Free for All on Friday

Welcome to another ‘Free for All on Friday’ which invites your usual care contributions, as well as those which are off-topic. (Providing they are within community guidelines of course).

Welcoming any new members who have joined us this week whether you are an active carer, have been a carer, or just have questions, please feel free to join in.

Who are the little guys in the photo?

They are my new Guatemalan ‘worry people’. They’ve been hired by me to (supposedly) help with my worries. Apparently if I share my concerns with them before I go to sleep, and place them in their bag under my pillow, they will absorb my worries during the night. A charming and attractive idea? Definitely! Will they work? Frankly I have my doubts but I thought they were fun, and bought three sets in all, one for my daughter and another for my granddaughter. It’s the sort of little gift we sometimes buy each other; inexpensive, fun, but often with no real practical use at all.

Except that these might have one. I bought them in an Oxfam charity shop and I’m hoping that, somehow, at least a little bit of the purchase price might filter its way down the line to the people who sit and make them to augment their incomes from farming. And maybe in that way it’ll at least help to take a little bit of one of their worries away.

So, I’m telling my worry people what’s troubling me, and who knows? They do say that a trouble shared is a trouble halved!

I hope that my fellow UK members of the care community have managed OK or even enjoyed the rather unusual level of heat we’ve had this week. I can scarcely believe now that I ever lived in the tropics and have been doing that British thing of complaining to anyone who will listen about how hot it is! I think we are like temperate plants, thriving in our accustomed damp coolness and when the sun comes out and shines too hard, we are quickly frazzled and wilt. I also think that heat feels more punishing as I’m getting older and it definitely doesn’t sit well with my atrial fibrillation. I'm so happy that this morning there is a strong breeze blowing.

How has the unaccustomed heat affected not only you, but those for whom you care? I imagine that for some of you it's been extra test, as too much heat can quickly make people fractious.

Take care and whatever weather the weekend brings, I hope it will be a happy one. And as the Guatemalan worry people might say, 'don't worry, be happy'!

[Jennymary]

I love the idea of Worry People, what's the saying, a problem shared is a problem halved

I've had a better week, rang Access to Work on Monday, the original forms that I thought had been lost were up there, one form had been processed and money is on it's way, the other one was being processed, the lady I spoke to was lovely and said a lot of claimants are doing the same, to me it's just another side effect of covid

GP will be ringing me Tuesday about my back, the hospital letter doesn't really say anything so I'm still not sure what's wrong with my back

Didnt go to my first W. I meeting due to it being in someone's garden and not knowing how much shade there'd be, thought it best not to go.

I'm getting my feet done this morning, then I'm meeting my sister for a market visit and a pub lunch 😎

[sassy59 in reply to Jennymary]

Enjoy your day Jennymary. Xxx😎🌻

[Hidden in reply to Jennymary]

That sounds like a more successful week Jennymary. Isn't it great when we get some good customer service? I find I can forgive a lot if a complaint is taken seriously and dealt with in a pleasant way. Good move I think, to avoid any open air events when you aren't sure there will be enough shade. There's always next time for your first W.I. meeting! Take care and I hope your foot appointment goes well. Like you we're heading for some pub grub at lunchtime todayand I hope you enjoy yours! 👍😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Sue, hope you and family enjoyed your pub lunch sounds right up my street . And enjoy your weekend as well . Clive X 🤗

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Clive. We certainly will and you enjoy your weekend too! It might be wetter after today thiugh

! X

[Hidden in reply to Jennymary]

Thats lovely a pub lunch to Look forward to!

[Hellebelle]

I really like the idea of the worry family! It is a sound idea to try to get rid of your worries before you go to sleep.

I have found the heat difficult this week but try not to moan about having some sun as we get so little in this country. I have been worried about our dog Max, an elderly Jack Russell who is still normally full of life. He has been sleeping lots and looking very lethargic. We have gone out of our way to keep him cool and have only walked him in the cool of the early morning or late at night. He has come to life again today as its cooler here, thank goodness.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and manage to dodge the showers! 💕

[sassy59 in reply to Hellebelle]

Have a great weekend Hellebelle. Xx😀

[Hidden in reply to Hellebelle]

Oh poor Max Hellebelle. The weather has been trying for our overheated pets this week. I'm glad he's now feeling a little livelier. Take care and enjoy your weekend!

