Brain Teasers / Workouts etc

[ManjiB]

Well done - Keep going and enjoy your break.

still stumbling along

Connections
Puzzle #969



- A severe period of brain fog with the connections game. That’s three in a row that I have failed to solve? Didn’t even get one, though I was nearly there

Wordle 1,691 4/6*

- Thank goodness there is one game I have got a chance with

#waffle1475 3/5

streak: 27 - I could be wrong, but are we now seeing words being repeated? Of course we must since there are only so many 5 letter words that can be fitted in a 5 x 5 grid.

[Mrs5K]

Shame about the connections but I am sure you will pull it back and have a successful run soon.

I got the Connections fairly quickly today. Sometimes you can just see them.

Connections
Puzzle #970

Waffle was a 3*s. That should see my average creep up a little bit.

#waffle1476 3/5

streak: 39
#wafflesilverteam

I do believe you have joined me in the silverteam.

Wordle was 5 attempts. One of those words with many choices.

Wordle 1,692 5/6

Hope you’ve had a successful puzzling day.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

[ManjiB]

Yes, Ann, I am in the Silver Streak just as you are about to head off to the Gold - keep going

I recovered the puzzles today and was pleased with my recent “purple” patch on the connections whereby if you get the purple connections first it’s like a bonus or special badge because this is meant to be the hardest (though rather stupidly) if you get the other three, Purple defaults anyway. I suppose if you look at it that way, then making it first is probably an honour/achievement. Anyway I on on a run of 1

' Puzzles '

Connections
Puzzle #970




- After the rubbish start, I put it on the backburner and came back to it just now and pretty much cracked it in no time. But it is almost all or nothing with connections for me.

Wordle 1,692 4/6*

- Yes, you are right. The only time when this is tricky is when there are too many options and so it is down to luck since a valid word that is not part of the solution costs a life where as if you looking for a valid word that is rare you can keep guessing as it doesn’t count if it is not accepted as a valid word. I think I just made a pigs ear of what I was trying to say. I hope you get what I’m trying to say as I am not sure I can word it any better right now

#waffle1476 4/5

streak: 28

Miserable weather today but it should be good for a walk in the rain. Maybe it’ll relax my back muscles or whatever it is. The old hot water bottle has been taken out of the mathballs

[Mrs5K]

I understood what you meant on Wordle well done on the connections too.

Hope your back is starting to ease a bit. Gentle exercise & plenty of soaking in the bath might help. I had got my hot water bottle out of mothballs recently too as had a very painful neck & shoulder. No idea if it helped but the pain has eased significantly and it can’t have done any harm.

Todays ouzzles went ok.

Waffle was 4*s today.

#waffle1477 4/5

streak: 40
#wafflesilverteam

10 more to gold.

Connections had one little hiccup but solved.
The purple ones were a default gor me today..

Connections
Puzzle #971

Wordle was another one of those with multiple options so just happy to have guessed right before I ran out of moves.

Wordle 1,693 5/6

The weather here is really miserable this week. Thankfully not got to go far but would be nice if it stopped raining for 5 minutes at least.

Hope your puzzling went well.

[ManjiB]

The back and arm are still under treatment but signs of progress are noticeable for their absence!

It is bizarre and like nothing I’ve ever had before. I have experienced back pain from poor lifting techniques but this is something else and I can’t think what might have caused it. I’ll see how things go over the next day or two.

I stared at the connections board for a very long time and was thinking I was going to draw a full blank as nothing seemed to make any sense. I was getting two and then just not getting a third. Even the backburner technique wasn’t helping. I had several goes during the day after sleeping on it, though I didn’t really sleep at all due to my back and then I was about to give in and submit the results and somehow got the first set and had a think and got the second and then the third. I guess the only shock was I broke my purple patch run, but hey !

Results

Connections
Puzzle #971

Wordle 1,693 5/6*

- Slowly built up to knock it on the head

#waffle1477 4/5

streak: 29

[Mrs5K]

Hope your back & arm are slowly improving. Sometimes these things jyst happen with no obvious cause. I put my neck pain down to sleeping awkward in the end as couldn’t work out what else it could be. It’s funny how it takes a while to realise it’s improving too as with mine I just thought one day oh zi haven’t been in pain today. Took me a day to realise though.

