Weekly Flylady Thread 8th July 2024

Narc0lepsy

Round well done on the slinky front, you're doing brilliantly. 
I was spared actual housework today as Mum's cleaner came; Mum's very fond of her and she was very good talking to her and hugging her - she also works in a care home so is good with elderly and told me that a lot of stroke patients have days of crying. After making the house shiny, she walked up the road with Mum and said she'd drop in tomorrow on her way home from work. She's got capacity to act as Mum's 'housekeeper' 3 x per week once DB and I aren't needed full time....although that seems to be fading into the distance at the moment.
Not that I was idle.......tried to get Mum to do her food order (failed). Got her to provide a sample jic it was a water infection causing all the recent confusion and upset. Drove it down to surgery. GP rang back later and had a chat, said she'd see Mum in the surgery and the earliest she had was in 4 weeks time. Expletive deleted.  I persuaded her that wasn't helpful right now, so she gave one for Wednesday. So now I'm torn between hoping the GP sees her in the current state, but hoping she has improved before then; mind you, GP just mentioned medication which I felt was a bit premature to suggest at this stage. 
Next phone call was DB; he'd messaged me to say he's coming here on Thurs (I'd thought Wed so was a bit disappointed), I replied with a brief statement about Mum's MH so he rang to find out more.  In the middle of that, the Stroke Therapy Group psychologist rang to offer me a video 'carer support' meeting on Wed to help me develop strategies for coping with what she agreed was the frequently-seen over-emotional reactions from people after a stroke (the patient not the carer - although maybe both).   So Wed is looking busy: video meeting, GP, Mr N going home, another Therapy Assistant visit and also apparently a more sturdy armchair-side table being delivered. Oh, and maybe the food order if Mum orders it tomorrow. 

I've done a bit more of a report. It's a nuisance how little I seem able to concentrate on report writing, I wonder why?!!
And I did unload DW just now. 

roundtuit

Morning all xx 

I'm up, made my bed, completed Wordle and Connections,  and I'm supping my first brew. 

Absolutely tipping down here. 🌧 

Yesterday I enjoyed brunch with L at the posh farm shop cafe. I had the Veggie Works which was very good - though I did have to tell them I didn't have an egg (after checking the menu to make sure I was supposed to have one) and they've changed the menu so instead of two hash browns you get half an avocado 🤢. Which I didn't eat. Shudder.

A catch up with L, then a mosey round the farm shop. I treated myself to a new notebook aka Mindfulness Journal...last time we were there I picked it up and put it back, this time I picked it up, put it back  then had a 'Sodit' moment, and picked it up again. A holiday treat for me 😉. Also bought birthday cards for DB and DS's DF ( August birthdays) plus a spare card as it was £2 each or 3 for £5. 

Called to see P & S on my way home. P looked a bit wan when I first arrived but much better when I left. So he was either pleased to see me go 🤣 or I acted as a tonic. I think the latter. I make them laugh. Totally blamed P for my dunked biscuit falling into my coffee. He was nowhere near me at the time but how is that relevant? His fault! 

Today I have an optician's appointment at 10.40 am. And, at 5.15,  I'm meeting S for tea at a pub. Then nothing else planned all week. 😊

Brew 2 and breakfast next. Then I'll get dressed. And have a think about flying. Someone mentioned 'forward planning ' recently and it made me think. I really like the idea of forward planning. How do you do it? I think it was HB doing it. I want to do or, but haven't a clue where to start. 

Love to all
Rxx

Jazee

Morning all.  Hope you're doing okay.  I'm having first cuppa only having got up at 8.15.

Round.. I only like forward planning for good things, like days out, weddings, events.  If I was to do any kind of list forward planning flying, I would fail to do it.  Maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick.

It's also pouring down here so today's washing will have to go on airers.  Right, better get moving.

Have a great day everyone.

Valli

morning all

off out shortly to go to Look Good Feel Better which is some kind of post cancer beauty therapy.

talking of forward planning i have typed mum an itinerary for the funeral of her friend, which is a fortnight today, as she is stressing about it big time.  we don’t know the arrangements for the wake so i’ve said where i think it will be,  hopefully that i’ll allay her worries and reduce the phone calls.  On the plus side she isn’t stressing about her yet-to-be-delivered blue badge.

Raining here too, so the water butt will be full.

ionafan

Morning all.  So far I have
- S&S'd the kitchen and bathroom
- PUPA in the LR
- made my bed and dusted the BR
- entertained K for half an hour and helped her come to a decision about which cabin bed to bid for (for W)
- sorted the kitchen rubbish and recycling, emptied the compost, and washed out all the bins
- had a phone conversation with DS1, who is very excited to have bought a small tractor (bigger than a sit'n'ride mower) for a very good price, so that he can mow his field and transport his firewood and building materials.  I am taking bets that DGD2 (aged 11) will be the second person to drive it!

