make do and mend for tougher times

Popperwell

kittie wrote: »

pops, just want to say how I admire the way you have turned from negative to positive. Wd you, you seem to have found a spring in your step and a good example to all

Kittie,
Thank you...When I talk as I do today I sometimes think that I am sounding defeatest but you know most of the time I really do think I am doing quite well and have surprised myself and my negative moods are less than they were and I do seem to be able to shake myself up and do something to avoid getting "Down in the dumps"

Yes, I think Fuddle and Monnogran have something in what they said about me shopping and buying things as a kind of way of coping but there are days where I don't do any shopping and will not be doing as much soon through choice but I also know one day I will not have the money to buy what I wish and will have to say "I can't afford that"

I can sleep reasonably well, I can manage to have days where I do very little without losing it but equally most of the time I am also able to still keep an interest in some TV programmes, the internet, music and the radio and in time I may find something I can do in a kind of voluntary way...My disadvantage is needing transport to get places and taxis become very expensive...

On the town it's not too bad but if you need to go to a neighbouring town, I could soon spend money or find it running out.

Just as well therefore I like my own company and can accept staying at home...

You can expect miracles and rush things, I mean I only lost Mum the last week of April and we had been in each other's company for nearly 55 years. I was never held back but circumstances made it so. Even the most positive people have their moments where they are not so upbeat.

Getting ready for some more serious radio listening which I do most Sundays...and a Prom Concert yesterday not of classical music but tunes of Broadway.

Popperwell

kidcat wrote: »

My OH used to live very close to Anfield kittie along with all the match day parking issues!! :

Pops - its worth attending, they may be able to sort your Utilities nightmare out as well while you are there.

Well, By the time I see them I should have cancelled BG and be with NPower as originally arranged. Not the cheapest but if I am as careful as I have been so far and they give me £100 at the end of the yearand the £45 for going paperless, that brings the standing charge down to approx 20p a day(until I get that it's costing me almost £4 a week)in standing charges before I use any gas or electric but it seems virtually every company charges SC even more annoying that VAT is added.

And yet other people on NPower say their average bill for both gas and electric is £65 a month(I am expecting it to be nearer £100)

I'll just have to see what I can save. Seems funny having Gs CH and electric which is suppose to make your life easier but you are actually trying not to use it. It's quite cold in my home today but I can put another jumper on, some socks and slippers, do a hot water bottle or dive under the duvet.

A hot meal and drink will probably warm me up.

kidcat

fayhare wrote: »

Oh Kitcat my OH is autistic too (Aspergers) Which is both interesting and hard work! :rotfl:

You see I can tell you are having a good day with your OH from that comment cos on a bad day you would say its exhausting and frustrating!!:rotfl:

we have DD6 friends in yet again, I have said no all day as I cannot cope with my own and it means DD17 has had to do most of it, but when OH came home I allowed her to play out - ten minutes later they are all in here, garden too waterlogged so they are wrecking upstairs again.

jpscloud

I delurked but I don't think I ever really introduced myself - I'm a happy singleton hurtling towards the big five-O with a spoiled brat of a cat, I'm a qualified teacher but work in learning support as that suits my life at the moment.

I'm in Cheshire too kidcat - I love gardening for wildlife and have dabbled in vegetables over the years but only recently with a view to saving money, and grew my very first potatoes this year.

Popperwell

Kidcat,
I can understand your back trouble totally. 1997 I had the worst backache possible and was given Ibuprofen, I overdosed unknowingly and they probably were what damaged my kidneys and my consultant has told me never to take them again...I also caused internal bleeding which stopped as soon as I stopped taking them...

My back pain was in the lower back area. And like you driving and any bending really hurt like nothing before or since...

