Ranting about nothing very interesting. Showing 1,301-1,350 of 1,390

[Jim]

Glad to see things working, and interested in the new story :-)

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Glad that you got some 'you time' and hopefully something good will come of your mum's fall. Spotify must be the only entertainment subscription I've never questioned myself on whether it's worth it, although given that I listen to more songs in a year than my friend who has a household of 4, show's it's worth it!

[M.T.]

Thanks you two. Mum has broken her ankle, both bones but it’s cracked. They are giving her a thorough check up and suggested a pacemaker. Bruv said no because … she has dementia and an anaesthetic is about the worst thing she could have but also, at this stage we are both in favour of quality of life as opposed to prolonging it. If it would make her more alert and help with the dementia, maybe but I suspect the General would negate any benefits. She had a stroke this morning, they suggested he call me, he said nah, she’ll be fine and like last time, she had rallied and perked up by the afternoon. It’s going to be a long road though. Also she’s been enjoying being in hospital. Having wanted to go home yesterday, today, after the stroke, she doesn’t really know where she is.

So … we shall see how it unfolds. She’s OK, she’s happy and Bruv is looking after her. I’m hoping McMini and I will get to see Bruv and the cousins on Wednesday as well. It might be that we’re in the home straight with getting her into a home, either in Sussex or near Bruv. Either way, a lot of the weight will lift from my shoulders. If she goes to Bruv, I can visit once a month or once a fortnight with a clear conscience and let him run things … even if I’m still doing the money it will be so different.

[Alicia]

So sorry to hear about your mum having a stroke! You are so right about anesthesia being a serious risk - glad your brother is taking the lead this time, as you did so much for your dad.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Glad she seems happy being in hospital, and hope that you can get something near your brother, for him to take the lead.

[M.T.]

Thanks y’all. It would be good but depends if she wants it. Right now it varies but on days she knows she understands that she’s at home and is glad. I want her to be at the stage where she doesn’t know on the good days, so it doesn’t matter.

[M.T.]

I've done another blog post. Oooh two in a fortnight. https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2022/09/03/th...

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Read it earlier, glad you seem more optimistic, and I think having plans/something fun to look forward to always helps.

[M.T.]

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Read it earlier, glad you seem more optimistic, and I think having plans/something fun to look forward to always helps."

Definitely.

[Jim]

glad to see things coming together a bit and hope the convention goes well

[M.T.]

Jim wrote: "glad to see things coming together a bit and hope the convention goes well"

Me too, so long as I can get rid of this blummin' vertigo. I've had it for weeks!

[Jim]

no coughing or feeling chesty?

[M.T.]

Jim wrote: "no coughing or feeling chesty?"

I'm slightly wheezy at night sometimes but it started with a chest infection. I felt knackered for weeks, then got a chest infection, then it went to my sinuses and by the time I'd returned from holidays all was well ... then the vertigo started. I'm pretty sure it's just something inflamed somewhere in my inner ear because everything tastes of earwax! :-( On the up side, I did manage to get to talk to a Doctor on the phone and I'm seeing her on Thursday face-to-face so she can have a proper look at me!

[Stuart]

Good luck MT!

My gorgeous wife has begun to experience headaches at night (that old story, I know!) and increasing episodes of postural hypotension. Being a nurse, of course, she downplays it and considers it pretty much nothing. She also suffers with a rare blood disorder, one of the symptoms being a very low ferritin count. She does, at least attend the six monthly appointments for that. I guess the difficulty I have is that my lifestyle choices, up until 519 days ago, leave me in no position to lecture anybody on health related matters!

[M.T.]

Stuart wrote: "Good luck MT!

My gorgeous wife has begun to experience headaches at night (that old story, I know!) and increasing episodes of postural hypotension. Being a nurse, of course, she downplays it and ..."

Thanks, nice to know I'm not the only one who suffers annoying things. And congrats on those 519 days. :-)

[Alicia]

Stuart wrote: "Good luck MT!

My gorgeous wife has begun to experience headaches at night (that old story, I know!) and increasing episodes of postural hypotension. Being a nurse, of course, she downplays it and ..."

Sorry to hear. Headaches are horrid, trying to do useful work with one incredibly difficult.

[Jim]

M.T. wrote: "Jim wrote: "no coughing or feeling chesty?"

I'm slightly wheezy at night sometimes but it started with a chest infection. I felt knackered for weeks, then got a chest infection, then it went to my..."

