Old Style Ways and Poor Health part 2.

Shropshirelass

Ming, apparently the Romans used to eat fish sauce with everything. Num num!! I wonder if you marinate the mouse would it tenderise? Or you could make biltong.

pollyanna_26

MingVase said:

I miss the dark skies here, last house was terrific for stars. No light pollution for miles. Here I just have the wee piece of sky above the trees out the back. But the sun rises and shines right into my kitchen window  which is lovely.

Only livestock I could really get into here would be hamsters. No room for anything bigger.

..............anybody got a good hamster recipe???

Leave the little hamsters alone you'd give yuorself heartburn and they woudn;t be very filling.

Scotland is amazing for stars. I used to stand outside late at night when everyone else had gone to bed long fone to bed.

No street lights or other light pollution.

The road winding up past her house only led to the foresty cmmision land so an odd car might pass by but they always dimmed their headlights and waved to me; It was more a hamlet than a village and everyone there was early to bed and early to rise so I was lone sky watcher.

DD1s house was set back behind a large garden but I never felt afraid or vulnerble standing near the road just safeand loving the skies.

pollyx

pollyanna_26

Maybe your dd could teach her hamster self defence Mre CD. I know Mar isn't a fan of Parsley A KALE jacket would be uncomfortable and cumbersome  but a parsley waistcoat with the K wordt in your design in  a different  green shade could work.

pollyx

mothernerd

Well, I moved back to my house (have stayed at mum's bungalow whilst I was doing lots of paperwork but got most of it filed now) and am very relieved to be here (despite the mess, still loads of my stuff in bags and boxes and DS claiming the house was tidy until I started to bring stuff here - it's my house, it's my stuff, live here!!!).

Thursday turned into moving day. I've been trying to co-ordinate moving things from the bungalow to 4 separate addresses. Ex s-i-l is having the recliner and matching armchair which are too good too throw, can't be given to charity as mum has cut the fire labels off and I don't have room, her parents are having the hospital bed - her mother has had to have a leg amputated, niece said they had a bed but it was only on 6 week loan.

Niece is taking quite a lot (having carefully measured everything to check if it will fit where she's planning to put them) but we've hit a snag. Her bf has recently moved to live in the pub he works in. He's been a great help shifting stuff in his rucksack, 100 litres at a time, on his days off (pub is 8 miles away so he can't really pop across for a couple of hours). One of his co-workers put in a 2 week sick note (now called a 'Fit Note' in these Orwellian times) so he's temporarily unsure if or when he will get days off.

Some (but not too much) is coming to my house including several items DS2 gave me when he moved in with his gf - I want the fridge freezer because DS3 and Beloved have filled the tall freezer and the fridge freezer with a recent order, mostly stuff I can't eat (or shouldn't).

On Thursday I decided I had to move things on so messaged a man and van and the waste wizards (broken couch, double bed if I can't find anyone who needs it and any remaining junk from the yard) to check availability in the next 7 - 10 days. Well the 'man and van' phoned back at 8.30 am (opening time) so I booked 2 men and a van for 11 am (to give me and s-i-l time to clear the side of the house so that large items could go out through the patio doors if required).

First snag was s-i-l didn't turn up when expected (she was having a things going wrong day). So I told her to go straight to the bungalow and I would get a taxi. Did a bit of clearing with lots of sit downs. Men arrived just before s-i-l. Some shenanigins with the bed - they eventually decided it would have to be dismantled and they would come back for it. S-i-l had a key to her parents house (dad is at the hospital with his wife between 10 am and 2 pm) but wasn't sure where we could put it - and got no sense whatsoever from a phone call with dad. I know he's worried about his wife but he's driving s-i-l demented (she's trying to fill in attendance allowance forms and the other week he needed a new microwave but he's dithering over everything - told the doctor's surgery she needed some information as she was 'writing a letter' - it's not a letter, it's a bl00dy book, i only wanted confirmation on her medication and that she's had her leg taken off).

Couldn't get hold of niece, left messages (we could have helped with the smaller items, wardrobes would have had to stay in her front room until bf was available). I told the men to load the recliner and armchair and then pointed out which stuff to take next (my house stuff). When that was done we tried the niece again, no joy. So I added 2 small tables that DS2 is having and asked them to take some garden stuff - a climbing rose in a large ex-kitchen bin and an old fashioned bin (I acquired several which were discarded when wheelie bins were introduced) filled with raised bed slats and the frame for the newer polytunnel. Then we set off, men in the van, s-i-l and I in her car.

Plants round to the back (I borrowed their dolly for the large bin), the men started to take things inside. Despite my having told him where things were going in the early morning whilst helping to clear kitchen space (mainly getting the farmhouse table top out of the way) Ds3 ws not directing so things were piling up in the front room. I just stopped the men taking one of the s-i-l's chairs in but pointed out my essential fridge-freezer.

I paid them for the first hour and wrote a receipt for them to sign. I gave s-i-l the money for the second hour to give to them on completion. They all set off and I started to manoeuvre the remaining stuff. DS3 did move the shelves and one set of cube shelves into place but obviously felt he had done his 'one thing' for the day. No tv? phoned s-i-l to ask her to get it off the van and bring it back on Saturday (now changed to tomorrow) when we do our next bunch of cleaning/sorting - did the kitchen this week and she tells me to go and sit down before I notice how tired I am.

Got a crackly phone call and then a text message - 'this is the van driver'. And? Apparently they had arrived but s-i-l hadn't, they would wait a few minutes but had another job to go to. S-i-l had got stuck behind a funeral procession and arrived home to find both chairs outside the front door but no men, no tv. She said they'd have to come back for their money but they haven't so far - tv is analogue only, wires are in the drawers with me and I brought the remotes back and stored them on a shelf.

