Cate's Diary

Cate said:
He told R his driving is really good & he had seemed disappointed in having to fail him.
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That sounds good! I bet he sometimes hates having to pass people too, when they technically don´t make mistakes but just don´t have the insight needed yet.
Cate said:
Nothing can be left within reach of the puppy in the house as he runs off with it into the yard. I'm not sure that R can learn to be tidy, but he is certainly getting some lessons.
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That made me chuckle :p You´d think it´d be motivation for H to wait a little with moving together, too... She sounds like she needs a bit more time alone before she can really commit from a place of plenty rather than scarcity. Which is really sad, especially when people aren´t aware of it.
 
Hi, LaMa. R's untidiness sure doesn't put H off in the slightest. I don't feel I should be talking about her too much in here, but am happy to privately. It's very complicated, as humans are. I don't think their stars are aligned as they have different wants & needs. It's a shame, but that's often the way of love & life.
I got off track at the weekend & have struggled to get right back on it. I will today. I am much better off with being 100% than having a little of this or that. Yesterday I had a small ice cream bar. Our power was out all day (10.30-7 pm) & we had 2 left. I haven't bought any more & I only have a rich vanilla ice cream in the big freezer that is too rich for my taste, so I will not be tempted. I stopped at the ice cream, but I really wanted to stuff my face. It was really hot & humid & I had a fairly inactive day.

G has gone off to golf & I will do some gardening today & some housework. I will weigh myself tomorrow. It's now 9.10 am on the 1st of Feb. New month & off I go. I will try again to book in for my CT scan. The line is always busy, but today I'll persevere. I have been getting headaches lately as I have reduced my salt intake again after seeing the cardio. I'll drink more water today.
 
It’s now 4.36 pm & I got back on track, although I didn’t do much as I have had a headache all day & very little energy. I did some washing & some dishes & not much else. I did book my appointment for the CT scan ✅
I have felt like eating pickled veggies all day, but we don’t have any except for pickled onions. I haven’t had any meat at all I just realised but have had eggs. I think my body has felt out of sorts. I’m feeling the best I have all day now. Dinner is going to be devilled venison fry with veggies.
I have had lots of herbal tea, a sugar/free mango kombucha & a diet dry ginger. Yesterday G & I shared a no alcohol bubbly.
 
Hope you feel better, and so glad you are back on track! Sorry about R's new girlfriend maybe not working out. I still wish K9 and him worked, as they seemed very compatible. Glad your visit with R went well and that your dogs got along well! I'll try to weigh tomorrow and hopefully the weight will have come back down. It's really helping me that I need to weigh in and be in solidarity with you. I am going to be more firm and not eat carb-laden things when going out with friends.
 
Pickle cravings usually have to do with low sodium levels, which is especially likely when you're drinking a lot of water. Did your cardiologist give you a minimum amount of sodium to make sure to get?
 
Marsia said:
Hope you feel better, and so glad you are back on track! Sorry about R's new girlfriend maybe not working out. I still wish K9 and him worked, as they seemed very compatible. Glad your visit with R went well and that your dogs got along well! I'll try to weigh tomorrow and hopefully the weight will have come back down. It's really helping me that I need to weigh in and be in solidarity with you. I am going to be more firm and not eat carb-laden things when going out with friends.
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Thanks, M. R's GF may work out but there are so many differences between them & their wants I love(d) K9 too, but then the chemistry wasn't there.
I weighed this morning & am back down again. Wine is my downfall in company.
Llama said:
Pickle cravings usually have to do with low sodium levels, which is especially likely when you're drinking a lot of water. Did your cardiologist give you a minimum amount of sodium to make sure to get?
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He didn't, LaMa & I doubt he would really. I haven't been drinking a glass of water every hour for 8 hours as I tried at the start of last month. It was too much. It has been hot & I have been sweating a lot & I have probably been drinking about 2-3 litres a day all up, including herbal tea & my morning black coffee. I'll keep an eye on it. G said he would pickle some veggies today. I love pickled veggies!
I feel a bit anxious about my upcoming CT scan. I really hope my aneurysm hasn't grown much. Yesterday I didn't feel very well & had a quiet day, but I also had slight chest pains (on both sides). They're not there this morning. I may have lifted something too heavy or it might be from pulling weeds. I almost did a RA test but thought I would wait to see how I am this morning. Other summers I have felt like this when it gets really humid. It leaves me short of breath, just like fog does in winter. I'll try not to worry.
R is re-sitting his test on Sat week & his instructor is going to fit in another lesson for him so that he can drive the same way that he went on the test & go over the one place he went wrong. Hopefully, this will reassure him. He won't give up on getting his licence this time as he has before. It will change his life. He has a possibility of a job in about 6-8 weeks with a really good friend. She has supported him over the years when he was at his lowest & knows him as well as anyone. She is a gem. He will probably have to take on something else in the meantime, but that may be something he will like anyway. There is a chance of doing some aged care handyman stuff near where he lives. He may even do some fruit picking.
D is over the moon about having a signed contract on his house. I really hope that doesn't fall through. He has had so much money stress for a long time. You can only hope that he doesn't waste too much of it.
 
