NST July 2024: A July jaunt around Madrid

Shrewbie

NSD 1 today!! finally hahaha 

DawnW

Evening all

Sorry I have been awol. My brother died on 7 July, and it was grim at the end because he declined to go into the hospice where he would have received round the clock medical treatment, instead of me having to phone the out of hours to get someone out to give him the necessary injections in the early hours. We have cleared out his flat, with the aid of a clearance company for the old fridge and freezer etc that we physically weren't able to get down the stairs. I am currently arranging his funeral   With my practical head on, I will have to be especially MSE for a while because I will need to pay for it.

Alongside that we have builders in, refitting the ensuite bathroom that sprang leaks causing damage elsewhere. This has been scheduled for ages, so couldn't be put off. This will also need to be paid for.

Feeling a bit down today, but I am grateful that we have savings to pay for all this.

f0xh0les

Sorry for your loss @DawnW ,  you are being amazing.   It was a lovely thing you did for your brother.  Sending hugs.

beanielou

So sorry @DawnW. Take care of yourself. 

weenancyinAmerica

Sorry to hear of your loss. You did a good job taking care of him at home where he wanted to be. My mother was very adamant that she not be in a nursing home when she died. It was hard on me, her caretaker, but in the end it was right for her. Just has been taking me a while to get over it. So take it easy on yourself for awhile and don't try to second guess what might have been. Good luck with making the arrangements for the funeral. 

mothernerd

So sorry Dawn W, lots and lots of hugs. Take comfort that you did the right thing and give yourself plenty of care in the coming months (I found it best to press on when I felt able but took days or weeks out when it all got too much)

mothernerd

I have beautiful healthy feet (went for my rescheduled diabetic foot appointment today). Nothing wrong with my responses but my 'startle' response is in overdrive.

Very tired from all the clearing out. I went in their room on Saturday and gathered empty boxes and cans and bottles for the recycling. Threw as much as possible downstairs in bags (used the newer fabric type bags for life for cardboard and used a pillowcase to tie the handles together. The heap at the bottom of the stairs grew bigger so I stashed 2 empty boxes and some half filled bags in my room. On Sunday I must have taken 10 sacks to various bins. The paper bin for one of the empty rented houses is full and I collected ours and started to fill that. Their brown cans and bottles bin is nearly full too (Ds3 forgot to put ours out last time so I decanted some of ours and took out 3 more sacks of collected cans. One pile of pizza boxes went out and another one has been started upstairs. Disposed of some extra rubbish items including 2 small towels that were mums (both very faded and used for mopping up - one of them was in the pile of stuff behind my bed head and had black mould on it). 

One long 20 degree wash done with more disreputable items. Another still to go in (so feel okay about not trying to rescue ancient mucky rags). Got told off for going in their room and asked what I'd done with some slippers which were a birthday present. They were in the smaller box of the two I'd moved into my room so i was forgiven and then later thanked as I'd improved the room considerably. The chinchillas did not starve.

But this morning my legs (knees, ankles, thighs and the middle of my back hurt) and I was struggling to stay awake. Set off for the infirmary early and then found my phone has synced itself with a satellite and set itself to the correct time (I'd had to guess and set it an hour and a quarter slow). Decided against trying to go to do some errands and rush back for my appointment. I had 2 toasted teacakes in the infirmary cafe and spent my time sitting and reading and then having a walk round (different types of chair too) visiting my favourite infirmary disabled toilets.

Had my appointment then went to the bus stop thinking I'd just missed one and 5 minutes later it arrived. Rode to Morries (the penultimate stop), did quite a big shop (I used a high trolley and put a wheeled basket at one end to put the heavy bottles in later so none of the salad stuff got squashed (I'm still having some problems ordering food online with the new card). Had taken 3 bags for life (found in their room on Saturday night along with rolls of bags, kitchen roll, my secateurs, 2 of my saws and a can of my favourite drink. It tasted a bit strange (when I checked it was bbf June 2022) but it was cold and soothed my throat so I drank it anyway. Packed the heavy bottles in the bottom of the bags and all the lighter stuff on top,.

Cousin phoned my whilst I was still in there (post till) so had a long chat, then phoned for a taxi (me, the walker, 3 large bags, one small bag and briefcase type handbag). Lovely taxi driver asked if I was okay to sit in the front and told me to get in whilst he folded the back seats down and arranged all my stuff in the space. I did see French Marigolds (for the cabbage patch) but decided I couldn't cope with more stuff in my loaded trolley. It will be easier to do a quick bus trip there and back to get them separately, especially as the roads are much clearer because of the school holidays.

Very tired and even more of me hurts but very satisfied with my day. Thankful for chats with DS3 and my cousin about my brother and niece's antics, having lots of healthy grab and go food (not fruit as it goes off too quickly in the heat so I'm going to attack the remaining canned fruit), getting rid of rubbish and getting through my list (exceeding my expectations). DS3 said one of my 'affirmations' should be to congratulate myself on my achievements.

lcc86

Sorry for your loss @DawnW, take care of yourself. 

Esmeralda2662

Sorry to hear about your brother @DawnW. x

ldee2111

It’s been one of those days where not much happened, which are sometimes the best days.

I worked from home,  filled in my annual appraisal form which is due in my manager’s inbox tomorrow—I hate the damn things! They feel like a test.

Here in Glasgow we had gloriously warm sunny weather!! OH and I sat outside during work breaks to soak up some vitamin D. Brucey Bonus was our laundry dried faster than it took me to fill in my appraisal form.

After work, I picked up my prescription from the chemist, grabbed a few groceries to tide us over until our next Saneberries delivery, and attacked some big weeds in the garden with a hoe and my hands.

Staying on NSD 5. Made another wee sale on VintD.

Hope all turtles have had a decent, no drama day. X