September Dryathlon

Ana the insurance company are obliged to either pay for the cleaning or give me that amount and return the damaged clothes, bags, shoes etc to me.

They have offered a derisory amount to replace my kitchen (new in 2008) but luckily I gave every single estimate and receipt so they can't wriggle out of that.

I might not be able to post this evening as I'm babysitting two of the DGSs from teatime till late (and do not envisage having any time to spare without a babe asleep in my typing arm). I'll just say that I only have 2726 steps so far today, by virtue of walking to my reading group, so don't think I'll hit the target. Unless of course DGS3 needs me to walk up and down with him, in which case I could well be out of action tomorrow (he's a big boy!).

I'll do better tomorrow (I seem to say that quite a lot)

Blimey Maggie so am I but I'd forgotten until I saw your post

I love this thread
It's such a comfort to 'check in' at night and then off to bed

Clearly Anya and Maggie are busy with little people tonight so I wish them luck and an un-interrupted night's sleep ....

I did 'not achieve my potential' today with my steps ...lol!! I am 'stealing' some of yesterday's steps to make up if that is OK..?
A lovely day with my mum - but it didn't entail much walking and certainly no jogging Although she was very confused on arrival, we talked and talked and talked and....... until she felt comfortable with life again. We popped along to Waitrose - picked up a few bits of shopping, had more chat, called into the PO for the pension and paid the papers - yes, she still has a paper delivered each day and weekends! And, no, it hasn't changed in my whole lifetime....

I arrived to find her trying to work the Sony TV with a Sanyo remote ... bless her and she had unplugged everything as well - "it saves electricity' dont'cha know...? Three new bras left for her to try on took approximately an hour to track down. The boxes were stored perfectly but each bra was found in a different place ... WTF ... she loves a game of hide and seek does my mum Many more games of hide and seek ensued - hunt the purse, hunt the walking stick, hunt the shoes, and on and on...

The brilliant thing is that the pill carousel is working beautifully - it sounds the alarm and mum jumps to it - glass of water at the ready - who would have thought it....

This whole dementia journey is revealing so much about my mum and our relationship - I was recently given some advice by a friend - "If you can learn to live in her world you will both be happier". I think it is excellent advice but so many people give advice on changing things, her routine, her eating habits, her social needs and activities - to be honest changing things is the worst thing I can do for/to her right now. If she didn't do it before dementia she sure as hell is not going to do it now!!
For now she is happy, content and safe - time will tell but I would like to keep her that way for as long as I can.

Sorry if I have veered off track tonight ladies - I will be back reporting steps etc... and commenting appropriately tomorrow.

Tired.
Long day.
Emotional.
xxxxx

That's good advice re your mum JG - sounds like a long day indeed. Sorry not to be there when you logged in.

See you tonight hopefully.

Deliberately kept steps to 3000 until get this knee sorted. Trying to find Reiki Master in this area, as last time I had a dodgy knee (14 years ago) one fixed it in a 30 minute session. Sadly lost touch with him. If anyone knows a Reiki Master called Michael who used to live in Southport.......

Only one small with dinner and none yesterday. Divas (4 & 6) staying over for first time in new house, but after initial fears ("there's a man on the roof nana" " yes, I know it's Father Christmas checking the roof is safe for his reindeers on Christmas Eve! ) went fast asleep very quickly.

It's good you can see the humorous side of your mum's dementia. Just go with the flow and she won't be half as confused or stressed. But I know it's hard on you really (((hugs)))).

Hope your Babysitting went well Maggie? Sometimes it can be positively boring relaxing if the little dears just go straight off to sleep. I babysat for DiL last night at her house as my DS was working away and she'd been looking forward to a girls night out. Tonight they're here at my house (OMG I'm repeating myself) which is much easier.

How did your viewing go Ana?????

Good morning, all. We went out tonight and came home to the dreadful news about events in Paris, which I have been glued to ever since, which is why I'm still up I'm going to Paris with my girls for a couple of nights before Christmas and we are staying 3 km away from the attack sites - isn't it strange how we still worry about taking our children into danger even when they are very capable grown ups?!

Before I tear myself away from the horror and go to bed, I should report that I've done my steps, mainly due to a long session on the stepper. I have been in Ana mode today, exercising my arms instead of my legs not by decorating but by cleaning out cupboards and defrosting my freezer.

The babysitting went very well, thank you, though I did end up mainly cuddling my youngest DGS while he slept rather than keeping him in his cot - he's recovering from bronchiolitis and was a bit unsettled. Any excuse for extra cuddles!

