Apple muncher's number crunching

apple_muncher

It is a big relief indeed!

Trying to plan my next visit up, in between work, standardisation windows and deadlines and subsequent marking, dd and dh of course, a church weekend event, friends' 40.th wedding celebrations... Only being able to go Fri-Sun does simplify things quite a lot, but May is rather full, which is most unusual for us.

So it looks like I may be going this weekend coming and then aim to squeeze another visit in before doing a longer one at half term.

apple_muncher

Week 5/12

Health: currently have v achey hands. Prob due to mowing and weeding, knitting and sewing... Head is in a better place - for now at any rate. Workouts continue. Falling-out tooth has been stuck in with a mound of sticking-teeth-back-in-stuff and seems like it will stay put until my dentist appt in 2 1/2 weeks...The return to work went ok and I have a plan of some sort that goes up to the half term end.

Wealth: plenty of NSDs for the month (up to 15 thus far). Have used up some food stuff from cupboards, which is forcing me to be more creative. No money spent on fitness.

Life well lived: dd had a couple of v happy playdates here. Plenty of reading done. Plans coming together for still visiting mum, and for sorting out her house contents (nowhere near the 'standard' of dad's house, but still plenty to get on with). Gardening makes me feel better, despite ending up giving me aching hands.

apple_muncher

Since it is Tuesday, I ran home from work. Well, I ran for about 50 mins and did about 4.75 miles, then walked the rest. Am happy with that.

Have also done about 22k steps.

Tomorrow I shall take it much easier.

apple_muncher

Yep, took it much easier. Just 12k.

Had a very good session with the counsellor this morning. Then walked the 1.3 miles - all up a big hill - to get the bus, instead of waiting for 25 mins and getting cold. Go me, eh? And I know I could never cycle the route!

Finally managed to make a top hat for the groom - even if it does look rather like a circus ringmaster's top hat... The bride and groom are wrapped and ready to be handed over tomorrow.

Dd started at tennis club today, and enjoyed herself. They just missed the hailstones and sleet that arrived for 15 mins at the end of the school day - phew.

Am off to visit big sis and mum fri-sat, and to start on sorting mum's stuff. And collating photos. A fortnight later is my bday and dd asked me not to go then (as I aim to go every 2 weeks), but to do 2 consecutive weekends instead. Which I think is a very sensible suggestion! Then have a break until half term when we may all go up for a few days...

Gosh, it does feel like the weeks are flying past! The y11s have just under 2 weeks left with us. My exam falls in the first few days of the exams so is over nice and quickly. Other classes are being prepared for their end of year exams after half term. And my exam marking starts in earnest in about a week's time. May is rather full on at times...

apple_muncher

A bit of running home - only about 2 miles in total - and around 15k steps today. All good.

My working week is over - it is nice to not be back until Tuesday.

Tomorrow I'll be going into dd's school for 30 mins, then skedaddling up to bham. Different focus: I am going to see big sis, and pop in on mum for a couple of short visits. We plan to start a good sort out of mum's photos, and also clear some gubbins. And have a good catch up, and maybe even get a chance to talk about things other than the parentals...

I'm also planning to get up at 6 to get some exam stuff done, as I don't really want to leave it all until Sunday...

earthgirl

Apple, this all sounds brilliant. Hope your mum is doing ok. Your posts seem much 'lighter' somehow, as if you are much happier. Good luck with the clearing and sorting this weekend!

apple_muncher

It is like starting a new chapter, earthgirl. Yes, mum is not 100% happy, but she is much less miserable than when she was in her own home. And less misery is a good thing!

It also means that big sis can start to reclaim her own life and get back to her own home, with visits down to mum, instead of being here with visits home. And that means less guilt for me.

We have done soooo much talking today! About memories, events, the parents, stuff. And especially important has been the deciding what to ensure we put in to mum's room asap, and how to make it a nicer place for her.

I have done much sorting of paperwork and photos resulting in a trip to the recyc bins needing to be done. Tomorrow I hope to have sorted the chest of drawers so it can go to mum, and gone through several containers of stuff as an initial triage. We shall go to the church coffee morning, drop stuff at the ch shop and just crack on with what needs doing.

Then I shall go home. Dd was rather subdued on the phone this evening - due to various factors. But I do want to get back to her before her bedtime.

Enough wittering. I need to sleep! I was up at 6 to do an hour's work before the day started and now my eyes are tired.

apple_muncher

I am most happy to be home.

Some sorting done, but lots of decisions have been discussed. We each have a different focus, which is good. I have a simple 5-point plan of action for my next visit, as it'll be a brief one, whenever it is.

Got home to discover that a friend has dropped round a couple of big bags of fabric for me from a friend of her's. Yay! I'll look at it tomorrow, as dh wasn't too impressed at the increase in my stash... And I do still have the gazillion bunnies I have cut out and not yet made...

My next 4-5 week focus is to do my moderating, my marking and then my bunnies. Moderating has to be done in silence; marking needs concentration but can have other people around; bunnies can happen in the midst of a party. So, less tablet/tv time for a while, all whilst keeping up the activity and exercise...

apple_muncher

Week 6/12

Health: hands are better, but must be careful; good amount of exercise and walking done, but am always rather wiped out sfter travelling esp if only stay 1 night; good counselling session; have been playing that game again, so will stop for May.

Wealth: funds are looking a little depleted in the bills/living account so I shall move some over. Have 'passed' my standardisation for moderating, so that'll bring in some pennies in June/July.

Life well lived: life is much lighter now that mum is in care - though we still have the 4-week probationary period to get to the end of yet.... Clearing dad's house and now starting on mum's has emphasised how much clutter, junk and general gubbins I have here. However, I shall not be tackling any of it until we have finished mum's house, as it will overwhelm me otherwise (am still surprisingly easy to overwhelm and shift in to an anxious state!)

apple_muncher

May.

May the (NST) force be with you challenge has been joined.

11 days involve me being at work.
20 days involve me not being at work .
6 working days until y11 leave
Moderation target of 90%
Marking target of 100%
Bunny target of 15
Exercise target of 15
NSD target of 16
2 trips to bham: 1 short and 1 several days
1 ruby wedding bash to attend
1 dentist appointment to keep
3 counselling appointments
1 governor meeting
1 grandson due

Given tomorrow's dreary forecast, we may not make a big day out of it, but dd - quite rightly - would like to 'do something'...