Diary summary week ending 2nd OCTOBER

[louisa maud]

Yes folks, it is me, starting up this week's diary, October soon, unbelievable to be honest, time is passing by

Rain today after a farmer friend told me they couldn't drill as the ground was so dry, prayers answered, plenty of rain today

Well, what a few days I have had, helped out at a Macmillan coffee morning, standing for 5 hours or more or running around with used crockery and washing up, came home, my husband went out for a walk, came home, lost his keys, he had done about 1000 steps, so I suggested we retraced his steps, what an idiot adding onto my already tired legs, anyway we did it, he was almost near to collapse because by now he had walked 10 miles, wasn't  so good myself, lost not just one door key but the whole bunch, I didn't say a word, best to keep my mouth closed , anyway got back in the dark, so I didn't cook, was well passed eating anyway
Yesterday our daughter looked on the usual channel, someone had actually posted a picture of the keys, found half way round the 1000 steps near a bench where he had sat down, how lucky was that? we will collect them later today, what a worry
So having walked so far after my Saturday morning stint I had terrible pains in my shins and later in my thighs, I just could not walk, less pain today but still very achy, could hardly get upstairs, but hey ho, will just get on with it, my OH is off to the gym would you believe, me, well the usual stuff on a Monday

Hope everyone ids feeling a bit more chipper this week

Pharma T, good luck with the car hunting

LM

[pharmaT]

I'm exhausted.  After working 3 12.5hr shifts (working late on all of them) I had one day off and backin today.  Today was not much better.  I know it is only Monday and proper people wouldn't be tired but I found it tough.  Had my dinner at 22:30.  had double the max ratio for safety of a low acuity ward and 3 of mine were very sick so time consuming.

There were 9 ambulances queuing waiting to unload and nowhere to put the patients. 

[Roobarb]

LM, I hope you're feeling recovered today and got the keys back okay, that was certainly a marathon.

PharmaT, I'm sure anyone, those you consider proper or otherwise would find that tough and be exhausted, you're a human being not a machine. I hope today is better for you.

We're getting some rainy weather here, fine and dry at the moment so hope it stays that way. Can hardly believe it's nearly October, the year seems to have flown round. I'm just grateful that I've been able to get out and about and have some enjoyable times this summer, unlike the previous two.

It's interesting to read about the royals and how things are going at the beginning of this new era. No doubt there will be changes but I think Charles will introduce them gently. I still find it difficult to call him King Charles or just The King, seems so odd!

[louisa maud]

Yes thank you, legs feeling better
Collected  keys yesterday with a bunch of flowers, small price to pay as  I was  insisting new barrels and new keys  what a relief
Getting very cold for us southern Jessie's!!
PT,  and all nursing staff  hope you have better days

LM

[DianaCanada]

Louisa Maud, what an adventure! Hope you have recovered.
Weather has finally turned to fall here, we had our last hot day last week with thunderstorms and then the next day it was almost 20 degrees cooler!  Now I can sleep with a cover on me.
I have a cold now, tested negative, must be same one OH has had for 4 weeks or so.  Very slow moving, am supposed to go to my daughters Thursday, we'll see.
My ex is in Florida, in the path of the storm, he has taken to the road (my daughter reports) as they have been told to evacuate.  Not sure if his wife is with him or up here still.  My daughter is trying to book him a hotel (from here) somewhere.  Hope he has insurance!

[Maiden Stone]

VERY cold NW wind past 2 days. Gales Sunday-Monday. Luckily our bins didn't blow over although I feared they had because I could hear, above the sound of wind on Sunday night, a can rattling around the street. Both bins were emptied before dark on Monday so normal service seems to have resumed.
 

[louisa maud]

My friend has a place in Minorca,  they have had a lot of storms over the past 4 weeks, this week it was hail stones,  the picture taken the look like at  least 2 inches square, cars had pitted dents in them, I think the weather  has  gone mad this year

Diana  hope you are feeling better

Quite cold today  but the sun is out

LM

[mare]

Galloping through the week with the public holiday Monday having to remind myself which day it is, we stayed off the roads and did some shuffling around home with much still to be sorted between the two dwellings. Lovely leisurely and chatty lunch at a cafe after Tuesday morning group with a handful of us, never short of conversation! End of term for Wednesday morning sessions and a two week break now there. Many Aucklanders and others from further afield queued for the opening of the first Costco store in NZ on Wednesday … not me!

Worrying for you re the keys LM, so good they turned up and hopefully your mobility has as well and well done on help for the cause, husband has been struggling a bit with a  full on day on his feet Saturday trading and carting things around and as time goes by those days definitely more tiring for him.
Understandable that you're so exhausted PT, what isn't proper is the expectation on staff to fullfil punishing hours without adequate breaks!!
Looking rough for those in path of storm/hurricane Diana, thinking of our friends in Florida too …

Spring for us, fickle!  … we get what we get, not always what is predicted as quite often forecast messy weather misses us and generally moderate a lot of the year, gardens are putting on lovely flowerings and birds are busy … can't say my thorough time of year cleaning regime is up to scratch so far!

[pharmaT]

Finally my days off.  I actually left kind of on time and felt guilty, as if I'd sneaked off early but I was too tired. 40 covid admissions up, it had eased off. Here we go again. 724 across Scotland, on the 19th of Sept it was only 598.  Based on personal observation I wouldn't be surprised if it is even higher next week.  Also leads to more acute staff shortages.  We've been asked to step back on PPE being used in rooms with covid positive patients.  It feels unsafe.  You know you'll be disciplined for being off and then there is the risk of permanent damage. I am scared of failing the girls. I know it's my job and I have responsibilities including duty of care.  But this is not actually what I trained for despite what I am regularly told. It is, in fact the complete opposite if what I trained for because I was taught safety first, taught to don PPE properly and check it is on properly before acting.  Yes, we have to take risks, but we're also supposed to mitigate those risks.  Obviously we don't matter but if we infect ourselves we infect others.

Now have 4 days to blitz the house.  I am not happy with how much needs done.  Going slow today because so tired and sore. (lazy I know).  My thinking is if I get a little done so that I can see progress then it should motivate me and help conserve energy to enable me to do more next day.

Flats at the end of me street are still a pile of rubble.  We were told demolition would start on 1st August and that demolition and site clearance would take up to 4 weeks.  They only actually brought them down last week.  Who knows when it will be cleared, or even start clearing it.