Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

HairyHandofDartmoor

Delichon said:

Sending safe virtual hugs to you and your sister.  She must be feeling really shattered by all that life has thrown at her in recent years. Does she have children or other family to support her?  I think you mentioned she lives in Scotland so obviously a long, long way from you.  On the plus side, there have been some wonderful advances in cancer treatment in recent years and I hear of many patients who have gone on to live happy lives for years after their initial diagnosis.  Don't give up hope xxx

I hope you and your own family are all well and not going stir-crazy yet.

Thanks Delichon. She is very shocked and upset of course. I don't think it's really sunk in fully though. She has three children but two live in England. One daughter lives in Edinburgh but it's a couple of hours drive away from where she lives in the Highlands. BIL has two sisters that live fairly locally. Yes I do really hope that there's some treatment that can help BIL.

We're coping quite well I think and not too stir crazy. I don't think we go out as much as some families even in normal times. But I do miss visiting the NT, Costalot lattes and just wandering around the shops for a browse. I miss seeing relatives too. How are you and your DH coping?

HairyHandofDartmoor

I felt like being busy today and got quite a lot done. I changed our bedding and put our summer duvet on because I've been sleeping badly all week due to being hot at night, even with the windows open. Then I put two washes on and dried them in the garden, folded up the clean washing and put it away, packed away some of my woolies in plastic boxes to protect them from moths, emptied all the bins, poured boiling water on the patio weeds, watered all the garden pots and did my art project for school.

So quite a productive day. Tomorrow I want to bag up some branches now they've emptied my rubbish bin and try to get rid of a few of them that way, pull up a few weeds that are starting to sprout in pots again and deadhead a few flowers. That's all that needs doing in the garden after my marathon gardening sessions in the last fortnight. I also want to go for a brisk walk by myself and another short one with DH and DS1. I'll only be out for half an hour both times so it will add up to the hour's walk that I'm allowed to have.

I hope everyone is having a good Saturday .

elizabethhull

Our neighbours have had a daughter and grandchild over - again ! They sounded as if they were all having a lovely time in the garden. No, I didn't look from a bedroom window because it would have just made me even madder.
I would LOVE to see my family................😥

[Deleted User]

I know exactly how you feel, Elizabeth. DH is like a caged lion during the lockdown, even though we have about 2 acres of land.  He's missing his fast cycle rides on the deserted country lanes hereabouts.  He's always found them the best and most enjoyable form of exercise.  He decided to go for one,the first in about a fortnight,really early yesterday morning before there was any chance of coming into contact with anyone (home within the hour so not breaking any 'rules') and was really angry when he got home because he said there was a surprising amount of cars on the roads, even in this backwater and at that hour.  He also said several of the cars had 4 people in which suggested it was families going for a nice trip to the countryside.   It must be tempting for people to disobey the 'stay at home' rules and think it can't do any harm to visit isolated countryside  but the quickest way out of this crisis is to put up with the hardship now for everyone's sake.  Beyond our garden, way in the distance, are miles and miles of fells and for a lot of the year we can just about see from our garden (with binoculars) small crocodiles of walkers up there on the footpaths.  There's been no one about for weeks but yesterday afternoon I got the binoculars out and  spotted a few groups up there.  Insert raging emoji!

Willowtree222

I'm missing a lot too. My mum is really struggling with not seeing DD as well. I make the effort to walk past their house a few times a week and talk to them from a distance so they are still seeing DD, but it is upsetting my mum as she can't hug them. I just wish everyone would understand the severity of the situation. My mum doesn't get it either. She keeps saying they have made it sound worse. I have explained that there have been around 1k of deaths a day (if you add up non hospital as well) and she has still not grasped it. 
I'm following the rules to the letter! I really don't want to risk DD and I get upset too when I see so many people breaking the rules. x

Seasidegal58

I'm so very sorry to hear the news of your BIL Hairy and send virtual hugs to you, your sister and her family. Fingers crossed for a positive treatment outcome. 

Well done on finishing your gardening. I hope you and DH get to sit out there and enjoy it during this nice weather without the annoying neighbours in the background!

doingitanyway

Another one sorry to hear of your BiL's news. Upsetting for everyone. 
I hope you can sit out in your garden at some point today.

Sun_Addict

Sorry to read the bad news about BIL, very upsetting for your sister.  Even if they can't operate they might be able to shrink the tumours.  Mr SA's tumour was inoperable but it was killed off with chemo so there's always hope. Fingers crossed there's something that can be done. 

The elderly lady across the road from me has had visitors every day since lockdown. Sometimes they arrive together and stay ages.  It's obvious they're not just bringing shopping. I'm sticking to the rules so why shouldn't others, I only leave the house if I really have to.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thank you everyone for your kind words about BIL, we'll know more after the biopsy.

I had a brisk walk in the park this morning and enjoyed it as it was a lovely sunny day with lots of blossom on the trees 🌳 🌸 and wild spring flowers 🌷🌺. Then I did two washes and dried them in the garden. I folded up yesterday's clean washing and put it away and emailed my artwork to school. Then I did a bit of ladylike gardening 🤣, dead heading flowers and pulling up a few cheeky weeds that had appeared again. 

In the late afternoon I went on a slow ramble to the park with DH and DS1. I didn't leave the house yesterday so I'm owed a walk. DS1 hadn't left the house for a month 😱 and DH hadn't left the house for a week, so I was glad to get them out for a walk. They seemed to enjoy it and it was a bit cooler then with a lovely light 🌳.

I hope everyone is having a good Sunday  🙂.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I'm amazed at how many older people are having visitors. Don't they realise that they're at risk of catching the virus and that it may not have a good outcome for them? 😱😡