Moving on

Cherryfudge

Laura_Elsewhere said:

And arguably helps with sleeping better, because having a repeated pattern at bedtime helps to 'train' your brain to shut up and go to sleep... 

Absolutely, though the drawing the curtains stage is long before I go to sleep. However, my sleep pattern is linked with what's pending over the next few days or weeks. Low-level anxiety leads to me staying awake as a sort of avoidance: it lengthens the time between 'now' and when the event will happen. Thankfully, now that I have physically demanding work that helps me sleep, and a less stressful environment, I can see it more clearly, though that doesn't cure it. But I'm entirely with you on having a winding down routine.

Laura_Elsewhere said:

Kale freezes brilliantly, btw

Thanks for this! I think that's on this afternoon's list as I still haven't found that recipe.

Laura_Elsewhere said:

I don't have ADHD, but I do have quite severe autism and there are overlaps between many of these neurodivergent conditions- I have been training myself at bedtime to set my alarms 

I think alarms are the way to go with the Friday shifts, also not over-facing myself earlier in the day so I'm not tired, as tiredness leads to me running late. I am still thrown by the fact I saw the potential for this and did all I could to prevent myself falling into it, but my brain reverted to normal timings. It's not that I don't have the skills to work it out, but it's as though they are being overridden. There's also the thing about the autistic struggle with change of status, so it's hard to get to work on time (still just managing that, which in itself is huge progress), but once I'm working, I could keep on and on... I would have happily washed another set of floors last night!

WelshmansDaughter

I always think of it as we don’t have any structure for doing things. We flow so intensely in an interest and outside of that is desert. 

I used to have some success with narrative to do lists- I’d write down my whole agenda in story format.

ETA as I understand it, the context is what’s lacking. My approach is to fill in the blanks as it were

Cherryfudge

I think there's something in that, @WelshmansDaughter, though I feel I'm interested in many things. Certainly I hyperfocus on whatever has my attention. I find it helps to have instructions and generally once one is an adult, these are somewhat lacking so I give them to myself - not dissimilar to your story format. If I'm under pressure, I'll wander round saying things like 'Identify the physical sensation that needs attention' or 'Face, teeth, toilet, hair, shoes'. It gets me through.  

Cherryfudge

It's been an odd day. The experience with confusion about time yesterday really threw me. DH was helpful because he put his people manager head on and told me that these things generally heal once you've been through the situation again and it's gone all right.

This morning, we went to the car boot sale which was quite successful, both in finding things we liked and in not overdoing the buying. DH found a piece of antique china which is rather lovely, for only £3. I got a nice big plain shoulder bag (50p), a printout of funny reasons to buy fabric (also 50p) and a box of Noah's Ark biscuit cutters (£1).

A couple of loads of washing have been done - marvellous drying breeze - but no ironing.

Lunch was fish from the freezer with peas and cous cous followed by fresh pineapple and strawberries - our healthy Saturdays are doing quite nicely!

DH spent the afternoon battling an oil change for the car and I mooched round town getting craft things for the pre-schoolers tomorrow and (admittedly) some for me too. Also a free diary 'cos a shop was giving them away and it was red with gold corners. I followed this up with a trip to MrT. as I had a double Clubcard points offer to use before the end of tomorrow. I have spent a lot on food this week so this wasn't a huge shop, but I got two of some things that I know we will eat quite soon.

This evening I was shattered so I nearly fell asleep but got myself awake and, feeling better for the rest, did some Italian. Did you know the Italian for 'shopping' is 'shopping'? I didn't. Since then I've sorted out the details for tomorrow's children's work.

It's too late tonight to decide on how to split the bill for the kids' crafts so I'll just put it down for the record and sort it later.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £18.78 + something from the weigh and save - no receipt so around 50p.
Craft for me £5
Craft for children £3.99
Pets 99p (bird food).

