Steadily climbing the mountain, enjoying the view along the way

KajiKita

Physio session today so I gave myself permission to not do any training or shoulder rehab, I did do foot rehab though. The physio session itself was more positive today - he’s adapted one of the rehab exercises to try and move me on a bit and added two more.

Used all that spare time to cook from scratch tonight - stuffed peppers with an ambient stuffing mix of green lentils, cottage cheese, lemon zest and juice, chopped mint (from my garden) with a scattering of toasted sunflower seeds (managed to toast them without burning them 👏😊). Very good, one to repeat.

Feeling a bit more myself today. I have restarted taking creatine after reading Merlin’sBeard’s experience with it, so maybe that’s helped?

KK

beanielou

Glad you are feeling more like yourself today 🤗

Baileys_Babe

@Brie thanks for sharing the rhubarb and custard cake recipe

Humboldt

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81994830#Comment_81994830

Morning @Brie thanks lot for taking the time to share the rhubarb and custard cake recipe. Always nice to get a recommendation, and one that I will definitely try.

Humboldt

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993603#Comment_81993603

Hi @KajiKita glad to read that you are feeling a bit better. What a fabulous location for a honeymoon, and very romantic to return for your 20th anniversary. I recall the historical architecture in Bayeux, and would be thrilled to be staying in 15th century accommodation. Laying a wreath at the war graves is a nice gesture. I am always thankful for those who maintain them with such a dignified respect. You may already be aware, but the phrase 'each grave should have the shadow of an English flower' is often attributed to the gardener designer Gertrude Jekyll, who was consulted by the CWGC after the First World War, to ensure that overseas war graves felt peaceful and reminiscent of an English garden.

Merlin's_Beard

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81996319#Comment_81996319

Fingers crossed it helps - sometimes tired brains just need a bit of help!

KajiKita

It's been a little while … 😊

Things continue much as before over here.

I have massively improved my ability to sleep by refusing to do any more rehab until the pain / tightness / inflammation in my shoulder calms down. The rehab had been expanding and becoming more demanding and the pain / tightness / inflammation was just growing and growing, which meant I couldn't get back to sleep if I woke (dawn chorus, overheating etc.). The Viking is very keen on 'function' and patient pain seems to be irrelevant to to him. I have decided that I am putting boundaries around this now …! Had my first full night's sleep for about 6 weeks on Saturday into Sunday and it made me realise quite how exhausted I was getting. I also skipped / cancelled the physio session this week as I am so very tired of the feeling sore and bruised for several days and then, just as that bit stops hurting, it all starts again the next week … I will go again next week but if it is as demoralising as before, I might just stop for a while and just work with the rehab exercises for a month or so before going again. I do think my instincts are right on this as I have felt cheerful and upbeat, with energy to spare again this week, for the first time in a loooong time …

Work rumbles on … still no definite numbers on how many people will have to leave for the downsizing and we are currently swamped with work partly due to winding up a contract, partly due to doing a favour to a new customer and partly because of a quoting snafu - these are all short term effects and after they have cleared we might have more idea where we actually are. I am losing my H&S Assistant from the beginning of next month which means all their admin work will come to me … I hope I can cope.

Garden is definitely getting away from me 😕 This is very demoralising and I am mainly trying to ignore it … (yes, that works really well, does it NOT! 🙄) I am still harvesting lots of herbs and hope to get a good dose of gardening done this weekend as it is forecast to be dry and warm all weekend and into the BH Monday here.

However, in empowering, positive, MSE news …
I found out yesterday that we all got a small pay rise last month (our GM is still off sick so no-one told us). I checked my take home pay for last month and yes, there is an extra £52 pcm! 😊🥳
As a result I have set up an ETF! Vanguard All World ETF inside 1nvest Engine with £100 from my low interest easy access savings as a start point and a DD for £50 pcm. I plan to run it alongside the automatic £110 OP straight to the mortgage each month and hopefully, after 10 years or so, be in a position to pay off what's left of the mortgage by then (I need to run some more accurate figures this weekend). Mr KK was a bit bemused by me doing this, but I have reassured him that I am only 'gambling with what I can afford to lose'. This is something I have been meaning to do for a while and was on my list of goals for 2026, so it feels good to have got it started in a painless, if low key way …

KK

beanielou

Absolutely the right call on the physio. It should not be like that.

Brie

That's a nice extra bit with the payrise!!!

Skint_yet_Again

I’m so glad you’re feeling more upbeat and able to sleep after cutting back on the physio. Good news on the payrise.