Getting round to DIY

On the Sunday of the next week, we both made it to church in the morning. Husband wanted to leave before Communion, as he had sucked so many fisherman's Friends to stop him from coughing. He didn't make it in the evening, We'd both had a doze in the afternoon, again interspersed with coughing fits. I went alone in the evening, and a couple of people asked after him. When I rang his Mum, she sounded awful, she too had a cold, and was rather croaky. At least we didn't give it to her.
The next day, I decided to walk to our local B&Q, to check on the price of paint. I'd had to buy a new wallpaper steamer as I couldn't find the bits to the old one. They can be very useful to use, but get very hot, and I'm always a bit nervous using one, all that boiling water. However it was really getting the stubborn bits of paper off.
That day, I decided to cross the car park, up the steps, and along the road to the row of local shops, thus going on an almost circular route. I popped in at the paper shop and as I turned into the road with the 2 bridges and a hill, thought I caught sight of husband coming down the hill. however,as I approached there was no sign of him. He had said he might walk to the local Aldi. I couldn't understand why I thought I had seen him, but when he eventually came home, he said he had decided to walk along the canal bank, so that's why he had disappeared from view!
On the Tuesday, there was a funeral service for a lady, who went to our present church for many years, and then, whilst we were still at the church about 7 miles away, they joined us there. They belonged to our area fellowship group. Sadly, about 10 years ago Mollie was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I still used to see them out and about shopping, but gradually she became more housebound, and got dementia as well. She went to be with her Lord in January.
I had never been to our local crematorium, so left in good time. I didn't take my satnav, as I'd have had to hunt for it, and husband's is part of his phone. Well, you guessed it! I got lost, didn't turn off where I should have done, but the route I took enabled me to get back to where I should have been. I stopped a second time to consult the local street map, and yes, I was going in the correct direction. As I arrived, with 10 minutes to spare, the hearse was just coming the other way, so after the hearse and all the the other cars went in, I attempted to follow, only to have the gate shut in front of me. The gate closer said 'We are full', I politely asked where I could park, and he said I'd have to park in the lane. I just about managed to, it was a little narrow at that point, and hot footed it to the chapel. People were just starting to go in. I managed to find the ladies' room, and get a seat before the family came in, Phew!
It was a good service, her Son talked about her life, how she came to our town in the 50s, to train as a midwife, and how she could be seen cycling around, just as in the TV series. He spoke of how she met her husband, and how they were converted after attending a Billy Graham crusade. Her Daughter also spoke of memories of her Mum. Their third child died a few years ago, she was converted on her sickbed in the last few weeks of her life. This doesn't happen often, but better late than never. Don't leave it till later to search out the truth,as the Covenanter Girls' chorus used to say.
There were 3 good old hymns, a good gospel sermon from the pastor, then the committal, and we all filed out into uncertain weather. There had been snow on the ground as we walked in, as I stood chatting with friends from our old church, large snowflakes began to fall. Gradually people dispersed,and  I said I would go, but my friend M persuaded me to join them at the local hotel where refreshments were to be served.
I had said to husband I was unsure whether to go, so he would not worry if I wasn't home early. He had declined to come, as he would have coughed all through the service, he had opted to go for a walk instead. We had hot and cold refreshments, tea or coffee, and then I had a bit of an amazing chocolate dessert, which looked as if it should be cheesecake, but wasn't quite, and had choc chunks in it. I sat with M and her husband, and their Daughter whom I hadn't met before, she lives on the South Coast and had come up for the day.When I got home, husband had had lunch, but thought he had overdone the walking, so he spent time resting.
We had the children on Wednesday and Thursday of that week as usual, they were quite good, and Lydia took naps which helped me recover a bit as I still wasn't sleeping too well with all the coughing.
By the Friday, I had decided which paint to buy, a very delicate shade of rose. The room was a sort of lilac before. I don't like 'cold' colours in bedrooms, I had tried match pots, of violet white, pale rose, and a lavender cupcake, which was too bright. Hopefully the pale colour will make the room look bigger, and I can add a bit of depth with curtains etc later. I also bought more ceiling paint,and some storage boxes to move stuff around whilst we decorate.

Decisions, decisions

trying them out on the wall

And the winner is....