It's just that when you get older, vertigo can be a side effect of a chest infection (Just as people can go doolally from a urinary infection but this one hits people younger)
I had a chest infection I didn't know I had, virtually the only symptom was vertigo and it cleared up very rapidly with a cheap and cheerful old fashioned antibiotic

[M.T.]

Thanks both! Sadly I think mine is hayfever as a menthol style barrier cream on my nose, combined with rain, is making things a lot more bearable. The doc has had a look but couldn't see any signs of infection. If it's still there in a month, I have been told to go back and get checked again. If that happens I'll mention the chest infection then. Although the wheezy bits have cleared.

[M.T.]

OK here's the new blog post ... from last weekend (Oct 1st)

https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2022/10/01/no...

And there's one from the week before and all!

https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2022/09/24/me...

And did I post this one?

https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2022/09/18/st...

Deary me! I think I'm getting a bit behind myself.

[M.T.]

I done a blog for those what reads ... here it is.

https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2023/02/04/20...

[M.T.]

Well, I have blogged again so here is another mahooooosive one. https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2023/02/26/di...

[M.T.]

Two weeks running! This has got to be a record! :-)

https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2023/03/05/ch...

[Alicia]

It's an outlet - you need an outlet - crazy world.

[Jim]

good one
But for me that isn't capitalism, it's corporatism. When the corporations get too close to government and you can no longer tell the difference between how a corporation is run and how a government department or agency is run

We saw it in 2008 when the politicians bailed out their mates in the banks. (I think some people use the term crony capitalism)
With capitalism the banks would have gone bust, the bosses would have been out on the street, their houses sold to help cover the debts.

[M.T.]

Jim wrote: "good one
But for me that isn't capitalism, it's corporatism. When the corporations get too close to government and you can no longer tell the difference between how a corporation is run and how a g..."

Cronyism, I’d forgotten that word! And yes, I guess it’s kind of simplistic to call it capitalism, although I think the whole Livy’s circle aspect of it still stands. I wrote that in a bit of a hurry, because I wanted to publish it yesterday … otherwise it tends to get put off until the next week and I’m working on another post for this week (or possibly two week’s time). I think in the book I mentioned there that the idea that one company gobbles up others and dominates an industry … badly because the barriers to entry are too high for anyone else … is referred to as a monopsony. My personal politics tend to be conservative with a small c, with a measure of socialism thrown in because I’m also a Christian. :-)

Totally with you on the banks. We had just paid off our post war debts and the bloody idiots put us back in the exact same shit. Ugh.

[M.T.]

Alicia wrote: "It's an outlet - you need an outlet - crazy world."

That is very true! :-)

[M.T.]

This week's offering... https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2023/03/12/ex...

[Jim]

nice :-)

[M.T.]

Jim wrote: "nice :-)"

Glad you enjoyed it.

[M.T.]

First post for a month or two, https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2023/05/07/cr...

[Alicia]

'Twas a good one - and you have a new kitchen floor! How is that not the best part of the whole thing?

Many things in life are temporary, but a new kitchen floor lasts for aeons (ask me how I know).

[M.T.]

Alicia wrote: "'Twas a good one - and you have a new kitchen floor! How is that not the best part of the whole thing?

Many things in life are temporary, but a new kitchen floor lasts for aeons (ask me how I know)."

Mwahahargh! This is true and I suspect this one will. The last floor had done the previous occupants 8 years and did us 14.

[M.T.]

And another one! Two in a row! Un heard of. 🤣🤣🤣 https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2023/05/21/co...

[Pam]

I tried to comment on your post about continuing care with some suggestions but I don't think it accepted the comment and I couldn't message you on GR so I'll copy it here:

I don't know if it might help but according to this NHS page - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-... - there is an organisation called Beacon which "gives free independent advice on NHS continuing healthcare". They have a free helpline on 0345 548 0300 and a website https://www.beaconchc.co.uk/

Also that NHS page says "The initial checklist assessment can be completed by a nurse, doctor, other healthcare professional or social worker. " Anyway good luck with all this and if you can get help for free from Beacon that would be better than spending £1000s to these other outfits.

[Alicia]

How many more years until you marry off the offspring?

[M.T.]

Alicia wrote: "How many more years until you marry off the offspring?"

He's only 14 so ... many. :-)

[M.T.]

Pam wrote: "I tried to comment on your post about continuing care with some suggestions but I don't think it accepted the comment and I couldn't message you on GR so I'll copy it here:

I don't know if it migh..."

