Help calm me, house buying and selling stress. Part 4

Blimey whiff you are putting us to shame. Damsons, oh I do love damsons, used to travel to the lythe valley when we lived in kendal. They freeze well whole for when you feel like making jam. Last damson jam I made was damson and marrow, in 2011 and it still tastes lovely and every jar is in perfect condition. I never ever had a bad jar of jam, was always scrupulous with sterilising and I added a tsp of brandy or similar to the suface before I put lids on, one by one they would go pop and then be kept dark.

Bottled gooseberries being eaten today, mixed with chia seeds, cacao nibs, walnuts, yogurt. I bottled them all in 2018 and had about 40 filled kilner jars from one bush. Fortunately I have many filled jars in storage

The yogurt mix with chia is good, the chia expands and it makes a nice pudding, you can make similar with most things, frozen berries, cocoa, milk and chia etc

I am not doing the skirtings, no time haha, I am using today for RnR, knitting and spinning mainly while the sun wafts in and out. We are going to have some miserable cloudy days and I will save those sort of tasks for then. Tasks with a definite end and a feelgood factor when done, like sorting a drawer

Morning all, very cold here and the odd snowflake. I am going to take my dog on a different walk this morning, he is so bored.

Can you catch the end on ITV hub Whiff on your computer? Or have you got a smart tv with it on?

I can't wait to buy a new computer. My daughter's laptop has lost a row of letters, so I have to use an old plug in keyboard with it.

Dam pushed the wrong button before checking it made sense. To late now.

Can't do anything bi guyn the garden today. Filled my bin up. Mine you the 3, days spent in it at least I can see what I have done. Parts look like giant moles as I've got out old plants. Really proud my damson tree is still up right did put to stakes in and tied it with old tights as I thought that wouldn't damage the bark. Most of the cutting back of plants was done sitting on a stool as my balance is not great at times. But you have to adapt life to work for you. Washing on. Bed stripped ready for the duvet fight later on. Oranges simmering ready to make marmalade tomorrow. Better put the vac round and flick a duster in a bit. First a cuppa I think.

Did anyone watch Midsomer murders on ITV last night it finished at 9. I fell asleep and missed the last half hour. Who was the murder and why? I know it's trivial in the light of everything else going on but it bugs me not knowing.

Franbern how are you ?

My tulips outside my window are so cheery. I really don`t know how most of us would cope without a garden of some sort, or planters on a balcony. Those of us alone are perhaps better off right now, I can only imagine tensions between people during enforced close confinement. Never would I have bought a house without a garden and now I know why

I have not made a list yet, I think I have had 14 days isolated. There is some sun but it is very cold today, an indoor day, looking out and looking out of a window, I see that my nearest neighbour has had his (aged) ladyfriend visit overnight again. One rule for most but not for all

Back to making my list: It is about time I dusted the skirtings.

Franbern so sorry to hear your news, sending virtual((((( hugs)))))). It’s so frustrating , your first thought is to go and comfort them, but we are all stuck indoors. There will be lots of hugging when this is all over.

Franbern hugs from me too. What an awful added burden to bear.
So sorry. Look after yourself.

Big hugs Franbern, I am so sorry to read this, how terribly sad. Thinking of you and your family xxo

Franbern I'm so sorry. Thinking of you and all the family members . No words ever seem adequate. My thoughts are with you.

So sorry Franbern. Life is fragile.

I am sorry Franbern, thinking of you. Very sad

Aww Franbern. I have no words. Look after yourself

Just to say that I will not be putting anything up for a day or so. Had a double whammy shock tonight, when my eldest daughter telephoned me to tell me that the husband of my niece (my brothers daughter) died today after three weeks in hospital. He was in his late sixties,and this is a total shock, then she said she might as well give me the second bad news at the same time. My 51 year old nephew (eldest son of my Sister in Law - my husbands brothers wife), who had a fatal cancer diagnosis a few months ago has been taken off chemo as it was having no effect on the tumour and was making his feel so ill and he is not expected to live to the end of the year.
Sitting here in tears at present .......think I just need a few days to sort myself out. Keep well all of you

Treat time. I am eating 2 pieces of crystalised ginger and watching brooklyn on amazon prime. Easy pleasant watch, naive Irish woman emigrated to Brooklyn, maybe 1030s. It isn`t going to send me to sleep. Julie Walters is in it.

Dear Franbern, that takes courage and, knowing you as I do, I know that it is entirely what I would expect of you.

I do so hope that you , and all us Gransnetters, come through this ghastly time but we know that some will not. I think that I do need to leave a list of my friends for my son so that everyone that I want is informed if I fall victim to this. He knows some but not all my friends including my GN friends from our meet-ups .

