Day 127: Monday 15th July

Hot!

Very hot!

So hot, that I have invested in a paddling pool for the garden. A bargain from the famous online auction site!

Took an hour to pump it up though. Our little footpump is fine for airbeds, but for a 3-tuber pool, it is a little out of it's comfort zone.

This morning's physio appointment went very well, with positive comments about my improved balance, 

stance and gait, and some serious zapping with the sonic screwdriver on both knees. Instructions to take at least 2 rest days a week, from over-enthusiastic exercise routines and general wear-and-tear-inducing activity (aka life!) were met with nods of agreement. 

C1 and C2 spent the day in their new classrooms (preparation for September) and with their new teachers. This is called Transition Day, or as we used to call it, 'Going Up Day'. They both enjoyed it, and I suspect that they are quite disappointed to be going back to their current year groups tomorrow, and for the remainder of this summer term (they have 7 school days left before the start of the Big Holidays).

A trip to the dentist for C1 for a sealant treatment, which went well. All good for another 6 months.

The pool is proving to be an absolute gem. Get wet, bounce on the trampoline till you are hot and sweaty, then perch on the chair, fling yourself into the air, and land in the water again. This could go on for quite a while!

It is Sports Day tomorrow for C2. I have no idea what events he is participating in, and neither, it appears, does he! There will be spectators though. 

C1's birthday preparations are almost complete. The cinema trip is on. 

The Knickerbocker Glory-fest is on. 

There is a plan-ette for some jolly times viewing old steam engines and other stuff this weekend, and if the weather holds, a spot of BBQ (again). 



Hot evening, so will be dipping my own toes in the pool as soon as The Offspring are in their beds. 

Day 124: Friday 12th July

Uh-ohhhhhh! Where's the sun gone?

Got a busy day today, although I meant it to be a nice quiet one. Why do we do this? 

C1 has a day at school with non-uniform just for her class, and a DVD. This is down to their down-right hard work and general knuckling down, and the rest of the school has to take note of how fab 6CW are!

C2's teachers are having a training day, so he is spending the day with me. This is now going to involve a trip to town, a visit with Mummy and Daddy while a lady from social care pops in to assess whether there are any other things 'they' can do to help the situation. 

After this, C2 and I will be coming home to do some jobs, including belated sunflower planting (needed to wait until the weedkiller I put there had no more power), watering our squashes and cucumbers, some serious vacuuming, dusting and polishing, and some 'putting away clean clothes'. 

2 job application packs have arrived - I need to sort out my CV and apply myself. 

There is still no word from Mr Landlord regarding our future tenancy here, and I am assuming for the moment that no news is good news. Although, the habit I have to see it all from the 'glass half empty' perspective is gradually fading, it does rear its ugly head occasionally.

Life goes on. I control the bits I am able to, and let the rest just be. That is the way forward for me. 

YOLO - apparently this is a new acronym according to the social network sites - You Only Live Once. 

Day 123: Thursday 11th July

Had a lovely day yesterday.

The simple pleasure of coming away from the municipal dumping ground with an empty car and trailer. All the bags of mouldy garden waste (non-compostable), nasty stinky old soil, half a ton of rubble, chipboard offcuts (too small to make into anything) and some sun-degraded sacks that have outlived their useable life. Mr 1957 has a trade waste licence for the tip, so this was a new adventure for me.

This was followed by cups of tea in the sunny garden, and some much-needed quiet time for thoughts, forward planning and bunny-watching.

C2 enjoyed his experience of an archaeological dig - his class visited the town market place, where, prior to redevelopment, the powers that be decided to excavate UNDER to find out 'stuff'. To the disappointment of C2 there were no raptor bones, but there was a lot of broken pottery, glass, metal bits and coins. 

Closely followed by C2 having to retire early due to heatstroke. 12 hours of sleep later, and 2 bottles of water consumed, he is fine.

C1 had a most excellent time at her annual school sports day - a 1st in the long jump, 2nd in 200m, 3rd in 700m, 3rd in tug-of-war, and 4th in the obstacle course. And that's it! Good times for C1.

The children and I are embarking on a new way forward - involving respect, calm and listening. The consequences of not involving these things in our lives  will be swiftly issued, and they know that. All seems good on day 1. Now the challenge for me is to 'keep to the paths'.

The day was completed by a visit from my friend TeenyWeeny, who's other 'arf has a trailer, into which the dismantled bed and wardrobe fitted nicely, to be turned into some raised bed thingys on her allotment. The swap was complete by TeenyWeeny giving me 4 of her very healthy cucumber plants. 

