A Simpler Life 2018

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

Later this afternoon I am being forced to simplify my pantry.

I knocked a bag of flour from a high shelf and, of course, it hit every shelf on the way down and exploded on the floor. I rationalised that it was probably time for the pantry to be cleaned and arranged anyway.

That was until I saw the mouse poo everywhere while moving things around. Mr Mouse (and probably Mrs and their children) have happily eaten their way through over a kilo of lentils from a 2kg bag.

I may have to think about decanting any food that has a packet which can be nibbled through into sealed jars and containers.

My MIL is due back from her Christmas holiday next week and will throw a fit if she finds its been in her cereal.

Oh dear Cottage Economy:(

You might be lucky, there may only be one as mice can poo for England! We used to keep sacks of bird food in the house (the tin storage bins hadn’t arrived yet) until we discovered we had a little visitor. The bins arrived, the food was decanted & the tins put outside. Mouse was caught in an humane trap & relocated to the bottom of the garden. We now have humming plugs, entrance holes have been sealed, no food of any description is ever left out and thorough cleaning took place. No sign of him in the kitchen - I sort out my food cupboard/larder on a regular basis - every two months or so & the floor is swept daily & hoovered every 2/3 days.

Mind you I don’t envy you clearing up flour! Good luck with the clean up & hope the MIL can be kept in the dark!

MrsSD:)

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Fuddle,
I’ll join you - what is wrong with pen & paper or a note on the fridge! I think machines are taking over by stealth - the Terminator movies are a few years ahead of their time:rotfl: A bit like George Orwell’s 1984:(

Oh well back to my cave:rotfl:

MrsSD

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

I don't think you are being a stuffy auld fuddy duddy at all! I think there may be times though when some of this stuff might come in useful for simplifying tasks when you're really busy. I'm currently looking into getting an Amazon Echo to see if it will help me with the burden of wifework.

MIL lives with me and DH and is very passive and timid. Since she's moved in, my stress levels are at an all time high. She's in her early 80s and has almost shut down completely from making daily life decisions that happen outside of her room. There are endless small decisions being deferred to me daily and the mental load of keeping a running inventory of hers and our life is becoming exhausting on top of working full-time and looking after the house and livestock. I'm not being allowed to ‘switch off’.

One of my pet peeves is shopping, cooking and housework that needs to be done. Unless I do a stock take, make a list or force them out the door nothing happens. Unless I say "can you do this now" they won't do anything off their own back. Dozens of times a day both of them are querying stuff with me, disturbing me while I'm working, and most of it relates to food and house/life management.

I've tried many things in the past and none have worked. I can, however, see my DH and her liking the novelty of telling Alexa when we have run out of something or asking what needs to be done. I'm getting much better at letting small disasters happen and not caring, leaving them to sort it out, but the shopping and housework are big ones that I need to draw back from.

"We've run out of..."
"Tell Alexa.
"Alexa, put white rice on the shopping list"

"Can I do anything in the house?"
"Ask Alexa for the to-do list."
"Alexa, what is on the to-do list."


I have to find a way, or I'm packing a bag and going to a hotel for a while to get away from it. I might do that anyway, even with Alexa!

This did make me laugh. Maybe the first message for Alexa should be “Alexa, please tell MIL & DH I am going on strike”.

MrsSD:rotfl:

suki1964

CE, I know how hard it is, I have mother here with us, 80 this year, and she infuriates me to distraction at times. I really do need to have a word with myself at times

Mum picks and chooses what she does as part of family living, which is usually telling me and mr s that we are doing something the wrong way. The garden, she may come out for an hour, weed a bed, and leave everything at her heels. She leaves mess everywhere. I cook six days and she has to sort herself out one day. She will explode something in the microwave and just leave it. She will leave milk spilt over the fridge, and don't even mention the knives that she leaves as decoration around the sink instead of putting in the dishwasher

As for me and mr s getting away for ourselves, just not worth the stress. Some major catastrophe always happens if we are out overnight

It's hard work and very stressful. I have no answers for you. Just wanted you to know you aren't alone

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

monnagran wrote: »

I so agree Fuddle. The simpler you keep your life the less need there is for bossy 'Alexa' gizmos.
My family have given up as a bad job trying to interest me in smart phones, various helpful apps etc. I'm too old and it all seems an awful faff.
Added to which I don't get the same warm feeling on receiving a birthday card that I know was automatically popped up on someone's a computer diary and from thence dispatched by moonpig or the like. I much prefer knowing that someone has remembered me and taken the trouble to select a card and write on it. Remember writing?

VJsmum. Cheer up. Your hair problem could be worse. You could have my thin, fine hair where any overhead light illuminates my pink scalp beautifully. Most attractive.

