General Chat

Had a lovely evening with Merlin (no huffs here!!) He went really well and Cas and Stella had a good time too!
I know what you mean about holidays Gill! It's so expensive to go away these days, so we will probably just go off for two or three nights in the autumn. We.want to go to Lincolnshire to do some family research, so I think that will be our lot this year!
Watched Ripper Street this evening- a tad violent, but good!

I am just about to watch Ripper Street Liz.

Ann we all knew that would happen the minuet oh's back was turned and good on the neighbour telling her she would have to wait. Who moved the comode? the carer or MIL? I said she would have a job getting back into bed. Well she chose to go home and I think we all knew it would'nt suit once she was there. I hope you don't get too many phone calls and she has a better night tonight.

Off for a shower now and then a bit of Ripper and maybe Gardeners World as long as I can get the box to work and if not I shall watch them on the pc.

Night night all see you in the morning.

Lovely morning here again so a day in the garden is the master plan!!
Jane, we often have conversations like that, particularly when we see our son! With daughter it's more discussions on what if's in history. Like where this country might be if a certain event had turned out differently! We all find that and politics fascinating, and really enjoy those sort of discussions.
OH has just said breakfast is ready, so had better put in an appearance!!!

Morning all and evening Kim,

A beautiful morning here with wall to wall sunshine and clear blue sky. Washings on the line and I am about to do some more. I don't think we have had such a nice morning for ages.

Oh has been outside spraying the weeds up the roadway so thats another good job done.

Hope MIL has managed not to fall out of bed in the night and is getting used to being at home alone. What time do the carers come in the morning Ann?

Morning all, Evening Kim,

I don't know if I am pushing my luck, but I have showered and put clean shorts on. It's the Canal Festival Weekend. So I am going down with Ros at 11.00 am. Then I will go to the pub for 12.45 for the football. I have arranged to meet her in the village hall at around 2.30 to have a Ploughman's lunch. From there I don't know what will happen. I might well come home and let her wander round a little longer.

The cat is called "FLUFFELS" Where that came from I don't know. I just call her by clicking my fingers !!! You can just hear me calling her that. ;-) ;-) ;-)

Last night I cooked a very big steak with all the trimming for Ros and I had a SKATE WING. The fried onions burnt, so I opened the waste food caddy and put the onions in it. I rested the frying pan on the box, and the heat melted the food bag. It stuck to the bottom on the pan, and was a hell of a job getting it off. IT HAD TO BE THE NEW ONE !!! So I am in her good books :-| :-| :-|

I don't like to say it Ann, but what happened is no more than I expected. It is a crying shame for someone to say we don't NURSE, we only CARE. I sincerely hope a solution is soon found for this problem. which really can't be good for anyone involved. My love and thoughts are with you.

The cat was let into the bedroom about 7.00 am this morning. She was "MAKING HER BED" on my legs, and then bunting me on the hand. So I got up !!!

When I got dressed this morning I was just about to close me cupboard door when a little head appeared. she had jumped in there without me knowing. I know now why I don't have a cat :-D :-D :-D :-D

You been upsetting Thomas and CHRIS ??? You are naughty.

Well Madam is about ready, the cat is fed, so I had better get some shoes on and get down the canal.

Have a nice day all, catch up later.

Morning/Evening All
It's summer :-D.So hot already.The sun is shining and not a cloud to be seen (for now)

Liz it sounds like you all had a nice evening.Bet it was a lovely sight with Merlin and the Girls :-D

Well Ann.Not a good start then :-S.I'm sure the neighbour wasn't expecting calls asking for 'a clean up service'.I think they were quite right in telling MIL she had to wait for the carer,as once they answer a call and go and clean MIL they will be rung each btime this happens.I would expect the carers to insist the commode is in the room she is in.How mad to have it in another room.As for the phone well I am lost for words there too LOL.
It sounds as though it is going to a very trying weekend for you both. :-S

I've just picked a colander full of Green Beans.The runners are still not qite big enough.
Chris has dug the shallots and Garlic.They are not half as big as last years.

I will be going to the Opening of J H P.James will probably go well before me so I will toddle along on my own.

Must get the washing on before I forget.

