Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

So much for catching up on sleep yesterday - the book with which I was reading myself to sleep turned out to be far too good so my brain wasn't slowing down, then I started with reflux. I got up for a snack to settle it but it just wouldn't so I went downstairs for a while. At about 3ish, DS2 came in (fresh as a daisy of course, what it is to be in your twenties!). 'Are you waiting up?' he asked me. (No). We had quite a long chat before I sent him to bed at something daft like half past four! Interestingly, it turns out his new job will include interviewing people for the type of job I've just applied for, but with a different employer so he's said if he gets an idea what the questions might be like, he'll let me know. That's supposing I get the interview, of course, and that questions are sufficiently similar between the various employers.

I had a lie-in this morning so I've not suffered too much for my dissolute ways. I was awake when the gales started last night and they've gone on till it got dark this evening but after DS2 left I actually did a bit of tidying in the garden: it's been mild and sunny. After DH's work finished we had a walk up to the country lanes above town and to my delight on my way out I saw the little blue irises I planted last year have come up in a brave show of colour. Out along the country roads we saw a few patches of snowdrops and winter aconites, and even the odd daffodil in bud.

I've finished the book that helped me stay up so I need to find something new and soothing!

Things I'm thankful for today: the beautiful blue irises, being within 10 cm of the long stretch of knitting I've been doing since about November and the fact we had our trees trimmed last year so we've not had to worry in the wind today.

Cherryfudge

I forgot to say my pay advice has arrived and I've never had so much, even if nearly a quarter of it's disappeared in deductions! I wish I'd organised it to be paid straight into the pension but there's no point looking back. I'll try again this month. It includes all the extras from November and December. Over the next few months it won't be as lucrative as there's almost no extra time going.

I've been trawling the jobs available on my employer's noticeboard too, and trying to have an open mind about what I could do. I've not found anything else that catches my eye but lots I could do if I had to. I did have an inspiration though: at the moment I'm rotaed to help out weekly at a sister service which has lost some staff either to helping out elsewhere or to not being vaccinated. I don't want a permanent post there - too quiet for me! - but I wonder if they would consider a relief contract? That would give me continuity of service with my current employer but not tie me down.

Cherryfudge

A few unexpected things to be thankful for: carbon monoxide detectors, a windy night that wasn't too cold and people who come out on call despite it being the middle of a stormy night in January, and do it cheerfully!

A carbon monoxide detector went off in the lounge about 1 am. I checked and it was definitely the alarm not a fault light or battery failure. Of course in the middle of the night and with DH asleep, I couldn't think too well but realised the alarm upstairs, near the boiler, wasn't going off. However, DS2 had left the window open a crack so that room was ventilated. DH heard the intermittent beep even though I'd switched the alarm sound off, so he appeared and for once didn't moan about 'don't be silly, we'll deal with it in the morning' (the hardest bit is always persuading people to leave their beds and go out in the cold!)

Long story slightly shorter, I ventilated the rooms with the detectors in and a couple of others and as it was blowing a hooley, and not too cold out, I sent DH back to bed on the understanding I kept checking on him! T'internet said to ring the emergency number which I eventually found through the NHS (gas emergency 0800 111 999) so I did and got talked through ventilation and shutting off the gas supply. The oncall person arrived about an hour later by which time the house was so well ventilated that the alarm had stopped bipping. Poor chap had finished work at ten so I probably got him out of his bed but he was okay about it. He checked the whole house including the attic with a wand attached to a control box but there were no readings. It's possible the alarm is faulty so we'll replace it but we've now booked a service for the gas boiler (last done in April last year I think) and the log burner (likely culprit) has a sticker to say not to use it till the flu has been checked.

So this morning we have a slightly less ventilated house and the heating is back on. The alarm is still showing green so its not detecting anything and the one upstairs (gas boiler) wasn't bothered at all. In theory we should have evacuated the house but given the weather and lack of higher level symptoms, I'm afraid we didn't. I do take it seriously though because I now see that some of my symptoms over the last couple of weeks could be low-level CO poisoning. I know if I had stronger symptoms we'd have had to go to A&E and be checked over, possibly even given oxygen, but the alarm, and the fact any CO levels seem to have been low and slow, stopped it getting to that point.

