My home is a mess

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hi Messies!
I`m so glad to be home!!! Be it ne`er so Messy, with little puddles of melting snow from wellies etc.. so glad we did shopping etc yesterday and don`t have to brave the elements again for a bit, I`m not too brave!
Had some adventures I`d rather have done without this morning - up early for 9am hospital appt, saw the snow (as forecast) and thought it was the usual case of our road being bad but the rest of the route would be clearer, but that we`d better head off early as the going would be a lot slower. It`s only 10 miles, but it wouldn`t hurt if we got there too early. Left the house at 7am... SO, OH and DS manfully slithered and shovelled and dug the car out and pushed it a bit each time it got stuck, while I sat behind the steering wheel like Lady Muck - eventually got to the end of our little road. Where another car was stuck right in the middle of the junction! OH & DS dug him out and shoved and pushed, he got going, and OH got in with me and off we went. VERY SLOWLY...the usual, expected "next road will be better" thing Did Not Happen.
By this time we were committed to keep on going as turning at all, let alone turning back was not an option. Managed to get onto dual carriageway, crawled along that in 2nd gear in 2 tiny tracks left by someone before us, passed quite a few abandoned vehicles, and eventually got to he main roundabout for town. Loads of abandoned vehicles there too, then a snowplough appeared, so we followed him. He was doing the hospital access route, thankfully, or we`d never have got there. Some abandoned cars in the hospital entrance area too, and folks trying to dig them out, a taxi slithering/ sticking blocked one lane to carpark, but somehow we managed to get off the lane into a space. Inside hospital was chaotic too when we got there - some staff had walked in, some hadn`t been able to get there, nobody knew if the Doctor could get in, if clinics were cancelled ...
Eventually, it turned out my Doctor was there but had to go to the ward first and do clinic bit later as the chap who was supposed to be on ward couldn`t get in. Well, I wasn`t likely to be going anywhere in a hurry, OH & I were more in a tizz about whether we`d ever get home again afterwards!
Eventually I got all my pre-op stuff done, bloods, ECG, etc., and saw Doctor, explanations, consent forms, all sorted. In between all this we`re hearing snippets about hospital entrance/carpark gridlocked, by-pass closed both sides... our alternative route home no better, a nurse told me her OH (a fireman) was on that road they were digging cars out!
But, by the time we`d waited around to see the folks I had to see and get all my bits done, and were free to attempt to leave, the same nurse phoned & checked with her OH, both our possible routes home were passable, and the gridlock at the entrance area had been cleared. There were a lot of real Heroes out there today! (Not least OH & DS)
We still didn`t think we`d be able to get the car all the way back though, but Nightmare was over, even if we just made it onto the estate it would be OK. Managed to get to the turning for our little road, where nothing had changed since we left....would you believe it, we sailed slowly right up to our own gate, without getting stuck like we did on the way out!

So, no De-Messying.
Just got the fire going, a herby lamb casserole in the oven, OH has refilled the birdfeeders, and the coats/wellies etc hanging around drying out.
And after hearing the full description of my op & the bits being removed, I shall henceforth cease calling it an `op`, it`s more of a Surgical De-Clutter!!
Sorry for long post, and I do truly hope all those in snowy areas are safe and warm. x

sonastin

Wow Emm - sounds like you've been having fun! I went out last Saturday with "the girls". A friend picked me up and on the drive home, we encountered a similar scene... from a small flurry of snow which wasn't sticking in town, we got up onto the moors road to find a good few inches of snow, no clear indication where the road was, a couple of stuck cars which we just had to drive past on the basis that neither of us were dressed for snow & we couldn't afford to get stuck ourselves. Friend dropped me off on the main road and I walked home while she said she had the same crawl along the motorway all the way home. Next day - no sign that there'd been any snow near the road. A bit on the top of the hill but that's about it. If I hadn't been with a sober person, who confirmed it had happened, I'd swear I'd dreamt it!

Plenty of snow here today but nothing where I work 25 miles away. Car was going in for MOT and service at the garage near work today so I braved it. Felt ridiculous walking into the office in wellies with no snow on the ground! I started the car to defrost this morning while I decluttered it to a state where it was acceptable to take to the garage but I didn't remove the winter clothes or shovel from the boot!

I think there'll be plenty of decluttering and demessying going on here this weekend. OH has got a bit of a cleaning head on him at the moment - I would be grateful for him doing what he's doing if only he'd do it without emanating an air of reproach as though he has to do this because I haven't. Particularly when the main reason I don't have time is because he fills up my weekend with other jobs! The job planned for tomorrow involved large sheets of plywood and a bit of a trek down the canal towpath so that's not happening in this wind. So I think a bit of a deep clean of the kitchen could be on the cards. OH will do the top of the kitchen cupboards so I'll do my bit and clean under all the stuff that lives on the worktops. And maybe do the oven. After all, it is self-cleaning so all I need to do is flip the switch and then wipe out the ash at the end.

Plus laundry. And bathroom. And cooking. And washing up. And grocery shopping. You know, all those jobs that OH doesn't do!

[Deleted User]

Hello all

More of a general post from my point of view, haven't been doing so much in the way of decluttering recently as giving the house a bloody good clean since the painters left and the various odd jobs have been finished.

Last week I thoroughly cleaned the attic room, including under the bed - the carpet really needs a good steam clean over the summer, can't do it in this weather as the bunnies are up in that room until the sunnier months. Bunny Oreo is moulting fur as well so when you brush him or clean the hutch fur goes everrrrrrywhere. :rotfl:

Also spotlight surround in upstairs room has cracked so will need to be plastered and repainted, have some touch ups to do up there anyway so will be getting a local handyman to sort it and he'll charge about £10 for the work, worth it since it's near electrical stuffs.

When I was out to work earlier in the week DM cleaned and hoovered the kitchen, bathroom and hall, plus her own bedroom and changed sheets, etc. :T
Piles of ironing and washing have been done, including a rug from my room, rugs from bathroom, and several throws for futon/chairs.

We've given up with the living room for the time being, it will do - did manage to sell our dining table (which is in the conservatory) but buyer still hasnt collected, said he would on Tuesday and pay CoC, but no show and not replied to either one of two emails sent to him, so looks like I will have to cancel and relist and get a refund on my FVF. :mad:

Want to start saving now so we can buy new dining table (for 2 people rather than 4) and looking into getting a new corner settee, have seen some deals and things we like, but can't afford it for a few months with all the DIY going on.

Also starting to get quotes together to get living room floor redone - its carpet and want to get laminate floor instead, so far had one quote and its going to be £1800 for the lot, underlay + top laminate and everything inbetween! :eek:

Like I say....will be a few months to go on that yet!!!! :rotfl:

YORKSHIRELASS

Morning all

Isnt it strange - reading your adventures Emms and we have had no snow here at all! Not a flake. Sonastin, I was laughing about walking to the office in your wellies when there was no snow because that happened to me once and I was trying to convince everyone that there really was snow when I left home!

The decluttering is going well. I have arranged to do a car boot sale with my Mum at the beginning of May so I am hoping DS2 will part with some stuff. We have a plan to buy DS1 a new bed and give his old bed to his younger brother but need to make some room to move things around first.

Oh and poor dog has got a dodgy tummy again. Have woken up to a couple of accidents inside this week which is not a good start to the day. I am reluctant to take him to the vet because he is fine in himself and he will just get really stressed at the vets. Will have to see how he goes I guess.

Theatregirl, sounds like you are busy. We have loads that we want to do in our house, just no money to do it. Keep spending money on the kids bedrooms when we desperately need a new carpet in ours!! Like you I want to start a fund for a bedroom makeover but there is always something else to pay for.

withabix

PaulaG3 wrote: »

hey it's okay my house is filthy!

So is your :spam:

GO AWAY!

chaliepud

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

Morning all

Oh and poor dog has got a dodgy tummy again. Have woken up to a couple of accidents inside this week which is not a good start to the day. I am reluctant to take him to the vet because he is fine in himself and he will just get really stressed at the vets. Will have to see how he goes.

Are you still feeding him? It may be worth starving him for a while and then slowly introducing bland chicken and rice to see if that settles it, otherwise a Vet trip may be necessary.. Hopefully he is drinking and seems otherwise well..

