It's fabulous!

 The kitchen looks fabulous - so different and so nice.  I was a bit concerned that it might look too dark with the cabinet and worktop colour choices I'd made, but it doesn't - helped I guess by the large kitchen window, white tiles and magnolia walls.  I know magnolia isn't everyone's cup of tea but I've always liked it because it's light and bright and provides a good neutral backdrop for colour introduced by furnishings and pictures etc.  The cupboards, worktops, tiles and flooring are all in place (they have done well!) - all that's left is to finish off the painting (it's been started already) and clear up after themselves.  The new flooring (vinyl which looks just like laminate wood and is lovely) is currently covered with sheeting to protect it from paint splashes.  I'm sure they'll be finished on Monday, but we'll stay at the caravan until Wednesday, to give the paint time to dry properly, otherwise husband and Betty will be getting it all over themselves!

So here are a couple of pictures (taken on my phone, so forgive the quality and light, it's very much lighter in real life):-

The guys have even put the fridge back and re-plumbed in the washing machine, how kind of them.  They've also capped off the electric cooker fitting (we don't have an ordinary domestic full size cooker) and fitted a new electric socket for the fridge - actually they've given us all new sockets.  I couldn't be more pleased with it all, and am so grateful that we've been given this lovely new kitchen without having to pay for it, how fortunate we are.

We'll be getting a new tall 50/50 fridge freezer in due course, to replace the old under-counter fridge (which we were given for free ages ago).  The old upright freezer can stay out in the car port until we get the new fridge freezer, then we'll get rid of it, along with the old fridge - there's a charity in the town who I'm sure will have them, and will come and collect.  Once we're home I'll arrange for the vertical blind fitter to come back and re-measure the window for accuracy, it'll be so nice to have a new vertical blind instead of the net curtain we had there before.  I'm not a fan of nets, but we are overlooked a bit at the back, even more so when the small barn in the back neighbour's garden (just visible in the last picture) is converted to a holiday home, which they have planning permission for.

One thing that struck me when we got back - just how delighted I am to be home, after a few days away.  I'll be even more delighted next week when we're home again and have all the kitchen stuff put back in place.  I really love this little bungalow.  And actually it feels very spacious after being in the caravan!

Ear mufflers required

 So it's off home today, just for one night... we'll be back here in the van tomorrow.  Although frankly it's not particularly peaceful here now.  There are more and more dogs appearing on site - not that I don't like dogs obviously, I'm just not keen on noisy ones.  Our new neighbours have a border collie (the lovely ex-neighbours C & J didn't have a dog) - to be fair, this collie is very quiet.  Our neighbours on the other side have 2 small, very yappy, dogs and have since also acquired a black Labrador puppy - very excitable.  And there's a new van owner nearby, a middle aged woman on her own who also has 3 dogs (what's the fascination with 3?) - very small, black fluff balls - what they lack in size they make up for in voice.  They are exceedingly noisy, going into a frenzy of yapping at anything that moves, and their owner makes little attempt to shut them up.  They also keep escaping and tear round the site yapping their heads off and setting off every other dog barking.  So it's a choice between the noise and mess at home with the kitchen fitters, or a cacophony of yappy dogs on the park.

Husband has managed to do a temporary repair on the van problem, for which I am grateful.  

I just hope the kitchen fitting is going well.... we'll find out later today!

Weeding and problems

 It's not all been relaxing here, we've done lots of gardening too...in fact a bit too much, all the bending, pruning and weeding has done my back in, so no more for a day or two.  The amount of rain this year, interspersed with some very hot days, has really caused the weeds to grow and some of the shrubs to go berserk.  It's mostly all weeded and cut back now, thank goodness.  I have 3 roses in pots here at the caravan, none of which have done well at all....I also have one in the ground, which has done fantastically well.  So there's a lesson.  I shall take the 3 potted ones home and plant them in the ground, I expect they'll do much better there.

We've got a problem with the caravan, which husband seems unable to deal with - I'm sure he would have been able to fix it relatively easily years ago but not now, his cognitive impairment has put paid to that.  His mind just seems unable to grasp how to.  I know nothing about DIY so can't help, I'll either have to Google the problem when we go home tomorrow (internet here isn't reliable), or husband will have to get some advice in a caravan workshop place - there's one on the way home.

Husband literally cannot remember or take in anything the last couple of days, I expect the van problem is totally occupying his mind.  It's wearing me out though, I'm having to repeat things to him constantly all the time, it's exhausting.

Quiet!

 Quiet as anything here, the site's only about 1/3 full, it's nice.  Caught up with a couple of friends.  Been nice warm weather, with a stiff breeze to stop it from being too hot.

The kitchen fitters arrived on time, seem a likeable and efficient pair.  They reckon they'll be done on Monday, Tuesday at the latest.

Food shopping tomorrow morning, gardening in the afternoon.  Thursday we'll be going to The Range and Dunelm, both big stores.  Husband will stay in the car with Betty (we don't leave her in the caravan, unless we're just popping to the local village shop for a carton of milk), leaving me free to browse in the stores - bliss.  I'm feeling quite relaxed already.

Done

 All jobs done, the kitchen is now empty except for the fridge and washing machine, some breakfast things for husband and Betty, kettle, mugs and tea & coffee.  Freezer empty and out in car port being defrosted.

Just got to have a few words with the fitters when they arrive in the morning, leave them a key and my mobile number, load the cool box and dog in the car, then we're off.  I'll only be doing short posts on my phone now and then in the van.

See you - with pics - when it's all done.  I feel curiously flat now, tired and tank on empty.

