Going With The Flow

So this morning has been very dark...almost like night it was so overcast. We have had much hail, and I did not appreciate having to venture out not once but twice to restart our errant boiler...yes the saga continues. However noticing that my mood has been taking a downward route these past few days...well I'm blaming the pain...I decided to embrace what I'd been given instead of lamenting it. A few photos taken this morning of our still Winter decoration clad cottage...

I have had my full dose of pain relief this morning, having gone without much of it yesterday in an effort not to feel so sick and dizzy...all it appeared to accomplish though was me being so tensed up with pain that I ended up with a massive headache...so back to the side effects again! 

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The wind is whistling in an almost alarming manner around our old cottage...I have ventured up to the wash house and put in a load of washing. Heidi is not keen on venturing out in such a raw climate and I can't say as that I blame her in the slightest. We may take a swift turn up the road later, but on the other hand we may not. Can't think getting sick on top of this would be a whole lot of fun.

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I am very thankful that I own a cordless vacuum. It is a godsend that I can still use it with care. So quickly does our home become littered with pieces of log and dog hair. This afternoon if the internet will stay on for long enough and my head will clear a little I shall attempt at least a small amount of paperwork. Sadly for us there is no one else to do it. Sick notes do not count!

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I'm feeling rather sorry for my husband today...I don't know what exactly he is doing but I do know for sure that he is not holed up in some warm office. I brought down a chicken from the freezer and with extra cooking time it will do just fine in the Aga for our tea. Lots of lovely veg and bread sauce...yum.

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Well after visiting the Doctor on Friday and getting signed off again I have self referred to physio. This morning I took the call and all being well I'll have my first appointment tomorrow. Lets hope it does some good. Hope you are all keeping safe and warm, wherever you are...

Blessings. J. x

To Laugh Or Cry

Well I did indeed venture out on my own yesterday. I parked up in a supermarket carpark and walked up to our accountants office where I reluctantly handed in our signed tax returns! All was well...I walked in the lovely sunshine back to the supermarket being careful where I stepped as there was plenty of ice to entertain onlookers should I have come a cropper on it! I chose the smallest shopping trolley I could find and proceeded around the store...my back soon tired of this activity and I could feel myself leaning on said trolley more and more. I decided I really did not need to venture down every aisle...indeed I hardly needed to look at anything...I needed stamps! It was a relief to unload into the car and head for home. A good rest and a hot water bottle would surely put me to rights...Our youngest daughter needed to come and pick up a car bulb (kindly supplied by her father!) after her workshift and she was fetching her dog so we could all go for a gentle stroll together. Happy days indeed. 

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Some of you may recall we had trouble with our boiler a couple of months ago. The plumber we had used before either was unable or did not wish to ever answer his phone or messages and so time lapsed...the boiler cut out so intermittantly that it sort of went off our radar a little. Recently though it worsened and so I called our insurers again. They agreed we would be covered and apparently could find us a plumber qualified for the job...but then they couldn't so my search began. Last Saturday a lovely plumber came and found something wrong that had caused a knock on effect to something else in the boiler. He ordered parts and hoped they would be in on Tuesday. He would ring. Only he didn't, so just as I sat down with my lovely hot water bottle to rest he came...good...ha ha little did I know what was to occur later!

