Preparing for Winter V

ZsaZsa

@nicki_2 I haven’t used this service myself but there’s a company called “fixitworkshop” which repairs Remoskas and seems to be highly recommended on a Facebook Remoska group if you can’t find help at a repair cafe. I believe they’re fairly simple appliances

weenancyinAmerica

@nicki_2 - I pour vinegar between the pavers to kill the weeds.  Also, a lot of people on MSE recommend looking for people who are giving things away - Buy Nothing, or Facebook, or neighborhood sites to see if anyone has something you can use for the Remoska replacement. Good wishes with getting better and being able to handle work again.

Laura_Elsewhere

Unfortunately, putting salt, or vinegar, onto weeds in paving can cause all kinds of problems - use an old kitchen knife to cut the stems as short as you can and then pour boiling water on. You may need to do it two or three times, but it won't cause all the other problems...

maryb

I’ve tried salt and vinegar (separately, not together)..  They weren’t as effective as washing soda which also cleaned up the pavers nicely and kept the weeds at bay all summer

weenancyinAmerica

I would cut the weeds out, but can't lean over. Looking for something to cut them off while standing up. Any ideas.

maryb

My DH uses a strummer which does a good job on the weeds between the pavers, even the low growing ones

London_1

I too had a stomach op 6 weeks ago and find bending difficult.Luckily my lovely daughter does my washing for me and food wise I use my remoska and my microwave , I batch cooked some beef mince from the freezer last week, and used up diced onion again from the freezer, and some carrots again from the freezer ,plus some red lentils and a few oats to streetch the mince out a bit

Managed to get 8 ready meals of cottage pies into take-away boxes topped with cheesy mash once cold put the lids on and stacked them in my freezer.
One of these defrosted with some frozen broccoli or mixed veg makes me a nice easy meal which gets zapped in the microwave.

 My appetite isn't great at the moment anyway so I go for far smaller portions which I can digest better. I sit in my armchair to peel veg, and will peel any spuds needed and put in a tuppaware container of water in my fridge I always do this on a Sunday morning for the week. I've done this for years anyway as it saves standing peeling veg every night At the moment I am using frozen veg which until I'm properly back on my feet I will do as that too saves standing and preparing stuff. Basically do what you can and don't worry about anything else ,time enough to do more when you are feeling better. overdoing things will only make the recovery slower, I speak from experience  

So there's some dust on the furniture, its not the end of the world Time enough for housework when you're feeling better. I half fill my kettle for a cuppa as I too find lifting anything very uncomfortable so I just do what I can and relax and let my poor old body recover. My surgeon said it would take longer as I am err ....somewhat older than I used to be, 
But at least I've had my op. and just have to recover and be patient.  

I hope you too will get your mojo back and by Christmas will be back to full service 

Take care and just be kind to yourself 

JackieO xx

Primrose

Sound advice Jackie.  We live all our lives thinking growing old is what happens to other people so are in denial when we find ourselves in the same boat.  Finding  ways to live with and adapt to the situation is better and uses up less emotional energy than continually kicking against the traces.  Finding alternative ways of doing things is less frustrating physically  and emotionally than trying continually to kick against the traces!
perhaps there should be an official training programme teaching us "how to become old".  It creeps up on so many of us and we,re never really prepared for it.  Changing habits before it happens so activities are a gradual transition is a sensible approach as yiu often don't see these things coming.  

dND

Hi London_1, I have a question   15+ years ago, were you on the forum under another name and did you used to holiday on the Isle of Wight with your family??
I've was in France for the last 15+ years so dropped out of the forums but I think I recognise you. XX

Floss

dND said:

Hi London_1, I have a question   15+ years ago, were you on the forum under another name and did you used to holiday on the Isle of Wight with your family??
I've was in France for the last 15+ years so dropped out of the forums but I think I recognise you. XX

Yes, she was JackieO x