This Time I'm Really Going To Do It

cafelady

Watty1 said:

Thank you KK.

Was tired and irritable all day yesterday.   Went to bed earlier very grumpy after going to the local garage and spending £6 on a box of posh chocolate biscuits to cheer self up and then only ate 2 chocolate ginger ones so I could have bought a much cheaper packet.   Oh and I was going to try and give up gluten as an experiment so that won't be happening now i have these expensive biscuits to eat. 

Hello Watty

I have coeliac disease and I’m just delurking to say please don’t take yourself off gluten as an experiment, but go to your GP and ask for a blood test to check for coeliac disease. If you take yourself off gluten they won’t be able to test you for coeliac disease so you won’t be able to get a diagnosis and the medical support that comes with it. There’s long term issues like bone density monitoring that won’t happen without a formal diagnosis. And access to a dietician. 

There’s a good link here: https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/getting-diagnosed/?&&type=rfst&set=true#cookie-widget

I really enjoy your diary. I love the zest you have for life and think you have been on a such a brave and inspiring journey 😊

themadvix

Echoing cafelady: My sister took herself off gluten because she thought it was the problem and then when she had it accidentally it made her very ill. Her body had (temporarily) lost the ability to deal with it. However, it turned out that the problem was actually gallstones (she ended up having gall bladder out) and there’s nothing wrong with her having gluten -the reaction she had once she’d eliminated it was caused by the elimination, not by any sensitivity to gluten itself. 

You are doing fabulously Watty! I bet Wattydog is so pleased to be with you. Your positivity and can-do attitude is so wonderful to see - you are much stronger than you think you are!

Watty1

Thank you for the advice re gluten.  I was tested some years back as GP wondered if coeliac was an issue so initally ran a blood test but I was inspired to go gluten free by the Dr Amy Shah book "why am I so Ffing tired".

So far I have not managed any of her suggestions (gluten free, sugar free, alcohol free, dairy free) but I have cut back on all of them.  I think that might do for now.  Trying to add in more when I'm in overwhelm probably wont help and having just eaten a slice of the bread the VNM leaves in the fridge with butter and jam I would say I'm not really showing a great deal of commitment to the plan. I was up at 5 am this morning and yes I'm tired but perhaps more grief than anything else so thank you all for your input.

Watty1

Yesterday the VNM man made a comment that part of the problem might be the amount of unfinished projects I have on the go and that I continually plan or aim to do more.  Now I  bristled at that but on reflection and looking around this morning he is right.  There are a pile of recipes and cookery books on the dining table, there is the course, there is stuff to be sold, there is still stuff I have not unpacked from moving back in here, the cupboard that I'm storing sheets and bedding is in a state of shall we say disarray and i have started the bulk cooking project and so there is a lot of food in the fridge waiting to be processed (yesterday I added Pasta Sauce, a Curry, a Stew and some tandoori chicken dishes to the freezer where there are already burgers and about 12 portions of lentil soup.  I have worked out I have now stashed enough for 28 days.    This should both be cost effective and sensible.  I've also made a lot of the dishes into portions for two so if the VNM eats with me there is enough, and, if I am on my own I have enough for 2 days.

So this morning, I have done a few hours in the office, put one saddle up for sale and thrown away a pile of recipes torn from magazines and cards from meal boxes I've had over the years.  I know he meant me to pick one project and just finish it really though so now I am off to do the cupboard with the sheets.  

Watty1

Whilst doing the cupboard with all the bedding and towels.   I realised he was in fact correct. There are a huge number of unfinished projects here (both inside and out) that I've made a start on.   So, I have finished the cupboard that stores the sheets and stuff and discovered I have a lot of bedding.   I think I bought new when I left the ex, then there was a lot left behind when he moved out plus the stuff I bought when I was renting.   And he took the beautiful old cupboard that stored the stuff so it had mainly been dumped on the floor and walked over for months. 

I'm now resolved that the duvet cover currently on the bed will go for a dust sheet as it does not stay done up.  Then each time I take something to use I will review if it actually is worth keeping or also needs to go for dust sheets.  

As I organised the bedding and towels, I also had to tidy a bit so as I was doing that I listed a few things for sale. I would have finished that job but my phone ran out of charge and I can't access my bay of E account either.  I've put a few things on Facebook and Vinted  and one has already sold on Vinted.   

