I've just taken...

...my last two pills of the day and I'm rewarding myself with an early night.  Last time I had this brand, it sent me to sleep for 12 hours, so it'll be about 7am before I'm awake and down here in the morning lol

I cared for my carer for 10 hours and 20 minutes today and he's cared for me for under half an hour... he hasn't even done the spreadsheet yet either - you all know that rant by now though, right?  lol

I've asked my carer to refil my bottle with squash but I'm predicting now, at 6.42pm, that it won't happen while I'm in bed and it'll be down to me to do it in the morning.

I'm gonna shoot off to bed now, so that I'm not having to drag myself up there when the side effects kick in.

Nite nite orl.

For the first time in a very long time...

...I broke through the 86 hours of care last week!  I cared for my carer for 86 hours and 11 minutes and he cared for me for 1 hour 52 minutes, but apparently I'm not the carer and I don't do anything for him, whereas he does "everything" to support me <shrug>

I was wrong this morning

I said in one of my blog posts this morning that it'd be Steve wanting to take stuff off to add his own.  I was wrong and I'm sorry for my mistake.

I've just edited the order to add peanuts onto it 'cos I'm going through them like mad and I've discovered that the crumpets and hot cross buns that Steve added aren't me-friendly 'cos they've got milk in, so I've taken one of the packets of each of those off instead, so the totals now look like this:

My stuff:  £5.51
Steve's stuff:  £18.13
Joint stuff:  £18.58

So I'm very happy with those totals 'cos the joint stuff is just about more than Steve's stuff, which is how it *should* be!

As long as it stays like that, then I won't be whining about Steve having the majority of the shop for a change! lol

Today's (28th February 2022) lunch photo

I'm actually feeling really proud of myself now.  I know it won't seem like a lot to most of you, but I've just made and omelette for lunch and all Steve did was flip it over and served it up!  I even got the slice thing underneath the omelette ready for Steve, I just didn't want to take any risks with it, so Steve just finished it off.  Like with the oven stuff it's just a case of building up my confidence now though, so maybe next time I can flip it and Steve dishes it up, then the third time I might do the whole lot.  It really is just confidence that I need to work on now!

Here's the photo:

Washing up done...

...monthly virus scan finished (no nasties found anywhere on my machine), carer cared for for over 2 hours, so the rest of the day is mine until everything has drip dried then I'll make a start on lunch and put the washed up and dried stuff away in its appropriate home so that it doesn't build up again.

Tomorrow's grocery totals...

...break down like this:

My stuff:  £5.51
Steve's stuff:  £20.17
Joint stuff:  £14.24

So yet again Steve's got well over half of the entire budget will stuff that only he can have.  

 

I'm making a prediction that the totals will change before I head to bed and that my multivitamin teabags and cold infusions will come off so that Steve can add more stuff for himself.  I'm glad that the joint stuff is over a tenner for a rare change, but the vast majority of that is more than £7 for 24 toilet rolls because our usual 18 are out of stock lol

Today's breakfast photo

We had a Subway delivery yesterday and I saved my Vegan cookies until this morning, so I had those and my bottle of Gatorade for breakfast this morning.

 

Do omelettes spit and sizzle please?  It's on the menu that we're having an omelette for lunch today but spitting food freaks me out so I don't wanna start off being too anxious, just prepared is all.

 

Here's the photo:

 

Mornin' all

How are you all doing this morning?

I remembered (with the help of the reminder on my phone) that it was the monthly virus scan this morning, so that's zipping away and is at 27% already after less than an hour.  I've taken my pills and Steve's decided that we're having cookies (left over from yesterday's Subway tea) for breakfast this morning, so I just got us both juice for breakfast.  I need to remember to take the majority of the juices off tomorrow's grocery order 'cos we've still got 3 packs of 4 juices still in the fridge somehow lol

OK, that's the groceries adjusted and me weighed (I've put on exactly 1kg so that's fine by me 'cos I'm still within the range I want to be in - I can still put on 900g or lose 2.1kg and I'll still be happy), so time to put the weekly spreadsheet on my site then I'll be starting the editing of one manuscript in particular 'cos I've already got an agent and publisher lined up for this particular manuscript, so wanna whip it into shape before I query them with it.

The rubbish and recycling are due to be collected today, so I've gotta be ready to go when they reverse down the street too, so that I can bring our box and bags in again, like the council have said we should but we're one of the only houses that actually does it lol

It's omelette for lunch today, so I'm hoping it doesn't spit too much otherwise I'll refuse to do it again lol

I've got the photo of my breakfast so I'm gonna put that and the spreadsheet up so that I don't keep forgetting lol

My pills are already kicking in, soooo...

...I'm gonna say nite nite two ewe orl now and I'll see you back here tomorrow morning when I'll hopefully have recovered enough to get things done instead of just groaning and yawning all the time!

Today's (27th February 2022) tea photos

Just had a celebratory Subway sandwich for tea so I'm full now which may not be a good thing if I have an early night tonight.  Still got some vegan cookies left for tomorrow too.

There are 3 photos today and I'm burping like a good 'un!  Think I had my 5 portions of veg in one meal which is no bad thing lol

Cor lummy

I've barely moved off the sofa since Friday, so why am I so exhausted??

The meetings have now, officially, finished... until next time.  We had a celebratory Subway for tea and I'm totally stuffed now lol

I'll put the photo's up in a sec and I've got 3 vegan cookies for tomorrow... it's omelette instead of the stew/waffles 'cos we both forgot to take Steve's stew out of the freezer at the end of the week, so we've swapped tomorrow's and Friday's meals around, so that the stew isn't a solid lump of ice in the pan which would take even longer to cook.

That's tomorrow though lol

This is gonna be...

...my last blog post until today's meeting is over and done with but, like yesterday, I'll be back after that.

Toodle-pip for now.

Today's (27th February 2022) breakfast photo

Jam sandwiches and juice again this morning.  There's enough bread and jam for another couple of sandwiches, then I'll contact the man who made the jam to see if he wants his jar back.

Pills taken now, sooo....

...just gotta wait for my carer to wake up then I'll go and make breakfast for him and potentially for myself.

➰➰➰

I forgot to publish this before I made his breakfast, but we've both eaten now and I've taken a photo of my breakfast, so I'll publish this then put up the separate post.

Mornin' all

How are you all doing this morning?

I've woken up in a positive mood so I'm hoping it'll stay with me all day.

I've already completed the virus scan and I'm still free of nasties, I've cared for my carer for 99 minutes so far this morning and I'm gonna take my morning pills now, then head off to make breakfast for my carer and hopefully for myself too.

 

Today's meeting starts at 10am and goes on until 3.30pm but if it's anything like yesterday it'll over-run again lol

 

I've guzzled my way down the best part of a 500ml glass of water already today and I'm gonna go and get myself another one when I've taken my morning pills.

 

Gotta remember to clear my caches today, ready for tomorrow's monthly virus scan.  Gotta put our rubbish and recycling out this afternoon too... busy, busy, busy this afternoon!

 

Gonna pop my morning pills then make breakfast now.

 

BBIAB.

 

Off to beddy-byes now

Think I deserve an early night after the intense day I've had today!

I'm officially over 73 hours of care, so hitting 80 hours by bedtime tomorrow is looking more and more likely... maybe even another 85 hour week??  Just need to put in another 12 hour day and I'll just about scrape through.  Hitting 80 is my weekly target though.  My carer is supposed to care for me for 35 hours a week and he hasn't even hit 2 hours yet, so there's no way that he'll hit the minimum yet again now.

I'm not gonna rant about it just as I'm about to crawl into bed though, and I'm sure you already know what I'm gonna say, right?

Nite nite orl.

Washing up done and...

...general tidying up on the main counter sorted.  It's far from tidy out there, but at least it's tidier now than it was an hour ago.  I can actually get to the hob to give it a real scrub and wipe down a small area of the counter after tomorrow's meeting now - I can guarantee that it'll be a mess again by tomorrow morning though!

 

I've got myself a glass of water to quench my thirst and take my last pills of the day now and that'll be my last drink of the day otherwise I'll be waking up at 3am bursting for a wee!

 

I've gotta go and make my carer's tea first though, then I can come in to sit down and recover for half an hour before I take my last two pills of the day and head to bed.  My lower back is killing me, I'm shaking like a leaf, absolutely shattered and I've got a headache brewing too, just to put the tin hat on everything.

That's the day's meeting...

...over and done with for the day, so just gotta get through tomorrow now, then the rubbish and recycling collections on Monday, the groceries on Tuesday and the Freegle thing on Wednesday then I can sort out a bit more of the kitchen while I'm waiting for the other 9 Freegle things to be requested and go.

This morning has flown by!

