Not a lot, but visitors

 Still feeling yuck, so not much being done around here and not been anywhere, other than quick in and out top up shop.  Husband is back to normal now, albeit coughing still, as am I, although our coughs do seem to be easing off a bit.  

We have visitors today, husband's daughter, son in law and adult grandson, they're staying in the premier inn but spending daytime with us, leaving tomorrow afternoon.  I'm just doing a picky bits help yourself buffet for lunch.  Going out for dinner later, although I doubt I'll be joining them.  They declined breakfast here tomorrow (I think they'd prefer a lie in), but we're all going out for lunch.  It'll be nice to see them, I just wish I felt better.

Slowly

 I'm still not well - body still feels like it's been kicked around a football field, I have no energy and feel permanently tired, still coughing like a heavy smoker.  I have almost no sense of smell or taste and my appetite is nowhere near back to normal - I've just been eating whatever I fancy, when I fancy it.  Which basically means soup and cheese toasties, with some fruit.  Some days I just have a bowl of instant porridge, with some chopped fruit and a handful of mixed seeds stirred in, for lunch or dinner.  The soups I've been having are tinned, although I've got loads of homegrown veg in the freezer ready for making soups, I simply haven't got the energy to make any.  It's been around a month now, which makes me wonder whether it was in fact covid rather than flu.  Whatever, I'm sure it'll go soon (fingers crossed) and I'll get back to normal.  Husband's illness wasn't as debilitating nor long-lasting as mine (thankfully, as with his heart failure he would likely be poleaxed with either flu or covid) - he says he feels fine now, although, like me, still has the cough.  He's been having his frozen ready meals, or things like burgers or his favourite southern fried chicken, things he can easily do himself.....although he usually needs me to advise him on the Ninja temps and cooking times.

I've just been doing one or two jobs every day, doing things at my own (slow) pace and having plenty of rests in between.  I've been getting husband to help when I need to, he's actually been surprisingly obliging, although I do have to ask him to do things, he doesn't think to do anything otherwise.  I need to go to the library tomorrow, I've just finished the last of my library books.  I'm starting to do some decluttering in my bedroom - not that it's overly cluttered, it isn't, but things like second hand paperback books are building up, and I seem to have acquired too many clothes.

Another job I must do in the very near future is to plant all my Spring bulbs - most will be going into pots, with just a few in the flower beds.  Normally, I would already have done this by now, but illness has put a stop to so many things.

I'm actually rather enjoying this slow pace of life, only doing what I feel like doing, not really going anywhere (it's too cold for me to enjoy going for a walk).  

We're having a Hayley

 The cleaning supervisor, Shelley, was really nice - she immediately endeared herself to me by oohing and aahing over Betty and making a big fuss of her....Betty liked her too, but then Betty likes most people!  She said she's a dog person, has always had dogs, and the lady who will be coming to clean for us, name of Hayley, also loves dogs, she's got German Shepherds so is used to big boisterous dogs.  So that was a very good start.  The price is very reasonable, it's actually slightly below what I'd thought it might be.  I was shown a video of Hayley, a middle aged very open and friendly lady who says she loves cleaning (bit of a weirdo 😂😂, I can't imagine anyone actually loving it!).  Shelley said Hayley is very obliging and helpful, just tell her what I'd like her to do and she'll do it, even to nipping to the shop to get a few bits or to collect prescriptions.  How nice.  She starts on Monday 3rd and will be coming fortnightly.  I'm feeling relieved already.

I slept really well last night so feel much better mentally.  However, the cough still rages on, my arm where I had the jab is still sore, and I still feel like I've been run over by a bus.  I'm fed up of feeling unwell, it feels like a month since I last felt well.

