Cherry takes the reins

Sun_Addict

Sounds like the visit is going well.

Cherryfudge

It's been a relatively quiet day as DH and Auntie went for a walk first thing then she went off to spend the day with her friend and the evening with J and L. DH finished making a set of shelves for the shed, and I had an unsuccessful search for my missing embroideries, but found some things to throw away and some summer clothes that I thought I'd perhaps given away. The nice bit was that some fit me better than they did when I last tried them on. Then I went to work.

No spending to report.

Things I'm thankful for: being fairly on the ball at work, and also managing to get a decent step count in. Finding the summer clothes (so a freebie ). Finding an item to donate and realising there's a fair amount that can be binned when I have time to go back to that area.

Cherryfudge

Today feels like a day off though I'm working later and on the sleep in tonight. DH has taken auntie out for the day - they left at about nine despite steady rain! Bless him, he's doing his best to keep her happy (i.e. occupied) and me happy too (i.e. giving me quiet time). I hope he's not too worn out.

I've put laundry in to wash though I'll have to use the dryer. Does anyone know how to get sun cream out of dark fabric? DH's new shorts have a patch of it.

I have a fridge of food to plan for as we will be away from Sunday. I don't think there's freezer space for much so as I'm cooking for us all on Saturday I think I will do roast veg with a something, don't know what. It's quite nice that I can have a sort out really. I also need to plan what to take with us to minimise shopping while we're away as the old house is near areas where the Delta variant is high. We want to go to our favourite little cafe for a meal one day but that's the only thing we have planned that might be indoors. It's fantastic for walks round there so we will make the most of that if the weather is okay.

So far today I've set the laundry rolling, done my flow test and packed for work. Aiming still to do food jobs and clean the bathroom, but I start work later today so there's time so long as I don't waste it and nothing untoward happens.

Still raining steadily - poor DH and auntie!

VelvetFreak

Hey Cherry, you could try dishsoap to get the sunscreen out.
Sounds like you're having a productive day

Cherryfudge

Thank you Velvet, I do feel I've got quite a lot done recently! I've tried the dish soap and I think the mark has almost completely gone - thank you!

Last night's shift went okay, we are down to two residents over this weekend so as long as everyone's health stays good I think it will be an easy one.

I'm now on days off/annual leave till Wednesday. DH has taken auntie out for a day to the area she used to live in, the rain has stopped here and I'm supposed to be preparing food lists.

We are hoping to eat out on Monday so main meals x 3 go like this: Sunday - leftover pasta bakes. Monday - eat out. Tuesday - pizza. Wednesday - home.

Lunches x 4: tuna sandwiches, cheese on toast, beans on toast, finish up opened items.

Breakfasts: toast, cereal, fruit juices.

Also take tea and coffee, cappuccino sachets, hot chocolate, my milk (semi skimmed + oat milk), DH's milk (goat's milk), cheese, Tuna, pizza, tin sweetcorn,  tins fruit, fresh fruit, bread, peanut butter, marmite, marmalade, cereal, fruit juice, baked beans, 2 x leftover pasta meals from the freezer. I have some fruit squash there but might get drinks for the journey and some snacks for supper and car (biscuits, fruit).

I'm thinking that leaves us a bit short of fresh veg and protein so will add an onion, a small cooking oil, not sure what else yet...


Things to use up or try to freeze if there's space:
half carton of cream/2 aubergines/1 courgette/2 peppers/1 cucumber

Tonight's meal:
Chicken and roast veg (shallots, red onion, aubergine, courgette, sweet potato, peppers).
Shop bought pudding as I need to make sure I'm not giving myself too much to think about and try to fit in.

I need to pack which I have done a million times so not a problem. Still need to unpack from last night's sleep at work, mind you. It's so strange to think I might be almost at the end of all those years of travelling to that house, but I have promised myself to book in to a hotel near there some time not too far in the future - when the money comes through I guess! - and give Dh and myself an actual holiday near there, with plenty of walking, eating out and sight-seeing, and no choking on black mould dust or getting backache because there's no sofa to relax on!

Right, back to work.

