make do and mend for tougher times

fuddle

When I decided to sit every day without the heating on I didn't take into consideration the absolutely horribly wet days. My outer wear is drenched through. I'm having to turn all the radiators off other than the large living room one. All my coats hats etc are drying along with little DD's who is off school poorly. It's on low but I'm still annoyed it's on at all. DD has her wheat filled cuddle lion and a hot choc.

I wish I was going to be sat in ikea with a cuppa and a slice of cake! Have fun

Have to tell you about the loganberries I stumbled across in the car park yesterday. They were gorgeous! I wanted to have a bit forage but I was banned by DD and DH because they were embarrassed! I got in the car muttering about lucky they aren't starving and waffling about natures food and something about what did they used to do before they made packets of crisps! I was clearly narked :rotfl:

Much to do here this morning, including looking on freecycle for a freezer.

Possession

Loganberries are my dad's absolute favourite. So far here I haven't even seen blackberries properly ripe, they seem to have just shrivelled away. Hope DD feels better soon.

ginnyknit

Softstuff, have a good flight, Im sure you will be relieved to get there.

To all with poorly little ones hope they recover soon, poor Kidcat, it never rains but pours in your house, you have about as much luck as we do - i really empathise with you, you remind me so much of me, getting on with what ever life throws at you.

Oh was remarkably chipper when I got home, he had a lazy day apart from a quick trip to see his cricket friends at the last final. I left him grub and he was just happy that I managed to get out and actually see people. More so cos I had such a fab time meeting new people.

Im going to have to do something about the pantry door next to the PC, never noticed before the draught is terrible. Have an old curtain rail that was for the front door so will use that and scrounge another from somewhere for there. Its 'dreich' here as our Scots buddies say, very wet and cold.

stiltwalker

Tipping it down here too - it was like an expedition getting the kids togged up just to take DD to nursery (and we go in the car!) Still, safely delivered and DS and I home and in the dry now. Letting him have a bit of a crawl round for a bit then going to make him do some work - practicing standing at the coffee table while we draw pictures and play cars, he's really getting the hang of weight bearing now which is fantastic progress.

Thanks for the hugs guys and the good advice kidcat - I'm trying to get MIL to access some carers services but it's an uphill climb. FIL was having carers come in to help him get up in the morning as part of his discharge from hospital programme but he was doing fine so they discharged him from that :mad: OH and I suspect he was making an effort so the 'do gooders' (his words, not ours) would leave him alone and now he's being difficult for MIL, apparently he refused to get up at all on Saturday and slammed the bathroom door to keep her out when she was trying to make sure he got a wash. We saw a real deterioration between this weekend and last, so told MIL she ought to ring the SW and tell her that she needed the morning carers back as a bare minimum. Someone is coming to help her fill in the AA form this week so hopefully that should help her at least.

OK must go and do something useful, catch you all later.

VJsmum

I wouldn't know a loganberry if I fell over one
Or a sloe
Or a damson - except it is a bit plum-like isn't it?:o

Foul weather. DD crying over school again - it's getting on my wick now. What I wanted to say was "I know you don't like it, love, but tough. Just get on with it". (what I actually said was somehting along the lines of "there, there. you'll get used to it. Think of all the things you like"). Anyway the bad weather made us late and she had to jump quickly out of the car and go - so no time for more histrionics. I am sorry for her - but it is very wearing.

I am due to go for lunch with my friend so have 3 hours to clean 2 bathrooms and a downstairs loo, juggle washing (in the rain), do some ironing and clean DS bedroom. But I am having a coffee, toast and a calm down first.

I have to buy a new frock for Friday - have to go out for dinner as the "bosses wife" and really have nothing suitable. They are either too "posh - frocky" or far too casual. I am thinking of going to TK Marxx with my Bridget Jones' pants on (sorry, chaps, if that's TMI :rotfl:) Although I have spent more on clothes than it says in my sig - I reckon i am below £200 for the year and most of that was on things from ebay and charity shops. There has been very little new.

Have a good meet up Scottish peeps. Ikea, eh? All those free refills

I should like, at some point today, to start knitting my winter woolie. It is a lovely dusky pink, chunky with 3/4 sleeves. The summer one has been put on hold :cool:

RIght, coffee and toast finished. I'd better get cracking.

Possession

Stiltwalker my grandma did much the same after a long spell in hospital, she had 3 carers a day and basically complained about them, got them changed, refused to let them in (despite key box being set up outside), then basically told them to stop coming. She is nominally managing with lots of help from my mum (who lives an hour's drive away) but really she needs help again and she won't entertain the idea. She is also edging towards alzheimers and (understandably) won't entertain the idea of that either but it makes the situation much more fraught and difficult so I can sympathise with your poor MIL but also see where she is coming from - you do have so much on your plate already. Hopefully if some paid care can be put in place it will take some of the burden off her.

elona

(((Softstuff))))

I am so sorry to hear the news and well done to DH for getting a flight so quickly.

