Flying solo

*Robin*

Good Afternoon Diary, :hello:

Awoke to the rather startling news that I've taken another step up on the road to becoming an Ancestor:
Am now a step-great-granny!

This first of the next generation is - happily** - a boy, so far unnamed but doing very well, as is his Mum.
(**says someone who always desperately wished for an older brother; as a child, younger ones were just a pain!).

Didn't achieve anything with Plan F yesterday - waiting for broker to get back to me.

However, DS and GF turned up; couldn't wait to start cleaning, painting and moving furniture around at PC's cottages. :T
Gifted 'em a huge bucket of paint, handed over the keys and told them to carry on; have fun..
They've priced up a new washer and sofa; agreed to fund the former, though not sofa as the one in situ is adequate (better than the one I've got at the Nest).
But have offered to replace a door which has seen better days over the past couple of centuries (- on hold; GF reckons the hole in the bottom will make a fine cat-flap. ).

:think: Given what I've read about GF's illness, think vigilance is required just in case her mood flips again. Atm euphoric describes her very well.
Will try and talk to them both about it this evening (they may be expecting dinner here?). We've already made great strides in normalising open discussion; am pretending to speak worse Spanish than usual and asking DS to translate both ways, which is working really well (makes it impossible to skate over uncomfortable but important topics ).

Glad that I'm here while DS and GF get settled.

Am winning the diet conflict with CD. No longer feed her at a set time; wait until she asks then give her one third of her meal. Another third next time she asks - in decreasing order of value and speed at which the food will spoil/attract flies.
Seems to be working so far.

Now CD no longer has a canine playmate, I decided a little enrichment was in order for treat occasions; she's getting rather good at playing 'Find the Lady' with chunks of sausage hidden under one plastic cup out of four.

grannyx2

Congratulations on the new addition to the family x

Granny x

missrlr

Wow great news on the step great grandson!
Also GF and Il Divo moving to PC cottage. Perhaps the change in pace of life will suit her better?

Go prod the broker .... Short sharp email works!

CD and food seems like another win! Doglet seems to be worsening here, not able to get on sofa for cuddles, urgent wee needs, generally just a bit doddery. We shall see

You sound in better spirits.

Your friend I feel so sorry for. All very well and good to say she can do the looking after, but it is her life now totally and completely day in and day out Any other plans she may have had are gone. her siblings have effectively just thrown some money at the problem and !!!!!!ed off. I would feel very let down and totally upset if it were me. The emotional and mental needs of a carer need just as much attention as. Those of the patient if not more so
I hope they can be more caring and supportive of HER as a person at this time. Do hope the next call you have is more positive

Well done on being so productive and positive yourself, the canny selective lack of Spanish is a good ploy! Let's hope she continues to respond to it

Have a good weekend x

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

Quick visit this morning before heading to the world of Mamon..

grannyx2 wrote:

Congratulations on the new addition to the family

missrlr wrote: »

Wow great news on the step great grandson!

Thank you both (not that Babe's arrival is anything to do with me directly, lol).
Bit alarming tbh - you see 'photos in the local paper headed "Five Generations etc" and the Great Granny always looks as though she's already got a small collection of birthday cards with our monarch's smiling face on the front..
I've got a helluva long way to go before becoming eligible for that particular perk!

missrlr wrote: »

Also GF and Il Divo moving to PC cottage. Perhaps the change in pace of life will suit her better?

Hope so! Am a tad concerned at the level of enthusiasm GF is currently showing, but hey, no-one's ever said 'here's a free house for you' to her before; guess I'd also be worried if she just wasn't bothered..
Poor woman; can't win can she?

Didn't see them last night. They had roped in DS1 to collect their new sofa in his works van but were on the way back when I 'phoned. If they'd told me what they were doing, I'd have given them the money for the washer so that could have been picked up at the same time.. But they obviously hadn't understood my offer; said they were planning to save up for that (and bring their washing here in the meantime ).

missrlr wrote: »

Go prod the broker .... Short sharp email works!

He's had two - but I didn't put in any detail; wanted an initial reply from him before firing private financial info into the ether.
But maybe he won't take me seriously without said detail?
Will probably 'phone him early next week; expensive for me but harder for him to ignore.

missrlr wrote: »

CD and food seems like another win! Doglet seems to be worsening here, not able to get on sofa for cuddles, urgent wee needs, generally just a bit doddery. We shall see

Oh, poor Doglet.
Has he got one of those magnetic collars? Won't help with bladder problems but will increase mobility (has done for every dog I know who's worn one).
How old is Doglet (sorry if you've said before; memory like a holey-thing)?