The half-built shed saga continues.....husband had the bright idea (well, he thought it was a bright idea) of using plastic on a roll, the sort of thing used for polytunnels (or so he claimed), for the roof.  As is usual, he didn't discuss it with me first, or show me - when it arrived a couple of days ago it was very plainly completely unsuitable for the roof, it was far too thin and flimsy, it wouldn't last 5 minutes.  I've no idea where he got it from, other than it was ebay - he realises it's not viable for the roof but says he can use it to make up cloches to protect his veg plants next year, so hasn't totally wasted his money this time.  I suggested if he was going to use plastic, it would surely be better to use those rigid corrugated sheets - he said he had considered them but discounted them as being too expensive - he lives in the dark ages when it comes to money and thinks most things are expensive 😒.  I would say all this cheap crap that is clearly of no use, which he insists on buying without any input from me, is the more expensive option, once he realises it's no good and has to buy something else instead.  But there's no telling him, he is a law unto himself.  I have told him that he'd better start being more careful with what he buys, as if he runs out of money I'm not subsidising him, having already given him a generous amount of my legacy money.

Getting washing dry is very hit and miss at the moment, we've been having showers most days, I've taken to putting washing on the airer and standing it outside, rather than on the rotary line, so it's a fairly easy matter to just bring the airer into the car port.  It has to be finished off in the heated airing cupboard though, it's not drying fully outside.  Another reason why autumn/winter is not my favourite time of year.

Run over by a bus, but it's better than the alternative

 Thank you for all the comments about having a cleaning lady.  I do feel a bit guilty about even contemplating having one - it does feel like I should be doing it all myself.  I'm one of the youngest residents here on our sheltered housing complex and probably one of the fittest, relatively speaking.  Quite a lot of the residents are housebound, use wheelchairs, electric buggies or rollators, or are on oxygen, and have carers visiting throughout the day, one or two have live-in carers.  So I'm as fit as a fiddle in comparison.  But the fact remains that because of my hip, knee and back problems, and decreasing energy levels, I do find it difficult to cope with some of the housework.  And I'm always having to clean up husband's messes, he's so blimmin clumsy.  E.g. yesterday he turned the kitchen tap on to rinse out a mayonnaise bottle, but he turned it on too much and blasted mayo-tinged water over the entire worktop, window ledge, draining board and floor.  He then made himself a cuppa and promptly knocked his mug over, so there was a river of tea everywhere.  He does (attempt) to clean it up himself, but I was finding sticky wet messes everywhere throughout the day.  He was obviously having an especially clumsy day yesterday.  The cleaning supervisor is coming today so we can discuss things and work out what I want and need, I've asked husband to leave me to do the talking and not keep butting in - I suggested he takes Betty out for a walk.

Following our flu jabs 3 weeks ago, neither of us had any noticeable reactions to the jab (the fact that we both got flu just days after having the jabs was an unfortunate coincidence).  Having had my shingles jab yesterday though, today I feel like I've been run over by a bus - my arm is aching like mad, in fact I ache all over and have zero energy.  But those effects will be shortlived and I'd rather have those than shingles any day.  Apparently, it's a 2-part thing and I have to have a second jab in 6 months time, the surgery will text to remind me.

I need to dice up and roast our last 2 aubergines and 1 remaining butternut squash, which looks like it's beginning to get soft at the top.  That'll be a job for this afternoon when hopefully I'll have a bit more energy.  I think I might use up some of the spicy roasted veg in a quiche tomorrow, the rest I'll freeze for soup.

I'm not making any Christmas cards this year, I don't feel like I can be bothered.  Instead, I bought a load from the Cornish card company I've used in the past, they're called Whistlefish, they have a shop in Padstow....actually I think they have several shops now, and also sell online.  They're a very ethical company, their cards are made of recycled materials, they plant trees and use local artists.  And the cards are beautiful, extremely good quality and amazingly cheap!  I wholeheartedly recommend them.

The storm didn't amount to much really, other than a few heavyish showers and a bit of wind.  It's raining again now, but is only showers, it's not going to rain all day.  It has turned very chilly though, we've got the heating on.  Roll on next Spring!

Stew weather, and having a 'lady what does'

 If I could be granted one wish, it would be for our blasted coughs to go.  We both now feel fine, have more or less recovered from the flu....but our coughs are still going strong.  They're dry coughs, not chesty or productive, just very blimmin irritating, although all the coughing is making our throat and chest muscles hurt.  I'm still croaky voiced as well, and have very little sense of smell or taste.  I'm sure everything will get better eventually, sooner rather than later would be good.