On the plus side - all will soon be checked over and while waiting for the engineer I finished the main body of my knitting and moved on to the border. Also A, H and baby came to dinner yesterday and we had a cold, windy walk after, but it was really nice to spend time with them.

Sun_Addict

How frightening, could've been a lot worse but thankfully nipped in the bud and can be sorted out. Sounds like you did the sensible thing to keep both of you safe.

A house close to where I live two young lads lost their lives many years ago to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty boiler. 

badmemory

It just shows the importance of the monitors incl smoke/fire ones.  Can't be too careful.

Honeysucklelou2

What a good job you had those carbon monoxide detectors.  Glad you were able to see your DGD and A and H.

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

How frightening, could've been a lot worse but thankfully nipped in the bud and can be sorted out. Sounds like you did the sensible thing to keep both of you safe.

A house close to where I live two young lads lost their lives many years ago to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty boiler. 

How very tragic. It's a largely silent killer and apparently when a lot of CO is present it can kill in a short time. If we had any, I think it must have been a low level that was blasted out by the tempestuous wind once I opened the windows. Today the alarms have been silent and DH has fitted a new one in case the old one was faulty.

I had a good afternoon: having caught up on sleep this morning I went for a run and managed a whole 5k for the first time in ages. I was shattered afterwards despite being overtaken by two snails and a woodlouse. I think I set some sort of record for extreme 5K times and it's not one I'm going to add to to the record books! In my defence, about a quarter of it was uphill so an elevation of 49m isn't too bad and gives me some excuse for my lack of speed.

I bought a couple of e-books (£2.48?) and ordered some photos (£3.99) but I've kept away from the shops today.  DH got the new CO detector, some carpet shampoo and groceries but I don't know what he spent.

Well, I'm at work tomorrow so I'd better get to bed.

Things I'm thankful for today: nice weather for a run, Epsom salts for a bath afterwards (!), finding the note of needle size I need to complete my current project.                                      

Sun_Addict

You should be very proud you did the 5k run however slow 👏

Cherryfudge

Thank you SA. I ache today!

Work today was another quiet one, at the other service. I mentioned to the team leader that I'd be available to do relief there as my usual hours wouldn't be in the way of shifts. I found out today that a couple of new people are being inducted in my usual place: they have come in response to an appeal to help out in social care and could be with us over the next few weeks. More than that I don't know.

We had a shopping trip this afternoon to look at sofas. Ours were second hand years ago and are past the point where even I think I can mend them. We did find some we like and which are super-comfy but we aren't buying until we've checked they an get through our doors! Afterwards we popped into the big out-of-town supermarket where we often used to get our Saturday shopping, pre-pandemic. It was really strange going back there, the place almost felt haunted but it was hard to decide why. I think we last went while DS2 was still at home and I remember it as somewhere I could get 'cooking' bacon and where I'd sometimes buy discounted sandwiches ready for an afternoon shift at work. Strange what comes back to you!

We got a few groceries including lemon and coriander flavoured couscous which we can't get locally at the moment (first world problem, I know), and I treated the baby to another pretty outfit. I really have to put the brakes on there!

Spending:
CO detector (DH got it yesterday) £20.00
Gift (baby outfit) £7.00
Housekeeping 
Hobbies £8.46 (Knitting needles in an unusual length and width).

On the money-saving side, I've mended four pairs of socks for DH.

Tonight I'm thankful for time to sew and knit, for a busy social morning planned for Thursday and for days off over the weekend to recover!

Cherryfudge

Work plods on... having mentioned to the other service that I'd be available to cover some shifts, the next day I was asked to cover one! As we had plenty of staff at my usual place I was released to go over, and ended up working with a client I know well. We went out for a long walk which seemed to suit both of us though I ached again today from all the exercise.

Today was therefore the only shift I've worked at my usual place this week, and I've told colleagues I've sent in an application for another job. Of course applying isn't the same as getting, but we have just heard that a colleague on sick leave has been successful applying elsewhere and there is other stuff going on which makes me sure I'm doing the right thing.

This morning before work I met up with a friend for coffee then went on to meet H and the baby for an hour or so, my treat both times so about £12 but a very nice morning.

This evening I'm thankful for my days off (long weekend) and that my former colleague has a new job to look forward to. Also that today is the birthday of a very special friend, someone I'm definitely grateful for, and for the people I've been able to sped time with today.