Very astute comment re Carer-Friend; thanks Missrlr - no time to expound now unfortunately, as need to get moving - most shops in town close at 2pm today.

Could be a spendy day..

*Robin*

Hello Diary, :hello:

Where did the morning go?
Yesterday's achievements must have tired me out more than expected..

Took a mate who is currently car-less, and we did really well coordinating two very different shopping lists; meeting up without hassle to load purchases into van, etc.

Was less spendy than expected; £30 on food/store cupboard items, £10 in the garden supplies shop, £20 on strimmer fuel and 'phone creds. "Desires" for UK family and chums soaked up £80, but I got a free t-shirt out of the deal which is not to be sneezed at.
Best bit was finding a new washer for DS2 & GF in my favourite white goods shop, for just £170!
..Reckon the owner has given extra discount; PC and I have been buying stuff from her - and taking friends, because it's a great shop - since she first opened up in her FIL's garage (now has a warehouse). It's quite normal here for there to be two price structures; walk-in customers and friends/family - loyalty counts for a lot.

Didn't have room to take the washer because apart from mate's and my shopping, the van is still fairly laden with firewood. DS1 can collect it next time he's passing (unless DS2 & GF want to unload the wood for me?). No desperate hurry as it will be a couple of weeks before they complete their move..
Good to tick that item off the list though. Still need to arrange a service for the gas oven, although again it's not urgent because GF can use the cooker in the other cottage for now (says she's quite happy with that - an oven is a new-fangled novelty, little-used by most Spanish housewives - well, those of my acquaintance anyway ).

For the very first time ever, Clever Dog stayed at home by herself while I was in town. So it was with some trepidation that I unlocked the door - to receive an absolutely rapturous welcome!
..She had been good; the only thing out of place was the doormat (assume CD made a very brief attempt to dig an escape tunnel, :rotfl:).
Did find something interesting; had left several groups of plastic cups dotted around the Nest for CD to play with [STRIKE]if[/STRIKE] when she got bored - same ones we've been using for 'Find the Lady' games. Thus far, only one of the cups would reveal a treat when upturned, but yesterday I'd left a bit of sausage under them all.
However, CD had only investigated one cup in each grouping - having found her prize first go, she then ignored the other two or three nearby (presumably because experience told her they would be a waste of time?).
Showed CD the still-hidden treats in one set of cups, then she went off to collect the rest.
..Even an old dog can learn new tricks. Am rather impressed at the level of CD's thought processes (and delighted that she accepted being left 'home alone' without trashing the place!). :T

This evening DS2 & GF are definitely coming here for dinner on their way back to the city. Kitchen is far from the state it should be in before starting food preparation and I'm hours out of kilter with the world today, so had better get cleaning up (while thinking about the discussion we should have re. GF's mood; watchfulness, techniques for coping, and it being ok to ask for help if she finds herself slipping into the abyss).

Menu? Langoustine salad, salmon with roasted root veg, leeks and cheese sauce. Tiramisu or profiteroles if anyone can manage pudding (cheating there - L!dl's best ).

Plan F: Remember my first look-see on R!ghtmove? Second choice flat [near the river] is back on the market. Divo Four has been dispatched to view. Interesting.. :cool2:

missrlr

Hey Robin
Glad the shopping went well and CD was ok for the duration
Please don't do too much ..... You have to care for you to bed able to care for others
Namaste

grannyx2

Glad you had a successful shopping trip and such a lovely welcome home from CD. Love the cuos story, can see why you call her CD

Hope the meal and chat went well

Take care my dear friend

Granny x

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Fellow Travellers, :hello:

Thanks for popping in, Missrlr and Granny.

grannyx2 wrote:

Hope the meal and chat went well

..Over-cooked the fish.

Didn't put enough marinade in the packets either; result was quite interesting. Rather than having a breadcrumb/herby topping, each fillet came out with a crunchy, caramelised spicy base which actually tasted very more-ish.
Dunked in cheese sauce it was delicious..
Both guests loved it; Divo Two went back for thirds which finished the left-overs I'd ear-marked for today, but never mind - told GF she's got a good excuse to present him with nowt but salad this evening, to make up for all the calories he put away last night. :rotfl:

GF appears to be relaxing in my company now that she's getting used to our 'foreign' family set-up. She helped with final prep - joked it's obvious we've both worked in commercial kitchens - have the ability to dance around several chefs without getting in each other's way, which can only be learned behind the 'private - staff' door at a decent restaurant.