Almost D-day (well, K-day)

 Husband was chatting on the phone with his daughter yesterday, she asked how we both are and he said we'd both had colds for a couple of days a while back.  Honestly, I think he lives on a different continent to me, he's oblivious most of the time - my cold (flu, virus, whatever) laid me low for about 3 weeks.....he had a sore throat which lasted no more than 2 days, and no other symptoms.  I wonder what he'd tell people if I broke my leg, say, and was in plaster - he'd probably say I'd got a bit of a limp!  Incidentally, I still have a cough - it's not chesty now, just a dry irritating cough which seems very persistent.

I've got quite a lot to do today, but am relaxed about it - it's all on my list and will get done easily.  Husband has been raring to go since he got up, announcing he'll move the kitchen table and chairs and all of the small electric cooking appliances out into the lounge, as soon as he's dressed.  Well actually I'll want to use the electric hotplate and the microwave for dinner this evening, so he can't move those!  I'll have to try and restrain him from doing everything he thinks needs to be done, and get him to do what actually needs doing, in the right order.  Yesterday I had to retrieve a couple of things from boxes out in the car port, where he'd taken it upon himself to pack them away without asking me if I needed them.  It's good that he's enthusiastic about helping, I suppose, rather than just dozing in front of the TV, but it would be more helpful if he actually did what I ask, and not what he thinks needs doing.  He's got his small list of jobs I wrote out for him a couple of days ago....so far he's done none of them, he's just doing things I don't want him to do 😂😒

The kitchen fitters will be here between 08.00 and 08.30 tomorrow morning - exciting!  I'll just need to have a few words with them, leave them a key and my mobile number in case of problems, put the cool box in the car and then we'll be off, leaving them to it.  We'll be packing most of the stuff in the car tonight.  In 10 days time, I'll have a brand new kitchen!

Boxes ticked

 I've worked through nearly all the jobs on my list and am well up to date.  The only things left to do are to pack away the remaining few bits of essential kitchen equipment tomorrow after dinner, then move the table and chairs into the lounge and put the small electric cooking appliances on the table and move the freezer out in the car port to defrost, it's on wheels and is relatively easy to move.  The kitchen fitters will move the fridge and washing machine out on Tuesday morning.  I did the last load of washing yesterday lunchtime, the sun came out so I thought I might as well get the washing out whilst the weather was reasonable.  There's a little bit of washing left in the basket, not enough for a full load though and nothing essential.  I got the clothes, my books, my meds and Betty's food and treats for the caravan all sorted yesterday, ready for packing today.  I did get husband to sort his clothes too, but will have to go through them myself today, as he'll no doubt have too many of some things and not enough of others.  He's got his meds for the week to put in his dosset box today, which I will supervise.  We're planning on coming back home next Saturday, to see how the kitchen fitters have got on - we'll stay overnight and go back to the van on Sunday morning, they're expecting to finish everything by the following Tuesday or Wednesday. 

We've had a few odd meal combos over the past week or 10 days, whilst I've been using up everything from the freezer....not that I mind, it's all been perfectly edible and nothing has gone to waste.  A sprinkle of cheese makes anything taste alright 😂😂.  I shall be quite glad to get back to normal healthy eating though.....I might even join Joy and do a Mediterranean-style meal plan - lots of lovely veggies, fish, nuts and olive oil, which is pretty much what I like to eat anyway.  And it'll soon be homemade soup weather!! 😁

There's a big The Range store not far from where the caravan park is, it has a very large craft section with loads of art supplies, so I shall go and have a look there one day this coming week.  I think they do little starter kits of art stuff, that might be a good idea, I might even get one for trying out in the caravan.

Did anyone watch Sam Smith at the Proms last night?  I've no comments to make on his sexuality, choices of pronouns or what he wears, I just love his singing, he's got such a beautiful soulful voice.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, even husband didn't complain (as I'd warned him in the morning that I intended to watch it). 

New hobby for winter

 The other day I was having an online chat with a friend on FB, and mentioned drawing.  They asked me more about what I do and I said I draw cards and pictures, using coloured pencils and Sharpie-type pens mostly, my favourite subject being flowers.  Having said that, I haven't done a lot of drawing or card making recently, hardly any in fact - the past year or so has been a bit full on with moving house, getting this new place sorted, starting the garden (which was pretty much a blank canvas and sea of gravel) from scratch, and maintaining it.  My friend asked if I do any painting, I said no, it's not something I've tried, although we found out quite late in my Mum's life that she was actually quite an accomplished watercolour painter.  Anyway, FB was obviously spying on our conversation (it's quite scary really just how much our computers etc know about us!!) and shortly after I noticed a little video, one of the little 'reels' they show on our pages, to do with watercolour painting.  So I had a look.....and was instantly hooked (funny that!).  It was a brief - couple of minutes - video of someone doing a watercolour A5 size painting of flowers.  Several things struck me - the amount of water used, both on the paper to begin with, and the brush being dipped into a plain jar of water often, how quick and easy the painting was, and just how effective and beautiful it turned out to be, with just a relatively few strokes.  This probably sounds very naive and idiotic of me, but I hadn't actually realised that watercolour painting is done using quite a lot of water!  I'd never actually seen my Mum doing any painting, just the finished pictures.

Well, having watched one video, my FB page was then bombarded with loads more watercolour artists and a couple of evenings ago I fell down a rabbit hole of them, spending an hour or two watching loads of these little videos.  I think I'm in love!

So when I've got a bit more time (after the kitchen is fitted and I've put everything back in the new cupboards....and probably rearranged them several times, and gone shopping to restock everything), I'll be watching a few more videos, both the little reels on FB and others on youtube.  I'll concentrate initially on instructional ones, talking about the type of paper and brushes used, to give me an idea of a few simple supplies to buy to get me started.  I don't intend to rush out and buy up all the art supplies in Hobbycraft, I'm not going to spend loads of money on something I might turn out not to like much after all, or be any good at!  I feel quite excited about giving it a go though, it'll give me something to do when husband is out at the gym 3x weekly, or he's watching some noisy film on the TV - or rather dozing in front of a noisy film....and why is it that all the films he watches have to involve lots of shooting, shouting, car crashes, buildings being blown up, people screaming as they're being hacked to pieces by swords or big ugly alien creatures tearing them to shreds? 😒😠.  If it's not noisy and violent, he's not interested!