Cherryfudge

It's odd how things can change a lot in a day. I was up late getting things ready for the children and woke up before DH who is on Co-codamol for back pain and it knocks him out. I was ready to go out long before normal and pretty well stress free, so I walked to church. I had loads of time to get ready and was gratified that when it came to story time the children really responded to my using dolls as props to tell the story (out of the corner of my eye I saw several lean in for a better view). I also managed to keep it short and simple - neither is my strength. So there's the usual sigh of gratitude when it works because I'm learning on my feet here.

Then a bigger surprise, because the person currently in charge has approached me to see if I'd take over running that team! I've asked for time to consider, as every time it's my turn to lead, I get stressed. She says that's normal. I suppose we see other people appear confident, but we don't see what goes on inside. I guess I do come up with ideas and see what's needed, but I don't know much about preschool children, so I would have to network and check if I were getting that right. I'm definitely tending towards it as my main difficulty with this group has been over unexpected changes that have left me feeling insecure. I like to know where the crayons are and so on! If I were running it, I could legitimately sort that out without treading on anyone's toes.

Of course, on another level this is mad as I was doing far too much last week, which is partly why I was struggling yesterday. The next few days will be relatively quiet and I'm only temporarily covering for someone on a Monday.

So that's one to consider... and I was just feeling a bit sad that I'd not had a turn at being a manager (though I was one once, and was too inexperienced to make an optimum job of it).

So, dinner today was chicken and chorizo pasta followed by the last of the pineapple and strawberries with some blueberries and ginger syrup. Scrummy.

This afternoon I had an hour with someone who's relatively new into the field I used to work in: it's been good talking shop again! I can tell I've not remembered every last detail, but I was able to contribute something to the conversation. Meanwhile DH did his usual long Sunday afternoon walk and we now have half an hour for tea because I've just discovered I can still take part in a evening thing at church that I thought I'd missed. I will probably be so revved by bedtime that I'll be up till silly o'clock, so I might look up the Dorset buttons tutorial and sit sewing for a bit.

Cherryfudge

Expenditure:

Housekeeping £18.78 + something from the weigh and save - no receipt so around 50p.
Craft for me £5
Craft for children £3.99
Pets 99p (bird food).

A slight rejig of the figures: the craft was threading either chopped up paper straws or penne pasta on pipe cleaners to make bracelets and I decided against the pasta - it was a bit big and beige! So that has now gone into housekeeping. The pack of smaller pipe cleaners goes into my craft things and the larger pack and straws are donated to the craft stores for future use.

So: new figures are
Housekeeping £18.78 + weigh and save
Donation £2.99
Hobbies £6
Pets 99p

Cherryfudge

I was really tired last night so I was asleep by about 10.30, which is very early for me. That's helped but I still feel a bit swollen-glands-ish, so it could be I'm staving off some infection. I was awake before DH again and when he got up, he was suffering with his back. That seems to be getting worse, not better. We turned the mattress to see if that helps, and he's back on co-codamol.

In the morning I got through the ironing pile and everything is put away. The afternoon was DH's voluntary shift at the charity shop, and I went to do the Monday cleaning at church, which was quite rewarding as I've moved a couple of things to a cupboard in the basement so future cleaning down there will be less of a route march. Nothing dramatic but having to retrace steps for one bin bag or pack of paper towels takes time and energy. Sadly, I am now dreaming of one of those utensil trugs, whatever they are called!  

I succumbed to more grocery shopping later. I've made the 'Smart Shop' work for the first time thanks to someone talking me through it. I 'saved' a whole 85p, but then spent 30p on a bag. All I really needed was yogurt but then remembered I had discounts available for some salad items which I might as well get so my friends and I can have our pizza and salad tomorrow... then when I had paid I remembered my friend was bringing the salad! Tonight I've texted her and asked if she can bring biscuits instead.  

On the plus side, I found Southern Fried chicken and sausages both on y/s, so those are now in the freezer.

June is still being nominal. I got the grass cut in a great hurry before the rain started (probably quite entertaining for anyone who happened to see me galloping up and down and trying to do pin-point turns with a lawn mower). We did get a rainbow later, and some lovely evening light.