Cate said:
Yesterday I didn't feel very well & had a quiet day, but I also had slight chest pains (on both sides).
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Cate said:
Other summers I have felt like this when it gets really humid. It leaves me short of breath, just like fog does in winter. I'll try not to worry.
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Struggling to breathe, even just a little, over several hours can absolutely cause the muscles in your chest (between the ribs) to ache.

I hope R gets his license AND the job! Working for someone who knows and appreciates him sounds great.
 
Wow, Cate, hope you feel better. Maybe you would want to get a dehumidifier to sit by and take it easy and read? I also hope you are doing things that relax you and that you take mild pain killer if you are tensing up because of pain. I have back problems, and the more it hurts, the more I tense, the more it hurts, so I am sure to take something so I don't exacerbate things.

I agree about not having things that make us go off our good food and drink list. I haven't been logging calories the last few days because I am eating below the calorie suggestion and don't like when they warn me about eating too little, but I got carbed-out and just needed to get my weight back down. It worked and yesterday I was within a pound of low weight.

Anyway, big hugs, and please take it easy and I hope you can dwell on happy things, like D celebrating the house going under contract (fingers crossed)!

And hope you feel better Vic!
 
Thanks, LaMa, Vic & M :grouphug: I felt much better yesterday, I think because it was much cooler. This morning I have a rug on my knees! Haha. We're back to Tassie weather. I went for a good walk in the morning & tackled a job I obviously hadn't done for years. We have a walk-in wardrobe, but it has an open-top shelf, where I store shoes in boxes & some things in tubs, but it's very high. I got my 3 step ladder out & got up there & removed everything to clean it with a wet cloth. Ha! I got G to have a look just for a laugh & he said he'd vacuum it, so he did, standing on the ladder. I then cleaned it properly & have decided not to put anything back there. I am gradually making things easier to clean.
I do feel like I'm preparing to move & am trying to work on making that day easier. Some days it overwhelms me, so I'm trying to do it at my leisure. I am happiest at home & it is a haven, not only for us but for numerous wildlife. Being able to walk Arch on flat footpaths would be wonderful though & not having to drive everywhere would be really good. I can see advantages in moving before it's too hard. I think I could adjust.

G went out to play pool last night & I had some chocolate. I felt like a glass of wine, but instead had a small piece of licorice & some chocolate. I don't want to get back into that habit. I'll do better today. He has been sharing a bottle of no alcohol wine with me lately, rather than him drinking wine while I drink diet soft drink. I'll have to buy some more as we both like it & we only have one bottle left.

I'll do some more housework today & will finish the wardrobe after taking Arch for a walk.
BF was 3 Ryvitas- 1 with leg ham & hot mustard, 1 with a tsp of PB & the other with low-fat quark & apricot jam.
Lunch will be scallops in a green curry with a little rice/quinoa & veg & dinner will be vegetable soup with some gyozas.
There will be cherries & blueberries.
 
