22-02-14 - Monday I - Moving House

So, we moved house, which is a thing that happened. On Friday morning we woke up in one house in Worthing and on Friday night we slept in a different house in Worthing. We haven't moved very far, obviously, but the new old house we're living in is a lot bigger than our previous house.

We weren't looking to move, as it happens; we quite liked the house we were living in and the road we lived on. We were surrounded by friendly neighbours who became friends more than neighbours. But TW spotted our new house while she was drunkenly surfing rightmove one night, and she started a chain of events which ended up with us living on the other side of Worthing. 

We had our house packed up by Perfect Group, who were really good. They wrapped everything fragile in paper and it took me about half an hour to unwrap all our shot glasses. I'll be glad if I never see one of those effers again! (The shot glasses, that is.) I'd have to recommend Perfect Group, they took out all the hassle of packing. TW had put in a lot of preparation, but it was funny/odd to unwrap the occasional item, such as an eggcup full of salt...

We used AVRillo to do our conveyancing, and again, they really were very good. They had a brilliant dashboard where we could see how both our sale and our purchase were progressing, and they kept us informed as we hit the various key points in the process. They also sent us a celebratory hamper once we had moved in to our new house, which was very much appreciated!

And the final party we relied on was the estate agent, Jacobs Steel. TW managed the relationship with them, but they liaised between the buyers and sellers and kept us all informed of what was going on. I was hoping to move on the 4th Feb, but they let us know in the nicest way that there were still a number of things which needed to happen, and it was unlikely. As it was, it only took four and a half months, but it does seem that it was a longer process. 

Anyway, it's been three and a half days, and the place already feels like home. That's down to TW unpacking everything like a whirling dervish and committing a lot of energy to making the place homely. She's already been painting today, to get the place *precisely* to her liking... If it had been down to me, it would probably have taken four weeks at least to unpack and sort everything. We've not met the neighbours yet, but hopefully they're soon to be friends. 

TTFN. 

22-01-05 - Wednesday I - A Glimmer

So today we had a call, one of the agencies we've been working with has a candidate to care for Mum. They say she's good, they've worked with her before, and they think she'd be a good fit for Mum. 

Sounds promising, and she can start soon as well. That might mean - well, it does mean - that respite care in a residential home is off the table, at least for the foreseeable. The carer can stay for 12 weeks, apparently, which is a good chunk of time and will hopefully allow Mum to get used to her. We'll see how that goes, as she will hopefully start in ten days or so...

TTFN.

22-01-04 - Tuesday I - Respite Care is Off

Today we received the unwelcome news that more people in the care home we wanted Mum to go to have tested positive for covid, and so Mum won't be going there any time soon. I'm a bit worried about what might happen at the weekend, but we have a couple of friends who may be able to help, so all is not lost.

 

It may be worth looking at other homes, and as TW pointed out, they are likely to be smaller, more independent operations and it may be quicker to get Mum placed. Especially if they are set up to offer respite. We'll have to see how that goes. Just when I thought we were beginning to see the wood for the trees...

TTFN. 

2022-01-03 - Monday I - Back to Mum's

So, that's the festive season over and the New Year well and truly seen in. Now the humdrum returns, and it's back to Mum's to make sure that she's okay. She was quite teary when I arrived; I think she's beginning to feel loss but doesn't quite know why. 

I brought her to my house for a while, to see TW and the girls, and to have a cuppa. Then we went to the big Tesco to shop, that takes an extra bit of time. And then home with some bulging bags. She spoke to a friend on the phone and then another called later, and that seemed to lift her spirits. 

We did have an argument about her elevating her foot (it's still swollen from the bunion operation), but that had seemed fade into inconsequence later in the evening.

Then it was Coronation Street and time for bed, and day one back at the ranch was done...

TTFN.

2022-01-02 - Sunday I - Slowly Does It

Yesterday we visited Level 1 and had a few drinks there and at the Rose and Crown. It was a nice afternoon and evening, but I should have stopped drinking earlier than I did and I am suffering now. I don't regret it, but I do wonder if it was worth it. I won't have a drink now for a while - that'll help to build up a nice run of yellow tea symbols on my Try Dry app. 

It's nice to drink for a change, but I don't want to go back to drinking as much as I used to - that was pointless. It's a way of relaxing that I haven't quite managed to replicate without drinking. A friend once said that a drinking session was like setting a mental "out of office" message, or absolving yourself of responsibility for a few hours, and I think he was right. If there was a way to achieve the same thing without drinking, I'd seriously consider whatever that was... Anyway, that's it for this morning. 

TTFN. 

22-01-01 - Saturday I - Happy New Year

My #newyearsresolution, as every year, is to blog more often. I was thinking that brief and dull might be the order of the day (order of the year?).

I saw the New Year in sober, which was nice. Hopefully more of that on the cards in 2022. And less time spent at Mum's - that'd be good. 

Anyway, just a short one to start with. 

TTFN.