[Hidden in reply to Hellebelle]

Our ginger tabby Baby has driven us mad this week with her constant meows about the heat!

[Hellebelle in reply to Hidden]

Hi, I hope your fur baby is cooler and happier today. It's a bit more pleasant out there and Max looks so much happier.

[Hidden in reply to Hellebelle]

Baby is a lot better now and has quit the bad tempered meows!

I stayed in yesterday as I wasn't feeling well due to the heat but I'm fine today as its cooler.

[sassy59]

Good morning and what a great idea the worry people are. I’ll have to look out for those in my local Oxfam Shop. I have a friend who would enjoy them too. What a lovely idea.

It’s been very hot here but cooler today. The heat affects Pete’s breathing so he’s been taking things easy and relaxing as much as possible. We’re just not used to such hot weather. Shame we have rain and thunderstorms predicted for the weekend though as plans could be in ruins.😱

Had fun with family last weekend and the grandkids had a splashing time in the pool we set up for them. Lovely to see.

Enjoy a happy weekend everyone and stay safe. Xxx🌻🌸🌹🌺💖💕

[Hidden in reply to sassy59]

Hi sassy59, so sorry to hear the weather's making Pete struggle more with his health. Hopefully some respite is on its way. But why is it always a famine or a feast with our weather? Shortly we'll all be upset because it's so wet..... 🤣. But so long as Pete feels better, that's a good thing! Whatever your plans I hope you enjoy this weekend too. Take care! xx 💖👍🔆🌧☔️😖😊

[sassy59 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Callendersgal, Pete us enjoying the slightly cooler weather thank you. Our weather is definitely all or nothing. We have to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts🔥🥵

You take care and have fun. Xx😃😳🧡💚🤗💕

[Isinatra in reply to Hidden]

I feel fortunate that here in Florida the temps have been unusually cooler, so no real complaining on my end. But everywhere else in the US has turned into almost Armageddon heat. I have two elderly siblings who live in Arizona where the temps have soared to 110 degrees and more. Friends in other parts of the country…..likewise. People caught off guard with no ability to find a way to cool off. Other affected states have set up centers with air conditioning so people can leave their homes for a short respite from the heat. I think the worry dolls are much needed here, too.

[Hidden in reply to Isinatra]

I had heard some of those reports on US weather Isinatra. I’m glad that you aren’t personally affected but it’s concerning to learn how difficult conditions are for some.

It’s such a lovely thought that it could be possible to offload our worries on to some small uncomplaining people who would take them all away! 😊👍

[Isinatra in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I totally agree. Sharing ones concerns can be very healing. ❤️👍🏼

[Hidden in reply to Isinatra]

I feel its right that problems seem easier to cope with when they are shared!

[Hidden]

Today in Cardiff although its still hot its not unbearable like it had been recently.

Baby is a bit better easing up on the meows over the heat!

On wednesday the heat here was unbearable and i did a workout that usually i do with ease but due to the heat on Wednesday it was unbearable!

Yesterday i took a day off working out as i wasnt feeling well but came back to it this morning and it was fine.

Tuesday i had a video interview for 11am which I gave my best to where they were friendly and put me at ease and after the interview i had done a workout and the heat was unbearable!

I was due to have a video interview on Wednesday at 4pm and it went wrong as the internet broke down and i was gutted but i feel its yet another example of life stepping in and telling me no!

Myself and hubby were looking at the job boards and on there was a job for a scanning officer in the registration departament where i used to work which i had applied for ages ago but they gave it to a chap who wanted a move from where he world previously as he was finding the travelling difficult.

Now looking back I am glad I wasnt given that job as i feel i would have hated it but there was no need for management to have been unfair over it though!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It seems to me that everything ends up with its own time, season and reason and a bit like house-hunting, one day it’ll just gel for you so I’m sure you’re right about those jobs where fate stepped in.

One thing about you is your great persistence. You continue to do your best every time and one of these days will be your day! 👍😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

With regard to the job in the registration department that I had wanted back in 2019 it's not that that particular thing was my dream job or anything and I think that if I had been given that without problems it would have been like sticking a plaster I'm a deep wound as looking back I really needed to get out of that environment!

