Struggling along as best I can

[Deleted User]

I just assumed you would stay with them and enjoy being away from it all for a little while. A house in rural Cyprus sounds idyllic to me lol for a visit but each to his own.

Take care.

Time2count

I don't know how much the rent is for the Lottie but maybe it could be a Christmas gift from your children to you?
I remember ages ago you didn't ask them for money even for food when you looked after grandchildren, but if you want to keep the Lottie on then maybe a help towards the cost would be good? Might even be an incentive if you do genuinely enjoy it once there but sometimes lack the motivation to go?

I know it's not easy but try to let your kids know how much you're struggling, I understand money is tight for everyone but they might be able to pick a bill each to pay for you or something. They love you and would want the opportunity to help you out if they can. I'm sure even a food delivery once every couple of months or something would be a help. I'd be so upset if I found out my mum was struggling and hadn't wanted to let me know. We don't live near each other but I'd be getting Tesco to her straight away complete with a few treats lol.

Makingabobor2

kayannie said:

@nannygladys Your dog sounds lovely - and a 3 year old spaniel will take you on plenty of walks!

You mentioned that you like reading about how people coped during WW11. I don't know if you have read any of the 3 books written by Nella Last? It was on a MSE thread that I read about these books a few months ago. I ordered her first book from the library (Nella Last's War), written during WW11. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered the other 2 books, Nella Last's Peace, & Nella Last in the 1950's.

The books are taken from the diaries that Nella kept from the beginning of the war until the 1950's. Although she was comparatively well off (had a cleaning lady & had her hair done weekly), she was a very frugal lady, managing on the little housekeeping her husband gave her. The books detail her daily routine, what she buys with her ration coupons & how she stretches out the food etc.

Pleased you've visited your lottie, it'll make it easier to decide whether to continue with it or not.

KA x

those books sound interesting

ancientmum

It's good to see you posting again nannygladys, I've missed you.  

I know what you mean about the lottie.  Much of what I tried to grow this year has been ravaged by slugs, so I was getting downhearted too.  The thing is, although it can be a struggle sometimes to motivate myself to go there, once I get into the swing it makes me feel good and worth the aches and pains when I get home. Then I have a a good excuse to curl up on the sofa with a book!

nannygladys

Thanks everyone for the replies an d as I now have another marrow languishing in my pantry, soup, stuffing etc will be commencing very soon, especially the soup as it seems to be getting colder.

cherryfudge - the soup recipe looks right up my street, thanks

joedenise - Never had stuffed marrow, but there's a first time for everything so that's another on the list, thanks.

Makingabobor2 - I'm hoping I will still get the winter fuel allowance, but time will tell. I have decided to keep the lottie for another year, although the rent isn't due until December, so I could still change my mind, daughter usually pays for it, I just work it!!!

kayannie - I can remember watching Housewife number 49 on the TV and really enjoying it and keep looking out for the books in the charity shops but I've never found any, so thanks for reminding me I'll have to go and look online for them.

Baron_Dale - unfortunately all the bedrooms are either slept in or used as offices at my dds house in Cyprus as they both have jobs and now dgs has left school he's started using it as well, but with being rural and all at work I would be on my own anyway and I've stayed so many times over there I've done all the sight seeing that is in their area. I wouldn't mind going over staying somewhere else and seeing them when I'm near as its a lovely country. I hope you're taking care of yourself too, and keeping busy

Time2count -  My eldest pays the lottie rent and has done for the last few years, but I  won't be asking for help with money unless I really need it, I'm sure I will be able to work through the increase in outgoings somehow, without asking them for help with bills, they do help in other ways though.

Ancientmum - I know exactly how you feel, I'm usually fine once I get there and enjoy the outside and the birds etc its just the digging, but the dd is helping with all that and hopefully by expanding the fruit growing which will take another bed up it'll mean less digging in the future. We've also refigured the bed layout so it should be much easier now, well that's what we hope anyway, oh, and the sitting area is going to be made bigger as well!

nannygladys

Wow, thanks for all the comments  

I been busy the last few days with everyday life, visits to family, gardening etc and today was the dentist!!! It was a six month check up and he said there was nothing wrong at the moment and my dental health care was excellent, so I don't have to go for another 9 months!! thank goodness for that, I had a a dentist years ago who decided to give me a mouth full of gold caps, well five anyway and I could never understand as I didn't think there was anything wrong with my teeth but over the years they are the ones I have had trouble with!! I still don't believe I needed  them but as they were done on the nhs and she said I needed them I didn't question her. Anyway I'll never know now!!

Other bits that have been happening are plenty of dog walks, some dreaded clothes shopping ( I really dislike traipsing around shops for clothes) and food shopping. I did manage to bag some stuff in the supermarket that had been reduced, so all that was frozen and will be eaten (and enjoyed) when needed, so I was happy about that.
The dgc are all back at school, one has started 'big' school this time around and her brother started school on the same day, so a big event in their household, they looked really smart in their pristine new uniforms but I bet by home time they didn't look like that. The other chimpettes of other dd also looked smart as well but no big change of schools in their household.

Youngest dd goes back to work in a couple of weeks after having her youngest, she's also starting a new job as well and little T will be at nursery as both me and the other grandparents aren't doing our nannying duty this time round. Eldest grand daughter phoned me and is taking taking me out for a meal in a couple of weeks to celebrate my birthday, so that'll be nice as we get on really well and youngest dd and I are hoping to get an afternoon tea in the next couple of weeks before she starts work again. I'm going to miss just being able to see so much of her and the dgc but that's how it goes.

I'm still harvesting beans, sweetcorn, potatoes ,onions, chard, kale etc from the garden and lottie and eventually we're getting tomatoes!! we've been waiting ages for them to mature! I'm thinking of buying a cherry tree, we all like cherries for the lottie and some more rhubarb and gooseberries for down there as well, I'd like a bramley apple tree as well but there isn't anywhere for one. I've planted out some more chard at home but covered them over just to see what happens as I grew some over winter in the polytunnel a couple of years ago.  Anyway less of the veggies tales, I'd better get my washing in and walk the dog before it starts raining, it seems to have become very dark all of  a sudden!!
Nannyg

Cherryfudge

nannygladys said:

Thanks everyone for the replies an d as I now have another marrow languishing in my pantry, soup, stuffing etc will be commencing very soon, especially the soup as it seems to be getting colder.

cherryfudge - the soup recipe looks right up my street, thanks

It's definitely soup weather today - and casserole for dinner. Tomorrow it will be back to salads!

Just wanted to let you know I tried the soup for the first time today, I was just passing on the recommendation before. It's very, very tasty. I hope you enjoy it too.

nannygladys

cherryfudge - I'm going to have a try at that recipe tomorrow, I'll let you know how I go on.

Sun_Addict

nannygladys said:

cherryfudge - I'm going to have a try at that recipe tomorrow, I'll let you know how I go on.

I hope you like it or else it’s my fault 🤣

nannygladys

cherryfudge & Sun_Addict -  I'm just starting to make it now, I'll let you Know how I get on later!!