We went to Aldi in Taunton this morning, our first time out shopping in 2 1/2 weeks.  Stocked up on all the usual store cupboard things, no frozen and very little fridge stuff needed as we still have plenty from last week's shopping delivery.  There was nothing in the middle aisles to interest either of us, it was mostly kids and halloween stuff.  After getting home and putting the shopping away, we were both exhausted - husband's gone to bed for an hour and I'm relaxing in my armchair with a coffee.

My appetite still hasn't fully come back, but that's not a problem, I'm basically just eating a little of what I fancy, when I fancy it (which basically means toasted cheese sarnies with a cup a soup, or a bowl of Greek yogurt with fruit).  Husband still has several bought and homemade ready meals in the freezer, which he's been having with some veg - although if I didn't suggest the fresh veg to him, he'd just have frozen peas or tinned baked beans.  His choice of course, he won't starve.  I'm going to try making a chicken and veg stew in the slow cooker on Friday, that'll keep us going for 2 or 3 days.  It's definitely turning into stew weather, we've had rain showers the past few days, it's not raining today but another storm with heavy rain showers and strong winds is forecast for tomorrow and Friday, and much colder temperatures.  Well, it is autumn after all.

I'm going for my shingles jab tomorrow late afternoon, I'm hoping they won't turn me away because of the cough - I do feel ok.

I only recently discovered that our Housing Association have a home help/cleaning team, I've been in touch with them and their supervisor is coming to see us on Friday, with a view to setting up a regular cleaning schedule.  Whilst I'm still able to do most of the cleaning (and it is only a small bungalow, after all), I do struggle with cleaning behind all the fittings in the bathroom, changing the beds and hoovering, because of my hip, knee and back problems.  Husband says he does the hoovering - erm actually, he pretty much just hoovers the big rug in the middle of the lounge....the rest of the bungalow is mostly done by me.  I refuse to do his bedroom though, as he has 'stuff' - clothes, shoes, assorted bits of junk - strewn all over the floor and I'm not picking them up!  I'm thinking of having the cleaner in once a fortnight to clean the bathroom, change the beds and hoover throughout - it'll be so much easier for me to do a light clean in between.  Now I've got the legacy money, and will soon have my state pension, I'm happy to spend money on a regular cleaner.

Getting better slowly

 We are both continuing to improve, although still have hacking coughs - I've now got a wheezy chest and my voice has gone very croaky, I feel ok though.  Some of you asked if it might have been covid rather than flu - to be honest, I don't really know, although I'm still inclined to think it was flu, neither of us had razorblade sore throats which apparently is a feature of the latest covid strain.  We haven't got any covid tests, I'd have to buy some online, but I don't think it would actually be of any benefit for us to know if it was covid anyway.  We've been holed up indoors, in the warm and taking care of ourselves, we've hardly set foot outside for a couple of weeks, except to take Betty for a couple of short walks....the rest of the time she's been doing her business in the garden.  She's not up for long walks now anyway, as she's getting older (she's 9 in 6 days time, which is quite old for her 2 breeds).  We've had no visitors, other than our housing officer who we spoke to on the doorstep, so as not to infect her.  I'm actually feeling a bit stir crazy now, we might have a brief trip out in a day or 2.  I've got my shingles jab on Thursday late afternoon, I'm hoping I'll be well enough for it, having already postponed it from the week before last.  It's a slow old process, this getting better.

Husband is still saying he's going to finish building that blasted tool shed, he's so blimmin pigheaded.  I just can't see how he's going to do the roof (the truth is neither does he really know, not that he will admit that).  I'm washing my hands of it, he just gets annoyed and has a go at me if I try to discuss it or ask any questions.....I can't do anything about it so I'm just putting it out of my mind as far as I can.  He knows my feelings on the subject, I think he knows he's bitten off more than he can chew and has no clear idea of how to finish it but is too damn stubborn to admit it.  He needs help really, but we don't have anyone we can ask for assistance.  What a pain in the backside he is at times.

