Coffee and chocolate

MatyMoo

miggy wrote: »

A quick catch-up.
Mum is back in hospital as of yesterday: she'd spent the night in a chair and couldn't get up, which doesn't worry me unduly as she always takes a very long time to move due to her disability. Not good, of course, but what I mean is it's not new. However, her ulcer has been giving her a lot of pain and as she is forgetful now, her tablets often seem to run out or get lost so I think it likely she hadn't been on antibiotics for a few days and her temperature may have been up, which would account for some confusion on her part too.
Anyway she's in hospital which is the best place for her and I think she likes it in a way, though when she gets a bit stronger I don't doubt she will fuss to get home.
So today's plan: there's not much point me ringing the hospital till lunchtime as that's when the doctors will have finished their rounds, but I shall get together some toiletries to send her as I doubt she has any in.
As the hospital is on the opposite side of the country and I'm off sick, I'm going to be good and not plan a visit just yet unless it's urgent. She has company and I can ring every day and post her little parcels.
Other than that, everyone else is out. School has restarted! The house is quiet, which I don't like so much but it will let me get things done. Moreover the sun is shining, which makes everything a lot better!

Ugh to Mum being back in hospital even if she seems happy there for the time being.

I used to have to do Mum's tablet's for the week, that way she knew where they were and if she had taken them each day. Something like this: http://toysgifts.biz/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5041

I know you don't live nearby (neither did I!) but is there someone that could do this for her. I think the District Nurse or Lloyds chemist might do it. Another thought about her running out of tablets, I used to order them monthly from the surgery, the chemist picked the prescription up from them and delivered it to Mum who put it in a cupboard until I got there.

miggy wrote: »

I haven't managed a lot of savings in the last couple of days, though I did discover you can get basic toiletries at Wilkos for amazingly small sums (31p for a basic face cloth). Yay for Wilkos!

Spent among other things £7 for a bag of frozen salmon today but had some of that with pasta and some lovely Loyd Grossman sauce which came very cheaply from AF, so all in all the meal was a bargain. Plenty of salmon left for another time and spare sauce frozen and yes, labelled.

Oh, and confession time - spent nearly £4 on a magazine yesterday when I was feeling a bit low. I haven't read it yet. Not a good sign, probably means I was comfort shopping to a greater extent than i realised.

On the positive side I have thrown out some paper clutter, cleaned out the rabbits and managed not to order another lot of AF food - yet. It will come, though!

Wilko's is fab for all sorts of things. I buy most of my toiletries, household cleaning stuff and some gardening bits there

When you are off work and feeling physically OK it is easy to amble around the shops buying stuff. I would get back on the piano and practice rather than going near the shops if you really want to save

MatyMoo

miggy

Hi Maty,
Yes, we've been through something similar to what you did for your Mum: the chemist puts the tablets in a labelled blister pack so she just has to take what it says, when it says. This works to some extent, but mum worked out which tablets are for what and only takes the ones she wants! Of course that has had worse consequences in the long run. Then the doctor discovered she had loads of part-used packs and removed all but a few so she couldn't overdose. That's not something she'd do on purpose, but as she's so forgetful now, she might do it by accident.
As a result she's only allowed a week's worth at once, but then she lost them... argh!
You are quite right about piano practice being better for me than shopping! LOL. Maybe I should make a point of recording it here...

MatyMoo

miggy wrote: »

Hi Maty,
Yes, we've been through something similar to what you did for your Mum: the chemist puts the tablets in a labelled blister pack so she just has to take what it says, when it says. This works to some extent, but mum worked out which tablets are for what and only takes the ones she wants! Of course that has had worse consequences in the long run. Then the doctor discovered she had loads of part-used packs and removed all but a few so she couldn't overdose. That's not something she'd do on purpose, but as she's so forgetful now, she might do it by accident.
As a result she's only allowed a week's worth at once, but then she lost them... argh!
You are quite right about piano practice being better for me than shopping! LOL. Maybe I should make a point of recording it here...

After a stroke Mum was struggling to get the flippin things out of the blister packs which is when I started setting them out for a week at a time.

She then didn't know which was which so took what was there!

