Sunday 8 November day 4 lockdown #2
Didn't write yesterday, slightly forgot. I slept really badly Friday night, I think the news of the house was whizzing around my head and I was disturbed. So the upshot was that I had a migraine yesterday morning, the Rizatriptan got rid of it but the whole thing left me feeling washed out and tired. I pretty much mooched about at home the whole day. I did throw away some rubbish out of the garage, a woman came to pick up Matthew's black Ikea shelf and I got £8 for it, and I emptied most of the plant pots the tomatoes had been in – recycled the old compost into the beds in the garden, as I reuse the pots for next year. Although they are plastic mainly, I do want to reuse them – they cost real money. I've got a few terracotta pots too, but the nicest and biggest one fell over in the wind and smashed unfortunately. It has the big chilli plant in it, which is still going.
I was a bit glued to the news for large chunks of the day watching for the results and what a relief! The TV yesterday was rubbish, I watched an episode of Harlots off BBC I-player and then 2 DVDs – 'Before I go to sleep' and 'Intersteller'. Seen both before but not got ages. I was on the sofa laying out with multiple cups of tea under the blankets. I felt like I might be 'fluey' but its not come to anything, I think I was just tired after 2 days working.
There was a blast from this house's past at the back of the garage – tucked away in the high shelf at the back / top corner – I found spare left over wall tiles from the old kitchen and bathroom – the ones that were on the walls when i first moved in here – 1970s special – one lot in a box labelled 'Texas' which I think was an old DIY store which was probably taken over by B&Q years ago. The kitchen tiles were brown – nice hey! Anyway I have left them there for posterity – the new owners will find them and wonder about them when they do the garage conversion.
Not doing much today – stay at home is the message! Its too soon to pack.
6th November Friday
2nd day of lockdown #2
I had an excellent nights sleep last night, went to bed tired at 10 and slept through until just before 7, beating the alarm. Only got up really as I needed to pee desperately. Cold in the house this morning and took my tea, then coffee and porage back to bed – then got up for work.
Busy busy day again:
3 insulins
1 INR
2 leg wounds
Syringe driver
Lady with 2 pancreatic drains (only 31) – changed the bags, and also the plaster securing a feeding tube to her nose(!), so fiddly,
and advice etc. There for over an hour
Finally, infected fungating wound – needs antibiotics and she said she had some in her cupboard and should she just take them – er, no – that's for the GP to make the decision, not me. The nurse practioner at the GP surgery thought it was hilarious.
An hour late finishing, BUT – get a phone call from estate agent in Teignmouth – my vendor has found a different apartment, made an offer which is accepted and the apartment is EMPTY! Best news ever for a Friday afternoon in lockdown – I now have a complete chain
5th November (Thursday)
1st day of lock down mark 2
Sleep was awful last night. I'd gone to bed and tossed and turned for an hour so took one of my Nytols. Read for a bit then felt tired, but I don't think I like the effect they're having. They make my body feel exhausted but my brain is still whizzing about and my arms and legs feel really heavy and weird. I don't think I'll take any more.
Had to deal with frost on the car this morning going to work; it was a bit quieter with the traffic. Its been a busy day:
2 insulins
5 flu vaccinations
1 syringe driver and injection (the junior nurse made a mistake and we had to redo the driver – so that took longer)
1 blocked catheter
Took blood – 3 (little) bottles and it was successful which I am still so pleased about.
I ate my lunch whilst doing my admin and then didn't get away until 10 to 5. But I did drop Kathy's book off to her on way back to office and chatted for a few minutes. Got lost trying to find a house out in the sticks.
The sun was lovely this morning out in the countryside, warm even, coming back into HH the cloud and mist were rolling down off the hills and blocking the sun, and suddenly it was much chillier.
I'm working tomorrow and made the mistake of looking at my list of visits. I bet there's more frost too. Hoping I will sleep better.
Wed 4th November
Lock down eve and US election results day.
Turned on radio early to hear the latest and then had to turn it off as couldn't bear to listen to Trump pontificating about his win and legal challenges – this was only at 7.15am and it was about to ruin my day. However it is still not a done deal whichever way. Weirdly the numbers now (just before 9pm) are different on the BBC web site versus the Guardian – better for Biden on the Guardian but maybe they're wishful thinking
I had a lovely pre lockdown day in Brighton – wandering the Lanes, down the sea front in the sunshine and lunch looking out to sea. Then a little last chance saloon shopping before catching the train home. Thanks to Sarah for suggesting a couple of weeks ago and being brave enough to catch the train.
