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StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 20/01/2024 16:23

What are you learning @NefretForth ?

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NefretForth · 20/01/2024 14:18

I like the positivity. I had a language lesson this morning and haven’t forgotten everything from last term, and DD and I have a skating lesson this afternoon which I’m looking forward to.

SeriouslyAgain · 20/01/2024 13:29

@Metoo15
I know that voice so well. It's what I call mum's 'martyr voice'. The most irritating mix of defensiveness, anger, dismissiveness and self-pity! I sometimes hear myself using it with my DD and hate myself for it!

Tara336 · 20/01/2024 12:38

I love this positivity, I had a lovely peaceful walk with my puppy, the house is all clean and fresh air blowing through and it looks like we have found a buyer for DF car

AInightingale · 20/01/2024 12:31

Good to see the extra brightness in the afternoons now - coming up to the week when it's still bright at 5pm (I'm way out to the west of the UK which helps). And I love the week when you wake to hear birds singing for the first time. That's about early February here.

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 20/01/2024 12:17

I'm at work today but my positives so far -
I'm sat working with one of my fave colleagues today

the bottle of strange Indian rose drink I bought last night and brought with me is delicious

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MereDintofPandiculation · 20/01/2024 10:55

There may be something in this - I feel a little burst of happiness Grin

MereDintofPandiculation · 20/01/2024 10:54

Three positives, since they usually ask you for 3 1) Have made another step towards getting the Christmas decorations down while DH was getting breakfast - the boxes of baubles are now in the big storage box 2) it’s Saturday, so breakfast is croissants 3) my cat is with me. And it’s not yet 11am!

SeriouslyAgain · 20/01/2024 10:47

The frost on the ground this morning was really beautiful 😊. I'm enjoying a cup of coffee and a sit down having been up for 4 hours and finally found a moment's peace!

popularinthe80s · 20/01/2024 10:37

Lovely idea, @StiffyByngsDogBartholomew
My positives: walking in the soft pink dawn back to my house to feed my little cat

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 19/01/2024 19:55

I think maybe trying the Pollyanna approach might be a good way to try and deal with it all. My mum always adopted this attitude and she was a very positive, affirming character. It still amazes me how she remains so cheerful . So I shall Try and think of good things that have happened in the day.
im a firm believer that happiness is a choice, that we have no control over what happens to us but we can learn to control our reactions and make them more positive. My default is definitely glass half empty like my Dad and it takes a huge amount of willpower to get out of that. MH issues notwithstanding, I believe we can try to take steps to make ourselves happy by focusing on the positive not the negative. By exercising the happiness muscles. I've found The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubins very interesting but I start with good intents and then fall off the wagon. I need to work to exercise my positivity muscles.

so in that vein
what has been positive for you today. It doesn't matter if that's tiny. If all it is is getting a tin of half priced Heinz baked beans in the shopping when you usually only buy own brand (yup happened tonight). If it's just listening to your fave song on the way to work and singing at the top of your voice. Or a treble gin 😂

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StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 19/01/2024 19:26

Home at last ! Been out since 5am and just got in after doing some food shopping after DPs, school run. Poured a massive G&T even thought I've another 4.30 start tomorrow
in a fit of pay day extravagance I also bought 3 Krispy Kreme filled doughnuts and fondly intend on eating 1.5 of them after my dinner ! We have a DH-free evening so we are watching Taylor Swift reputation tour (we both love her)

two good things happened today. DHs much loved watch that hasn't worked for 4 years randomly started working again yesterday and has carried on working today. He's utterly thrilled. And I took my keyboard that mum and dad bought me in the early 90s into work and hid in an unused meeting room on my lunch break. So I got a whole hours' practice in for an upcoming festival performance:) I'm all about maximising my time 😂. I think we could all to a PhD on it on this thread

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popularinthe80s · 19/01/2024 19:15

And thank you, @RescueRespect
I am really hoping that it was just rage at what the cancer has stolen from her. It's taken so much, so quickly.
@JellyWellyBoots please, please try and stand your ground. You have the right to your own life.

popularinthe80s · 19/01/2024 19:12

Thank you, @TheShellBeach

Metoo15 · 19/01/2024 18:07

I hate that they become selfish then tell you off as if it’s your fault, it’s so frustrating. My mum was a wonderful grandma to my two, but yesterday when it was time to leave, because I was babysitting my DGC she said in her annoyed voice “ well if that’s what you want to do it’s up to you “ WHAT, of course it’s what I want to do. They have no idea have difficult it all is.

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 19/01/2024 17:49

Well dad wasn't too bad today as he was looking forward to the hairdresser coming. I did however get told off for talking too much to the hairdresser.

the hairdresser is my childhood best friends cousin, I have known him since I was 11 and he was 16. I am now almost 48. We went to his wedding, he came to ours and he was one of the first people to see DD as mum was at the salon when I came home from hospital and we popped in to surprise her. so it's fair to say HD abd I have lots of shared history! But anyway...mustn't talk too much 😂

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AgitatedGoose · 19/01/2024 17:45

@JellyWellyBoots Try and have a long think over the weekend about whether you can cope with having your Dad back. You certainly haven’t had a break and you definitely need to put you and your daughter first. It’s likely that your Dad will be even more demanding if he returns to your house because he’ll want revenge for you placing him in respite.

RescueRespect · 19/01/2024 17:45

JellyWellyBoots · 19/01/2024 09:21

Jesus Christ guys, I need to vent.