Looking forward to hearing some of the piano practice if you can find a way to upload it

miggy

MatyMoo wrote: »

After a stroke Mum was struggling to get the flippin things out of the blister packs which is when I started setting them out for a week at a time.

The blister packs can be tricky - I have to use them at work and we aren't allowed to touch medication with our hands, so trying to pop tablets out of a pack without them going astray is an art form. It could be impossible for someone with limited dexterity, especially if there's more than one tablet in the 'blister'.

MatyMoo wrote: »

She then didn't know which was which so took what was there!

:eek: :eek:

MatyMoo wrote: »

Looking forward to hearing some of the piano practice if you can find a way to upload it

Ah, but then you haven't heard my practice! I think a bit of accountability might be better than risking a friednship. Yes Maty, I practised yesterday, and enjoyed it lots!

Will do a money update soonish but first I ought to get off the computer and go and do some housework. Hope you have a good day.

miggy

Funny how the rest of the day has gone by and I've spent quite a bit but not updated my savings!
Tomorrow is my neice's birthday party and I've said I'd help out with some party food, which was about £15! Just a bit of that will stay here, but I bought crackers (the sort for cheese), pate, cucumber, marshmallows, chocolate & smarties (these 3 to make tiny 'cakes'), breadsticks (saved a whole 10p on those), sausage rolls and cocktail sausages. Also three melons of various types to provide the healthy element of tea! Not cheap though - £5 for the three.
I do feel it's only fair for us to contribute, though, as we are a tribe of seven descending on their household of three! Plus other relatives are contributing too.
I also bought ingredients for bread and butter pudding as we were out of sultanas and getting low on other things, and we got a large chicken for dinner. Oh, and sorbet for the healthy ones who would rather not have pud! (Sorbet was on offer but I can't remember how much I saved there).
Otherwise - large bag of pasta - saved £1.55
Cooking apples - saved 92p
2 bags new potatoes - saved £1.50
fish - saved £1.48
This last reminds me I spent £6 at the pet shop (hay, fish food & pond weed).
No piano today. I did manage a healthy walk with DH though, for the second day, and I've coloured my hair which I'm quite pleased with. That doesn't count as a saving as I don't trust hairdressers with it!

miggy

Well after posting the above in the early hours of this morning, I tidied out the fridge for the next lot of entries. As usual several ietms had to go.:( I would love to be perfectly organised with food!
Into the bin go - freebie plums off holiday, 1/2 tin sweetcorn plus mould :eek:, some oddments off a chicken, can't remember what else.
Into freezer go - short dated salmon pieces and remains of a pork joint.

Now we're back from a lovely afternoon at my neice's party, having played the 'let's give away food and I'll try not to be greedy'game that I always end up playing at the dort of 'do' where left over food goes begging. I managed to get myself to give away various things which, though nice, are either really not good for us, or healthy but wouldn't get eaten before they went off (and certainly not after).
Came back with some Wensleydale & cranberry cheese (which I love and had swapped with my sister's mum-in-law for some melon that she can use and we wouldn't), also assorted cucumber, crackers and breadsticks, pate, sausage rolls and cocktail sausages that didn't get eaten. DD came back separately bringing cakes!
I have just discovered my sister has given us HM blackberry jam too! As she lives in the mniddle of a city I think the berries must be from her in-laws' farm up in Northumberland - fab!
I also have a couple of portions of bread & butter pudding, some chicken, new potatoes and veg and half a jug of custard from dinner.
Now the challenge is - how to use this food wisely and well! By this I mean not wasting it if possible, but also not pigging out on the unhealthy things.
Try for a plan:
Cucumber - not a problem!
Sausages/sausage rolls - will offer some to DD's b/f who might help out there! Otherwise they go into the fridge for packed lunches and I will try to plan something heathier and which I will enjoy as an alternative.
Chicken/veg -casserole on Tuesday?
New potatoes - potato salad for DD? If I make it soon she can take some to college thus saving herself money. If I don't, they'll probably go to waste unless she finds then for herself.
PuddingDD and her b/f get first dibs as they missed dinner today. Otherwise I need to offer this to the lads!
Crackers - put away in a tin so I won't be tempted! Breadsticks have already been attacked by DS1 and if I pitch it right he might finish them.
Pate - oh dear, this will have to be planned into meals. Best if I mark it out into calorie-controlled portions I think, so I can allow myself some as a treat. No one else is going to eat it but I love it.
Cold custard - again, my weakness but the others don't like it. Plannning time again I think so I have it instead of, not as well as, some other calories!
Then - the cheese - oh, woe is me, I love wensleydale with cranberries! It's that or the pate... or both !
Ah well, I can't honestly promise to resist that one, but at least with a plan I might make better use of the rest.
Off to do a few minutes' piano.:)

