Progress is...

rtandon27

@Cherryfudge - it was a long day, especially as I'd already been up working from 8am!  The amazing thing is that it was a drive-in rather than a drive-thru - we parked up and ordered and it was brought to the car on a tray - much like in old across-the-pond movies of the 50's & 60's!

@Merlin's_Beard &  @redofromstart & @beanielou & @Cheery_Daff - it's super comforting to know that those of my chosen tribe think along the same lines wrt humour!  OH has been using his to shock the various plebes at the NHS when they take that officious rottweiler attitude towards either of us!  I try really hard not to smirk when I see the shock on their faces! @redofromstart - OH has just asked if he could please borrow your sign 🤣😉

@dawnybabes - for many many years, OH & I have had a use it up omlette or poached eggs on Sat & Sun mornings, but this requires him to cook!  For the past month we've shifted our habit and ordered McD's breakfast sandwiches.  Saves him from using up the little energy he has first thing in the morning and gives us an easier day. Ironically McD's was a place we avoided completely until recently, but atm I'd rather see him eat food than not!

@Cheery_Daff - you are not missing anything by not having had a lava pie - but it is nice to know that some things don't change & a molten pie with milk took me right back to childhood across the pond!

rtandon27

Yesterday was a much needed day off for me, not just from work but from all home responsibilities as well!  Met up with a dear friend from up north to spend the day together and be women of leisure in the big smoke.  Trekked in to the big smoke to go to the brunch spot of the moment.  They are so Insta friendly that the queue was 30 mins to get in.  Surprisingly they lived up to the hype.  The Eggs Benny they are know for was amazing and the lattes were one of the best either of us had ever had!

The trip home was an utter nightmare, but as I was in holiday mode and nowhere to be by any particular time, I took it in stride and managed the cancelled train, black cab, 70 minute delay, change of plans mid-way and a taxi home from the town I was deposited in!  Who would beleive that trees and branchs on the line would cause so much havoc!  It took me 4 hours to do a 1.5 hour journey!  I will be claiming back the black cab fare & the railway had to arrange & pay for the second taxi on account.  I've learned what my rights are given that not only do I have an annual gold pass, but a priority card! 

Honeslty though, I can remember being on trains back across the pond where the only option was to get to the destination was to travel in the train and then ask for volunteers to help haul trees or dead animals off the line!  Ican even remember the guards with shovels in hand clearing snow drifts our of the way when the cow-catchers could not cope.  Life can really be simple if we let it! 

So now need to catch after my mini-break which we all know means a list of epic proportions!

important tasks...
 ❗ do bus pass application
 ❗ clean up of spare laptop sitting at the office, I've not cleaned it up yet!
🔱 never ending paperwork filing
🔆 sign up for new online banking account as c/c was transferred to new bank
🔆 my savings need juggling

routine tasks...
✅  YNAB juggling
🔆 across the pond banking - remember to use the correct vpn!
🔱 41 pounds has been received from energy company - account appears normal once again!!! - everything has been sorted out though I need to do a final check against bills at some point
🔱 water bill - now not due on Oct 1st but Oct 17th! - expense moved to October! - money stays in my account!
✅ grocery order - consult with OH
✅ meal plan - focus on what we have in house!
🔆chop and divvy up beef joint
🔱 weekly digital planner
🔆 supplements
🔆 Weekly surveys & contests
🔱 laundry - first & second load hung up - need to let them dry before tackling the third!

