My home is a mess

jpscloud

Hello messies! I've resurfaced after a long term, finally feeling much better after a number of niggling health issues were sorted. We broke up last Friday and I'd begun to eye up the dust buffalos and what-not, but each time I did, I kind of went "meh" and didn't do it.

Well, one of the green deal companies came around on Tuesday and I'd been meaning to get the free cavity and loft insulation sorted... so I have an energy assessor person coming around tomorrow and hopefully it will get done before the end of the hols.

Of course, that means a stranger in my house :eek:


So yesterday I paid a visit to the tip with some more stuff that wasn't charity shop-able, and today I cleaned upstairs (except the spare room of doom, and even that looks slightly less scary now being minus some of the junk).


Some of the piles of junk I cleared today were older than the kids I teach. Actually I think one or two of the ceiling cobwebs might have been too.


I cleaned the loo, bathroom, bedroom, landing and stairs. The spare room of doom and box room of doom are both still a bit of a problem, but I'm only human.


Still have to clear the loft out - but there's not that much up there, thankfully. Tomorrow I'll do a quick whiz around downstairs and then it shouldn't look too bad really.


The garden is a terrible mess - still strewn with flotsam and jetsam after the storm winds. I want to get out there and cut the grass, plant seeds and so on, but the dratted cleaning got in the way. I might have a go at it tomorrow after the energy assessor has been, but will be out on family duties on Friday. Hope the weather holds for the weekend.


The little snakeshead fritillary plant I got reduced last year has flowered, it's very pretty. The sparrows are busy nesting and pulling the down out of last year's cardoon heads and joy of joys, the various clematis plants seem to have recovered from snail hell and have flower buds!


My bee hotel was a non-starter, spiders took up residence and then it got blown off and destroyed in the winds. I'll have another go this year, maybe. How is yours doing Emm?


Hope everyone is well, and enjoying life.

mothernerd

I woke at 8am so I went to the doctor's. Had a taxi there and buses back so managed a few little jobs. I am being referred to physio and otherwise carry on doing as I have - try to do what I can but go back to resting on the bed as soon as I start aching. No ladders and no lifting.

Took 2 library books (finished the second one at the doctor's) so dropped them into the library + food bank donation. Got my glasses sorted (very loose and sliding off my face) and did a mini shop then straight onto the bus home.

Received notification on utility bill dd and it was less than I had budgeted so I paid extra on a cc and transferred £10 to DS3's account - he had an exam today so carried on into Manchester after to bank a cheque for me (Tv license refund) and brought the £10 cash home.

I intend getting a weekly ticket for £13. I will have to pay a bit extra to get to mum's from the town centre but will do a couple of trips a day and do a proper food shop (have £10 off £30 Tessimo vouchers, 2 to use by Sunday and 2 from Monday), take all the library books back and get new ones, take some cs and other donations and maybe even have a day out (couple of places I can go that have lots of benches, take food and water with me), just sit in the sunshine.

At least I will get some things out of the house and won't have to sit looking at all the things that need doing, that I am not allowed to do. I have swept down the stairs and am trying to look for things I can do.:cool:

pollypenny

Oh, looking at things you can't do just winds you up! I was like that after my hysterectomy!

Back in our bedroom last night after the decorator! Lovely, it's so clean and fresh smelling. Every curtain ring and corner is gleaming.

dibuzz

I feel like I've got to do things so I have something to put in my diary, maybe that's part of the plan.
I need to dispose of the dog food and treats we have left. I bought a 2kg bag of food a few days before Steff was put to sleep. I sort of knew it wouldn't be used but hoped she would be here long enough to at least open it.
We also have some dentastix left, I know it sounds silly but I still get upset that she didn't have one on her last day, she usually had one as soon as she had been out for a wee. She was different that morning, still soft and wanting cuddles but she seemed to know something was going to happen.
Time to put the washing out, at least it's not raining so I might even get round to mowing the lawn if it dries out.

tattycath

I have done a load of washing and have anther load in. I still have about 5 more loads to do! :eek:
I need to put some clean dry washing away.
I'd like to get on with some crafty stuff today too. fingers crossed.

mothernerd

Thanks yorkshirelass and others.

Emm-in-a-pickle, I've been trapped in the broke, overweight and depressed triangle for most of the 6 years I have lived in this house (7 years since my brother died but I said new house new start).

Polly penny - I had a hysterectomy 9 years ago. It's helping keep things in perspective. My mother (fanatical cleaner until she fell downstairs in Feb last year) came round for 2 hours a day and even with me helping as much as I was allowed, there was still stuff to do every day. Since doing 4+ hours a day after I went back to work was unrealistic (I actually worked as a cleaner, even cleaned a couple of houses, but your own house is a different matter) it went back to normal.