(((shegar)))

Woke up early as builder coming and found the genius who had the house built and redone bathrooms etc has not fixed the toilet properly to the wall, the bath is wobbly and not fixed right and the electrics are dire. At least things are now being done properly but could do without the hassle at the moment.

Went shopping for bread, sandwich bits and veg really early as I did not want to miss a call from hospital if there was one. Assumed DH would have the sense to stay in the house while I was out to get the phone but he was mooching round the garden.:mad:

Hugs to all who could use one and lets hope things get better.

fuddle

My CRB check has come through! I can start my job in the next few days. I'm very excited but nervous, although I shouldn't be as I know most of the staff and layout of the school already so part of the learning curve sussed.

Also I wanted to ask did anyone watch Kevin McCloud's hand made home on C4 last night? I thoroughly enjoyed it and love the idea of a quiet hideaway off grid. I'm not sure about making fuel out of excrement though. So interesting. I'm having shed dreams now.

kidcat

prepareathome wrote: »

Aw kidcat sending you love, hubby has left for work now but sadly still no overtime so he will be home by 1pm (so long as its not type of rain and stops the trains, he no longer can get lifts to and from work so drives to local station and gets train into Liverpool) and if I can help in any way - nipping to shops for you, I know you planned to buy some bits today, we can easily do that for you or anything else,remember am only 10/15 mins away.

Hoping DS now has been sick will start to feel better,can even come over and clean if need be, you have so much on your plate I really do want to help in some way. Not trying to push in I promise just want to try and ease your burden in some way.

Hugs and Love to you and allxxx

PAH - you are so kind, it really brought a tear to my eye that anyone could be so kind. Thankfully DD is not in college so sat with DS whilst I took DD6 to school and popped to Mr A, so am set for week. Even managed to sort bathroom out which is good.

Have cleared all the washing again and now have sofa covers in machine - DS is a terrible patient and has to be held over bucket and needs his head pointg in right direction. He has no clue which makes things awkward

DD6 went into school and I told them about DS so they can watch her, but they have four off today with same thing - goodness knows how many will miss this trip (what a waste, trip cost £80 and the equipment has cost similar)

Stiltwalker - it may be that your DH has to get "tough" with his parents, I know when my grandad deterioriated I kept flagging up that he wasnt coping and his three children (my mum included) all buried their heads and then passed the book. It culminated in my trying to care for him (30 mile round trip) and looking after a tiny baby and two at school. Things got really bad when I found him collapsed on the toilet and I then took charge and told him what was going to happen, contacted his GP and made arrangements and then told his kids.

It felt wrong to take control of someone's life but he would never have been able to make the choice himself and I was not willing to see him suffer as he was. Good luck its a terribly situation.

Ginny - could you put something around the door/frame to help with the draught as well, maybe a giant draught excluder type thing fastened all around the inside of the door frame?

Have a lovely meet up in Ikea - I love Ikea restaurant, free coffee all day and lovely cake too!!! Am tempted to join you but I think OH may complain about the mileage :rotfl::rotfl:

Fuddle - drying things is going to be the issue with no heating. We still have the heating off thankfully but I have the dryer on to get the washing dry, the sofa covers will have to be thrown over the bannisters as they cannot be tumbled. The heat from the dryer is warming the kitchen diner where DS has chosen to relocate (he destroys sofa then moves to next room - cant stand the smell he said:D)

It is absolutely pouring here, its really dark too, we have lights on in some rooms. The garden is full of huge ponds again - we really need to get garden organised.

The weather will ruin the activities planned for DD trip, as its all supposed to be outdoors but its that bad theres no way they can do that.

D&DD

Quick sit down and a cuppa Yuk why are men just so damn messy...you won't catch me making a mess :whistle:

Kidcat sorry to hear little man is poorly hope he feels better soon,hopefully your DD will still be able to do a few things on her trip DS3 had 3 solid days of rain and they managed to do most stuff but be prepared for copious amounts of smelly washing when she gets home I had to wash everything twice!

Shegar hope hubby is a little better today X

Softstuff thinking of you and yours and want to echo what others have said I'm surrey/greater london area if I can help in any way do please ask XX

Elona hope all goes well today with your DD X

Fuddle yay back in the working world hope you have lots of fun in the new job X

Have a great day all must dash getting too comfy !