All a bit rushed and chaotic but I think we got our money's worth out of them (I know they don't get paid much, the person doing the 'sending out' gets the money). S-i-l thought they were expensive (and hadn't told me she's okay to drive the vans, so we could have hired one). But they did lots of lifting that I can't so I'm happy (DS2 not so much - he messaged this morning to ask about the tv, he was going to take it to his dad's so he can watch the rugby).

Asked DS3 if I could get in my bed (as part of the morning clear up I told him to take all the spare/ winter quilts and extra pillows to my room and put them on the bed) and after I'd eaten i retired there - huge messy nest but very comfortable. Yesterday I did not very much apart from getting washed and dressed and eating (ready meal with extra veg). Even the soles of my feet are sore.

Health wise. I've claimed the dreaded Universal Credit, my carer's Allowance has just ended ( continues for 8 weeks after a bereavement) so have only been getting a small top up from UC. They are not trying to make me look for work (bereavement and multiple health issues) and I'm mostly excused the mandatory office attendance for interviews and keep urging me to apply for PIP (on the must do list).

My mental and physical health were rock bottom in September but was trying to take things easy (do what I can for mum but only the minimum and sit down before I fall down - was having severe dizzy episodes and not walking straight). Ironically after she died my mental health score improved (last group CBT session was on the morning of the funeral, now waiting for the start of one to one). I have decided that this is because it was a crisis situation. My life since childhood has trained me to expect crisis and deal with it so for the first few weeks I was doing very well.

Have slowed down a lot since but still doing a couple of days of 'physical' stuff- just moving and with a great deal of help (s-i-l's car is invaluable and we've managed to move most of my large pots to my house) but even supervising and doing bits here and there is tiring. I am accepting that I will have down days and just being kind to myself and living through them.

Physically I'm having a lot of trouble moving (think my left hip is going the way of the right). Left shoulder, hip, knee and ankle are all giving trouble and I'm having to stop at least once when climbing the stairs (sometimes multiple times). Most worrying is my last set of blood tests. I have 3 months (2 and a bit now) to sort out my diet and reverse things or I will be insulin dependent. I'm really struggling with cooking (have been making what should have been a pasta bake and a curry since Sunday and think it will have to be thrown away). Relying on ready meals with the lowest traffic lights until I manage to squint at the small print to see how they've tweaked them ie it's under the levels if you only eat half the meal. Have found lower bad fat/sugar cheese spread and yoghurts but not sure if they're low enough. If I wake up feeling 'not right' I start worrying that I made a bad choice the day before or that whatever I'm doing isn't working or isn't enough. However all I can do for now is keep trying harder.

Should have been back at the bungalow today but have postponed it until tomorrow - had to ask DS3 to bring a yoghurt, spoon and drinks upstairs, not ready for stairs yet. Today's agenda (not promising I'll do it all) is
1) to set up the fridge and freezer (so I can fill it with things I like, that are good for me - and frozen ready chopped onions as that's a big stumbling block to cooking
2) Buy food (after thinking about what things I need to have in - may mean venturing into the market for pot herbs - I like them raw with a tiny drizzle of dressing
3) Hunt for  second pair of footwear that are comfortable. Only have my mountain climbing trainers and they seem to rubbing an injury I'm trying to get better. May have to be larger wellies or slipper type boots as long as they support my foot properly
4) Do fun exciting things (I have a low fun threshold). I have fruit bushes to plant (plus seed potatoes and onion sets - it will all look after itself once I've got it in pots. May also set off some seeds. I have reclaimed the 2 short shelves (3'6" -4') that were supporting the table top so I may put them back on their brackets and sort all my jars of pulses etc into alphabetical order - will soothe my soul and may leave me with a bit of worktop to use.
5) Easy food - beans on toast, baked potato - in case I run out of steam and need to eat.

Add in reading and finding a new serial to watch (or an old film).

MingVase

Teaching hamsters self defence against ME? MOI? A harmless (but precious) ornamental vase? O come onn!

LameWolf

I did come across a Dutch recipe featuring hamster once.... Hamster Jam.

(I'll get my coat)

pollyanna_26

Hamster Jam!!! The mind doth boggle. Hope Mrs CD makes a little blindfold for the hamster. Hope you're keeping up with your greyhound.

Will be seeing youngest in a few days so will ask her about MTX and FA It's many years ago she started on MTX but she has a very good memory which is surprising with all the meds.

pollyx

MrsCD

DD says her hamster will take on anyone. He loves watching Arnie films with her!😆

pollyanna_26

MrsCD said:

DD says her hamster will take on anyone. He loves watching Arnie films with her!😆

Looks like Mar may have bitten off more than she can chew. We' never had a hamster always Cats and the Frogs Ollie would carry one   from the pond very gently in his mouth . They had a whale of a time chasing and hiding until he carefully carried said frog back to the pond.

It was like Blackpool Circus here but with Frogs. No one with any sense  would take on a hamster who's watched Arnie.

Mar has been an enigma for many years . She may change one day but she does make me laugh and we need those laughs at the moment.

I've just decided if I ever visit her wee hoose. I will satisfy my urge to take a good look  at her storage problems. I could take one of my Bekvam stools with me. I'm quite tall but want to see those cupboard tops properly.

I shall politly refuse offers to view the interior of " The only haunted freezer in Scotland" Should I venture north of the border I shall say I'm going. If I never post again Forensics may care to examine the dregs of my cup of Yorkshire tea.

pollyx

MingVase

PollyPollyPolly  - how can you say this!!  I'm a much misunderstood Vase!

erm - just how tall are you? exactly? I need to measure something.