Thanks for that, Pam. I've found Beacon and there's another one called Compass. Lots of people have offered advice so hopefully I'm getting there.

[Alicia]

M.T. wrote: "Alicia wrote: "How many more years until you marry off the offspring?"

He's only 14 so ... many. :-)"

Mine are in their 30s, living independently just fine.

Do try to enjoy the next 16 years or so. They went so fast.

[M.T.]

Alicia wrote: "M.T. wrote: "Alicia wrote: "How many more years until you marry off the offspring?"

He's only 14 so ... many. :-)"

Mine are in their 30s, living independently just fine.

Do try to enjoy the nex..."

Oh I will, he is a joy, as is his dad. It's the other stuff I struggle with.

[M.T.]

I have produced another rare blog: https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2023/06/18/pi...

[M.T.]

Aaand there's another one! https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2023/07/02/ey...

[M.T.]

There's another rare blog coming this week but it isn't live yet. Sorry, I think it goes live at midday or thereabouts on Saturday but I may forget to add it here ...

https://wp.me/pJIxY-2w0

[M.T.]

Well here's a turn up. I have blogged a blog post. :-) Enjoy.

https://mtmcguire.com/2024/03/03/bacon/

[Jim]

I laughed so much :-)

[M.T.]

I'm delighted you did. :-) I haven't had the capacity for madness such as that, or for writing it up, for ages so it was quite a landmark for me. :-)

[Alicia]

Now that I think about it, lamination wasn't the problem - the problem was that you ran the package through the rollers in the machine where it didn't fit. Couldn't you have just sealed all around the edges?

[M.T.]

Alicia wrote: "Now that I think about it, lamination wasn't the problem - the problem was that you ran the package through the rollers in the machine where it didn't fit. Couldn't you have just sealed all around ..."

Now I know I could ... hindsight is a wonderful thing ... with an iron. Although the main problem was that it cooked and went too hard to squish through. While it was raw and squishy it went through fine. Hence my letting the arse end disappear before I realised what was going on at which point it was too late to get it back.

It did make me laugh though. Now we've a holiday coming up so I am not going to have that kind of leisure time again until next may. Too much packing Mum's house, probating etc ... We'll get there but it's all taking a sod of a long time.

[Alicia]

We downsized to move - and that was hard enough. Getting rid of so much stuff I hadn't finished, KNOWING I would never use my body-double mannequin for sewing OR my sewing machine OR my full size Kitchen-aid mixer... again, because I hadn't for years, but had had plenty of storage space for 'when I got well' - that was very hard.

Forever cleaning, doing your own so the offspring won't have to, is psychologically difficult.

Doing your parents' home - devastating. Hugs.

But you can't rest until it's done, and it occupies the top worry spot, and even if you outsource it you will still have to make most of the decisions... It's a tough slog, exhausting, and something you don't really want to do.

Hoping you also get a lot out of it, and take pictures of the things you will miss.

I did offer my youngest a quilt made out of all the T-shirts from all the contests and awards - she didn't take me up on it. As the homeschooling mother, I think I was as much invested as she was in her science fair wins - and much more aware of its meaning (I never got the chance myself).

Either Heaven is fully stocked, or I won't care.

[M.T.]

Alicia wrote: "We downsized to move - and that was hard enough. Getting rid of so much stuff I hadn't finished, KNOWING I would never use my body-double mannequin for sewing OR my sewing machine OR my full size K..."

Yeh, it's hard but not as hard as the dementia journey has been.

'Either heaven is fully stocked or I won't care'

That's a great line! To be honest, it'll just have to go. The family stuff and all the rest of it. We have a house clearance firm lined up but before that, once my brother and kids have everything we want, I will try and go down there and let the folks who looked after Mum choose something to remember her by. This is the problem when you have pieces passed down from ancestors who lived in stately homes and you ... don't.

I'm going to take the Kenwood chef and sis-in-law is having the washing machine.

[Alicia]

All the ancestor stuff on Mother's side is still in Mexico - or has been donated; I don't think Daddy's Hungarian immigrant parents had anything like that.

Without THEM, it's all just stuff. Few of us have house space for much.

Someone who buys one of those pieces for their expensive house may get a bargain, but selling antiques is a very specialized business, and you'd never find that buyer yourself. Or a dealer may get a nice little payment - but they also have warehouses full of stuff...