I've made lunch for my carer and my deliveries are due between 3.15pm and 6.15pm so I'm hoping they'll arrive after this todays meetings have finished, 'cos I very much doubt my carer will answer the door to them and I won't even be able to hear the knock on the door during the meeting!

Today's (26th February 2022) breakfast photo

T'was another simple breakfast again this morning of a jam sandwich and juice.  It's likely to be the same tomorrow too and until I've finished the jar of home-made jam.

Mornin' all

There will be very few blog posts today 'cos of the meeting, I've got the breakfast photo for you all, but may not take a photo of lunch 'cos of the meetings today and tomorrow.

I've taken my morning pills and started the daily virus scan, but that'll be it now until the morning break, then lunchtime then it is supposed to finish at 3.30pm today, so hopefully things will be back to normal soon after that.

I'm gonna go and resize the breakfast photo and put it up for you all now.

Off to beddy-byes now...

...nite nite orl.

That's the...

...washing up put away, including the washed up plates that I re-discovered this morning, the cutlery and saucepan, so the bit under the kitchen window and round the corner from the airlock is already looking tidier.  Next task is putting the mugs away, then I'll tackle the main work surface so that we don't need to keep moving things onto the bread board or Steve's seat and we'll hopefully be a bit more organised then too.

Aksherley, I'll go and put the mugs back now and I'll put the baking trays into the cupboard too, so that that entire side is sorted out then I'll tackle the bread machine side after the meeting finishes for the day tomorrow, then do behind the recycling boxes on Sunday 'cos there will be a bit more room then.

BBS.

Today's (25th February 2022) lunch photos

Lunch was made pretty much totally by me again.  Literally all Steve did was stand/lean in the airlock doorway to give me confidence, then drained the pasta and mixed it all up together - I did all the cooking again today.

T'was pasta 'n' vegetable pasta sauce and waaay too much cheese 🧀 lol

While Steve was in the bathroom...

...I used the opportunity to wash up some very dusty plates that were in one of the cupboards and put the frying pan, 2 of my MIL's boxes, a soup ladle and the silicone tongs, spaghetti spork and scraperer away along with my smoothie bits and bobs.  We've now got 5 big plates, 2 small plates and two bowls washed up and drip-drying ready for us to use.  I'm planning on using one of the small plates for my jam sandwich breakfast tomorrow and I'm gonna put the plates and bowls away, along with the cutlery, when it's dry enough to.  I'm fed up of the kitchen being in a mess already, so yet again I'm gonna put everything away in its home so that we can actually find and use it when we need to!

So far Steve's spent 72 minutes caring for me this week, so unless he puts in 12 hour days between now and the time I go to bed on Sunday, this'll be yet another week where he hasn't even managed 10% of the minimum required and I've already spent over 3 hours caring for him this morning alone and 52 hours (and counting) already this week, so I'm right on track for just about hitting 80 hours this week and double the minimum will hopefully be just about in the bag by the time I head to bed tomorrow, yet apparently I'm not the carer and I don't do anything to support him <shrug>

Today's (25th February 2022) breakfast photo

T'was just another simple breakfast of a jam sandwich and orange juice again, but only half the amount of yesterday morning so that I didn't get too full for lunch today.

That's the...

...teas and B12 orders placed, so I really can put the photo up now lol

Mornin' all

So far this morning I've:

• Run the daily virus scan
• Run the maintenance app
• Taken my morning pills
• Reminded my carer to take his pills
  
• Checked my email
• Made breakfast
• Taken the empty bottles and plate back through to the kitchen
• Cared for my carer for over an hour

 

Gotta remember to get another B12 spray and more multivitamin teas (both hot and cold) at some point today, but you watch me forget lol

 

Really have gotta make a start on the editing today, in preparation for tomorrow otherwise I won't be in the creative headspace I need to be in ready for the weekend.

It's definitely pasta 'n' sauce 'n' grated cheese for lunch today, so that's another two pans on that I really don't feel confident using yet and I won't be able to lift the pasta pan up to drain the water, so that's gonna be Steve's responsibility again, just like on Monday, but that's literally the only cooking he's done this week, which is far from the every meal that he tells everyone that he makes for me!

Time to sort out the first photo of the day now.

Off to...

...beddy-byes now, so I'll say nite nite two ewe orl and I'll see you again tomorrow!

Didn't manage to...

...get any editing done today after all 'cos I've spent 10 of the 13 hours I've been awake, caring for my carer, so I couldn't do anything else.  I've managed to plan out the next two weeks worth of menu's though and other than the curry stuff for next week, we'll be using the food we've already got in the house.  If we manage to stick to the menu's then we'll be able to do a big freezer and cupboard shop at Iceland in the middle of March so that we can stock up on cheaper things and buy in larger packs than Morrisons do them... just gotta remember not to use the entire bag of food for one meal, like I accidentally did with the fries today - oops!  lol

We've basically just got 3 loaves of bread in the freezer and 12 packets of instant soup each to use up outside of our menu's.  I'll have jam sandwiches for breakfast (like I did this morning) until the jar and bread is finished which'll hopefully be around about the same kinda time that Steve finishes off the box of 24 wheat biscuits, then we can have granola to finish those packets off, then porridge then we'll be able to buy more breakfast things too, for the first time since the end of January lol

Today's (24th February 2022) lunch photo's

So much for taking 16 to 18 minutes... it took almost double that today! lol

T'was just battered onion rings and fries for lunch today - I did the whole bag of both and it was too much - I was nicely full after my plateful and there were still some fries left so didn't want to waste them, so had seconds... then finished off Steve's left-overs lol  Maybe half the bag of fries would have been better?  lol

We polished it off though, and there was no food waste today, which is a good thing 'cos I can't afford to waste money on my very limited funds each week.

It's pasta and sauce and grated cheese tomorrow which Steve'll have to help with when the pasta is cooked 'cos the full pan will be too heavy for me to safely lift and he'll be dishing up too for the same reason, but I'll be doing all the cooking.

I've made every meal so far this week and other than dishing up, I've done everything and Steve's only helped with one meal on Monday.

Here are today's photos:

That's the delivery...

...arrived and the ring fits perfectly but the tubs are smaller than I thought, but that's OK, it'll just mean smaller portions of the soup is all, which is no bad thing and they are all loose in the plastic bag which is annoying, but I should have realised that there wouldn't be a box before I ordered them.

I'm gonna go out and put lunch on at about noon so that we can have an early-ish lunch then I can spend the afternoon editing.

Gonna go and put the tubs away in the cupboard then see what the time is like for lunch.

Today's (24th February 2022) breakfast photo

Just a very simple breakfast this morning of home-made jam sandwiches and orange juice.

I'm half way down the jar of jam now, so hopefully it'll be finished before the weekend and I can return the jar to the person who gave it to me!

 

Mornin' all

Had a very early start this morning... was wide awake, down here and caring for my carer before 5am this morning and I haven't stopped since!

I've made my carer's breakfast, taken my morning pills, run the virus scan (still clear, thankfully) done the washing up and cared for my carer for 97 minutes.  My breakfast this morning was home-made jam sandwiches so I've got my sugar rush for this morning lol  I'm expecting a delivery between 10.29am and 11.29am this morning, so that we have something to put the home-made soup in so that we can freeze it.

I'm hoping that I'll get the news sorted before I make our lunch of onion rings and chips then I'll carry on supporting everyone else even when I need support myself.  I'd love to study another course today, but I'm thinking I should edit my manuscripts, before I forget again.

I made myself a bottle of squash that I asked my carer to make at lunchtime yesterday, but he "forgot" again, so I've had 72 minutes of support from him so far this week, so unless he spends 10 hours a day caring for me each day until bedtime on Sunday, there's no way he'll hit the minimum yet again.

I put in a grocery order for 3 weeks' time this morning 'cos I forgot and my carer didn't remind me to do it yesterday.

I'm gonna shut up now, so that I can resize my breakfast photo for you all then put it up on here and on Instagram

It's 8pm on Wednesday and...

...I'm already working overtime this week, so I'm gonna head to bed in a bit in preparation for tomorrow.

Nite nite orl.

Haven't done that for a while!

After making lunch and doing the washing up, I've spent the rest of the afternoon and evening studying.  

 

I need to crack on with the editing again soon, then I can study a few more courses while I get out of my characters' heads before the next round of edits.  It's the longer manuscripts that I've gotta do now which could, potentially, take a couple of days of nothing but editing, instead of a few hours and I need my memory to be in good shape so that I can remember what has already happened in each manuscript so I need at least two weeks totally free of everything which ain't gonna happen while I'm doing the vast majority of the meal making, so that's yet another thing that's on hold for my carer's benefit.

 

I'm expecting a delivery as well tomorrow, so won't be able to study or edit before that's arrived 'cos my carer won't answer the door, just like he didn't to his sister an hour or so ago.