Best wishes for your mum, jg, and for your knee, Anya. Hope everything's okay with you, Ana?

At long last....

A quick check-in. Christmas has arrived here - Divas 1&2 here today and two Christmas Fayres to attend - just digging out last year's Santa tops (we need Xmas emoticons please) Hope all is well with everyone.
Paris very much on all of our minds today
#prayforparis #standtallparis

I agree that Paris will probably be in the forefront of eveyone's mind today...

Hope you find a Reiki healer, Anya, I had reiki on my dodgy knee about 10 years ago and I could actually feel all sorts of things happening in there! It's never bothered me since.

I'm glad your mum seems to be content for the present jg, and I so agree with the advice to try and live in her world. It must be so distressing for people with dementia to be constantly told that what they believe is not true...

You're doing well with your steps, Maggie, I'm afraid I have fallen by the wayside a bit but am still being more active than I was, so that's a positive!

As for the viewing...well! They came at 12, left at 1.00 and two hours later made an offer via the Estate Agent. It's rather on the low side, but a bird in the hand etc. Anyway, they've been again today with the Agent (I made myself scarce) so I don't know if anything else has transpired. Will keep you posted but I'm trying not to get my hopes up...

Totally wiped out. Will just wish everyone

Wow, Ana, that sounds like good news! Fingers crossed for you.

Hope you're okay, Anya? And jg, you've been having my kind of day I love a Christmas Fair, especially with little ones in tow. Ours haven't started yet though.

We had last minute visits today from two of our DC and two of our DGS, so it's been a lovely, if very unproductive, day. My pedometer says 630 steps . Rain did stop us taking the children for the walk we'd planned, but I would have thought I'd have clocked up more than that just moving the breakables and hazardous items before they arrived and clearing up the toys afterwards! Ah well, it's been a nice day .

Nobody about tonight? In that case I can jump in and out quickly before anybody sees to say that I've missed my target by miles again (I've had a quiet cupboard sorting sort of day and just a brief sortie outside)

I am feeling bad about it and was just about to get out the stepper, but I've checked my weekly total and have (just) done an average of 5,000 a day. So I'm having a instead

Hope everyone's okay and has had a good weekend.

Love your justification maggie enjoy your
Busy weekend here with diva 1 and diva 2 - just 14 months between them - but honestly - more like teenagers!! To be fair I love them so much and could just munch them to pieces - they love each other so much too!! I will be back tomorrow - I'm just exhausted after the sleepover / weekend ...!!! Am I getting old ... xxx

Not made my steps today either maggie, but did do a lot of sorting and bagging for the charity shops.

jg aren't sisters fascinating? My 9 year old twin girl DGDs are so close and loving usually, but can sometimes fall out in the most spectacular way

Am determined to start anew with the step regime tomorrow, now the torrential rain and terrible winds seem to have abated (touch wood!)

Not reported in because I'd just be using the 'f' word (f****d)

Pretty fed up with myself and things in general but off to a reiki session later this morning so finger crossed.

On a happier note there just 19 months between GD1 and GD2 and they do love each other too

The girls are cousins Ana and yes, very close and loving but my goodness when they fall out you really want to take cover They have no siblings so we are hoping their relationship flourishes throughout their lives.

Hope stepping is going well for those that are up for it today - I'm not and won't be for a while as diva 2 has shared her throat infection with me. I'm languishing on the sofa and my fitbit is languishing on the kitchen worktop I have absolutely no interest in moving from here either! Maybe I should just take the opportunity to rest up a bit - listen to the body...

Anya - I do hope the reiki has worked for you and that your knee is getting better. You have had such a traumatic time recently, I'm not surprised you are feeling fed up - I really don't think I would have coped so well. I've sent lots of times before, a may not be appropriate if you're staying off it and a might not fit in with your food plan - so instead I am sending you [roast chicken] - you don't n need to worry about dinner then

Hope all is good with you Maggie

Yes, I hope the reiki session went well too, Anya, and that at least it helped you unwind a little...

I'm sending - I think we could all do with some of that at the moment!

Thanks for the Ana and the roast chicken JG

Not sure about the success (yet) of the reiki session. She correctly identified my painful right shoulder (which I never mentioned) and suggested I needed invigorating. I certainly feel less tired which is wonderful, my shoulder pain haz gone but jury still out on the knee. I'll see what tomorrow brings.

Our insurance assessor met with the adjuster today and things are looking more positive.

Hoping things are looking better for everyone today??