Back in the March of 2019 I was told after a row in the department where I worked with the manager there I was going to be working upstairs in registration and off I went that afternoon after the row!

Then it was the Thursday lunchtime and the manager at registration had been made to fire the bullets and even before he had said anything I just knew there was a problem when he said to see the managers downstairs and that Thursday lunchtime I had been brought back down and I wasn't happy over it and colleagues had been very kind getting me cups of tea to calm me down and as a result of that I had messed up some forms as I wasn't concentrating due to having been upset.

Later on that day a colleague had rung me at home to see how I was and I could hear meowing down the phone line and had blamed her elderly cat who is mates with Baby for the noise but no Percy was asleep and it was the younger cat meowing to get mums attention which was causing the noise!

She had said how there had been no call for that kind of behaviour from management towards me and that they were cowards in getting the line manager at registration to fire the bullets and she reckoned there was no job up there and they had led me on to be malicious and had advised me in future when things like that are promised to ask for them in writing!

Now time has gone by I feel that mean trick was a favour and in the future when things like that get promised I will ask for the promises to be put in writing but when that happened at the time it hurt though but lessons have been learned and it was that that was behind my decision to leave in the November that year.

Even though I think that mean trick was a favour looking back in no way does it mean that I'm making up excuses for that malicious kind of behaviour though as there's no excuse for it and it's wrong to bully no matter what the circumstances are.

Why would I want to work in a place where they play mean tricks on staff like that anyway but at the time when it happened it felt like the world had ended but nowadays I feel it was an accidental favour and it's what got me out of there which I had needed so nowadays I am glad I was told no to things like promotions there and that job and things like extra training and a taster program working at different departments in the place but at the time that had really really hurt!

Going forward when I am told no again to those types of things what I will do is ask them why or why not and listen to the answer.

The only things that are a waste is when nothing is learned but I learned from those things even though they were hurtful.

[Lynd]

Been a strange week. The heat making it almost dreamlike. We have been staying at our static caravan and mainly just sitting in shade. It is so beautiful here, deep in the Herefordshire countryside.The stay hear didn't start too well as Jim was in a lot of pain one night and yes it was the dreaded catheter not working again. At home I can call out the Ambulatory nurses to come to the rescue(always in the middle of the night) but being away had to call 111.

Waited for a phone call from the Dr and he was amazing. As dawn broke he arrived in his Dr car with driver and sorted Jim out. Jim was refusing to get into our car and let me take him to Aand E because of his pain. The Dr cold hear him on the phone and said not to woory, he would come out to us.

We can go ages without a problem but it is a fairly regular thing.

Had a few lunches in a near by pub in their garden. Sitting in the shade of a huge oak tree. Nothing as cool as the shade of a tree.

Going home soon and then off to Cornwall next week.

Can't wait to see the sea but we won't be sitting on any crowded beaches.

Had to book half a week at one hotel and half a week at another one within walking distance. Couldn't get a full week anywhere.

Just praying we don't get locked down again.

[Hidden]

Hi Lynd, thanks for your update on things and so sorry that your break in Herefordshire was a little bit dented by Jim's medical emergency. Great service though and the sort of treatment most of us can only dream of these days. Wonderful for Jim to be dealt with on the spot and made comfortable again. Your time away sounds heavenly and it's great to hear that you are making use of your static caravan again.Do enjoy Cornwall too, even though you'll be in two hotels. I think it's difficult to find accommodation at this time of year anyway, but can imagine that the pandemic has had its effect too, with so many people trying to holiday at home. At least you are getting away and some time by the ocean will be fantastic, especially in Cornwall.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thats why we decided it was best to save ourselves the upset and not bother with holidays this year!

[TheDrivenSnow]

My 'worry people' are my three doglets!

[Hidden in reply to TheDrivenSnow]

They make a wonderful substitute Sherin! 👍😊🙏💖

[TheDrivenSnow in reply to Hidden]

🤗💚

[Hidden in reply to TheDrivenSnow]

How are you and the dogs getting on?

Baby is fine and has quit the bad tempered meows over the heat as its cooler here today in Cardiff than it has been recently.

[TheDrivenSnow in reply to Hidden]

Apart from melting over the past few days, we're persevering and prevailing down here in Southampton, thanks.

More bearable temperatures today, thank heavens.

Woofy greetings from my three to your kitty! 🤗