The Adventures of Poppet & Other Stories

[Woo2]

It must be quite hard , there is only so much you can do in a limited space , we have so many jobs to do but I am losing enthusiasm to do some of them ! My whole routine is up the wall and I’m surprised how much it’s affects me . Yes I too prefer dogs to humans !
Have used anthisan and it’s pretty good , it’s gone down now thank goodness .She has just had a wobbly about her tablets , got some chocolate biscuits out and all ok again .

I am pretending to go to bed about 9.30pm-10pm so she goes too,trouble is I lie in bed while waiting for her to settle down and end up dropping off

glad you got to chat to Nephew, sounds like he will be a good support for his dad even if its only a little as big bro won’t ask for much help. I know slow and steady wins the race and it’s the right approach but I can see where he is coming from and the need to push himself and see if he can do what he needs/used to . Pooch is just adorable , our mutt has to lie along someone’s spine , I cannot have her in my bed at bedtime as she ends up pushing me off ! She sleeps on the sofa now . Love he gives you a nudge /kick if you stop. ? Oh the car will only get dirty again.

 

[Sam Luvit]

I’m sorry to be so dense @jugglingmum, but do you mean all deliveries are now only to be available to those on the Gov list, or just the store you were using?

I read earlier that the wards are being kept clear ready, but that the numbers are as yet, not as high as feared, due to social distancing, but the fear is the reduced numbers will cause people to disput the projections and start really ignoring social distancing and therefore spreading it quicker and further. It’s such a harsh reality we are in.

You bake often as a normal part of your life. The increased purchases are by those who don’t normally bother. It’s quite funny standing near the baking section and listening to people trying to figure what the difference is between SR and plain flour, they seem to think “plain” means ordinary and that it will be fine for the kids to make cakes with Oh to be a fly on the wall as the promised cakes come out as slabs of cement. I’m wicked.

 

[jugglingmum]

just the store you were using?

Just the store I was using as far as I know

I was told on Sat that intensive care in Liverpool and Warrington are full - but that Chester has plenty of spare capacity

A friend is on A & E and has been on the non covid side and she said they are getting many present with cardiac issues and no covid issues and a chest xray indicates covid.

Not fully caught up as 'in' work today

 

[Bikerbeth]

Glad to hear that your brother is getting some emotional support, how is he doing physically? Have you managed to find out?
Just trying to catch up on posts but did you say you were doing less shifts at work - it sort of surprises me but perhaps I am missing something?
I do think how lucky I am with still lots to do in house, garden and of course paperwork for both me and Mum that does not seem to go away.
cuddles to pooch

 

[Sam Luvit]

You wouId think that I wouId be sorting things out and making this the best tiny space possible @Woo2 but the truth is I can not do it. I know that no matter what I do, I will never have the room to do what I want. I can not spread out paperwork, or even use a laptop with a printer. So, it just seems a bit pointless.

At least I laughed. I wouId pretend to nap and wake up an hour later to mum sarcastically asking if I’d slept well. The deception doesn’t always work I’d forgotten that

Yes. I think nephew will be helpful. I’ve told him I won’t get into a slanging match about his mum, but he might want to rethink some of what ‘he knows”. Seems he’s not that dumb ... he said he blames his mum and not his dad. He’s going to try to mend bridges with his dad. Heaven help me, I might end up with the pair of them living in this fantasy house I hope to buy one day!

I do understand big brother pushing himself back to where he was. I also know that can be disastrous. I developed a back problem in my mid teens, I was pulled out of all sports as a result. Three months later I tried jumping back in, but failed and quit everything. Slow n steady might have changed the outcome and my whole life, but no one guided me. Big brother is fragile right now. I’m fearful he will try too hard, fail and give up.

Pooch is keeping me sane. He is beyond delighted for me to come home. He curls up with me and gives me his love. I wish I was the person he thinks I am !, He also boils me in the night by lying along my spine, but he is cute too.

I rinsed the car. I missed a bit.

 

[Woo2]

Hey you were young, what child of that age would gently tip toe back in to things , they all jump in feet first as we did full blast as we think we are invincible at that age .

I’m glad you had the chat with Nephew but he is in a difficult position , as much as he may not like what his mum has done she still is his mum when all said and done , you are right to keep counsel on her. Who knows where the future will take the three (oops sorry pooch) 4 of you . Gentle reminders to big brother are as much as you can do I feel at this difficult time , hopefully it’s sinking in and with combination of your concern and nephews renewed vigour to build bridges he will take it a little easier ?

100% agree I tell anyone who will listen that Muttley keeps me sane , would be lost without her . She gives so much and asks for so little , well except for food !?. Hope you are enjoying the lovely weather .
Big hugs to you and pooch?

 

[Sam Luvit]

Big brother is going to get a slap from me if he doesn’t start looking after himself .. only I can’t do that from six foot away @Bikerbeth

I have managed to see him once, by stopping on my way home, as I was driving past his home. He looks exhausted. We have a short text conversation each day, but I don’t know how long it takes him to write a message. I have noticed his spelling and attention to detail is poor now. He is aware that he is struggling with keyboard dexterity

Yes, you did read that right. My hours have dropped for the last two weeks. It happens every time the company take on a new batch of staff. It drives us all nuts, but short of looking elsewhere, there isn’t much we can do

There are two main ways of dealing with the need to increase staff numbers ...

