Weekly Flylady Thread 30th July 2018

Dizzy_Imp

Morning ladies!

Plodding on today but feeling less down than at the beginning of the week, which is a plus.

My dog boarding/walking business seems to be gaining momentum with another enquiry for a week's stay in late November. This was from a friend of my very first customer, who had written me a lovely review, which is amazing!

Just off to make a moussaka for dinner tonight and while I'm at it, I'll roast some home grown plums, that I picked yesterday, ready to create a crumble for pudding. Cream in fridge? Check !!!8730; Good to go.

I've just put away my Tesco delivery, which arrived slightly early :j

Catch you all later x

Natty68

Sorry listy is late I've been getting ready to go away for the funeral tomorrow. I'm going to put two days up as I'm not sure I can get online. Xx

LameWolf

Dizzy_Imp wrote: »

My dog boarding/walking business seems to be gaining momentum with another enquiry for a week's stay in late November. This was from a friend of my very first customer, who had written me a lovely review, which is amazing!

I'm so pleased for you - I've had some lovely reviews on TrustPilot, too. The company I'm with has the website set up so that reviews for a given carer appear on their profile page at the bottom, which is nice.

I've slung a load of Mr LW's clothes in the WM, and that's about it today, apart of course from seeing to Indi and Buddy's needs.

I've always slept very poorly, but it's become a lot worse since Mr LW got his Parkinson's diagnosis - I don't know how to address it though. I've tried all the "usual" things, and nothing seems to stop the horrible fears and worries coming out to play at 03:00 in the morning.

He still doesn't have his meds; the letter from the consultant took an age to come; it finally arrived a week ago, the surgery will have had their copy at the same time. He was told the GP would be doing the prescription based on the consultant's instruction, but it hasn't materialised as yet.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

LameWolf wrote: »

I'm so pleased for you - I've had some lovely reviews on TrustPilot, too. The company I'm with has the website set up so that reviews for a given carer appear on their profile page at the bottom, which is nice.

I've slung a load of Mr LW's clothes in the WM, and that's about it today, apart of course from seeing to Indi and Buddy's needs.

I've always slept very poorly, but it's become a lot worse since Mr LW got his Parkinson's diagnosis - I don't know how to address it though. I've tried all the "usual" things, and nothing seems to stop the horrible fears and worries coming out to play at 03:00 in the morning.

He still doesn't have his meds; the letter from the consultant took an age to come; it finally arrived a week ago, the surgery will have had their copy at the same time. He was told the GP would be doing the prescription based on the consultant's instruction, but it hasn't materialised as yet.

Seems like a natural response to the situation, LW. I'd make an appointment at the GP and take your copy of the letter, so that there is no issue with the GP copy of the letter not having reached his notes yet.

It's not an excuse, but from having done the job, it's very easy for the typing to build up from large clinics, particularly if a secretary is off sick/on holiday/is only funded to work part time/has had to cover the work of a colleague in those situations.

Once the tapes are ready, assuming that they are clear (if you don't know the consultant and/or they have a strong accent/they tend to mumble, you might need to trawl through the notes to find out what exactly garbleburblechokingsoundrapidlytruncated means, even if you've worked in the department for donkey's years so know every key phrase and medication in use), the letters get typed, usually on a computer system that is incredibly slow so they can be individually linked to each patient's electronic records, taking at least 5-8 minutes even for the most simple 'your patient did not attend and has therefore been discharged/Yours sincerely', they have to be printed and signed if the doctor doesn't feel the need to make corrections - my bugbear was doctors I'd nearly burst an eardrum trying to understand then taking a week to return the typing and notes, then correcting my English & Latin to Americanised spellings - prior to the formal change in policy for the latter, at any rate - (then a paper copy put on the physical notes (which could have travelled anywhere in the hospital by then/older patients tend to have other appointments that mean the notes are hoiked out of the typing pile within a couple of days), folded, stuck in envelopes and then passed to the Post Room, which then has to deal with franking all the letters. And then they go out second class. This doesn't even allow for the ones that go to MDM - Multidisciplinary Meetings, where everybody needs to agree the diagnosis and treatment plan.

Potentially, if a hospital doesn't like that system, they can in some places outsource their typing - usually to the land of the call centre - but that then means somebody medical has to sit with the notes and read through every single letter, make corrections, send back for retyping, etc, etc. So, as far as I'm concerned, sticking with UK secretaries linked to at most two consultants is still the best option there is.


