A car full of dog food cans, packaging and glass bottles.
Number 2 son visited down here in his new to him 7 seater car and suggested I might want to take the recycling I stored in the back of J's Berlingo. It had given up the ghost a week or two before her passing.
Like most household routines like paying bills and housework and cooking and cleaning and washing . J took on a multi task of roles. It's been an awful difficult few weeks trying to know where anything is or where to pay the electricity.? I spent four hours looking for birth and marriage certificates. I wish someone would write a booklet for grieving widowers on how to manage house affairs. Do you know where your marriage certificate is Mr?
I was mainly in charge of the outside of the smallholding, gardening, mucking out the ponies and pigs, chopping wood and carrying anything heavy. Oh and burying dead rats, removing spiders and catching a bat that had flown down the chimney. " Just get it outside" J once screamed at me😊.
I couldn't believe how many bags of recycling I had crammed into the little van in the last month.
We took it to the waste recycling centre in Bantry and paid 3 Euros. I wonder how much we pay individually for our packing and dog food cans and glass bottles?
We came home and filled up the car with the " Return" beer cans and plastic bottles and took them to Lidl and it was closed. They had no electricity. So we drove to Super Valu and started to put each individual can and plastic bottle in the return deposit machine. We took the paper receipt to the check out and got back 22.50 Euros in cash.
It's a pity they don't have a return machine for pet food and tinned food and glass bottles. Are the supermarkets only interested in metal and plastic that makes money like Aluminium beer cans?
My goodness, it soon piles up doesn't it? Good old number two son for sorting all that out for you.
ReplyDeleteWhen I became ill this time last year and it was thought that I had stomach cancer, P asked me to write a list of everything that he would have to sort out in the event of my demise. Thankfully, he hasn't yet needed it. It's something that perhaps we all should think about, whatever our age.
I hope everything is starting to get back into some sort of order for you now, although life will never be the same again, I know. xx
You have to pay for private waste disposal where we live JayCee. It's charged by the weight and you have to walk a quarter of a mile for it to be collected and then you have to walk back later to bring back the empty bin. We take our beer cans and plastic bottles to the return deposit bins in the supermarkets and our recycling goes to the waste recycling centre. You go on a weigh bridge for domestic rubbish.
ReplyDeleteYour list sounds wonderful JayCee. Any chance of you writing a blog post about what to do?
Griief is horrible especially when your partner passes. Thanks.
I was fortunate that we'd got papers together a while ago..him getting divorced and us getting married had meant that was kept up to date! But the blessing here was the Tell it All website...where you put details in once and everything gets notified..
ReplyDeleteGood work with son#2... Recycling can stack up...and a nice reward for having done it too
I think women are much more organised with papers than men are GZ. I do think couples should talk to each other about such things and how they will cope and find things when one of them dies. Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteWe are going to keep to a fortnightly visit to the recycling centre. Thanks
Hubby took over all our paperwork 15 years ago when I was going through cancer, he has never passed it back to me. Recently he has been sharing with me his files with bill details, he has also made me aware of his pensions along with all our certificates, luckily he is organised,.
ReplyDeleteI too hope things are settling for you, so many unwanted adjustments, you are in my thoughts, stay strong.
Your husband sounds very organised Marlene. I only realise now how much my late wife did for us all. She was a wonderful mother, friend and wife. Thanks Marlene.
ReplyDeleteDave, you have seen a need. I cannot think of any better one to write a book like that than someone who is navigating that path. As the problems crop up, write them down. Talk about what you've encountered and how you solved it.
ReplyDeleteYes Debby I can see a need. We all need to sit down and talk to our loved ones and help each other what to do and how to cope when our partners leave us. Thanks for your very encouraging words Debby.
ReplyDeleteEurope is so civilized about recycling - those cash for cans things were in Denmark supermarkets when I lived there over 20 years ago. You are so right about division of tasks and it feels like teamwork. Sudden loss like yours leaves the remaining one stuck in the changing room (with no clean kit!) Regardless of loss, doing it all on your own is really hard woek.
ReplyDeleteHi Tigger's Mum. Recycling and waste is a massive and costly problem. Especially plastic. It's easy to take women's housework for granted and it's the woman who makes the home. Baby steps and learning to cope is all we can do.
ReplyDeleteDealing with the recycling - that is another step forward Dave. I gather that you do not drive. Will you consider taking your driving test in the next few months? Other men and women in their sixties have done it and I am sure you could too.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder how much we pay individually for packaging and the cost of recycling YP. I once had forty driving lessons and took my driving test and failed on hesitancy and the driving instructor said to me I had never never met such a nervous learner driver. I left the thought of driving at that. Some people can drive and some can't. I have always lived on my nerves. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMaybe have a few pints before your test. That should quell your nerves Dave.
DeleteI would rather have public transport YP.
DeleteI started a file binder for documents. Each document goes in one of those plastic sleeves and is inserted in the binder. Passports as well. There is a section for pension info and benefits programmes.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I have no idea where his birth certificate is. He keeps saying it's in a safe place.
I'm sorry to hear about your wife. One day at a time.
You are very practical 50 and counting. I think it's good to be prepared. "People Get Ready" Rod Stewart comes to mind. Thanks.
DeleteWow. That’s a lot of recycling.
ReplyDeleteWe all buy and create mountains of rubbish and recycling Angela.
DeleteKeep listening to the prog rock Dave. And with Bronte and Heidi by your side.
ReplyDeleteI am always playing music on You Tube Rachel. The animals keep me going. Thanks.
DeleteIsn't it lovely son 2 coming to help his dad. Is he with you for a few days to help or just a day trip.
ReplyDeleteHe stayed a night over and we all went for a meal on Thursday night. It was exactly a month since his mother's passing. He' was a great help Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of recycling. Fortunately, ours is collected every fortnight, here, although I remember the days of having to take it to the recycling centre every week.
ReplyDeleteIt must be difficult suddenly having to get to grips with the household bills. I imagine there's usually one person in every household that deals with the majority of it.
On reflection Jules it probably is more than a months recycling. It's another chore to do especially taking it to the waste transfer station in town. Women seem to run the household and I appreciate so much more what they do for their children and husbands/ partners.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDelete