My home is a mess

bearcub

Afternoon Messies.

Emms, sorry about making you dizzy. The floor cleaning I have to do when OH is out, or we'd end up with footprints across the laminate floor in the kitchen - something that will go if and when we have the kitchen refurbed. I don't mind the stuff, but it's starting to look rahter worn now, with the odd chip out of it. Dear Littly, I'm sure she'll enjoy her outing.

Snookey, loo roll to dry after a shower! :eek: How much must that use?

When the four of us were still in our previous family house, DD1 had the larger room, and DD2 the tiny 'box' room. Let's just say (because DD1 is elsewhere on this forum), that DD2 tended to keep her tiny space clearer. OH doesn't make a huge mess (except when he's cooking, but I forgive him that), but he's not good at putting clothes away. We really don't have the space to allow clutter but, at the same time, having such a 'compact' bungalow, does mean that it's quick to clean.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Snookey - have you tried those microfibre bath wrap things (or the sports towels ) for your DD? My DGD doesn`t like the fluffy bathtowels either, but she hasn`t gone to the extreme of using loo roll...upstairs loo is separate from bathroom so it would be difficult.
Bearcub - it`s ok dear, I`ve gone & made myself dizzy now!!
We had a lovely outing with Littly. She was fine in the car (OH sat in the back seat with her), very good on the lead, just a bit anxious when we passed a couple of other folks with dogs. She had lots of little wees and nearly wore her nose out sniffing.
No attempt to get in the water or interest in the water birds (even though some made noises like her squeaky toys!). She`s very well-mannered really. She was quite happy to get back in the car, and headed straight for our gate when she got out.
She even seemed a bit impatient waiting for OH to open our back door and pushed in front of him as soon as it was open.
We also saw 2 peacock butterlies, several speckled woods, and a brown dragonfly, but best of all the swans (just one pair) have SIX well-grown cygnets. Lovelies!!
Both dogs and OH then snoring their respective heads off, I`ve put some brisket & veg in the oven, blitzed the kitchen, 2 loads in WM and hung outside, and a 20-minute garden -tidy.
Having made myself dizzy I`m now having a sit down!

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

Lovely to hear stories about the new pooch Emms. Our little rescue has been with us a year now and its been a real rollercoaster of emotions. Once I realised that I cant undo some of the problems he came with and just had to love him as he is everything changed for the better. I wouldnt part with him for the world.

Been to Mum and Dads for Sunday lunch. Had a great time, my parents never want us to leave though which is sweet and a little bit sad at the same time.

Now I am making soup and bread. Yes I know its about 25 degrees outside but I felt like making soup so there you go.

Mummybobble. I can understand. My youngest went away with a friend for a long weekend and I missed him sooo much. It will be lovely to have them home.

Bearcub, I am trying to persuade OH to do some house improvements. Our problem is where to start!

Right, off to poke at my bread and stir the soup.

Cherryjack

I need to start, my house is awful at the mo with recent illness

Buffythedebtslayer

I am up early and dressed and sitting on the internet.

Well not literally.

If I was it wouldn't be working. (somewhere in a the distance cymbals smash)


However I don't know where to start..................

xx

Lleucu

Can I rejoin?

I posted last year about one of my neighbours, lives alone, very disabled, nearly blind. She had a private carer but the arrangement has broken down and the other neighbours and a friend are trying to keep things going as she wont consider a referral to Social Services.

I am doing some cleaning and have so far after many hours labour got things a bit better but it is one of the worst houses I have ever seen, junk everywhere, filthy carpets, cobwebs, ingrained dust .. and the bathroom took 4 hours with mask, gloves, apron, steamer, bleach. Garden now under control thanks to a kind neighbour, rats, incontinent cat.

I thought I had good equipment but its like emptying Lake Vyrnwy with a tea spoon!! The old style methods (scrubbing brush, stiff broom, yard broom) are more useful. Any ideas for the carpet and rugs in the front room, I have vacd, brushed, steamed, washed, still terrible. The smell is ghastly despite washing everything in sight.

My husband is not pleased and thinks I am wasting my time too!

Emm-in-a-pickle

Morning All!
First, Hi Lleucu. I know how you must feel with the elderly neighbour as we had an old chap next door years ago with similar problems, only an aggressive alsatian and whiskey were part of the mix there! Even with Social Services getting involved it was a nightmare trying to help and worrying over his safety, even when they moved him to a little bungalow further down the road.
Your cleaning efforts are NOT a waste of time, but it sounds like the carpet problem is Terminal! Unless you can persuade her to replace them you & she are stuk with them. Your old lady is very disabled, but to what extent? Was the bathroom so bad because she isn`t able to use it? Is she otherwise `healthy`, stable? If so, and while she is able to make her own decisions, accept or refuse help, then there`s little more that you can do. That`s the hardest part, getting your head around this. If she has mental capacity she also has the right to refuse.
The fact that she`s accepting your help and the neighbour sorting her garden is encouraging though. I have only one suggestion - have you thought of contacting your local Health Visitor? (They don`t only do babies!) She might accept a visit and maybe a quick health check, and accepting further help could at least be discussed.

scaredy_cat

right got a black bag at the ready, cup of coffee....


and i'm watching the dressage on tv!!!

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hi Cherryjack - Hope you`re feeling better. That is such a frequent wail here on the Messies thread "WHERE DO I START?!" As Buffy has just proved! (Hiya Buffy xx)
The answer is ANYWHERE, & with Baby Steps!
I do highly recommend using a Timer, it makes you realise you can do quite a lot in a short burst once you start. There`s something magical about hitting the `start` button!

I`m working this pm, so I`m not actually going to start anything today. DGD arrived back with us unannounced last night, just as we were sitting down to supper, both the dogs & cat settled, in strolls DGD & her mama, Littly dog leapt about raising the `alarm`, cat suddenly bristled to 3 times her normal size and did the cat-growl thing, and Dafty dog merely lumbered around greeting the incomers, totally deaf to sounds but aware there were folks whose smell she knows and likes....pandemonium. A phone call would have been nice. The mama NOT trying to fuss Littly so effusively would have been nice too. DGD was great though, I think she`s a born dog-whisperer, and her smells are already here in the house so Littly & her have bonded quickly and quite calmly once the mama left.
Have a decent day all. x
Hi Scaredy Cat!

Lleucu

Thanks Emm.

She will let the District Nurses in though nobody else.

The bathroom she uses, but because of poor sight it is in a bad state, it has a non slip floor covering which is hard to clean hence the yard brush.

I plan another assault on Wednesday, where I will remove as much rubbish as she allows and tackle the hard floors again.

One positive development is that she has decided to stop feeding the birds (think industrial quantities of bread) because of the rats. (Env Health have visited and are dealing with them). Have found and disposed of several dead rats, the rest seem to have scarpered.

You are right about the carpet, I am going to try some charities to see if they can fund a new one and a new chair as well, but it is big money. (about £1600).