Cheekychinchilla's food and stuff

Sister's house sound fabulous and how lovely of the man to leave them some furniture etc. It may not be to their taste, but better to have it and replace as and when they can than have nothing!

Coursework seems to be going well. I assume the job application is just an exercise and you don't actually apply?

Supper tonight sounds interesting. I was impressed with your fast day menu yesterday - it's rather like I'd pick. Those ready prepared stir fry mixes are a real boon and time saver.

have a good day tomorrow and I hope you get your pay sorted out before Crufts.
 
Hi Patty!
I really liked the house. Their plan is to do all the work on it before they move in and get all the decorating done and furniture bought and stuff. Her Mr has a bit of money set aside for all this so as soon as it's theirs they can start getting stuff done to it :)
Forgot to say that the guy selling the house left them a note on the fireplace saying good luck with the house and that it had been his parents house for 50 years and he really happy that they'd picked it. How lovely?!
John is working away for two weeks anyway, so they can't do anything about the contract and stuff. Plus, he wants to see it again too. Before today they'd only seen it once! And obv he'd like to see it a second time too.

Oh yes, the job is just an exercise. It is a real job, but obv being in Oxford it would be quite a commute lol! Think it was just a case of "Here! Do that one" Lol. So had to update my CV and write a letter (used an old one as a template) but at the end it says I also have to do a 10min talk on contracts and stuff. Dear Lord! :rolleyes:

My fast days so far have been soup for lunch followed by something Quorn and veg. But I did mix it up a bit this week with only having one meal on my first fast day with being ill and in bed a lot. And thought I'd try porridge yesterday. Worked really well! An idea from Tetris :)
The stir fry box I got this time was by far the lowest calorie! Usually I can only really work in half a box as they've been around 70/80cals per half, but this one was 39 for half. Brilliant!
Actually stopping in at a Tesco tomorrow to get a nice bun for my burger - I know how to live ;) So might see if I can get another for my fast day on Monday. Yesterday was a very good fast day I think :)

Oh I wont get my pay until next month now. Whenever there's an issue with pay they just seem to sort it out in next months pay. Very annoying when they owe you money! Like in Dec when they only paid me half :sigh:

Tomorrow me, Mum, and Rachelle are going to meet my friend Michelle and do a Costa visit and a catch-up and then we're off to the cinema. We're seeing The Lego movie, but Rachelle's seen that so her friend is meeting us there and they're seeing something else. SO excited for The Lego movie ;)

Tomorrow's "off plan" tea wont actually be that bad. I'm going to have very low fat oven chips (McCain's new skin on chips), a free Quorn burger, light Dairylea cheese slices, a few breadcrumbed onion rings, and prob some salad and dressing/sauces. So not like mental really!

This evening we had our Mexican feast and it really was amazing!! And, as predicted, mostly free and superfree. Just the wholemeal/seeded wraps (I had 1.5), a few nacho type tortilla chips, and the dips - mostly low fat tho! I had some cheese, but not tonnes and I'd only had half a HexA today and one HexB.
I also had 2 chocolate biscuits - Asda's version of chocolate Hobnobs - and 1 square of dark chilli chcocolate.
I did have my lovely Swedish cider though - about 13 syns I think :eek:

BUT like I said before I had 9 syns left for the day and around 25 saved syns. So they should definitely cover this evening's food and drink!! So tomorrow evening will technically be the only off plan stuff, but I'll have most of the days allowance anyway :) Feel pretty good about this week SW wise!!