I'm slowly getting back into some light cooking.  Yesterday I made a nice nut roast for myself, had one portion and wrapped up another 5 portions for the freezer.  Husband had some lamb stew out of the freezer, we had pre-made and frozen cauli cheese and fresh Brussels sprouts on the side.  I've just sliced some new potatoes and a large homegrown leek and covered them in veg stock, to cook in the Ninja, we'll have a roasted salmon fillet and some peas with it.

Coughing like old sailors smoking baccy

 Isn't it great when you wake up one morning, having been very unwell for a while, and realise you actually feel well again?   We're not completely out of the woods yet, both of us are still coughing away like we were heavy smokers (ex-smokers, husband gave up just before I met him and never smoked again, I packed up around 30 years ago but did have the odd 1 or 2 sneaky puffs a few times, although not for many years now).  Both of us have tight wheezy chests, but no chest pain, and both feel like we need about a week's worth of sleep to feel fully well.  But we're getting there.

I have spent a bit of the legacy money - the new stick vacuum cleaner, laundry basket and frying pan.  I also bought a few personal things too - 2 pairs PJs, a showerproof winter coat with a lovely warm lining, it arrived a couple of days ago and I'm really pleased with it.  I also got a new mobile phone, an upgraded version of my current Motorola - my present phone has been randomly switching itself off and/or the screen freezing for some months now, it's already had a couple of new batteries.  The new phone arrived at 07.45 this morning - good job we were up!  Setting up new technology is always a major headache for me, but fortunately this time it was simplicity itself - the old and new phones more or less synchronised and did their thing without much intervention from me.  Which I'm hugely relieved about.  Still got a couple of things to personalise, but I'll do that when my brain is more awake in a couple of days.  Meanwhile, the new phone has all my stuff from the old phone on it, and is usable, which is all I need.  Husband actually bought himself some new clothes, which is something he almost never does, he has no interest in clothes other than to keep himself warm and dry.  Other than the wood and other bits he needs for this blasted shed he still insists on building, he's not spent anything else.

I had a very strange thing a couple of days ago - a refund of £19 from Amazon appeared in my bank account, with no explanation as to what it was for.  Then yesterday I got an email from Amazon saying that the refund was for unused Amazon Coins on my account, as they were discontinuing them.  Well, I have absolutely no idea what these Coins are (or were), so I googled it - apparently they were for use with apps or games, a sort of bitcoin thing.  And apparently I'd purchased them 4 years ago.....except that I have no knowledge of this whatsoever, I don't recall buying any Amazon Coins (especially since I didn't even know what they were), and £19 seems a bit of an arbitrary amount, and I've never used any apps or games on Amazon.  I asked husband if he'd done it - of course he said no, and to be honest even if he did, he wouldn't remember anything about it after 4 years.  So it remains a mystery.  Anybody else know anything about this?  I did wonder if it was some sort of scam....albeit one that gives money instead of taking it away, which seems a bit weird, unless it's to lull you into a false sense of security.

So Prince Andrew has given up his royal titles and Order of the Garter status - and not before time, the man is a complete waste of space.  It's a pity he can't be locked in the Tower and the key thrown away.  Perhaps since he - and Fergie - seem determined to stay in their giant mansion, it might be an idea to build a massively high prison-style fence around it and keep them locked up there.  I feel very sorry for their two girls, fancy having the continual embarrassment of that greedy sleazy pair as parents.  The bit in Andrew's official statement that got me was him saying "I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first."  WHAT?!?!  The man is totally deluded and oblivious as to what everyone thinks of him.  I love our Royal Family, always have, but he really disgusts me.

Getting better slowly

 Thank you all so much for the lovely warm comments, I can't stress enough how much I appreciate them.  Those of you who say you admire how I carry on coping - it's simply this, I do it because I have to, there's no other choice.  And also because he's my husband of 42 years and I do still love him, despite the present 'him' not being the same man I married all those years ago (I'm sure he'd say I'm not the same woman either!).  As for my having so much patience.....if you could see the number of times I'm gritting my teeth and digging my nails into the palms of my hands whilst walking quickly out of the room and trying to avoid slamming the door, you'd see patience is very hard to come by at times.