Puzzles were a mixed bag.

A good 5*s for waffle. Average now 2.81.

#waffle1478 5/5

streak: 41
#wafflesilverteam

Wordle was nearly a blow out & definitely a phew when I got on last attempt.

Wordle 1,694 6/6

Connections went well & just one wrong move. I knew the connection but picked the wrong layout for no. 2 initially.

Connections
Puzzle #972

Have a good rest of the day.

[ManjiB]

Hello Ann - hope you’re having a good weekend.
Things are not too bad on a personal front i.e. the back etc. is either improving or I am raising the pain threshold and so not noticing it as much. I am still having difficulty putting on my sock on the right leg and weird things like that.

But, that is nothing. Unfortunately, Mum or rather her system has hit another glitch and we don’t know what triggered it. It seems to have started with the breakfast yesterday. During the meal, she seems to have started feeling uncomfortable and was shuffling down the riser/recliner (RR) chair which has been know to happen and it is usually one of a few things e.g. bloating, crumpled frock etc, which when addressed solves the problem. However, yesterday this did not happen and come lunchtime, she seemed a little settled and so we started lunch though she looked (and as it happens) she was bloated. Foolishly ignoring this [red] flag I started the meal even though I questioned whether I should. And sure enough, half way through I had to stop it because soon after I started it, Mum was off with her muttering or requesting to “stop the torture”. I feel as though I am force feeding like the French force feed birds to fatten the liver to make frois gras or some such “delicacy”.

Stopping the meal alone wasn’t sufficient and the saga continued with no identification of real problem and so no solution. Tea Time and Supper were similar. In the end I ended up giving her some senokot in case she was constipated or having problems with bowel movements and I gave her some medicine for stomach cram which was prescribed for her at the last hospital visit. Anyway, none of this helped and it continued all night. In the end I gave up and handed over to my sister so I could get some sleep. When I woke up I felt something was not right and when I came down I was informed she had continued to be restless throughout

So we soldiered on and it was now lunchtime. So we said we have to bite the bullet and carry on. I gave her more buscopan (stomach cramp meds) started the feed and went to get some Yakult or Actimel to help improve gut bacteria. When I came back, Mum was happily snoozing in her wheelchair. Thank goodness

I have decided to ditch the care plan activities and play it by ear and so 24 hours from when it started, we have finally had a couple of hours of rest and peace. My sister is adamant Mum shall not go back to hospital no matter what since in all probability they will do nothing, she will lie on a trolley in the A&E corridor etc. etc. and we will be encouraged to take her home because “hospital is not a safe environment for Mum”.

In all this mayhem, I did play the puzzles, but I am afraid I blew the waffle puzzle and can’t imagine why, but hey …

End of run ...

#waffle1478 X/5

streak: 0 . Games played 251, stars 751, Average 2.99 (dipped back down below 3).

Connections
Puzzle #972




- Took a while but got a glue (and was robbed as I felt my first set of four was actually valid, but not according to the person who set the puzzle), but from there it kind of fell into place.

Wordle 1,694 4/6*

- And so there is no point in bleating about the bush as the saying goes

Have a lovely weekend - I am going to get a Power drink of beetroot juice to get me through the rest of the day and night.

As they say in French “Another day, another dollar”!

[Mrs5K]

Oh no sounds like you’ve had a difficult couple of days with your mum. I guess there will be those days but still difficult for you to manage and try and work out what’s causing the issue. It sounds like you got it sorted in the end. Don’t be hard on yourself though. When we get bloating / stomach pains etc it can take a few days to settle and we are able to sort it ourselves. You are pretty much working off instinct and what you think might be the problem. Is it worth adding some yakult / actimel in as standard to try and keep her bacteria at a level?

I understand what your sister is saying about hospital and I am sure you will know when she really needs to be in hospital and not being managed at home.

I hope your mum now stays settled.

Shame about waffle but it is understandable in the circumstances. You had a lot on your mind. You did well with the others though.