That's the problem Jane, the carers can't insist, they can only try to persuade her over anything, so if this lady digs her heels in there is nothing they can do to make her, all they can do is report back to their line manager voicing any concerns which I expect they're doing. In a home care situation the customers wishes have to be adhered to unless it's deemed that they are unfit to make a rational decision, and to get to that point you have to go through a great performance, with two doctors and so on. I can remember having to advise on similar cases, and it's not easy and very distressing. To be honest Ann, it sounds as if your MIL really does needs to be in residential care as then of course the home can dictate her routine on a daily 24 hour basis. Easier said than done I know as no one can make her do anything she doesn't want to do, but it does seem to be a dire situation for you all to be in. Perhaps you can persuade her to use incontinent pads at least at night. It does over time become almost impossible to give adequate care for someone who is not compliant, leading to all.sorts of insurmountable problems. On the other hand I can't help but feel sorry for her as she must feel so upset and most likely frightened at her situation which in turn is making her more difficult to care for. In the old days you could probably have got the hospital almoner to come and talk to her and hopefully offer some reassurance and advice which she might listen to.. This is often better done by an impartial third party than family, but I don't know if that sort of service is on offer any more. It might be worth asking around to see if anything of that nature is available.
Sitting out with our coffee now! Then I must get on with some outside jobs.

Jane I hope Johnny's day goes off well for all concerned.

It's al go today what with Frank off down the canal and Jane at Johnny's.

Oh is mowing after spraying the weeds and I am going to bung more washing in and go up the garden after getting the paper from the shop.

Ripper Street was good yesterday was'nt it but a bit gorry.

On the subject of decision making. We found out, sometime ago that in fact if one of you (husband or wife/partner) becomes mentally incapacitated, the other one cannot automatically act for them!! We had absolutely idea that this was the case until a friends husband (aged 56) had a very damaging stroke, and to her amazement she was unable to act for him in any capacity, moving house etc, ending in her having to apply to the family court to do so. Thinking about it though, I can see this in a way, as spouses can do funny things to each other, when the other one is helpless, particularly if they haven't got on very well for years or there is a third party involved!! OH and I have taken out enduring powers of attorney for each other, so that my friends experience won't happen to us. Also our son has been nominated for both of us, should we ever need I but hopefully that's still in the future. Just thought I'd mention it as it's better to be safe than expensively sorry!!!

THE POSTMAN HAS JUST BEEN AND GUESS WHAT HE LEFT ON THE STEP??????

It must be Williams lucky day because the parcel I sent for his 80th birthday has just been returned to me with stickers on it saying NOT CALLED FOR. A sticker on the side has his surname on it and his post code the ref number and thats all been scribbled out. another sticker headed Royal Mail has the date of 14.7 and has P738 Notice left.

So now I shall send it again in a bigger envelope this time and register it. This is turning out to be a very expensive parcel.

Afternoon all,

Lovely and sunny here with just a few little clouds in the sky .

Oh dear Ann not a very good start for MIL then , i don't suppose the neighbor thought their offer of helping out would mean having to clean MIL up !!
I bet she didn't like being told to wait for the carer either , i expect the carer will want the commode in the room with her ,they won't want to have the job of getting her in the other room every time they come , and silly lady not wanting the phone beside her :-0
I hope you can get some together time over the weekend ,the last few weeks have been so busy and worrying for you both <3

I have picked three runner Beans so far :-D there's loads of little ones but you always seem to get just a few to start with then they all come together !! we did share the three :-D
When we came home from shopping this morning there was a bag left on the door handle with runners in ,BIL had dropped them off so we're looking forward to them .

Well Well so the parcel has turned up at last !! bet the postman forgot to put a card through Williams letter box to say it needed picking up !!!

Hope you enjoy your Ploughmans lunch Frank ,they have good weather for the Festival the sun shine should bring lots of people out spending money .

Jane i hope the opening of Johnny's place does well today and they get a good turn out .

Off to my garden chair now to get some of this lovely sunshine .

BBL

Let William know I had the parcel returned and he's answered me.

I am so pleased it turned up as I could'nt replace it for him it being an old one.

Enjoy the sunshine Mandy.

I am now going up the border to do a bit up there and anything in the house can now wait.

Oh is mowing the back lawn and I have picked up all the lights and washed all the bowls ready for tonight.

Fillet steak for tonights dinner which I am looking forward to.

