packaging. I'm doing some more washing, and after having brunch (while I'm typing here), I'll start cleaning the kitchen shelves, seeing as I didn't do it yesterday. I have also already cleaned part of the stoep floor. LOL Brandt is cleaning his desk! He made a metal stand for his laptops, but first have to take everything on top off, clean it (a lot of dust, which I have refused to clean), then pack everything back on top. He gave me his puppy-dog eyes, but I did not fall for it! I gave him two cleaning cloths, two different cleaning liquids, and told him to have a good time. Then sat down to eat. He is actually cleaning, sorting and throwing stuff away, re-arranging his desk and finding all sorts of things. I told him he had to share any gold he finds, but other things he can keep.

I think for the boys as well - w.r.t. footprints on the painted walls. Have a great New Year. Thank you, and you as well, Rho. --------------------------------- I don't know what it is, maybe all the exercise I've done this past week, and this morning (ok and broken sleep due to thunder, rain and fireworks the past two nights, come to think of it), but I have slept SO MUCH Friday afternoon and again now on Saturday. Like in solidly, out like a light, didn't wake up for anything, until the washing machine's alarm went off. But I was snugly and warm under the duvet, as it is rainy and miserably cold outside (feels especially cold after 38-40C days earlier in the week). I still have November and December finances to do, but I did work more on the new spreadsheets, until late last night. Went grocery shopping this morning, and we are eating their pre-prepared food: first was a platter with small samoosas, short sausages, crumbed chicken bites, mini veg spring rolls, and mini chicken drumsticks (drumlets) in a 'Texan BBQ sauce'. Then tonight we'll have flame grilled chicken with left over veg and fruit from yesterday. The neighbour's one twin boy has a very bad tummy bug. Common around Natal in South Africa. They had to take him for Covid tests, which was negative, but the doctor still asked that he be kept away from other people and kids for the next 10 days. He'll just be allowed out when their school starts for the new year. He isn't happy, as Rocco now can't play there either. This coming week is our last week 'off' then we'll be starting school as well.

Sorry, was just teasing you a bit as I read a lot, and re-read a lot of books in the same year too. I understand what you are trying to achieve. Looking forward to reading more of your challenge story. I strongly agree with everything @Jarric and @Tanktimus the Encourager said above. Sending you a lot of hugs and love.

Enjoy the time with Mr. Incredible. Brandt doesn't take leave, except for the public holidays, but things are slower than normal, and he still works from home on Thursdays and Fridays. He and the boys are seeming to bond more over games and discussions. Hope you have a lovely New Year's eve, and New Year's. ---------------------------- (My week 1, your week 0) Day 4 - Thursday 31 December: It may still be the 30th where you are, but... I did not go for a walk as it was raining softly, on and off. What put me off the most though were the thick cloud of smelly gas hanging in the air. Don't know whether it came over the ridge from a factory there, or from the drains (rotting plant material), but it was bad. Instead I did 20 plain burpees. Just to get the heart rate going and work on cardio a bit. I started reading The Warrior's Dance last night. It's already given me some insight into situations I had this past year - taking offense, giving offense (unintended), forgiving and letting go. I'm hoping to read little bits after workout every morning, or at least sometime during the day. Nothing else on for today, so I'm going to love you, and leave you. Hope you have a magical last day of the year, and that the New Year will be blessed with opportunities and possibilities that come true!

Seriously?! Re-reads don't count twice? Mmm... As child I hid with a flashlight under the blankets. Now, I just sit in front of my computer. Printed books are too pricey, so I'm mainly sticking to e-books. If you wrote that introductory story of yours... wow! I love it. Please read some more! (to write more) Also love the castle/town built into the rocks. I'm seriously in awe of what you've come to accomplish w.r.t. exercise and training. You are amazing! Good luck with this challenge's plans. I know you can do it.