 

It'll be interesting to see what he puts down as his 35 hours of care next week and how that compares to the spreadsheets I've been keeping!  He only cooks a couple of times a week which is a maximum of 90 minutes and I did all the cooking for the last couple of weeks, I'm not going anywhere so won't be having a bath or a shower and therefore not getting changed, which therefore means there won't be any laundry, so I'd love to see what else he comes up with for those 5 hours a day!

 

I've gotta take my last two pills of the day now.

 

BBIAB

 

I've found...

...a mug that Steve must have got me many years ago with a Westie on it and "Love you mom" at the bottom corner so I'll try and remember to use that one for my soups from now on lol

 

There are 4 mugs soaking now, so I'll go and wash them up and put 2 of them back onto the mug rack when they're dry.

 

It'll be onion rings and chips tomorrow, then pasta and sauce with oodles of grated cheese on Friday, then I've got a weekend jam packed with online writing stuff, so that will be soup for both days too.  I'll try and take a photo of each meal on both days, but I can't promise if or when it'll happen but if I do take photo's then I'm not gonna even attempt to put them on here until the things have finished at around 4.30pm each day.

We've got oodles of veg that will start to be used up next week, so I'm hoping that we'll be able to attempt to make home-made soup with the rest of the packages... it all depends on if I can motivate the chef though.  In theory it's simple enough, it's just summoning up the motivation in my carer to do it is all.

I've just taken my first lunch-time pill of the week so that's my body dosed up until tonight now.

Today's (23rd February 2022) lunch photo

As is pretty normal for us on a Wednesday, it was instant soup for lunch again - tomato for me and chicken & vegetable for Steve.  He wants a red meat (beef & tomato or oxtail) one next time we stock up on soups - he's still got 24 to get through first though lol

 

I've self-censored the naughty word on the mug, just in case there are small eyes watching.  I really should get a mug for my soups that is more child-friendly than my hubby's that I've been using lol

 

I've just had...

...a flapjack for elevenses so I've only got 264 calories left to eat today, so still having the instant soup is more likely now.  My carer wants to go to Subway for lunch, but I won't be having anything from there... I'm seemingly the only one who wants more home-cooked meals after all.  Steve tells everyone that he's eating less but that's negated by having fatty, salty take-aways!

That's the back-ups done for another week

The back-ups have already finished, so I'm pondering on something solid for lunch instead of the soup.  We've got waaay too many boxes of soup in the cupboard though, so maybe it's wise to stick to that?

Cool.

The weekly virus scan has just finished and didn't find any nasties, so I can make a start on my weekly back-ups now.

 

Edit:  Did this publish half an hour ago or not??

 

Today's (23rd February 2022) breakfast photo

I've had a 250ml bottle of orange juice for breakfast and it'll be a mug of instant soup for lunch, so today is gonna be a very low calorie day today, which is no bad thing after going over budget for the first two days this week - Monday was significantly over too lol

 

Here's today's breakfast photo:

 

That's my...

...carer fed for this morning.  I just had a bottle of orange juice again, so that and the instant soup at lunchtime will be my only calories today.

Pills taken...

...poo 💩 had, so now it's time to make my carer's breakfast for him.  I've got a sticky mess on my table from yesterdays sweet chilli sauce, so I'm gonna put my laptop on the floor wipe that off with some damp kitchen roll while he's eating, then take his bowl back through to the kitchen and put my laptop back on the table when he's finished.

Mornin' all

How are you all doing this morning?

Steve's decided against going to his medical appointment yet again 'cos he "don't want to take any risks with Covid and my breathing and heart" which is fair enough, but his leg was bleeding through the dressings and tubigrip yesterday and I'm guessing that he'll come up with an excuse not to go next week either.  It's always been his decision though, so I won't let him blame me for it like he does for the vast majority of other things.

I've started my weekly virus scan and it's already done 39% of it, so I'm gonna go for a poo 💩 then take my morning pills, then go and make breakfast for my carer.

BBL.

Just taken...

...my last pills of the day a touch early, but never mind... hopefully the main side effect will start to kick in soon and I can have an early night.

I've already cleared my cache's in preparation for tomorrow's weekly virus scan and I've just asked my carer to remind me to clear them again on Sunday, in preparation for the monthly scan on Monday... I'm predicting right now that he'll forget though!

I'm gonna start shutting down now, but I'll see you all again tomorrow morning... nite nite orl.

That's the...

...wild birds' water bowl cleaned and refilled now.  I'd been intending to do it for a few days, but seeing a Facebook friend talking about birds reminded me, so I went out and did it straight away, before I forgot again.

Today's (22nd February 2022) lunch photo

Very quick and easy meal today - Smiley Stars and a cautious portion of sweet chilli sauce.  It has a high fat content and Steve wants fish fingers with them next time, but I reckon they will be a semi-regular buy now!

Groceries have just...

...been and gone.  As I predicted this morning, literally all my carer did was move (not even pack) the bags from one side of his body to the other, then handed me the bottles of pop to put away... I did literally everything else and now he wants a take-away for lunch because he's so tired.  Not happening on my watch any more when we've got a fridge, two freezers and a cupboard full of food to eat.  We've relied on take-aways far too heavily for far too long so they are treats instead of every day food now.

I'll finish my glass of pop then go and make a start on it.  Again.  My carer won't be doing cooking until Friday this week 'cos apparently he cooked (as in finished off the cooking and dishing it up which lasted all of 10-15 minutes, tops) yesterday so is too tired to cook today.

Time to add todays groceries to the list of food we've got now, ready for editing each time something is used - that'll reduce the need for stock-takes each time then.

Mornin' all

How are you all doing this morning?

I'm doing OK - I've taken my morning pills, run the daily virus scan, checked my emails and cared for my carer since 6.10am.  I cared for my carer for over 13 hours yesterday and our groceries are due today which, I'm guessing, I'll be dealing with mostly alone 'cos literally all my carer does is move the bags from one side of his body to the other at the front door, then take the pop bottles out of the bag ready for me to put away.

The grocery email has just come through, so I'll be able to give you the final breakdown of them for this week in a sec... hold on while I open the calculator and email!

My stuff:  £5.52
Steve's stuff:  £18.07
Joint stuff:  £22.79

So I'm considerably happier with that than usual - we've just gotta be sure we'll use it all up this week!  Assuming we stick to the menu, there won't be any waste and if we stick to next week's menu too, then we'll be able to do a shop at Iceland so that we can refill our freezer too!  Doing the menu's for the week definitely helps with the motivation to cook and there is far less food hanging around at the end of the week 'cos we haven't felt like cooking, which can only be a good thing!

I'm gonna go and wash up the dishes so that I can make breakfast for both of us now.

BBL.

Just taken my pills and...

...come up with next week's menu (we only need two things on our grocery shop next week - we've already got everything else) so it's time to start shutting down my computer programmes now, then update the spreadsheet when my carer wakes up, then head to bed for the night.

So far this week I've cared for my carer for almost 12 hours and he's cared for me for 1 (while I was cooking our lunch, then took over when my anxiety went through the roof with the spitting sauce and dishing it all up 'cos the pan was too heavy for me).  I'll be doing all the cooking from tomorrow to Thursday inclusive, then my carer will hopefully help me again on Friday, ready for the meeting at the weekend.

I'm gonna say nite nite two ewe orl now and I'll see you again tomorrow, while I'm waiting for our groceries to turn up.

Nitey nite nite.

I like Graze even more now!

I've just opened my Graze box so that I could try the "peanut butter chocolate protein flapjack" and I noticed 3 things on the inside top that have made me appreciate them even more.

 

The box says that "our snack factory is wind powered" which on its own is awesome enough 👍, but it also says that there's "50% recycled plastic in our snack trays" 👍 and also that "we pledge to reach net zero carbon by 2030" 👍 so that's a triple thumbs up from me!!

 

If you enjoy snacking and trying new flavours then just follow this link to Graze and you'll get your 1st, 5th and 10th boxes for free and I'll get my next box free too.  They are an awesome company who do fantastic snacks and you can pause them whenever you want!

Today's (21st February 2022) lunch photos

Just had my lunch (and my carer's leftovers lol) and other than literally the last 5 minutes of cooking (because the sauce was spitting), mixing it all together (because the saucepan was too heavy for me to safely lift and move) and plating it all up, I did everything else so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself right now!

T'was a very yummy vegan spag bol with grated cheese which may not sound like a big deal to you, but I haven't been able to do that since Home Economics classes at Secondary School, so it's a huuuuge deal to me that I managed it with such a small amount of help!

News on 21st February 2022

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21st February 2022

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Today's (21st February 2022) breakfast photo

A simple breakfast of wheat biscuits, soya milk and too much sugar.  The orange juice was smoooooth until literally the last mouthful when I got a sharp shock lol

 

Just weighed myself and...