Just watched Insomnia and Al Pacino made me feel veeeeeery tired lol! I had seen it before, but didn't remember all of it so gave it another go. Nolan is one of my favourite directors so when I saw it on Netflix it went on my list :)

Going to head to bed now and try and get some sleep. Hoping my brain saw how sleepy Pacino was and will take the hint ;)
Nighty night.xx
 
Work yesterday sounds manic, definitely not easing you back into it, you did well to cope not feeling a 100%. I ued to have a cat yo'd call "green Care" she was awesome, she realyy didn't like men and would attack them and dogs but she was my favourite we had to hand rear her as she was given to us at 5 weeks. Doesn't matter how nasty a cat si it doesn't scare me yet dogs scare me at a drop of a hat :(
They should pass you on your talk they must realse how flustered people get doing stuff like that. I'm the chattiest person going but when it comes to public speaking I crumble and as it's not a requirement of your job to entertain audiences I imagine they will :)
The dogs look as though they had a great time and you did really well to cover that distance considering you've been under the weather this week. I don't know why but I had Dave pictured as a larger dog???
It's damn annoying when work mess up your pay, like you we have to wait till the following month for it to be back paid :( Hopefully they'll get sorted out for next month.
The house sounds perfect for a young couple, somewhere where it's nice but a little work to do so you can stamp your own identity on it. I think you want everything your own way on your first house. And the owner sound really sweet the little note was lovely :D
You're really plowing your course work, well done :)
Your tea sounded amazing, could have ate that myself. You've doen really well all week with your food and tomorrow's tea I have as an on plan meal.
I hope you have a nice day tomorrow and enjoy your costa catch up :) x x x x x
 
Mmm mexican feast sounded good! Glad the porridge went down well, I find it quite filling on fast days for the calorie spend (though with blue diamond almond milk it's even less ;) ) and the warmth is nice!

Your sister's new place sounds lovely, hope that sorts out all nicely for them. Cute that the guy left a note- to think that a family blossomed there and a young couple are moving in and about to start growing old together in a place with the history of other families... It's quite nice to think!

Damn work for mis-paying again! Lovely that you want to give to charities but maybe leave some for the Kelly charity too, you've barely had anything to treat yourself with recently so hope you leave some for yourself too on a tight month because of silly work underpaying!
X
 
Hey everyone!
Lovely to see you all :)

I had such an awful night last night :( I was on the point of falling asleep but when I turned the light off I just couldn't sleep! I had such a restless night. And weird, weird dreams. Lots to do with work and coursework and finding case studies. One dream I spent a lot of time in a hospital with this guy who had a gerbil in a cage that needed x-rays and stuff. I woke up about a billion times! When I did get to sleep properly I had this really manic dream that was like the His Dark Materials books and I had the subtle knife and was jumping between worlds and looking after someone in bed whilst trying to find all these animals.
I am f*cking kackered!! Eventually woke up at 2pm really panicked :(

I know, work people do not seem to think things through or really give a crap! And my mentor is driving me insane. She's either going to give me a stress-induced heart attack or I am going to kill her! She wants to look at changing my rota's and work patterns and everything. Just f*ck off!! Only my boss seems to remember that I am genuinely ill and just because I'm back in work doesn't mean it's magically vanished. And even she's a bit hit and miss on it. Apparently being sent home and off for 2 days meant absolutely nothing :rolleyes:

Davey's a jack russel type thing - Photo0069.jpg

Ellie's a collie X retriever X shepherd thing - DSC00011.JPG God that's an old picture!! Our kitchen does not look like a building site anymore lol.

Yeah I don't really think any of my off plan meals are actually off plan. You're right there!! Just cba working out the syns. Think I'm going to have an end of week treat either at Costa or some (not a lot) pic and mix at the cinema.
Mum and Rachelle aren't coming now, so just me and the wife. So we're going to see it in 3D coz we don't have to pay the extra now ;)

I'm really impressed that porridge is such low syn. And the ones I bought from Aldi are gorgeous, really creamy and chunky :) I like thick porridge, like being able to stand my spoon up in it lol! Oh God Blue Diamond is awful, awful stuff!! I tried it once and threw the carton away, just vile :p And I NEVER waste food like that! I like Koko milk or Alpor's nut milks, but tend to stick to Koko coz it's cheaper and I can use it in eggs and Pasta N Sauce :)