In any case, FIL has the same diagnosis. He's had tremors for many years and kept the diagnosis secret, but it's only obvious now when he hasn't taken his meds yet. He still lives alone, is still fit to drive, still travels about the country as he feels like it; it's estimated that he got the diagnosis about ten years ago, he's now 65 and even some family aren't aware he's any different to fifteen years ago 'as he's always had a bit of a shake'.

What I'm saying is that 'your mileage may vary'. It's not always the worst case scenario descending rapidly upon you. You get on with enjoying today, at some point, that 'today' sees you adapt around the additional complications - just as the pair of you adapted to Lupus. Together.


I know you detest dealing with people, LW, but they could help. And if at some point Mr LW needs you to do it, I'm pretty sure that you would find the Mother Wolf inside that makes it possible. In the meantime, there's practicalities - first of which being taking the letter to the GP so that he can get started on the meds - and despite any dislike of people, two in a consulting room always looks stronger than one. He needs to start on the meds, you've brought the letter, if he writes the prescription now, you can collect it and see how the initial dose works, no, it's OK, we don't mind staying here until until the prescription is printed out or written, because it's got to be taken to the chemist today.

More of a little warning growl than a full blown howl, but wolfy enough for a start, eh?

(And there's no reason why you can't see the GP by yourself and say you're having difficulty sleeping since the diagnosis and the normal things aren't working, by the way)


***********

I went to sleep around 4am in the end.

Himself has cleaned the spice cupboard and I'm about to start sorting and discarding things that are too far out of date/cleaning tubs off.

Once I've had another cuppa, that is.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Spices culled (only a few left, the type that were bought on a whim and never used again or whose lids refused to seal tightly), jars being ably cleaned by Himself and put back into the cupboard.

Why do some stock cube manufacturers not indicate upon the wrapping of the cubes what they contain? I've found a small stash of unidentifiable ones that have obviously fallen out of the packets and are all variations on not quite silver and not quite gold. So they're gone.

I think they'll have to go into labelled jars next time.

ETA: Himself just ducked into the cupboard to further tighten the nut holding the kitchen tap on.


I've now taken him through the engineering process of the tap assembly.


And searching online for a replacement tap kit and wrench to replace the what is now sitting behind the fixed cabinet. Whilst muttering 'righty tighty, lefty loosey' like a curse.

kazwookie

Stuff done today, I'm please with the results

Hoovering done
Cupboard done
Lamp shade cob web removed!

Fayolle

So the cupboard under the sink was easy, as I knew it would be. It is small, I knew what was in it, so a quick wipe down and replace was all that was needed. Not really entering into the spirit, I thought. I know, I'll do the cupboard under the sink in the utility room. You know, the one that doesn't open fully because some idiot put it at right angles to where the washing machine has to go, the one where you open it a crack, pull out the washing powder and slam it shut again.

I pulled everything out, including more candles than the Swedish shop has at Christmas, and did an audit. 2 shoeboxes have been used for packing bits in that won't stack, until I can get to a £shop for baskets. I found some dried up venetian blind wipes and some venetian blind spray, both if which probably moved house with us 12 years ago. The kitchen wooden blinds were filthy, and also moved house with us. Upshot is that the spray was put onto the wipes, blinds have been cleaned, and now can live without being replaced for a bit longer. And 2 old cleaning products have been used up. The only disappointment is that the job wasn't on my Toots list....I'm going to add it, then cross it off. Sad, aren't I?

Honey_Bear

Lamewolf, my mother had the same diagnosis. It came as a hell of a shock but as soon as she started taking the drugs things perked up no end, and in hindsight something had been amiss for quite a while. I'm so sorry it's been such a worry for you, until I saw your post just now I didn't realise what had been upsetting you. (((Hugs))) I doubt you would take to joining a local support group, but if you can find one online you might find it would be of enormous help to you - people who live with Parkinson's find all kinds of ways to minimise the effect on their lives. And you're brilliant online.

Fayolle wrote: »

The only disappointment is that the job wasn't on my Toots list....I'm going to add it, then cross it off. Sad, aren't I?

Nope. I did the same thing yesterday.

Busy, busy day. Kelpie's had hydrotherapy and been to see the vet about his eyes. His new eyedrops cost an eyewatering (literally and figuratively) £84 at the vet, and £20 on line and he's on them for life. The vet looked up online to see if they needed a prescription and was shocked at the price difference (good), and then wrote out all three prescriptions I needed for the old boy.