After 10 or 11 days of feeling so unwell, I can cautiously say I am beginning to feel better - the sore throat has almost gone, the sneezing is much reduced, although the cough is still as bad.  My limbs and muscles are less achy, and for the past 2 nights I have actually slept in my bed, rather than in my recliner chair all night - I just couldn't breathe before, lying down in bed, even with several pillows.  My appetite is coming back, and I'm able to stand and do a couple of jobs in the kitchen without feeling dizzy.  Husband has also had flu and not just a head cold - he did lose his appetite as well.  He's a couple of days behind me in the recovery stakes, but is also getting better.

Husband is adamant that he wants to finish building the shed - now there's another bit of reality for you....I cannot make him do things, listen to my concerns or see sense.  He's a stubborn old git and dismisses what I say - once he gets the bit between his teeth on whatever his latest madcap fixation is, there's no stopping him regardless of what I think, he will just forge ahead and do it.  All I can do is hold the ladder and hope he doesn't fall off, metaphorically or literally!

It is what it is

 Having said the other day that I was starting to feel a tiny bit better, things rapidly went downhill again and we both feel terrible.

I'm aware that my blog is one of the negative moaning ones.  People say look on the bright side, there's always something to be happy about, and other relentlessly cheerful things.  If you're that sort of person - positive instead of negative - good for you.  But we're not all cut from the same cloth.  I've been a carer since the age of 13, looking after, caring for and organising life for family members, and through some very dark times when I could really have done with being cared for myself.  Husband's health conditions are progressive, he's not going to get better, there's no cure for heart failure and cognitive impairment, and my own health conditions are also getting worse, but I'm still going to have to cope with husband's increasing challenges as time goes on.  That's not a moan - that's reality, that's my life, it is what it is.  Throughout the years, I've had periods of profound depression, where I didn't want to get out of bed or else I wanted to just run away.  Neither was an option though, I just had to get on with it.  And I will continue to do that, I have no choice.  But the life I have lived has taken it's toll on me.

There are some good things in my life - Betty makes me smile every day, there's a gorgeous pink double dahlia that's been flowering its heart out for weeks now, in my garden.  So it's not all doom and gloom, although it often seems like it.  My blog has always been warts and all, which has clearly irritated some people judging by some of the comments I sometimes receive, most of which don't get published.

Right now I feel like just throwing in the towel, but that would mean giving up the emotional outlet writing my blog gives me.  And one thing I'm not is a quitter.

If my blog is too negative and is contributing to the negativeness in Blogland (which I have to say I've not really noticed).....well, don't read it.  But please understand that we aren't all the same, we don't all cope with things in the same way.  No-one else walks in my shoes or is a fly on my wall, so no-one else can say how they'd be in the same situation, unless they actually lived it.

Now I'm going back to bed.

Man flu and a ridiculous shed project

 Husband is in full-on man flu mode - I'm sure he probably has got flu, with both of us living in close proximity in a small bungalow, it was inevitable he'd catch it from me, I'm not suggesting it's just a head cold!  He's quite pathetic when he's not feeling well, he's like a small whiny child with earache (except it's me who gets the earache!).  Yesterday evening he sat reclined in his lounge armchair, wrapped up in a blanket like a hobbit, literally wrapped around him like a shawl, covering his head and ears, giving out moans and groans whilst I was trying to watch Strictly.  Today I've told him he's to stay in bed, I'll take him drinks and food when he wants them (his appetite doesn't seem to be affected, unlike mine - oh and I weighed myself this morning, I've lost half a stone in the past week, not that I would recommend having flu as a weight loss tool).  I also told him that I'm not recovered yet, so he's not to expect me to run around after him.  Twice last night I had to jump out of bed and dash to his room to investigate the crashing sounds, thinking he'd fallen out of bed again (he refuses to use the bed guard now).  Both times he was ok, he'd just knocked things off his bedside table when reaching for a drink in the dark.