We haven't had the bad storms down here, just a few short but quite heavy rain showers and some strong gusts of winds (it's raining at the moment) - none of it lasting very long, and no damage, we've got off very lightly.  I hope none of you have suffered any damage.  Actually, as I'm typing this, the rain is easing off and the sky is getting a lot brighter, I think we're forecast some sun this afternoon.

Jobs lists working through

 I feel marginally less stressed, having yesterday written down the list of jobs to do/things to remember, and crossing things off as I do them.  I sat husband down, having first prised him away from his computer games and turned the TV off so I had his attention.  I explained (and showed him the list) of jobs to do, and said he'd have to help me, as I cannot do it all myself.  I did tell him (thanks K, it's been so useful!!) that unfortunately there is no jobs fairy, it's down to me - and him - to do stuff.  And he needs to be more considerate and think about things more, rather than just doing something with no thought.  E.g. I'd sorted out a basketful of washing a couple of days ago, it was all whites/light coloured stuff - he threw the pair of dark grey tracksuit bottoms he'd just taken off into the same basket, claimed he didn't notice.  I know he'll revert back to his 'normal' - being completely oblivious and not remembering - within a few days, but hopefully his present 'helpfulness' will last a couple of days until we go to the caravan.  Which is all I need, he can do what he likes when we're there, I won't have much to do so can relax a bit.  I've written him a little list of things he needs to take to the caravan (the Freesat box and cable for a start, he'd be a nightmare with no TV, as he was the last time), his grass strimmer and battery, to name a few.  So that's his responsibility and something I won't have to worry about, other than checking on the day we go that he actually has everything.

This morning I've made Scotch eggs - vegetarian ones.....I had 3 eggs and half a packet of stuffing mix to use up, that'll do for lunches with some homegrown mini cucumbers and tomatoes for the next couple of days and gets rid of another couple of food items out of the kitchen.  The freezer will be empty by Monday, I'm pleased to say I've planned it all pretty well - there won't be much left in the fridge either and whatever is left will be going to the caravan with us.

We were having the caravan plumber over next week to do the gas boiler service, but had a phone call this morning to say his partner has just gone into labour (2 weeks early) with their first child, so he's having a fortnight's paternity leave.  So we'll be going back to the caravan for a day or two once he's back at work.

The weather looks good for next week, which will be lovely.  I'm looking forward to it, and even more so to coming home to a brand new kitchen.  I feel so blessed.

Too much to do

 My new laptop charger arrived today, so I'm able to use my laptop again - my budget smartphone is all well and good (and I do like it actually), but it is a bit limited in what it can do.  At least it's easy to use and does what I need.

It's been a stressful few days, with one thing and another, and I'm so ready to have a few days away in the caravan next week.  Just as a little example - we went shopping this morning for the few fresh bits we need to tide us over - dairy and fruit mainly.  We have a system at the checkout - I unload the trolley or basket (basket today) and husband packs the stuff in bags....I try to put the heavy things on the conveyor belt first (so they should get packed in the bags first), followed by the lighter or breakable things.  It doesn't always work successfully, husband is a bit of a law unto himself when packing bags, nor is he logical.  Today he put the pack of yogurts at the bottom of a bag, so one of them had been squashed and split by the time we got home, yogurt everywhere.  He also dropped my pack of flat peaches - not on the floor, they landed on the checkout, but the bag split and he just dumped it upside down in the shopping bag....when I unpacked the bag at home, the peaches were all loose in the bag, all of them bruised and one split.  Then he slammed one of the bags on the kitchen table, knocking the plastic black pepper grinder onto the floor, smashing it.  It doesn't really matter, it was a cheap one, but just another thing to be cleared up and binned.....and I trod on one of the plastic pieces.  Luckily I had flipflops on, not bare feet, otherwise it would have cut the sole of my foot.  He's a walking disaster sometimes.  Well, nearly every day if I'm honest.

At least we have hot water now, the plumber came yesterday.  Not that we knew he was coming....he just turned up 5 minutes after a phone call to say he would be coming within the next couple of hours!  Just as well we were in.

Husband is back to obsessing over things, a couple of things the past few days that he's hyper-focused on and keeps on about, which is doing my head in.  I do grit my teeth and just nod my head, but it is exhausting.  My brain currently feels like it's a basket full of dozens of scraps of paper, each with a job or thing to do and/or remember written on it, but the basket is constantly filling up and overflowing at the sides, with bits of the paper dropping out, so I'm forgetting a few things or constantly worrying that I've missed something.  Where's that desert island when you need it?

Blimmin technology

 My laptop charger has died, it had been playing up for the past month, so I'll have to blog etc on my phone whilst I'm waiting for a new one (the computer shop are ordering it for me, it's not a 'normal' one 🙄).  So it'll be short blogs in the meantime, and my phone doesn't always allow me to comment on other blogs, sorry about that - I'll still be reading though.

Nipped into town this morning (computer shop and library), just after 9 am and we already found it hard to park, busy even at that time, tourists everywhere.  Another fortnight and the kids will be back to school and we'll get our town and beaches back!