Oh, Shandy, thank heavens it was your poor cat, not a rat. Poor thing, lots of petting required now.
I decided that it is too cold to continue painting the shed panels on the balcony, so am doing it indoors. When I moved, I thought I would not be doing any of my own decorating again, so got rid of the old clothes I used to keep in a bag for this purpose. So, today I took a large black dustbin sack, put a hole for my head and two for my arms and used that to cover my clothes. Thank goodness there is no chance whatsoever of any visitors to see me in the get up.
Did trundle to near park and met with my daughter -\ well apart from each other and she had got me some cooking foil and a lovely cake in our favourite bakers. She had done the families shopping in the large Tesco very close to her house. With them all at home all the time, she is having to spend a great deal more on food, Had a little chat - has got quite cold now - and I did tell her that if (When) I get CV19, I expect it to be enough to make feel very sorry for myself and unwell for a couple of weeks - okay - BUT, if if needed ventilating then I would want to refuse it - let ventilator be used by younger person. She looked disapproving, and I said I would be telling the otherfour of this decision. I have long had an Advanced Declaration in place. She said that I would need to write this down. Have now so, signed and dated it and put with my will.
know it seems a little morbid, but it is whilst I am well that such decisions need to be firmed up. I do fully expect for it not to be needed, and I will just be ill and sorry myself at home with this virus.
All of us social distancing or self-isolating at home are actually only putting off the time we get this virus. Think they are saying that around 70% of people will contract it - the present rules are just to try to share out when we get it and, hopefully, there will be more hospital beds, more knowledge and more equipment in two or three months time.
The over-whelming majority of those getting it, will only have mild symptons, some will feel pretty ill, but will probably not require hospitilisation, several will need that and maybe ventilators, and for a few (comparatively) it will be fatal. _Not being a doom merchant - just realistic.

Are you ok it must have awful for you but at least it was your cat and not a rat. As said before I don't have pets. But are there things you can plug to emit claiming things in the air for pets or I have I dreamt that.

Thank you so much Whiff, I do feel so lucky to have found you all The kids are keeping in touch but we aren't as close as so many of you are, sadly. I am going to be alone in the future, and am putting myself first.

I actually came back on to let you know of the fright I have just had.

A small part of the kitchen skirting board fell down this morning and I meant to put it back, but forgot. My dog suddenly ran in the kitchen just now barking and I could hear noises of a large 'thing' behind the skirting board. With my heart fluttering I got down on the floor to peer in and saw what I thought was a gigantic rat and quickly put the board up. Everyone here feeds the birds, I knew they wouldn't be far away. Immediately I'd done it I realised it was my cat - no idea how long she'd been under there. Poor girl is going mad being in, the vet said six weeks, it is up next Tuesday. Give me strength, I can now hear her being sick upstairs!

Shandy57 I'm so proud of how you are coping. But like everyone else has said your children should be supporting you. They should be feeling very protective about you . I tried to hide what I was going through selling my house but the kids knew and without them I wouldn't be this settled and happy. As I said before put your wants and needs first be selfish not easy but it's worth it. Everything you have achieved has been on your own. I admire how you have coped with every knock you have taken. You are stronger than you think. I would love to meet you all. Do you think we would recognise eachother ?

Have fun with your lists. Look to the future the past has gone and the present is what you make of it. Sending you a big hug.

Do hope that once this current situation is finally over - probably not until the end of 2021, some of should make an arrangement to have a short weekend stay somewhere for us to really go to and meet up. Would be so nice to see us all in the flesh, so as to speak. It will be different world to the one we have all been used to. But there will still be some good times,

Well said Franbern . There's nothing I can add which would help except words of comfort and hope. What's done is done..... I feel a que sera Doris Day moment coming on......
I finished the knitting but was too tired to begin the sewing up part. I hate that bit.
I hope to finish it before the birthday and post it to the new house. I'll have to ask someone to take it to the PO.
Or I could take a photo of the parcel and wait until I can deliver it in person? 3 months time?

Well done selling the furniture Shandy I still think I can picture you running an antique shop, by the seaside. North Berwick?

Thank you Craftyone and Franbern, so nice of you to write again. Your words are very comforting and I won't be mentioning it again

I do think part of the reason I accepted was because he obviously loves the house and will restore it, he was obviously serious as he had paid for a full structural survey and knows what needs to be done, and his auction offer was only £10K under the price he'd discussed with the EA which I was appalled with at at the time. Now I've seen that out of 33 auction viewings with only one having a survey (she didn't bid) only two people are interested at £240 and £275 the reality of what it is worth has sunk in. I won't talk about it again until next week, thank you for your comforting words.

I will count my blessings and write my lists, safely at home, and use this time to get organised. I'm going to print out a planner and write on it rather than on the computer. I probably have my kids sticky stars still somewhere, how many stars will I need for a chocolate reward!

Shandy - it is nothing that YOU have dóne wrong. Do not spend time and energy blaming yourself at all. I always think that the two saddest words in the English language are "IF ONLY". We have to live with what is .....and not be concerned with what might/could have been.
You have not messed things up. You have been proactive all the time, and taken advice and done the best - none of us could have done more - most of us would not have had your strength of character to continue the way you have.
I would say that you do need to talk to your daughter now and let her bear some of the burden you feel and be there to support you emotionally.
We are all of us extremely emotional at the present time, often on the verge of, or actually in tears - quite normal the way things are - it has been said we are all grieving for what should have been now. When someone, like yourself, has other genuine worries it is going to be even harder not to be so down-hearted, so start to look on the good side. You are not homeless, you have friends (many virtual ones), you have your son and daughter - and your animals, and you have reasonably good health. Hey!!!......think how many millions in the world would love to be so blessed!!!
Do not be afraid of coming on here or send any of us PM's if you feel really down at any time, we really want to be as helpful and supportive as is possible.

midgey, that brought a memory back. My dad had some upstairs floorboards up, old lathe and plaster ceiling. I sat on the edge and ever curious put my foot in the space and the ceiling below fell down. I must have sat on a safe spot or would not have lived to tell the tale. I never got told off

shandy my dear, it is what it is is. Next stage is not to fall apart but what to do about it and like you said, nothing until tuesday, so just plod on and get through at least one short list every day. Then reward yourself with feet up and tv

I cannot do without a little list right now, we all need something that will enable us that virual pat on the back at the end of the day