Is it just me

who is finding this January particularly tiresome.  World events do nothing to lift the gloom but the days seem so grey and foreboding I cannot wait for spring.

The decluttering is not going well, it gets worse before it gets better.  I put a few Rowan magazines on eBay with not much interest, they are now in sorted piles in the lounge. 

I have sold one item of Emma Bridgewater pottery having refused low offers on two other pieces, I’ve freed up hardly any shelf space at all just moved things round and not into better places. 

MrFF who has a completely different decluttering technique has turned the office into a bomb site. For 11 years I have reminded him that we have no way of listening to the hundreds of CDs we keep. I thought progress was being made when I found him sorting through them this week. Wrong, this was just the first pass, he was merely looking at them and didn’t have time to decide if he was keeping them.  Most are back behind the curtains in the lounge, a few are now on the office shelf and 3 went to the charity shop along with a some DVDs. That was quite a logistical exercise as first they had to go into a box then next day be transferred into a bag so I could carry them.  Only handle it once is an alien concept to some people, decluttering it seems is alien to us both.  

But credit where it’s due after 11 years of asking I finally have a full length mirror in the penthouse.  It’s fixed to the inside of the cloak cupboard door in the hall.  It’s lovely to be able to see my lower body and know what my shoes look like with an outfit.

After an iPad update I can no longer upload photographs, we have spent half the morning trying to sort this and given up.

Next day MrFF has fixed the photographs but not without raised voice and more stress.

Stuff

My attention was recently drawn to a newspaper article titled January is an ideal time to declutter your house.  How true, here in the penthouse we were holding a festival of clutter as I struggled to find places for our gifts. Many of these are edible and have been supplemented by MrFF’s post Christmas bargain buys, like 20 more mince pies.  Over consumption and storage on my hips isn’t an option so there’s been some cupboard reorganisation, not necessarily of the logical kind, I keep forgetting where things are.

We are hoping to get the penthouse recarpetted this year but it’s alarming to think how we’ll need to move and dismantle furniture in very limited space to accommodate the fitters.  MrFF sensibly suggested we should redecorate before the new carpet, not our favourite pastime, then we agreed we could update some of the old radiators before the decorating, what fun we shall have.  

At least a little yarn has been used and left the building.  At a family party over Christmas our youngest grand niece 3 year old Elodie was happily wheeling her dolls push chair containing baby doll Jonas around the guests.   I like the name, she chose it herself.  Sadly Jonas was wearing only a short sleeved legless body and had no bedding.  He has now as I made him a soft cotton blanket and had enough yarn left over for a hat.  I originally intended using the yarn to make dish clothes but this is a much better solution. 

I have resisted the urge to buy much in the January sales, I really hope this year to keep on downsizing.  Of course I won’t be able to resist the odd charity shop bargain, like this lovely Brost of Copenhagen mug I found for £1.99, perfect for my morning frothy coffee.

MrFF when he put the decorations back in the loft reminded me there is still a box of framed pictures up there.  Luckily at the time he didn’t have the strength to bring them down.  Maybe they can go to Italy, obviously they are not required in the penthouse since I have lived here without seeing them for the last 11 years

We woke up to snow this morning so did baby Jonas who apparently is out and about.

New Year

Not so new me, I am feeling a bit jaded after all the festive hoo ha.  Today we opened the blinds to snow and minus 5 degrees.  MrFF was up and out early as he had yet another doctor’s appointment where they arranged further blood tests for tomorrow. 

Last Monday before we headed out for lunch with friends he received a text from the surgery saying his recent tests showed him to be pre diabetic, an explanatory leaflet was attached.  Both abrupt and surprising, he’d been out that morning to stock up on beers that were on offer for new year, I didn’t ask if he’d kept the receipt.

Saturday we were back to York for a surprise 40th birthday party for our niece.  It was especially nice as it started at 5 pm so all the grand nieces, the youngest is 3, could attend, they were still going strong when we left around 10.  

Apart from the potential diabetic situation MrFF is back to normal.  He managed a 15 mile group walk on New Year’s Eve with no ill effects, looks better, he is eating well and mostly healthily.  We have not started the Christmas cake yet

This morning I managed to motivate myself to take down the Christmas decorations and while MrFF was returning them to the loft I got him to bring down the boxes of my old Rowan knitting magazines that I packed away years ago. I love these gorgeous magazines and bought them regularly, I have I think 32.  I actually knew someone who bought them even though she couldn’t knit and just looked at the pictures. 

I plan to sell them once I’ve checked if any are of great value, I have do this one but I am not sure I believe the price. Could it be an extra happy new year for me I wonder. 

Boxing Day

Firstly our Christmas Day was excellent, very calm and quiet, delicious food and lovely gifts from family.

The build up to the big event was going well.  I left my broken glasses at the optician on Monday, he phoned me next morning to say the frames cannot be repaired and have been discontinued. However luckily he had a display pair in the shop albeit with gold stems while mine were purple to match the front. He offered them to me half price and could have them ready by lunch time.  I considered that a result as the lenses in the broken pair were new last year. I had the replacement pair early afternoon, great service. 

Wednesday afternoon I left MrFF in the penthouse when I went out for my walk.  When I returned he was out which didn’t concern me until I looked at our emails and saw a doctor’s appointment confirmed for 2.20 that day.  I phoned him as I was not aware he was going to the doctors.  Apparently he’d had a call asking him to attend the surgery immediately as his blood test results had arrived and were irregular.  He was there within 20 minutes.  