Going down rapidly

 The freezer is emptying out rapidly now - this morning I've got out a tub of cauli/broccoli cheese I made last week, we'll have it for dinner today, along with some of next door's frozen runner beans.  A chicken leg for husband for today, and some drumsticks and 3 leftover (uncooked) sausages - I'll cook the drumsticks and sausages tomorrow morning, they'll do husband for lunches for 3 days.  There are some salmon and cod fillets left in the freezer, along with a couple of battered haddock portions and half a pack of fish fingers, so it'll be a fishy week (lovely, I adore fish, husband likes it too).  Half a bag of frozen chips and the same of spicy wedges, frozen peas and the little bit of spinach.  A couple of cartons of milk each, and some dog food, and that's it, it'll definitely be empty by the end of next weekend.

We're also having home grown carrots and spuds today....husband's now gone out to get them, having been asked 3 times now 😒.  He complained he was busy (playing chess on his computer!) and why did I want them now when we won't be having dinner until around 5 pm?  As I've told him umpteen times, I like to get all my jobs done in the mornings, as my energy levels drop significantly come the afternoon.

Today's spuds will be the last of our 5 bags of them, they did quite well, we shall be growing them again in bags next year.  There are probably 3, maybe 4 meals' worth of carrots left, so they'll all be eaten this coming week.  Home grown carrots are so tasty, compared to supermarket ones which taste and smell of nothing.  Our tomatoes are just beginning to ripen.....just when we're about to go away in the caravan for a week or 10 days....sod's law 😂.  I'll tell our next door neighbours they're welcome to help themselves (although I think they grow their own too), and the kitchen fitters as well.

I want to say a big thank you to all of my readers, especially the ones who take the trouble to leave comments, I really appreciate your support, you don't know how much it means to me, particularly when I'm feeling low and/or stressed.  Thank you 💕

Slightly unnerving, and my laugh for today

 Well, husband didn't notice that the baked beans were the low salt/sugar ones that he'd previously said were awful and didn't want ever again....in fact he commented that they were nice (I hadn't told him what beans they were) and asked what I'd added to them.  I liked them too, but shan't bother buying those ones again.....not much point when I have to add extras to them to disguise the taste and make them palatable.

Our freezer and larder food stocks are diminishing rapidly, there'll be nothing left in the freezer by the end of next weekend, so we'll be able to get it out in the car port and leave it switched off.  It's on wheels so is relatively easy to move.  I must say it's quite unsettling not having plenty of food in - well, there's plenty of food to last us the next week or so, what I mean is that I've not got back up stocks now, having deliberately been running the stock down over the last few weeks and not shopping for much.  I've been so used to having well stocked food stores, extras in case of emergencies, that not having much left in feels quite unnerving really.  I'll be stocking up again after the new kitchen's in, we'll shop for whatever we need in the caravan whilst we're there, there's a small supermarket in the nearby village.

Betty's been in a very playful mood this morning, playing with all her toys and having zoomies, charging around the lounge and hallway and in and out of my bedroom whilst I've been sat here in my bedroom armchair.  She's got a cushion bed beside my armchair, although generally sleeps on my bed overnight, unless it's very hot when she does get off and lay on her cushion bed instead.  She came running in just now and dived underneath her bed, then stood up with the bed balanced on top of her head and body, she looked like she was wearing it.  I was laughing so much, it was so funny, my phone is in the lounge on charge otherwise I'd have taken a photo!  She makes me laugh every single day.  She'll be 8 in October (her 2 parent breeds generally have life spans of around 10 years or so) but still acts like a puppy.  She's exhausted herself now and is lying on my bed, staring at me.  Bless her, I love her to bits.

Still nothing much on for the coming week, just got to go to the library, get stuff ready for going to the caravan, and empty the last bits of essential stuff we're using out of the kitchen at the end of next weekend.

Husband has this week finished his GP referral course at the gym and has decided he'd like to take out a membership there, so he can go 3x a week, which I think is a very good idea.  It's a small gym, there are mostly older users there (mostly GP referred) although the instructors are younger, and doesn't cost a huge amount.  It'll be good for him, the one hour a week GP referral - whilst a good idea in principle - just isn't enough to make much of a difference.  The instructors are all trained in looking after older people with health problems and do keep a good eye on the customers, so I have no worries about him going there, I know he'll be looked after.  And of course it gives me more free time!

Nothing to do! And a recipe for a cheesy courgette sauce

 We've each got a couple of small jobs to do this morning, but that's it.  Other than the normal everyday jobs, for the first time in ages, we actually have more or less nothing to do and no appointments for the next week.  And the weather is forecast to be good - dry, mostly sunny but not too hot.  We could have a couple of days out....I'll have to have a think about that, see if I can come up with somewhere that's not going to be crowded with tourists.

Our next door neighbours keep giving us a load of runner beans every few days....they must have grown a field's worth of them 😂 (they have an allotment).  They tried to give us some yellow courgettes too - I gracefully declined, as we have more than enough of our own.  I've asked that they don't give us any more beans now - I've frozen the last ones they gave us yesterday and I am trying to empty the freezer!  

Trying to be inventive with the glut of courgettes, the other day I came up with an idea for what turned out to be a lovely pasta sauce.  I gently fried the sliced courgettes in a little olive oil, until they were soft and beginning to caramelise.  I added some seasoning (plenty of black pepper, a little salt), some chopped sage and chives, and whizzed it up with my stick blender when it had cooled.  Then I mixed in a big blob of cream cheese, a splash of cream and handful of grated mature Cheddar and heated through on a low heat....a lovely cheesy herby veg sauce for pasta, vegetarian and could be vegan if vegan cheese/cream used.  It would be even better using blue cheese, and chopped cooked smoked bacon could be added for meat eaters.  I'll be doing this sauce again.