It's my day off today, last Friday was ruined by the stress of DF messing about & potentially loosing his space at the care home.

I wake up to a list of demands, why didn't I tell him about an appointment I told him about, he needs his medication picking up & dropping to the other side of town, am I taking him out on Sunday, etc etc.

He's been told enough times I am on RESPITE. He only seems to message me when he needs something. I told him to ask someone else, anyone else.

Why oh why can't I have one single day? Then DD wouldn't get ready for school, 5 or 6 times I had to ask her to PUT YOUR HAT AND GLOVES ON but she just stood by the door like she hadn't heard me. That finished me off, I think I'm done with humans for the day.

Ugh, how irritating. Without this respite, you won’t be in a fit state to be able to go back to this endless list of demands. Stand your ground.

RescueRespect · 19/01/2024 17:43

popularinthe80s · 19/01/2024 07:38

I'm so sorry; I spewed out my self-pity and then disappeared. Things have rapidly declined with my mum & palliative care think she has only days left. After months of wanting it over, I'm now broken that it's over. I'm a mess.

@StiffyByngsDogBartholomew the work situation with your partner sounds horrendous. The pair of you must feel utterly broken. Work institutions can inflict deep trauma. I'm so sorry.

@MereDintofPandiculation
@AInightingale I really empathise; it's taken me months to stop hovering around the carers because I think something will get missed and then I will end up needing to do it anyway. @SeriouslyAgain @Kendodd and @MereDintofPandiculation and others speak great sense.
@JellyWellyBoots I'm so glad that you are having your rest at the moment.
Someone upthread spoke powerfully of the expectations on women as universal support human. I have realized that I actually feel guilty about not feeling guilty.
After a lifetime's worth of a complex relationship, my mum's last words to me were harsh and unkind. She's said many loving things in the run up, but at the moment (no sleep etc) it feels as if her last words are the final verdict on my character. I'm heartbroken and desperate for her to wake up and say something loving again that will wipe this verdict away. My partner (clinician) is trying to reassure me that she has no idea what she's saying. But she's still communicating reasonably clearly with the carers. What more could I have given her? It wasn't enough. Oh, bugger it all.

I am so sorry to hear this. Complicated relationships can lead to really difficult grieving. I am sure you have done all you can for your mum. Do you really think she means it or is it the ‘illness’ talking and she is lashing out at someone close to her? I am sure that your gut feeling is probably right. Good luck for the days ahead.X

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 19/01/2024 17:43

DaphneDeloresMorehead was a particular fave :)

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TheShellBeach · 19/01/2024 17:39

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 19/01/2024 17:13

Omg I never thought anyone would get it !
lve been on MN for years under various Wodehouse ladies' names. And Nigel Pargetter

I've seen Honoria Glossop and Madeleine Bassett.
Lady Florence Craye has escaped my notice though.
Grin

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 19/01/2024 17:13

TheShellBeach · 19/01/2024 16:27

You need Stinker Pinker to appear, Stiffy, to sweep you off your feet.

(Sorry. I know it's really hard for you. I love your user name, though)

Omg I never thought anyone would get it !
lve been on MN for years under various Wodehouse ladies' names. And Nigel Pargetter

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RescueRespect · 19/01/2024 16:54

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 16/01/2024 21:10

I really need a whine

has anyone seen Bad Moms ? There is a scene where Kiki is fantasising about crashing her car so she can have some time in hospital with people looking after her for a change

thats exactly how I feel. I'm so fed up with looking after everyone else. Constant bloody demands from DPs, DH and Dd. Everyone wants my attention ALL THE GODDAMN TIME. I literally cannot get away from it, except when I am at work and I hate that too.
last week I spent 3 of my 4 days off parent wrangling.
this set of days off I actually have ended up with one real day off (today) in which I caught up with thrilling activities such as washing and cooking. I spent 3 hours doing the school run and sitting waiting for Dd to finish her riding which she very helpfully was late from.

im so fed up. I thought today as I sat in my car, again, that I might just as well not bloody bother having a house and just live in my car as it's where I seem to spend most of my time

ive got to go to mum and dads again tomorrow then my 4th day off is a training day so I have to go into work

at some point in my life I must have spent those 4 days off doing what I liked. I probably had the energy to meet friends, go shopping and do things. I can't remember those days, it feels like they happened to a different woman. This woman just drives round and round and fucking round endlessly, my car kindly afdvised me I've done 1400 miles since 20/12 and spent 54 hours in the car. I swear I spend more time in my car than I do having time off at home

I just wish everyone would eff off and leave me alone

Edited

I felt so angry for you reading that. What kind of life is this? I am sure this is not what you had planned for yourself when you got married and pregnant. It sounds really tough. I wish I had some answers for you. I’m just feeling really annoyed for you right now. X

TheShellBeach · 19/01/2024 16:27

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 19/01/2024 16:24

I'm sitting writing this in the drive of my parents house, I know when I go in I will just get. Catalogue of moaning, woe that I didn't go yesterday afternoon after my extra day at work and how awful it's been in the last 24hrs. Probably some medical dilemma
he won't ask how I am at all

You need Stinker Pinker to appear, Stiffy, to sweep you off your feet.

(Sorry. I know it's really hard for you. I love your user name, though)

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 19/01/2024 16:24

I'm sitting writing this in the drive of my parents house, I know when I go in I will just get. Catalogue of moaning, woe that I didn't go yesterday afternoon after my extra day at work and how awful it's been in the last 24hrs. Probably some medical dilemma
he won't ask how I am at all

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