make do and mend for tougher times

GreyQueen

Morning all.

I was exhausted yesterday and went to bed about 9 pm for the second night on the trot and slept beautifully until about 4 am. Thereafter I was dozing lightly and enjoying the thought that I didn't have to be anywhere in a hurry because it's a Sunday. Until.........

04.30 am shouting match outside on carpark.
05.00 am violent doorslam as next-door geezer came home.
06.45 am lots of kerfuffle as an idiot on the upper floors came crashing out to go fishing. For some unaccountable reason, he had to wake someone else in another flat to go with him by kicking their door and shouting and running up and down the stairs a few times. Damn near went out in my jammies to have a rumble but reminded myself that wasn't the best of ideas.

:mad: By this time my blood pressure was up and I gave up on getting any more rest. What is it with people; s**t-for-brains?

Popperwell, please try not to get too distressed by forms. Yuo're getting help from the CAB which is the right thing to do. DLA is "fully disregarded" for the purposes of calculating your entitlement to HB/ CTB so has no impact on those.

I hope I won't cause offense but I have noticed from the times of your posts and remarks about watching stuff in the middle of the night, that you have an erratic sleeping pattern. You're obviously a grown man and it's none of my business, but I did wonder if you were aware that this habit has some unpleasant consequences in terms of physical and mental health?

As a species, we're designed to be asleep in the hours of darkness and if you are awake, you're upsetting your body-clocks. There are implications for heightened risks of a number of diseases inc cancers for being awake at night. A pal of mine has a very erratic life vis a vis sitting up in the middle of the night to watch international sporting events live, and is plagued with health problems which several of us believe are caused by this wacked-out lifestyle. His immune system seems to be compromised.

Hope I haven't caused offence but I've been thinking about mentioning it for some time. I know from my own life that I can't do screen time (i.e. computer as don't have TV) too late in the evening or I don't sleep well.

Yesterday was busy-ish with some time on the allotmentino. In a classic example of how you have to do one thing to get to another, I had to clear the scrub away from the shed to get to put wood treatment onto it. Grass had overgrown the patio (some recycled slabs beside the shed) and I ended up with the chiselled end of the mattock getting the darned stuff out. That mattock is a heavy piece of kit and I think that was why I was so shattered when I got in. And I only had the strength to do half the shed so will be doing a bit more today.

Have reluctantly decided that the paving-stone cracks will have to be treated with weedkiller to get rid of the couch grass, nettles and even brambles and bindweed which have set up housekeeping in there. Reluctantly, because I don't do chemical gardening. Can anyone offer any recommendations for which product is best for this scenario, please?

I'd just started with the wood stuff, low on the shed, when I had a Tena-Lady moment as something crash-landed on the roof above me and then hopped off onto the roof of the shed next door. It was the scruffiest-looking magpie I ever saw in my life. I can only assume it was a fledgling as it seemed slightly smaller than normal but honestly........! Feathers sticking out at all angles like an illkempt teenager needing a comb.

I went to a L!dl yesterday and decided to treat myself to something and they had blueberries reduced to £1 a punnet so I had those. I noticed that the box contained shallow punnets and deep punnets and when I looked, some were 125g and some were 200g but they were all the same price. Gosh. You need to pay a lot of attention in the shops these days.

Enough drivel. I neglected to bake bread yesterday on account of being exhausted so will have to do that later but for now it'll be porridge with sultanas and a garnishing of blueberries......nomnomnom.

Hope everyone is getting some of this sunshine. Laters, GQ x

mardatha

Agree re nightshift, I think that contributed to my ME, I worked nights for 30 years. Would have been happy to stay on a nightshift pattern as I prefer getting up late and staying up until 3am, but I stopped it as it's not good for you. I know I love sweeties but I try really hard to eat at least 2 plain old-fashioned meals a day - don't always manage it because my appetite went when I got ill, but even half a plate of porridge then that's a meal eh
I always pictured my retirement as full of fantastic language courses, history & archeology lectures, spritualist/medium workshops, knitting circles...:D.... ME hit that lot on the head and also there's the wee fact that they all cost money! A one-day workshop with Gordon Wells or Tony Stockwell is £100. Uni of Edinburgh short courses aren't all reduced for concessions, and then there's the bus up there. If you spend all your time in the house or in the car to family - then as soon as you sit on a bus you catch every single bluddy germ on it.
But life is all about adapting isn't it? Be flexible and adaptable and find a way to do what makes you happy and contented. GQ machine guns slugs; Mrs Chip throws fish suppers at campers, and Fuddle is a whirlwind of domesticity. I sit on the couch, eat sweeties, and talk a lot

