Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

charlies_tribe said:

Dementia is definitely a horrible thing! I saw my gran a few weeks before lockdown and she was fine. A week later she was completely different

I'm so sorry, Charlie's tribe, how very sad. I hadn't realised how quickly it can come on for some people, having seen a gradual onset elsewhere. At leas now you know she's safe. How is your grandad?

Cherryfudge

Work wasn't the best today - I got totally behind on my 'list' (the people I am allocated to work with) though this was mostly because another resident hailed me for help and I ended up spending 45 minutes there with an on/off situation, then the manager told me off for not calling for assistance on the telecare. In my defence, well... I didn't think of it! My usual place of work doesn't use the red button system so I'm still getting used to it. Anyway I'll know for next time and in a negative way I had the satisfaction that the manager thought the situation I was helping with warranted quite a bit of her time later.

After that there was a training course, an interesting, useful one, then I managed to fit in a couple more resident visits later.

I'm not too tired as DH gave me a lift to work (so I had another 45 minutes' sleep), though I walked home. Not too long after I got back the weather turned wet and windy and it's still raining. Imagine! June, and the trees are tossing while the wind does it's best to howl in the chimney. Granted, it's a small chimney that produces a baby squeak, but the thought is there.

DH has had his first call-out for the charity he's volunteering for. It's good he has the opportunity to use the free time he's ended up with. He has also heard that the place where he was supposed to start work in March may reopen in a few weeks, but we don't know if there will be a job this time around. Besides this he's emptied the kitchen cupboard that we're replacing, fitted a whole 880g loaf in the freezer and baked a cake, before making liver and bacon casserole with loads of veggies for dinner. It was yummy.

Nothing's been spent today.

Things to be thankful for: a lift this morning, a walk this afternoon, healthy food and a glimpse of the last daylight far to the north despite it being twenty past ten and pouring with rain.

charlies_tribe

Its hard starting new places and getting used to their routines/procedures. Hopefully the next few weeks run smoothly. 

Well done to Mr Cherry on the charity work. 

Thank you Cherry.  We couldn't believe how quick it was, grandad is still asking them to give her a scan but with the covid they won't do it. He's struggling,  they've never been apart and he said she'll kill him when she gets home (still hoping for an infection i think) i can just see her running after him with a rolling pin 🤣 Hes waiting for oxygen to be fitted at home and after no end of strokes he isn't steady on his feet so there wasn't much choice.

Cherryfudge

charlies_tribe said:

grandad is still asking them to give her a scan but with the covid they won't do it.

It's the same with our relative, you would think if someone could be swabbed for Covid they might be able to test but perhaps it involves too many staff being in close proximity?

It must be so hard on your grandad. We don't want him chased with a rolling pin but to be separate after all this time... Depending on the care home, might it be possible to organise a 'visit' through a window? I know some places will do this but it depends on access around the building and their own policies and whether this is would work for your grandparents.

Cherryfudge

Very little to report today: work went okay and I had lifts from DH again so there was enough energy to go for a short walk this evening once the downpour stopped. I think it's getting milder again but there's been such a lot of rain I wonder if we might even get an unseasonal fog? At least the lawn will regrow now!

I asked a Team Leader at the placement about my hours for next week and she told me to put what I thought! So I've chosen different groupings of days over the next three weeks with days off also gruoped together, which I hope will mean I get a good balance of rest and activity.

No spending: DH has postponed a supermarket trip till tomorrow and dinner was soup and casserole from earlier in the week. There's still one portion of soup to fit into the freezer somehow. He's enjoying eating his way through the fruit mountain! My contribution was to make my overnight oats with banana and blueberries which has to be more healthy than the chocolate I had tonight. I don't think I mentioned that this week's cake is DH's version of lemon curd cake. He makes it without wholemeal flour but it's still very good.

Tonight I'm thankful for a weekend off, communication from both the DSes and a warmer weather forecast. Small things but then, the small things are the big things.

charlies_tribe

I know they've been using video calling and my auntie and uncle have been taking anything she has needed. The home have also set up a Facebook page with regular updates but I'm not sure if they've asked about him visiting. I'll ask him when I ring this week. I really wish we lived closer.

This virus is definitely affecting more people (health wise) than just those that catch it 😔

Hope you had a better day than yesterday x

Cherryfudge

charlies_tribe said:

I know they've been using video calling and my auntie and uncle have been taking anything she has needed. The home have also set up a Facebook page with regular updates but I'm not sure if they've asked about him visiting. I'll ask him when I ring this week. I really wish we lived closer.

This virus is definitely affecting more people (health wise) than just those that catch it 😔

Hope you had a better day than yesterday x

I did thanks. I think it just knocked my confidence a bit that I got criticised for not communicating earlier, but I think I made the right call on spending time with that particular person.

