NST JULY KISS

beanielou

& another today. So flipping scunnered. Started crying in the charity shop I was in at the time.

f0xh0les

Hugs @beanielou , lots of hugs.

apple_muncher

Oh, beanie , lots of hugs from me too 🤗

grandmanerd

More (very gentle) hugs from me Beanie.

On Sunday I was out early again doing weeding and watering, plus a few more old bottles and broken plant pots in the bin. I used a layer of half dead veg in a tub and layered half a chicken curry over them. Very good and helped my throat, I think the thick sauce must have caught the pollen grains. In the afternoon I cooked 3 baked potatoes, 4 lamb koftas and some French fries (boxed so taking up room in the freezer) together with a punnet of chestnut mushrooms, a large slightly wrinkley red pepper and all the useable baby tomatoes from a pack (bad ones went in the compost) all together in the air fryer/ mini oven). Absolutely gorgeous (baked potatoes saved for another day).

All the cut off bits went to the green bin. I discovered that the towels DS3 brought down had only been placed inside the WM, not actually washed so I added all my cleaning rrags and a few clothes and set that off. I was hoping to go outside again but evrything seized up. I had a shower and made the bed as comfortable as possible (pillows supporting my back, neck and shoulders, knees and ankles propped up). I did a food order (mainly drinks - I'm getting through a lot of fizzy water, better for me than cola and more exciting than tap water)

Moving very slowly this morning (wheezing too, even before I went outside) but hung out all the washing bit by bit. Washed the hose and mask for my CPAP machine. Filled some buckets and bottles from the water butt (only 1/3 full now). Came in took off my sundress, slathered on sun cream and got ready for Coffee and Chat. And then decided not to go. Felt slightly guilty but also very relieved. Lots of me still hurt and I dreaded the walk across the car park in the blazing sun. Continued using up things from the fridge and freezer and read a book on my laptop. Also made some donations, signed a few petitions and did more cleaaaring up emails.Food delivery was early (I was lucky enough to get a £1 green van - that's when the van is already in your area so saving fuel/ the environment). Put away my ice lollies and the fridge stuff.

Told DS3 and Beloved I needed a decision on a chinchilla cage (he hadn't told Beloved). She picked one and I've ordered it and it should come Wednesday. The chinchillas are contributing to my breathing difficulties. I want them upstairs and 2 sets of my drawers down here. Mrs Builder suggested that when she comes next Friday we will clear out the cage and they should take it upstairs. It's very big and bulky and DS3 said it wouldn't go. I had offered to buy a new cage some time ago (there are several holes rusted through the middle layer). It can be assembled upstairs, the chinchillas can be transferred and the old cage goes out in the back for the bulk waste collection. DS3 has been putting off picking out a cage saying he doesn't know if he can do all the clearing before then. Not ordering the cage is ensuring that it won't get done and I wasn't letting him keep prevaricating,

Grateful for getting things done, taking the time needed to rest (I want to keep moving forward, pushing myself but not grinding to a halt when my body can't take it any more), good books and drama series.

Esmeralda2662

@beanielou hope you soon feel better x

@foxholes you'll be near my neck of the woods. Can't remember if the Lady Godiva clock is still there with the peeping Tom.

grandmanerd

Having finally got through to DS3 that the new chinchilla cage is coming and the animals will be going upstairs, he made astart on clearing some space, so when I woke up yesterday there were 2 enormous bin bags and a huge crdboard box in my kitchen. I spent most of the morning working on them as most of it was recyclable rather than actual rubbish (he spent ages reading through the new lists, not sure why he doesn't get it).

The cardboard box was emptied and it and all the cardboard in it went into a large paper grocery bag which I later took to the bin. I collected soft plastic and empty shampoo bottles. The part filled ones went in the shower room sink to drain/ rinse. I brought in 2 towels from the line and later a pile of cleaning rags. I've started on one of the bin bags but put the full one outside in a corner as I'm pretty sure that there's no actual rubbish to attract unwelcome visitors.

I spent the afternoon reading and eating from the freezer. I finally made my way upstairs at 7.30 pm, armed with multiple bags - literally, I held onto both handrails and had bag handles over each arm. I took bin bags, small green bags, some jute bags for life and a large paper bag, 2 cans, pen and notebook, phone (to keep track of time). As I walked up the stairs I pushed anything on the stairs which had been thrown down. Mostly more of my clothes (DS3 is emptying my drawers by taking out clean clothes and throwing them down, he didn't think to put them in a bin bag to roll down).