Thanks, EG. It took a couple hours but the meds started working and took the headache away. Have you set up a new challenge yet? ----------------------------------- I think the headache was a combo of heat and over taxing my eyes on the computer. I've been doing a lot of finances the last two days, sometimes without my glasses. I'm taking a break this morning w.r.t. the latter, as I sat till midnight setting up most of the new spreadsheets. I'll do a test run on December finances to see whether I've got everything. Compare it to the December totals on the 'old' system. Fetched the vegetables from the farmer who delivers it fresh on a Wednesday morning. Our neighbour doesn't want any, so I put together a bag with spinach, cabbage and green beans for Eric. He is working in their garden today. The rest of the veg will probably last me at least till end of next week if not longer. It is a small box (R120 ~ $7.50) and has 1kg (~2lb) tomatoes, 1kg onions, 1kg baby potatoes, 1kg carrots (that's standard every week), then a mix-match of what veg he could get from surrounding farms. This week had more spinach, green beans, cabbage, baby marrows, butternuts, and a brinjal. I still have spinach from last week (flash cooked and frozen), but I think we'll probably have ratatouille sometime this week. Just arranged with Rocco's fencing coach that he'll only start again beginning of February. That should give her (depending on the other parents) some time to sort out lock down and other rules again. Our government just put us in a level 3 lock down again - no social gatherings of any kind allowed for the next two weeks. Not even a sad, commiseration wedding. Yes, I'm sarcastic as funeral gatherings with 20+ people were allowed (till now) but no weddings - otherwise weddings with fewer than 6 people, and only small church gatherings < 12 people? So some people registered a gathering for a funeral with the police, but held private weddings on their properties - people in our area did that. So for the next two weeks, no gatherings at all, after that, they'll see. And this goes hand in hand with curfews of 9pm-6am. I'm so glad Covid can read time; that it only comes out at night. Wonder whether that would put the criminals in danger of contracting it? Anyway... ----------------------------------- Third day - Wednesday 30 December: Exercises done at 5am (but I slept again from 8h00-9h00); Housework done; Fetched the veg. Ok, I'm going now because I'm rambling because I'm tired. Today is a blessedly cool, less humid day, and it is now time for coffee! Enjoy the second last day of the year. ----------------------------------- PS- @Bouncer_the_Lovable I thought I'd place two pictures for you of my planners. One is on my desk and is what I use to prioritise what needs to be done for the household, etc. The other one is for my NF challenges. Seeing as you are looking around and wanting to do something. Maybe it will give you ideas. I'm putting it in a spoiler due to size. Yikes it is pretty blurry. The exercises in green in the NF book (top photo) is written in green in my planner book. The housework written in orange in the NF book is written in orange on the planner. The finances are written in red, to get my attention not to forget (or procrastinate). It's probably overdone - written down twice - but it works for me. Normally I just write a small key word on the planner, then have more detail on the NF page. Colour absolutely work for me. As do pictures.

"Just keep swimming..." that's what I keep telling myself. Some things just have to be done, even at 2am. To be honest, with this mess it was a question of, either I do it now, get rid of the stink and prevent the floors, etc. from further mess/damage/stink, or do it later, have a bigger mess, stink and what not. In the end I would still have had to clean up the mess. No one was going to come do it for me. So sometimes I have to choose the lesser of two "don't wanna's" or the lesser of two evils, as other people put it. But you are right, I'm very lucky that I have a relatively flexible schedule, in that I could take an hour off to sleep later the day, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get through the day. You can do it. One thing at a time, prioritize and do what you are able to do, even if it is just a little bit, and not all.

I like your origin story. I also tried MovNat at one stage, then slowly fell into obstacle course and did a couple small/short races until about two years ago. Now I'm slowly picking up the pace and fitness again. Good luck with this challenge, and all the best for the new year.