I'd bought a couple of tins of low salt and sugar baked beans to try a couple of weeks ago, neither of us was impressed with them, we both thought they had a very artificial chemical taste....in fact husband said he never wanted them again and I could throw out the 2nd tin!  Erm no, I don't chuck perfectly ok food away, so I'll jazz them up a bit, we'll have them tonight with a jacket spud.  He'll be none the wiser, I just won't tell him!  I'll add a tsp honey, some smoked paprika and a dessertspoon of tomato chutney, that'll disguise the taste.  I often give husband things he's professed not to like (he has these sudden dislikes of food he's previously enjoyed, another of his cognitive impairment things), I either add things to them to change the taste, or incorporate them into something else, he happily eats them then.  I don't tell him what I've done, I just make sure he doesn't see me doing it.

And all done....

 Baking and dry foods cupboards done, along with the drawers, this morning.  Now all that's left in the kitchen cupboards is essentials for the next 10 days or so, along with the cooking appliances.  I'm pleased it's all done, I got on and did it whilst husband was out at the gym, it meant I didn't have to keep directing him, answering his constant questions and taking out things he'd packed (without asking me) that we actually need still.

All this extra organisation and planning, on top of the normal everyday stuff, and fielding, dealing with and listening to his constant obsessions and talking at me, is exhausting.  If someone (a fairy godmother with a magic wand) said they could grant me a wish, I think I'd ask for a week on a desert island.  Well, a spa would be better, a half empty one at that.  Except that I'd be worrying about what husband was up to in my absence!

We went to Blue Anchor Bay for a stroll along the prom with Betty yesterday evening, I just needed a breath of sea air.  There were quite a few people about (there are holiday camps there) but it wasn't exactly crowded, it was just nice to be out for a stroll and a lean on the wall to look out to sea.  Well, the Bristol channel and across to Wales.  Sunny, but quite windy, so we didn't stay out long.  I do love living so close to the seaside - it's not really walking distance but only a very short drive, less than 10 minutes.

Lunch will be poached eggs on toast, followed by prepping of a pasta bake for dinner, using up a homegrown and homemade veg sauce from the freezer.  Then I've got some banking and admin stuff to do, then sitting in my recliner chair starting on a new book.  Which reminds me, it's the last of my current set of library books, so I need to go on Monday to return them and stock up on more.

Obsessions, and almost finished

 This morning we nipped into town, stopping off at the GP surgery on the way to drop the bagful of out of date and no longer needed meds to the dispensary for safe disposal.  Then on to the supermarket for a couple of fresh items and some dog food.

Back home, we emptied out the last of the kitchen equipment cupboards - just 3 drawers and 2 double food cupboards left now.  Husband has been helping, but he's often more of a hindrance than a help - instead of doing what I ask (I'm very organised, so I know exactly what needs doing, when, and where it's going), he often does the complete opposite, or does things that I haven't asked and don't actually want doing at this moment.  It wears me out, having to keep a constant eye on him and repeat things all the time.  I've still not regained full strength (and still have the hacking cough) and am feeling decidedly weary now, so am resting for the afternoon.

Husband keeps coming up with (so-called) 'bright' ideas on how to fix the hot water system (oh and the heating, he discovered that currently doesn't work either, thankfully it's not needed right now!).  He's constantly been googling and talking my ears off for the past few days, it's his latest obsession.  I've told him, we are not plumbers or heating engineers, it's not our job to fix these things, it's the Housing Association's responsibility - we pay enough rent and service charges for them to deal with it!  The repair appointment is on the calendar, and we'll be away in the caravan in less than a fortnight, so it's only a little while to wait and not really much of an inconvenience.  Why he can't be satisfied with that I don't know - well, obviously it's down to his cognitive impairment, but he's doing my head in again.

Things to do tomorrow - empty the kitchen drawers and sort out the food cupboards.  The largest cupboard containing all my baking ingredients will be interesting - I don't really do much baking nowadays, so I suspect there'll be quite a bit I don't want or need anymore.  Things like open packets of flour, yeast, baking powder etc will probably have to be binned - I'm not likely to be doing any baking in the next couple of weeks.  If there's anything unopened (and in date) the foodbank might use, obviously it will go to them, the rest will be packed into a plastic box and stored temporarily in the lounge until the new kitchen is done.  Things like tinned beans, tomatoes and fish and packets of rice will go to the caravan when we go, it's always useful to have those there so I can make a quick meal without having to go shopping when we arrive.

Almost finished now.  It's been like a mini version of moving house again!

Nearly done

 Much cooler overnight and the awful humidity has gone, so better sleeps for all 3 of us.  It's 24 deg with a brisk breeze now, so really quite pleasant, although showers are forecast all afternoon.  The garden certainly needs it.

We sorted out another 3 kitchen cupboards this morning, just the baking tins/cookware cupboard to do, plus 2 double food cupboards and 3 drawers.  We had 2 plastic tubs full of medications and vitamins in the kitchen, I went through them.  Several had old meds of husband's - he had quite a few of his heart meds changed a few months ago, I had one change of med.  And some of the vitamins and hayfever meds were out of date.  The out of date vitamins went in the dustbin, the old prescription meds in a bag to be handed in at our surgery's pharmacy, for them to safely dispose of.

I remember when my mother-in-law died, she had about 6 or 7 CARRIER BAGS full of prescription medications, some current but others well out of date, she must have been hanging onto them for years (she was a hoarder, as is husband, which is obviously where he gets it from).  I think that's one of the reasons why I'm fairly minimalist - I hate seeing clutter anyway, but can't bear the thought of someone else having to sort through a ton of stuff after I've died.

I've done the final freezer inventory and menu plan, I'll be able to use up almost everything in the freezer, I'm pleased about that.  I think the only things that will be left will be a tub of homemade cauli/broccoli cheese and a couple of home baked jacket spuds, both of which we'll take to the caravan.  Oh, there might be half a bag of frozen spinach, but I'm not going to fret about that - it's not one of my favourite veggies anyway, I only buy it occasionally as it's supposed to be good for you!