Glad things are looking up a bit both on the health and home fronts, Anya

Nothing new to report here, still step-struggling, but I blame the weather...

Thank you for all the and - my share is much appreciated (I've snaffled some of Anya's [roast chicken] while her back was turned - the virtual aroma drove me wild on my fast day!).

There are just 7 months between my DGS1 and 2 (cousins of course), and they are great together - lots of giggling fits and big hugs. I really hope they are friends for life

A slow walk to the library with DGS2 today and a session on the stepper meant I hit my target. First I had to deduct the 500 little steps taken by DGS2 when he insisted on wearing my pedometer for a while - it'd be interesting to let him have it all day and see just how many steps a 2 year old can bustle! He also "helped" me do a yogalates session earlier, if dive-bombing me and using me as a launching pad can be called helping, so all's good I collapsed for a zzzzz on the sofa after the 10 o'clock news, hence the late check in. And I'm still ready for now.

'Night all!

Leave my alone Maggie you needn't think Ive forgotten 'The Incident of the Strawberry Creams' either!!!!

Well knee doesn't feel much better (perhaps a little?) but had the best nights sleep since I don't remember when and didn't wake up feeling exhausted so much so that I've things I'm going to tackle today and sod the knee.

Any more movement on your house Ana? I'm sending you some energising thoughts and good luck over the ether.

JG all the goodies you've sent recently have been much appreciated and thank you. I've put what's left of my chicken safely away where you-know-who can't get it and I'm going to have a lovely healthy chicken salad for lunch with all my favourite trimmings then boil up the bones for a warming cock-a-leekie soup tomorrow.

Thanks for the Ana - it's blowing a gale up here in North Shropshire so it was very welcome Did you have any further news on your house...?

It does look as though things may be picking up for you Anya - sleep is such a restorative aid - hope you enjoyed your chicken salad and the soup sounds very comforting. Keep a look-out for *Maggie though, she is on a non-fast day today and is no doubt snaffling enjoying everything in sight

Ha ha though Maggie - you always bring a smile/giggle/belly laugh - just picturing you being used as a launching pad - I'm sure the 2-year-old dive bomber brought a very different style to your yogalates xxx

DH has been busy making various soups today to try and tempt me - this horrible virus has stolen my appetite and it is too difficult to swallow Absolutely no steps done - but every cloud eh....? good weight loss

A lovely face time call from diva 2 this morning - her beautiful smile and 'get better soon Grandma' wishes were a joy

Oh goodness me, dear ailing (non) stepping friends, I'll have to try to do extra route marches to make up for all the walking you can't do. I hope you're both on the road to recovery now, and I'll hold back from the in the circumstances - I think you both need all the restorative soup you can get!

I have been up to see my computing pupil today, so I am in any case still quite sated. I think I've said before that I supposedly "teach her the internet" and in return she rustles up a wonderful curry lunch. There wasn't much teaching going on as it happens. I turned up on the doorstep to find she has been baht internet for 11 days, but waiting confidently for me to fix it for her "as I am so technical" I'm afraid her faith in me has now been dented...I spent much of the day on the phone to her provider whilst crawling round the floor untangling wires, and she is still disconnected. And I unscrewed the connection box on her wall at the behest of one adviser who then promptly cut himself off and didn't ring back, so things are worse than ever

Ah well, we had a lovely lunch and a jolly good natter and I got my steps in walking to and from hers (quickly, as I was blown along by the wind - yes, Ana we do need your ). Off to my quiz now for a glass or two of .

Pleased to report in with 6870 steps today after a couple of hours mooching round Leamington looking for shoes for DiL's 40th do the weekend after next. Wanted flat, sliver sparkly ones....and searched high and low. What boring shoes collections there are around at the moment, unless you want killer heels. Eventually found some (very cheap) ones which will do nicely and I'll have my toes nails painted in silver sparkles to match.

Is it still blowing up a hooley where you are JG? I fancy it's droppec a wee bit in the last few minutes, but will need to check the fences are still in tact when I let Murphy out for a 'wander' tonight. Sorry to hear you're fighting a virus, but great that DH is soup making and looking after you. Mine would manage the odd cup of tea at best.

That sounds like a BT engineer/adviser Maggie - especially if they didn't bother to ring you back (though perhaps they couldn't if the box was also the phone junction box ) Are you a keen quizzer? I used to play for a team in Haskayne called the Pleasant Pheasant Pluckers. We were very average but it was a good night out. Still love quiz programmes like the Chase and Mastermind.

Hi Ana any news yet, house wise? .