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Unfortunately the part the plumber thought would solve our problem although obviously needed did not stop the boiler cutting out. I was in and out turning heating on and off. He was testing pressure and everything I so do not understand...daughter came and after some time we decided that we would let him get on with it and take the dogs for a short walk. And then steaming hot water started gushing through the kitchen ceiling...the ceiling immediately began dropping its skim of plaster. Smoke alarms sounded. Water poured out of the downlights and in my medication addled brain all I could think of to say was get dad! However I managed to go outside to the plumber and tell him that water was pouring through the kitchen ceiling. I couldn't think what it was...we don't have a hot water tank upstairs...nobody was running taps...I have to say he was amazing...he did not panic, but told me to fetch bowls...and saucepans...I could not bring myself to venture upstairs for fear of what I would find...actually nothing..no zilch! Hubby came home and get this...ceiling hanging down...kitchen flooded and what were his first words...'Whose been eating my Ritz crackers'!! It was daughter...and she had left the evidence on the table still! We then left the men to it in order to have the dogs out of the way. They cut away the worst part of the ceiling and found that a pipe had burst under the shower...not a joint as we first though...the plumber ordered a sensor that he thinks is the remainder of the problem with the boiler and if it comes in today will fit it. We are keeping the heating part of the system off until this part is fixed and thank goodness that it happend when someone was home, and that a plumber was conveniently on site! I can do without any more drama for the considerable future though thank you. 

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Operation cleanup has taken it's toll on my back and last evening I relented and took Codeine which I had not had all day due to wanting to drive. This made me so sleepy, so that's just what I did, all evening and all night until around 5am when I got up for more pain relief. I hope you have all had relatively uneventful times!
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Blessings, J. x

The Constant Battle

I don't know about you, but I seem constantly to be having an internal battle...Between my heart and my head. In my heart I love my job, don't like letting people down...want to live in a perfect home, with a perfect husband...be a perfect mother and grandmother. In my head I know I should not take on so much extra...thinking I will be earning more to bring home comes at a price...My tax return is a case in point. They changed my tax code about three times throughout the year, and coupled with my share of the business profit I now have a reasonable amount of tax to pay as I need to also pay on account for the next year. Happy New Year everyone! Unfortunately I had been gazing lovingly at my payslips each month and thinking the build fund would have a good footing. It seems as though I just cannot win. When I do work these extra hours I do not have either the time or the energy to keep up with the business paperwork. Is there a magic formula? I know I'm a soft target for the managers asking for help filling in the rota...I need to grow a thicker skin, and quick!

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I think I need to focus on keeping what we do earn in our home more...it's all too tempting to buy convenience meals or opt for a cheeky takeaway when we're tired. Good old jacket potatoes are brilliant for us as the Aga is on anyway. Winning ways with a jacket potato anyone?! Also facing the fact that we are not quite as young as we once were is a hard one...I find a day with young Henry exhausting. His mum says he doesn't have an on/off switch, just a timer...7am untill 7pm. That's a lot of Henry as he has a sleep mid morning for anything from 15 minutes to an hour then gets progressively tireder after lunch but just rolls around, balances on his head, climbs whatever he can and generally bounces on anything that looks the slightest bit bouncy...not necessarily safe...just bouncy. He is one fine rascal, and I adore him.

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Moving forward I am due back to work next Monday...for a shift providing activities, then Wednesday I should be back as a carer. I used to do lots of knitting, sewing and other crafty things...this was I'm sure good for my soul. Now I barely have time or energy to read the blogs I love to follow. I haven't properly watched a television series in years. It all seems just too much trouble. I'm thinking as long as I can earn enough to pay our mortgage each month, the rest must come from the business and with me able to issue bills faster and keep on top of things hopefully this will be possible. For a long time I've felt as if I'm on a merry-go-round...it's been getting faster...and I just haven't been brave enough to jump. My sick leave if nothing else has given me the opportunity to see what life is like off of the neverending whizz and whirl. 

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Last night though still very cold was probably no more than minus 4 here, and I am hopeful that the washing machine will function before too much of the day has passed. I want to have a go driving the car for the first time since doing my back the injustice of it's injury. Stamps...we need stamps...and I'll be sure to menu plan for the rest of the week. It's amazing how much one can save by doing this simple task. Later I need to begin the arduous task of looking at the dratted paperwork again. I really am sick and tired of playing catchup. It is so much harder to sort out queries that are as old as the hills and not fresh in the mind.

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And so blessings to you all,

J. x

Many Times

Many times dear readers I have written blog posts in my head

Whilst trying unsuccessfully to sleep, or out dog walking,

Or washing the dishes, or folding laundry.