non-routine tasks...
✅ tidied mess of downstairs
✅ vacuumed downstairs and stairs, entryway and landing
✅ ordered breakfast so OH could have a lie-in and conserve his energy
✅ dust bunnies and hair ball deamons vanquished from bedroom (vacuumed)
✅ kitchen and bathroom spider-webs have been vanquished (vacuumed)
✅ ordered travel laundry bags, emisis bags & glucose monitor lancets for OH
✅ dresses have arrived and have been tried on - one outfit going back it is not elegant, more jane austin twee
🔆 still on the hunt for ballerina wedges that fit!
🔱 Nightmare Train Delay snot-o-gram! (draft completed)
 ❗ Delay Repay
🔆 EHIC card - is old one valid or do up application
🔱 send a message to BFF across the pond - sort out money owed both ways - lol

medical follow-ups...
✅ got the rotweilers at our practice to admit their mistake and how their unprofessional disorganization results in stress for patients - we now in theory have access to OH's medical records so I can log in from my own account!
🔱 need to read and absorb new medical letters for OH - he's getting frustrated with the medical terminology
✅ one radioactive test done
 ❗ two more tests to go for OH before we can figure out the merits of NHS vs Private treatment
 ❗ my dermatologist referral - have docs names - now need to book appt
🔆 follow-up on OT recommendations for work assessment
🔆 follow-up on private eye specialist for 

epic list of garden things... (again for the weekend)
🔆 harvest last of the chilis - the are gorgeously ripe
🔱 need to transplant two chili plants & bring indoors
🔆 pick and process apples
🔱 once lavender is dry from rain make lavender bundles for drying
✅  mums transplanted - about to bloom for some autumn colour
⏳ start getting quotes for new felt for flat roof & summer house & shed (needs doing in autumn) - on hold
⏳ 4 bags cotswold stone - trip to W!ckes postponed - on hold
⏳ transplant remaining baby trees into their new pots - on hold 
⏳ trim down and rehome butterfly bush - on hold
⏳ new trellis needs to go up for the climbing rose in the front - OH has acquired the hardware! - on hold
⏳ finish taming climbing jasmine & add more supports for it to grown on - on hold

social calendar...
✅ 💝 Sat Oct 4th - brunch with my musical-mad friend who is coming down from up-North for a weekend of shows
⏳💝 Oct - thanksgiving - plenty of turkey cuts are available! (I"m not feeling very thankful atm - SIGH) - mixed feelings about this one, have had to cancel my leave to use days for OH's hospital appts.
💝 Nov 1 - family occaision & party in Melton Mowbray - hopefully OH will be well enough to go - it's his family
💝 Nov 11 - another occasion this time closer to home but more formal - friends coming in from London as well - we can't actually miss this one so life will be planned to accomodate!  OH will go even if it means a hire care and a wheel-chair!!!!!
⏳ korean street food - will have to rebook this one, perhaps when my good mate is back from Thailand

Meal Plan... (a bit uninspired - using up what we have and making it minimal effort!)

🍖 🥔 🍚 🥩 Saturday - Easy Peasy - beef ribs & potatoes for him, lamb biryani for me (potatoes on repeat are doing my head in!)
🍖 🥬🥕🥔Sunday - Roast - Lamb Rack & Brussels & Carrots & Potatoes
Monday - NOT Veggie Day - Sheppards Pie & steamed veg

Tuesday - NOT Fish Day - leftover roast & steamed veg
Wednesday - NOT Chicken Day - leftover sheppards pie & steamed veg
Thursday - NOT Meat Day - Fish Finger Butties & Waffle Fries
Friday - NOT Fakeaway - Chicken & veg noodle soup
Saturday - Easy Peasy -  Bao & DimSum & Noodles
Sunday - Roast - Thanksgiving Meal - Turkey & all the sides (Sunday Roast Canuck Style)
Monday - Veggie Day - Eggplant Paramasen

redofromstart

He is most welcome to borrow my sign.  I do quite like this reasonably priced badge version.

rtandon27

@redofromstart - OH is in hysterics & says 'I want one' - we are adding it to the packing bag list as well - he also wants me to get one that says 'oh yes you are' 🤣🤣🤣

greenbee

I definitely think he should get the badge! (And a sign). If nothing else it'll be a conversation starter.

My dad got the giggles when he was having a scan. When they asked him afterwards why, he suggested that they change their radio station, as he wasn't sure that everyone hearing regular ads for funeral directors while they were having their tumours checked would find it as entertaining as he did... I think they switched to an ad-free option in the scanner after that !

