Flying solo

Rainbow_Bridge

So you'll be having rabbit (lapin) stew for tea . Very MSE x.

HeadAboveWater

Plenty for a few freezer tubs too by sounds of it...!!

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE friends, :wave:

chevalier wrote:

Sorry to see you can't sleep. Must be something in the air at the moment. I keep waking up in the middle of the night, well 4 or 5am and then not be able to get back to sleep again. Very very tiring

It's annoying, isn't it? Takes me a few days to get back into a 'normal' routine where I'm awake at the same time as everyone else in my time zone; getting there now, and actually slept quite well last night.

_The_Dragon wrote:

Ddraig Blewog is a Cairn Terrier (and he looks a LOT smarter now as he had a hair cut 10 days ago ), if you look here then you will get a better idea of what he looks like

Oh Ddraig Blewog is gorgeous, Dragon! Must say he looks better after a trim, but I'm now certain we haven't met him and Dr Dragon while wandering along the paths of Cambridgeshire.

exarmydreamer wrote: »

Have read your diary, I'm so sorry for your loss. I have two boys with Aspergers, (15 and 6) and all three boys have ADHD. It can be very difficult for hospitals etc to understand how, 'situations and procedures', feel to Aspie's.

I just wanted to ask if you have applied for Disability Living Allowance, it's not means tested and you can claim this whilst still working or not. There are three different levels of disability. I mention this because, I have MS, arthritis and fibromyalgia and find it difficult to drive, (can't use left hand, sometimes) and can't walk far. It helps getting about when I can't drive, pays for (more expensive), pre cut vegetables, easier to make meals etc. It's actually provided to assist disabled people in their lives by taking into account the extra costs of living with disability.

Sorry, if I've missed some where that you have applied for this, but I'm sure your doctor or consultant can reinforce the need to your application. ME, like MS is a very difficult condition but DLA does take this into account. I hope this helps you and I hope you don't mind me mentioning it.:)

Hello, Exarmydreamer and thank you for joining in. It must be hard for you having three children with ADHD and aspergers, but at least these conditions are better understood in youngsters now than when DH was a lonely little boy being sent to one school after another where he never fitted in or learned well.

I was appalled at how little consideration was given to DH's aspergers in the hospital - only one of the consultants was willing to make any concessions that made the inpatient stays any easier.

Actually this is a topic that I might follow up once I've got my life sorted out, as there must be a lot of people whose suffering is increased by hospital policy, or lack of it.

As for DLA. I had to fill in the form for DH; it was hard enough even with the GP's form that 'fast-tracked' DH because his illness was terminal. Trying to fit my situation into the questions is impossible to do accurately. I've read enough threads on here to know that the authorities make it as hard as possible for applicants to qualify, and quite frankly, I do not need the stress as I know it would impact very badly on my physical condition. ME and fibromyalgia are not given the same consideration as such diseases as MS and cancer (very sorry to hear you have such complicated health problems - but I'd bet that you have been given DLA for your MS, not the fibro).

Also, I have had to control and manage my ME for so long that I'm quite good at it. As long as I don't try to achieve the activity levels that are considered 'normal', I take my supplements, and do my best to avoid situations where there are lots of people [and germs!] I manage fairly well.
When thinking clearly I do have resources - at the moment I'd rather not become dependant on benefits if I can possibly avoid it. But thank you very much for the suggestion.

Rainbow_Bridge wrote:

So you'll be having rabbit (lapin) stew for tea . Very MSE x.

Ha - I will not! Daft Dogs have been missing out on raw food since DH passed away; I used to get them meat from the butcher or whoopsied in the supermarket - but that stopped once I realised economies were necessary.
You should see the dogs now - sleeping peacefully with smiles on their faces - they've not been so content for months. Clever Dog really is a clever dog - she knew what they needed and provided it, as I had not (I'm rather surprised that she is fast enough to catch anything, as she's ten years old). It's still MSE as I'll save on four days of bought dog food, though I'll be glad when the second rabbit is out of the fridge!

HeadAboveWater wrote:

Plenty for a few freezer tubs too by sounds of it...!!

Hello HAW, :wave: nope, am trying to empty the freezer before leaving this house - Daft Dogs can enjoy the fruits of Clever Dog's efforts even though I don't really approve. Plus, letting them have it saves me an awful lot of energy required to prepare the meat - my first rescue dog was a devil for bringing back game so I do know how much strength is required to skin and bone a rabbit!

*Robin*

Dear oh me I am terrible; indulging in distraction activities rather than getting on with the long lists of stuff I should be doing! :mad:

And it's freezing - an Arctic wind is blowing straight across Fenlandia - have put on tights under m'jeans and an extra jumper but am still cold so have turned on the CH; very early in the day and un-MSE, but necessary as I do not feel like going to bed yet!

exarmydreamer

*Robin* wrote: »

Hello Diary and MSE friends, :wave:

ME and fibromyalgia are not given the same consideration as such diseases as MS and cancer (very sorry to hear you have such complicated health problems - but I'd bet that you have been given DLA for your MS, not the fibro).