Rachelle and John's house will hopefully be their forever home. They didn't want to just buy somewhere cheap and then have to move and move again. They're in a very lucky position that they could basically do whatever they want, so they've picked a nice big house that doesn't need too much doing to it, but enough so that they can make it their own. Really made up for them! I was speaking to the ladies in the chemist last week and they knew the people who lived in the house too, which is quite nice. Definitely history there. The guy was in the Navy and then the merchant navy too. They have a storm porch attached to the garage, which is a nice touch :)

Oh no, I don't give like loads to charity! Not when there's so many! I have a direct debit to an animal charity monthly anyway, obv Ellie is a Dogs Trust dog so I feel like I've done my bit there, I re-home all my rabbits from charities, and I chuck some change in a tub whenever I see an animal charity anyway. Oh and donate dog and cat food in the supermarkets. And, you know, I work for one ;) Just like doing my bit :)
I probably wont treat myself to anything at Crufts, it's not somewhere I can really buy me anything - unless it's a dog related tee or expensive wellies/mucking out boots, etc... Will just be looking out for stuff for the dogs. You know me, I don't treat myself to stuff very much, don't really feel the need to :)

Have had a nice veggie brunch and used 3 syns so far today. Not bad going :) xx
 
That really does sound like a nightmare of a night - I hate those nights when your mind doesn't properly switch off. Hope you get a better sleep tonight.

Aww - your dogs are lovely. Does Ellie need a lot of grooming with that thick coat?

That's a bit of a bum deal on the salary but most places only do one payment run a month. They'd be quick to take it back of they'd overpaid you though.

Have you had a good day - what there was of it?!!!
 
My dreams have been a lot like that recently. Very busy and feel like they're over a long time. You know when you get the idea of days or weeks or even years? Makes a change from the usual nightmares I guess! I never have peaceful, relaxing sleep. Mixture of depression, mystery illness, and the meds I'm on. This has been very odd though, a definite shift from the usual stuff. Very strange!!
It was kinda cool to have the Subtle knife tho ;) Never had that dream before!!

Ellie should be groomed way more than I do lol. I have to trim/cut her fur fairly often as she has long bits along her tummy, legs, bum, and the fur between her toes and pads gets a little ridiculous! I'm slowly working on de-fluffing her at the moment as she's starting to malt again. But as she's gotten older her skin has gotten much more sensitive, so she's a little less tolerant of it. I mean, she would let me do literally anything to her, but I can see when she gets uncomfortable. So just do a bit at a time :)

I'm glad you like the doggies!
When we had our old dog Jack (he lasted till he was 20 & a half!!) it was hectic having 3 of them. But this is my favourite picture ever of them
Thehounds.jpg
It's been my phone wallpaper for as long as I can remember. It's such a perfect picture! And a complete accident too :D I love it!! I should get that blown up as a big pic and hang it somewhere.

Oh aye, very quick to take back money owed!! But yeah, will hopefully get it next month. Which means I'll get two weekends in one pay check ;)

I did have a good day in the end. The Lego movie is indeed awesome!! I laughed so, so much! Mostly adults in the screen and me and Michelle and the 2 guys behind us were killing ourselves laughing all the way thru. Such a clever film too, love the way it was made :D
Food descended in to naughty range tho lol! I got a soy coffee caramella at Costa, not so bad tho. But then the pic & mix at the cinema was 25% off and then we got our Unlimited discount too :D
I had my planned tea, but a little less of it. But my Mum & Sister got a takeaway and "kindly" saved me some garlic bread with cheese, so I had two pieces :)

But today was supposed to be a treat day so I don't think it's that bad really??

Oh and me and Michelle opened the package our friend we met in Sweden sent us. She MADE us hats!!! Zomg! I got a fox and Michelle got a doggy. They are beautiful! I'll post a pic when I take a proper one of mine. We took pics in Costa, but it's a bit dark and you can't really see them very well. Talented lady!!