We've been invited to the caravan owners annual bbq next month.  Last year's one was on a blisteringly hot day, we didn't stay very long, it was just too hot.  Mind you, that was in June, hopefully next month it won't be that hot.

Like a cow's a*se - and a huge marrow

 Kitchen manager rang this morning, to confirm a couple of details, so we now know the fitting is definitely going ahead 2 weeks tomorrow.  We started emptying some of the crockery, glasses and cookware cupboards this morning, 3 plastic boxes filled and stacked out in the car port, we'll carry on with it tomorrow.  I also did another freezer inventory, I'm fairly sure we'll be able to eat most of the contents within the next fortnight - any few leftovers (there should only be perhaps 2 meals' worth) we'll take to the caravan, that'll be meals sorted for the first couple of days there.

After having a peaceful weekend, the neighbours' noisy builders have arrived back, so there's banging and crashing galore going on, which is irritating when we have to have all the windows open because of the heat.  Thank goodness they stop around 5 pm.  I don't know how much longer it'll go on for, hopefully all the really noisy stuff will be over by the time we get back from the caravan to our lovely new kitchen.

For weeks now I've been feeling like I'm chasing my tail (or as my friend says, like a cow's a*se - all behind!), constantly trying to catch up with myself.  I've said before, and as everyone knows, moving house is a very expensive business, it took all of our savings, which turned out to be not nearly enough as the move happened so quickly and a few years before we'd been told it would, and I've not yet managed to replace them.  However, the last bit of financial catching up will be done next week (hooray!!), and then I can start the savings again in earnest.  We have a few expensive purchases to make over the next few months, but that's fine - it doesn't all need to be done at once, we'll do it one thing at a time.  By the beginning of September, fingers crossed, we should be well and truly solvent again, which will be a huge weight off my shoulders.

I had a quick look in the garden earlier - I spotted half a dozen mini cucumbers ready to pick (a couple of which were no longer mini!) and several yellow courgettes, one of them was fully grown MARROW size.  It's husband's job to water and pick the veg, he claims he does it regularly - every day he says - but how he could have missed the MARROW I don't know, I saw it straight away.  He just doesn't look beyond the end of his nose, obviously.

We had lots of thunder this morning - no lightning, well not that I saw - and a couple of 2-minute sharp showers.....hardly enough to wet the garden and even the paths were dry again minutes later.  Not a drop in the water butt.  It was unpleasantly humid and sticky during the night and all morning, but has freshened up now and isn't nearly so hot - 25 deg according to the thermometer.  Hopefully, we'll be able to sleep better tonight, I hardly got any sleep last night, far too sticky, and poor Betty was restless too, she wasn't liking the humidity either.

How to keep focused and not dwell on things

 The end of last week was my lowest point, things had really got on top of me, we've got a lot going on right now, including several problem issues, and it just got too much.  Along with my physical health not being good (still got the hacking cough, sore chest muscles, bit of wheeziness, extreme fatigue), it just about finished me off.  You can tell it's the school holidays, there are children everywhere....bearing in mind this is a sheltered housing community of over 55s with no children living here, we're not used to seeing small groups of kids running through the estate (there's a cut-through alleyway) yelling and laughing, kicking balls around or cycling erratically (both cycling and ball games are supposedly banned here, there are signs up to that effect).  We've had a few of them playing knock down ginger a couple of times - the first time husband answered the door, by which time they'd run off round the corner, he could hear them giggling.  He said the next time he'd tell them he'd let the dog loose - erm, no you won't!!  I wouldn't even have bothered answering the door, the top half of the door is privacy glass so it's possible to see if someone's there.  I've told him he's not to open the door in future (they'll probably get bored of it if they're not getting a reaction), and it's most certainly not a good idea to threaten people with the dog.  He will forget, of course, so I will just have to try and make sure it's me who checks the door each time we have a knock.  Kids will be kids, I'm sure we did the same things (worse in husband's case!) when we were young, they're not doing any harm, it's just a bit of a nuisance.

It's a fortnight on Tuesday till the kitchen fitters come, it's come round quickly.  So tomorrow we'll be starting on emptying the cupboards, packing the stuff we're keeping into the plastic boxes in the car port.  I also need to make a menu plan to use up everything in the freezer - it's nowhere near fully loaded so we should be able to use up most things, anything left we'll take to the caravan on the day we decamp there.  I can't wait for it all to be done, it feels like we're in limbo at the moment.  My mood is still very low, but having a plan and lots to do is helping to keep me focused.

Black dog

 Depression and anxiety has kicked in again and I'm finding things very hard to cope with right now.

A very near neighbour in one of the large private houses alongside us is having a big extension built and the constant noise is very aggravating.  Considering they block the (quite narrow) road up with builders skips which are being filled constantly throughout the day, with diggers and equipment deliveries on and off throughout the day also, I'm quite surprised the disruption was allowed by the Planning Dept, perhaps they're a Councillor or have friends in high places - the planning application and permissions for the skips were obviously okayed.  The obvious answer would be to get out of the way and go to the caravan but, as I said, it's forecast to be hot over the weekend and neither Betty nor I can cope with the heat in the caravan.  And, in any case, I've just not been well enough to go this week.

We've got some heavy financial stuff going on at the moment and husband is adding to my anxiety by constantly asking "Who's paying for that, you or me?" all the time.  I know he can't help it, it's one of his many obsessions that have got worse with his cognitive impairment, but boy does it add to the problems I'm having.  Betty is obviously picking up on my anxiety and is playing up - she's always been a bit of an anxious and excitable doggy anyway, but I was able to contain and deal with it better before.