Hope your power drink helped you get through the night.

Take it easy.

[ManjiB]

I am not sure we ever want to take Mum to hospital again because each visit has had the same outcome - minimal effort to get to the root cause. Excellent whilst in A&E (once admitted and bed found) but specialists always start backtracking on what the A&E consultants tell us and then it becomes a battle to try to get the right outcome. It becomes very draining.

It does not help that the general wards have staff that do not have the skills required to look after Mum and it’s only because myself or my sister is there that she gets some half-decent care and even then mistakes have been made. All in all, it seems that Mum may have to see out her days without any further help from the hospital.

Our rescheduled rehab (private) is taking place at 1p, tomorrow but now I am wondering how useful it will be if Mum is not in the right frame of mind. She is rather distracted/disturbed now and it is getting harder to read her.

I think the Probiotic drinks can be added to her daily diet. I think I read somewhere it should not be taken long term but I may be wrong as I can’t find anything to suggest it might be bad for you.

Koko as Bobbi would say

[Mrs5K]

Your experience of being left to look after your mum.in hospital seems typical of all hospitals these days. I had the same when my mum was in and also when we went to.see a friend in hospital recently. A sign of the times sadly. Not a good one either.

I am not aware of any reason why your mum couldn’t have yakult / actimel long term. Many people take it daily & it is available to buy in a supermarket so can’t do much harm. Like anything there’s always an exception but worth a try if it helps her.

Hope the rehab appointment goes well & that your mum is ok for the appointment.

Puzzles were about average today.

Waffle was 3*s.

#waffle1479 3/5

streak: 42
#wafflesilverteam

Wordle 5 attempts.

Wordle 1,695 5/6

Connections went well & all solved fairly quickly.

Connections
Puzzle #973

Hope your day is a better one.

[ManjiB]

Thanks for your thoughts Ann.

So far things have been great, super, smashing and even lovely
Such a contrast to the previous day.

I won’t bore you with the details but you will appreciate we are much happier today for many reasons which fell into place at the same time. We will enjoy it while we can.

Mum has been given her Yakult - maybe that did the trick

The Rehab physio turned up and on time.
She carried out her assessment, made notes and came across as very professional and dedicated - I don’t want to speak too soon, but almost like a breath of fresh air and on a par with Mum’s dietician(s) who have until now been [probably] the strongest links in the care team.
I really hope this is not yet another promise the earth and deliver zilch, but I have a good feeling about this one. From the minute she stepped in to the minute she left she did nothing that would normally raise flags. She is “moonlighting” as her day job is with a local hospital, though not ours. Let’s keep fingers crossed.

Puzzles back on track, such a shame had a reset but that is not a problem.

Puzzles back on track

Connections
Puzzle #973

Wordle 1,695 6/6*

- Close shave, hasn’t been this close for some time.

#waffle1479 5/5

streak: 1 - stonking 5* 763/252 = 3.03 Yeahhhh!

Have a lovely day.

[Mrs5K]

Good to hear that you had a good day yesterday. Hope the positivity remains into this week.

Sounds like you had a successful visit from the Rehab Physio. Sometimes you just get a good feeling about people so hopefully that will continue on through delivery.

Well done on getting your puzzles back on track. With everything else you have going on I am surprised you find time to do them. Although they’re probably a welcome distraction.

Today’s puzzles went ok for me.

Waffle was a 3*s. Happy to start the week with that.

#waffle1480 3/5

streak: 43
#wafflesilverteam

I am still working on deluxe waffle.

Wordle was back to my favoured 4 moves.

Wordle 1,696 4/6

Connections I found straightforward today and solved relatively quickly.

Connections
Puzzle #974

Well, I have returned to work this morning to a right bugger’s muddle. It’s one of those days when you wish you hadn’t taken the time off. My head is spinning trying to sort it all out. Oh well, suppose it keeps life interesting.

Hope your day has been a good one.

