The Goose and Carrot Thread

[hibernatinghedgehog]

Everyone is welcome. The thread is deleted after 90 days.

Drspouse the photographs, paper aeroplanes and Lego are going to be beautiful. I remember you posting about DS making paper aeroplanes at school and in your playroom.

A seaside hotel for Christmas lunch sounds like a plan. Sometimes different is what is needed.

Thanks @RedMoniker Sorry you had avoidance last night but your DD is doing so well. The Milburn report is scary but will worry about that if it happens.

Glad you got out @drspouse and have a plan for Christmas day.

We had electricians all morning and now have part P and EIC for consumer unit though I think we also need part P for bathroom but maybe its combined and they have taken quite a few electrics out but left the key things we need but a few on extension cables. So want a quick solution to the rest but there's a bit to think through with it thatched / listed though at least listed buildings said we don't need permission just be careful. Our thatch insurance doesn't cover any damage by rodents so I don't know if we need different wiring to normal but these guys seem to want normal wiring and think we need a pretty much full rewire of sockets. We also need EICR. They did today for free. They are great guys but not sure they have experience of listed buildings but said they would look up rules. Doesn't sound hopeful for the kitchen tiles but at least that's modern part of house.

Then DH and I did more work on downstairs bathroom whilst DS was in the garden and summerhouse. I painted it lavender grey though needs a few finishing touches and DH was like I love that colour. I also cleaned the floors. DH did measuring for tiles and has put vent in and did washing up. I did get them to look at dishwasher plug and apparently that's badly damaged so maybe that's what's wrong and they think we need to block the plug in. I got them to check old water heater that was removed, that does have electrics but on a separate circuit so not that.

Our awol builders have been in a terrible car accident. Such really lovely young men, I’m so sorry for them all. Things are on hold till they can get their heads above water and I will shift the jobs around so I can do bits till they are ok.

Medication is increasing again. We went to look at a day centre today. I don’t know how I felt about it.

Sorry about the builders @SunriseSunsetz

DS keeps turning the boiler on so we have heating. Makes a nice change from him turning it off all the time.

@drspouse that all sounds brilliant. We don't take enough photos. The Christmas lunch sounds lovely.

@ViolaCat well done with continued works. What a mammoth project!

@Woolyhatson I'm glad you got through the day. I hope DD can keep it together for her exam.

I've come back down with another virus, too. DD2 managed to go into college, so that's good. DD3 is coughing and sniffing though.

DD1 has been very anxious today. Visit tomorrow.

@SunriseSunsetz how awful about the accident. I hope all involved can make a swift recovery. What sort of day centre was it? The ones I saw really varied in their approaches and offers.

@drspouse you are creating a beautiful goodbye for DS. Changing up Christmas sounds like a good plan. We continue to pray for you all.

Thanks @Lougle Hope DD1s visit goes well and a resolution to dates is found.

Yes its turning into a whole house project now as they are suggesting rewiring everywhere apart from lights though not totally sure how to proceed at the moment. DH is saying he wants kitchen ones done under tiles so those will need redoing. I had hoped we were close to the end of this stage but we are just adding more things to be done now to the list. We do need to find a way to take a break in it as DH is getting overwhelmed at times but I am wary of doing things with temp electrics in place.

DS has had boiler on again today. Hopefully more tiles this afternoon. I think DS is happy with the paint and tiling as he's leaving boiler on and room available. We may have found dishwasher issue too but am confirming with them.

The outlook & ms outage resulted in me saying bugger it to work & took both DDs to the beach cafe for impromptu stroll & hot chocolate in the winter sunshine. Frosty here first thing. It’s rare both DDs doing anything with me anymore at same time. I’ll catch up with work later if the IT issues resolve.

The visit went well. I emailed the SW to say we'd like a place. I also sent her a text message in case the email didn't go through. We're going to visit again next week.

DD1's potential flat is small but lovely. The communal kitchen and lounge are only about 5 footsteps from her front door, so easy access. The kitchenette can be isolated so turned off for safety. There are likely to only be 1 or 2 other people in the house because the group living bedrooms aren't often used because people can't cope with group living.

She'd have 3 staff each day to cover the shifts and they try not to use agency workers, so she'd get to know her staff.

We're going to visit again next week.

Has anyone read about the proposed abolition of PIP for 16-24 year olds?

I realised I need to pre warn someone I'm supposed to be meeting out of town for work in Dec, that I might not make it. But I can't do that today! I was also going to message a colleague who did a similar event last year to see if he could fill in, via Teams, which of course I ALSO can't do today!
Friend came round and we made more paper airplane bunting and went to a garden centre to drink coffee and eat cake buy plants and Christmas presents. I left my hat there but only realised when I got home and I was too exhausted to go back so she kindly went and got it for me. Have been lying down and listening to an audio book since then.

Glad you got to garden centre @Drspouse and she sounds like a lovely friend.

Glad the visit went well @Lougle and hope they can sort things quickly.