House is still stalled for same ongoing reason. I have chased it via all angles, and hard as I can. Now I need to sit tight and wait a bit longer. I'm not going anywhere before the New Year I don't think. Annoying and stressful but I have no choice.
Going to work tomorrow and next day. Kind of don't really want to but its usually ok once I get there.
now watching Biden talking on TV. Still no outcome.
2nd November (Monday)
Not lockdown yet so countdown for next few days. Shopped to find no loo roll in Lidl, surprise surprise but got everything else I wanted. I have plenty so no worries. I've done my last afternoon shopping (charity of course) with Nit Nat; I found a cat water fountain and called her over in case Jasper might like it (!) and she got it. I bet he ignores it :–) My legs were aching and we went back to their flat for a cuppa and I made her give me a lift home as I couldn't be bothered to walk – it was dark and about to rain. She owes me for all the lifts I have given her over the years haha
My basket weave lap blanket is finished and I am at a loss with no crochet project. What to do.
Solicitor rang me for an update, not much really but she is going to chase a few things; she's ready to do the property report on 12 Alta Vista and thinks we can be ready for December but this doesn't solve the problem of the chain being incomplete. At least it chases things up the line. And she told me the property market isn't being put on hold like before – people can instruct agents and view properties. Which is something.
Oh I pulled away the broken fence panel out the back garden and have stored it at the end of the garden behind the tree out of the way. It was flapping around in the wind and could have damaged the car so am relieved it didn't.
Sunday 1 November
Over 6 weeks since last writing. I am not going to bother with a resume of the past. We now have another bloody lockdown from later this week. Inevitable but also not inevitable. I had been thinking about visiting mum for her birthday later in the month and now I can't. I know its a bit selfish, but I'm even more concerned about my house move. New rules is to leave home only for certain reasons. This does NOT include going to view a new house. Therefore how can the apartment people find anything for the next 4 weeks – I am slightly losing hope about this, but trying not to. It's a very stressy and I have had a number of nights with trouble going to sleep. No way now anything will get sorted before Christmas. So feeling very frustrated.
I've had a lovely visit from Gina, did all our usual things. She's gone back earlier and now its all quiet again. I cleaned the inside of the car and reorganised all my nurse stuff so I know what I have. So what shall I do for the rest of the day – reading (lots of books to read), crochet (basket weave blanket to finish off) catch up on TV (yes plenty of that) movie (new dvds to watch yes) or snooze on the sofa (yes lovely), cup of tea or 2 (yes already had those)
Maybe I'll go back to this blog after my break. I still dream about my potential new home and that lovely terrace and sitting on it and looking out on my view.
12 September
Currently in Axminster with Gina, arrived on Thursday for the start of my little holiday (sans Martine – sad). Traffic is back to its usual crappy state and it was a fairly slow trip with a couple of hold ups. I had to stop as my poor bum was so numb and I needed a wee.
We went to Charmouth beach in the afternoon – for a walk – but possibly for a swim – and indeed did have a swim in the sea. Every other person had a wet suit as far as I could see barring me. Freezing and I couldn't go above my legs as too cold – but then we did a 'power walk' through the sea and I warmed up and got used to it and actually did in the end get fully wet and swam. There were even 'warm spots' in the water. Actually it was lovely and we sat on the beach after getting dry and the sun came out for a bit. Though it wasn't hot or anything, it was very pleasant and certainly nice enough to just sit.
Yesterday after hanging about for the on line teaching (she didn't show) we pootled off to Bridport for a charity shop shop and the YMCA was doing a clear out sale and everything was a pound. I got 7 items – 2 dresses, a pair of stretch trousers, a skirt and cardi (which is actually rather itchy) and 2 t shirts. Amazing haul and one of the dresses especially is very nice. The other dress has a weird frill around the bottom which I'll take off. It's just an every day summer dress and I like wearing dresses in the summer. We went back to Charmouth beach and ended up searching for sea glass for Gina's projects, walking towards the west rather than the east, though it was cloudy again it was very pleasant just walking and enjoying being by the sea. And hopefully that is what part of my new life will be – once I have moved.