...I was right when I predicted that I'd have lost weight today.  Only 350g which is considerably less than I was thinking, but I've still lost weight, which means I'm allowed to pig out today and this week if I want to lol

Mornin' all

I've woken up in a great mood, so I'm hoping it'll stay with me all day now!

So far this morning I've:

• Taken my morning pills
• Updated the caring spreadsheet (I just about sneaked through the magic 85 hours by the time my carer woke up)
• Brought the recycling things in
• Cared for my carer for 68 minutes

 

As predicted, my carer didn't do the spreadsheet for last week but has promised to do it this week.

 

He's awake now, so time to make his breakfast for him while the virus scan is running.

 

BBL

 

Shutting down for the night now...

...my carer usually wants me to do something for him just as I'm shutting down, so I'm shutting everything off early tonight so that I can do whatever my carer wants then head straight off to bed.

Nite nite orl.

Just over...

...15 minutes to go before it's another 12 hour day so it's gonna be another late night after all.  I don't know why I let myself get hopeful that I'll ever be allowed an early night even though my body is crying out for the rest.

Still, tomorrow is a new day and the start of a fresh week, so maybe I can get to bed before 8pm one day next week instead??

Already over...

...10 hours of care today, so 12 hours is pretty much in the bag and I'd only need to care for my carer for an extra 54 minutes to take me to the magic 85 hours, but that'd be after my bed time and I'm determined to have an early night tonight for a change.

I'm predicting that when I weigh myself in the morning, I will have lost some weight after only eating 3 or 4 proper meals this week and only having two slices of bread all day today.

I will hopefully be able to have breakfast tomorrow 'cos that'll either be wheat biscuits or Granola, depending on what my carer wants 'cos the loaf of bread is used up now, so as long as I'm safe enough to make two breakfasts in the morning, that's what I'll do.  It's supposed to be vegan spag bol tomorrow but I'm predicting that my carer will find an excuse not to help me to do it so I'll have to do it alone again.  It's just tomorrow and Friday that I'll need his help for, 'cos they will be meals that involve doing things on the hob instead of in the oven and then mixing it all up and I'm just not confident doing that yet 'cos I've only done it once so far (today's stew for my carer) so I just need him there for safety/confidence reasons.  I'll be doing the other 5 meals totally alone again, I just need him there in case I've got any doubts or questions or I become unsteady or collapse or whatever.

I've got something happening with SCBWI both days of the weekend so three of the 5 meals will just be instant soup but that's more than I've had for the majority of this week!

Feeling pretty proud of myself right now, because...

...I've achieved a pretty decent amount today and I've already scraped through 80 hours of care this week, I won't make 85 hours but that's OK with me as long as I hit 80 'cos I've already doubled the necessary weekly minimum to be classed as a carer and my official carer hasn't even managed an hour all week this week.

I've asked him to fill in the caring spreadsheet for things he's done to support me for 35 hours this week... I'm giving him until midnight and I'm hoping (but severely doubting) it'll be in my inbox by the time I come downstairs tomorrow morning.  He's supposed to support me for a minimum of 5 hours a day, every day to hit the minimum, but he didn't even manage it when I went to see the Neurologist, let alone on an average day!!

Gonna go and do the washing up again so that I can fill my water bottle with the squash that my carer promised he'd to 26 hours ago but, quelle surprise, hasn't even done that.

BBL

18-0 to me

Just made my carer's second meal of the day - stew - and it took everything I had to stay upright.  He's having meat and Pepperami's for his tea tonight and I'm hoping for an early night after everything I've done today.  I've made 18 meals for him this week (it'll be 19 by the time I head to bed) and he hasn't made a single one for me, despite telling everyone who will listen (even if they don't ask) that he makes all my meals and drinks for me.  I asked him to make me a bottle of squash yesterday afternoon and he still hasn't done it 22 hours later, so I'm gonna have to put my safety at risk to do it myself.

Just sorted out...

...the rubbish and recycling for another week, totally alone yet again and I bet my carer will claim credit for that too when he didn't do a bloody thing to help other than tie his bin bag up and take it out of his bin.  The only time he's got out of his chair today has been to go for a wee or poo.

I'm gonna reply to a couple of emails then make my carers lunch for him so that at least one of us gets 3 meals today.  My total calorie count today will come from the orange juice I had for breakfast and the two slices of dry bread I had for lunch.  At least one of us has to eat properly though and that person seemingly ain't me.

Looks like...

I'll be eating less than I did yesterday 'cos my carer "don't feel that hungry to be honest, so I'm not gonna have any lunch today" so I've just finished off two slices of bread and that'll be all I eat again today.

I've made 17 of his meals and he hasn't made a single one of mine this week, yet apparently he "makes all her food and drinks for her" - other than bottles of squash maybe twice a week, tops, he hasn't made me a hot drink since the end of last year and he last made a meal for me on 10th February, which, I don't know about you, but that's not every meal now is it?

Here's today's lunch photo:

Mornin' all (17-0 to me)

How are you all doing this morning?

 

So far this morning I've taken my pills and run the daily virus scan which was still clear, thankfully. I've made my carer's breakfast for him, which means I've made 17 meals this week for him but I have only eaten 3 of them.  Apparently Steve's stew has thawed enough (after 3 days in the fridge lol) so that's what he's having for his lunch and there are two slices of bread left, so I'll have that for my lunch.  

 

I've asked whether I should do the washing up or sort out more of the spare room first and Steve replied "I'll do the washing up when I go out for my wash" because he gets washed in the kitchen sink 🤢🤮 but it means that I can spend a bit of time sorting out more of the mess that he's caused in the spare room.

Aksherley I think I'll go and do that now, while I've got a tiny amount of motivation.

 

Time for me to...

...head to bed methinks.

I've just started yawning, so I'm gonna do the admin on my caring spreadsheet then head to bed I reckon.

See you at some point in the morning.

Nite nite orl.

16-0 to me

Just made my carer's third meal of the day (sardine & tomato paste sandwiches and 4 Pepperami's) and had to wake him up so that he didn't knock the plate off the arm of his chair while he was asleep.

Literally all I've consumed today is the orange juice for breakfast, 3 slices of dry bread for lunch then 3 apples, a serving of honey roast peanuts and a bar of Pure Heavenly chocolate to keep me going through the afternoon.

My carer is having toast and juice for his breakfast, either stew (as long as it's defrosted by then) or lasagne for lunch (I'll finish off the last two slices of bread for my lunch) then meat and Pepperami's for his tea.  I'll be having a bottle of orange juice for breakfast, two slices of bread for lunch and nothing for tea so if I haven't maintained or even lost weight by the time I weigh myself on Monday morning, I'll be very surprised.

15-0 to me and...

...it looks like my entire calorie count for the day is gonna come from the orange juice I had for breakfast 'cos I don't even feel safe enough to make my carer's lunch, let alone my own too, so I won't be eating today after all.

That's the...

...Freegle things gone so it's time to stick the waffles into the oven for our lunch 'cos my belly is rumbling with hunger lol

I'm planning on spending all afternoon reading and reviewing this book so that I can spend tomorrow doing a bit more tidying up in the spare room lol

BBL

News on 19th February 2022

Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

19th February 2022

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The Times view on 650 years of friendship with Portugal: Port in a Storm

14-0 to me

Just made my carer's breakfast for him, which takes the weekly meal-making total up to 14-0 (we had a take-away for lunch yesterday and he finished his second meal off for his tea, so I only made his breakfast yesterday).  He's having stew for his lunch today which'll be made by me and sarnies for his tea, which will, again, be made by me.  My legs won't be stable enough to make three meals for him and one for myself, so I'll be living on the calories I've had for my breakfast (squeezed orange juice) today which is 42 calories, which is faaaar from healthy, but I'm not being given a choice this week.

Made a hot chocolate for him too and the tub is almost used up, so other than maybe 4 spoonfuls (2 drinks) he's had the entire pot of that too and yet again I'm going without.

Mornin' all

How are you all doing this morning?

So far this morning I've been for two wee's, taken my morning pills and loaded up all my computer programmes as well as having cared for my carer for 40 minutes so far, which I know doesn't sound like a lot, but as of bedtime last night my weekly caring total by me is over 60 hours and my carers weekly caring total is 48 minutes.  I frequently put in 10 hour days and he rarely reaches that a month!  I bet he hasn't done the caring spreadsheet that I've been asking him to do for the last 3 weeks either.  Ho hum.

Just taken my pills, so time to make my carer's breakfast now, then do the news while I'm waiting for the Freegle lady, then carry on reading this afternoon, then make lunch and carry on reading and reviewing while I care for my carer.

