12) A welcome Day Off

 

A blog about myself, daughter of an extreme hoarder parent who fell over on Christmas Day 2025 and broke 3 ribs. He’s currently in hospital thinking he can come home soon... He has terminal oesophageal cancer, kidney function issues, a bladder and a chest infection, asthma, diabetes, skin cancer and he’s 95. Meanwhile I’m running around like a blue-arsed fly trying to possibly make things safe at his house in case he gets sent home, yet being acutely aware he will have an uncanny ability to know if anything’s missing and he won’t be pleased. I have a job and family of my own. Slowly but surely, I’m losing the plot.

 13/1/26

Today I had to take Freddie for his MOT (He passed. I'm thrilled) and had very little else to do. I'm taking a week off work because I have many days to take before the year end (31st March). My work colleagues persuaded me to take a few days off and just chill. I can't do chilling but reading in a swing chair in my conservatory comes pretty damn close. Ideally at this time of year, I'd be hammering up and down some snowy alp with a couple of skis stuck to my feet. That's my idea of relaxing. However, due to circumstances beyond my control, I can't do that this year. so reading had to do.

I was halfway through chapter 2 when my phone rang - the hospital discharge team again. I'm not sure how this person differed from the one yesterday, but I explained again why I thought he should stay in and if he was coming out neither myself nor Ant was going to be there for full time care for him. 

'Can we perhaps tidy a bit. Maybe put things out of the way into another room?' she said, hopefully.

'Well we could... if there was any space in any of the other rooms to put it.'  

'Ah! Could we maybe push things to one side?'

'Things are pretty much already pushed to one side. That's how we have the goat tracks...'

'Er...'

'Tell you what,' I said, 'Let me send you photos and a video because I don't think we are on the same level of understanding hoarding here - it's like expecting to clean a sand-pit and finding a beach...' I sent the photos but my phone wouldn't allow me to email a video.

I had a text reply, she'd pass the photos on.

So, do I leave the inevitable until Social Services see it for full impact or do I nibble away at it because I will have to do it myself anyway so the sooner I get started the sooner it will be done. However bearing in mind if I start now it will have to be done twice; once making sure nothing is thrown out which may be missed by him if.or when he gets home and again... later.  I decided either will not make the slightest ounce of difference so I'm going to look after myself first and when I feel the urge I will do a bit of sorting. Today I decided I will not go anywhere near the house and I will enjoy my day off and do nothing. That is exactly what I did.

Freddie car trips to the tip 0

What is making me mad? This huge storm cloud sitting.over my head.

What is making me happy? Adam Kirtland video blog about gardening. He's a foxy fella with a velvetty voice who blogs gardening tips. He said "If your joints are aching after a spell in the garden, rub lavender on them. It won't help but at.least you'll smell.good". Gave me a hoot. Cheers Adam 

What is making me cry bloody everything

What have I done to relax? Went for a walk

Interesting finds - nothing as I stayed well away.