Yes, and I've just figured out a way to do it! Still spreadsheets, but I'll incorporate the monthly budget with everything I have to enter every month. All the income and expenses (and capital expenses, etc.) will link to the budget spreadsheet, update automatically. Then I still have the detailed tables that show how much was spent at which shop (because tax offices wants this information), but I have the summary in the budget, and I only have to enter each transaction once! Then check it all at the end of the month to the bank statement, which makes it twice, but not three or four times that I have to go over the same stuff. It will already make the work a lot less, and I love setting up spreadsheets. I'm also looking forward to going through the tutorial lessons that I got for free from a prof. in Florida on all the LibreOffice programmes. That's what I'm going to do with the boys as part of their computer learning for this year. But this work will help me to become familiar with macros, etc. again, and I can fine-tune the finances spreadsheets as I learn again. I'm going to do it in a way that suites me, but give B's mom the printouts/pdf files, etc. in a setup that suites her, and how she has to work. It wasn't a nice way to wake up, no, but... shrug. I want animals and this is part of the package. Luckily the good parts are way more and rewarding than the bad parts. I was also super glad I managed the exercises, but truth be told, this headache is a reminder to respect the heat and humidity, and maybe take it easy on such afternoons. And DEFINITELY try to exercise in the morning rather than later! If I have to exercise in the afternoons because Murphy happened in the morning, then keep the heat in mind, and do something, rather than nothing, but maybe not everything. Or keep more cold water handy to tip over my head in between exercises. Oh the headache tablet is working! Bliss!

Thanks, and thanks. Really appreciate it. I'm hoping to keep a better balance between things I have to do. Brandt... is supposed to keep his desk and workspace clean, and he has started fixing and doing things outside the house again (like checking on the water filters for the water tanks, regulating the chlorine levels, fixing things here and there, etc.) The boys help me to dust/polish the furniture on a Monday. They also keep the XBox, and their computer tables clean and tidy, as well as make their own beds, keep their room tidy, and wipe down their bed frames and their walls (don't know how footprints get on there! Must be a child/boy thing). They also take turns in picking up the dog bowls every day, I just put the food in the bowls, and they are always willing to help me with no complaints if I ask them for help. Since Adam started doing his own washing once a week ( I remind and check on him using the machine), Rocco has now decided to do his own washing too! So I just tumble, fold and pack away, because I insist on neat cupboards. Adam will also now start to make one meal (breakfast, lunch or supper) on a Saturday. I think Rocco will probably join in too, as he is very keen. Brandt isn't willing to do any cleaning in the house, he is willing to pay for a lady to come help with cleaning once a week again, but then I sit with the hassle of the person and all the admin for government, etc. I'm not up for that level of grief yet. Nope, there is no way that he'll take over finances. He dislikes it more than I do, and I already do a lot of the other things (like driving to town to buy things he doesn't want to get, making almost all the phone calls w.r.t. finances or things that have to be arranged, changed, etc.) which he doesn't like doing. I put my foot down with regards to buying spare parts for the cars, especially when it comes to buying parts where there can be an if this, then that, otherwise this... and most things to do with his racing. And he fixes and services the cars. I told him now that I'm going to change things, do the finances in a way that suites me, not his mom or the tax accountant, and he said to go for it. He'll back me up if they complain. He does however do his own invoices and checks on payments received. He does handle his clients personally. I just basically have to handle everything else. ------------------------- Eish, the heat caught me this afternoon. I've been battling a headache for the last hour. I've just taken a headache tablet and am going to lie down for a bit. I'm even having trouble spelling and thinking of words to use.

The boys definitely enjoy the new games, and I have to admit Unstable Unicorn is funny. Again... don't play with the boys, they take no prisoners! A routine/schedule is my saving grace. I just can't take it from day to day. Hopefully this will get me back on track in no time. Hope you had a good Christmas time too. The schedule is working so far, except for exceptions, like this morning. 2am cleaning floors... which I explained in my new challenge.

Good luck for this new year and job hunting! I've again set up a proper schedule in which I have to do the THINGS and just get on with life. Still doing one thing at a time, just focus on the schedule and not too many rules and must's and have to's. If that makes sense

You did great! You are my inspiration at the moment.

It is a cross between comedy (some really ridiculous scenes) and some very serious topics. From what I can remember from Star Trek, it is about similar. I think it is a skit on ST. I like The Orville spaceship though, the looks.

You are my friend, my little 'sister' up in the North, across the sea. You are my Gryffen Darling (and now I can't think how to spell it! - sorry headache's fault) I'll try to always be around to send you hugs and love, the support for what you need. I saw you had the vaccine! Hope you are staying safe with your work and all.