Just put a film on. Trying to tire myself out before bed. Watching The Cabin in the Woods. Joss Whedon is my hero and I love this film. It seems people who aren't familiar with his work struggle with the concept of this film. But having watched Buffy since I was 14 and then his other work, I know his ideas of dimensions/monsters/"the powers that be" very well and this shows that "everything happens for a reason" idea perfectly. Oh and Chris Hemsworth is in it so f*ck yeah ;) xx
 
Oh wow - those hats are amazing. As you say, that's one talented lady.

We have Sky movies, so I tend to wait until films get on there as I need the subtitles. I've heard such good reports about the Lego Movie that I'm looking forward to it. Do you think watching films just before bed is causing the vivid dreams?

Thanks for sharing the pic of the 3 dogs - it is lovely; such appealing faces!

It doesn't sound as though your treat day was over the top or anything. It just sounds nice.

Have a good day.
 
Hey!
I have an unlimited card for Cineworld now. One of the things I'd said I'd get once I got a car. It's a pain to get to by bus! But before that we'd go every week either to the old local cinema or one of the ones in town. I know some places show subtitles, but I don't think it's as available as it should be!
Yeah the Lego film is fantastic! Very silly and funny.

I've had nightmares and vivid dreams for as long as I've had depression. It's a known problem with mental illness and it's often said that sufferers never achieve restful sleep. And of course anti-depressants and the sleeping pills I take also have similar effects. It's just an endless loop that nothing seems to help. And with probably having ME the tiredness and exhaustion is just getting worse and worse. I think it's hard for people to grasp that I never get a good nights sleep, even if I've been in bed for 10 or 12 hours.
I don't ever suffer from nightmares or dreams related to what I'm currently watching or reading. Like the night before when I had a dream about the subtle knife, it's been a year since I last read them. Think it's just the way I am :(

Had another awful, awful night. Again as soon as the light went off my brain started going. Thinking about coursework and going back to work today. Also about money! I've no idea how long I was awake for and I'd taken a whole sleeping pill in the hope it would help a little. Loads and loads of busy dreams again - mostly work related. It's really doing my head in now. Just seem to be stuck! I hope it's not like this for the next 6 months!!!

I do love that pic of all 3 dogs :)

The hats are brilliant!! Our friend has her own business designing and making blinds and curtains and soft furnishings. Very talented :D

Doing a fast day today, slight change in days with going away to Crufts. Will fast today and Wednesday. Wednesday wouldn't usually be a good day, but with working lates we wont be going to the cinema :( Stupid work!! Might see if Mum fancies a double-feature next Wed (she gets in free on my card with Orange Wed!) as I'm either off or in until 12. xx
 
Before I talk/rant about work I got a letter from the hospital today. The Dr DID diagnose me with CFS/ME and has indeed referred me to the CFS clinic - nice to find out your diagnosis by letter.... I have been fast-tracked (hilarious considering I've been waiting since Dec! And under investigation for a year!) and have an appointment on the 18th March. Which, tbf, is quite quick from now. And it's also at the hospital closer to my house and the one I pass every day to work :) Luckily I'm on stand down on that day anyway so don't need the day off or make a shift change :) About bloody time eh!?!
I have super mixed emotions about it, as I'm sure you can understand, but at least I have my label now!!

