Yesterday afternoon, I realised that I had felt quite well all day. I made a loaf, marmalade, cooked a meal and part cleaned the oven. I had to have my nap and everything had to be thought through but everything was achieved. I feel the more I can utilise my weak hand the more it improves. Like everyone, I have the odd moment when I wish I was my ‘old self’ but there is no point in brooding. I now have a daily routine and get on with it. Please stay positive folks and, if you are a carer, encourage the survivor all you can. My only two fetishes are.....picking up small scraps of paper from the floor and folding towels. I think I fold things quite nicely. I have not stopped swearing though and my weak hand occasionally has a life of its own but, hey, ‘I’m still standing’.
Well done! How do you manage to cut the oranges without them rolling around? Also, can you scrape the cake mixture out with a weak hand? This sounds very clever and wel lorded out!
Hi JJM really good to hear from you again, still taking on challenges and doing something really useful in the process - fresh bread and marmalade - marriage made in heaven 
I was just reading a post from Johannamak and she said she had benefitted from the support and advice from contributors such as yourself, so it's always good to hear those stories and to know that you are encouraging others.
I've got to face the driving rain now and drag my husband to do the shopping - he even carries the bags now as well as piloting the trolley - heaven help the other shoppers 
Have a good w/end x
Thank you. It does all require grit and effort, but must be done. I have just spent an hour prepping a slow cooker chicken casserole. Chopping the veg is very difficult and things, as ever, slip out of my weak hand. Usual swearing accompanies this. Nevertheless it has been done and will now look after itself. Everything involves using the weak hand and, little by little, it improves.
Glad your husband can carry bags and wheel a trolley. My left arm and hand can only hold light weights and I leave the trolley to my partner. I shove what I can into my shoulder bag. In my early days post stroke this resulted in the occasional bit of shop lifting, but I am not that forgetful now.
As I write, the dreaded fatigue is kicking in, so in ten minutes or so, it will be an hour in bed. My key advice for shopping is that, no matter how disabled you are, you have as much right to shop as anyone else. If people walk straight towards me, I hold my ground and they have to shift theirs. Too many shoppers race around or block products with their trolleys. Perhaps I did the same. Anyway, enjoy your day despite the rain.
Thanks John, I'm just about to make leek and potato soup, and also have defrosted the beef for a steak and ale casserole ?. We'll all eat well tonight! I completely agree with you about the shopping trolley - I hope I'm more patient these days, but SS are probably more thoughtful than other shoppers, who wander around with their coffe cups and phones - gggrrrr!!
Go and get your sleep - you've certainly earned it ? xx
Hi NicABella,
That reminds me that while making my way around the past few days how often SS's and their supporters have to make allowances for other people. Especially if you walk with a walking aid. They suddenly stop overtake etc.etc. Having no understanding of the difficulties they cause with their thoughtlessness. ??But I'm sure they will and do complain about us for being slow or in the way. Enough ranting for one day. ??
Hope you enjoy your cooking session and particularly the results later. ?? xx
Hi Kay - my previous post to you has gone AWOL, it was about using emojis, and the limited range available in this toolbar. I used you as my emoji guinea-pig to try out the emojis from the toolbar on the computer - it worked but the post disappeared... you can't win them all ?.
I think most people are too involved in their own bubble to even consider whether someone is slow or in their way, as they glug their coffee and swipe their phones ... I think I could walk around the shops with my knickers on my head and no-one would blink an eye ?
Ha, you know where I'm off to next don't you ?. The cooking is all bubbling away, but somehow I managed to cook a teaspoon in the soup - don't ask! xx
My nearest supermarket will assist anyone with difficulties such as dementia. They will accompany us around the store if its required. They helped me in the days when I couldnt remember how to go through check out. And they came to me at the next visit and offered assistance. Viva East Anglia ! And the Co op ! And its a very nice supermarket.
Colin
I used to use a Co-op near my workplace, as it was always fairly calm and quiet, during what is usually a chaotic time for many other s/markets (5pm ish). They also seem to have quite wide aisles, making navigation easier for anyone who might be struggling. It's good to know that they take such good care of their customers, maybe I should start to use the shop again.
Did you watch the Japanse F1 GP qualifying, at about 6am!!?? No wonder we're both flagging now ? it's a sofa afternoon xx
The Brightlingsea Co op supermarket that I use, previously had aisles slightly narrower than the M1. It was great. And a natter with friends could be had without blocking other shoppers. In the past few years they have added a travel agency and a Subways and then took one third of the store to create a clothes store M and C. But they are very pleasant staff.
I like to watch the watch the GPs but rarely at 6am. You are keen. I had another good nights sleep and now feel much more human. If i have a bad Monday night sleep then I suffer Tuesday and suffer even worse Wednesday. So I do try to get my 7.5hrs each night.
Raining here. So I am listening to my xoccer team on the radio.
ttfn
Colin
Husband brought me a cuppa at 6am!! Disgusting - Earl Grey with milk, that's all I needed at that time in the morning!! Needless to say I fell asleep again and just woke up to see LH patting his Mercedes - keeness had nothing to do with it? I think you may be listening to the same f/ball match I'm being subjected to MUN/NEW??? ? My guilty pleasure is the 6 nations rugby, but will have to wait quite a few months for that. Enjoy xx
I buy Mamade pulp, but I can slice an orange in two by holding both sides with my weak hand and slicing through the middle carefully. I cannot scrape a cake mixture out of a bowl with my weak hand. I utilise it as a ‘steadying’ hand and this really helps.
Not quite Man U. I follow York City, so it was York City v St Ives Town in the FA cup. I have always followed York City. When living in Harrow, I had a season ticket at Watford, but i then moved to rural essex.
I shall look forward to another LH victory tomorrow, which I shall watch at lunch time. I will miss the lunch at church and just attend the service, then home in time for the start.
I also like the six nations. Refuse to pay for cable TV and the sport is slowly migrating. So I watch the bits still left on terrestrial TV.
My wife has Earl Grey. With lots of milk. I keep to typhoo. With one half a teaspoon of milk.
Due to broadband “dropping” I have sent this a day after writing.
Colin