 

I've just set the virus scan running, so hopefully that'll be finished and clear when I bring my carer's breakfast in for him.

BBL

Taken my...

...evening pills and I'm now shutting down for the night.

 

I've got someone coming over from Freegle to pick something up tomorrow morning and I've gotta make more of a dent in the book I started reading yesterday as well as making all of my carers meals for him tomorrow.  I had his lunch and tea off today, so I should be grateful I s'pose. 

Nite nite orl, sea ewe in the morning.

Today's (18th February 2022) lunch photo

After 8 days of cooking every meal, I decided to allow one take-away 'cos of the storm and needing to recover from the sorting out more of our spare room this morning.  

 

We had a McDonald's for lunch - I had the medium "Veggie Dippers" meal with sweet and sour sauce.  T'was really good (despite it's barely tepid temperature - but that's forgivable with the storm making it feel like it's 2℃ out there according to the weather app on my phone), and it gave me a break from cooking too.

Afternoon all

Technically it's still lunchtime for us, but it's after 12 o'clock noon mid-day so I'm right with saying afternoon too 😉

This morning's storm has made me realise how reliant I am on my laptop 'cos I've spent all morning either on Facebook on my mobile (and getting frustrated that it refreshed every time I accidentally clicked on a video or ad or whatever) and I've been caring for my carer more intently than normal too.

We both forgot to take Steve's stew out of the freezer yesterday, so we couldn't eat according to the menu for the first day this week, so we had a McDonald's for lunch instead and Steve's stew is now defrosting in the bottom of the fridge, so we'll have the stew/garlic mushrooms tomorrow and tomorrow's waffles next week - that's been the only change this week though, so we've done really well to stick to it so well!  By the looks of things, we've been planning each week's meals since I finished JanNo and we've wasted considerably less food by doing that, so I reckon it'll be a regular thing for us now.

I've taken my morning pills and I'll take my afternoon one after I've been for a wee.  There won't be any news on any of my three sites today 'cos I wasn't online this morning and there isn't enough time to do it now, but things will hopefully be back to normal again tomorrow.

I'll resize the photo and put it up on here and on Instagram in a bit, but I need to head to the bathroom before I wet myself now lol

BBIAB

➰➰➰

Thaaaat's better lol

I'm pretty significantly over my daily calories today, but I've had a couple of days this week where I've been well under, so I'm thinking that things'll be pretty stable when I weigh myself on Monday.

While I was waiting for this morning's storm to pass, I used the opportunity to clear out a bit more of our spare room and moved Steve's music CD collection into the main bedroom along with everything else he wants to keep.  I enjoy it when I've summoned up the motivation to start, it's just trying to find the motivation to begin with is all.  I also did the washing up so we've got bowls and spoons so that we can both have breakfast in the morning.

I'm about to start the daily virus scan - I'm hoping it'll be clear, same as it always is, but it puts my mind at rest to do it as soon as I log on each morning.  

 

OK, that's the virus scan started and Paint.net loaded up, along with my book that I'm reading and reviewing.  Don't think I'll get it finished today, but that's OK 'cos the publisher has said not to publicise it until 2 week's before it's release date, so that gives me a couple of months to get it done and dusted in... I've got a reminder in my calendar to publish the review on the day that I'm allowed to, so hopefully that'll kick in and remind me on the day so that I don't forget.

Time to take my lunchtime pill now, then put the photo of my lunch up for you all.

BBS.

Just taken my pills and...

...I'm slowly shutting all my programmes down.  Not sure if I'll be online tomorrow 'cos there's a red weather warning for us, starting from 7am and I'm just not willing to take any risks.  I'm charging my mobile up but I'm not gonna be turning my laptop on until the storm has buggered off and we're out of the other side of the weather warning.  It's gonna be a long, boring day, but better that than having all my electrical items damaged!

I'll be back as soon as I can, but I'm just not gonna take any risks tomorrow.

Nite nite orl.  

 

Stay safe and well.

Today's (17th February 2022) lunch photos

Vegan vegetable curry and a Naan bread for lunch today, so very me-friendly and very yummy. I think it needed the rice with it though, 'cos we had to eat it with a spoon lol  My first experience of Naan breads was good, just a bit boring for my liking so apparently you can get garlic Naan breads, so I'll try and remember to buy those next time lol

 

I'm ever so slowly growing in confidence with the cooking that I've been doing for the last 10 days... I've still got a looong way to go, but I'm doing better than I thought I would as long as the meal is reeeeally quick and easy to do like the chips and the pizzas and things like that. 

Lunch tomorrow is breaded mushrooms for me and stew for Steve, so that'll be a joint effort so that I can get the timings right and neither poison us nor burn the house down 😉

Here are the photos:

Mornin' all

So far this morning I've:

• Taken my morning pills
• Changed my Windows desktop background
• Started the daily virus scan
• Cared for my carer for almost 2 hours

 

I'm not gonna even look for the news today 'cos I've got a great book that I wanna keep reading and reviewing.  I'm gonna catch up with my emails then get my nose stuck straight back into it.

Gotta make my carer's breakfast first though lol

As of now...

...I'm working overtime and heading to bed.

See you all in the morning.

Nite nite orl.

News on 16th February 2022

Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

16th February 2022

8 Destructive Myths About Friendship

14-year-old boy faces jail after bloody ‘friendship fight’

Barbados and Guyana pledge to strengthen ‘friendship’

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Today's (16th February 2022) lunch photo

My fourth meal this week, which is already double what I usually have!

Another simple meal of just a couple of baguette cheese pizzas, but tomorrow is gonna be vegetable curry with a Naan bread.  Feel free to laugh at me if you want, but how are you supposed to eat curry without rice and just a Naan bread please?  Steve says "you tear off chunks of the Naan bread and dunk it in the sauce" but surely that runs down your arm/clothes before you've taken a bite, doesn't it??

Here's today's lunch photo:

8-0 to me

I've just made our lunches, which is my eighth meal of the week made and still none at all by my carer.

It's curry tomorrow that I wanna try and make, but I'll have to have my carer's help with it so that I don't poison both of us or whatever.  In theory at least, it's just opening and emptying two cans into a pan and shoving the Naan breads under the grill for the last 5 minutes.  I'd love to be able to do a proper meal like that on my own, but after making the last 8 meals (as well as potentially tea tonight and breakfast tomorrow), I'm just not willing to risk it right now.  It's just lunch tomorrow and the lasagnes on Friday that I need help with this week.

I've already put my body through too much 'cos I'm shaking like a leaf and it feels like I'm walking during an earthquake, but we wouldn't have eaten yet this week if it hadn't been for me making it for him/us.

My carer has just put the last piece of his pizza into his mouth, so it's time for me to take the plates back through to the kitchen now, then I can hopefully recover enough to resize the photo and put it up for you all.  No more risks until tea-time now, when I'll make my carer's jam sandwiches before I head to bed.

For the next 3 weeks...

...our groceries are booked and checked out.  We'll need to seriously edit the order I've just put in 'cos there's mainly just biscuits and orange juice on it so that I could get the slot while I remembered.  I'm thinking it'll be easy meals that I can cook so that we both get to eat on the majority of days that my carer "can't be arsed" to do it, despite telling everyone that he makes all my meals and drinks for me.

Virus scan finished...

...backups started, one set of news sorted and I've had ⅔ of my allowed caffeine for the week, so I won't be having any more 'cos it's going through me so rapidly.

When the back-ups have finished, I'm gonna reboot and attempt to get my FitBit app back on my side since I had to reinstall it this morning.

In the meantime though, I'm gonna make a start on the next set of news so that I'm not sat here like a lemon until the backups have finished for another week.

 

Aksherlee, I'm gonna book the next grocery delivery slot 'cos that doesn't need me to save anything while the backups are chugging away.

TTYL

Today's (16th February 2022) breakfast photo

A very simple and healthy start to the day this morning.  I decided against the "Wheat Biscuits" after all, just in case they filled me up too much for lunch (pizza baguettes).

The 250g of blueberries were "best before" today so I decided to have those so that they didn't get wasted as well as a bottle of "squeezed orange juice" to keep me going until lunchtime.

Well that's...

...me and my tastebuds woken up this morning! lol

I've just had 250g of blueberries and 250ml of orange juice and they were both incredibly sharp this morning, so I'm wide awake now lol  Who needs caffeine when you've got sharp blueberries to do the job naturally lol

Just about to put the photo up now that I've resized it.

Morning all

How are you all doing this morning?

I was asleep until gone 6am this morning, so my body obviously needed the rest!  Steve was awake when I got down for a rare change and he's got his medical appointment first thing, so doesn't want any breakfast, so I'm gonna do the washing up then have my first breakfast of the year I think!  Just checked and I've had leftovers, bananas, biscuits and crisps for my breakfasts so far this year, so this will be my first "proper" breakfast this year.  We're having pizzas for lunch though, so I might not have any breakfast today, so that I've got room in my belly for that.

