RUOK?

Tomorrow is RUOK day. It is designed to highlight mental health and the website gives tips on how to ask the question and what to do if the answer is no.

Everyone at Three's workplace got an email encouraging them to ask colleagues RUOK and what to do if the answer is no.

Three's boss asked him yesterday "RUOK?" to which Three replied "No, I'm burnt out, I'm exhausted, I'm crushed and I can't cope". The reply? "We all are. I've asked the question like we were told to". And he walked away as if it was a joke.

This tipped Three over the edge. He feels strongly about mental health and to have it treated so dismissively and as a joke was just the final straw. In the old parlance he had a breakdown. He rang me from work in tears. He rang me on the way home (eventually) still in tears. 

The upside is he realised how toxic his workplace actually is. He had the first of two trial days at a potential new employer today (most of the staff are ex where is currently working) and even though he got no sleep last night he seems to have made a good impression and loved it. He got stress leave for today, tomorrow and Friday and will resign on Monday regardless of the outcome of the trial days. There are a lot of jobs out there and he can work at anything until he finds the right job. Dan Murphy are offering walk in interviews for casual work in the lead up to Christmas.

I saw my psychologist today and we talked at length about this situation and the impact it has had on the family as a whole and me as his mum. She gave me some good suggestions for conversations with him.

On a lighter note there are definite signs of spring ...

New green growth on the silver birches. Well, one at the moment. Not sure which are the male and which are the female but this one always greens up first.

We have had so much rain there is moss in the lawn.

The first rosebud of the season. This is a rose I grew from a cutting from a plant in my mother in law's garden that was given to her by my mother. It is very special.

 

And on that note I'm off to enjoy a calming wine.

If you feel you can, ask someone tomorrow "RUOK" and please, listen to the answer.

Gardening and Centrelink

It has been another lovely spring day. Himself has started the edging for the vege bed. 

These are doing well. From the left capsicum, tomatoes and mesclun lettuces. In between and round about are radishes and carrots planted as seeds so still to show their heads.

On the far right are the strawberries. The first things I planted and they have doubled in size. I will plant the dwarf beans in the empty patch and maybe some pak choy.

This is the end of today's work with half the timber edging laid. We will put geo tex down as a weed retardant and top with black mulch to match the roses. I will be planting in raised beds and pots and maybe the odd plant or two directly in the ground.

While Himself was constructing I was battling with the centrelink site to update our details. We have made a few changes since the in-laws inheritance came through and Mr Centrelink demands to be told. It had been a while since I updated and forgot to change the car details when I upgraded last year. Hopefully Mr Centrelink will take pity on this muddle headed old woman if I have stuffed things up. I am not a stupid person and would hate to be someone where English is not their first language or someone unfamiliar with this sort of thing.

I just have to upload a couple of supporting documents and then I can sit back and hope we don't get the dreaded "you have mail in your mygov inbox"!

I have started trialing different ways of raising seeds. I have used plastic soft drink bottles cut down and have found out they sprout sooner if the lids are left on. I have planted some lettuce seeds in some seedling punnets and put a sheet of glass over to keep them warm and have used a plastic cheese container and takeaway soft drink cups with lids. I will let you know which produces the best results. 

After all that I think this will be me very soon.

Musical Monday

I came across this family during lockdown last year. 

This parody of theirs is quite timely.

I went to the physio this afternoon and am bloody sore so this is all you get from me today.

Enjoy.

A perfect day

Today was my birthday and Fathers' day. Three and his lot had already been invited and when One rang to wish me Happy Birthday and wasn't in Bendigo I invited them over as well. It was perfect. The cousins always love seeing each other and today was no exception. Lots of squeals. Oh the squeals.  And make believe and laughing and it was just wonderful to be surrounded by my boys and girls all getting on well. Two video called me this morning and I got to see the other grandies and have a good long chat with him.

One and his family gave me a lovely bottle of red, a candle and diffuser that smells like toffee - I wish there was a smell feature on Blogger. 

Three and Amy gave me this ...

I wondered what Amy was buying at the yarn shop on Friday!