Cheery_Daff

greenbee said:

I definitely think he should get the badge! (And a sign). If nothing else it'll be a conversation starter.

My dad got the giggles when he was having a scan. When they asked him afterwards why, he suggested that they change their radio station, as he wasn't sure that everyone hearing regular ads for funeral directors while they were having their tumours checked would find it as entertaining as he did... I think they switched to an ad-free option in the scanner after that !

Not the same, but I once had a 45 minute MRI because u was taking part in a research project. They played us videos while in the scanner to keep us calm - but one of them was of people running along really high mountain ridges - I found it quite stressful! 😱 They did apologise and vow to find something more soothing 😂 they'd just searched soothing videos on YouTube, and not thought about the fact that some people wouldn't find precarious heights soothing at all! 

(I did get a mug with a picture of my brain on it for my trouble though 😂)

dawnybabes

When my DH had cancer (non smokers lung - just bad bloody luck) we had private medical with cancer cover but the nhs was actually better. 

We did a grab bag by the front door with things like knickers, socks, toothbrush, cereal bars, chocolate, deodorant, chargers, charged battery pack, change in it just to lob in car / ambulance as needed.  

EssexHebridean

Good idea to ensure that a grab bag has stuff for both of you in there - as he last thig you want to be thinking about if it's needed is what YOU need, as well as what OH will need.

foxgloves

Grab bags are so useful, aren't they? When it looked like I was going to need emergency surgery a couple of years ago, I made up an 'emergency bag' - a nice one, so that it doesn't feel too clinical & threatening sitting in the bottom of my wardrobe. Like you, I made a list of everything needed for a hospital stay, & I set about packing my bag. As things turned out, I didn't need it, but the Consultant who signed me off made it crystal clear that an emergency flare-up could happen again & that future surgery may be unavoidable, so as a committed planner (I'm sure some would say 'control freak!), I decided to keep my bag ready-primed in my wardrobe so that it is ready to grab should I need it. I think being prepared is a big part of personal resilience during difficult times. I know that if I have a serious flare-up, I at least won't have to worry about getting a bag of essentials together when I am ill, & also, it won't be another level of stress for Mr F to try & source/find things for me when he will be trying to keep work, home, cats & everything else going.
 I am also intending to make up another grab bag shortly,for the 2 of us in case of flooding - that will contain different sorts of things, but the aim will be very much the same, to offset some of the potential stress but being as prepared as possible in advance. I think that while there are those adversities we are unable to change/influence, there are still elements when dealing with them in which we can exercise some personal agency, & to my mind, planning definitely falls into this category.
Take care now,
F x

rtandon27

@greenbee - the pin arrived along with one that says something about being a blood doner - OH is thrilled with them in his weird humour kind of way!  I love the story about your Dad - it brought such a smile to my face.  OH yelled at the TV the other day, when I asked what the problem was it turns out he was annoyed as junk food ads are now banned until after 9pm, but smack dab in the middle of the afternoon are ads for cremation and funerals - he was furious for hours and then started laughing at the absurdity of the powers that be.

@Cheery_Daff - what a terrible video to have to watch while in the machine!  The few times I've been in one, I asked for silence and wore my plastic loops to block out the noise - I really just wanted a nap - lol

@dawnybabes - yes - that is what our packing list is for, the bag we grab but it won't be at the front door as there is very little room there to start - it will be on the upstairs landing ready to go.

@EssexHebridean - yes, I've heard about spouses packing bags for such as this, I have one already - a bug out bag in case of emergency - the bag I'd need if I suddenly needed to fly back across the pond!  I'll probably just use that as it's a survival kit for 2 days.

@foxgloves - you are a woman after my own heart - as you know I am an organizer too as you well know!  We have 'bug out bags' at home and now we will have OH's medical bag ready to go!  I love a good list, so even in the days of our travels, we always had a list in the carry-on bags for various trips and various climates so that it was easy to pack and go in record time!