I've taken my morning pills and amazingly my carer was awake when I came downstairs so it's gonna be a low caring morning, this morning..

I'm having to uninstall my FitBit app and reinstall it again 'cos it's not seeing my tracker or logging any data from it, which is annoying, but needs must I suppose.

It's reinstalled now, so I've just gotta fiddle around with the sections of it again now.

This blog post is already waaay too long, so I'm gonna publish it and do battle with the app now.

BBL.

Nite nite orl

The side effects are rapidly kicking in, so I'm gonna head to bed now so that I can hopefully have an early night, ready for another early start in the morning.

Nite nite orl.

6-0 to me

Just got Steve's 6th meal of the week for him and he hasn't got me a single one yet.  I also made him another hot drink today (and one yesterday) but he hasn't made me one since before NaNo, yet apparently "I make all her meals and drinks for her" and I've had 6 minutes of care off him so far this week, and I've already done over 11 hours today alone... the weekly score is already over 25 hours for me, but apparently I'm not his carer and I don't do anything to support him.

Taken my pills, so now...

...I've just gotta get my carer's tea for him, then I can start closing all my programmes and eventually head to bed.

Today's (15th February 2022) lunch photos

I really am useless with portion sizes... two plates full of chips (aka fries for my American followers) and breaded onion rings between the two of us was just too much.  Next time I'll need to remember to not put "the last few chips on the tray... we'll polish them off between us, no problem" - I did and we didn't lol

Tomorrow is pizza baguettes (cheese for me, pepperoni for him) and we're gonna try the potato smiley faces - we've agreed that it'll either be just the pizzas or half the pizza baguette and a few smiley faces so that we've got a back-up meal ready to go in the freezer, no matter what I/we decide to do to.  Our stomachs are definitely shrinking lol

 

5-0 to me

Just made the fifth meal on the trot of this week - breaded onion rings and chips and it ended up being a touch too much for both of us.  I'm just glad that I've been able to have a proper meal instead of just Steve's left-overs though!

Photo's coming up in my next blog post.

4-0 to me

I almost forgot to update the score lol

I've made all 4 meals for my carer so far this week and it's looking like I'll be making lunch too as well as his tea.

My belly is rumbling from hunger so I'll make sure I have some lunch today instead of eating Steve's leftovers again.

Mornin' all

So far this morning I've:

• quenched my thirst with my first glass of pop of the day
• taken my morning pills
• reminded my carer to take his pills
• made my carer's breakfast
• reminded my carer to update the caring/support spreadsheet
• run the daily virus scan (still clear, thankfully)
• cared for my carer while he was asleep for 80 minutes

 

I supported my carer for over 14 hours yesterday and he did absolutely nothing for me.  I'll be lucky to get 10 minutes of care out of him today 'cos our groceries are being delivered and there aren't any toilet rolls for him to play with while I'm putting everything away - he really is like a cat (give him food, drinks and a packet of toilet rolls and he's happy to sleep for the rest of the day)!

 

I've just had the email about our groceries, so let's see what it says shall we?

 

Steve's cottage pie is 'unavailable' and hasn't been substituted with anything and the lattices have been replaced with chips, so I've said to reject those and I'll do onion rings and chips for lunch - it'll mean that there's less chips to try and use up during the rest of the week, which can only be a good thing and I'll do onion rings and chips again instead of his cottage pie on Friday 'cos he doesn't like mushrooms.  He's got two stews in the freezer, so he'll have one of those when I have my garlic mushrooms and it'll save even more room in the little freezer, which can only be a good thing.

 

I've gotta remember to clear my caches this afternoon, in preparation for tomorrow's weekly virus scan... you watch me forget though lol

Gonna update the menu, print it off then replace the ones I put up on Sunday.

BBL.

Gonna head off for the night now

I've eaten very little today so the lack of calories is really starting to make me tired, so I'm gonna head to bed now and I'll see you all in the morning.

Nite nite orl.

3-0 to me

Just got my carer's tea for him which brings the days caring totals up to 10 hours and 54 minutes by me and 0 minutes by him and I doubt he'll do anything to care for my in the next 2 hours, but I'm on track for hitting 12 hours of care for my carer before I head to bed tonight.

I've eaten 8 biscuits and a few chips today, but my carer has had 3 entire meals made/got by me and I'm predicting it'll be the same tomorrow too.

He's just having a look at tomorrow's groceries to make sure they are all OK for him - yep, he's said "it's all fine by me" so he can't blame me for things that aren't on there now.

Today's (14th February 2022) lunch photo

I made Steve's lunch today and made a few too many chips to go with his 10 sausages so I finished off his chips for my lunch.  His sausages said they took 20-25 minutes but were still the same colour after 30 so I dished up his chips and put the sausages in for an extra 20 minutes on the top shelf which eventually worked, but I seriously need to work on my timings.

It's onion rings and potato lattices for lunch tomorrow, so hopefully they will be better timed and I'll be able to dish them both up at the same time tomorrow.

Here's the photo:

2-0 to me

Just put my carer's lunch of sausages and chips in the oven and set the timer going on my phone, which means that he's had two meals so far today and I haven't had anything except 8 choccie biccies so that they didn't go off and he'll be having jam sandwiches for his tea and I'll be missing my third meal of the day.  Still at 100% of the meals made by me and 0% made by him, even though, apparently, he "makes all her meals and drinks for her" which he's already proved is total bollox.

1-0 to me already

Very nearly forgot to start the weeks food scores again!

So far this week, I've made 100% of the meals and my carer has made 0%.

I'm predicting that I'll be making my carer's lunch and possibly tea (jam sandwiches) and I won't have anything in my belly other than the half a packet of biscuits I'm currently chomping my way through.

That's the...

...recycling brought in, my carer's breakfast made, washing up done and dusted and I'm less than 90 minutes away from completing today's minimum caring hours.  The rubbish is just reversing down, so I'll go and thank them and bring the bag in for another week now.

BBS.

 

T'was the Aussie working alone again, but I did what I always try and do and that's just to say "thank you" to them - I might be the only one on their round that says it and a lot of people take them for granted because of their job, so I like to think that I maybe brighten their day slightly when I thank them!

Under an hour to go to complete my minimum now and I've asked my carer to complete his spreadsheet this week so we'll see where he puts his weekly 35 hours and if they tally up with mine.  I'm predicting that he'll conveniently forget though, just like he has for the last 6 weeks that I've been asking him to do it.  I'm also predicting that I'll be making all the meals this week despite my carer promising, yet again, that he'll do them but because I can make all of them, it'll be down to make them yet again.

I'm gonna finish off a packet of biscuits this morning, but when they've gone I really will only be eating and drinking when my carer makes it.  I'm not gonna be exercising this week, so that I can hang on to the weight that is healthy for me, but I'm predicting that I won't have any hot drinks or food this week.

Mornin' all

And so it begins.  

 

This is the week that I'll only be eating and drinking (other than water and fruit squash) if/when my carer makes it for me.  It's (sausages for my carer and) chips on the menu today and I'm making a prediction right now that it'll be me who makes it and I'll go completely calorie free for the first day this week.

I've remembered to move the electricity money over to the joint account for Steve to get credit for, just started the virus scan and I'm gonna go and weigh myself so that I can get it logged into FitBit and last week's spreadsheet up on my site.  When my carer wakes up for more than a few seconds, I'll take my morning pills and remind him to take his because apparently that's what I've got to do from now on "so that I remember to take them all.  I've only gotta take them in the morning, so if you remind me when you take yours then I'll be sorted for the day" so that's something else I've gotta take responsibility for now.

 

Nite nite orl

I've taken my last two pills of the week so I'm shutting down now.  The support that I ended up providing for my carer was 87 hours and 12 minutes, which is more than 2 full-time jobs a week but apparently I'm not the carer <shrug>

I'm heading off to beddy-byes for definite now.  See you all tomorrow morning.  Nite nite orl.

17-1 to me to finish the week off with

Just got my carer's tea for him and he's wasted a whole pack of 4 doughuts again (they were 3 days out of date) so he's taking them off Tuesday's shop and we've got more wasted food than I thought this afternoon, disappointingly... I should be use to it by now though.

Had a vegan...

...chocolate milkshake made with soya milk and I wasn't sure about the levels of powder and milk to use in my glass.  It instructed to use 2 level teaspoons in 250ml of milk, so I put two and a bit very heaped teaspoons in about 400ml of milk and I got it spot on first time!

