Tuesday 23 November 2021

What a day and a half.

 Well folks, I have been 'on the go' every single minute of today.   I am tired out, my legs are swollen with too much exercise and I am just trying to keep awake until a reasonable time.

Tuesday is the one day when I don't have a carer.   This means I have to do everything for myself.   You might think this is a good thing but believe me it takes most of the morning to do what my carer does in an hour.   I do not make my porridge - I usually have cereals and a banana when I have to get it myself.   But getting all blinds opened and curtains drawn back, making my morning cup of tea and taking it into the sitting room so that  I can watch "Breakfast" takes quite a while.  And this morning the television was playing up as it has been for several days now.

Once this is over the paper has arrived.   I always stay in bed a little while longer on Tuesdays - it is the only chance I get for a lie in, so I didn't get up until just after eight.   The paper is too much of a temptation and the Mind games too much of a draw so I  sat and did those.   Then, just as I was about to go and have a wash and get dressed my two Gardeners arrived.   It is quite a long time since they came and the lawn was very long and the winter tidy up had not been done so I knew they would be here some time.   D has been ill with his heart and I had resigned myself to not having them again until Spring.    This estate is extremely tidy and everyone keeps their gardens neat.   I used to enjoy doing some of it myself but I can no longer do that so they have to do everything.  It costs me of course but it has to be done.They were here all day but now it is nice and neat and tidy for winter.

While they were here S and T arrived for Tom to do a little job for me.   The stop tap to my outside tap needed turning off and I couldn't do  it.   (Last year my gardener did it for me but of course I asked T before I knew the gardeners were coming.)   I provided the gardeners with tea mid-morning and a slice of cake - and that takes me an age to prepare and get out into the garden.   Then at lunch time I made them cheese and crackers and another cup of tea - I reasoned that they just could not go all day without food.

But all this activity really takes it out of me.   I made S and T a cup of coffee but I made it too strong and I started to push the trolley without pushing down the strainer on the cafetiere and - yes true to form -I knocked it over and coffee went everywhere.   S kindly mopped it up.  What would I do without them.

When they had gone the gardeners finished their work, told me how much I owed them and off they went.   That was my day.   I closed the blinds and curtains, turned up the central heating, sat in the chair and promptly fell asleep.   Tomorrow is another day as they say.

23 comments:

Heather said...

That sounds similar to my day last Sunday, except that I did nothing more than shower, dress and have breakfast before I was picked up by my son to go to a little family gathering to celebrate my daughter-in-law's birthday. Their two sons were there with No.1 son's wife and two children - my 3year old great-grandson Joel and his 5 week old baby sister Georgia. It was my first meeting with the baby and I hadn't seen Joel for 2 years. He was full of beans and delightfully entertaining. With all the excitement and lovely company I sat down on my return home and slept for an hour!

Ellen D. said...

You will sleep well tonight! You did get to socialize a lot today, tho and I know how you enjoy that.
Sweet dreams!

Debby said...

All that! And without a list! (Although if you had one, you probably wouldn't have gotten one chore checked with all the activity. Sleep well tonight, Pat.

Debby said...

All that! And without a list! (Although if you had one, you probably wouldn't have gotten one chore checked with all the activity.) Sleep well tonight, Pat.

Cro Magnon said...

Other than doing my weekly, out of town, shopping, I hardly did anything yesterday. We did go into town to try to find me a hat, but I didn't like any of them. Your busy day puts me to shame.

Librarian said...

You were indeed very busy! As for your visitors (gardeners or friends), I think they would all perfectly understand if you did not make the tea and coffee for them, but asked them to either do it themselves in your kitchen, or you could prepare a large thermos flask so that you would have to make tea only once. But I know you didn't know the gardeners were coming, and I also know you want to make everyone welcome and be a good hostess.

thelma said...

Well it was a busy day but plenty of people to see which always makes you happy. So rest today.

Rachel Phillips said...

Two gardeners on their daily work come without their sandwiches and a flask? Pull the other leg Weave.

Derek Faulkner said...

Just what I was thinking Rachel.

Sue in Suffolk said...

Hope today is much quieter for you.

Rachel Phillips said...

It's in her own hands Sue.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Quite a day! I hope you had a good night and can take things a little easier today.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Rachel and Derek - I don't think they expeted there to be so much to do - D has a bad heart and is not supposed to work for more than four hours a day - but he gets fed up with being indoors. \it was a nice sunny day and pruning and weeding is not all that strenuous so he just kept going. As for company being "in my own hands" yes it is but people know I get lonely and call in. And I love to see them always - it was just a busy day. Funnily enough I did not sleep well - woke at four and couldn't get off to sleep again.
Librarian - in fact S always makes the coffee when they call but that doesn't stop me knocking it ovr!!

Rachel Phillips said...

2 men all day in that plot is mind boggling.

The Feminine Energy said...

Yep, on days like those it's nice when the time comes to shut the blinds & curtains and "shut the world out". I have cause to do that quite often myself. Hopefully today is more restful. ~Andrea xoxoxo

Anonymous said...

I have noticed that a couple of your followers seem to enjoy criticizing your choices in, well, just about everything. Hearing aids, food, and most recently your busy days when welcoming guests. It angers me to read some of their comments. Yes, I am referring mainly to Rachel and Derek. I am an introvert and not one to want lots of social interaction especially in my own home. However, my Mother-in-law was very much like Pat and I have nothing but admiration for the indomitable spirit that keeps individuals like them going. They enjoy people - it’s that simple and when they comment they are tired, it is not a complaint. It is a "good tired" and they are happy. So, people like Rachel and Derek , who seem to relish giving advice on other blogs need to keep their negative opinions to themselves. Pat, I apologize to you for adding this and I understand if you choose to delete my comment but I feel better for having said it! Robbie

Derek Faulkner said...

Well Robbie, I feel sure that if Pat has a problem with the comments from myself and Rachel, she will tell us and we will receive them in the correct spirit.

Anonymous said...

I always prepare my porridge the night before---oats and water mixed together and the bowl put in the fridge for the water to be absorbed. Just needs 2 mins in the microwave in the morning before adding any fruit. Just a suggestion as you may want something hot on the no carer day if it is a bad winter. Pollie

The Weaver of Grass said...

Pollie - thanks for the advice about porridge - I shall try it next week on no carer day/
Anonymous - thank you for your comment. Off course I shall not delete it - I shall take it in the spirit it was meant. Rachel and Derek are old pals of mine and I love the way they 'tell me off' for things like doing too much and so on. I take their comments too in the right spirit and tell them if I disagree with them. This is the side of my blog that I love - not just bland comments but all kinds of things- this is what keeps me going.
Rachel - not two men - one man D and his partner, J and D. D mows, edges, trims back the bushes, cuts back the hedges; J weeds - hand weeds on her hands and knees. As I have said before this is a very neat and tidy estate and everyone cares for their garden - and I intend to do so too.

Anonymous said...

Pat, there is no need to explain yourself to anyone. I agree with Mieke, allow others to help with those hot beverages. We would hate for you to get a burn.

Rachel Phillips said...

Thank you Weave. Some people just don't understand us especially when they come from the US of A. Not that I know where Anonymous comes from but you will always deal with me best. And I even managed to remember your birthday without a list! How amazing is that!

Anne said...

You read my thoughts, well said.

Rachel Phillips said...

I feel that the Anonymous who took it upon her/himself to pass judgement on me and on Derek and our relationships with Weave, owes both of us an apology.