Lets say you have 100 staff, work load increases to the point where each staff member does an average of one hours overtime and the average hours worked is 20. The company therefore need 100 extra man hours or 5 extra staff members

Method 1 - Train 10 people and place them with 10 hours each, telling them their hours will increase as they gain experience.
On average, 2 will quit in week one. Those 20 hours are then shared across the remaining 8 new staff -12.5 hours
A further 2 will quit over the next month and their hours are shared across the remaining 6 new staff members - 16.5 hours
A further 1 will quit over the next month, hours are shared with the remaining 5 new staff and everyone is up to the promised 20 hour average.
Existing staff lose the one hour overtime, but may be offered extra for the usual reasons of sickness or holiday cover
Everyone is happy

Method 2 - Train 10 people and give them all 20 hours.
There are only 100 hours, but the company needs 200 hours to do that
Take away the 1 hour overtime plus 1 hour.
Existing staff are now 2 hours down, some of these will quit in frustration
Give all the extra hours to new staff
No one is happy

I’m updating my CV today, I’m frustrated. I will stay where I am, but try to get extra shifts elsewhere. It’s not the cash, it’s knowing there is a shortage and having nothing to do but eat, sleep or work. At least I get to talk to someone if I’m working. I don’t even have TV, so binge watching is not an option. iPlayer has been activated Yes, I’m that frustrated.

How is the glossing going? Have you finished it yet? I imagine there are going to be some beautiful gardens and homes after this is over

Pooch says “thank you” for the cuddles.

 

[Sam Luvit]

A few friends have managed to book deliveries. It’s a bit hit n miss. Keep refreshing the site and it goes from “nothing available” to one slot, so it’s just luck that gets them a delivery. Times tend to be awful and they are the higher delivery Charge ones, but it beats standing in a queue or navigating the store @jugglingmum

We have remarkably few cases here, but they are keeping the wards empty so they are prepared. We have three people on site waiting for operations, they are all “top of the list” when theatres reopen. The strain is really starting to show

 

[Sam Luvit]

Fingers crossed the combination of texting, talking and other friends and family reminders that big brother is much loved, will have the desired outcome @Woo2

Pooch is tiny, yet he never stops asking for food. He’s also greedy and literally will eat until he is sick. I let him do that once, now I feed what I think he needs. My GSD wouId eat what he wanted, come back for seconds later in the day. Pooch eats every last morsel like he thinks it will be taken away if he doesn’t get it down himself at breakneck speed. Silly little so n so

The sun is shining, but it’s very blowy and there is a chill to the wind. I’m going to have a little sort out in the awning today and if it warms up enough I might get to read in the sun.

Hugs appreciated as always. Do you think an Essex meet could be on the cards for lockdown release plus two weeks??? Do you think anyone would join in?

 

[nitram]

I don’t even have TV, so binge watching is not an option

You can watch catchup on ITV without a licence.
Assumes you have bought enough bandwith on 4G router

 

[Woo2]

I found our GSD to be peculiar as he didn’t eat much at all, the Labrador is a complete guts and would eat until sick for sure ! We often wonder if let loose in a butchers or supermarket how much she would consume , until her belly burst is the consensus .
It is breezy here too, brilliant for washing drying .

I’m always up for a meet up ? I don’t know how many members around here but I’m def up for it .?

 

[Sam Luvit]

You can watch catchup on ITV without a licence.
Assumes you have bought enough bandwith on 4G router

So far I’ve managed to work BBC iPlayer, I’ve picked a box set I recognised I've yet to work out how to search ... not that I’d know what to search for lol

I just want mindless background to stop me thinking too much
Ive left the TV license payments in place and I have 60 Gb a month, which I almost used all of last month. I’ve put a £0 cap on it so I don’t get any nasty surprises!

Big brother bought me a brilliant mobile router. My phone is on two or three bars ... the router is on five. It’s only buffered for maybe five seconds twice in six weeks. I’m very impressed

 

[nitram]

So far I’ve managed to work BBC iPlayer,

More options
https://www.itv.com/ .

https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/channel/ .

https://www.channel4.com/ .

I have 60 Gb a month, which I almost used all of last month.

Disable HD, it eats up the Gb with no advantage on a small screen

 

[Batsue]

When looking for delivery slots for Tesco try using the website and not the app, I have managed to get a slot each week but when I try the app it says nothing available.

 

[Bikerbeth]

I do hope brother takes good care of himself with some gentle nagging from you all.
Thanks for the explanation about how care agencies recruit, it was enlightening to say the least. I can see your (and others) frustration with them system’.
Lounge finished with the decorating and the dining room and the study/small bedroom is also done. To be fair OH did most of the last 2 whilst I cleared out lots of my rubbish and started preparing, then planting veg beds.
I would be up for an Essex meet at some point as fairly local to me.
I had a dog who looked a white Alsatian and he was not food orientated at all (which made training more challenging). He would eat breakfast about noon and then dinner about 11pm on the days he could be bothered. He weighed about 45 kilos but was cheaper to feed than the 2 cats. I had to hide his food from my Mum’s Sheltie when she stayed or her dog ate it all.

 

[Woo2]

Great to hear you are up for a meet up @Bikerbeth Over to you Chief organiser @Sam Luvit.

 

[Sam Luvit]

I’m always up for a meet up ? I don’t know how many members around here but I’m def up for it .?

Your wish is my command ...

https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/essex-after-lockdown-date-to-be-determined.121907/

 

[Woo2]

? ?

 

[Sam Luvit]

You give me far too much credit @nitram ... I looked in settings, but unless it’s “Higher Quality Downloads”, which is off, I can’t find HD anywhere else

I’m struggling to think of what I used to watch, but it wasn’t on the five basic channels. Mostly crime series, Criminal Minds, CSI etc with any free films I happened to catch

I’ve a box set of The Tudors and I’ve found a box of DVD’s in the storage unit, so I guess I’ll survive for a while.

 

[Sam Luvit]

Only the staff are allowed deliveries here ... I’ll mention it to them when I see them. Thank you @reedysue