I've been outside and looked at his half-built shed structure and could only stand there shaking my head in disbelief.  It's twice the size that I thought it was going to be - not that he told me much, just gave some vague details before letting me know he'd already ordered the wood (so a fait accompli).  I suspect that it's kind of evolved over the days he's been building it, and he's probably taken advantage of the fact that I was laid up and unable to keep an eye on what he was doing.  As I keep having to remind him, he's 74 with a heart condition (and cognitive impairment which impairs his judgement), he's not 45, fit and healthy!  Why oh why does he refuse to see that?  I really cannot see how he can construct a roof - it's too high and would involve him standing on a ladder and leaning right across the structure - no way is he doing that!  So I've given him two choices - he can either demolish it, or find a local handyman to come and complete it for him, the cost of which to come out of his own pocket.  He can think about it whilst he's in bed today.  For what he's paying out, he could simply have bought one of those metal or plastic tool sheds, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.  And it would have been a damn sight easier to erect.  I've also told him very firmly that he is not to do anything else like this without running it by me first.

I'm in despair with him at the moment.

The reality of life

 Thank you for your good wishes, I am starting to feel a tiny bit better, I did manage to have a shower and get dressed this morning, although even that has worn me out.

I've had a couple of emails asking if my husband takes care of me when I'm not well.  The short answer to that is no.  On a superficial level he knows I've not been well - even he could hardly fail to notice that I've stayed in my bedroom, either in bed or my recliner chair, for the past several days and done no housework or cooking, so he's had to fend for himself.  However, due to his cognitive impairment he's pretty much incapable of feeling empathy, nor does it occur to him that I might need regular drinks or tablets, I've been getting those myself most of the time.  I sometimes think that nothing husband says or does can surprise me anymore, but I take that back - yesterday he astounded me.  Whilst getting myself a hot drink yesterday afternoon (because he'd been in the garden working on his latest obsession for several hours), I heard husband outside the back door talking to our neighbour and commiserating with her over her bad knee.  Some time later, when he eventually came in, I asked if he'd mentioned that I'm not well - the answer was no, well you've only got a head cold haven't you?!  A head cold?  For a start, it's not just in my head, my entire body feels like it's been kicked around a football field.  I've been in bed during the past few days sleeping for a couple of hours at a time since Tuesday, I've not got dressed, I've hardly eaten anything and not done any housework or cooking.  And on the rare occasions when I have had a cold in the past (I hardly ever get colds as it happens), I do not take to my bed and it doesn't stop me from doing anything.

The problem also is that he is currently in the grip of this latest obsession - he decided at the beginning of the week to build himself a tool shed, typically only mentioning it in passing before he ordered some wood online and had it delivered the next day.  Since then he's spent hours and hours in the garden, 5 or 6 hours at a time, only coming in when he suddenly realises he's starving or thirsty.  As is usual for him, he didn't plan or think it through properly, so has had to go out a few times to buy more supplies of wood and nails/screws when he ran out of them.  Having built the sides, he cannot now work out how to make the roof or the door.  As I've not yet been outside, I have no idea what it looks like, and don't really feel inclined to help him out with any suggestions.  Although I suppose I'll have to sooner or later, if only so that he doesn't just abandon this half-built structure.  Which he almost certainly will do, he has a track record of that.

Right now I could cry.  I know I'm his carer and not the other way around, but it's just one problem (of his making) after another.  I guess I'm feeling extra-emotional and run down.  And this morning he's said that he thinks he's coming down with the flu (note it's flu for him, rather than my 'head cold'!) so he'll take to his bed and I'll have to look after him before I'm fully recovered - he does like to be pampered when he's not well.  This is the reality of life as a carer.

Yuck

 Day 4 since the symptoms started on Tuesday, and I still feel terrible - worse if anything.  Not got dressed or had a shower since Tuesday - horrible I know but I just haven't got the energy, it's as much as I can do to put clean PJs on.  I think it's flu not covid.

The lurgy

 Well, I've definitely come down with something, full-on cold symptoms arrived in the early hours and I was up getting some hot honey and lemon and paracetamol.  I don't think it's any more than a heavy cold - well, I hope not.  I'm going to spend a couple of days in my room, recliner chair or bed, and have told husband he'll have to fend for himself for the duration.  He's still got frozen ready meals, bacon and breaded chicken portions, all things he can easily cook, and there's plenty of fresh and frozen veg plus chips.  I've asked him to get me a couple of boxes of cup a soups when he comes out of the gym this morning, I already don't feel much like eating.