Oh, your food sounds delectable! Glad we are both getting back on track, and the no alcohol wine sounds nice. Glad G drinks it in solidarity with you. It's wonderful how much you've accomplished with your house clearing. If you do decide to move, do you have places picked out to look for your new house? It's so good you are planning before the upkeep on your place gets too much. I like that you can laugh about all the dust bunnies you found! Happy clearing!!
 
Judging by the people I used to work with moving before you absolutely have to is the way to go. People who had even just a couple of months of getting used to their new surroundings and chatting with new neighbors tended to remain integrated in the community even after they lost mobility.
 
Marsia said:
Oh, your food sounds delectable! Glad we are both getting back on track, and the no alcohol wine sounds nice. Glad G drinks it in solidarity with you. It's wonderful how much you've accomplished with your house clearing. If you do decide to move, do you have places picked out to look for your new house? It's so good you are planning before the upkeep on your place gets too much. I like that you can laugh about all the dust bunnies you found! Happy clearing!!
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Thanks, M. I have been pleasantly surprised that G has been sharing the no alcohol wine with me. I really must buy some more. I do feel like I'm on a mission with getting the house decluttered & clean & tidy. I'm trying to not feel pressured or daunted by it as I'm sure that when the time comes that feeling would be there. You have to try to laugh at your inadequacies or they can get on top of you. G has been getting really forgetful lately which has been worrying me a little. I'll keep going while I have the energy & the momentum & try not to look too hard for a new place as I'm not mentally ready yet. I do have a few places that I'm considering. One is the local town (not G's first preference) & there are a few suburbs in town that he is keen on. One I think would be too expensive, but is so nice & is close to his younger sister & brother & another area is close to lots of his golfing buddies.
Llama said:
Judging by the people I used to work with moving before you absolutely have to is the way to go. People who had even just a couple of months of getting used to their new surroundings and chatting with new neighbors tended to remain integrated in the community even after they lost mobility.
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I think that is the way to go, LaMa. If we did move into our nearest town I already know so many people there & I don't think I would ever feel lonely. If we moved into the nearest small city I'm not sure I would feel as safe but would be near specialists, hospitals & G's family. I'm sure I would make new friends & establish relationships with people in shops & cafes etc but I much prefer our local town & would love to just get out & walk on footpaths on the flat, without worrying about burs sticking in Archie's fur or snakes & leeches. I'm not sure that I could go back to living in a city, albeit a small one.

It's Archie's 7th birthday today. I feel we should take him somewhere nice. I need some honey as I haven't had any for days & I miss my hot lemon drink at night. G is playing so much golf at the moment & I am home on my own so much that I had better get out & about before I turn into a hermit!
 
The small town you know sounds ideal, if your sons or G's family would help you out if you need to go to the city for health care. Also if you like the town that is maybe too expensive, you could get a realtor there to look out for deals on homes there. One of the houses I am having J go look at was listed on a site where homeowners sell their own houses without a realtor, supposedly to save on costs. This property has many more wonderful things about it than they listed (I researched the neighborhood really well), and the price is too low for the neighborhood it's in. The realtor out there is really enthused about it, too. I am just holding my breath that no one else discovers it before J has a chance to go look at it. Anyway, a burr, leech, and snake-free place to walk everyday sounds like a really nice idea. I can picture telling a realtor that is what I especially desire in a new home (says the woman moving to alligator and snake infested swamps!).

Happy Birthday Archie, and hope you get tasty honey for your lemon drink!
 
I get overwhelmed just knowing I'll have to find a new apartment next year (the lease ends after 10 years or I'd get too many rights as a renter) so I can't imagine wrapping up a whole house!
 