Hi :j Robin, I have not been given DLA, for MS but for needing knee replacements but being to young to have them, (mobility). The fibro, (lower care rate) followed after being medically discharged from the Army, (17 yrs) and MS is a very new thing to deal with. I know ME is not given the consideration like MS, I have several friends with ME, and it is difficult. Sorry, I was only trying to offer some supporting advice. No one in their right mind would want to claim benefits, I hope you stay as well as you can.:)

Igamogam

Our cats are bunny killers I'm afraid - and they eat them!

NewLeaf_2

we had a mouse in the house and all 3 of my lazy dogs (all supposedly ratters) couldn't have been more disinterested.

Keep warm Robin x

Eager_Elephant

I think the dogs were just doing the rabbits a favour - better to be killed with one swift move by a dog than hit by a car or have mixi or be chased by a fox!!!

At the weekend I went up to our field and the back garden was fine I come back and the cat has what looks like a chicken :eek:

(We have chickens but they are on our field and previously when we had them in the garden the cat did not touch them)

I thought he had taken one of next doors chickens :eek:

DH comes out but he has caught a grouse:rotfl:

This is a miracle in itself as our cat has Legg-Perthes and has no hip bone on his right side so he can't climb very well or even run very well.

I told the cat that he must eat it if he has killed it and not waste it so he promprtly ate the head and left the rest so in true MSE style, DH plucked and gutted it and then cooked it and had for lunch :rotfl:

*Robin*

Good morning Diary and MSE friends, :wave:

I am reassured that so many of you also have pets who 'feed themselves' - am particularly impressed by Eager Elephant's grouse-catching cat! (I would have cooked that up too - yummy!).

Newleaf I had to chuckle at your dogs living in peace with a mouse. Clever Dog has a 'job' with several of my caravan-owning friends each spring; we open all the cupboards and then shut her inside the vans for a couple of hours - that gets rid of any rats or mice who had taken occupation during the winter, though whether she frightens them away or eats them I do not know!

Igamogam, the 'wild' cats at the cottage eat rats, mice, and snakes - once they brought back a neighbour's duck but I've never seen them with a rabbit. So long as they leave the song-birds alone I don't interfere - but cats are a law unto themselves, aren't they?

Anyway, thank you all for making me feel better about Clever Dog's behaviour - I suppose it is unfair of me to expect her to differentiate between rats and rabbits.. At least she knows cats must be ignored!

exarmydreamer wrote: »

Hi :j Robin, I have not been given DLA, for MS but for needing knee replacements but being to young to have them, (mobility). The fibro, (lower care rate) followed after being medically discharged from the Army, (17 yrs) and MS is a very new thing to deal with. I know ME is not given the consideration like MS, I have several friends with ME, and it is difficult. Sorry, I was only trying to offer some supporting advice. No one in their right mind would want to claim benefits, I hope you stay as well as you can.:)

Exarmydreamer please don't apologise - I really am grateful for your input as I know I can be rather fixed in my ideas which means I often miss out on things that simply don't occur to me..
I'm sorry you've got problems with your knees - my brother had to have replacement patellas after a car head-on'd his bike and must say he's had trouble with them ever since. I give him omega3 and glucosamine supplements which seem to help (he's trying to avoid having it re-done).
I know several people whose ME is so bad they are living in a hospice, or having regular injections into the brain to try and control the migraines - if I got that ill I'd claim, but since giving up tap water and starting on my nine daily supplements I don't need a chair any more, so would likely fail the mobility tests (can walk quite a long way when pulled by Daft Dogs). Then I have six different pain medications which do more-or-less control that aspect, meaning I'm just not incapacitated enough to qualify. Of course if the problems in my arms get much worse, I will have to reconsider..
I do wish you All the Best in coping with and minimising the effects of your MS - I expect you're also investigating supplements as they do seem to help slow it down (and has anyone mentioned the possible benefits of regular treatments in a decompression chamber to you? Might be worth looking into).


Well I've got a fuzzy head again this morning; am falling further and further behind in my plans it seems. All I can do is keep bashing on - need to sort out the paperwork for changing DH's flat to my name with the Land Registry today, and get the next batch of stuff ready for DS to put into storage or pack in the van.

Having paid off the bank I fell out with, the balance of my current account continues to hover around "frightening" - am still waiting for the Bereavement Allowance* payments to start (*or is it the 'Benefit' - can't remember which way round they are; have had the lump sum - thank you very much, Our Government).

Still haven't chosen a new bank to patronise either; First Direct look good but I can't promise to put in £1500 a month. Or there's the Co-Op - does anyone have a recommendation or suggestion please? Without DH to make the decision I really am floundering with this. Running out of time, too.

HeadAboveWater

*Robin* wrote: »

Still haven't chosen a new bank to patronise either; First Direct look good but I can't promise to put in £1500 a month.

I opened an account with FD a couple months ago. Very easily done. Very straight forward. And they were very helpful on the phone. All (2) dds transferred ok. No complaints so far!! Just waiting (im)patiently on my £100 sign up bonus!

I don't get £1500 a month so I opened the e-saver account and lodged a few £ which waives the monthly fee