We've had no hot water since Monday evening, I've reported the problem but the Housing Association say the earliest date they can get someone out to fix it is 6th September, although they said they'll try and get out sooner if they get a cancellation.  The shower still works (it's electric and separate to the hot water), but it is a bit of a nuisance having to boil a kettle for hot water for everything else.  I'm not complaining, it would be a problem if we had no water at all, it's just an inconvenience really but is something else that husband constantly goes on about - as if I can do anything to expedite it!

I did have a chat with husband a couple of days ago and let him know how much anxiety and stress I've suffering right now, and how unhelpful he's been since I've been unwell, and how extremely irritating he's being by constantly backchatting and arguing with me, over the stupidest little things.  He's calmed down a bit since then and even offered to serve up dinner yesterday, but I know it'll only be a temporary reprieve before he's back to normal.  Well, his normal.

Thank you everyone for all your kind comments, and I'm sorry I've not been replying or leaving comments on your blogs - I did make a start on trying to comment on other blogs yesterday, but gave up as my head wasn't in the right place, sorry about that.  My blogging might be (well, will be if truth be told) a bit sporadic until I get myself together again.

Cough, cough, cough

 I'm feeling somewhat better now, other than the hacking cough which sounds like I've been smoking 40 ciggies a day all my life.....I did smoke when I was young and stupid, but only 10 a day and I packed up 30+ years ago.  My chest and stomach muscles are sore too, from all the coughing, and the smallest job wears me out - I have been taking things easy and have lots of sit downs.  I've eaten lots of fresh fruit, homegrown garden veggies, fish and good sourdough bread.  Not so much cheese or yogurt though, as it was contributing to the mucus problems.  I've drunk lactose-free milk for years but, up till now (well, the virus thingy), haven't really had problems with yogurt or cheese before.  The biggest leftover problem from the flu virus (or whatever it was) though is definitely the overwhelming tiredness and brain fog, and the coughing of course.

We've got no appointments this week or next, which is good as it means I can make a start on emptying out the kitchen cupboards - well, in theory anyway, actually doing it might be a different matter.  I've planned in what order we're going to do it, and where we can put all the stuff - the little used crockery, cooking pots & utensils can go in plastic boxes in the car port.  Tins and packets of food in boxes in the lounge (I've steadily been using up food supplies so there won't be a great deal), along with the microwave, air fryer, table top cooker, toaster etc - although these electrical items won't be moved until a day or 2 before the kitchen fitters arrive, as I'll still be using them.  I'll have some unused kitchen equipment to go to the charity shop, no point in keeping stuff I haven't used since we moved here and cluttering up my new kitchen cupboards.  And a few tins and packets of food can go in the Foodbank box in the supermarket.

Having said that though, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the stuff that needs doing - we were thinking about going to the caravan for a long weekend as I have less to do there, the jobs aren't staring me in the face like they are here.  However, the forecast is for hot weather at the weekend - nice, but not in a tin box, neither Betty nor I cope well with that, so we won't be going.

Meanwhile, the problem relative has decided to rattle all our cages again, for the stupidest of reasons - so-called problems which have the rest of us itching to tell them to get a life, as we all have genuine everyday life things going on!  Examples from this week (and this is just some of them) - couldn't make themselves a hot drink as they forgot to take milk out of the freezer and it was taking ages to defrost.  Their TV remote wasn't working (try changing the batteries?).  They fell out of bed (they're a middle aged adult, not a child or an elderly person and didn't do themselves any damage).  Their toilet doesn't always flush first time.  I would add that we live about 200 miles away, and another close relative who they frequently badger is currently on a family holiday in France, both of which the problem relative seems oblivious to.  Perhaps they think we have helicopters at our disposal and unlimited time. 

Went into town yesterday, husband needed some tomato feed and I wanted my favourite sourdough bread from the Co-op.  Was glad I went in there as they had a fish pie mix of cod, salmon and smoked haddock and loads of fresh cod fillets in their reduced cabinet.  I bought the fish pie mix and 2 of the cod fillets packs, each containing 2 fillets, all yellow stickered to a quarter of the price - bargain.  They all went straight in the freezer.  I do love fish.

Break

 To add to the general illness (as if that wasn't enough by itself), yesterday I had nosebleeds on and off most of the day.....hardly surprising with the industrial amounts of snot I've been blowing out.  As fast as the bleeding stopped, it started up again when I sneezed or coughed violently, which I've been doing a lot of.  And all the sneezing and coughing has been playing havoc with my bladder issues, to add to the heap of indignities.  And now I've got a cold sore, just to make me feel even better.

I'm really feeling down mentally, as well as all the physical stuff.  I'm no fun to be around right now so am taking a few days off blogging.

Incidentally, husband is fine, his sore throat didn't amount to anything.

If a job needs doing.....

 I went downhill and felt utterly dreadful again by the afternoon yesterday, possibly a case of doing too much, too soon.  But what else am I supposed to do?  When things need doing, they have to be done, and I can't just sit around and ignore all the jobs, nor do I want to have to throw all the garden produce away because it hasn't been dealt with, in this hot weather some of the veggies wilt and spoil very quickly.  Husband persists in picking/digging it up, but then just dumps it in the kitchen without doing anything about it.  Case of the 'Jobs Fairy will do it' obviously, he just doesn't think.  There's no point in me getting annoyed with him, or hoping that he'll realise I need help, his brain just doesn't work like that.  And as I've said before, if I ask him to do something he quite often moans about it, or says he will and then instantly forgets, so I just do it myself.  And yes it does make me resentful sometimes, but that's life.