Popperwell

Nice to have you along JPS Cloud:)

homerdog

Pooky, your home on the Kent Coast sounds idyllic, I love the sea and dream of retiring to Angelsey in a few years. Until then will have to make do with tiny flagged garden, noise from nearby main road, traffic problems when Man U play at home, and the usual grime, dirt and crime problems of inner city dwelling....still it'll do til something better comes along. At least we have everything we need...transport, dos, hospitals, dentists, schools etc on our doorstep...oh and a large shopping centre with BM, £land & Qsave, and town centre 20 mins on bus or tram.

kidcat

pops - you cannot guage anything by other peoples bills, its all dependant on so many factors. For instance we live here now and our bills are much higher than the previous couple who lived here, because I have learnt that DS needs the heat, in our last house I cut it down as far as possible and it was always cold - I mean really cold (and the bills were still huge) and DS weed all over the place. The couple also both worked and went to gym after work so they showered etc there, then at weekends they went to stay with parents two weeks a month. So they were never here to use the energy.
When we moved in the energy company wanted to charge us the amount of DD that the last people paid but I held my ground and paid more thankfully I overpaid as I kept the amount we had being paying at last house.

Our bills here are much lower than before and the house is considerably warmer, Oh wore shorts in the house throughout the winter.

Its all about personal usage, do you have an electricity monitor? when I first joined I think it was kittie and mardatha that had them and showed me how useful they are, we were given one bu one energy company and it does focus you on how much items cost to run.

Popperwell

I live in the North East of England near Fuddle, Meme30 and McCullogh amongst others:)

Feel as though I am in my twenties and still young at heart but am actually 55 years old. Male. Single...now having had Mum pass away in April. No family to speak of and friends long since left the area when they finished at school.

Like music of most types but am more likely to listen to the kind of music you'll har tonight on Radio 2 with Russell Davies, Clare Teal and David Jacobs...you know instrumentals and singers like Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole etc...but I still like so many genres its better to ask what I don't enjoy.

Like the radio, the internet, food(so that means cooking)not been doing as much as I used lately but hope that I will again soon...

I'd like to go out more but when the bus service isn't very good and quite expensive as are the taxi's, you spend a lot of time at home...perhaps too much.

Health problems but who hasn't...

Only short approx 5' 4" Blue eyes and not much hair:(wear glasses, short sighted. Think that's about it!

shegar

smileyt wrote: »

Kidcat I am really angry on your behalf. Who does this nurse think she is, and the doctor too, treating you like that? If your pain is bad enough to be considering morphine then there needs to be some investigation!

I had a useless GP once. He referred me for rheumatology (I knew I had only sprained my knee!) but the consultant I saw was more interested in why I couldn't move my thumb and finger on one hand, and referred me to neurology (?) to get the nerve investigated. So, it could be that if you mention your back, you could be referred by the hospital doctor when you go for your chest x-ray, instead of having to go back to your GP.

The other alternative is to contact your Patient Advice and Liaison Service http://www.pals.nhs.uk/ to see if they can help. Your particular practice might be known to them as a troublesome one.

I'm only sorry that you have yet another battle to fight on top of all the other battles you have going on in your life.

I found PALS to be of a excellent service when ive needed them twice now..........My hubby as a neurologist due to the massive stroke he had nearly 4 yrs ago, which have left him with major epilepsy, his health his deteriating a lot in the last 7 months and to try ang get him a MRI scan is near on impossible........

The neuro dr said when I asked him if he would refer him for a MRI was "Well I can book him in for a mri if you would like one"...!!:mad:.....cos he need a scan ................How can they tell if in the past 4 yrs that he as had TIAs without the scan.??

Hes been shoving tabs left right and centre for the past 3 yrs with no effect, and hubby as not had a MRI since his stroke 4 yrs ago, and since then they thought he as had 2 TIAs..!! I think he need a scan to see whats going on..:mad::mad:.......Its maddening waiting so long to see speicalists , drs etc etc, we live with ill people and know when somethings not right .........

So far been waiting 6 wks for the scan appoinment to come through, still not here , so I phoned PALS , after they done their phone calls etc they came back and said he will have his scan by Sept 13 th.................At least PALS do their work and get back to you.....

So hopefully it will come in the post before too long, hubby is going into respite care tomorow for a week cos im drained and need a break...............

The weather has been super again today, that help keep me upbeat and cheery......................Take care all.....