I have wanted one of these for ever ....

and Himself finally listened to my requests. Seriously, I don't need fancy stuff and I really wanted a vacuum that I can use without killing my back. This Dyson has a green laser that shows all the dirt on a supposedly clean floor and a huge canister for all the stuff it sucks up. I have become a bit obsessed! The stuff that came out of the supposedly clean carpet was gob smacking. It sits quietly in a corner in its stand recharging and is ready to be grabbed and spring into action to clean up crumbs and pet hair whenever I feel the need. I will vacuum the carpets every day as well.

We had lunch from the new fish and chip shop and it all went down a treat. Even Himself (he's not known as Grumpy for nothing) seemed a bit chuffed at having everyone there.

I have had lots of messages from friends and family and am feeling very loved and a bit warm and fuzzy.

That could also be the champagne.

Saturday

 Apologies for the grammar but I didn't write it! I do like the sentiment though. I doubt I will be allowed to turn the entire front garden over to veges (although it was Himself who sent me this) but I will do my bit.

We went to Bunnings to get some timber to make edging for what will be the vege patch. We will then put chip bark down (black to match the rose garden unfortunately but I pick my battles) and then I will secretly sow some pumpkins so they can grow over the top of the chip bark.

Fried rice for dinner tonight. I have some key lime pie left so that will be f'rafters.

I haven't done much today other bake a loaf of bread and work on the pilchers which I fear will be too small for our chunky monkey. I have another pattern which is for a larger size so will do that next. If I had used a thicker yarn it might have made a difference - or larger needles. 

Three and his lot are coming over tomorrow and we will get fish n chips for lunch. No idea what One is up to - probably going to Bendigo to see Ebs' dad.

I finished You and it was a really good series. I am now watching Echoes which is also turning out to be rather good - and it's an Australian production (set and shot in America). In between I watched Man vs Bee with Rowan Atkinson. It is a 9 part series but each part is only about 10 minutes long so easily watched in one sitting. It has a sense of the classic film The Plank but with Atkinson's touch and a bit of darkness along the way. It really is worth a look.

Time to go and prep dinner. 

Friday

 It has been a lovely day. J, Amy, Sally and I went to the Frankston yarn shop. The owner was very helpful discussing the best wool to knit the pilchers for Alice. She gave Sally (who was getting a little bored) a job sticking price labels on the back of books. Perfect for a nearly 6 year old.

We then went to the toy shop where Sally was in heaven. Granny spoilt her and bought her a couple of toys.

We then had lunch at Schnitz which was very nice. A bit chilly sitting outside to start with but we were able to get a table inside before we ordered. I don't remember eating at this chain before and was surprised at the quality and pricing. I'll go there again.  

Back home to check on the seeds with Sally - more carrots have popped up.

It is getting late in the day, the sun is starting to get low in the sky and it's getting distinctly chilly. Himself is mowing the front swamp and I am going to have a think about dinner and make a start on a pilcher. I am hoping it will be a quick knit as I want to get back to my socks.

First day of Spring.

And just like that, they're sprouting

The above two are peas and below, if you look really carefully, you can see the beginnings of a carrot!

Next Wednesday Aldi have these ...

We already have two of these ....

so it makes sense to buy two of the beds. That will give me heaps of room to grow stuff.

When Sally came home from school we planted out the seed spuds. I am very impressed with the quality, price and speedy delivery of these bags. A family owned Australian company and I will be buying from them again.

 As they grow you top them up with soil. After about 16 weeks (god this gardening lark is a pain for impatient folks like me) I can open a flap at the bottom and harvest baby spuds. When all the foliage has died away you tip everything out and enjoy lots and lots of spuds. That's the idea, anyway.

I bought a new bread tin.

And this is the result. I must say I am a bit pleased with myself.

On a more sobering note, Angela had an unexpected and unwanted visit to Emergency via ambulance. Go read her blog entry and remember that ANY symptoms that could be cardiac related need urgent attention. I have seen too many people not do this because they didn't want to be a nuisance, thought it was indigestion, might have pulled a muscle. As an ex nurse I can tell you we'd rather give you an antacid and send you home pain free than have to tell your loved ones you've had a heart attack and the outcome is iffy. Angela did the right thing. Learn from Angela. 

Aldi's marinated chicken, Aldi potato gratin and beans for dinner. Followed by an Aldi key lime pie. 

Tomorrow I am spending most of it with Amy and Sally and J. We will visit a yarn store, a toy shop and have lunch.