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hi Messies.
Sonastin, trekking with large sheets of plywood on canal towpaths in high wind sounds a bit TOO exiting - glad you`ve postponed it!! There`s lots of safer things to do indoors. Hope the car got through MOT btw.

Theatregirl, sounds like you`re doing well. Nice to have the rugs & throws washed - and dried. I think you`re wise to go for laminate flooring in LR, SO much easier to keep clean especially if you have washable rugs as well. But that quote sounds an awful lot!! Unless your LR is really MASSIVE, I`m sure you could get it done cheaper than that. My DS & his Ex did ours (when they were together, that was) and she said it was simple enough as she`d helped her dad do theirs. Also, my DD & her chap have done their own. I`m wondering if you ask around, maybe even your handyman...? I suppose Professionals will charge more, but this isn`t Rocket Science!

YL, as your dog had upset tum, then was ok for a bit, and then upset tum again, I`m wondering if he`s been eating something he shouldn`t, maybe your kids have well-meaning sneaked him something, or maybe he`s helped himself (as dogs do!) I wouldn`t starve him, but I`d have a serious talk with all family members about sharing stuff with the dog, and keep a very strict eye on his scavenging opportunities!

Messy Status Report
Snow still really deep here (car completely covered in at least a foot of snow, despite being cleared off yesterday), OH refilled birdfeeders this am and the snow came over top of his (large) wellies. He`s also put out extra fatballs, and the whole place is now heaving with birds, despite snow still coming down thick & fast.
The melting puddles from wellies are at least clean, not muddy, so not really an extra `mess`.
Daftie-dog likes snow, but she can`t walk in the deep stuff as her back legs get `left behind`, so she`s only gone as far as the bins in the cleared patch (which is rapidly disappearing!)
DGD is not here as normal at weekends as her mum lives up in the hills and they`ve been snowed in since Thursday night.
So it`s going to be a quiet weekend of indoor pottering!
Bins due for collection on Monday, but I can`t see that happening so conserving bin-space now.
I`ve had a productive potter in the Kitchen, sink, hob & worktops all clean & shiny, though still a bit of worktop clutter. I`m going to do another microwave cakey thing, still a bit experimental, as there`s plenty of last night`s lamb casserole left and I`ll only have to steam a bit of veg from Harvest Festival spare room to go with it.
Have a good weekend all! x

[Deleted User]

Emm-in-a-pickle wrote: »

Theatregirl, sounds like you`re doing well. Nice to have the rugs & throws washed - and dried. I think you`re wise to go for laminate flooring in LR, SO much easier to keep clean especially if you have washable rugs as well. But that quote sounds an awful lot!! Unless your LR is really MASSIVE, I`m sure you could get it done cheaper than that.

I suppose I should clarify that the room is quite large yes, but DM wants the laminate to stretch through into the conservatory too, so its actually two rooms we're getting done, not one. I just tend to think of it as one room for some reason. :rotfl:
The price quoted was for labour as well, but we've got time to ask around and get some more estimates. Not in any rush.

Decluttered the fridge this morning though, threw out some mouldy fruit and wiped the bottom shelf over.
Made bread yesterday for the first time, which didnt last long :rotfl: and DM has popped to shops to get some bits and pieces to restock the cupboards with. We seem to be going through a fair amount of food these days, or maybe it's just rising prices that make the grocery bills so large (even after coupons!)

:A

mcculloch29

Not a lot to report on the Messy front, but Am@zon gave me a new iron to review which meant that ironing got done, and I have a new Leifheit mop to trial as well. This has a pad attached with Velcro - type material so it can be removed for machine washing. Why has nobody thought of that before?!

Molly41

mcculloch29 wrote: »

Not a lot to report on the Messy front, but Am@zon gave me a new iron to review which meant that ironing got done, and I have a new Leifheit mop to trial as well. This has a pad attached with Velcro - type material so it can be removed for machine washing. Why has nobody thought of that before?!

I always put the mop heads - vil3da ones - through the wash and get about 5 washes before they disintegrate meaning I can extend their life by about 3 months. They say disposable but they are quite strong and take a wash at 60 degrees.