"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

greenbee

Online pilates worked well (Mon/Tue/Wed am). I also did yoga on Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Friday morning and this morning - with three different yoga teachers! And I tried 'PE with Joe'.  I was hoping to add a couple of classes this week, but it turns out they need a FB connection with a work colleague, which I don't do. 

Other than pilates and yoga I've been doing tidying in the garden (mowing, weeding, moving primroses) and cleaning. My cleaner got a full-time job so stopped coming and I've been missing her due to the dust, but also noticing the stuff she doesn't do (it takes me a lot longer to clean the house than it takes her but I know why!) so i've been deep cleaning. All these classes from home has drawn my attention to the state of the skirtings for a start...

The milkman has been out of lots of things, so I've put an extra pint of milk and some yogurt on a regular order. No F&V. Veg box order was pretty limited this week, but I did get tofu. I also had a small shop via a village volunteer, and another one by a friend. I've been able to add to my veg box order this week, so fingers crossed that works. The garden centre is supposed to be delivering compost, topsoil and fertiliser this week along with some seeds. My veg cage is on it's way, but the hotbin I ordered a couple of weeks ago is now on hold until May, and the raised beds not due back in stock until 10th April. That should give me time to clear the ground at least. I've got my sprouting jars going, and a tray for microgreens. I need to get some seed trays out to do more baby lettuce when my seed order arrives. 

My work bonus has been paid, so I plan to get a greenhouse installed - I can find greenhouses, but unfortunately I need installation as well. They're impossible to construct single handed, and if isolation carries on I won't be able to get anyone to help, so I need installation included. I also need to pay the deposit for my kitchen. 

Tomorrow I also need to do a meal plan. There are various things lurking in the cupboards (buckwheat, wheat grain, raisins, currants) that I don't usually eat that I need to start including in my meals to help make the other stuff last. There's also quite a bit of bread in the freezer - and croissants and things I keep for visitors. So definitely some planning to do 

Karmacat

Sounds like you're using the time well, greenbee

greenbee

I didn't get a huge amount done at the weekend - outside was cold and horrible. I was contemplating getting up on Saturday when I saw that a friend was starting a live yoga class in 15 minutes, so I did that, which was fabulous, but hard work. It's a style of yoga I used to do, and love, and is very intense so ideal for a time when I need to be able to shut down my mind. 

A certain amount of cleaning was done - bathroom is spotless (including the windows), bedroom has been dusted and the clutter put away (and the windows done), ensuite is spotless and I've handwashed the floor which was showing signs of just having a dirty mop waved over it. So I now need to float over it... I was shattered yesterday, so spent a lot of time not doing much. I did order more seeds though, and do a meal plan to fit round all the classes (Wednesday is going to be my one-meal-a-day fast day, Monday is probably the other fast day - both of these have morning and evening classes so it will be easier to eat less). 

Sprouted seeds are ready to harvest, but the microgreens are only just getting going. I'll try to keep up constant production and hope that I can continue to get seeds. While I was doing Pilates this morning one of my planters was delivered (at least, I think it was one and not both). I'm going to leave the package on the doorstep until I have time to put it together. 

Back at work today - I did some reading before Pilates, but meetings are starting soon. I do need to go for a walk at some point and hopefully locate some eggs. Gym kit needs washing and drying, and I need to get back into a routine. 

greenbee

Used some buckwheat yesterday, which I have quite a bit of, and has been lurking for a while. In the past I've found it very claggy, but following advice from @oceanspirit I cooked it differently and it worked. So I'll aim to include it in the menu plan from now on Apparently it's OK for a low carb diet, which is good to know. Today I remembered about the packet of spirulina I was given by a visitor (god know why!) so I added a spoonful to my smoothie and it doesn't seem to have made any significant difference to the taste. I've managed to stick to this as being a fast day (so far!) which I'm pleased about, and also washed the downstairs floors yet again. I think I might need some new mop heads.. 

Oh yes - I also sorted out all my toiletries, so I know exactly what cleanser/moisturiser/body lotion I have  (including stuff my mum keeps here, just in case!). I have masses of soap (hotels), plenty of shampoo and conditioner (I buy 5 litres at a time). Body lotion might well be the first thing to run out. I found 3 deodorants lurking, which I've brought into circulation. I can see this will be a good time to do some decluttering!

Topsoil, compost, plant food, manure and seeds have arrived, as have a couple of planters and some black spot remover for the patio. I've been for a quick walk but there are no eggs. 

greenbee

I don't feel I've achieved a huge amount since I last posted, although I have done a lot of Pilates and yoga classes! And have mostly kept things clean with the help of the robots. I've been very tired, and still have a temperature - on Thursday I had a message from my brother about possible new advice on the persistent fever, and to call my GP.  I spoke to her in the morning, she knew exactly what he was talking about and agreed it was worth a try. So experimentally, I have been given a massive dose of two different antibiotics for 'post-COVID'. No idea why - I didn't want to waste her time asking for the details. She warned me that it wouldn't be much fun, particularly the first couple of days. A volunteer picked up the prescription, and another one delivered an additional supply of live yogurt! I was also told to make sure I ate enough - as I've been weighing and measuring Iw as able to tell her what I'd been eating, and lately I've been struggling to get the calories up but not really bothering to do anything about it.

