Monday Round-up

Hi all,🙏

It was a tad chilly here last night and I loved it! Snuggled under my duvet, windows wide open to let in the cold air, my heat pad on, a cup of tea and a good book. Heaven!

Back to this morning and a warm welcome to anyone who has joined us this week. Please feel at home here. Always happy to hear from you, whether generally or with a problem. We'll try to help.

I got an alert this morning that someone had 'liked' the pinned post about the Herbert Protocol. This is the system set up with police forces to assist with any elderly person with dementia who goes missing.

It reminded me that a) it's worth knowing about, if you haven't already heard of it, and that b) there was a BBC TV program in the series 'Reported Missing' which dealt with two wandering dementia sufferers, and the attempts (happily both successful) to get them home safely.

I remember in a previous series when a similar disappearance didn't end so happily and I really feel the Herbert Protocol can be very helpful, but needs to be set up in advance preparation in case it ever happens.

It seems to be still grey and chilly out so I'm for ignoring today's public holiday in favour of lots more tea and more of my book, but for those of you who are busy looking after others, I'm thinking of you and hope you'll be able to take a bit of a break for some of the day at least.

Take care everyone. 🙏

[sassy59]

Hello Callendersgal, it certainly was chillier last night. I kept the windows closed as advised online if you want to keep spiders out during their mating season. As a complete arachnophobe, I do!

Welcome to all new members, always good to hear from everyone.

I saw the programme “Reported Missing” about the dementia sufferers. It was very scary for them and their loved ones. The Herbert Protocol sounds like a great thing to set up.

Wishing everyone a lovely, peaceful day. Xxxx

[Hidden in reply to sassy59]

Hi sassy59, yes this is definitely the season to watch out for our eight legged 'friends' if you aren't too keen on them. My first temporary job on leaving school was live-in, in a Care Home near the Thames, just outside Henley-on-Thames. It was at this time of the year and they came into my bathroom in droves. You'd have loved it... not! I'd find them swimming in my bath with me and jumping out of towels to surprise me, and one night on brushing aside what I thought was the fringe of my candlewick bedspread (remember those?), it turned out to be the biggest baddest spider taking a short cut across my bed!

So, keep those windows tight shut! 🕷🕸🕷🕸 😃xxx

[sassy59 in reply to Hidden]

Argh! 😱🕷🕸😂 xxx

[FredaE in reply to Hidden]

AAAArghhhhhh. I have come back to Hertfordshire to deal withhe sale of my house. I have a buyer and the agents board says Sold but of course its not sold until everything is signed but at the moment I am over the moon, When I was going to let the house, before lockdown, I carefully packed all the pots I have made for sale onto shelves in the basement out of reach and now of course I have to take them away. There are SPIDERS down ther and their mates will be coming in at this time of year looking for them.. I an trying not to remember the time when the manwho came to disconect the gas stood up looking very pale because he had seen the biggest spider he had ever seen looking up at him. I have to do it. I have a woolly hat to stop me scalping myself on the rafters and a scarf to stop the monsters from falling down my neck, I am not looking forward to it at all. I should have stayed in Cornwall with David and a cuppa and a book like sensible people do

FredaE

[Hidden in reply to FredaE]

Oh FredaE, I'm delighted for you! Fingers and toes crossed that there aren't any major holdups or hiccups! My commiserations on the spider situation! Don't let them intimidate you. Be the boss! It sounds as if you are taking all the precautions you can and all I can say is "good luck"!

It's in the best of causes and hopefully you'll soon be safely back in Cornwall with David and a nice soothing cuppa! 🕷🕷👍😊

[FredaE in reply to Hidden]

Last night my door bell woke me up at 5.30. No one there by the time I looked but I may have dreamed it. Went back to bed and there was a grandaddy spider on the curtain by my bed!!!!!!!!! By the time he had been evicted I did not go backto sleep. I knnow they are useful but......

[Hellebelle]

Hi Callendersgal, I can really identify with your pleasure at the simple things in life! I too am enjoying the fresher air and the welcome cup of tea after a long walk with our dog Max, a Jack Russell who successfully manages us and the house! I have never come across a dog that has such selective hearing.

I have been taking advantage of a Lido near to us. The water is very cold but blissful once you catch your breath! I have arthritis and it really helps. However, i can tell Autumn is approaching after my very fresh swim yesterday. I had to put my heating on in the car to warm me up on the way home. It closes in a weeks time, so I am hoping that the indoor pool finds a way to open soon.

