Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 2 - Groundhog Day

Eager_Elephant

(((CCL and children)))

Sorry things are so tough with DH still.

Did he ever go back to the doctors and start his tablets again?

As you say you and the children cannot carry on like this - I'm glad you are just getting on with things, you cannot put your life on hold while you try to 'fix' him.

Fab news about the cleaner - we talk about getting a cleaner occasionally but I just cant bring myself to do it, I would spend hours cleaning before she came!!
DH who does barely any housework (but does work quite long hours and has neuro issues) announced the other day that he thought we should get a cleaner, I told him we just needed to keep on top of things and if we did it little and often it would be ok. so for the past week he has done sweet FA still!!!
Meanwhile each time I go up or down the stairs I make sure I am carrying something but no one else does the same - aarrgghh!!

crazy_cat_lady

Morning :coffee: :hello:
Well. I just cannot seem to get going this morning. I woke up at 5am and the plan was to go back to sleep - I've tried but it just hasn't happened unfortunately.
I spoke to dh a little more rationally yesterday but whether it does any good who knows? He' always quite receptive to what I say but then there's no action afterwards. My plans go on as usual - make sure me and the kids are ok and live our lives.
So yesterday I went to see my mam - always lovely to see her but it was a bit stressful as well. She's not very well at the moment, which is a worry for me. On top of dh being down as well. Anyway, I was most surprised to find dh up when we got home yesterday afternoon. In a good way.
So today will need to be another 'make no big decisions' day as I'm tired. My cleaning lady starts today so I'm planning to make myself scarce while she's here (out of embarrassment) and there are a few things I have to do before she comes (like emptying rubbish and recycling and sorting the washing) - I want to leave the place as clear as possible so that she can get on with the actual cleaning stuff.
I've already washed dishes and put some washing out to dry, and I've cleared the cat stuff (as I don't expect her to do that at all). I've done a bit of exam stuff - now 2/3 done and less than a week since the marking started so that's great news. There has been plenty of crochet time as well which has been lovely. I just need a fresh pair of eyes to help me find a missing pattern... which dd has just done for me while I was typing this.
I've rang and cancelled my phone contract today as it was up - that will save me a bit of cash as I've gone SIM only for now. Now just other small, annoying jobs to do before we go out.
Have a good day all :j

AspiringButAnxious

Hi ccl, sounds like things are going pretty well overall — and you're coping very well

Yay for the cleaner! My mum and nan have both worked as cleaners and believe me, they have seen some seriously disgusting things. Your house, I guarantee, would not enter their top 50 worst. Promise.

When my parents went on holiday, my brother thought he was a hero for putting the dishwasher on and walking the dogs with me! Several weeks later, he still brings it up in attempts to blackmail my parents...

Anyhoo, hope things with dh get better soon and that everything else goes well. Sorry I've been so awful at keeping in touch this year — I think I have issues with reading mse diaries because I feel like I'm breakin the rules by incurring more debt on purpose... I will try to check in more often and please feel free to pm me anytime

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee: :hello:
Thanks for such kind words ABA - don't you worry about keeping in touch. You have your own stuff to get on with and I'll always be here some way or another. I really appreciate your reassurance, both with dh and also with the cleaner
She is going to completely change my life - I know it. She was here for 4 hours yesterday and the house looks totally different. I can't believe it - never thought that my house would ever look like this. I don't think it was even this clean when we moved in I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I think as well as helping me, it might also help with my resentment towards the rest of my family. If I'm not doing as much I won't get as peeved when they aren't doing stuff. I'm looking forward to her coming back again.
While she was here yesterday I took the kids for a long lunch and time to play at our local Brewer's Fayre. I had vouchers for free kids meals and it only cost £3 for 2 hours in the play area. Happy days. The boys went off and played and me and dd had a bit of a chat and catch up.
Looking after bestie's ds again today. My ds is still in bed and snoring soundly - luckily enough he's happy just sitting playing on his iPad while we wait for ds to wake up and shift his bum. Not too many plans as the weather forecast is rain, rain and rain... So a day indoors in my lovely clean house, relaxing, checking on exam marking and catching up on crochet. We're off out to a theme park for the day tomorrow so I think I'll do as litle as possible today, just to prepare for a full on day tomorrow.
Exam marking is pretty much done so I'm still hoping to get that out of the way before the end of this week, but I have way less to do than I was doing over the weekend. And the money will be much appreciated as always. This weekend we are off to the Lakes, and then it'll be time for our few days with a hot tub :j

