dottyspots

Cleaning is driving me mad - or rather lack of cleaning. Further from discovering that shoe-polish smells like freshly dug carrots and that it is possible to eat 30x30cm square of parsley for the garden in one sitting I am now going slowly insane over the fact that I want furniture polish.

I spent the trip to Leeds Ikea on Sunday dreaming of furniture polish. I can almost taste it, let alone smell it. Usually I wouldn’t use it, I wipe stuff down with a few drops of essential oil and a damp cloth (apart from the kitchen sides and the toilet which do get a clean with disinfectant now and again!) I know it’s horrible stuff, but my mouth waters just thinking about it.

I’m desperate to vacuum but can’t physically get to the cupboard as we bought quite a bit at Ikea and had it delivered on Monday and it’s taken up the majority of the hall (and the vacuum cleaner is under the stairs along with the carrot-smelling shoe polish). At present I couldn’t move it without doing myself an injury and there’s only so much Rik can clear it by putting it together in his time after finishing work. Yes I am sooooo pleased we’ve got it (even if I did forget to remind Rik to get the small bookcase I needed for my files - which now means they’re all in boxes and adding to the chaos in the kitchen) - but the accompanying mess is not good.

In desperation I spent Monday emptying the kitchen cupboards, re-arranging, writing an inventory of food, typing it, printing it off and sticking it on the inside of the food cupboard (although I also included what was in the freezer). I then moved on to the shed and almost burst into tears because it needs vacuuming and I can’t reach the vacuum - and YES I know that’s irrational, but at the time I really wanted to vacuum it. I was limited to what I could do as when I tried to move the mower I felt rather ill and had to sit down.

Tuesday I didn’t even realise I hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch until I happened to glance at the clock and realised it was past 14.30 - poor Nin must have been starving (R. had given her breakfast though!) By the early evening I couldn’t walk and Rik had to help me up the stairs.

I’d planned to go into town today as there’s a few things that I need to get, but this morning found that I couldn’t walk very well either R. went to buy some milk and furniture polish ( ) and all he could find was one trainer and one of Erk’s school shoes - yes, Erk had cheerfully set off this morning in one school shoe and one of R.’s size 6s (even though they’re much bigger than Erk’s shoes and trainers, as opposed to *shoes*). You guessed where the other shoes are, behind lots of flat-packed furniture. Luckily I had a pair of cream trainers under my bed and he had to borrow those, go to the school, give Erk his other school shoe and pick up his own.

The shop wouldn’t sell him furniture polish as apparently it’s a solvent and he might be buying it to ’sniff’ and shouldn’t he be at school anyway?

So I’ve had to manage with no furniture polish as I doubt I’d make it to the bottom of the street, let alone the shop. My plan had been to sit and polish the window sills, thereby getting the smell but sitting (which has to count as resting, right?)

I’ve no hope of buying parsley locally, the nearest place I know of is the next village. Carrots with mud on would be good too, but supermarkets sell them washed and the organic box delivery hasn’t had any muddy ones just lately either TBH this feels worse than when I gave up smoking. The craving is driving me slowly mad. The people across the road have recently creosoted their fence and I found myself standing by it inhaling deeply a couple of days ago. Aaaaargh.

Apart from that I’ve been feeling decidedly odd. I don’t really want to eat anything apart from carrots and parsley and I’m all crampy and it’s making me snappy and unreasonable and I know I’m being snappy and unreasonable, but it doesn’t appear to be helping.

Oh and I had *another* letter from the LEA which has indicated in no uncertain terms that said ‘advisor’ will pointedly ignore any comments I make re. what is actually legally required of me (and any request by myself for him to confirm exactly where under the law I am failing in my responsibility as a parent that means he can continue to harrass me - which of course I am not, hence the request can’t be answered). It is clear that he is intent on being intimidating because he hasn’t got his own way (despite the fact that I’ve quoted various case law to him about my obligations, which have been fulfilled by the rather comprehensive report I sent). It rather brightened my day in a way as atleast it was some light entertainment as I have finally found someone who is absolutely intent on getting their own way with no consideration for what is actually required by law and thinks that they can bully and intimidate me. LOLOLOLOL. Not going to happen……