The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

Possession

Oh dear that's not nice Kidcat.
Stilty I'm glad your news is better and SQ hope you're feeling a bit better now.
I'm sat here having a cuppa after a horrid wet windy and cold dog walk. I ache everywhere after an hour in the gym yesterday, I got a GP referral for weight loss. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be!
Have had 2 job rejections this morning which is a bit disheartening as there aren't many home-working jobs to choose from! But that's life I guess.
Trying to eat healthily now but I need to use up lots of buttermilk so will make soda bread I think, to go with pasta for everyone else and a salad for me.

meanmarie

Hugs to Stiltwalker and Savingqueen

Miserable here today weatherwise, very windy and wet so I decided not to go to my knitting group this morning...am confident oncrutches indry weather but couldnt face the wet....wanted to change my library books but will wait until its fine, have a book which will keep me going for a couple of days.

Marie

fuddle

So sorry to read that so many of us are having a worrying, miserable or disheartening time of it at the moment. In times when there is no fixes to be had, there's something in finding a strategy to deal with the issue(s). I mean who has fixes to problems anyway eh? It's always down to trying, or at the very least, thinking about a way of trying don't you think? A strong mind is something that will get you through the toughest of times.

Lamb chops for us tonight. They are tiny but I'm happy with that as I am desperate to cut down the amount of red meat we consume. I will fry up some mushrooms that need using and do a tin of crushed minted peas (from a tin) with mashed potato and a side of carrots.

So many craft ideas going round my head and half started projects I really need to shelve some of them and pick what it is that I really want to work on when I get the time to relax. I'm thinking the priority is my cardigan. It's been a WIP for so long now.

Petrol reductions are most welcome and very noticeable. I am pleased that we didn't choose to fix our electric tariff beyond this year and will look to see if there are any savings to be made by switching in a few months, when our deal is up.

I'm another one who is trying to eat healthy, it's not effecting our meals but it should effect what I eat, and how much, between meals. Going to try to stick to 3 meals a day and no snacking in between.

savingqueen

I am the proud owner of a very clean car. Best it has ever looked, even topped up all fluids and pumped tyres. Took most of the morning but worth it. Kids said "WOW!" when I collected them. Downside is the house is a tip but tomorrow is another day and all.

Went out for a cuppa with 2 friends which was pleasant, a nice break and good to see them but found I had hardly anything to add to conversation. Their lifestyles are quite different in several ways to me but similar to each other and so naturally they had lots to agree/compare on. I did think to myself, nice as this is, its also boring and I could be doing so many other things. I remembered this happens regularly when there are 3 of us together. My other close friend also has a newer friend, again with similar lifestyles and the same happens. I might sound a bit horrible saying that but I realise I feel a bit lonely, I so wish for friends who I can really click with. So much talk about buying x and y and going on expensive outings. One friend bought 3 pairs of boots - not different types like wellies, snowboots et or different sizes, just 3 pairs of girly boots for her DD because they were in the sale, she really hasn't the money. I had to stop myself standing up and shouting "WHY??"

nuttyp

Hi everyone, hope your all well and warm and happy..... Puppy is home from vets, and is asleep on the sofa. I had to collect him from the cage as he refused to allow any one at the vets to touch him. He was well grumpy!! While he was having the OP eldest DD took me to the pub for a coke and a toasted sandwich. Not something we do often but she said I needed to have a few minutes, this was true. I hadn't eaten all day as I felt it was wrong as puppy wasn't allowed either. He is home now, but cant go for a walk for 5 days and then only for a slow walk but not far. I have bought more puppy pads for him to use.


We are having a quick tea, so spag bol as the mushrooms urgently need using before they are to past it.


take care x

chickens11

Im also trying to eat more sensible, I do tend to eat jacket spud and salad a lot of times for tea, usually have sandwich at lunch and 2 weetabix or readybrek for breakfast .....Beings im a crap cook I mainly stick to easy stuff......I can clean the house from top to bottom everyday love washing and ironing , sparkling windows , BUT im not very good at cooking , plus I get no satisfaction standing baking all day, but I do love eating homemade grub..:D Fuddle ...Its the trouble with snacking that gains the weight.....