I didn't make it to church on the Sunday morning, another bad night, husband stayed put all day, coughing and coughing. he seems to have a bout of this every winter these days. My sister is the same, has had a chest x ray, and now has an inhaler, as she gets a chest infection every year.
The other sister had a bit of a health scare a couple of weeks ago, but a scan and some very minor surgery under a local, and a clear biopsy has calmed her fears of possible major surgery.
I went to church on that Sunday evening. Then on the Monday, one task was to cover everything with plastic sheeting, take curtains down, grab a roller and do half of the bedroom ceiling. Fortunately it wasn't dirty and only needed one coat, On the Tuesday I summoned up the strength to do the other half. We are managing with just an old pair of curtain linings, and sleeping quite well. I am at last free of a night time cough. I've had a bit of a re run of another health problem, but that doesn't keep me awake, and  I am self medicating for it.
The children were no real problem again, Lydia plays quite happily with the toys, singing away to herself, I was amused to hear her squeaking 'Let it go, let it go'. a couple of weeks ago. I don't know the song, but I know her parents have let them watch  'Frozen'. She declined her nap on Wednesday
but when her Grandad went to collect her brother, she curled up on his computer chair and fell asleep.
On Thursday, I managed to fit the travel cot in amongst the piles of stuff from our room, and she took a proper nap. Friday and Saturday, I opened the  paint and began painting the accessible bits of the wall. There is still a lot to be done, but the long wall behind our bed had ordinary wallpaper on, much easier to get off then woodchip, so when we can move the bed, and a wardrobe, that should be a breeze. Pressing onward, we both made it to church this morning. My head is a lot clearer, despite the painting. I chose breathe easy paint, because of my asthma. the decorating now seems an achievable goal,and as it's half term, and Daughter is taking days off..... Watch this space.

The last days of January

Well last week wasn't terribly exciting, more coughing, husband getting worse, and both of us so hoarse it was sometimes hard for each to try and tell what the other was saying. I decided I would cut my carb intake right down, to see if I could lose a couple of pounds. I was eating plenty, with the only carb being potato in the evening meal.
I began to lose weight, but the downside seemed to be that I wasn't sleeping as well, this meant that I probably wasn't on top form when we had the children to look after. We were fortunate that Lydia took a nap after lunch, in fact she slept a long time, so I had a little doze to catch up. Husband fetched Nathaniel from school and walked him home, and by the time Lydia woke up it was time to take her home.

Doll's  house we picked up in a charity shop for a fiver

Wednesday night was another poor night for me, and on Thursday I have to confess to being in 'Grumpy Granny' mode. I took Lydia out in the buggy, and in Sainsbo's we met our old neighbours, whom we haven't seen since before Christmas, so it was catch up time. They have been busy clearing the wife's father's house as he died in December, but he was about 98, and quite forgetful,and had been in hospital. We talked for so long that Lydia fell asleep. She woke up as I brought the buggy indoors, but wasn't very awake, so husband took her up to the cot,and she continued her nap there.
I managed a few minutes nap, Lydia had a very late lunch,and was still eating when her brother came home. I gave him a snack and offered him a drink, but he refused. Later as they played, things were getting a bit fraught, she wanted his trains and track which he was playing with, and there was bit of squabbling going on. Sadly things deteriorated, and by the time we took them home, Nathaniel was in complete 'no cooperation' mode and I was 'completely grumpy granny'.
When we got to their home he asked me for a drink, as I bent down, I thought his breath was a little strong, and had a 'lightbulb' moment. I remembered a conversation with another Mum, many years ago  outside the school gates, when she blamed her child's grumpiness on dehydration. As soon as Nathaniel had drunk his requested hot chocolate, he was like a different child.
So if any parents are reading this, perhaps it may enlighten you as to why your own child's behaviour sometimes deteriorates. When I offered him a drink at my home I should have made him one, and not given him the opportunity to refuse.
My grumpiness wasn't dehydration, rather lack of sleep, and being fed up with my cold. I'm trying hard to remedy it, I try to get exercise every day if possible, but we haven't been out on the bikes
recently, I fear that the cold air might be too much for my chest, there has been an arctic wind, but not too much snow. Only a light sprinkling, a couple of times. I'm back on carb twice a day, I did lose a couple of pounds, so it was probably worth it. We drove into town on Saturday, we had been going to walk, but there was heavy rain, which turned into sleet. We were not in town for long, just long enough to get fresh fruit and veg, and stock up on cheeses in M&S. We discovered they still had some of a lovely cheese bake which we'd bought before Christmas, and enjoyed a couple of weeks ago with crusty bread, on a Sunday evening, so couldn't resist buying more.
I emptied my wardrobe last week, and husband helped move it, so I could reach some of the wallpaper to peel off. I'm getting there by degrees, it's a good thing that he didn't see me perched on top of a chest of drawers, scraper in hand, and a glint of determination in my eyes.
Now January is over at last, and we can look forward to the evenings beginning to get a little lighter, I'm afraid I'm not a winter person, but I do love Spring.

This was probably our worst snowfall,despite all the forecasts.