My lbm healthwise, was being diagnosed with diabetes in Dec 2012 - all the things I had struggled to give up (sometimes you know a m*rs bar is the best thing that is going to happen to you that day) became easier. Due to conflicting dietary advice I started out being very strict and did well with weight loss.

Loss had slowed by last summer so decided to up my activity levels by joining a free local authority scheme - 12 weeks sw classes followed by 1 hour exercise. At the same time I started the great renovation project by scraping every penny together and borrowing DS3's interest free student overdraft to have the damp proof course done. Also DS1 had a housing crisis (after 4 years on their own you think you are safe) and it was easier for me to move into the attic than take his stuff up 2 flights of stairs.

I was struggling with one set of stairs and volunteered to do 2 (his gf berated him the first weekend she stayed). Due to dpc I also carried up most of the contents of the living room, dining room and kitchen to the attic (DS1 was supposed to do the heavy stuff but had to have emergency surgery - teeth and grapefruit sized abcess).

Sometimes think I am depressed because when it's quiet I am just waiting for the next disaster to strike. A bathroom leak brought down half the kitchen ceiling, so roof repairs and Kitchen had to be put on hold until January (DS3's next grant installment), DS2 has had 2 periods off sick (our new gp finally made a correct diagnosis - he has been ill for 8 years) and the oven died on New Year's Eve.

Since October I've gradually increased my fitness and activity levels, painted downstairs (special new plaster paint) before Christmas and upstairs since DS1 moved his things out. Now I must have the house 90-95% done and I am back to square one. I really need the house up for sale. DS3's course ends soon (final grant installment in a few weeks). We are just about surviving (cutting back everything to make small reductions in the debt and finance the house repairs).

So today didn't start well - nagging ache even after painkillers and neither myself nor DS3 is feeling great (he is also worried but I am not supposed to know about it so I can't say anything) and I have agreed to takeaway tonight (it will be going on a cc- paid off one - but it is from money I owe him, he bought materials I needed last month as he received an extra bursary, so actually debt repayment - or a mini shuffle -from me and him treating me IYSWIM).

So back to basics. I ate a lovely HM lamb curry (already defrosted, mostly broccoli and lentils but yummy) and have run a hot bath. DS3's t-shirt and my pj tops added to clothes downstairs and WM set off (will do towel / light quilt and bathmats later). Try to get everything out on line and leave it till I feel like bringing it back in. Taking library books later and will pop in at DS2's - if he has room will take remaining stuff in freezer there and get on with defrosting. Will try to do mini shop and can then start re-filling/ batch cooking at weekend. At mum's tomorrow. Okay anything else is a bonus.

Auntie_Sceb

mothernerd wrote: »

Sometimes think I am depressed because when it's quiet I am just waiting for the next disaster to strike. A bathroom leak brought down half the kitchen ceiling, so roof repairs and Kitchen had to be put on hold until January (DS3's next grant installment), DS2 has had 2 periods off sick (our new gp finally made a correct diagnosis - he has been ill for 8 years) and the oven died on New Year's Eve..

You might not be wrong about depression (and sounds like you're getting this treated) but also don't knock yourself for waiting for the 'next disaster' as is not necessarily irrational. It's a defence mechanism when you have had a lot happen. I remember years ago being treated for depression and smelling gas and thinking 'I'm probably just being paranoid' the next day I called the gas board. I did have a gas leak - I was very lucky they had to cap off the gas I should have trusted myself.

As Nirvana once said:
"Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you"

dibuzz

I really want to mow the front lawn but not sure if I can do it
I'd be ok if I could do it in the dark but not sure the neighbours would be too pleased.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Hi Messies!

Mothernerd, glad you made it to the doc, now at least you know what you can or can`t do - enjoy that takeaway!

Dibuzz, I think the diary idea sounds useful - a bit like posting on here making us think what we need to do/see what we`ve done.

JPS, It`s great to hear from you again, glad you`re feeling healthier these days. Don`t give up on the bee-house, my first one got blown off the wall twice and had cobwebs, but the little bee-grublings survived despite it all! Now they are just starting to emerge so I`m leaving the dandelions till the apple blossom is out properly (great excuse though!)

Progress continues here, albeit slowly -
Right, off to the sewing machine again.....

pollypenny

Mothernerd, you have had a lot to put up with, do there has to be an end!

Enjoy your takeaway! We went to Ikea for a chest if drawers and ate there, do just a sandwich now.