In amongst the grief, the struggles and all that I have been dealing with I have been adding to my own chaos by thinking of things I "could" do, starting and then getting overwhelmed.  I'm hoping I have learnt from this.

ajmoney

I have done the same Watty. I think it is the fact that we can do whatever we want, and so we do! I tend not to finish anything which leads to a lot of overwhelm, somewhere there is an element of me being in control but really everything ends up controlling me. I have tried to complete small simple things that I can take as a win and spur me on to do something else.

If you haven't read Eat That Frog (and have time) it might be worth a read at some point although I can give you an overview and save you the time!!! Split your jobs into ABCDE and then prioritise within each category:

A. Jobs that are the most important and must be done

B. Jobs that should be done

C. Jobs that would be nice to do

D. Jobs that can be delegated

E. Jobs that can be eliminated

Here is a quick article to read https://www.briantracy.com/blog/time-management/the-abcde-list-technique-for-setting-priorities/ but you shouldn't move away from A until all the jobs have been completed.

I don't do very well with this but am the best procrastinator ever!

Watty1

I think part of the problem also is being self employed and working from home.  So I juggle work projects and home projects.   

However in the spirit of trying to finish some jobs I have made 6 to 8 servings of turkey soup using up some turkey mince that was in the freezer and made the base of a cottage pie to freeze.   I am then going to freeze a pack of mince and some chicken that was in the week shop.  The fill the freezer project needs to be an ongoing one now and I have some ideas on how to do that having sorted my recipe card pile out.  So many of them where cards from a different time so the sort out was really therapeutic.   

Tonight I'm trying an one tray oven bake roast (all cooked on the same tray) having promised the VNM a roast dinner and tomorrow I'm using some frozen pastry I found of dubious vintage to make a quiche that will do for Monday and Tuesday.

I worked out that this has halved my food bill this week and should reduce it by 2/3rds for the rest of the month so worth doing.   The other MSE thing I have done is remove my cards from Amazon. I did this when I was overpaying the mortgage and I find it really focuses my attention if I have to go and find a card to pay for something on line.

WattyDog had a very long walk to the village and back and we stopped in the village cafe for a coffee which was lovely.  He so enjoys going out.  I feel that he does not have the best life with me because I'm working so much but seeing him this Sunday afternoon he is clearly a happy pup for the walk and we may not share a room during the week but we are at least always together in the building.  I keep telling myself I am doing the best I can.

KajiKita

Excellent and bravo on all the cooking!! 👏😊

I think WattyDog probably does okay 😉 He’s well loved and cared for and he has quite a big outdoor space to roam in when he’s not having official walks, doesn’t he? Perhaps you could ‘throw ball’ for him for 10 minutes in the morning or at lunchtime, whilst you have a brew? 

KK

Suffolk_lass

That comment on finishing projects resonates here too. When I get a moment we will make a list (him, me, together) and get  grip on some of them. For the moment I need to study and stop doing other things while pushing it back. Exam is 18th.

Watty1

The list has helped me over the weekend.   Good luck with that studying, although I'm sure all will be well @Suffolk_lass

I think WattyDog does have an OK life really I was just suffering from anxiety and worry over the weekend.  Thank goodness the 5th is over.  Hopefully as it was a dry evening none of my neighbours will feel the need to let anymore fireworks off.  The cat hid, WattyDog was fine as were the horses.  The VNM came over and pointed out I was more anxious than any of the animals.  So much so he went and bought me a small bottle of wine, one of those super expensive Glass and a bit ones, and said he would not have anythng to drink and we could just watch TV and check on the horses everytime something went off.  All was good.

The tray roast was a great success.  Yes, I would have done my roasties at a higher temperature so they were crispy (in another oven) but actually for something that took very little time to prep (peeled the veg as I was making soup and used up leftovers and a ready made gravy i found in the freezer) we had a lovely roast dinner, the VNM was impressed he got a roast with so many veg and more impressed that the washing up was one quick backing tray (had been lined with cooking paper so  only needed a quick wipe and the gravy pan and the peas pan.  Easy peasy!  Will do that again!