Beach cafe and stroll sounds lovely @Woolyhatson

I am just trying to find a way forward - well sideways at least - for electrics. Its complicated with listed / thatch /specialist insurance and every room and DS but getting there. Though every electrician here seems to be called Paul and its getting confusing which Paul people are talking about. Also found out that 2 of the Pauls are now retired. That's the trouble in a village people recommend you people who are in their 70s forgetting how old everyone is. More tiles are being cut. Was interesting today DS had the boiler on then as soon as DH walked through the door from shopping he turned it off like he was trying to annoy DH. 😂

Yes saw benefits thing @Lougle and its LCWRA too and presumably carers. Am trying to ignore it.

@drspouse I’m glad you have some good friends around you and have managed a rest.

@SunriseSunsetz I hope your builders make a full and quick recovery.

@Lougle that sounds really positive.

I have read about the PIP and UC changes. Although there’s been a lot of speculation about changes that haven’t yet come to fruition, so who knows if it will even happen. If we lose DSs’ PIP, we will struggle. We will be forced to use other state services such as hospital transport. The LA will be forced to provide transport for DS1’s EOTIS package; whereas at the moment, staff use his motabilty vehicle, and we get mileage. Ironically, DD2 will keep her PIP as she is 26. Yet she is the one who has the least functional impairment.

@Woolyhatson that sounds like a lovely morning with DDs.

@RedMoniker how are you?

@Lougle 18-25 no PIP or LCWRA for existing and future claimants. Apparently the most disabled will receive a different top up payment. Brilliant news that potentially my DD will no longer be disabled until age 26. DD1s flat sounds good.

@SunriseSunsetz daycare is a lot to think about is it 5 full days or can it be say 3 half days? Good luck with meds change and hope your builders are ok.

@hibernatinghedgehog im ok thanks, other life things are still not resolved and it’s all a bit stressful but on we go.

I’m hoping the benefit changes get amended as they go through approval and that it takes ages to implement. We struggle to access education or NHS so loss of benefits will have an impact on how much we can recreate for DD privately.

@Woolyhatson sounds like just what you all needed.

@RedMoniker I’m sorry the other life events are still causing you stress and adding to your load.

The last lot of proposed PIP reforms never got passed. We can hope.

I wonder if we will then get tax breaks or additional UC (depending on your income bracket) if we are expected to fund our disabled children to 26? I think it’s all quite unlikely so I refuse to worry. A teeny flat sounds lovely @Lougle are carers there all the time?

Ds still snipping and laminating away.

I am still painting and not getting my paperwork done.

Dh has decided I am ill and need to go to the dr. This is quite tedious as although I have had about three colds on the trot and got very tired, I don’t think the GP is going to be able to help much with that.

Im a bit grumpy.

I didn't even think about the Motability side of it. That would be chaos.

@SunriseSunsetz if she gets the place, staff will take morning/afternoon, afternoon/evening, and overnight shifts.

@Lougle there will be lots of knock-on effects if PIP and UC are removed. For example:

• As part of the council tax SMI discount, for the benefits part of the criteria, PIP and UC’s LCW/LCWRA element are two of the eligible benefits.
• Automatic entitlement to blue badge. DS3 has a blue badge but doesn’t automatically qualify, but DS1 is automatically eligible, so removing PIP would add more admin.
• In lots of areas, PIP is part of the criteria for a disabled person’s concessionary bus pass.
• PIP is one of the criteria for a disabled person’s railcard. Many would qualify under one of the other criteria, but for many, using the PIP paperwork will be the easiest way to prove eligibility and needing to prove one of the other criteria can add more admin.
• For those areas with a taxicard, PIP is used as one of the criteria.
• Carer’s allowance/carer element. And of course, along with this, the removal of the requirement to seek work.
• Would the new ‘youth allowance’ give access to free prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests, etc. as many with UC’s LCWRA/LCW element will have? If not, this will add more admin for anyone wanting to complete the HC1 form.

I can't imagine how hard things will be if it's all gone. I'm not thinking about it. It's too much.

DD1's LPA came through today. One thing done.

@Lougle that’s good news, especially to have it in place before DD1 moves. What will be, will be. It’s not like anything carers think will change what happens.

Not just all that; I imagine many social services will lose out, because they rely on charging service users for social care.

If 18 - 25 disabled adults don’t have benefits, they won’t be able to pay anything for their social care. The LA would have to pay for it all? My LA has a policy to move all disabled adults, where possible into supported living, rather than care homes, to save on hotel costs - because then the service users have to claim housing benefit to pay their rent; and use their UC to pay utility bills and buy food, and the LA just has to pay for the care. If all those young adults don’t have benefits to live on, then supported living becomes impossible, and parents would be seeking a placement in a care home, when the LA has to pay for the hotel costs and care.

I imagine the same would apply to care leavers, who were unable to work, due to MH problems?

Are they all going to end up homeless?

Can I just say I'm so pleased that @Lougle DD1 is finally going places. It seems like there's been a bit of a stuck cycle and you haven't been able to get out of it.

Thank you @drspouse . Not there yet - until SS confirm the placement it could be swiped by an emergency placement or someone deciding someone else is higher priority. But it's nice that somewhere wants her!

It's a bit cheeky, but I don't suppose we could see a picture of one of the planes? I love it that you are making bespoke decorations.