[ManjiB]

Oh no!
Sorry you had a bad day at the office, but as you say it makes life interesting.
Hopefully you got things sorted, but if not, there’s always tomorrow

Things are settling with Mum and she is getting quite demanding

I sometimes worry she’ll trigger another seizure by her persistence in trying to get things she wants on those occasions where don’t know exactly what it is she wants. She just doesn’t stop and I can’t imagine it is good for her - it must have some effect on the electrolyte balance or something, but there is nothing we can do. There is still so much we are learning “on the job” as it were.

At times it is hugely frustrating, but then it is also hugely satisfying/rewarding when she relaxes or gives us a smile or a nod of approval.

puzzles 0209

#waffle1480 1/5

streak: 2 - a close shave but the steak is only just starting …

Connections
Puzzle #974



- Had me worried to start with but in the end it was straightforward

Wordle 1,696 3/6*

- Could have had it in two as I did guess Cello but chose a different one

[Mrs5K]

Happy Tuesday. I hope you had a good Monday and that today has been going well.

My sister was taken in hospital with pneumonia yesterday so a bit worried about her. She lives 200 miles away so not able to pop and visit but we can keep in touch online so at least that’s something. Hubby is full of cold too at the minute so I’m trying to stay out of his way to avoid the germs. These bugs doing the rounds at the moment are pretty nasty ones.

But had a better day at the office so all good there. A day full of meetings so little achieved but they are a necessary part of keeping in touch etc especially when everyone works in many locations around the country.

I imagine things must get very difficult when you are trying to work out what she wanalrs and it isn’t the right thing. Hopefully her persistence isn’t doing her any harm. Like you say frustrating & rewarding all at the same time..

Well puzzling today was indeed puzzling. I managed 3*s in Waffle so my streak continues and my average should be on the rise ever so slightly too.

#waffle1481 3/5

streak: 44
#wafflesilverteam

Wordle I did in 3 but boy did it take some thinking about. I just couldn’t think of any words with the first and last letters that I had and then boom all of a sudden a word came to me and puzzle solved.

Wordle 1,697 3/6

Connections were a bit odd too but I did get them in the end. I think I fell for the too obvious connection again and then I was stumped for a while.

Connections
Puzzle #975

All in all a good set of results though so am happy with that.

Hope all going well with you.

Wednesday results are:

4*s in waffle.

#waffle1482 4/5

streak: 45
#wafflesilverteam

Wordle also 4

Wordle 1,698 4/6

And connections were solved with a few wrong moves along the way.

Connections
Puzzle #976

[ManjiB]

I am sorry your sister has been taken to hospital with pneumonia. I have always found it to distinguish between the various strain of the cold virus variants i.e. cold, flu, pneumonia and double pneumonia. I guess it must be quite serious if it requires hospital treatment. I hope she recovers soon and also your hubby too. I suspect if your hubby is full of cold, you may already be infected as these viruses are dormant or incubate before they become active, but maybe I am wrong.

Glad you had a better day in the office.

I have been puzzling and connections challenging as usual, but others OK. Haven’t had time to post results.

KoKo!

[Mrs5K]

My sister has now thankfully turned a corner with her double pneumonia and his starting to feel a bit better. All being well shall be discharged from hospital before the weekend and I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to get home again. Like you I find it difficult to distinguish between cold covid flu viruses in general and unless I’m bed ridden with it I generally just put it down to having a cold. Hubby he’s also feeling a little brighter and as managed to get out of bed today which is good. So far I have managed to avoid picking up the germs however there’s time yet for me to catch something. I am trying to stay out of his way as much as possible to minimize the chances of going down with what he has had.

I have been into the office today which has gone well but has left me completely shattered and I have to go in again tomorrow so a quiet evening is on the cards for me. I did have a managed to do all the puzzles today so happy that my streak continues in them all

I hope your day has been a good one and that things are in a good place with your mum. Have you looked into doing your yoga anymore yet? I hope you managed to organize something so at least you can have a little bit of time for yourself.

[ManjiB]

Really pleased you sister her turned a corner and is feeling better. I’m sure with a bit of rest and tlc she’ll be fine.

My go to’s for cold and pick me ups

• Hot water with honey and lemon (during the day)

• Warm milk with turmeric (bedtime)

• Beetroot with knob of ginger juiced (or blended) with apple/celery and some lemon (energy boost any time of day). Super healthy all round drink.