Savingqueen....Take a day at a time with depression and you will get there in the end , its something that cant be rushed , your doing okay.......Plus I dont wash my car anymore , id rather pay £4 at the car wash than stand there outside in freezing cold weather aching joints, feeling ill ,struggling, no way , my health is far more important than saving £4........I know its not very MSE but there.....

Kidcat....Im so glad that you were not burgled , still not nice that they managed to get as far as the hall , youve done best thing getting the locks sorted , did your neighbours see anything unusual ?.....
Its been a raw feel to the weather today , very damp and dismal , roll on the spring......Catch you all later..Sheila

camelot1001

Kidcat that's shocking, I hope you are ok and have let the police know. I would give the dog an extra biscuit tonight!

Rotten weather here, really wet and windy so not going anywhere this evening. I have been knitting a cardigan for over a year so I think I will battle with that (it's not hard but I am being a wally!). I really want to make all my christmas presents for next year but should get this out of the way first.

savingsqueen you must take things slowly, it's good when your car is clean though isn't it? I don't wash mine very much so everyone notices when it is clean. I go to a car wash, ask for the £5 wash and give the chap £6 - I always get a good clean car!

Softstuff

How lovely it is to see real people winning with premium bonds! Congrats to you both. I don't think I've ever actually heard someone I know before winning with those, though many people I knew had them.

Good grief Kidcat, I hope pup is getting a treat. I'd also give the police a call, just for the heads up.

Well done you on the road to health Possession. That gym ache is such a virtuous feeling.

SQ, it's taken 8 years for me to find a friend I really needed and who I can talk about everything with. I'd almost given up hope of it happening, since it seemed that other people had already met each other and I didn't fit in IYSWIM. And I also kept getting the urge with other people to yell "WHY??" to things, but I wasn't always as restrained as you So my fingers are crossed you'll find your bestie too. In 2014, that was really the only thing I can say I feel improved.

I'm up at "stupid o'clock" and have been for a bit. Anxious, excited, nervous and hyped up. As to why, will tell you as soon as I know anything for sure.

kidcat

Thanks ladies, the upsetting thing is I have been contemplating whether its time to let the dog go, he is very old and arthritic and is really struggling to walk, he manages a quick visit to the garden but is clearly struggling. I have been wondering if it would be kinder to let him go.
But once again he saved us and I feel awful even contemplating it.

Sq - I know that feeling well, I have made friends over the years supported them through some awful things and then when I need them they are not around. I have a few closer friends at the moment, but its very much on their terms I find, over Christmas one who I had done loads with in the previous weeks, completely switched off and wouldnt even reply.

Softstuff, hope things go well for you

My car is finally fixed, however the garage have done three hours labour on it, but taken two full days to do the three hours! It drives me crazy things like that, by the time they told me it was too late for me to collect it, so I am having to go tomorrow instead.

stiltwalker

Evening all.


Well it has been a rollercoaster few days and sadly we are on the downward slope again. MIL had surgery this afternoon to remove obstruction to her bowel by fitting a bag to allow her to eat again and gain strength, however during this they discovered that her entire abdominal cavity was affected and so she has been given a matter of days at best. My lovely parents are own their way over and my Dad will be driving DH down tonight so that he can be there in the morning and my mum will stay with me - he plans to drive straight back but am hoping he can at least be persuaded to wait til morning in which case my mum will be there to help me with the kids. We're not sure how long he will stay - will depend on how things go. He's doing ok 'considering' but it is so hard as it's been so fast - he and his brother have also always thought their dad would go first (the men in his family have form for that, whilst the women in MIL's family tend to go on forever) so it's totally mixed up from how they had both sort of prepared themselves. Not sure how they are going to tell FIL (if BIL hasn't done so already) as he is really very confused already (dementia, but still doing okay-ish).


Have had to tell DD that daddy is going down to see Granny who is very poorly because she is so old as otherwise she'll be very confused when she wakes up to find Grandma there - will deal with the rest of it tomorrow. Will deal with lots of things tomorrow.


Thank you all for all your love and support - knowing you're all out there, wherever you all are, has made a difficult time slightly easier.


Much love to all - Helen X