Right, work was insane!! I got there and the car park was completely full! We're opposite an NHS building who don't have enough spaces so everyone uses our tiny car park! I've gotten the last space and walked in to an empty reception in work :confused: Anyway I spotted a space in the staff car park and then realised I had left ALL my work stuff at home - keys, swipe card, x-ray badge, etc... So parked in front of the gates and had to borrow someone's key to get in. The head receptionist leant me her key so I could get back out. Being on a late I'd be the only one of our own staff left. Nightmare!
As soon as I got in my boss took me to set up the 'puter for the exam. She told me my talk didn't go well (eeep I know) and basically had a bit of a go at me and said she thought I knew the course back to front now that I've had so much time on it. I didn't say anything at the time, but I am furious with this! Yes, I have had a lot of time to look at the course but I was off SICK! I didn't and shouldn't have done any work, but I did. I spent days and weeks not being able to stand up, or look at a screen, or even read a book, yet I read my course notes and did some written work. At this point I just wanted to say f*ck you!!
I am so sick of being made to feel lazy, stupid, and like I'm not putting any effort in. Do they have any idea what this is doing to me? Did being off sick for 2 days not signify something? I'm not sleeping, every waking moment is focused on work or coursework, my dreams are work and coursework related, I'm waking up panicked, my anxiety is through the roof, I have myself to look after, my Mum to care for, my animals, the house, etc, etc... But I am still expected to spend every second I am not in work doing course work and studying for tests and writing reports and all the other balls. Yet my mentor wont let me contact her outside of work and will only look at work on a Tuesday IF she has the time.... I am so, so annoyed and fed up of it all! I just don't know what to bloody well do about it?!
Anyway, work itself was crazy and we literally had emergency after emergency. Proper ones as well, serious life and death stuff. I won't tell you about it because some of it is pretty harrowing tbh :( But my emergency phone didn't stop, the receptionist stayed 45mins late, we literally had queue of dying animals, etc...
I'm so tired!

After work I nipped to Sainsbury's to pick up a few bits, inc Thor 2 ;) Checked my tyres and filled up the car for our road trip. I'd literally run the tank to empty in preparation lol! All the way to work I was thinking "Please don't die. Please don't die" Lol! Think I must have been on fumes by the end!
Sainsbury's suck and for their stir fry veg they only put nutritional info for if it is fried in oil. WHY?!! No one else does this!! The oil or dressing isn't IN the box so why is it in the nutritional info?! So after Sainsbury's I drove to Tesco for stir fry veg, cheese, and raspberries.

Finally got home about 9:20pm (finished work around 8) and then Mum wanted (obv!) to tell me about her Dr's appointment this morning and I had a nice big rant about work ;)

So very late tea and then a cerealy snack. Just catching up on The Wright Stuff because Adam Richman was on it today *swoon*
Going to bed soon to sulk and hopefully get some actual sleep!
Food to follow...xx
 
Monday Food: 500cal fast day.
Had to use cow juice this morning as my Koko milk was off :rolleyes:

Lunch at 2:15pm: Porridge sachet (101)
120ml skimmed milk (42)
1tsp maple syrup (10)
4 blueberries (4)
= 157

Tea at 9:50pm:
Tub of Tesco crunchy stir fry veg (86)
2 Quorn fillets (90)
2tsp of soy sauce (8)
Half tsp of Sriracha (3)
4 Frylight squirt (4)
= 191

Evening snack at 11pm:
30g Puffed Wheat (114)
2 tsp of maple syrup (20)
50ml Koko milk (14)
= 148

Drinks: Coffee. Water. Diet Coke (1)

Calories used: 497
 
Holy moly cheekychinchilla what a week! No wonder you're tired! I'm so sorry they gave you your diagnosis via letter that's heartless, whilst it helps in some ways to have a label, it's a hard thing to face head on because like my condition people can't see it therefore they don't understand, I'm uber jealous you're off to crufts, I've not been since my accident and would love to go again,next year! Loved the photos of all your furry family. Yes my dog is a assistance dog, well he will be as he develops with training. Work hmm they are not exactly supportive, do you think it may be wise to copy your letter and give them a copy for their files, along with a leaflet or printed web pages that point out the severity of the condition? I'm struggling now, will catch you tomorrow xx
 
Hi - sorry to read your diagnosis this morning and hope you get some help from your hospital appointment. Quite agree with what Loubyjane said about your work - let them know how things are and see if they will give you a little leeway for the time being.

Hope you have a good time at Crufts.
 
