Teetering on the brink

EatingBeans

Ah bless you @satchmo1
I mean you are probably right to a certain extent about having the energy for the stairs. Adding a handrail will no doubt become more of a priority, as will reinstating a toilet to the upstairs bathroom. I’m ok for now though and I know if it suddenly becomes desperate either I will sleep on the sofa or my brother would come put the rail and toilet in for me. 

In fact, having my bedroom upstairs definitely has advantages. I will be able to sleep without people disturbing me coming and going through the front door, I’ll actually have some privacy, and I will be on the same level as the shower so it will be easier to get up washed and dressed in the morning. 😁

As for being isolated… not a chance. The dogs will be with me for starters and dd2 has already informed me that she intends to wake me up every morning with our old morning song that we used to sing together when she was a small child (I secretly still sing it every morning to the dogs as I make my coffee) 🤣. I don’t doubt that she will do it either. As it is, dd2 comes and joins me in my bed at least once a day and her room is opposite ends of the house at the moment. After the swap her bedroom door will just be a few steps down the corridor so she will find it even easier to pop her head in and come and join me. Then once I am up and downstairs, dd1 will have more chance to stop by and talk my ear off (which is kinda the main point of the move), or I will be able to see she needs evicting from her bed so I will go pester her.

Yep, so far the positives far outweigh the negatives of the move. The only real issue is finding the energy to actually pull it off. This evening dd2 and I finally put the Christmas decorations up and even that about killed me. 😕 Thankfully dd2 has already suggested that it be her role in the move to carry all the stuff up and down the stairs for us bless her. Obviously dd1 and I will chip in with some things but I know the stairs will be the biggest challenge for me so I am very grateful for her volunteering. 

Cherryfudge

Crumbs, you don't do things by halves, do you?! But I can see there are good arguments for the swap.

Your poor DD1 - very tough for her.

EatingBeans

I have discovered one tiny issue with the house reshuffle - we seem to have disposed of all the moving boxes! 🤣 Not enough time to source any free ones and I am absolutely not paying for any, so it’s going to be a case of getting very creative with packing containers. So far I’ve been working on getting the washing sorted and bagging stuff up that is going to be binned. Since tip stuff is actually leaving the building immediately - I am collecting it all in our bin store - I figured that was a good place to start as it would give me more room. 

The funny thing is the whole process reminds me of being in a chain when moving house. You can pack all you like but until the first person is out the second one cant start moving in. In our little chain I am first, then dd1, then dd2, then me again. dd2 has the least stuff, is totally organised, and could be ready to move in under an hours notice, I am partially ready but have so little room to work in that I may have to do much of the sorting as I am actually moving. Then there is dd1. 😬 Having been ill for so long her room has gotten away from her and it is taking her all day today just to get it tidy enough for her bf to visit later, let alone start thinking about packing. 

It may seem like I am unnecessarily adding pressure on top of an already stressed dd1 but she really does do better when she is crazy busy, otherwise the overthinking sets it. Instead of crumbling under the extra weight she has instead picked herself up and gone to college today (first time in over a week) despite being in pain. She also had to go for another blood test today but because she hasn’t been able to sit and think about it she was ok about it. I knew the lack of work must be hitting her finances hard so I offered to get her a big Morrisons shop delivered for her. I knew if I just asked her for a list she’d make it too short to actually keep her going so I gave her my phone and told her to think about breakfast, then lunch, then toiletries etc. I know it’s more expensive than Aldi but I didn’t want her running out of money, not saying anything and going hungry (last thing she needs right now!), or indeed shopping at Aldi and carrying it back. I am all for them being independent but sometimes temporarily stepping in and helping again is in their best interests. I am glad I did because it turns out she had in fact run out of cash and was about to go into a non arranged overdraft. 😱 So, not only did she get a big shop but she also got some money to cover her regular DD/SO’s. Obviously I sighed inside knowing I don’t actually have the money to give but I’d much rather add to my debt that her start off down the road of bank charges etc. This is the reason I need an emergency fund! Sadly as fast as I add to it something else comes up and it disappears again. 🤷‍♀️

Humdinger1

You're a fab mother and all-round human being @EatingBeans! Good luck with the move.  Love Humdinger xx 

Cherryfudge

EatingBeans said:

 This is the reason I need an emergency fund! Sadly as fast as I add to it something else comes up and it disappears again. 🤷‍♀️

But the reason you try to create one is in case there's an emergency - so although you feel you've not built up an EF, actually your attempts to get one are doing just what it's supposed to do: reducing the impact when there's an emergency.

I hope the rest of the moving goes okay. I can see it's big task, and I don't know whether it's good that it might take your mind off all the medical things, or unfortunate that they come at the same time. Perhaps the former. It's a creative solution to your DD1's position, and will probably ease things when she finally goes to her own place.

Meanwhile look after yourselves: an end-of-the day movie and popcorn perhaps, once it's all done?

EatingBeans

I had another go at building my new spreadsheet yesterday. I am current at 19 different categories for dog related spend! 😱 I dread to think how much I actually spend per dog per year - I am fairly confident my pet bill is more than the £100pm that is actually budgeted. 😬

I only managed an hour or so at my desk before my face started really hurting and stopped play. 😕 I have just had enough of it now. I want to get on with life but it just wont quit. ☹️

Sadly, one thing that does seem to be quitting is my Christmas light decorations. I’ve had two different lights pack up within two days of each other. Normally I’d think nothing of it but they were both plugged into the same socket when they died and both are several years old. So yes, they are old and it could be coincidence that they both happened to be in the same socket at the time but it seems a little suspicious to me. Although, thinking about it now, one thing they do have in common is Little Dog was butt tucking around the living room a couple of days ago and managed to somehow catch the leads of both and rip one off the wall and the other half off the wall. 🤦‍♀️ Don’t worry, Little Dog was fine and she instantly stood like a statue (with a “sorry mum” expression on her face) and obligingly let me detangle her, but I guess that could have made loose connections somewhere along the wires? 🤔 I know they are just lights but it is mainly disappointing because one is of a snowman and it is the only light I still have from when the kids were little. Yes, that makes it over 10years old and I’ve defo got my moneys worth, but it reminds the girls of one of the few happy things they remember of their childhood (I used to properly light up the house with Christmas lights and amazingly they still remember). I don’t light the front of the house much anymore and this light has been in our living room window which is at the back of the house. Now it has died the window looks all dark and gloomy - the very opposite of Christmas! I think I either need to get creative with some of our spare lights or go buy something new. I know I really don’t have the money for such frivolous things but I can’t stand our last Christmas together being all dark. I am at least going to try and get creative first. 🤞

Cherryfudge

That's such a shame about the snowman - I'm assuming you've had a look and there's nothing you can find to repair in the wiring?

At least put some of the spare lights into the gap, I feel lights in a window really cheer the place up.

ellenvan

If you are shopping for lights etc maybe try charity shops. Ours had lights ( checked by an electrician) for only £2 each pack. Also pre lit Christmas trees at £5.
Also stores tend to reduce Xmas stock  prices in the week before Christmas.
I'm sure getting creative and moving things around would probably be easier than a shopping trip for you though.

SuzeQStan

There’s been a lot of Olio Christmas lights/ deccies offered for free locally here - it might be the same where you are EB if you check the free items (select ‘type 2’ free items in ‘explore’ drop down list)

daisy_1571

If you have spare lights definitely put them up first before buying anything new.  Then try the free suggestions as noted above