miggy

An update on the above: all the food is now sorted and stored apart from a couple of bits that wouldn't fit in the fridge but will be okay overnight.
The chicken was huge and there is a lot left over. DS had a sandwich but even so I think I could feed us all twice over. I've saved the caracass to make stock so maybe risotto later in the week?
DD's b/f (I think I'll refer to him as G; much easier) has helped out by rehoming half the remaining pudding.
DD is running a temperature so I may have her around tomorrow. I got her to turn her alarm off tonight and said to sleep as long as she needs in the morning and if she's not awake when it's time for College, I'll ring them and tell them she's temperaturey. Going by how she is now, she won't do herself or anyone else any favours by going out.
DS2 has eaten a few cocktail sausages and unexpectedly taken a liking to cream crackers, so I may not have a surfeit of them after all.
Other than that - guess what's on the menu for lunches for the next few days?

miggy

A no-spend day today.
The rest of the sausage rolls (above) went to DH's work, DD finished the cocktail sausages and I am still treating myself to fairly reasonable amounts of yummy cheese and pate. I think DD finished the little cakes but that's a good thing, especially for my waistline. There is about one portion of chicken left and some new potatoes that need to be dealt with in fairly short order, but not tonight.
Other than that, my AF order arrived, and was exactly what I'd sent for although somewhere along the line I'd not registered just what a case of certain foods looked like! As a result they aren't going anywhere near the kitchen cupboards and are stacked neatly behind the armchair! I have my big bag of bread mix and a couple of bags of wholemeal bread flour so I hope to save us a bit on breads, though the bread maker seems determined to burn things at the moment so I need to get out the timer and transfer kneaded bread to the oven. I know I could do the whole lot by hand but I always find it hard to organise myself so I'm available when needed (pun) and not in the middle of Tesco when it come to time to knock back the dough.
Tomorrow I'll have more opportunity to play with the new toys!
I've also been back to the doctor and begin a phased return to work on Friday.
And Maty - no piano today - sorry!

miggy

Back to work today: first part of a phased return and it went okay. Yesterday I heard from the hospital that they are keeping mum in at least over the weekend - to my great relief. They realise it's dangerous for her to go home, given the extent of her problems. I'm under friendly but nevertheless real pressure from those nearer the scene who see her at home to spend time with her helping her get back on her feet, but I can't. I haven't got it in me emotionally, and it would be like a sticking plaster where surgery is needed. She doesn't need a week of my time. She needs permanent professional carers.
On a lighter note: bought a melon for 50p - nom nom nom!

MatyMoo

miggy wrote: »

Back to work today: first part of a phased return and it went okay.

Just Okay??? Be kind to yourself Miggy, it is always going to be tough after time off and you got through the day

miggy wrote: »

Yesterday I heard from the hospital that they are keeping mum in at least over the weekend - to my great relief. They realise it's dangerous for her to go home, given the extent of her problems. I'm under friendly but nevertheless real pressure from those nearer the scene who see her at home to spend time with her helping her get back on her feet, but I can't. I haven't got it in me emotionally, and it would be like a sticking plaster where surgery is needed. She doesn't need a week of my time. She needs permanent professional carers.

My exBIL had a problem with his Mum being let out of hospital when she couldn't really look after herself. He was only home from Australia for a sort time and she had been assessed as fit to cope on her own. He demanded and got a meeting with his Mum and Social Services (I think) and during the meeting he kept giving his Mum a full cup of water which she shook all over the table. He then pointed out that it could be a boiling kettle or hot pan she was holding and they quickly decided to re-assess her needs and kept her in!

miggy wrote: »

On a lighter note: bought a melon for 50p - nom nom nom!

Nom nom nom indeed. Bet it tasted all the better for it's nice price tag