Round, some people would (and do) call me a control freak, but having been self-employed for 10 years, I still like to keep a tight rein on admin stuff - especially as DH is not good at paperwork of any sort.  Our joint diary (in my phone) includes all upcoming events including hospital appointments and regular activities for us both, birthdays and holidays - my brain is too addled to hold all that sort of information and bring it out accurately when required!   On my computer I have a Toots list, organised by rooms, hobbies and financial/other admin.  Admin includes a list of important deadlines, and I also put renewal dates into my diary.  I try (but sometimes frequently forget) to update these at the start of each month.  On 1st January this year I printed out a copy of my Toots list to keep conveniently at hand in my in-tray, and I can see that I have already decluttered/reorganised most of the areas that needed attention, but I've also added on other jobs including repairs as I've thought of them.  Some of the outstanding things will be achieved by the end of the year (by me alone, or more likely with help from DS1/K/J).  Some - such as sorting my filing cabinet and chucking anything that is no longer relevant - are ongoing and will be re-visited next year.  This system works well for me, as I have the double pleasure of writing a list and then crossing things off it   Control freak, little moi??? Yeah! - but it gives me peace of mind, and it's a characteristic that I seem to have passed on to my children too.

Must go and water the plants on the landing windowsill next....  And as I'm about to go downstairs, I shall make a detour into the kitchen and get myself coffee and a slice of toast for eleven-and-a-halfses.  That's the best sort of forward planning

Jazee

Me again.

Still not dressed although I have had a bath, washed my hair, defuzzed and done a mini pedicure.  Poppet has only just ventured out for a wee as it's still tipping down.  I've changed the sofa throws and bedding.  The WM is whirring and I've hoovered through and taken the hoover to bits and cleaned it.

Just having lunch.

roundtuit

Optician's appointment went OK. Slight change in both eyes but not enough to need new glasses. 

Called at PO on my way home and paid the rent, plus picked up birthday cards for my niece (Nov) and DSil (Dec).

Thank you for your thoughts on forward planning. I suppose I've already started without realising that is what I was doing. At the beginning of the year I note all birthdays, and things like MOT due date on my calendar. 

There's an element in me, similar to Jazee, that if I forward plan flying I will fail to do it. But by not planning at all it's not getting done either. 🤔

I need to channel my inner iona methinks. I'm ready to come out of survival/ existing mode. But I've lived in that mode for so long that it almost feels normal. Somewhere there is a median way:  no longer fire fighting but not rigidly structured ( and thereby inviting failure). Hmmmm...

Not very Julyish here. Optician's receptionist wasn't familiar with that word. But she knew what it meant. And agreed that it isn't. 

Rxx

Jazee

Since last post I have dusted the bedroom and done a half day work shift.  

Honey_Bear

roundtuit said:

I really like the idea of forward planning. How do you do it? I think it was HB doing it. I want to do or, but haven't a clue where to start.

Most people do their forward planning without thinking about it, but my mind's a sieve and I need to write things down to remind me of them when I forget them because housework etc has never been one of my priorities.  A shopping list is forward planning, knowing when people's birthday's are long enough in advance to get the right card in the post in time is forward planning - see what I mean about 'without thinking about it'?  I've been known to drive five miles with a last minute birthday card for a very good friend because ....  It's stuff you already do and I mostly don't.

I need to get this place spick and span by mid-September when we've got friends coming to stay for the weekend, and a couple of other things going on.  It's not going to happen if I carry on between now and then in my usual slapdash slovenly ways so I need to have some kind of plan to stop me getting frazzled because there's so much to do and so little inclination to actually do it.  Any of it.  I find I can spring clean little and often when I'm blitzing the place like this, taking three or more days to do a room so I don't get cream-crackered and then not do any for weeks.

I would also like to be able to predict with some kind of accuracy how much I will have to spend each month so I can balance my income and see when it's likely I can spend a bit frivolously and when I can save a bit, and not have to think about whether I can afford that lovely top I spied in a sale, not that I need it but, heck, it's really pretty and it's in my size.

I only realised relatively recently that if I try to do too much and get over-tired I'm not happy.  I used to think that was because I was lazy but now I realise it's because I'm not Super-Woman.

Today I have progressed the kitchen and feel good about that.  I had to move a unit to get underneath it where it was beyond grim but in the process the fridge acquired a new dent when I was manoeuvring it back.  Ooops. 

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

A good day, busy and interviewing for a new member of staff which is always bit stressful.  Also changed our bed, and dusted.  DH hoovered.

Absolutely chucking it down, my feet got wet at lunchtime and I spent the afternoon with damp feet.  My feet now in dry socks are tingling!

Nice to have you back Pigpen, you were missed x