Son and his Partner have just confirmed that they can come to supper on Thursday and OH and I are discussing what to give them! We already have a pudding in the freezer and plenty of runners in the garden, so I expect it'll be chicken breasts in a tomato and basil sauce with rice. It'll be nice to reciprocate their generosity on OH's birthday.
What a lovely day it's been here. We've done a bit of gardening, but mostly reading and sunbathing. We had Tuna and salad for lunch, so scrambled eggs for supper. We're not taking Merlin tonight just the dogs for a run in the stubble field.

afternoon all

What a night Millie hasent been feeling well for a
couple of days at 3.30 Alan got up to her crying and then she was sick at 5,30 I got up to her crying and she only just made it to the garden back end .
She has been to the vets 2 injections later and two lots of tablets and 2 packs of food we are £66 lighter.
She gave us a scare because the other day she caught a mouse which we think may have ate some rat poison we put down ( well out of the way of the dogs ) we thought her sickness was to do with that after thinking about it but it isint connected

She has to go back on Monday so wont be getting her hair cut like Mocha

she has been a sleep most of the day..Mocha didn't like being left on his own so scratched a lot of paint of the door.. :-(
I have been busy keeping up with the cleaning jobs today like the cooker again..
It is to hot to sit outside even tho the sun keeps vanishing

Back from Johnny's Happy Place.It was nice to see so many people there.Also nice to catch up the some of the lads who I haven't seen for years.It was just rather sad there was one missing (Johnny :-( )..His Mum was busy meeting and greeting everyone who came through the doors.Lots of cakes,scones and drinks to be had.The place looks fantastic.So much hard work gone into making it a perfect place for anyone needing somewhere like this to drop in .
I wil send out a couple of photos.

Well Mel that was a stroke of luck getting the parcel back.At least you know it just didn't disappear into the ether.Hopefully it can now finally get to William :-D :-D

Mandy I wish someone would hang a bag of runners on my door :-D :-D..(I thought Frank might LOL.I have so many of the other kind of beans though at the moment to keep us going until our runnners are ready to pick.

I bet Frank and Ros have had a great day at the Canal Festival today.Hope it hasn't been too hot though.It's scorching !!!!!

I let Thomas out at 4.45 this morning .It's getting better :-D.Probably because the mornings are staying a bit darker longer now.But then he disapppeared until 1pm.
We were sitting outside with Me , Chris, James,his old school pal Boycey,his partner and his Mum when Thomas showed up.Once again looking like an old tramp LOL.Who knows where he had been.I don't think he was too sure about seeing so many people as he skirted around us and came in for a bit of late breakfast.Just a mouthful as he was no doubt full of mice :-S :-S..He is now flat out on the settee in the Summerhouse.

Been wondering how things are going today for A&G.I can't imagine it is going swimmingly somehow.

Liz that is a really good idea to set up Enduring Power of Attorney .It is something we will need to think about doing at some point in the future.Not just yet though eh!!!
My Sister and I just managed to persuade Mum in time to do it(before she was incapable mentally).I remember the going to the Solicitor (the 3 of us) and him asking mum questions to make sure she understood what exactly she was signing .I have to say it was a huge relief once the papers were all signed.

I am so thirsty .Must go and get a nice cold drink with lots of ice cubes :-D

Im glad Williams parcel has turned up ok

Ann more stress with your motherinlaw ..She must be worrying a lot too.
My garden is small so I don't grow vegtables but I do like fresh runner beans.My friend sometimes gives me some of hers but I don't think they are doing very well either.
I hope you have a good day Frank I like walking along canals with the dogs.

Hi Jane have I missed a thread Johnnys Happy place?

Jane, my friends husband was only 56 when he had a life changing stroke!!! Also a lady who was a client when I was on the 'bunny' run (as we called it!) Was 47!! again life changing!! I know none of us like to think of things like that, but as my mother once said, 'anything that can happen to anyone else can happen to you!!!' OH and I feel much happier knowing that it's a job we got done and dusted years ago and can be forgotten about. Same with wills really as again an estate doesn't automatically go from husband to wife, or the other way round. Dying intestate can lead to no end of problems for a surviving spouse as my friend in Wales (you know the one) discovered when her father died and hadn't made a will!!! He was an accountant! can you believe it?! Just didn't get round to it I suppose!!!

Pat I will pm you to explain :-D