Bit of a Fail Day

I dived out to get father's shaving stuff to the home first thing.  I was supposed to be taking the shaving tackle in yesterday but forgot it, perhaps it is just as well.  I was only in a few minutes as father looked tired, but much better for being there.  I've got a list for some toiletries for him, and I've started the notebook that I need to keep for money in/out.

Since I've got home, well, I've sort of drifted.  I've got this bit here done, and that bit there, but I feel that there is so much to do and nothing in the engine to do it.  Annoyingly I've had some Tesco diet coke, and that has gluten in, so I have been hammered by that.  Such a little thing that really doesn't work for me.

So I am making a plan.  I admit that there is a track record of making a plan instead of actually doing anything, but I am optimistic.  Tomorrow I am tidying the living room and study because bear has a friend coming to play.  I can take the opportunity to have a really good go.  Thursday I call in on father then start on the cupboards.  I need to know what I have to shop sensibly, and there is a superb offer on the Heinz soup at 50p per tin.  I am avoiding frozen stuff as I am trying to get the freezer empty.  I've said that before, but I really need to do this to give me a fighting chance of stocking up sensibly.

For the rest of the time today I am going to aim at getting some writing done.  That tends to give me some get up and go, and heaven knows I need it.  Now that things are settling down with the car and father is back at the nursing home it has rather hit me.  Poor DH is still suffering from the whiplash so we will snuggle down tonight and get some quiet time in.

image from WikiCommons, Chester City Walls taken by John S Turner

I thought I'd add a random pretty picture as I'm feeling a bit homesick and this cheered me up.

You are Kidding!

I couldn't believe my eyes.  When I went into Tesco during a very try day they had Easter Eggs on the shelves.  It isn't even Twelfth Night - our decorations are still up!  How can they put Easter Eggs out with a straight face.  I can just imagine the staff putting it out and grumbling, knowing full well that the customers will be complaining at the till.

It isn't quite Plough Monday.  It isn't quite past Twelfth Night but I feel that we're off again into the working world.  I had planned to start some more of my New Year's Resolutions but instead I got called to a meeting with father's consultant.  He will be back at the nursing home today or tomorrow where they can spend some time feeding him up, teaspoon by teaspoon.  He is still frail and I am still quite worried.

The position with father is this: his stroke in the summer badly affected his ability to swallow.  This puts him at high risk when it comes to getting food and liquid in his lungs.  Father has taken advice and decided he wants to keep eating the pureed/thickened stuff.  I worry.  Tomorrow I will be taking his stuff up to the home and then I hope to start getting things started properly.

In the meantime I want to try and fit in fussing bear and DH - both in need of it, although I want to say DH has been a real hero being battered by bear playing 'Jackie Chan' while still suffering from whiplash.  Then I need to review where my resolutions are and get going with them.

I am optimistic.

Oops!

I've been throwing things out.  I've thrown lots and lots and lots of things out.  The house is better for it, though I feel I have barely made a dent sometimes, it is definitely better.  The more I throw out, the sooner the house will be in a fit state.

Except of course when I throw out bear's pumps that he will need tomorrow for games at school.

I had had some of his old pumps in the pile and got rid previously but I think I threw the current lot out while I was trying to be efficient over Christmas.  I have to get some more!

Matalan didn't have any, neither did Asda or M&S when we called in on the way back from visiting father.  I am going to send all his other kit in, keep everything crossed that they don't need their pumps tomorrow and see what I can find.

Of course there is the matter of size.  Bear has been a junior size 13 for a while.  I have no idea how much longer his feet will stay there though so I am going for the size 1 and hope that they won't be too big.  With pumps I think bigger is better.

I have just had a quick look on Matalan click and collect and there are none there.  It is the wrong time of year for it.  Under the circumstances I think I will have a look at my friend ebay and hope that there is someone who will do express delivery.

This is not stopping me throwing things out!

Driving

We have a new to us car, the same make and type but newer with less miles.  DH spent half today driving around getting used to the car.  We got lost visiting father and the park we hoped to visit was shut.  It was still fun although DH is still a bit shaky after the accident.  It is going to be a test when he gets back to work.  I feel a bit sad, the new car is lovely but we had so much life left in the old car, and so many happy memories in it.  I hope we shall be able to keep this car a lot longer.

Bear went out with his doting auntie and came back with a nerf gun that if stood on end reaches up to his chin.  He has repeatedly demonstrated this nerf gun and there are ricochet marks everywhere.  So far he hasn't dented the ceiling but it is only a matter of time.  He has taken DH upstairs to play his version of Jackie Chan which, as far as I can see, means lots of bouncing off things and waving hands very fast.  Sigh.

Then bear was able to meet up with his doting uncle and found that he has had a donkey adopted for him, and he was very pleased with that.  I think he was a bit disappointed to find that while he can visit, we can't brink a donkey home.  I was clear about my views on what a donkey in his bedroom would do to the carpet.

Tonight is a large drink (thank you, brother) followed by an early night.

Bear Fu

DH has kindly shown bear his first Jackie Chan clips on YouTube.  The furniture will never be safe again.

I've been working on the walk in cupboard.  I am donating the pans father brought.  I looked at them and thought things like, 'what a useful looking pan, what a good size.' and then I thought, I barely use all of my pan set anyway.  I may have a vision of an old fashioned range with pots bubbling gently but realistically if I am cooking I am just as likely to use the microwave to cook fresh veggies and rice and the slow cooker, halogen and remoska do far more than our hob.

I spent some time thinking.  I have decided to keep the cleaning stuff, diy stuff, freezer, material and sewing supplies and any bulk buying.  I am cutting down on the bulk buying, just a few bits now and again.  I am less likely to bulk buy the huge boxes of Ariel as the Aldi is so well recommended and I can just buy at a normal size.  I am getting a grip on the whole business of stockpiling loo rolls so there is less and less stashed.  As I have had and am having a a clear out of the cupboards there is more space to put the tins and pulses, and I am not planning on buying 72 tins of soup again any time soon (I've nearly used all those up and they are still in code).

I also got off a stop earlier after getting the bus into town and back and had an extra little walk.  I am feeling quite good about that.  I have been asked to go into the hospital to speak to the consultant about father on Monday.

Positive Thinking

We have a new car!  It's five years old and almost identical to the old one (but younger).  I hope that this will last us for ten years or so.  It has been okay, we have a settlement figure, we have a good position and now we can make a start.  There are some niggles left, but DH is well on top of them.

Father is still weak.  The doctor described him as 'frail and fragile', but he is a lot, lot better.  However he may now finally get his food sorted out.  Bluntly, father isn't getting enough calories as not enough is staying down, despite .  He was doing well but when he is tired he can't be bothered, and I suspect that food coughed up has ended up in his lungs, causing the pneumonia.  Now I have stamped my foot and said clearly that my father is likely to starve to death they are taking it seriously.  At the moment he is too weak to have most of the investigations.  However now he has a chance of getting them.

I have checked my calendar and online banking.  I am feeling positive.  I've found a bright side.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I've checked my Google calendar, I've checked internet banking, I have started off the New Year's Resolutions.

Now I am crawling off to recover from last night.  I didn't have a lot to drink, but the people at the back did and Dolly Parton at 120 decibels is not something I can cope with at 3am.  Regardless, I am feeling optimistic.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!