House update
Emailed Dart in Teignmouth about my vendor's vendor – they haven't found anything yet but are actively looking and investigating increasing their budget. I am slightly concerned this may all fall apart in a few weeks time, but trying not to overthink it – they are still looking and there's no sign of anyone changing their minds. I did some investigating on their web site and think I have found the apartment she is buying
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71877021.html
can't be certain of course
Off to Cornwall a bit later
9 September
I nearly forgot to write today. Another busy busy day. I worked this morning, until 2, and then drove to Croydon to water Mat's plant pots on his balcony. I had a problem getting into the car park but managed eventually to get in via the front door. I watered his plants and hung about for a bit to add extra water. Then I managed to leave my mobile phone in his flat but fortunately realised before I started to drive off – only because I needed to send a text before driving and couldn't find the phone. What a relief I didn't get home and then find I'd left it behind. I popped into Horsham to see Geoff on the way home. Jasper was apoplectic with hunger and very cross with me. Now he is ignoring me. I'm off to Axminster tomorrow morning on my journey to Cornwall for a week's holiday with mum and dad.
House update: letter from solicitor to say draft contact has been sent to my buyer and now I probably won't hear anything else for a few weeks as they will need to get searches and mortgage sorted. Nothing about my purchase.
8 September 2020
Today I was super Claire. I managed to unblock the drain from my kitchen. It was horrible – it had overflowed on Sunday and whilst it had slowly drained down, clearly it was for all intents and purposes blocked. I'd tried poking a stick down, and pretty much that did nothing. So this morning, I donned my heavy duty rubber gloves, found a couple of large plastic bags and rolled up the sleeves of my dressing gown. Mistake number one was to wear my dressing gown and not put on an old t shirt. So I scooped by hand and scooped some more. Some disgusting stuff came out. I put my arm in as far as I could reach and scooped as much as I could. It smelled bad. I then put down a couple of kettles of boiling water and some fairy liquid. Then some bleach. The lesson is never to put thick left over yoghurt down the sink thinking it will just dissipate. It doesn't. In face I will never flush anything that is not water down my sink again, it is not worth the horror of that job. I had to wash my pyjamas and dressing gown but fortunately now the drain is no longer blocked the washing machine can drain freely away. Hooray.
I've been to Lancing today to the funeral of Martin Maguire's friend / partner Chrissie. She was only 51 and she had lymphoma. I met Chrissie quite a few times when visiting and felt it was the right thing to be there for Martin's sake to show support. After going back to the house for tea and a sandwich, we walked down to the beach for some fresh air and a stretch of the legs. It was really warm here today and the car showed 24 degrees coming back into HH. I made a cup of tea and sat in the garden for a while.
Penultimate crochet square is finished and I am now on the final one. This is called 'Madux James' and here is a link.
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/madux-james-square
House update:
Heard from solicitor this morning, they have received all paperwork and needed a copy of my ISA bank statement which I emailed to them. They have the ID evidence that they need. Didn't get a call back from Dart about the chain but I'll contact them tomorrow to chase. Hopefully little bits of progress.
7 September 2020
I went to work today; someone complained I wasn't wearing gloves when I went into her house to see her mother. This is part of our PPE but its a bonkers process. If I put on my gloves by my car, I then have to close my boot, lock my door, knock on a patient's door and touch all manner of things, so my gloves will be dirty. So I sanitise my hands but do not put on gloves, and once I'm in the house and before I touch the patient, I go and wash my hands and then put on my gloves. So this woman phoned the office and complained about me and someone of course then had to speak with me about it. Later I went with a colleague to see a chap about his catheter and he really didn't want us, shouted he didn't want the tubing, wanted it taken out, wanted to die, wanted us to leave and not come back and to bugger off. We left!
Then I've been to water Natalie's plants in her pots, and then I went to play badminton, 1st time since lockdown.
I've taken down my portable greenhouse in the garden today, its all dismantled and in the garage ready for my move.
The ID check went through and is all fine and I rang the agent in Teignmouth to see if I now have a complete chain ahead – they're going to ring me back.
Finished reading 'Big Little Lies' – this was a series HBO, and I have watched it,
That's quite a lot for today. I need to go and let the kitty back in, he's gone out for a prowl