Peace of mind

 As I said, I've topped up my savings account back to the previous level and added a fair bit extra to it.  I still don't know when I'll be getting the final Carers Allowance payment, or how much it will be - I did ask the relevant dept a few weeks ago, but no reply as yet.  As I don't get my first State Pension payment until December (it's paid 4 weeks in arrears), at least now it doesn't matter if I don't get any money in November.

I've given husband some of the legacy money, told him it's his to do with as he wishes, but with the proviso that he doesn't waste it on useless crap from China that we don't need!  Like the milk frother.....when it finally arrived the other day, he had a quick look and then chucked it in a drawer - I had a look at it, out of curiosity, it's so flimsy and poorly made it'd probably break on first use.  So I've put it in the recycling, we're never going to use it - at least he only wasted a few pounds on it.

I've bought the Vax stick cleaner to replace my old and dodgy one, new laundry basket and 2 pairs of PJs so far, the rest of the money is sat in my current account until I decide what else I want or need.  I may well put more of it into savings, it'll give me peace of mind.  Thank you for all the comments about it, I'm so pleased.

Having said that we had no ill effects from the flu jabs, today I feel decidedly under the weather - no energy, aching limbs and the hint of a sore throat, I hope I'm not coming down with something.  I've got just a couple of housework jobs to do, then I'll rest in my recliner armchair and read.  Dinner will be prawn risotto - a bag of raw king prawns, some frozen peas, mushrooms and broccoli mixed with a pack of microwave brown and wild rice and a splash of soy sauce, so dead easy.

Flu jabs, contrariness and a lovely surprise

 We had our flu jabs at the surgery yesterday, very well organised and we were done and out of there within 5 minutes.  Some people on our local FB page have been saying that they turned up for their flu and covid jabs but were told they couldn't have the covid, despite having had them previously, as they no longer qualified.  Yet others said they were given it with no problems.  Seems to be very hit and miss!

Neither of us have felt any ill effects from the flu jabs, not even a sore arm.  Having said that, I am feeling exceptionally tired, although that may well be due to the fact that I'm having a run of bad nights.  It'll sort itself out within a few days, I expect.  

Husband has been extremely argumentative and contrary the last day or two.  He'd originally said he wanted one of his frozen ready meals for today, then yesterday changed his mind and decided he wanted a lamb stew instead, we had some lamb in the freezer so he got it out.  This morning he asked my advice about doing the stew in the slow cooker, I told him what I'd do to prep everything before putting it in the slow cooker....he then completely dismissed what I'd said and decided to do his own thing.  Please yourself, I thought, I've only been making stews for 45 years, what do I know?!  He's doing this more and more lately - asks me something, I tell him, then he ignores that and does something different.  So why ask me in the first place if you think you know better?  😒

I had a wonderful surprise a few days ago, a very unexpected but very welcome legacy money gift from a deceased extended family member.  I cried when I got it, it was such a surprise and has come at just the right time, as we've had a few expenses lately which have depleted my savings, and husband went through a phase of spending money like it was going out of fashion - luckily, that fixation has passed.  The gift has enabled me to replenish my savings, and add more on top, and will allow me to buy a few needed things.  Nothing very exciting, just mundane household things - our stick vacuum has stopped working properly, but then we've had it for several years.  We need a new laundry basket as the present one is collapsing, we also need a new large frying pan, the present one has scratches in the non-stick surface.  I rarely fry anything now, but husband does like to fry his steaks, pork chops etc, liberally splashing the surrounding work surfaces and filling the kitchen with smoke and horrible smells as he always insists on cooking his meat at blisteringly high temperatures.  He watches too many TV chefs who have minions to clear up after them, I think.  I cannot abide the smell of frying meat anymore, so I leave husband to cook it himself and go and shut myself in my bedroom with the door closed.