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee:
Gosh, I feel tired this morning. Yesterday was quite a long day at the theme park - we were out of the house for over 12 hours. Got home just after 8pm and I was too tired to do anything much other than food and a bit of crochet. Didn't even get the laptop out.
Think the kids had a good day at the theme park, although it is sometimes difficult to tell with dd as she descends ever closer to being a teenager. She says it was fine, her face says otherwise :rotfl: I went with a friend and we had a good catch up while the kids were on the rides so I was very happy. Always nice to get time for a chat. Spent a bit of money but it was quite mse because I got 2 for 1 tickets with free lunch vouchers so not as much as I would have spent without it.
Not too many plans for today - bit of relaxing. Still hoping that the exam stuff might be finished this week. My team have been really brilliant this time round and we're way ahead of deadlines. I haven't been on to see how progress is looking today but I have my fingers crossed. That's next after catching up on here. Other than that I've got a free film from Sky to watch - downloaded their VIP app and got a free download and DVD. I chose Sully - Miracle on the Hudson. All for me, not the kids
So I suppose that whilst it's been a spendy holiday I have managed to make savings which is always good - £59.89 just on those couple of things.
So - plans for today...
Catch up on here
Get up to date with exam marking
Minimal housework (hoover, dishes, washing)
Watch my film
Maybe go to Mr A and collect my delivery (school uniform)
Maybe get a vet appointment - 2 cats are needing injections at the moment
Lots of crochet I hope.
So I'm going to make another :coffee: and then get on while I can be bothered.

Bobarella

Hi Cat

Im so glad you got the cleaner! That has cheered ME up, let alone you! I feel for you having to be the one tidying up after your family when you work so hard anyway, so GOOD for the cleaner!

Its funny but as I spend some of my time cleaning at my venue, you can really tell when people have been in that are used to being looked after. Some of the mess I've found on the floor, when people have simply been sitting down to eat their dinner makes me think, what the F? You wouldnt do it at home??? Or maybe they would and thats the secret. If someone else always looks after you then you never learn.

Im sorry OH has been feeling bad again. Im reading a book at the moment that has a lot in it about how we cant choose our lot in life, but we can choose how we respond to it, and that is one thing I'd work on with your OH if even a tiny bit possible. Remind him that yes he feels bad, and you understand that but he is still in a position of choice regards how he makes you feel and thats important.

Anyway, thanks again for popping by my diary and the kind advice.

Bob

Bobarella

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

(((CCL and children)))

Sorry things are so tough with DH still.

Did he ever go back to the doctors and start his tablets again?

As you say you and the children cannot carry on like this - I'm glad you are just getting on with things, you cannot put your life on hold while you try to 'fix' him.

Fab news about the cleaner - we talk about getting a cleaner occasionally but I just cant bring myself to do it, I would spend hours cleaning before she came!!
DH who does barely any housework (but does work quite long hours and has neuro issues) announced the other day that he thought we should get a cleaner, I told him we just needed to keep on top of things and if we did it little and often it would be ok. so for the past week he has done sweet FA still!!!
Meanwhile each time I go up or down the stairs I make sure I am carrying something but no one else does the same - aarrgghh!!

Elephant - (sorry to hijack Cat) I just saw you here and remembered I hadnt replied to your advice about car sharing for school runs on my diary. Thanks for that. And sadly not an option, but thanks for thinking of me.:T

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee: :hello:
I had an ok night of sleep last night I think - a good 7 hours before I was so desperate for the loo I couldn't wait any more and had to get up. I was quite surprised that it was after 7am when I did get up. I was fairly shattered yesterday to be fair and didn't really do anything. I did the usual hoover, dishes and washing but pretty much sat on my bum, which was just what I needed after Wednesday.
I watched Sully - Miracle on the Hudson - which was brilliant. Combines a couple of my favourite things (Tom Hanks and Air Crash Investigation) and made a load of progress on my various crochet bits and bobs. I need to start finishing stuff off - I've worked out that I actually have 7 different projects on the go at the moment and that I need to get them done and finished before starting anything else. They're of no use to anyone when they're not done.
I'm looking after bestie's ds again today - I've decided to take the boys swimming and meet up with my friend I was out with on Wednesday. Not sure if this is a wise idea but there will be no problem as long as ds doesn't decide that he needs me in the pool with him. I want to sit and drink coffee all morning with my friend rather than do my whale impression in the pool Not sure how long we'll be out and about but I should have plenty of time later to do more crochet.
The exam stuff is almost done (and I am thrilled about that) - my team have been brilliant this session and I have been very lucky indeed that they are all good, and fast and as keen as I am to get it done and out of the way. All my marking and supervisory marking online is done - now I just need to get the papers I have that can't be scanned done. At the moment I have 60 papers and have done 15 but plenty of time to get them done.
Right then, cuppa, shower and then we'll get going.