I think actual visits may depend a lot on the layout of the building. Where I'm working at present those with flats on the outside of the complex can have distanced conversations but on the inside it's harder (though they get a lovely garden view so there are compensations). It's good that your auntie and uncle can have direct involvement, it will help a lot.

You are right about the other health effects of the virus.

Cherryfudge

Lazy Saturday here. The weather has really cheered up and DH says it's like a rain forest outdoors!

My neighbour is ordering me some dark brown sugar in her online shop... why can't we find it locally, I wonder? Looking back over messages between her and me I'm finding a real insight into how things looked and felt early in the lockdown: with this gradual easing (official and unofficial) it's hard to keep track of changes.

I'm wondering when it will be okay to work on Mum's old house again. It's been a relief not being allowed to go over, especially as it's in an area that's had a high incidence of Covid, but I aware there's still work to do. Glad, though, that DH and I went over before the lockdown to pick up foodstuffs and some cleaning things as well as a handful of things to keep. I always sneak a few books back but I need elastic walls here, so perhaps I should spend a bit of time today tidying up DD's old room which is currently a dumping ground.

I could also do with spending time gardening, if it's not too wet. The first load of washing is on the line, there's another to go in. My current course is going well. I need to update the calendar with work dates and rescue a houseplant that's had more rain than expected. Then there are some tubs of onions that I planted to keep them going till I had soil available... they need a place somewhere.

Such a mixture: such is a day off! Will report back eventually.

Cherryfudge

Quite a lot has got done. A came round with a work bench and some sort of electrical saw and set up shop in the garden to trim the kitchen cabinet for us: the area isn't deep enough for a conventional cabinet. It was all done very quickly and efficiently, and it was lovely to see him.

DH has done the shopping: £26.43 on food, £4.50 on medical and £2.35 on toiletries. I'm relieved to have trimmed it a bit from last week's though partly that's due to still eating all the fruit I bought. I can see he got a bargain or so as well.

There has been a definite feel of the rainforest here today. DH said it reminded him of Singapore, though I think we had more sunshine here than there. It's been lovely. We haven't really had our virtual weekend away as we entirely failed to plan 'hotel breakfasts' but we did find a programme on Manet which was really worth watching (if you're into art). This takes the place of finding an art gallery and spending hours there, which we do every holiday if possible.

I got two loads of washing done and dried, and all the early stuff is ironed. DH went out for a walk and took a book with him so I could have time to myself, bless him. I mended a bird feeder and filled up all the other bird feeders but having decided to resurrect the bird table my Dad gave me years ago, I was sorry to discover, on extricating it from the corner by the compost where it's been tucked away for ages, that it's beyond help. I thought just the top needed to be replaced but actually the bottom is rotting and the rest has woodworm. Apart from that's it's great. I might treat myself to one that I've seen elsewhere, and in fact I got one for Mum when she was in the nursing home, so it would sort of be a memory of both my parents.

What else? I tidied up the little veg bed and a small area across the garden from there. The brambles that I had tied back were sending out vigorous side shoots so I've been tying and cutting back before my poor onions get overwhelmed. I accidentally pulled up an onion and it's truly mini, so I hope they put on weight over the next few months. The gooseberries, currant and greengages are coming on well. The super-bold robin flew to within about 18" of me: I'm popular when I disturb edibles for his family. The houseplant is rescued but looking healthier for its time outside.

This evening we had a walk out to the fields: the yellow is now green and poppies are sticking up above it. There was a blue haze in the distance in all directions from the dampness in the air. As we turned for home, the family WhatsApp lit up with J and L, A and H posting their photos of the day's walks. J and L had managed a distanced meeting with his parents which is great as they've not seen them since lockdown. I felt sorry for H as hers are too far away to do a mid-way meet-up.

That's about it I think. I'm grateful for time spent in the garden and a virtual art gallery of a very interesting painter. And sunshine, definitely sunshine but things are now getting green again and the rain barrels are full.

Cherryfudge

Online church this morning, tinned salmon salad for Sunday dinner, gardening this afternoon, family zo om at tea time, walk with DH this evening. Sunday in lockdown.

DH had to get some antiseptic cream when a screwdriver attacked his nail, fortunately not very deeply. (£1). Also £2.97 to my neighbour for groceries.

DH has fixed a problem with the grandfather clock (hence sore thumb) which was very money-saving as the overhaul it needed when I inherited it cost around £150.

Very good news from DS2: his hospital is now down to 5 covid patients so all the covid wards have been amalgamated and from Wednesday he will be back on his old ward with his old team. I know it's not over, but it's a significant change.

So tonight I'm thankful for his news, for getting gardening done and for sunny weather again.