We didn't suffer any damage from the storm, it was really blustery and we had a few heavy but short showers but it didn't cause any problems here.  Sunny now but still windy.

Jabs today

 We had a lovely few hours with my brother and sister in law yesterday, and a nice lunch out at one of our favourite cafes.  The only fly in the ointment really is that husband, being the (very) talkative person that he is, dominates the conversation and doesn't shut up!  He interrupts everyone else when they're talking, including me (well he does that all the time anyway) and is oblivious to pointed looks or a touch on the arm or even a "Just a moment, I'm talking".  I had said to him before they came that I'd like to be able to chat with my sister in law, who I get on very well with, but of course he'd forgotten about that by the time they arrived.  Oh well.

We're having our flu jabs today, and I've got a shingles jab booked for next week....husband has already had one.  Covid jab rules have changed and I'm no longer eligible for one, although husband still is by virtue of his age - surprisingly, it seems heart failure is no longer on the eligibility list.  I'd have thought being a carer for someone who has serious health conditions would have qualified me, but apparently not now.  Husband hasn't yet decided whether or not he wants another covid jab, I'll have a chat to him about it in a day or 2.  It's his choice, but it would seem sensible to have the jab again, as he would most likely be very ill indeed if he caught covid.

Going to do a quick top up shop at 8 am, before the holiday camp lot (Butlins do adult weekends, which are very popular) get up and get in there.  I don't feel much like cooking today, so will probably buy a carton of fresh soup and have it with a cheese sarnie.  Husband will have one of his frozen ready meals.

I'm a bit of an oddity 😁

 I suppose I was a bit worried about breast cancer as I'd never been recalled after a mammogram before, whereas I've had 3 recalls after smear tests.  I did have to go for breast tests around 12 or 13 years ago, due to some aching pains in my breasts - I can't remember now whether it was just one breast or both of them.  Nothing untoward was found back then, it was put down to hormonal, probably menopausal causes.

All of the smear test recalls were due to insufficient cells being collected, nothing sinister....the problem being my cervix is slightly twisted! (not that I'd noticed).  Actually, thinking about it, I have a few oddities going on with my body.  For a start I apparently have only one ovary, a fact which I didn't find out until I was in my 40s and had scans for gallstones - I've never been (or wanted to be) pregnant so it wasn't of any great significance.  I also have an extra vertebra in my lower spine - unusual but not unheard of, according to the back pain consultant who told me.  And I have a congenital liver disease, called Gilbert's Syndrome, which appears to be of no significance other than the possibility that it might give me jaundice if I have a serious accident or illness, so I was told by the GP.  Although it's congenital, I'm the only one in my family/wider family who has it.  The thing that causes me to go "Huh!" about all of these things is that no doctor ever thought to tell me any of them until I was in my 30s or 40s - presumably a case of doctors years ago thinking the patient didn't need to know!  None of them cause me any bother so I guess it's not important.

Husband had his tooth out yesterday morning, he said it really hurt and bled quite a lot, so it's a good job I stopped him trying to pull it out himself 😒.  It was still bleeding a bit when he got home, although stopped fairly soon after (I'd reminded him not to take his blood thinners when we made the appointment the day before).  I had a bit of a battle with him though to stop him having a cup of tea and something to eat just after he got in - he'd been told by the dentist not to eat or drink anything for 3 or 4 hours, but of course husband was insisting it would be ok....why he thinks he always knows better than the professionals I don't know.  I managed to get him to hold off until 3 hours later.

Lovely weather again yesterday and for the next few days, although rain is forecast for Friday when my bro and SiL (and dog) come to visit.....looks like we won't be going on a beach walk after lunch then.  But it's good washing drying weather and we're able to get out in the garden to do some winter prep jobs and plant some Spring bulbs.

I made a kind of veggie sausage stew yesterday and put some sliced apples in it, so that's used up a few.  I'll be making an apple pie today - we've had a few crumbles lately but husband says he prefers a pie really.  I'll also be making seeded wholemeal bread dough, leaving it to prove overnight in the fridge again (must remember to put the seeds in - I forgot last time!).  I got out of the habit of making bread but will try to do it regularly from now on.