Its lovely here

But I can't wait to move.  Steve isn't coping well with the change. He's now insisting on eating more junk food. His mum was a lovely lady but an appalling cook. Steve was bought up on toast and shop bought food and as his anxiety gets worse so he refuses home cooked food. I don't like ready made food, I prefer home made. Also I think home made is healthier.

My mother could cook but had no interest in it. I ate school dinners, my parents ate at their works canteen. Once I  had a home of my own and children I learned to cook. I'm gradually improving my diet but Steve's is deteriorating. I'm not pushing water up hill though, if he wants to live on junk he can.

We have finally persuaded the heating system to work, though as the weather has warmed up a bit now we aren't using it. The landlord still doesn't want to fit curtains but then as it's their bill, I'm not too worried.

I'm still making plans for when we eventually move as I think the weather will be at it's worse by then.

It's chi!ly this evening.

We bought three blankets with us but we are using two of  them to protect the furniture from Beano. There is no carpet in the main room so Beano is allowed on the sofa.

The other blanket is on our bed on top of the duvet to add a layer of warmth, Beano sleeps on top of the duvet and underneath the blanket as it gets cold at night.

There is heating in the bathroom and bedroom, it comes on in the morning from 5:30 until 7:30 just couple of hours but it doesn't come on in the evenings.

The radiators in the main room don't seem to come on at all so we wrap up warm. There are no curtains in the main room, the owners haven't decided whether to fit any yet, so there are no curtains fixings. I could buy some extending poles but I'd then have to buy curtains that probably won't fit our next flat.

Steve is thinking of going into town tomorrow to buy new trousers and some slippers as he's finding the laminate floor chilly, I have a pair of bootie slippers so my feet are toasty warm.

I've given up trying to explain to Steve that he's wasting money on Nurofen, it goes in one ear and out the other, he is the same with toothpaste and lots of food. I get as much unbranded stuff as I can, I just don't let him know.

I finally got round to doing some cooking, some home made soup, broccoli and cheese, I only made a small panful as I'm the only one that will eat it. Since his stroke Steve will mainly eat shop bought, packet food and I don't like it so I'm making more effort for myself. I ordered ingredients in this weeks shop and nothing ready-made for me.

Another trip to the village.

Steve decided we'd go into the village today as he needed some neurofen, he's a real brand snob, no paracetamol or ibuprofen for him, it has to be something with a name!

He claims to need  it for his backache, he's spent the last three days in bed so no wonder he's got backache!

I bought milk and broccoli and from a charity shop I bought three small glass bowl as there are none in the cottage. Steve bought his tablets and then we walked home again, Beano enjoyed the walk. It was a couple of miles,  longer on the way there as Steve to one of his magic shortcuts.

I'm hoping to cook roast beef later as its been in the fridge since Sunday.

Flu jab

Steve and I went for our covid jabs today, I've lost track of how many we've had now, all that were offered, certainly.

I chose to have a flu jab at the same time, I don't usually bother as I'm not particularly susceptible to the flu virus. I had flu once when I was in my teens and it thoroughly ruined a dirty weekend!

We left here at 12 as although it's only a mile to the surgery, the entire journey is down a very steep hill and up another steep hill. We could have caught two buses but it seemed pointless to do that, so we walked and took Beano with us. We arrived with loads of time to spare but because we had Beano with us, we had to go in separately so the whole thing took a while.

We then walked back and had lunch, Steve had a ham sandwich and I had a bagel with hummus.

Thank you for all the information you have sent me I am very grateful and I'm working my way through it.

Life in limbo

 There is still no news on our flat purchase, every month we stay here is eating in to our savings.

Thank you for all your kind comments, Steve seems to feel much better here than he did on the boat, life is easier for both of us.

Flis, I'm sorry to hear about Lily.

Thank you to the unknown poster who has posted the RNIB information.

Thank you to Angela who has listed information about benefits that may be available, I'm already 70 though Steve is younger, so I will look into claiming as soon as we are in our flat.

Debdor, it seems to depend on where you live, the hospital I come under has retirement age as the cut off point.

John I will look into it once we are settled, we do not have an address at the moment as we are in an Airbnb until our flat purchase goes through.

Lyssa thank you for your kind comments.

And on to the Queen, I'm not a royalist but apart from that I will keep my opinions to myself, I would no more queue to see her than I would fly.

I walked a bit too far today, Beano's walks have been shorter recently as one of my toes is giving me grief, I'm sure it will settle down soon. Beano can easily walk 4 or 5 miles but I'm currently struggling to walk 2 miles, nemmind it's the joys of getting old.

Nothing happening.

We are still having some sunny days but at least we are having some rain too. The grass is turning green and soft instead of being brown and crispy. Beano is happier, his skin is better and not so irritated. He won't take the tablets he was prescribed and he licks off  any cream applied. He improves when the temperature reduces.

I'm getting used to my air fryer and using it in preference to the oven in the cottage. I prefer to cook on gas but it isn't an option here, nor is it an option in the flat when we eventually get there.

Jennie bought some more property purchase paperwork over y'day but everything is taking an age. Partly because there's a threeway lease involved and partly a hangover from Covid.

I'm sure we'll get there eventually but I'm worried about my eyesight by the time we get moved in. I need to master the route out of the complex before I cannot see.

I'm also hoping to find things to join once we move as the bus stop is nearby, as is a park where I can walk Beano. Steve sometimes complains that we gave up the boat for no reason as I'm no better off here than I was on the boat. But at least here my family know where I am and they do visit regularly. I'm seeing the same dog walkers every day and chatting to them too.

I'm quite concerned about my eyesight along with my hearing which is also failing. I know nothing can be done about my macular traction, it was trying to repair it that caused the problem I have now. My hearing problems are caused by vestibular schwanoma but the audiology department of our local hospital won't treat in patients of my age, only people of working age are treated. I can't say I'm enthusiastic about going both blind and deaf!I

I'm hoping once we move I can access more help.

A bad night.

 I'm not sleeping well, something is disturbing Beano at around 3am and again at 5 am and he's barking a lot.

He's not usually much of a barker, just an occasional woof if someone comes to the door.

But he's barking a lot at whatever is disturbing him, I'm assuming it's a deer or badger. He doesn't bark much at cats or foxes.

I'm considering letting him out when he barks in an attempt to dissuade whatever it is from visiting every night.

He won't chase anything that is in the garden so neither he or the nocturnal visitor are in danger. But I really cannot manage if I'm to be disturbed every night.