I've consumed a huge amount of chocolate today and that, combined with re-starting my morning supplements, has made me feel really good today.  I only missed two days worth of pills but the drinking chocolates (2 of 'em), the chocolate milkshake and the bar of chocolate I had for my tea has really satisfied my sweet tooth today.

I can see me having a chocolate banana smoothie for breakfast tomorrow 'cos the bananas are starting to go spotty, so I wanna have them before they go bad, so that's breakfast tomorrow sorted.  It's chips on the menu for lunch tomorrow and I'll potentially be too stuffed to function after that lol

I've already cared for my carer for over 85 hours this week, so I'm gonna reward myself with an early night when I've taken my last two pills of the week.

The grand total of care by my carer this week has been 1 hour and 38 minutes, so only just over ⅒ of what it should be to be recognised as a carer.  I've achieved 86 hours and 15 minutes so far... I'm hoping for a nice, round 87 hours by the time I head to bed tonight which is, I think, a new record for me.

I've just started 2 new sheets in the spreadsheet document for next week so I'm all set and ready to go now.

This blog post is already waaaay too long, so I'm gonna shut up and publish this now, you'll be relieved to hear, I'm sure.

Just in case I forget to post a goodnight message, I'll say goodnight to you all now.  See you all again either within the next half an hour or so but definitely tomorrow morning.

Today's (13th February 2022) lunch photo

A late but simple and quick meal of just steak cut chips, a sprinkling of salt and 2 servings of brown sauce.

There's room in our little freezer for the rest of the big bag of chips from our lunch tomorrow.  It's a very simple menu next week after Steve's earlier admission about why he only cooks maybe once or twice a week... the menu is deliberately food that I can cook myself and just need Steve to dish up when the food is cooked, but hopefully working as a team next week instead of Steve doing all the cooking will give him a break from feeling like he has to cook every meal.

We've still got half a bag of Linda McCartney "Vegemince" to use up, but that, Steve's sausages and 2 trays of ice cubes is all that's left in there now.  Assuming I'm stable enough on my feet tomorrow lunchtime and I've got enough confidence to do it, I'll put a few sausages in the oven for Steve, as well as the chips.  He's trying to cut down on his portion sizes and the amount he eats in general so I've suggested getting smaller plates so that it *looks* like the same portion size, but it's a little bit smaller.

Here's the photo of my lunch today:

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As predicted...

...my carer doesn't want to cook today after all, but at least he's been honest with me about why he doesn't feel able to cook for the vast majority of the week.

Today is gonna be another make-do meal of "biscuits and sweets and stuff" then we're gonna come up with a menu for next week and I'll print it out and pin it up somewhere in the kitchen so that it's physically there to look at and uneditable.  We're also gonna stock up on easy meals that go straight from the freezer, onto a baking tray and bunged into the oven for half an hour, so no more spag bols or pasta 'n' sauce or anything like that, just ready meals that are already prepared and can just be taken out of the oven, slid onto a plate and eaten.

He wants to use the slow cooker more too because he can just set and forget for four hours.

Basically he can't be arsed and that's my fault.

I wanna do what I can to help and support him... but I also wanna eat so that I don't lose more weight!

Very nearly...

...80 hours of care for my carer, so it's looking very likely that this'll pretty easily be an 85 hour week of care for my carer.  OTOH my carer has only cared for me for 1 hour and 28 minutes so far this week, so there's no way that he can achieve the 35 hour minimum now, even if he did nothing but care for me between now and midnight tonight, 'cos there are only 14 hours left of the week.

16-1 to me

Just made a hot drink and breakfast for my carer, so the score is now 16-1 to me.

Time to do my laps now.

BBL.

Mornin' all

I've just taken my first supplements for 3 days and I could feel my body going "what the... oooh!"  Less than 5 minutes later and my body is already making use of the goodness that the pills provide and I'm feeling considerably better than I have for the last couple of days without them.

I'm pondering on getting a lip moisturising stick thing that I can use when I'm out of the house and I haven't got the tin of Vaseline™ with me... I think I need to drink more water too, 'cos my lips were fine when I was drinking 3-4 litres of water a day!

Right now we're still having the pasta 'n' sauce 'n' grated cheese for lunch but I'm predicting my carer will find a reason not to do it.

I kept forgetting to update the meal scores too - we're at 15-1 as of right now 'cos I've had one take-away and my carer has had two this week.  He's cooked one meal and I've made 15 of his.

I can really feel my body soaking up all the supplements I've given it this morning... it's not crying out for vitamins and minerals any more and is going all guns blazing into putting the goodness to work.

OK, I've added the lip balm and some bottles of pop to Tuesday's order, so the totals now break down like this:

My stuff:  £6.76
Steve's stuff:  £27.88
Joint stuff:  £13.44

So the totals are much more evenly spread now - Steve's still got over half of the shop just for him, but at least I've got a few things and there are considerably more joint things than usual too, so I'm happier with that.

When my carer wakes up for longer than 5 seconds, I'll go and make his breakfast for him, to bring that score up to 16-1.  If my carer cooks for lunch it'll be 16-2 and I'm assuming that I'll be making his tea for him too, so it'll be 17-2 to me by the time I head to bed... so much for "I make all her meals and drinks for her" eh?

 

I'm gonna go and do my last set of exercises of the week after I've made my carer's breakfast so that I can get 3 blobs in my FitBit app instead of the 2 I'd get if I did them now. 

We've gotta put the rubbish and recycling out today too, which I'm predicting will be totally down to me yet again.

This blog post is already waaay to long, so I'm gonna shut up and publish this now.

BBL.

I've taken my pills now, sooo...

...it's time to start shutting down for the night now.

I'll be back, as always, tomorrow and I'll be able to take my full amount of pills which my body is already desperate for, after missing 2 days 'cos of the product test.

My eyelids are already drooping, so I'm gonna say nite nite two ewe orl now and I'll see you all again tomorrow.

We've now got...

...a few things on Tuesday's order that are quick and easy for me to do for us on the 4-5 days my carer doesn't want to cook - it's just waffles and lattices and pizza baguettes and things like that, but I can just get 'em out of the freezer, pop them on a baking tray and bung 'em in the oven for 20 minutes then dish up and it'd mean that I'd get *something* in my belly each day instead of just water.

The current totals break down like this:

My stuff:  £1.00
Steve's stuff:  £24.88
Joint stuff:  £11.44

which is much better.  Steve's stuff is still the majority of the shop, but at least the joint stuff is in double figures too right now.

He wants to do a frozen shop at Iceland, so I've said that if we can get our big freezer considerably emptier before the end of February, then we can do a huge frozen shop at the beginning of March.  I'm more than happy to do that and he's agreed the timeline, but I'm predicting right now that it just ain't gonna realistically happen based on the last few months.  I'm happy to get things that can be quickly done by me (like waffles and hash browns and stuff like that), but if we just get more and more frozen stuff that just won't be used then we won't have anywhere to store it which will piss me off 'cos it'll be yet more wasted money that I really can't afford to lose.

Today's (12th February 2022) lunch photo

After making my hubby's lunch (a MugShot) I wasn't stable enough on my legs to make anything for myself, so today's lunch is half a packet of biscuits again.  Hopefully we'll have something more substantial tomorrow!

Just made...

...my carer's lunch for him and found 2 biscuits that I can have for my lunch, so it'll be a 348 calorie day today after all.

Starting on Monday...

...other than water and pop so that I can stay hydrated, the only things I will be eating and drinking, will be things that my carer makes for me.  He tells everyone that asks that he "makes all her meals and drinks for her" so I will have a full belly next week and no thirst at all.  In reality I'll have a maximum of 3 meals and no drinks at all.

Time to go and get myself a bottle of pop for lunch today 'cos my carer has "got sausage rolls and stuff to have for lunch" so I'll be living on 220 calories today 'cos I had a smoothie for breakfast and my carer won't be cooking by the looks of things.  He'll be the only one eating tea again 'cos "I'm gonna get myself a Chinese for tea"

Aksherley, I'll just be having water today 'cos, as I think I predicted this morning, I've had to take my pop off so that I could add a washing up brush and pasta pots for Steve, which costs £6 so took the price over budget, so Tuesday's groceries now break down like this:

My stuff:  £0.00
Steve's stuff:  £31.88
Joint stuff:  £8.70

So, just like every week, as long as Steve gets stuff for him, it doesn't matter that I have nothing at all.

Mornin' all

So far this morning I've:

• woken up late (so I must have needed the sleep after yesterday's adventures)
• taken just a single morning pill 'cos of yesterday's product test
• cared for my carer for over 2 hours
• edited the groceries for Tuesday 'cos there is still so much juice left in the fridge, so let's do the breakdown totals before I forget, shall we?