Cherryfudge

I'm pleased with myself - I bought a chicken so we had that with a massive dish of roast veg and some new potatoes. There are two portions of veg left - one for auntie to take home and one for the freezer, and a box of chopped chicken also for the freezer. Of course at the moment there's no space in it so they are waiting in the fridge till I get tomorrow's items out. Tetris.

There is a spare aubergine and half a cucumber still in the fridge. I've partly whipped the cream and frozen it, and managed to finish some cranberry sauce too.

Spending:
Housekeeping £30.50 (Okay, not just a chicken. This includes provisions for the next few days and sundry top up items).

Things I'm thankful for: being able to make use of all those vegetables, having spare food to share, having a freezer, a brighter end to the day, auntie's visit going well, the chance to do some more sorting at the old house, being booked in for a meal on Monday. I'm sure there are lots of other things too.

in_need_of_direction

Loving the hotel stay idea

Cherryfudge

We got back yesterday teatime - not sure I'll be able to remember all the bits and pieces but I'm off to work in three quarters of an hour so I'll do what I can.

The five days with auntie were a bit of a silent stress especially for DH. She never stops still for a moment! They did find some funny programs on Catch-up TV so I know it wasn't all stressful. Sunday morning, however, was difficult as she wanted to be away in order to be home for 2, and stood there staring at me while I was trying to decide whether to take something. She then said 'Well, I'll leave you to think about it' and went off, reappearing shortly after to stare from a distance. When I said I needed some headspace and could she just let me think for a minute, she went out to the car, I collected my thoughts and my knitting, having decided which to take (that's all it was! But the Pressure of the Stare was too much with the tension I was feeling anyway), I went to lock up and there she was, standing in the road by the car, staring at me.

We did have a fairly peaceful journey back to hers - she said something about her Mum would tell her that if she didn't have something to worry about, she'd find it. I think that was some sort of acknowledgement but there's no concept of changing her behaviour, she just thinks that's how she is. I restrained from giving her a talk on brain elasticity because a) it's been tried elsewhere, b) I didn't have the energy and c) it would stress DH who spends the run up to every visit of hers wondering if we'll fight while, to do us both credit as very different people, we actually get on most of the time (possibly due to his careful planning to keep us apart).

Anyway, we had lunch with her then went off for a walk in lovely mild air and banks of wildflowers, so pretty. We had to pop back to hers as all of us had failed to find the last of her luggage in the car, then on to the old house where we barely had strength to start on the clearing.

Day two was a productive morning, then lunch out at the lovely cafe followed by a long, long walk and a coffee: I think it cost about £30 but I'll need to check. It was a really good time of gentle exercise and unwinding so, although I felt a little bit guilty at not working on the house, I think we both needed it. I got a bit of sorting and packing done in the evening with some help from DH who was able to put work skills into making decisions that I'm not informed about.

Day three was very productive: I found the original boxes for some sets of ornaments which are now packed up in the back of our car waiting to go to auction. I don't think they will be worth masses but it would be nice if they can find their way to a collector. I also found other ornaments which may be worth 3baying.

Day four - yesterday - was about tidying and  packing the car as full as possible, as well as doing the Flow and PCR tests ready for work today. I felt I'd done perhaps a quarter of the remaining work, but today I can see I've done exactly half of collecting the items I want to keep or have saved for my sister.

I can tell I'm still stressing as I'm getting occasional palpitations, headaches and blurry vision. If the sight problems don't clear I'll go the optician but I had very similar just after Mum died so I suspect there's a link.

So spending was IRO £30 (entertainment) and DH filled the car with diesel which we won't be claiming from the estate as it was on the back of taking auntie home. (At least she enjoyed herself!)

Things I'm thankful for: successful trip, being able to give auntie a holiday, lovely afternoon meal and walk on Monday, things I've been able to rescue, lots of space in the house which used to be crammed full, most cupboards now empty!

Honeysucklelou2

Sounds a very productive 4 days. Will you get chance to go back before completion?

Sun_Addict

You’ve certainly been busy. It sounds like auntie enjoyed her stay with you, even if she was rather challenging 😆