westcoastscot

I agree, I find I need a sleep routine to my week - going to bed and getting up at around the same time every day, and eating regularly, otherwise I quickly don't feel well.
I'm finding adapting difficult - suspect i'm still at the sulking stage with my arthritis - it's been two years now but am finally accepting that my life has changed and things I wanted to do are not possible anymore. There are loads of things I can and do do,but I get shattered so quickly my days are fairly short now. Had a wee bit of a scare at the Glasgow Show last week - my energy always dips around 4pm, but all of a sudden I just felt exhausted,nauseous and weak - last about 45 mins and then I picked up enough to go and have a cup of tea and a snack.

Mar was reading the other day that OU and Edinburgh Uni now do free short courses - not sure what in thought!

Enjoy your day guys - its raining again here

WCS

meme30

I did nights while the girls were young, and yes I have awful tiredness and joint aches. Sleep is often elusive, although at the moment I am sleeping nine hours then falling asleep every time I sit down in a chair! Don't talk about the weight gain! I know it's definitely the sleeping...it's not the sweeties, honest!

fuddle

GreyQueen wrote: »

Morning all.

I was exhausted yesterday and went to bed about 9 pm for the second night on the trot and slept beautifully until about 4 am. Thereafter I was dozing lightly and enjoying the thought that I didn't have to be anywhere in a hurry because it's a Sunday. Until.........

04.30 am shouting match outside on carpark.
05.00 am violent doorslam as next-door geezer came home.
06.45 am lots of kerfuffle as an idiot on the upper floors came crashing out to go fishing. For some unaccountable reason, he had to wake someone else in another flat to go with him by kicking their door and shouting and running up and down the stairs a few times. Damn near went out in my jammies to have a rumble but reminded myself that wasn't the best of ideas.

:mad: By this time my blood pressure was up and I gave up on getting any more rest. What is it with people; s**t-for-brains?

Just like here this morning then :mad::rotfl:

Mar you've summed a few of us up beautifully :rotfl:

It is about keeping busy and doing the best you can with what you have whether that be lack of money or poor health, or both I know what I'm really down and not motivated I knock every chore on the head and do creative things on my own. LAst year I had a particularly bad spell and just cut out little stars in paper to wrap round so jam jars for candles for christmas. I slowly came out of it and was back to normal the day after.

My grandma did word searches when her fingers became too poorly to knit, my mam drinks and smokes to occupy herself, DH fishes, my sister watches every soap on the tv, MIL plays facebook games, friend is always on her iphone surfing the net, SIL goes out shopping or nights out drinking, BIL road cycles, other BIL hit the gym... everyone just does what they fancy.

I have promised myself that when I hit 40 I am going to go to join the WI, women's institute. I feel I'm still to young, nervous and immature for the ladies at the moment. 40 will be sufice 7 years then.

Ok, today is a washing/ironing/sorting marathon. We're out for lunch at MIL later so that will be a welcome change. Other than that, just a general tidy and chill out day.

GreyQueen

mardatha wrote: »

But life is all about adapting isn't it? Be flexible and adaptable and find a way to do what makes you happy and contented. GQ machine guns slugs; Mrs Chip throws fish suppers at campers, and Fuddle is a whirlwind of domesticity. I sit on the couch, eat sweeties, and talk a lot

I refute that absolutely, Mar. I have never machine-gunned a slug. Bayonetted, yes.............:rotfl:

But you're bang on the mark, we all just muddle through. I chat to my (retired) parents. What did you do today, dear?

Me; Went to work and came home again.

One thing ME has made me very aware of is that there is a surprising amount of energy being expended in just doing the everyday stuff, like seeing yourself fed, clean and the home kept in some sort of order. Up above the Dysentry Line as Isla Dewar had it in one of her books.

The folks are busy from dawn til dusk. Mum thought she had a lie-in earlier this week - she stayed in bed as late as 6.30 am! They both worked full-time until very recently and neither of them can work out where all this extra time, formerly being sold to the company, has gone to. They read more, go for walks, chill out a bit and good for them.

