I can’t cope

Please contact someone if you need help @Captain24 . I'm about to head off, but I'll catch you over the weekend.

Breathe.

You are okay.

I'm sitting with you.

I’m pretty sore today @tyme but I am still kicking along.

Im trying to mow the lawn in the 35 degree heat, it’s dehydrating me rapidly.

Hey @Captain24 ,

If you need to see the doc, please do so.

Argh... these lawns... always need doing. I guess the after-feeling is pleasant.

Do you need to work today?

I cleaned the pool again this morning. I'm just topping it up with water now 🙂

You working later today?

The medical system is in major crisis right now @tyme. I don’t think I’d get in at the hospital for several hours. Maybe not at all.

It looks good when they are done but we have had a heap of rain over the last week. I’m talking close to 100 mils. The grass is out of control.

I don’t work until Monday. Which is good, it’ll give me time to recover.

How often do you have to clean out the pool?

Just be careful and if you do need the doc, you'll just have to attend to it @Captain24

That's a lot of rain! Perfect weather for the grass and weeds to grow out of control!

It's hard to say how often I clean the pool. It depends on so many factors and what sort of cleaning. If it's a major clean, it's only once a season (I was still up to this today)

If it's to vacuum the dirt/sand that blows into the pool, it can be whenever but only takes a short time.

If it's to brush the wall of the pool, then it's a few times a season.

So yeah, it's all different.

I'm sitting outside again on the deck with Ruby. She's loving life out here 🙂

I have to say a pool is pretty expensive though. The chemicals and salt and all add up. But it's relaxing. Did I tell you I'm getting a new pool heater installed? So that was $9k in itself. I'm not fussed though. As long as the kids can have fun.

I'm glad you can rest up until Monday. It really helps. How is the munchies med going?

I’ll be careful @tyme. If I have to go then I have to go. Hopefully triage will deem it more important if I do. New people to town of those that haven’t seen a doctor in 7 years have to go to emergency, even if it’s minor.

I need the time before I go back to work. After crashing badly last night and trying to mow my lawn today I need a rest day.

On the eastern side of town they got 180 in an hour! That caused flash flooding. It’s like you can actually watch the grass grow, it’s just growing that fast. The weeds are really bad. I need to weed and feed it but trying to find some is hard.

That’s a lot of different things to clean. No wonder everyone is telling me not to put one in! I’m thinking a swim spa instead plus it’s a bit cheaper. But I have to extend the back verandah first.

Pix likes to be inside under the bed and Jett likes to lay out in the sun. She’s living her best life especially with aunty tyme!

Will that make the pool hot in summer or do you just switch it on in the cooler weather?

I love my munchie meds. I think i take them too much! I’m at the point that if I don’t take them I can’t sleep. They are taking a little longer to kick in though. But I’m lucky enough not to have gotten the munchies. The AD that she took me off gave me them though.

Do you get the munchies?

I ordered a weighted blanket from Temple and Webster. It should be here on Friday.

Nice re the weighted blanket! It's not warm though. It's just heavy. @Captain24

As for the munchies med, without it, I can't switch off at all. It's made a huge difference for me. In the past, I used to stay awake thinking thinking thinking. The meds meant I HAD to switch off and it allowed my brain to heal. Hence it's taken many years. And yes, I get the munchies. I find that as soon as the med kicks in and I feel tired, I also feel peckish too. That's how I know it's directly related. What I find helpful is I do the 'cravings' meditation on the Smiling Mind App (it's part of the sleep program). I also make sure I'm actually not hungry before going to bed.

As for a pool, I reckon a hot tub is better. I've been in them and they are AMAZING! If it's just for you, then I'd go the tub. The pool here is good for the kids.

I'm taking my niece to a skating party this evening. Drainer! My sister can't, so I said I would.

What are you going to do for the rest of the day?

I’m keen to see if it’ll help with the need to be held. @tyme. My CM gave me a hug yesterday which was nice but it was that, just a hug. I would t expect anything more though. It was nice that she cared to say goodbye.

It’s definitely a game changer. I forgot to take them the other night and realised after I crawled into bed. I just thought that it didn’t matter I’d make sure to take them the next night. I could not get to sleep. Like you say my brain wouldn’t switch off. I was toss and turning so I got up and took them. I had a good sleep after that!