When I spoke to him he’d had more blood taken and been given an ECG.  He had to wait to speak to the doctor on the phone so has taken himself off for a coffee nearby in case she needed to see him.  The doctor told him his tests showed a potassium deficiency, some kidney result that was not normal but not of concern and a slight murmur related to his aorta.  The doctor needed a urine sample and he was able to get back to the surgery for this before they closed until Monday.  I know happy Christmas indeed.  

Checking on potassium it’s provided by a lot of the food we regularly eat, fresh fruit especially bananas, lentils and pulses, fish, vegetables, yoghurt so a deficiency was a surprise but I’ve upped his consumption of the right stuff.  The latest tests results should be available next week, meanwhile MrFF is feeling ok, eating full sized meals but still easily tired and occasionally feeling rather faint.  We are keeping positive, he joined me this morning for a gentle 6 mile walk where we admired these rather unIlkley decorations that make me laugh. 

I could be calmer

MrFF has seen the results of his recent tests, everything was normal and he seems to be improving though hardly back to health. He will return to the doctors in January, hopefully a quiet Christmas will help him get well.  We have decided this year not to do our usual £5 Christmas stocking exchange, I don’t want the patient traipsing round shops looking for inspiration and I struggle myself since my favourite charity shop put the price of books up from 50p to at least £2.50.  That’s disappointing as I used to take a good supply of their paperbacks to Italy, read them and bring them back to resonate.

However we already have a lovely gift for each other which is our new microwave.  I discovered the old one had paint flaking off from the top inside surface with metal visible.  MrFF said he’d repaint it but I persuaded him we need a new integrated model.  It’s installed and looks so much smarter next to the steel fridge freezer,  there is a slim piece of oak trim still to fit underneath the oven just to finish it off.

I might be getting another surprise item.  Yesterday I broke my expensive Danish spectacles when they got tangled with a jumper I was taking off.  This will be the third time the frame has fractured, previous times they were within warranty and replaced free of charge.  Last year I had to buy expensive new lenses as the photochromic finish failed so I am hoping the titanium can be repaired or at least the lenses can be adapted for new not Danish not titanium frames.  I am off to see my optician later today meanwhile my glasses feel precarious.

So our Christmas prep is done, we have various meal options in the freezer and plenty of everything though a few more mince pies wouldn’t go amiss.  Today I’ve had a really good doris round the penthouse so just the husband and the glasses to fix now.  I hope your plans are going smoothly, not long to wait.

A medical update

MrFF is still not restored to full health.  After 10 days he made a second visit to our surgery to see a different doctor.  This one gave him a thorough examination, said an X-ray was unnecessary and out MrFF back on a mild dose of laxative. Now almost 3 weeks since this started he is still eating only small amounts of food but thinks his digestive system is almost back to normal.   He has lost 1.5 stone, 9.5 kilos, but oddly nothing from his abdomen.

Last weekend he reported that he was feeling well enough to attend one of his walking groups Christmas lunch but not take part in the walk beforehand.  Against by advice he went off to Leeds on the train  he gave away most of his meal.  Bck home he complained that he felt cold at the lunch which was held in a conservatory with blankets provided and that the trains were over crowded.  That was Saturday,  by Monday he had the most awful cold and was back in bed for two days.  Obviously being ill has compromised his immune system, he should have stayed at home.

Wednesday by brother and sister in law came to stay for a couple of days and MrFF rallied enough to be sociable while keeping his distance. Since we were having guests I decided to put the Christmas tree up earlier than normal and I wrapped all the presents that were cluttering the spare bedroom.  That felt like progress. 

MrFF stayed home when I took my family on my usual 6 mile walk on a beautiful sunny and almost warm day.  We saw Bertie the alpaca who came running to greet us, he is such a beautiful creature

Today MrFF has again taken the train this time to Bradford as he needs some connection for his new computer.  I did mention what happened last week, apparently the trains he is using wont be overcrowded and he won’t pick up anything because he’s already got cold.  It’s impossible to tell a Yorkshire man anything. 

I don’t usual post photos of myself but my SinL took such a nice photo of me with my brother that captures if the beauty of my walk that I’ll make an exception.

MrFF has been unwell

9 days ago MrFF became unwell, was sick for most of the night, stayed in bed the next day and ate nothing.  We both thought it was some horrible gastro virus, I fully expected to go down with it too.  By Wednesday he could tolerate the stomach cramps no longer and phoned the doctor who could only offer an appointment at the surgery that day.  So MrFF got himself up and showered, we both went off to the doctor.  He was diagnosed with a blockage in his system and given a prescription for a strong laxative, he was to take 8 doses the first day.  We expected dramatic results but really the medication didn’t make a lot of difference.  He didn’t eat for 4 days and now he’s only just got an appetite for small meals.  He gradually started getting up, mostly to lie on the settee and sleep, yesterday he took a short walk for some fresh air.  

So it’s been a quiet time for me, popping out for essentials and listening to MrFF moaning and groaning.  I don’t think he’s returned to full health yet but he’s definitely getting back to normal.  Here are two examples.  First he decided he could manage a poached egg on toast, the egg wasn’t up to standard, he didn’t enjoy the bread and I made the tea too strong.  Secondly he wrote to the newspapers and had a letter published in today’s Daily Telegraph after he tried to elicit a response from the Inland Revenue to a letter he sent in February this year.  After holding on the phone for 40 minutes he was told he could expect a reply by August next year as they have a backlog.  

I could make various tasteless comments here etc but I am better than that.