crazy_cat_lady

Hello!!! :wave: :coffee:
I just kind of disappeared off the face of the planet for a week didn't I? It wasn't intentional - I was going to do so much then things just didn't go as planned. And for someone with general anxiety disorder, things not going to plan can be a very big deal indeed. Let me update anyone who is interested enough on the past 7 days of my life. You may want to do one of 2 things - either grab yourself a cuppa, or scroll through onto the next post
Was absolutely exhausted when I got back from our day out last Friday. It feels like another lifetime ago. DS didn't need me to swim with him so I was a lady that lunched, then we went onto a trampoline park and I didn't get home until well after 6pm then was full on with the exam stuff.
Saturday I was up bright and early, packing ready for our family weekend (and only time the 4 of us are away together) to the Lake District. DH had wanted to get away early to drive around a bit so I got up even earlier to make sure the place was half tidy before we left and that everyone had a decent breakfast and that everything was packed etc. No sign of dh getting out of bed... I eventually had to turf him out of bed to go at 3pm - no chance of a drive around the Lakes as he wasn't up for driving at all. So I drove us to Penrith to our hotel, stopping at Mr M for dinner supplies on the way (something quick and easy we could just eat in the hotel room as there was no restaurant). Hotel was fine - just fine, not great, but a comfy enough night's sleep. We all had an early night as the main event was our 10 Lake Tour on the Sunday - which was a full 8 hour day out without the stress of one of us having to route plan or drive.
Up and early on Sunday morning to make sure that we arrived at Windermere in time for our tour at 9.45am. Got to the tour office with about 10 minutes to spare. Spoke to the people there, who had absolutely no record at all of us having booked the tour - which had already left anyway because the bus was full of people that had booked. Cue one very grumpy cat lady... I gave them all the printed confirmation and off they went to deal with the company that I'd booked through. Turns out that company hadn't booked our tour for us. I was utterly devastated. I'd spent a fortune on a hotel for the night before so we wouldn't be late for our all day trip on Sunday. Now there was no trip happening because they hadn't booked it for us. The company I'd booked through were utterly useless - they must have asked me at least 8 times if I could go on Monday. I would have thought that telling them once that dh had to work Monday afternoon would have been enough. I also wanted to punch the woman that kept saying 'There's nothing I can do about it now - the bus is full and it has left' on the phone. Thankfully, the people at Windermere tourist office were a billion times more helpful. I managed to negotiate myself a full refund for the bit of the break I'd booked through them (£300.79) with the Sunday night hotel still included, and the tourist office managed to negotiate 4 hours of private hire for the four of us, with a Lake cruise across Windermere. It turned out ok (ish) in the end. Being the introverts that we are, all four of us were far more happy that there was just the four of us on the bus, and the driver was lovely and really knowledgeable and took us right out into the sticks where dh actually managed a few smiles (his idea of fun is being in the most remote corner of England). So we got a few hours out, and we didn't pay for it but it wasn't what we booked and paid for, and it wasn't what we had planned. I'm just about to make my complaint to them after I'm finished on here.
So we got back to our evening hotel, which was ok (better than the Saturday night) and also included carvery dinner. Good night's sleep, then up and out by 10am to get dh home in time to go to work for 1pm. Guess what though - the hotel didn't have record of the booking through the other company and tried to make me pay again. The phone call sorted that out a lot more quickly than the Lakes Trip but it was still a pain in the backside.
Got home, unpacked dirty washing, repacked clean washing, dh went to work and me and the kids went off to the lodge in North Yorkshire. Thankfully that went a lot more smoothly than the Lakes debacle - not booked through the first company. We got there, they were expecting us, the weather was amazing and the hot tub was ready for us to get into :T And I really, really enjoyed the hot tub. I made maximum use of it while we were there. When the kids would start arguing I would get into the hot tub and escape It was so peaceful and quiet there, and the lodge was lovely as well. I would definitely go back there again - it may have only been an hour away but it could have been anywhere. Quiet, scenic and relaxing which was everything that I wanted and needed after the Lakes. We even had some late night hot tubs, stargazing and watching the meteor showers which was amazing (I think that the kids enjoyed it too). I am tired (bed wasn't so comfy) and looking forward to a night in my own bed but I've had such a good week there...
Anyway, back home and back to everyday life. Loads and loads of washing to do, exam stuff to catch up on. Nice to get away but always nice to get home again as well. I should sleep pretty soundly tonight I reckon.

crazy_cat_lady

Missed out that we did the last few bits of school shopping (except dd's stuff that I have to get from the school supplier) and that we went to Forbidden Corner today. I haven't decided if I enjoyed that or not as yet... Maybe if I'd been less tired.
I'm just happy to be home - kids in separate rooms with wifi so no arguing. Me here with dh and a couple of cats. Happy days. Washing machine whirring away in the background - house tidy thanks to our lovely cleaner.