Thanks, M & LaMa. You know, I'm just going to keep working towards getting our home all tidied up & fixed up, so that when the day comes where we/I/G have to move then it will be much easier. I did it for my sister & BIL. I organised their 3 storey house( & basement) in 3 months & when they had to move into a one storey apartment it was easy. I am going to do something similar here.
I will keep de-cluttering. I got rid of heaps today, which felt really good. I got up on my little 3 step ladder & cleaned the tops of the laundry cupboards & light fittings. I removed the exhaust filter in the 3rd toilet & scrubbed it & the light fitting in there. I wiped all of the high surfaces in those two rooms. I cleaned the top shelf in the pantry & put everything back, but nothing is far back & I can reach it all.
We took another load to the tip & I took so many "useful" containers that I have never used.
Our neighbour came up & we are getting him to clean our gutters & roof & when he does that I'll pay him for that part & ask him for a quote to paint our roof.
The curtain rail in our bedroom needs replacing so I have measured that up. I'll ask our son, D to help put the new one up when we buy it. Maybe he & his partner will do it.
The screen doors at our entrance need replacing & I need to buy the new screen wire for that job & the tool to do it. That should be an easy job. I looked up a video online.
It will feel good to have our house looking nicer for us. I can't bear to leave yet. I'm going to stop looking at houses for sale & keep doing work around the house.
I have quite a few things I will try to sell, including my sewing machine. If I knew someone who would really benefit from having one I would give it to them.
 
I think that's amazing that you organized your sister's entire house and basement for her! It's wonderful you are fixing things up so you get to enjoy the house even more. Our realtor says that's the main thing people learn when remodeling their houses to sell - that they need to fix things up first next time so they can enjoy the fruits of their labor. And great that you aren't stressing yourself out looking at new houses when you aren't ready! I got lucky and gave my mom's sewing machine collection to an actual seamstress who really loves the machines.

It sounds like you are getting lots of great stretching exercise cleaning out all the high places. Any remaining dust bunnies are probably shaking in their boots!
 
Llama said:
Action kills anxiety. Sounds to me like you're being very actice indeed!
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I do get really anxious at the thought of moving, LaMa. We both love our place so much. The time has come though where we need some help with the garden. I have been really frugal lately & have worked out where I can cut costs & I think I might pay someone to come & brush cut. The minute I mention that to G he'll get out & do it. He would much rather do anything else though.
Marsia said:
I think that's amazing that you organized your sister's entire house and basement for her! It's wonderful you are fixing things up so you get to enjoy the house even more. Our realtor says that's the main thing people learn when remodeling their houses to sell - that they need to fix things up first next time so they can enjoy the fruits of their labor. And great that you aren't stressing yourself out looking at new houses when you aren't ready! I got lucky and gave my mom's sewing machine collection to an actual seamstress who really loves the machines.

It sounds like you are getting lots of great stretching exercise cleaning out all the high places. Any remaining dust bunnies are probably shaking in their boots!
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It gave me something to do when I was staying with them. K was working at the time & I was home with my sister & I needed something to fill my time. It was quite scary as I was entrusted with her meds etc & her general care & she was very ill. She had a housekeeper who also cooked & paid a dog walker so I had to find something useful. I do love organizing cupboards etc. J's spices were so funny. They were so disorganised. I remember she had 6 little ginger jars. I amalgamated everything & put them in a cupboard in alphabetical order. I started with the spice cupboard & worked my way through the whole house. They already had lots of clear plastic containers & labels etc, & I found it fun.
The dust bunnies are definitely quaking in their little white boots. I'm now looking for my next spot. I did promise G I wouldn't go up a ladder while he wasn't here so my next job might be measuring up our Christmas tree in screwing in 100 little hooks in preparation for next year's decorations. It's still sitting in our lounge room waiting. Where it is sitting is going to be rearranged. The tree will go back in the garden shed & my exercise bike is going to our son, D's. It doesn't feel safe getting on & off it anymore & it hurts my knee & I would rather walk anyway. Arch doesn't like me being on it either. I messaged D's partner, asking if she would like it & she said yes, please.

G is playing golf again today & it's going to be hot & humid again I think. I had better take Arch for a walk early(ish).
 
I wonder how many household the average exercise bike moves through before being discarded. They're curious things! I do now feel a bit sorry for the poor dust bunnies: you mentioning their little white boots made me picture them as innocent lamb versions of Puss in Boots :rotflmao:
 
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