Apple muncher's number crunching

apple_muncher

Thank you once again, for the offers of help, advice and kind words.

I have reduced the 10+ boxes to one ironically labelled 'documents' that dad had, which still needs another sort and is 50% paperwork to do with his car. And one of those compartmentalised folders for everything else.

I have stuck to one year, or the most recent quarterly bill, apart from any tax/p60/pension ones.

So, that is the paperwork from the back room and kitchen done. Next to tackle is the study...:eek:

Tilly - thank you so much for your wheels offer. We are on stage 1, which is to make the house 'fit' for mum to see it (get rid of all paper rubbish and obvious rubbish, and pile dad's gizmos in a like-with-like system of boxes). Stage 2 involves the 3 of us going in and looking through things to see if we want to keep any of them (I think dad singlehandedly kept Betterware in the black). Stage 3 is to get Birmingham City Mission in, to let them take what they can use/sell. Stage 4 is to remove the rest - ch shop/tip.... Stage 5 would be a final clean and remove the carpets which are so awful in design that they would easily knock 10% off the price!

Well, that's how I see it currently.

However, the above does not factor in: dentist for a broken tooth (mum), haircut (mum), funeral (all), mastectomy (mum) + subsequent treatment and recovery, sorting the will, etc.

Mum and I have had a quiet day and rubbed along quite well together.

apple_muncher

Having always slept on the floor when here, I had the chance of the bed last night but I could not get to sleep! So I went back to the floor. Not my best sleep - so I got up at 6.20.

I have done another session at the house. The washing machine did its stuff. I filled about 3 sacks with rags, 4 with papers and 2 with rubbish.

However, I have found the deeds for the house :j:j:j.

A visit to the local retail park showed that shopping is the new church - it was soooo busy! Tesco yielded new pillows, cases and a duvet cover for mum, as all hers are old and worn. M&S produced some reduced white roses to replace the gorgeous bunch my dsd sent me and some g-f food for when dd arrives.

Yesterday, the guy who was to lead the ceremony came to visit us, as I hadn't met him. We thought he was coming to learn about dad so that he could do a decent tribute. Nope. He spent over 10 mins of his short visit spouting about his phd studies and how important he was. Pompous a$$. He was talking to a grieving widow, for goodness sake! Mum now refuses to let 'that man' speak, and I do not blame her! The friend she would like to ask isn't around that day. So I have said that I will lead it. Gulp.

apple_muncher

I went out for another walk/jog this morning. 35mins total. Felt good.

Took mum to the dentist as she had broken a tooth. Happily, no further treatment - other than a cover/cap thing done today - until all her operation is done.

And we have been to see dad's body. He looks completely peaceful and at rest. I am so glad we have had the opportunity to see him again.

The funeral director and I will lead the service/ceremony between us. A right double act! Most importantly, mum is happy that we are doing it.

After 2 weeks of enforced inactivity, although being dragged out for appointments, mum seems to have regained much of her oomph and is walking more. I am proud of her!

smallholdingsister

Well done, Apple. Great job. Xxx

greent

Ah - the guy you had originally sounds like a complete ***** - I am sure you and the funeral director will make a grand job of it OH did a bit of his mum's and the fd did the rest (non-religious ceremony) and he is so glad he did.

Am glad your mum's doing ok - you and your sister sound like amazing daughters

x

apple_muncher

Mum has just had a mini-ish meltdown as she read the letters from the hospital and realised that she has breast cancer and they are going to operate and remove the breast. Now she did read the info before, and was there when she was told all this.

But none of it sunk in. She thought the dr found the lump somehow by random chance - not that she had found it and told her gp.

She says that no-on had mentioned cancer, and in the same breath tells us that they must have.

It is scary for her.

greent

Bless her - I'm guessing that she cannot cope with all of this at once, so only parts are taking hold at a time. It's a form of self-protection, I think, but hard for those of you around her xx

apple_muncher

We are off to the funeral director again, as 'that man' emailed my sister after being told that we didn't want him to do the service any more. He is 'shocked' by the news. No thought that he may have done something wrong. So, back to the fd for her advice.

Then I shall go to the house - this time it is to put boxes of paperwork in there :rotfl:. Dh and dd arrive today :j but there Is simply not enough space for them in the room at the moment. Hence the removal of boxes. This is paperwork that needs to be burned one day... It will be lovely to see them again, and I feel the house is fit for dd to see, so we may all burn stuff together.

apple_muncher

Dh and dd are here. Yippee!

Dh got 2 boxes of paperwork burned, dd had a good look around and played in the garden and I cleared out and cleaned the downstairs loo, and the 7 boxes that filled the bottom shelf of the metal shelving unit in the back room..

I was surprised how long it took to burn just 2 boxes - there are still 4 more...

And this is still stage 1 of my planned 5...

apple_muncher

Another run this morning - and it was a run, as I kept running for 2 whole miles. That part took about 18mins. Not too shabby .

Dd has discovered Harry Potter. After being adamant that it was all too scary, when she arrived here, she announced that she had read a book and seen the film of said book - and loved it. The ch shops yielded 3 more books, plus the ones we had at home, so she is occupied for a while...

Nearly 17,000 steps today.

I paid dad a visit this afternoon and had a little chat with him. We have such a wonderful fd - nothing is too much trouble for her.

(Just killed a mosquito - didn't know we got them in England! But it was defo the mozzie whining by my ear, and defo the mozzie who landed on my leg and got splatted. Ugh - I'm all twitchy now, as I react super badly to the bites, yet am a tasty morsel as far as they are concerned!)

Tomorrow is the day. I'll do my best to do dad proud.