Today is looking good too. Washing being done. Children fed, watered, and off to school in a minute, and a spot of 'craft-drooling' at an old needle factory in a nearby town, and further drooling at a 2nd-hand-furniture emporium in the same town with my buddy H. 

I have to add, also, that this morning I hit the 8 stone off marker. 
Happiness doesn't come close to how it feels. 

Day 121: Tuesday 9th July

Another glorious July morning. Made me want to just take the Klimt blanket outside and take another pic, just because. So I did.

Colours popping in the sun. 

Today is Mummy dentist day. I plan to sit with Daddy and make a plan for our 'Sing for the brain' activity. 

Have a visit into the town this afternoon for a meeting, which should all be over by 2. Then I can tootle Daisy Skoda over to collect C2, and await the arrival of TeenyWeeny and her brood, as we convert C1's old bed into raised beds for her allotment. Upcycling rocks my world.

Someone told me (again) today that it is C1's birthday next week. The daily countdown has commenced. Dusting down the knickerbocker glory glasses and long spoons in preparation for the after-school ice-cream bender on the day. 5 11-year-old divas straight from school for trampoline, frozen dessert, chocolate fountain and probably a sick bucket!

C2 and I will be hiding.

Day 118: Saturday 6th July

Oh! Here comes some glorious July sunshine!
Woken at 6am by the usual rattly metal gates over the road, a tooting lorry and some idiot shouting at his mate about where to find a bacon butty. 

Morning coffee

Let me say - today I don't mind!

Up, showered, washing on line, chicken cooked ready for slicing for salad later, wheelbarrow full of rancid clippings emptied into wheelie-bin outside, lawnmower warned of imminent action, C1 and C2 still asleep!

Sleeping lions!

2 hours later, C1 is now awake and watching a junior-level spooky film with a cup of tea and a pain au chocolat courtesy of Granny. 
C2 still fast asleep.

Washing dry.

Lawnmower has given up complaining about working at the weekend, and may even comply later, once the grass has dried out. Morning dew.......

Have now applied my techie hat and set up, installed, and tested (still enjoying the testing part) some marvellous speakers that were unearthed during The Great Garage Turn-Out - complete with extra bass box. They connect up nicely to the laptop, and sit superbly on the 'wool shelf' at the back of the dining room.

Music while I sort out stuff. C1 and C2 are now fully alert, breakfasted and outside, making a den ON the trampoline, involving the pop-up tent, blankets and cushions. Could be set for the day, except we have a minor excursion to pop in to see Mummy and Daddy this morning.

Glorious!

Update: Lunch at Mummy & Daddy's was lovely. C1 chopped the parsley while C2 podded the broad beans with his Grandad. 

Came home with 3 beautiful sunflower plants - they will be planted in the front garden by the fence. Joy.

One for you, one for me, and one for us.

Day 117: Friday 5th July

Oh dear.
Had a turbulent time with Mummy & Daddy today. Things are getting to the verge of unmanageability, with some major stress coming from the telephone. After installing C2 on the Walking Bus armed with an empty yogurt pot to turn into a model rickshaw, and dropping C1 at school, I managed to roll up at Tyncella at 08:50 in time to get some kind of plan in place. 

Taking over control of making phone calls made a difference. Being able to speak to social workers, GP, other duty workers and take the pressure off Mummy is something I am able to do. 

The whole system is flawed. 

We will find a solution. Hopefully by Monday.

Home to washing uniforms, a spot of GloWhite for the off-white shirts, salad for tea with strawberries and trifle, a glass of red wine for me NOW, some minor shouting (me) and pouting (C1) and soon all will be well in the world of Soooz.

Day 115: Wednesday 3rd July

First of all - wishing my lovely mate 'Old Bean' Tressle a fabulous 50th birthday. We have known each-other since we were 4 years old, through thick and thin, and still going strong.

A great day spent with B - crochet, discussion, celebrations and some beautiful tasty lettuce from her garden. 

The bubble burst on the way home from the afternoon school run, when Daisy Skoda started making the most awfully loud, scraping, squealing and generally very alarming noises. C2 had a look when I stopped, and the sounds seemed to be coming from the front near side wheel area. Oh God. Please don't let this be expensive.

                                  

Andy MotorFixer is on his way - I rang him, as he did the car's service and MOT back in May. He is such a fabulous person to know. 