Somehow the time just never was quite right.

There was much sadness in my heart when next door accepted another offer on the house,

Meaning daughter and son in laws' dreams were dashed.

I tried so hard to cheer daughter up by suggesting that they install a woodturner where they live now.

This worked to a degree, and few weeks ago they did indeed purchase a woodturner...

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Some time before Christmas I happened to be home when a gentleman arrived next door,

He looked very much like a surveyor...and he was there for over two and a half hours...

We hoped that he would find plenty that the prospective owners would not be happy with,

However the days went by, Christmas came and went and still the sale remained agreed.

We reached New Year, and the Saturday afterwards I was working, daughter and Henry were at ours,

For son in law and hubby were going to install the flue...a very messy task.

When I arrived home hubby was back at ours...what could have gone wrong...

Well it appears that they had just finished making the hole for the flue through the cavity wall,

When daughter had phoned them to check how they were doing...

She had received a telephone call from next door's estate agent to say that the sale had fallen through

And were they still interested...

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Cue some groaning...a big mess to clean up...

And a wait to ensure the buyers had definitely backed out 

Finally on the Wednesday afternoon it was agreed...

They were going back on the market

And were being given two to three months to sell their house...

On the Saturday they went back on the market with a new estate agent...

On the Monday morning a visit from said agent to look around and learn about the property...

Then late on the Monday a call from the previous agent...their chain was back in business...

Apart from the original non cash cash buyer...albeit at a lower offer...

Tense hours as they just could not afford to accept the lower offer...

Then Tuesday afternoon it was all falling into place...back to the original offer

Agreed...

Apparently everyone in the chain wants a quick move,

However it appears that our neighbour who lost out on a house has nowhere in mind...

We are hoping feverently that she will find temporary accommodation if necessary.

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Fingers crossed now that no more hitches occur, large or small...

Baby is due in less than three weeks...just how did the time fly so fast

And daughter took a bump out on the ice on Saturday...

Landing on her hands and knees.

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I am currently on sick leave...and have been for over a week already...

My back had been niggling me since the beginning of December...

Work and a good dose of stress combined...

But then one evening whilst seeing my last client ... ouch

It went completely...I could barely get in my car...

And when I arrived home I could not get out of the darn thing...

I have been given some hefty pain management, and something to reduce inflammation...

I can honestly say that having a baby would have been preferable...

At least it would have been for something...

I am at the stage now where I can walk around a little more...

And I'd say I am in pain rather than agony...

I'm due back to work next Monday.

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An unexpected symptom of the bad back has been weight gain...

My medication requires me to eat well...but too little exercise soon begins to tell.

Hubby and I ventured out with Heidi along the flattest route from our house yesterday afternoon.

It was such a beautiful day, and we took it slowly.

It had been minus 6 in our garden when I rose yesterday morning,

And minus 5.5 this morning...though I believe that it had been even colder in the dead of night.

I saw a few catkins out and some tiny white blossom...white thorn?

Then it was back home and more rest with a really hot hot water bottle.

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My tablets are such that they leave me very disorientated and sleepy

In fact I slept so much last week I could hardly believe it!

However it has done me much good...

I had worked so many extra shifts over Christmas and New Year...

And have now gained absolutely nothing apart from a bad back

Will I ever learn?

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I am hoping to stay awake long enough today to catch up on the blogs I follow,

So many times I have opened blogger only for my eyes to close almost immediately!

I am becoming increasingly disappointed with my camera and have hardly taken any pictures of late

I really would like to upgrade...but it all comes at a cost

Can I justify this expense when we want to be starting to build our extension...

On the other hand it would be lovely to be able to have a visual memory of all the workings.

Dilemmas indeed!!

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I sincerely hope you all had a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year...

Having not had the time then for anything but work and sleep I did not indulge in blog reading...

However today could hopefully be the day I do...

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Blessings J. x