The vet gave Betty's ears a good clean out and then put some stuff in them, so she'll be fine in a day or two.  They suggested we buy a steroid spray (from them) to squirt in her ears every few days.....at a cost of £45 for a 75 ml bottle - and that was with the 10% discount we get with the expensive monthly vet costs plan we pay (on top of her pet insurance).  No thanks, we're not made of money.  I googled it at home - online vet meds suppliers sell it for £22!!  Less than half the price the vet charges.  It's prescription only though so I could only get it online if I supplied a vet prescription - for which the vet charges, of course.  We have come to the conclusion that we really don't like this vet practice, they are part of a chain and seem to be purely a business - they're cold and clinical in their dealings with us and Betty, and I haven't warmed to them at all, they're abrupt to the point of rudeness sometimes and their charges are astronomical.  We've asked a couple of neighbours who have dogs where they go, and they both recommended a different vet, a family practice nearby, their online reviews are all glowing, citing their kindness and caring attitude.  And apparently they don't charge silly prices either.  So we'll be changing to them.

I'm very up and down right now, sometimes I feel better but as soon as I start doing anything, I quickly feel very poorly again.  This flu virus, or whatever it is, has really taken it out of me, both physically and mentally.  I'm going to try doing some tidying up in the garden today, a bit at a time.  I was looking at it yesterday, it's got so weedy and overgrown in the last couple of weeks - husband has been sitting out there a lot whilst I've not been well and stayed in my room, but he's completely oblivious to what needs doing.  My lovely lush green and healthy herb bath now looks like a disaster, it's all brown and dying, I suspect it's not been watered much, if at all.  The white flowered climbing rose, which had reached the top of the obelisk, is covered with powdery mildew, I'll have to cut it right back and dispose of the cuttings in a bag for the tip, they can't go in the compost bin.  There are thistles and weeds everywhere, a few of the hostas have died off.  It's all a bit of a mess which is upsetting.  

Up then down, then up again

 I felt quite rough again yesterday evening, so went to bed early again.  This flu virus, or whatever it is, is certainly hanging on.  I don't feel so bad this morning though, so hopefully will be able to get on with things, at a slow pace with breaks as needed.  We have lots of garden produce now that needs processing - I shall be blanching and freezing the excess - and there's a load of weeding that needs doing in the garden.  Although husband has been sitting out there a lot, he's oblivious to the weeds.  He says his sore throat is still there, but seems to be easing, and he doesn't feel unwell at all, so that's good.

We've got to take Betty to the vet at lunchtime, we think she's got another ear infection.  Poor thing.  She really doesn't like this heat either, the bungalow thankfully stays reasonably cool, but we have all the windows open, with the curtains closed in the sunniest rooms, and the fan going so she can stay cool.  We do have a cool mat for her, but she won't lie on it!  Obviously, we're replenishing her water bowls with fresh cold water several times a day, she does drink quite often.  We take her out for a short walk early in the morning and again in the evening when the heat has died down.

Our one green courgette plant is coming to an end now, although the two yellow ones are still going strong.  Husband's going to pull up the green plant, to make space for some cauli plants our neighbour kindly gifted us, he also gave us a pile of lovely young runner beans, we're having them with dinner tonight, I'm doing a garden veg risotto.

Annabeth, I used to do the home shopping quite often when we lived in our last house, as we were so far away from the shops.....here though the shops are just a couple of miles away, and I do like to choose produce especially myself.....the pickers are never as conscientious about it.  But it would certainly be a good idea to have a home delivery if either of us isn't well again.  K, I'd never heard of a neti pot so looked it up - have to say it really doesn't appeal to me!  I hope you don't have to wait ages for your nasal polyp op, and that it does the trick.  Joy, our warden doesn't live on site, we have either a weekly visit or a phone call.  Most of our neighbours on this sheltered housing site are disabled, elderly or unable to drive, but I'm sure one or two of them would be able to help us out in case of emergency, should the need arise.  Thank you everyone for your good wishes.

Don't read if you don't like bodily functions

 This is a pretty disgusting subject, so if you're easily offended, squeamish or nauseated by such things, stop reading!

SNOT!

I'm feeling better every day, thankfully.......except for extreme tiredness, and the aforementioned snot.  It feels like my head and throat are brimming with gallons of the stuff, I'm constantly blowing my nose and getting rid of a load, but still it comes....and comes.....and comes.  It's like a never-ending production line that's in constant use.  Where does it all come from?  Is there no end to it?  I googled it, and it seems it's the body's somewhat over-enthusiastic reaction to our immune system going into overdrive.  Basically, it's trying to get rid of the infection.  Well, I'm almost tempted to say I'd rather have the infection (I wouldn't, of course).  I just hope it doesn't last much longer.  I've been using vapour rub and a saline nasal spray, and drinking loads of both cold water and hot with lemon and honey.  I'm sure it'll go soon.....fingers crossed.

Shopping yesterday morning got done, I pushed the trolley and kept my distance from other customers (we went early purposely so there wouldn't be crowds - it was very quiet).  I got husband to pick up the things I wanted and put them in the trolley, so I wasn't handling anything that others might pick up.  I did think about wearing a mask but decided not to as it's hard enough to breathe at the moment anyway.  And on the couple of occasions when I sneezed, I made sure to do it inside my elbow, and I wiped the trolley handle with an antiseptic wipe (we keep some in the car) before putting it back in the trolley bay.  We did the shopping as quickly as possible, fortunately we didn't have anywhere else to go so went straight home.  Husband put most of the shopping away, under my instructions.  It wore me out, as expected, so I rested in my recliner chair for an hour.

Husband's woken up with a sore throat this morning, which I suppose is inevitable - hard to avoid catching anything from your partner when you live in a small bungalow with shared facilities.  With him having heart failure, the potential is there for him to be quite poorly indeed, so it's just as well I'm nearly better now - I can keep an eye on him and ensure he gets plenty of rest (he does anyway most of the time) and drinks enough.  I'll ring the GP if I have any cause for concern over him.