I don't know whether to be pleased for you that you've finally been diagnosed or upset for you, in a way it must be a relief and you can now start to learn more about it and get some proper help but it's still a big thing to take in and accept.
I would arrange a meeting at work with your boss take in your diagnosis and tell them they're not being realistic with their expectations of you especially the coursework. I'd tell them they now know what you've got and they should help you to do your job the best you can and not what they think you should be doing. The fact you went off sick proves they're pushing you too far!! Do they realise you're carer as well? They should be supporting you, helping you through all this not having a go, I feel so annoyed, I would love to sit your boss down and lay it out to her!!!
The doggies are lovely, I can see why you love the one with all 3 of them on, it's a cute cheeky photo :D
I love the hats too, my cousin crochets hats like that I think they're brill :)
As for your dreams/ lack of sleep I know exactly where you're coming from, I've had some mayor bouts of depression and at one point couldn't get to sleep because I was too scared of the dreams I was having and ended up having about one night's sleep a week. It's so hard to explain to someone who sleeps well how you lie there and your head has gone into overdrive and you can't stop it, Ian never understands. I hope you get a little more sleep this week, hopefully getting away and having some chilled time will help x x x
 
That was some day!

I can't add anything to what's already been said, other than to suggest you also let your college tutor know about your official diagnosis. A copy of the diagnosis should be given to your HR department and check what rights you have for medical appointments etc as they might change (for the better) with an official diagnosis of a chronic illness. Hopefully your boss will support you against your mentor's attempts to change your rotas, especially if you remind her that you're also a carer.

Hope you're having a good day - when do you actually leave for Crufts?
 
Hey guys!
Just a quick reply because I need to sort the bunnies before I leave for work.
I took my letters with me yesterday, but my boss didn't want to see them :confused: Don't know what to think of that!
I think I do need to have a sit down with my boss and my mentor but I need to do it when I'm less angry. If you could have seen some of my thoughts yesterday you would tell me to hold back.
But basically I have been fighting all my life to keep me going. I have had 2 points in my life where I thought it would just be easier if I wasn't around any more. I could have stayed off work during both these times and lived a life on benefits and stayed at home. But both times I have fought my way back to the top and got my life back. I've studied, volunteered, cared for both my parents, etc, etc. How DARE someone accuse me of not putting the effort in. Do they have any idea how hard it was to come back to work knowing people's opinions of me and knowing I wouldn't really get support? And how easy it could have been to have thought f*ck it and let my job go and end up on benefits and leading a quiet life? Yup, still really angry!! Will see what today brings!

Hold off on the being happy or whatever for now. I got a call from the CFS clinic nurse and there has been a mix up. I shouldn't have been given an appointment to the therapy department as I haven't actually seen the consultant as a CFS consultant yet - I saw him through general pharmacology. So NOT going on the 18th March and the consultant appointments will be at The Royal, the hospital in town, not the one near me :( So bloody p*ssed off!! Was almost, almost getting somewhere, and now there's more waiting. I wonder how long it will take for this consultant appointment to come through?!

I also called Payroll and got a very short "It'll be in next months pay" reply about my missing weekend. Why, I dunno, because I did it before the cut off. But, whatever. Couldn't be dealing with someone snarky right now!

Back on a SW green day today :) Probably be fairly low syn hopefully so save up a bit for Birmingham. Hoping the 2 fast days and a low syn day will help even things out.
Right, cheerio for now everyone. Thank you for your lovely replies. I'll be back after work :) xx
 
Like Barbette I'm not sure whether to be relieved for you or sad that the diagnosis is such a difficult one! Hopefully they can start treating it now though- or is it only symptomatic treatments??
Can't believe your boss didn't look at the letter- WTF?! That's... like... What!?!?
Hope the crazy dreams slow down soon, must be so exhausting to not get proper sleep because of them so frequently! x
 
I'm sorry nothing seems to be straightforward for you - how could the hospital have messed up over the appointments?!

is it possible your boss didn't want to see the letters as a way of saying they never doubted you had a problem so don't need to see the proof of it? Obviously, you know the body language and the people to know if this is a possibility. But get them on file with HR. There are others on here you can give you far better advice on these matters than I can as I'm in the fortunate position of never having had a problem with my health (I don't count deafness as a health issue).

Hope work was less frantic today and you get some decent sleep tonight.
 
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