He has checked all - all OK. A test drive round the block and back proves it. He has diagnosed a loose chipping from one of the many 'patch-it with spare tarmac and chippings' areas around here, which had got itself stuck between the brake pad and disk, causing such an excruciating noise. Phew! He has now gone home for his tea. No charge. Fantastic.

I am glad that I will be mobile tomorrow. Apart from the normal school run, I am on a training course all day tomorrow, aiming to become a Dementia Friends Champion. I need to do this. 

What is a Dementia Friends Champion?

A Dementia Friends Champion is a volunteer who encourages others to make a positive difference to people living with dementia in their community. They do this by giving them information about the personal impact of dementia, and what they can do to help. The training prepares Dementia Friends Champions to help people understand what it's like to live with dementia and the actions they can take in their communities.

Day 114: Tuesday 2nd July

Yesterday was interesting. 

2 extra exercises from Mr J the friendly physiotherapist. I now have a double-sided sheet of things to do to strengthen the muscles around my knees, my pelvis and my core (aka wobbly tummy).

This session was followed by a timely visit to Mummy and Daddy, which turned into a flurry of activity, giving me a feeling that it was totally right for me to be there, on that day.

Did manage a teeny little sing with Dad, and we decided that it was probably best to ignore the verses of songs and stick to the choruses - everyone knows the choruses. Spent some time looking at old photos from the 1930s, and both of us struggled to think of the name for a........

.... Mum arrived home to rescue us, and immediately told us it was a Barrage Balloon. Derrrrrrrr! How could we not know that?

The rest of the day was uneventful, which was great. C1 and C2 both agreed to have baths, which gave me the opportunity to pin C2 down and do his toe and fingernails properly. No more hooves and claws!

Today dawned with a lovely burst of birdsong, after a fabulous 8 hours sleep. It is amazing how much difference sleep makes. I cannot imagine how Mummy is getting by with a 24/7 carers role, and little proper sleep. The difference between the sleeplessness involved in baby-rearing, and the sleeplessness involved in dealing with a much-loved person suffering with dementia, immobility issues, diabetes and other problems is clear. The missing element is joy. Joy in your new baby, joy at the mere hint of recognition from the little face when you stagger around, half awake, doing all the nocturnal things that parents normally do without a second thought. There is little joy in the prospect of sleepless nights, disturbed days, with all the complications to be dealt with. I take my hat off to my mum. 

Poor old dad was talking to me yesterday about life-span, life-expectancy and the thought of 'is it over yet' - a difficult subject to talk about at the best of times. Anyone can see that at times, he has really had enough.  Then again, he enjoyed singing some songs from his past, and the twinkle in his eye was there. This beggars the thought of Dignitas, any way, any where, anyhow.

Hmmmmmmm.

Spent a lovely day with my good buddy H, and made the final decision that fine stitching is not my thing, but crochet and knitting jolly well is!

Near miss on the school run this afternoon, and I must admit I am pleased that I continue to drive with the headlights on full beam down those country roads.  It appears that in a contest between a little Skoda (me) and a massive off-road-capable monster truck, it is always me who has to shift off the road, down a ditch, or halfway across a gate entrance, to allow the (sorry Mum) arsey, dick-head, ignoramus drivers to get their vehicle through without any risk of mud, branch scratches or other evidence of proper countryside driving, while raising the finger to little old me, with my little boy next to me, driving at an oh so sensible speed along the lanes. Grrrrrrrrr! It's almost a daily event now. Roll on a change of school, please. 

ROAD HOGS!!!!!

Award ceremony date and time to be confirmed....... I know who you are!

Day 110 - 112: Weekend

The Klimt-inspired blanket is now complete. I have finished it. At last.

Used up all my odd ends and bits of wool - fabulous. 

Nothing else to add. 

Happy weekend, people.

Think of me as I learn how to do ordinary things with a slant towards dementia-training, eat tiny amounts of pub-grub, meet new people and NOT swim with dolphins. 

Day 110: Friday 28th June

24 hours later...... jars of sunshine. 

Elderflower Cordial made, bottled, ready for 

lemonade, water, vodka, gin, and ice. 

Bring on the summer now please. 

There will be some lucky recipients of some of this 

nectar. 

I did remember to sterilise the lids and the jars, so

 there is a little bit of a chance that it may keep - 

although, judging by the little glass I have next to me

 now, diluted with plain water, it won't last long

 anyway! Yummy.


Busy day of appointments, knee-raises, horse liniment

  and other not so interesting but needful activities.


Next week should be calmer, I trust.