Not much deep conversation as we were all too stuffed after dinner; it was enough to sit quietly on the patio, watching and listening to the night..
Drifted off into the mindfulness technique during companionable silence, then as my mind started to think about offering coffee, I noticed GF was breathing in harmony with me (didn't mention it, just smiled inwardly and put off speaking for another ten minutes ).
Later GF assured me that she feels fine atm, is enjoying both the thought and process of moving house, and she's looking forward to changing clinics - will be signing off at the old one this week.

So, DS2 & GF's situation seems to be as positive as could be hoped for at present (of course GF's mood might change abruptly, but fingers crossed it won't). They'll be back next weekend when GF has promised to cook us all Sunday dinner, but even better; DGD is coming to visit (and organise her new bedroom ).

missrlr wrote: »

Glad the shopping went well and CD was ok for the duration

Ah. When posting yesterday, hadn't noticed that CD must have spent a fair bit of time trying to de-construct 'her' armchair while she was shut in the Nest. Several seams have been opened up, and she pulled out some stuffing at the back.
Those who follow Piq's diary will know there is a nasty 6" long black and orange striped centipede living inside that chair.. :eek:

Last night Divo Two hefted the armchair out into the garden for me, where it can stay until someone is doing a run to the tip. CD spent about an hour sniffing around, waiting for beastie to emerge, then came inside and curled up on a replacement [STRIKE]armchair[/STRIKE] dog-bed which DS moved from the dining room for her.
We both slept well, perhaps because CD wasn't leaping up into hunting mode every time the insect hiding inside that old chair starting moving around - they make a kind of rustling noise, caused by all those little leggies pattering along..
Am very glad that particular 'house-guest' has been evicted - centipedes have a nasty bite.

grannyx2 wrote:

such a lovely welcome home from CD. Love the cups story, can see why you call her CD

In over forty years of being owned by a string of canines, CD is certainly one of the two brightest who have shared my life-journey. There are drawbacks; for example she won't co-operate if she can't see the point of whatever exercise or game I try to teach her:
Run after a ball and bring it back? If you want it why did you throw it away? I don't want it - oh look there's a rabbit/pheasant! I'm going to get that!
These days, I like to think CD cares enough for my good opinion that she'd turn to look at me - ask permission - before setting off after some hapless wildlife. Growing older has one or two advantages.

missrlr wrote: »

Please don't do too much

Don't worry, pacing dictates a quiet day - just a couple of 'phone-calls and watering the garden on m' To Do list. Washing up can wait; it's soaking, out of the way, no-one will see it but me (and haven't run out of plates yet :rotfl:).
Would rather use available energy on going for a stroll with CD. At sunset, when the wind drops - there's nothing like the prospect of leaving, to provoke a fine appreciation of current surroundings.

Love and Light.

*Robin*

Hello Diary, :hello:

Well; failed at two out of three items on yesterday's To Do list.
Good job no-one was relying on me for anything - but perhaps if they had been, I wouldn't have drifted off to sleep?
Who knows.

Woke up in the middle of the night to an alert from DS3 who wanted a chat on sk!pe.
Lovely to talk to him; sweltering in the morning monsoon..
He's learning how Asia works and it's pricking his conscience, so he wanted to discuss it with Mum.

Unfortunately I can't do anything about the wildly disparate pay grades which mean he's getting four times more than his native colleagues.
Did point out that presumably he's also paying four times more tax which hopefully will improve the lives of all the people (yeah ok, politics notwithstanding - but that's a much twistier discussion, lol).
Suggested he might look out for opportunities to share good times with the colleagues he feels closest to..

By coincidence, as I type, DS and GF3 are taking advantage of three days off to rent a bike and go out into the paddy fields. If GF's navigation is successful they're hoping to get to the village where one of DS new friends' family lives, stopping in hostels on the way. Making connections while enjoying themselves.
They're in for a treat whether or not they find their mate's village; scenery is spectacular! <Robin bows in gratitude to the internet which allows instant viewing of GF's 'photos>

:think: Jealous? Noooooo, not me!
<Fibber! :rotfl: >

HeadAboveWater

Hi Robin. Sorry I've been MIA for a while. Has been good catching up - as always!

You and CD make a good team