Antibiotics were started yesterday, and I'm managing OK although feeling even more lethargic. And I have managed to increase the calories today - partly by adding in snacks when taking the pills (I have 5 doses a day today and tomorrow, cutting down to 4 from Monday), and by picking the higher calorie options from the freezer. So tonight I had beef shortrib with added mushrooms, buckwheat, carrots, spring greens and kale. There's no way I'm short of protein or vitamins given how much veg I'm eating, even under my rationing regime!

I did manage to pick up some eggs earlier in the week (from the smallholding up the road), and some tins of pulses and some single cream came with my veg box. Sadly the veg box also contained potatoes and fruit, and there should have been two of them but only one was left, so i'm still rationing. I've never been so good at meal planning! They've said they'll credit my account next week, so I need to check the transaction. 

I've also managed to water weedkiller into quite a bit of the lawn, and gave in and used patio cleaner on the patio. It's looking MUCH better, but I'll need to get some more of it as it really needs doing again. I did a spot test earlier in the week, then did the whole thing today, sprayed water on it after a couple of hours and then gave it a scrub. I'll rinse it properly tomorrow morning (it smells unpleasantly of bleach out there, but that can't be helped). A pond-skimming net arrived today, so I've skimmed the slime off the stream where it flows slowly (most if it). I should take out about 1/3 of the weed, but the water voles are active so technically I'm not allowed to. Although as I want to plant some more irises some might mysteriously disappear... I also need to mow tomorrow. I must remember long sleeves, gloves, sunscreen and a hat, as the ABs unfortunately cause photosensitivity.

Volunteers have been great, and the veg boxes and milkman are a godsend, but part of me would just like to have the option of going to a shop and choosing something! I've been in isolation for a month now, and was away for two weeks before that, so it's been a while. The fact that I don't feel great (concentration is poor, so I'm not producing a vast amount of work) doesn't help. 

Kitchen deposit is paid. Luckily I didn't order a greenhouse, as the manufacturers/installers all seem to be shutting down operations. I just hope the raised bed arrives soon - then again, I'm not exactly ready for it! Next week I hope to get round to planting a few seeds to get started in the growhouse. 

I've still got a huge list of things I want to do in the house and garden, so being at home doesn't seem to have resulted in a huge amount of progress! Hopefully that will change once I'm through this course of antibiotics. 

Jessy103

Sorry to hear you're having such a tough time greenbee. I hope the antibiotics do their thing, you feel better soon and you can crack on with you plans

Karmacat

That sounds really rough for you, greenbee, I'm sorry to hear things are so bad.   Compared to your health, the house and garden stuff just doesn't matter, as long as the house is waterproof and able to be heated.   Good luck with the antibiotics - brilliant to hear that someone got you the live yogurt too!

greenbee

Thanks @Karmacat and @Jessy103 I'm doing OK (2nd dose of 5 today just taken with some very milky coffee). My concentration is rubbish, but I seem to be getting things done if I break them down and take it slowly. So this morning - after a bad, rather sweaty night - I got up to take my vitamins first thing, then had a cup of coffee in bed while poking around online (this is, in theory 'work' ). I then came down for my 8am pills, emptied the waste paper baskets and hung out the washing (my machine has a delay function, so it was ready to hang out at 8.30). After another rest I cleared the floors so my robots could do the hoovering - they're now on charge as they'll need to go round again and focus on the bits they missed. 

Before my 11am 'have to stay upright' I then emptied the dishwasher, mopped the wooden floors downstairs, stuck disinfectant down the loos and rinsed the patio again. It looks much better, but I will need to order more patio cleaner. And while the garden furniture is stuck in the garage is a good time to get it sorted out. Plus I can do it 10 minutes at a time. 

It would be nice to get the house and garden into a state where I can enjoy them once I'm over the worst of this. I might even have to attempt to put the new blinds up myself, as who knows when the fitter will be able to get here. I'm also hoping that the seamstress might be able to pick up some fabric to remake some curtains and the drop it back when she's done, as those I can hang myself. 

I'm now going to get some soup going, and then maybe get the washing in... after that, if it isn't time for the next lot of pills, I might have a rest with a book!

Baileys_Babe

@greenbee Thank you for taking the time to update us.

You always get so much done. In one way it must be easier when living by one's self as you can save yourself work just by putting things away when you have finished with them without other people hampering that simple idea, on the other hand it is always your turn to do the work, nobody else to pitch in or once in a blue moon to do a job without being asked.

I hope you make full and fast recovery.

greenbee

Thanks @Baileys_Babe - you're right, at least there is no one else to make mess/complain about my mess, but as you say, it's ALWAYS my turn to cook/wash up/do the laundry/put the bins out. And some things are just harder to do alone. I'm lucky, in that usually my network of other single friends works well together to give each other support as we all know what it's like trying to do things on our own. At the moment, however, it's hard - although we can support each other in some ways (and thankfully people have offered to drop off shopping), all the gardening and DIY that we usually help each other with is being done very slowly on our own. We do provide updates to each other though, to help with motivation!