THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

ivyleaf

Thank you Ali Helpful to know, even though we can't do anything about it.

westcoastscot

Karmacat that's great to hear that your health has recovered since you retired. It's going to be a while for me but hoping that will be the result for me too. I'm trying to get my head in a better place about it - it's too far off to be counting the days so trying desperately for a change in attitude but not doing too well with that.

Karmacat

Thanks WSC It does make me wonder (again) how people will cope with working full time at jobs until their late 60s - until a few years ago, I'd never have said that I was one to run out of energy, but I did.

I found counting down to be really important - I started it when there were too many days to be useful, just as you say, but I *did* count down weeks - how many have you got to go?

One of the things I also found useful was what the chronic fatigue clinic said, about planning rest - those rest periods (not sleep) became the pillars of the day, supporting everything else. Being able to rest my neck muscles, oddly, became really important. As a self employed person working from home, it was *comparatively* easy for me to fit it in, but in an office, I'd disappear into the loo, take some clean kitchen towel with me to lean my head against the wall for a few minutes needs must.

Today - my little kale plants have some rain on them and since I'm out socially to see my sister, no other prepping planned.

westcoastscot

I've ages, I'm only 56 and only realised in the last couple of years that retiring at 60 was no longer an option. I work part-time (20 hours) and have always lived a very frugal life so difficult to cut back, but from Christmas I'm putting my work hours up to 25 or 30, which will allow me to save and retire (hopefully) at 62 at the latest.

I am now fully on board with the PPP approach and do pace my days, but after being particularly unwell in the first half of this year and unable to take my arthritis meds it's been a tough year. I'm doing reasonably well now, but my sleep patterns gone and I find I fret more and struggle to switch off - something I never did.

Karmacat

Oh drat, thats a while to go for you yet. And no arthritis meds sorry to hear that, I do remember you saying it, actually.

Counting down might still help, in the number of weeks. I know that while I was trapped at home (because thats what it felt like) I thought about where I wanted to be when I *did* finally manage to retire, and worked towards that - thats why I was decluttering and whatnot. I'm not where I wanted to be, not by a long chalk, but the things that I *have* done have taken me in the right direction, and are jobs that I don't need to clutter up my retirement life with.

Free resources online have been really useful too - relaxation and talks on youtube, pdfs online, that sort of thing, and the local lending library has digital resources now, which is a godsend. Hope you can get through and get some improved quality of life soon.

westcoastscot

Thanks for your support, I'm sure I will - enjoy your retirement

mardatha

I know what you're saying! I've always been a very calm laid back sensible person and never ever given to drama - drama takes energy I haven't got to spare. But this summer I've changed into an 85-year-old invalid and I don't like it. The poor RV is doing everything in the house now - all I can do is get up, go kitchen, make tea. Cannot stand any longer than about 10 mins, can't do real housework only pottering, have never even attempted the garden. This morning I felt so bloody ill and breathless I wondered if this was a heart attack. So prepping then becomes a matter or sorting all the paperwork, making sure that the RV knows where everything is and how everything works. Bloody pain in the a$$

westcoastscot

I think that's my problem just now - all the challenges thus far I've been able to deal with - work harder, think smarter, get on with it - but now it's me.........and I can't do that.......... and I *know* i'm feeling sorry for myself and it isn't helping but I can't seem to gain a sense of perspective. I know i'm lucky, both in terms of how my life is right now living with chronic illness and in the strengths that I know are in me - I realise this, and am reminded everyday through my work with those who I support. I know I'm over-thinking too!!!!!

I think an hour outside might help!
Mar hopefully once you're fully diagnosed and your treatment kicks in you'll feel more like your old self. Then we can prep together for the bad times, and try and have a bit of fun where we can. When do you get your results from the heart consult???

Karmacat

Oh Mar! That sounds horrendous I don't want to read and run, but I have an hourly bus service I have to catch

WSC - I'm with you on the loss of perspective. Its part of the illness, so don't do yourself down about it too much. You're right about the hour outside ... hope you can get it today.

Bye for now xx

ALIBOBSY

ivyleaf wrote: »

Thank you Ali Helpful to know, even though we can't do anything about it.

No probs, I love volcanos myself so its something I would be watching. The reality is even if there is a big eruption of Katla its likely to have little impact on us other than possibly effecting flights and weather patterns, not going to wipe us all out.

BUT this could be bad news for iceland and the locals near Katla, in many ways the floods than can come from these eruptions (volcanos mostly under ice so plenty of melt water), these can wipe out bridges and buildings and are really dangerous. Makes our flash floods look tame.

Stay safe ev1.

Ali x