Also decluttered 5 duvets, 10 feather pillows, 3 blankets and six towels to the Women's Refuge, all freshly laundered at a very reduced rate by a local service laundrette; cat food and milk the kittens won't touch to a local animal rescue centre collection point; an Ebay parcel to a collection point; my mother's handmade tapestry rug to Shabby Chic, the local hospice antique shop; four old UK road maps, a tarpaulin and a bag of old towels, a feather cushion and a net curtain to the car to be dropped off at the scrap store tomorrow. I've accepted two more offers on Ebay items, but haven't had the loot yet. If this Hovel to Haven thing isn't over by the end of the year I will go mad because it's taken over my life.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

We now have an immaculately cleaned and organised cupboard-under-the-stairs.

I vaguely remembered once having a magnetic socket with a bendy stem, then found the large pipe spanner, then found the medium pipe spanner, the drain rat....

But no small pipe spanner. At which point, I remembered there's a Machine Mart ten minutes' down the road by bus.

Himself used what's becoming a worryingly familiar phrase to tell me that he's not going on his own. 'You've got the words'.

I avoid those places because I like them so much. And I have a great deal of suppressed wrath towards every man I have ever been involved with, who upon being ejected from the premises, has found time to steal all my good, well cared for tools, tool boxes and power tools, leaving me with tatty crud, half kits, things with adaptors Lord-Knows-Where and never, ever, anything I actually need at the time I need it. So I get grumpy at the same time as replacing things.

Anyhow, did the talking, got the kit and Himself is now taking considerably longer than he should to do the bits up now they've been retrieved through the miracle of getting stuck halfway down, just within reach of a large spanner.

I just want a cuppa, as if I go over there, I might have to kill him.

And then I'm going to rifle through the lovely catalogue the Nice Man gave me. Much more interesting than the Argos one.

He's grumbling about it being really hard to do. The huffs, puffs and sighs were a clue.

I'll deal with it later.

Maisie_M

Update on progress


Monday Melee ~ Kitchen and Dining Room
Level Two..
Sweep and mop floors
Level Three..
Clean cupboard door fronts and fronts of appliances .. don't forget those kick boards.
[STRIKE]Clean out your mankiest kitchen cupboard.. [/STRIKE]

Extra Mission : help yourself

• [STRIKE]Wipe down any tiles and shine those taps.. a toothbrush is great for cleaning away the gunk![/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]32 fling boogie.[/STRIKE]

Tuesday Twister! ~ Living room, halls and stairs
Level One..
Vacuum floors and sofas and hall and stairs
Level Two...
Clean TV, other electricals and cabinets
Level Three...
Vacuum under furniture you can manage to move without hurting yourself

Extra Mission: Pick one or more of the following tasks –

• [STRIKE]Sort through shoes and coats and bags as part of our loft clearance project DH has brought down my bags of clothes that are stored in the attic for me to go through. I should be joining your slinkie group and am hoping to lose a dress size by christmas as I know I have three really good coats up there that I could get into if I lost a stone or soI could fit into them. I want to get them sorted and see what else is there to 'motivate' me. I will also look at stuff to ditch as there is no doubt things that even if I could get into them I would no longer wear [/STRIKE] wow two bags to go to Charity shop/recycling and then I still have my shoes to go through. Did my drawers and wardrobe as well as the stuff from the attic

Wednesday Winging & Flinging ~ Bathroom and Study/Pc Area
Level One...
[STRIKE]Clear floors of guff and stuff[/STRIKE]
Level Two...
Clean baths, toilets, don't forget the outside! and sinks
Level Three...
Wipe down tiles in bathroom.. defragment your pc while doing this.
[STRIKE]Empty and clean out all the upstairs bins! [/STRIKE]
Sweep and mop and deslop the floors in these rooms.
[STRIKE]Collect all the dirty laundry [/STRIKE]

Extra mission: Take your pick!

• Wipe the skirtings, door and window frames in these rooms

Thursday Thllliiing!~ Master Bedroom & Landing
Level One...
[STRIKE]Remove and wash bed linen and duvet covers.[/STRIKE]
Fling open the window and let in the fresh air
Level Two...
Dust surfaces & make sure no cobwebs..
[STRIKE]Vacuum & turn mattress before replacing with fresh linen.. [/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Air the duvet
15 minutes floordrobe clearance [/STRIKE]
Level Three...
Vacuum floors in bedroom and on landing
[STRIKE]Sort through the cupboard and fling everything that no longer fits[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Clear a hotspot.. or spend 15 minutes clearing one.[/STRIKE]
Extra tasks list, as usual choose one or more

• Clear the top of a bedside cupboard/chest of drawers or shelf

Sorting the clothes took a long time as I ended up doing the ones in my bedroom and my 'good' clothes in DS2's wardrobe which houses my long dresses and coats. Good job done though.


Beds all stripped, bedding all washed and beds remade so we all have clean sheets tonight - my favourite night