Monnagran,

I agree it is an awful faff - people have been trying to persuade me to get a mobile phone for almost 20 years with absolutely no luck at all. I am lucky that when I send birthday cards & cheques to the younger generations, I always get handwritten thank you notes with lots of news & their plans for the money. It proves that people are still raising their children to be polite & thoughtful. The amazing thing to me is that regardless of all their awful gadgets, the youngsters can still write legibly & most of them can spell.:T
The utter joy I experience when I receive a letter/note is boundless:):)

I was going to blather on about spelling tests when I was in Primary School:rotfl: but think I will just say goodnight.

MrsSD:)

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

Sorry for the essay!!

No need to apologise Cottage Economy. I was feeling quite concerned for you but you seem to have things well in hand and alternative actions available if things don’t work as desired. Am sending you lots of hugs though, as I have plenty to spare (my DH is very generous):grinheart

MrsSD:)

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

suki1964 wrote: »

CE, I know how hard it is, I have mother here with us, 80 this year, and she infuriates me to distraction at times. I really do need to have a word with myself at times

Mum picks and chooses what she does as part of family living, which is usually telling me and mr s that we are doing something the wrong way. The garden, she may come out for an hour, weed a bed, and leave everything at her heels. She leaves mess everywhere. I cook six days and she has to sort herself out one day. She will explode something in the microwave and just leave it. She will leave milk spilt over the fridge, and don't even mention the knives that she leaves as decoration around the sink instead of putting in the dishwasher

As for me and mr s getting away for ourselves, just not worth the stress. Some major catastrophe always happens if we are out overnight

It's hard work and very stressful. I have no answers for you. Just wanted you to know you aren't alone

So sorry suki1964. What a nightmare:mad: Is there anyone who could lend a hand or take her off your hands for a day or two? Or even 3 or 4 hours. This type of stress is really not sustainable & I am worried for you:sad:
Perhaps you can get her out of the house and you & mr s could treat yourselves e.g. a takeaway.

:grouphug::grouphug:

MrsSD

suki1964

Mrs_Salad_Dodger wrote: »

So sorry suki1964. What a nightmare:mad: Is there anyone who could lend a hand or take her off your hands for a day or two? Or even 3 or 4 hours. This type of stress is really not sustainable & I am worried for you:sad:
Perhaps you can get her out of the house and you & mr s could treat yourselves e.g. a takeaway.

:grouphug::grouphug:

MrsSD

Lol

If only, no one would have her:rotfl:

Seriously, she has no friends and the rest of the family want nothing to do with her. Her own fault as she is seriously obnoxious

Terrible things to say about your own mother, but she is what she is

We cope because me and mr s are a strong couple. Mums still active, she drives and volunteers in a charity shop and goes on coach tours and cruises, so we use those times for us time. Plus we have one night a week where we get takeaway and watch a movie together and when we both get the same day off, we go out for lunch and a movie.

She's just a very selfish, self centred lazy mare :eek:

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

suki1964 wrote: »

Lol

If only, no one would have her:rotfl:

Seriously, she has no friends and the rest of the family want nothing to do with her. Her own fault as she is seriously obnoxious

Terrible things to say about your own mother, but she is what she is

We cope because me and mr s are a strong couple. Mums still active, she drives and volunteers in a charity shop and goes on coach tours and cruises, so we use those times for us time. Plus we have one night a week where we get takeaway and watch a movie together and when we both get the same day off, we go out for lunch and a movie.

She's just a very selfish, self centred lazy mare :eek:

suki1964,
When I read this I breathed a sigh of relief. It is wonderful that you get ‘us’ time.
I am assuming that she is also tight-fisted & never treats you & mr s?

I can never understand what makes people so selfish, I know all of us can be a little selfish on occasion but to be like that all the time beggars belief. Mind you, you must be a special lady to have turned out so well:T

MrsSD:)

jamanda

Hi,


Just delurking to say you aren't alone. My mother (87) lives with us and it can be soul destroying. Mine is in the throes of mid stage dementia, I think. Anything you say is forgotten a second later and she is also very deaf - "I'd rather be dead than wear a hearing aid". Well, when I've had to get to a scream on the 4th time so she can hear me and then she asks the same thing 10 minutes later I wonder how I cope.
My parents moved in with me 5 years ago, and we lost my dad to parkinsons and dementia after a year. It seems after that my mum went downhill and is also getting frail. I'm really not sure whether it is all physical or some of it is mental.


She has no friends (most have died), is not sociable, has no interests other than reading the paper each day, doesn't bother with TV, and I can't keep her busy with anything because she struggles to stand or bend, going dizzy. I know she needs some stimulation but am at a loss to know what to try.


I think that generation was brought up to be self-absorbed from what I have observed. Her hair being tidy is much more important than anything else in the world.


I haven't had a full day off in 5 years, but I keep plodding on because I know I couldn't live with myself if she wasn't cared for properly.


Sorry, that sounds like a self-pity fest, but there must be many in the same boat. And I have two young, stupid, lovable dogs to keep me sane and laughing.


J