Dinner tonight was curry, courtesy of DH. It was delicious. Then DH texted H about us meeting up with them at some point soon, and as he sent it, A texted us to invite us over. However, between one thing and another, all my evenings are eaten up this week and we've already agreed to see J and L on Sunday. Then J contacted us to ask if we can look after the dog on Wednesday, which will be a pleasure as she's lovely.

I'm still undecided about what to say in response to the request to run the pre-schoolers' team. Although I'm really not keen on having to be up to speed on fire evacuations and safeguarding, I think I can hack those and I keep having ideas about things that might work for the team. But do I have time and energy? I've realised I generally do activities other than paid work on alternate weeks, which is easing the load a lot, but how much more is it wise to take on?

Today's expenditure:
Housekeeping £11.89
Gift £1 (I called into DH's charity shop and found a pristine copy of Elizabeth David's Italian cookery, so I've told DH he's giving it to me for Christmas!

Cherryfudge

DH's back is less painful today: how much that's due to the co-codamol, and how much to turning the mattress, we don't know. He's going without the painkillers for tonight to see how that works out.

Meanwhile, I spent a chunk of this morning making out a schedule of the last three months to see what my timetable looks like in reality. It turns out that apart from work, my Tuesday group and the temporary Monday cleaning, I'm on a fortnightly pattern for everything, and that has seemed to fit together nicely so far.

It's been chilly again today: about 13 degrees I think. We wrapped up in layers to go for a walk, but eventually warmed up.

DH arranged for a gardener to come round to quote for our new path, so I spent around three quarters of an hour weeding and tying things back. The chap seems very pleasant and discussed our needs, and widened out our ideas as well which was useful. I hope he comes through with a quote. He is unlikely to be able to start till September, but that's okay so long as the work gets done. After he'd been we went to the supermarket for dinner ingredients, and my friends came round for pizza and our study time. One brought some sticky desserts so we felt very full and satisfied!

Now I have to get to bed as DD is bringing the dog to us for 7.15.

Sun_Addict

I had co-codamol for my ankle after I had surgery. They work far too well and made me feel all floppy and relaxed about 20 minutes after taking them 🤣 I could definitely see how people get addicted to them so used them very sparingly. 

Cherryfudge

DH has been going easy on the co-codamol, @Sun_Addict, and I think he's off them now. He's limited in what painkillers he can use, but found they were the best, though as you say, they do come with a warning. Turning the mattress, taking the tablets and gentle exercise seem to have helped ease his back.

We were up in good time and even I was dressed by the time the dog came bounding in. It's been nice having her! DH was at work so we found a ball that was tough enough to cope with being chewed, and had a good game of throwing and retrieving in the garden. She learnt hidey places quite quickly but it was funny when she'd seen the ball thrown in amongst plants, then couldn't find it. She came out and stood looking where it had been on previous occasions. I could imagine she was wondering how it could be there and not visible. Later on I took her for what was supposed to be a walk round the block to get her some pinecones to chase, but she gave me a really pleading look as though the High Street was somewhere she'd been hoping to go, so the walk got rather extended. Later I had to leave her at home while I picked up my prescription. I've missed my main medication today and didn't want to let it go a second day, though in theory it should be okay as an exception. After that, I spent a whole 50p on a dog toy I'd seen in a charity shop the other day, which has the dog's name on. I gave it to her before she went home.

DD picked her up just before I went to work, so I had a lift there as well. She's taken the Swiss Cheese plant I've nurtured back to health, and a tomato plant, but the extra space will soon disappear.

Lunch today was the rest of yesterday's prepared salad with some tuna, followed by a vanilla slice from last night, then before work I had hummus and crudites, and after work, some coronation chickpeas. DH had southern fried chicken for tea while I was out. There is still a great deal in the fridge! However, that's a nice problem to have and I'm determined to make the most of it.

My DBS application has come through for the debt advice role, so I got it sent off straight away. I've also finished my first ever Dorset button, and I'm pleased. I can see improvements to make another time, but it's a satisfying little thing.

Another quiet day tomorrow, with work in the evening.

Expenditure:
Gift 50p
Housekeeping £1.70 (includes free lemons on L!dl promotion).