Pops, most people are not doing anything very exciting in their leisure time........there's an awful lot of TV being watched. I've pottered about, bought some groceries, done a little gardening, had several long chats with people, washed my hair and cooked a meal this weekend. Oh, and I finished 2 books.

Hey, that's more than I thought. Better slow down and have another cuppa or I'll peak too early on a Sunday and I'm supposed to be going out for supper tonight.

Pooky

Fuddle - I really wouldnt start getting toys etc for childminding until you've started the courses and seen what grants are available. I had a £500 start up grant that I could claim but all the receipts I could enter for it had to be within a certain time frame. The £500 was more than enough for a start up, I got my first lot of contracts/accounts/accident book etc free for joining the NCMA too. I really would hold fire on the part, like I said before I started the course in the September and wasn't fully registered until the following June, I couldn't apply for the grant until I had my registration number and it was more than enough time to get some bits together. Another childminder friend passed a couple of enquiries my way and they came for a visit and I went straight into having 2 kids who were just over 1 year. At that age they play with anything and I built my toy stocks up slowly over the next few years.

more important than toys are the basics, high chair/s, pushchair/twin pushchair, potty, loo seat, cot and bedding (I used a travel cot as it needed to go in DD1s room when I was working but could be stored away when she was home from school) stair gates, garden safety stuff etc. OFSTED were/are very hot on the outdoor spaces. I spent my grant money on those items.

Popperwell

I only watch odd things on the TV now and the last few nights I have slept quite soundly but I do post sometimes if I have woke and am perhaps having a drink. No Ihave taken no offence. I agree with much of what all of you say. Truth is I sometimes go to bed early. Earlier ta i used to so probably wake earlier but I usually turn over and have another couple of hours...

I have already had some fruit juice, a coffee and two muffins(one with tomato, lettuce and cheese)the other with marmalade so I should come to no harm.

How annoying for you having that racket at such an early hour and on the day for many it is their day of rest. Luckily Tesco's often sell Blueberries around £1 but as I use them a lot even at £2 I can uually get a week out of them. Even the strawberries haven't been too bad. At a push if they are too expnsive I sometimes buy frozen fruit(and I always try to have some tinned fruit to hand...)

Morning to Meme and Fuddle who have joined the board whilst I write my post...

I think most of my days are a mixture of chill out and sorting(but nice when you can do it in your own time)I've taken weeks but I am getting there.

I almost thoght of going on a day trip, coaches used to pick up on this town all the time but now they don't seem to do that anymore. Even if I wanted to travel to say London it appears I have to travel to Newcastle adding extra time and cost to the journey. I can't believe that there isn't a demand.

fuddle

Thanks pooky, it makes utter sense to me. I have heard that the grants may not be available in the future though. I'm not surprised really. I'm going to concentrate on my outdoor space pooky - the boxes were for sand and water toys (milk cartons, plastic food containers, old seive, cheap funnel, piece of hose, bit of guttering etc) I'm going to make bunting for outdoors and hunt out the waterproofs the girls had. I plan to make the outdoor space an all weather area, as best I can because there's nothing worse than sending your child to a child minder who has them holed up indoors all day - believe me I know that and felt horrible knowing that my little one was in a living room day in day out just playing with a box of toys. I'm a determined little miss and I want to be the best I can possibly be with this. I had not thought about highchairs, pushchairs etc. I think carbookts are going to be my friend.

Just read about a blog on OS. Frugal in cornwall. Going to hunt it out and then make a move to sort this birds nest I have on my head.

Kids going to have grilled sausage sandwiches on HM bread for breakfast as they need using up - I am going to have fruit and yoghurt in the hope I can loose a few pounds.

Popperwell

GreyQueen wrote: »

Pops, most people are not doing anything very exciting in their leisure time........there's an awful lot of TV being watched. I've pottered about, bought some groceries, done a little gardening, had several long chats with people, washed my hair and cooked a meal this weekend. Oh, and I finished 2 books.

Hey, that's more than I thought. Better slow down and have another cuppa or I'll peak too early on a Sunday and I'm supposed to be going out for supper tonight.

I'm glad that you've said that because I think it's true of many, whether they work, are unemployed, retired or not so well in health. I used to get into a few arguments(well, diagreed with someone on my blog who would have me out doing something all the time)and though it is good to be out, it is impractical and we still have to come home(even if that means spending time alone)

I am sociable and friendly and I know I am liked but I am fortunate that I like my own company and most of the time I am not morbid.

I like that!