Upstairs was both better and worse than expected. I asked to sit on his office chair - he said he'd cleared it specially for me. Spen.t nearly two hours up there with DS3 unpacking drawers and picking things up from the floor with a grabber (and groaning, a lot). He emptied a set of drawers which he was going to bring down (then later decided to postpone until today). I filled 3 paper grocery bags with collected cardboard and broken up cardboard boxes (paper bin will be collected today). My suitcase is full of handbags, some clothes and various items that were on top and inside the drawers. He tried to give me the contents of a large box which all turned out to be cosplay clothes (not mine). They have packing boxes with some of their things in.

I asked about some items that were on the floor, hidden amongst boxes - an old computer tower which has had the hard drive removed, a small fridge and the insect zapper. I said these were all potential bulk waste items, he argued that they were less of a problem than a couch, bed or wardrobe. I asked if he were getting rid of a bed or wardrobe (no) then explained that they couldn't go in the bin and we couldn't take them to the tip. I filled 3 jute bags with things I wanted (particularly some paperwork I wanted) and juggled bags for soft plastics, rubbish and cans. He wandered off for a while. I put the 3 bags of paper in individual bin bags and shoved them out of the bedroom window (escape window) to be collected and put in the blue bin (minus the bin bag - that was only to stop the contents scattering or getting dirty) and put out for collection (he did that at least).

So, vastly improved but still no room to assemble the cage and he's reluctant to bring down my suitcase or anything he thinks is too heavy. I came downstairs backwards with my 3 bags in front of me. Thankfully that was way less scary than I was anticipating. I need to go back up there, hopefully today and then maybe once a week (will repeat the bin bags through the window with cans and bottles). I would like to access the second set of drawers, to see what's in/ on them. I want the bulk waste items downstairs and preferably out in the backs. I need things to be different (it's unacceptable) but will keep plodding (and explaining simple things like if it hurts to pick things up from the floor, don't just drop them on the floor in the first place)

I had a shower when I came down and then crawled into bed. I ate an ice cream lolly and a bar of chocolate (I wanted takeaway but resisted) I'm awake but will stay here until my knees feel okay (ish). Now for pills, breakfast and checking on estimated delivery times (possibly more sleep).

Grateful for getting things out of the house (can I have a bin for disposing of overgrown toddlers please), good books to read, nice things to eat in the fridge and red berry ice lollies.

beanielou

@grandmanerd. Full of admiration. I don’t know how you do it.

f0xh0les

Must be something in the stars @grandmanerd I skipped out the boys bedrooms on Monday - to be fair 2 of them heard me coming and did a pretty good job themselves. 1 disappeared to hide in the kitchen, and one was an explosion in a #### factory.

Culled some old bed sheets and some dresses which are lovely but I have nowhere to wear them and have never worn them / not in 2 years. Bye bye! Off to the donation/rag container.

I have a lady picking up 2 bin bags of packing peanuts this morning, a trip to the community fridge, and a butter buying spree to look forward to today.

DH is off camping for the weekend (weekend starts Thursday before 12 o' clock these days huh?) I was working away 9 out of the last 13 days so we are still in the 'missed you!' phase. Which will continue as he will only see me for about an hour a day when he comes back cos I am gone before he gets up and will be home after 8pm. I am making hay while the sun shines. Improving what I can. Progress not perfection.

I want to earn enough to pay tax, but I only really want to do work that is fun.

DawnW

Feel better soon @beanielou 😔

Sounds like a lot achieved @grandmanerd - you have the patience of a saint!

Tedious day at work and I was late home for various reasons. OH had cooked the dinner - some freshly cooked veg and the remains of a pie made yesterday. All good, as I was starving.

I have the watering to do shortly - it is still very hot here in the SW and no rain for ages, and none forecast 😔

Looking forward to a day at home tomorrow.

apple_muncher

I have been driving about 50 miles per day this week, taking about 2 hours each time. Pip has some work experience and I've been taking him to the induction week location, coming home, then going back to collect him. It would mean 3 buses and a couple of hours each way, at least, if he went by himself, plus he's using the wheelchair, and I do not think it would be fair on him to make him do that! It's only 10-3, so not a huge amount amount of time at home in between!

I'm pleased that I've been getting things done:

A couple of gym visits

Sainz shop

liddle shop

reading a chapter a day and making notes on the Diary of a ceo

digging things up and laying another half slab at the front

Tidying up garden waste

laundry

important phone calls and admin

a Dr d

visit for visit for Pip

Tomorrow, he's having a 24 hour ecg thingy fitted locally, so we get a little lie in. And then the driving starts again! Next week, he starts his placement which is a bit nearer and slightly easier for him to him to get to on 2 buses, if he insists 🤣.

I'm grateful for dh getting better-he's been completely wiped out for several days, for the car being reliable, for catching up with a neighbour, for a lovely cool shower after today's garden work.