 

My stuff:  £5.52
Steve's stuff:  £26.88
Joint stuff:  £8.70

So yet again, Steve's stuff costs well over half the grocery spend and I reckon a lot of it will get wasted again.  I'm predicting now, at 9.09am on Saturday 12th February 2022, that the majority of Steve's stuff will be wasted yet again and that he'll want exactly the same things that go to waste on the next week's order too.

I'm going to have a grape smoothie for breakfast, for potentially my only meal of the day 'cos Steve's decided to have "a sneaky Chinese today" so that's one meal I'll be going without, so I'd better get a few calories into me this morning, just in case I don't have any lunch.

Off to beddy-byes now

After the day I've had today, I think I've earned a loooong sleep and hopefully a late morning tomorrow too... I'm certainly hoping that it'll be after 5am that I wake up tomorrow, but after 6am would be even better!

Nite nite orl.

Today's (11th February 2022) tea photo

I've just had my leftovers from lunch (2 sugar-glazed vegan doughnuts, courtesy of Greggs) and they tasted soo good... made my left hand incredibly sticky though lol

Today's (11th February 2022) lunch photo

As a celebration for being able to go and fetch my new glasses from my optician totally alone again, we had another celebratory lunch from Greggs.  I had a Vegan Festive Bake that tasted *exactly* like turkey and a vegan ham and cheeze baguette that tasted exactly like ham and cheese sandwiches... coulda done with some pickle just to make it perfect, but it was very yummy even without it!

I also had my very first "coffee shop" Americano coffee too, which was yumsk too, but it would have been good if they'd offered a decaf option too.

We've got "vegan friendly" glazed doughnuts to have for later on today for an early tea so that they don't go rock hard and go to waste overnight.

Busy morning this morning!

Afternoon all.

Sorry that it's taken until now to update my blog, but I've had an incredibly busy morning and this is the first opportunity I've had to sit and catch my breath since 4.40am!

So far today, I've:

• woken up and come downstairs (obviously)
• had a shower and washed my hair
• run the daily virus scan
• installed an OS update
  
• gone to pick up my new glasses
• had lunch
• tried my first ever "coffee shop" (aka Greggs delivery) Americano coffee
• been able to sit down for long enough to breathe.

 

This afternoon I'm not gonna be moving far from the sofa (except for urgent wee breaks 'cos of the caffeine) so there may be many or few blog posts between now and bed-time.

 

There's another Windows update to install under 5 hours after the first one, so I'm gonna install that now and hope that'll be it.

 

I've got a photo of my lunch for you all after I boot back up (hopefully without any issues) so I've just gotta remember to do that too.  I might risk taking a selfie with my new glasses for you all, for only the second time in my life, but we shall see.

 

I've only taken one pill today 'cos there's a secret product test that I'm taking part in that means it could, potentially, affect me negatively if I have too much of one particular thing (like with the caffeine).  It's only once but I'm not willing to take any risks.

 

We've done incredibly well with our rubbish this week... we've been using the empty plastic innard from Steve's finished cereal and barely half filled it.  Today's lunch is gonna require a bigger bag, but we've managed to get until Friday lunchtime before needing it.  It's gonna be a normal kinda sized bin bag 'cos of the two living room bins and potentially the bedroom and bathroom bins too, but I don't reckon we'll half fill even that!

So far this week, my carer has cared for me for 1 hour and 26 minutes and I've cared for him for 5 hours and 20 minutes today alone... waking up and coming downstairs before 5am prolly helped with that 😜

I've just taken my lunchtime pill, so I'm gonna do part 2 of the product test then give them my feedback when the update has installed.

 

TTFN

 

Nite nite orl

Not sure what I've done today that's made me so tired, but I'm struggling to keep my eyes open, so I'm gonna head to bed for an early night now and I'll see you bright, but hopefully not stupidly early, in the morning.

Nite nite orl.

Can someone remind me...

...to have a shower in the morning, so that I can go and get my new glasses on Saturday without stinking the taxi and optician/shop out pretty please?  It'll only be a ten minute trip, but apparently it's supposed to be cold and wet over the next few days, so might not be wise to attempt going down in Patrick.  It'll be weird swapping between the glasses whenever I move away from the computer lol

Today's (10th February 2020) lunch photo

I can finally stop nagging Steve about making the Pasta Bake for us now lol

T'was huuuge and very yummy so we'll both sleep well tonight lol

10-1!!!

We really are having Pasta Bake for lunch, so I was wrong to doubt it this morning... I hope I have about half of it instead of my usual third 'cos I'm absolutely starving after barely eating this week!

 

10-0 so far this week

There's a (remote??) chance that my carer will cook for lunch, but right now it's 10-0.

Today's (10th February 2022) breakfast photo

Had three bananas for breakfast this morning because they had all split so wanted to eat them before they went brown and off which I don't like.

Could this be my only meal today?

Mornin' all

As of last night, I'm already working overtime and my carer is still less than 20 minutes of care so far this week.

I've taken my morning pills, started the virus scan, got my carer's breakfast and had 3 bananas for my breakfast.  Without being pessimistic, I reckon they will be the only things I eat today 'cos I bet my carer will come up with yet another excuse not to cook again.  Next week I'll only eat and drink (other than water and squash) when my carer makes it for us.  Going by what he tells everyone, that'll be 14 meals a week and three or four hot drinks a day, but I don't think he's *ever* done that, so I'm predicting that the reality will be a maximum of 3 meals and no hot drinks.

I've got someone coming over to pick up some stuff this morning, so I'll be able to sort out a bit more of the spare room when that's gone.

Gonna put up my breakfast photo now.

BBIAB.

Just taken my...

...last two pills of the day and my carer is awake now, so I'm gonna grab the opportunity to head to bed with both hands and say nite nite to you all now and I'll be back, as normal, in the morning.

Nite nite orl.

9-0 to me

Just got my carer's tea for him, so that's 9 meals that I've got/made for him and he still hasn't made/got me a single one.  I'll have to make his breakfast for him tomorrow so that'll be 10-0 to me and I bet he'll find a reason not to make the Pasta Bake yet again, so I'll be making him a soup or double MugShot to take it to 11-0 and it'll be the same in the evening so it'll be 12-0.  Friday will turn up and I'll be making his breakfast, he won't cook for lunch 'cos "it's too close to the weekend" then I'll make his tea for him to take it up to 15-0.  He'll be "too tired to cook, sorry" at the weekend, "but I promise I'll cook for us on Monday" and the whole cycle will start again.

I've got a punnet of seedless grapes and 3 bananas to keep me going now though, so I won't go totally hungry tomorrow if/when my carer decides against cooking yet again.

I've remembered (a few hours late) to take my afternoon pill and I've put a reminder in my calendar to take it each lunchtime from now on, so hopefully I'll remember from now on!

8-0 to me already...

...and I'm predicting that it'll be 9-0 tonight.  I'm also predicting that my carer won't be cooking at all this week... I'd love to be wrong about that, but I don't think I will be.  I'm also making a third prediction - that I won't get any other support from my carer this week at all, so the support he has provided for me will stay at 18 minutes.  Hungry and frustrated, but that doesn't matter to my carer, does it?

Update on our lunch today

"It's getting on a bit now and I'm struggling to motivate myself, so can we have the pazza bake tomorrow instead?"

I've just asked him what we're gonna have instead today and he said "zoop" which will be made by me and I won't be having anything.  Again.

I've done it already today!

Hit the 10k mark as I was walking through the bathroom door, so next target is 12,500 by the time I crawl into bed tonight.  I'm happy with the 10k though, so if I don't make the second target then that's totally OK with me today.  I'd like to hit 10k steps every day that I do my laps, but it's totally OK if I don't 'cos I know that 10k means that I've hopefully done enough to burn off the extra calories that I consume.

Virus scan finished, back-ups started...

...and we're still having Pasta Bake for lunch - without being pessimistic, I reckon my carer will be too tired to cook and he'll sleep instead, 'cos that's all he's done this morning, other than eating and drinking his breakfast!

I was soooo close to hitting 10,000 steps after my laps this morning, so I'm guessing I'll hit 10k before lunch, and maybe 12,500 steps by the time I head to bed tonight.

I'm only gonna do one set of laps a day, so that I don't push my body too far.  I'm pondering on only doing it three times a week too, so that I can burn off the calories a bit quicker and get back down to the weight I want to be.  I'm within the healthy range right now, so I can safely have a few calorie dense days without needing to exercise them off if my body doesn't feel able to do it.  It wakes me up and clears my head and sets me up for the rest of the day, but I'm not gonna do it twice a day, every day any more.

Today's (9th February 2022) breakfast photo

Just a couple of bananas for breakfast today.

I'm trying to remain hopeful that we'll have Pasta Bake for lunch, but based on past experience, it's better not to get my hopes up too much 'cos it could change at any point until it's actually in the oven.