I ate after taking them the other night, I then vomited for the next half hour! I won’t be making that mistake again!

Making sure you eat is a good way of knowing you aren’t actually hungry. I didn’t realise there was a craving meditation. I struggle with meditation though. I could try it. It might help with other aspects.

I figured in a swim spa I can still actually swim and I can use it in winter. Plus it’d be cool in summer. It’s a long way off though. I need to save probably $40000

A skating party sounds like fun. That’s something different. Since you don’t do birthdays do you buy the birthday child a gift? You don’t have to answer. I’m just intrigued by your beliefs. In a good way.

I’ve got to finish my lawn and there is twilight markets on tonight and the dog treat man will be there. So I need to get some.

I did want to get the dogs bathed as well but I’m just going to run out of time.

Other than the party do you have anything else on? Or plans for tomorrow?

I certainly struggle with meditation. It's like the ones that ask you to count and take 10 deep breaths... I only get up to 1 or 2 and then I 'forget' and I have to bring my mind back to it. It gets easier the more you do it.

With the Sleep program on Smiling Mind, I think it's got 22 guided meditations. Each one is different and has a different purpose. So I just reply the ones that I need for that time. I don't do the whole thing. And some are only 5 mins or so. I found this app easier than the Calm app.

As for birthdays, I don't celebrate them, but they are not wrong or anything. It's more that I don't see the point. I don't want to teach the child greed - that they must 'get' on their birthday. Rather, I see it as a thanksgiving for the year God has provided. As I said, it's not 'wrong', it's more about what I want the kids to understand. Often, you hear kids say, "Can you give me X for my birthday?" So here, it sort of defeats the purpose and is more about getting the stuff you want. And, if the child needs something, I just give it to them irrespective of whether it is their bday or not.

As for my sister, yes, she will get the kid a gift, but nothing major. Just something small for tonight.

Oh, an example can be for yesterday. It was my BIL's bday. My sister got him a big cake (it was a vanilla slice sort of cake with dulce de leche. She took it to the Church to share it with his church 'family'. I didn't go. But yes, I got a slice lol. So it wasn't about getting, it was about giving and sharing. Oh, and that's because it was his 40th bday. I actually didn't even say Happy Birthday, and it's no big deal to anyone lol.

What I mean is that sometimes when someone doesn't say Happy Birthday, then the person gets upset. Nah, not on this side. It's doesn't just take a birthday to appreciate someone.

Birthday parties are a DRAINER. With three children, my sister spends half her life hanging around at kid's parties and I do the other half.

Sorry for the long explanation lol

Twilight markets sound sooo awesome! Can you take a photo of the doggie treats you get later?

Also, will a hot tub/spa thingy cost $40k?

Tomorrow? Um, I'm going to church in the morning. Then after, I've been invited to someone's house. By BIL helped this person with their citizenship papers as well as getting a loan for their new house and so they want to thank us all my inviting us to their new house. Then, I'll be seeing my forums family 🙂 @Captain24

Supposedly, I've got HEAPS of leave I need to take on SANE... it's sad because I don't want to take leave lol

I get distracted easily too @tyme Plus the visual ones are hard as I don’t see pictures. So that definitely doesn’t work. I might be able to stay focused for a short one, I can only try.

I get your reasoning about birthdays. Kids a really materialistic these days and expect so much. Their birthday/Christmas lists are extensive.

Lots of birthday run arounds! Kids expect a birthday party every year. When I was I kid it was a great.

As kids mum and dad didn’t have much money so we never got things during the year we had to wait until our birthdays or Christmas. Then we only got a few things and something we desperately wanted. I never asked for anything expensive as they just couldn’t do it.

I don’t know how I would go if I had kids in this current world.

I’ll take a photo. I don’t think I need much, I’ve got a few bones here. I might give them both one tonight.

The spa is around $30000 for the size I want and I’m guessing $10000 to extend the verandas and roof.

Sounds like a busy day planned. It’s nice to be invited for much as appreciation. That’s very kind of them. Also your BIL helping people out.

Transfer leave over to me and I can go back to hospital sooner! 😜. In the 2 1/2 years I’ve been here I don't think I’ve seen you take leave. I don't want you to take leave either. Can you take a week here and there, will that get it down? Plus 6-8 weeks at the end of the year.