OS ways and Poor Health

Welcome emptynester :wave:

TMD, huge hugs :grouphug: it sounds like you are really going through it right now. Please do not go, we want you to stay!!! We all have bad times, and this is a place that you can share that and get it all out there, knowing that we will understand and support you.

Your other kids will learn to be more sensible and helpful, these are not skills that most of us are born with but we acquire them through necessity! Until then things might be a little more chaotic, but you are giving them life skills that will be hugely valuable to them in the future. And please do not worry about them having to help you. I had to do a lot around the house at a young age because of my mother's illness (epilepsy and severe depression) and my dad not being around a lot of the time. I never minded, in fact I think it made me a better person and a lot closer to my mum than I would have been otherwise. And if I ever have kids, they are going to be given plenty of household chores, partly to give them a good grounding and party to reinforce the idea that we are a family unit and all have a role to play in it!

Your job as a mum is not to run around after your kids doing every little thing for them. Your job is to bring them up to be good people (kind, considerate, and dependable) and to encourage them to take a good path in life. You have obviously done this marvellously, as you DD sounds like she is an absolute credit to you! University terms are not that long, she will be back before you know it, and in the meantime your other kids will adjust and keep things running smoothly, I'm sure.

It sounds like you are experiencing a triple whammy, a big upheaval, TOTM, and new meds (I hope you don't mind but I googled them, and this could be side effects as you get used to them). You WILL get through this and feel better. In the meantime please don't bottle it up. And please don't feel like you can't share how you are feeling!!!

You are in my thoughts xxx

Welcome aboard Emptynester.

TMD I'm glad you're feeling a little better after speaking with your DD; I'd be upset if you left us, so you can't! OK?
Re the "mess" in the living room - baby steps - start with finding a home for one item, then congratulate yourself it's one bit less in the wrong place. I speak as a paid-up Flylady.

suki1964 wrote: »

I can't mind who it was who posted about the damp affecting joints more. My GP tells me it's tosh. I know it's not. The first few days of the week it was either humid or peeing down and I was in agony. Friday was lovely, Saturday even better. Both those days I felt great. Today I could cry. All I've managed today is get a dinner cooked and hubby had to peel the veg and today it's dull, and mizzerly and cold.

I can generally tell Mr LW what the weather's doing before he opens the curtains or logs onto the weather site.:D I knew it was drizzling this morning, because I couldn't move any of my joints without accompanying the effort with some "interesting" language! :cool:

Shropshirelass wrote: »

I was watching our little dog, Bonnie, she is a really happy creature - sometimes she just finds a warm sunny place and sits calmly there enjoying the world around her for a few minutes. I'm trying to spend time during the day with the same attitude ... 'I'll just sit here for a bit before I carry on.'

Aww, bless her - animals are such a comfort. I love it when we have dogs here (for the past seven years we've been a host family for a dog-sitting service) - they provide a reason to shift my aching carcass in the mornings.

In fact, further on the retirement thing - I think a lot depends on whether you're doing a job you enjoy, or if it's hell-on-earth dragging yourself in to work every day. :cool:
I was given medical retirement on both physical and mental health grounds at the age of 41, and I definitely felt like I'd been chucked on the scrap heap; but that said, I loathed and detested my job, so I wasn't at all sorry to never have to set foot in that place again.

Re opening jars and bottles - I have something very similar to this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bygone-Easy-Grip-Jar-Lid-Opener-Screw-Top-Bottle-Cap-Can-Hand-Remover-Gadget-New-/351758739600?hash=item51e6746890:g:zQMAAOSwc1FXX84r
It originally belonged to Mr LW's grandmother, and it adjusts to pretty much everything, from wide-necked jars right down to KX bottles (supermarket version of R£d Bu11, which I drink for a caffeine kick when it's too hot to drink coffee).

Have just read through the thread and wanted to say thank you to everyone for sharing such useful information. I will probably start by buying the end for Henry hoover to see if that makes things easier before looking into buying something else. Henry has been with me for 26 years so I'm not keen to let him go when he still works perfectly and looks as good as new!

westcoastscot wrote: »

I have a bit of stuff i go from OT - dycem which is really useful for gripping things too

I love Dycem too. If you buy it in the sheet version it can have multiple uses and you can cut it to a size that works for you. I use it for opening bottles and jars - one piece to grip the jar whilst holding and the other to twist the lid or one piece under the jar on the worktop and then use two hands to grip the lid. Also it can be wrapped around pens to make them thicker to hold, around car keys to help grip, turning taps on and off etc etc.

I keep some in my handbag to help whilst out and about and if it gets dusty, just wash in warm soapy water and the "stickiness" comes back.

This is what I use for opening ring pulls - it's brilliant as you use the tail end for flipping the ring up, then the hook goes onto the raised ring and you push down on the handle so that the gizmo pivots on the can lid whilst pulling it open:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Culinare-Ring-Pull-Opener-Blue/dp/B00K2TO0IW/ref=pd_lpo_201_tr_t_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PT1EQT7DPZH0PXTHJ6EG

I do have another gadget for opening jars which I am unable to find online and unfortunately don't remember where it came from. It has two rubber loops which hook over the top of the jar - one on the neck of the jar and the other over the lid, then a wing nut type handle on the arm of the gizmo then turns to tighten the loops which create the pressure to pop the lid open. It looks similar to this http://www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/kitchen%20and%20household/openers-with-adjustable-gripping-surface-p/cap-gripper-0046081-2286-information.htm but it's not quite the same as the one I have - I don't think I would be able to turn the wheel thing with my thumb.

For getting in and out of cars, I found a thick plastic carrier bag on the seat was much easier to use and more comfortable to sit on than one of those turntable things.

Soft grip clothes pegs are used to reseal bags of porridge oats, berry fruits in the freezer etc - so much easier to use than more traditional wire closers or klippits type closers.

If I can think of anything else, will post later as having bother today with fatigue and need to pace for going out later.