My home is a mess

I'm here reading - not been around for a while.

My home is a mess but I'm learning to live with it. Moved back from 4 bed semi to old 2 bed terrace (DS2 had been renting it) 5 weeks ago and had total hip replacement surgery 4 weeks ago so am on crutches, not allowed to bend forward or down, twist or turn ( in case the new joint 'pops out' before all the flesh has healed properly to hold it in place). So can't mop or use the oven (did a little yesterday but took nearly as long working out how to do it as it did to cook).

Also suffering from one of the bugs going round (coughing, sneezing, sore throat - Ds3 said I sound like 'Yoda dying') but am grateful it's not the sick bug.

It was a relief to finally get a diagnosis (although a shock too - burst into tears several times) after months of resting and physiotherapy. Was referred for surgical consult. From that point on things moved fairly quickly - went to education day having been told the waiting list was 2- 3 months and told they had me penciled in for 2 weeks later.

Cue rather hasty move (had wanted the house up for sale last March but as my problems increased progress slowed) but much better to be in the little house. Bills etc will be much lower (and old house is on pay for what you use) but last month was very expensive and various suppliers still haven't sorted things (I should be getting lots of little bits of money back in the next 2 months).

I am de-cluttering - as I empty a cardboard box it gets ripped up so there is nowhere for the clutter to go and I tidied the other day by walking round with my grabber stick.

However I see my main task at the moment is to follow all the rules to make a good recovery so I do what I can and try to ignore the things I can't do anything about (today's job is sorting screws etc into different sizes and slotting into plastic drawers - boring but soothing). Were so many jobs needing doing at the other house that drawers of screws/ drill bits were anywhere near where the tasks were (window sills and ledges / flat surfaces and eventually the floor). Now they all need putting in order so that they take up minimum room.

Also as there is less storage space here - 4 of the cupboards bought for here which never got attached to walls got incorporated in the 'new to me' kitchen at the other house - I am putting aside any 'S' hooks, cup hooks and shelf supports (we used to have three floor to ceiling sets of shelves but these are the remnants from 30 years of use) to make more useful space in the kitchen (because I can't bend down most of the cupboards can't be used for regular stuff).

I have a check up on the 29th December (the dreaded elastic stockings can come off after that) but it not sure about the six weeks after that - may go down to using one crutch, so will have a new set of re-balancing skills to learn. Come mid- Feb I should be better than before the op (already a great deal less painful - I was walking around with two raw ends of bone scraping against one another) and from then on should continue to improve. At least I finally know it wasn't just me being lazy or useless (we do punish ourselves don't we).

Anyway it is good to hear from you all and I hope you all have a good Christmas, however you choose to celebrate (or not). I have a drawer full of goodies (cooked the turkey the weekend before I went in hospital) and will be keeping warm, reading, listening to music and enjoying my solitude - Ds3 is going to his gf's family but DS2 is going to come and fill my water bottles (I can only carry little things so have several 2l bottles by my bed and by the cooker to fill the kettle/ cook soup) and tie my shoelaces (can't get downstairs to have warm food without them).

Hi All,:hello:

been MIA as changed jobs and my SAD is really biting this year. but subscribed to the thread to keep up with you all.
the school job wasn't really working out (hardly any money for full time work and whilst the thoght of 13 weeks (unpaid) off is a nice idea, I realised that there are a miriad of days I need to take off for assorted school stuff my children do and after the first 'I'd like this day off for my son's harvest festival please' conversation didn't go quite as planned I started looking for another job ASAP.
So I'm back in the lab, testing flavours for now. temp job til end of feb when they switch to (impossible) shifts 6am til 2pm one week then 1pm til 9pm the following week! no childcare available for me to cover those hours so I've politely declined unless they can offer me permanent 6 til 2 as that's got the most workable childcare solution, but they can't offer that shift as that's the one that ALL the mummies want.
House isn't THAT bad but I think that's because I'm getting up in the dark and coming home in the dark so I can't see the dust buffalos!
Tree is up and lights are on it (HWTHMBO put it up on his day off Thursday), decorations are available but boys don't seem that bothered. IMHO the tree looks fine as it is.

If I don't get on here before the big day I wish all of you

:xmassign:
and a better year next year.
With love and stuff
FA & family. xxxxx

I'm just emerging from the worst of a cold. The house isn't too bad, it will be fine when I've packed my craft stuff away, just leaving out the stuff I'm actually using!

We went to the town today to buy a few things, and to the out of town retail park to get a new laptop. It was quiet, loads of staff, no customers, got everything we wanted really quickly. It's been like that everywhere this year. I keep reading that people are spending loads and everywhere is packed, but it's not the case here. I feel sorry for the local shopkeepers.

I'm sure I'll be back beforehand but enjoy the festivities if you're having them, if not then I wish you happy times anyway!

Hello Messies, lovely to see all the familiar folks still posting! Sorry I've been absent, but my home is still a Mess with a capital M! I pushed a few things into neater piles and hoovered, and I'm content with that!


Just got back from family visits and planning a lovely day cuddled up with the cat tomorrow... then starting on an exercise improvement mission.


I've rejoined Slimming World as I'm now in danger of being wider than I am tall. These few days are a write-off, of course, but joining at this time of year does help to keep me focused on damage limitation rather than letting it go on and on and on, as I would usually do.


I hope your shift went well (or is going well) today Emm - happy Christmas to you, and to all our fellow messies!

Hello, messies!

Hope everyone had a good day. Not to busy in the ward for you, Emm. No point in any housework today.

I'm still lounging around in dressing gown, as it's not worth getting dressed then chsnged. Off to sister's place later. I'm driving,