Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Hi @Dimity , thanks for your message which I always look forward to 🙂

I didn't come good yesterday and it was a wasted day where I felt down and overwhelmed. Not feeling significantly better today, but am at least wanting to avoid a repeat of yesterday so will try to get some stuff done.

We had the loudest thunder I've ever heard last night - you too? I forgot to switch off my NBN box but luckily it didn't fry. It sounds like you managed to avoid the rain on your evening walk?

I do prefer to do things in bursts when I have the energy and motivation, you're right. Unfortunately I don't get the energy and motivation very often, so I end up behind. Whereas you're more disciplined and are slowly getting ahead from what I can see, steadily working away at it.

I've realised I won't be able to tackle the shed this January as I have a rental inspection due early Feb and will need to work on the house instead. So maybe I can tackle the shed after the inspection.

You mentioned you have an osteopath appt in early January - when is that?

Thanks for your encouragement ❤️

So sorry you're feeling down and overwhelmed @NatureLover... I know the feeling well. I hope you can ride it out. Is there anything nice you can do for yourself?

I've just had a successful trip to the vet (it's something I dread) and had difficult but polite conversations with 2 neighbours about the ongoing dispute. Yesterday's storms were distant thank goodness.

I'm glad you were able to tackle your livingroom the other day, it's a good step towards preparing for your inspection, particularly if you can hold off on overbuying for a few weeks.

It's true I try to keep chipping away but hadn't for a while, and even when I do the progress is so slow and incremental the depressing status quo seems interminable. My activity tracker shows I've been more consistent in the last few weeks so that's encouraging.

The osteopath is Friday.

Sending good wishes your way - hope you feel better soon.

Hi @Dimity , thanks for your kind words.

It sounds like you had a successful day yesterday. Can I ask why you dread going to the vet? Was it bad news?

Thanks for suggesting stopping the overbuying of groceries till the inspection, which I hadn't actually thought of yet.

I managed to come good yesterday after I decided that my little efforts of tidying 5 or 10 minutes here and 20 minutes there weren't working. So I decided to do my year's calendar instead, which I had looked at but not really tackled. It took about 4 hours to put everything in it, every work day, every bin day with what type of bin, colour co-ordinated etc. It's like a work of art when I'm finished! 😄 I felt so pleased when it was done. I also had to clear my desk to do it, which was what had been putting me off.

I'm glad your activity tracker showed some progress, to encourage you.

I hope the osteopath on Friday goes well 🤞 Also that today is a good day for you.

Congratulations on turning the day around @NatureLover and setting yourself up for the day ahead.

I always find going to the vet stressful... there's the worry of whether I can get taxis, and the cat dislikes the process, especially being with loud dogs in the waiting room. I was upset yesterday when an entitled dog owner bailed me up outside and insisted he was just socialising his dog - at the expense of my poor cat who was in a carrier but cringed from the barking and lunging. The cat is usually scared of the vet too, but thank goodness I've recently found someone at the practice who's very good with him.

Today was chores, and advancing a local advocacy issue. I'm behind with things but persevering. In October I achieved my daily cleaning/tidying/decluttering goal only 13% of the time but I improved in November and December, and hope to continue. It's been hard.

Good night (now) and good morning (when you read this), I hope tomorrow's another successful day.

Oh no, @Dimity , that does sound very stressful re the vet. And for your cat, oh no! It does sound upsetting for you both. 😢 But I'm glad it wasn't bad medical news for your cat.

Do some taxis not carry animals?

I'm enjoying my nice clean desk and new fresh calendar. Today have errands and the GP.

I'm not sure I could have an activity tracker. I'm sorry things have been so hard.

Good luck with your osteopath today, I hope it's positive.

@NatureLover some drivers don't like cats so I try to mention it when booking. I can't always get through when I ring, and sometimes the booking system isn't working properly. I've been stranded without a taxi so I'm always apprehensive, let alone facing the other problems. It's always a relief to get home.

I trust your gp visit was helpful. The osteopath was OK. She said I can expect to improve but the condition will still tend to flare at times, so I'll need to keep managing it. I'm tired, sore, grumpy (sorry).

It's good your positivity has carried over - I hope it lasts into the weekend. I still haven't set up my calendar but I'm trying to start a journal.

Cheers.

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@Dimity wrote:

I'm tired, sore, grumpy (sorry).

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Hi @Dimity , please don't ever be sorry about how you're feeling, or about being honest about how you're feeling. I like to think that's the beauty of these forums, being honest about how we're feeling.

Another beauty of being on here is listening to others and supporting them through difficult times...I'm here for you.

Is your osteopath saying that your condition won't go away?

I think a journal is a great idea, especially since you're unpacking your trauma with the help of your psychologist. I know I've benefitted lots from the Stream of Consciousness Writing. It seems to show me solutions to things, and helps me get to the bottom of things, writing out whatever's on my mind that day.

It does sound like vet visits are especially stressful, with the taxi issues on top of the vet issues. I can see why you dread them, sadly. It would be awful to be stranded when your pet needs the vet 😮

I'm starting to get very stressed about the upcoming rental inspection (due around 2 Feb). I hope this translates into a lot of work done. Unfortunately I have to go out today and tomorrow so that eats into the day of tidying and tires me out. And tomorrow is a baby shower, something I'm not looking forward to as I'll know hardly anyone and babies are really not my thing. Plus my abusive father will be there!

I hope you wake up less sore and tired, and the grumpy feeling has gone (feeling grumpy is a horrible feeling, I know). 💚

Thanks for your reassurance @NatureLover . I'm pressing on as best I can but not as well as I'd like.

The real estate inspections are intimidating - and must upset you before during and afterwards - but they're a known quantity and in the past you've risen to the occasion. It might take a sustained effort for a few weeks and if you start early you can reward yourself with rest days.

It's nice your young relatives are including you in the baby shower. Hopefully you can avoid speaking much to your toxic father. Is it a party plan retail event? Unfortunately I was clueless when younger about how party plan sales worked and feel mortified about the several showers I transgressed at.

Good luck with your busy weekend. I'll try to keep plugging on.

Hi @Dimity , just got home from the baby shower. Upsetting. Plus I managed to back into a rock trying to park, and damaged my car, not just a small bit either. Making sure I'll remember this upsetting day 😣

You said I'm fortunate to have been invited, but I wish I hadn't been. I'm now angry and upset at my family. Of course I didn't show it at a baby shower...I'll have to deal with it myself.

I'm not actually sure what a party plan retail event is...is it structured like Tupperware parties used to be? I feel that the events you went to should have notified guests it was a sales event!

Well done for your constant plugging on. Good luck today.

And thanks for listening.

Oh dear @NatureLover what an awful day. Sitting with you. Hitting the rock would have been a very bad start, then contending with your family. Would you like a cuppa?