I hope that everyone on this forum finds some simple pleasures today. After helping to look after my lovely dad, whom has sadly passed, I realise how difficult and all consuming the job of a carer can be. I have always thought they are the unsung heroes in life. Sending lots love to you all.

Helen xx

[Hidden in reply to Hellebelle]

Hi Helen, lovely to hear from you again. I can imagine that your lido swims are quite chilly now, but it's lovely that you enjoy them so much. Maybe just as well the time's come for it to close but yes, it would be good to be able to enjoy an indoor pool again. It seems harsh that so many healthy things we once enjoyed are still taboo!

I agree that, in the end, it is the simple pleasures that are best and also that being a carer is a really heroic act. It can involve all sorts of personal sacrifice and sometimes when it's done for someone you really love it doesn't seem like a sacrifice but it's still really hard and unappreciated work. And then there are those people who find themselves caring for people they would rather not have to. It's a good job we find it within us to do it all!

I hope you have a lovely day! 🙏

[FredaE in reply to Hidden]

I honestly can't begin to imagine how people cope with caring for someone they don't like. They seem to be loaded up with a side order of guilt so often as well. I was able, with a superuman effort, to look after Victor at home but he so much wanted to be at home and apart from the odd session of Mr. Nasty he was so appreciative that iI was happy to do as much as I possibly could for him. A friend of mine had a husband who had always undermined her. He was an awful patient ( Not MSA) and I am afraid I would have "not been able to cope" and he would never have come out of hospital. It always makes me angry to hear about carers being destroyed by their impossible patients bullying them and then making them feel guilty. Rant over

[Hidden in reply to FredaE]

I agree FredaE. It's a tough row to hoe even with love! Like you I do think there are situations where it's better not to undertake it just from a sense of 'duty'. And if it's going to leave you with a sense of resentment it's bad for your own health and can cause unbearable stresses for both!

[sassy59 in reply to Hellebelle]

Sending love back to you too Helen. Hope you can keep your swimming going. Enjoy your day. Xxxx

[Hellebelle in reply to sassy59]

Thank you so much. I hope that you are both well. I am hoping our local pool can open soon as it helps me so much. I hope the weather is good for you as its beautiful here.

Helen x

[sassy59 in reply to Hellebelle]

All fine here thank you. Fingers crossed your local pool opens soon. It’s very pleasant here and I’m pleased you have lovely weather.

Carole xxxx

[Sara_2611]

It was cold in the night here in manchester . While the weather was bright I went for a short bike ride (what a miracle -nice weather on Ban Hol Monday

[Hidden in reply to Sara_2611]

You were quite lucky Sara_2611. Despite what people have to say about Manchester weather, it sounds as if you did better yesterday for sunshine than we did here in Hampshire! I'm glad you enjoyed your ride.

[Sara_2611 in reply to Hidden]

I meant to go today but when I woke up for my usual breakfast, tablets , & usual exercisies to warm my lungs up I went straight back to bed because I was tired & didnt even hear mum collecting the newspapers & woke up at lunchtime

I ll make sure I get back up at a decent time on wedesday I think provided it doesnt rain

Friday is my ride out so we ll see what exxcuse my instructor comes up for cancelling it this time

[Hidden in reply to Sara_2611]

I'm sure you did the right thing Sara_2611. Sometimes our bodies are telling us to rest for a while, and it's wise to listen! 👍

[Sara_2611]

me too

[FlowerPreciousLover]

Callendergal, your chilly morning with fresh air, tea, a heating pad, and good book sounds like a glorious way to start a new day!

Living in west Texas, we have had an extraordinarily long drought with strings of days registering over 100 degrees. I take very early morning walks three days/week and this morning was sheer joy. About 10 blocks from home about 7 am, a sudden cloud burst lightly showered me with light rain. It was fabulous! and totally unexpected. Can't even remember the last time I might have walked in the rain. Funny though because although my driveway had received enough to be wet up to a few feet before the garage, the rain leap frogged over the house because from the back patio to just before my gate to the alley was completely dry. The last few feet of the walk was wet as was the alley. I wasn't drenched but oh what a happy surprise for my walk today!

[Hidden in reply to FlowerPreciousLover]

How lovely FlowerPreciousLover! There is something really joyous about a cooling rain shower when everything is parched dry. I can only imagine (or see on TV), how dry Texas is. (I do love hearing from people like yourself in other parts of the world, who can give us a first-hand taste of how it is, wherever it may be!)

It really is funny how a shower of rain will fall in 'patches' sometimes. I remember that phenomenon from the Caribbean where, sometimes it would be raining on one side of the street but not on the other! 😆