Mum is in a yo-yo phase still coming to terms with the medications that she is being given and then taken off and then given again. Had another terrible night but no obvious reason other than (as bizarre as it might sound - yup, trapped wind!). Thought peppermint tea was doing the trick and then there was some bloated ness so had to rule out peppermint tea and so stopped it for a few days and this happened. Very confusing.

I am “booked” for Pilates and QiGong and yesterday I got up feeling the back/thigh and struggled to move so bailed out on the Wednesday class (very disappointing as I thought (on Tuesday night) I would be OK. Will just have to wait until next week now.

Also need to figure out how to get Mum through the night. Doubts are beginning to creep in and I am wondering if I might throw the towel in. The distress she feels is too much to bear and to have to watch without being able to do anything that provides even temporary respite.

The thing is, as I keep saying, she is stronger than she has ever been and so she is a lot more aware and conscious of what is and isn’t happening. She is becoming more assertive and trying hard not to be demanding. When all else fails she has to report to demanding (shouting)..

Ann - I should point out that and you will know this by now, writing this down helps to get it out of my system and you shouldn’t worry as I am sure we will sort things out. And I do appreciate the ears and shoulders you and other members on this forum provide.

So yes, we are all on the same page here

[Mrs5K]

We like honey & lemon too for a cold. I do drink lemon & ginger tea fairly frequently too. My go too drink after coffee. I haven’t tried beetroot drink but will have to give it a go. The milk one isn’t any good for me as I don’t like milk and warm milk even less

I wonder with your mum, as with everyone really, whether her bloatedness is just one of those things that happens from time to time and you may never find the answer too. We all get strange unexplained symptoms sometimes that just come and go on their own. But I appreciate it is difficult trying to manage this in someone you care for and also who can’t communicate it to you. It must be so hard watching someone suffer when you aren’t able to help. And if your mum is keeping you all up at night then that must be having a detrimental affect on you. 6 years is a long time to care for someone full time like you do and it must be impacting your health too.

Hopefully you’ll get to your Pilate/qigong classes next week. I hope your back settles soon. It’s one of those areas that impacts everything you do.

I’m hoping you have a better night tonight.

[ManjiB]

I think you are right about the bloatedness being one of those things, but because her regimen is so thightly controlled I don’t expect things to go wrong. I can understand I can get bloated one day and not the next if I eat different foods - there are some foods that are more conducive than others when it comes to being bloated. But Mum is on the same feed, same volumes ad pretty much the same times. The only changes are when she ends up on medication (which reluctantly she is now) but I guess we just have to deal with it.

We have narrowed it down to two things

1. side effects of medications (including feed supplements)
2. lack of movement. She spends too much time being inactive and this has to be addressed. The idea behind the rehab physio is just that. We hope they will be able to come up with some form of activity plan which I can then do on a daily basis and between myself and my sister, Mum should get enough movements to disperse the trapped wind. We have successfully done this many times, but every now and then there is a stubborn pocket which is nigh on impossible to dislodge. I think last night was one of those.

As of last night, I had to put on my stoic hat again and accept there was nothing I (or anyone else) could do and on this occasion, Mum will just have to tough it out, which thankfully she did

Again, as I write this, she is stilling with me at the dining table like a little angel

And of course that means I am relaxed and puzzles come easy

puzzles 0212

Connections
Puzzle #977

Wordle 1,699 4/6*

#waffle1483 4/5

streak: 5 - not bad for a rookie

[Mrs5K]

I know I sometimes get tummy ache when I eat the same things that don’t normally affect me so I wonder if it is just a build up of something as she is having same thing day in day out. But it may just be like a lot of medical things that there isn’t any real cause that can be found. As long as she is ok most of the time then that’s as much as you can hope for I guess. Although I know it creates issues for you and your sister when she isn’t ok and that must be very tough. Increasing her movement will definitely help and hopefully the rehab physio will help with that. And yes there will be occasions when you just need to tough it out.

It was good to read that your mum was sitting at the table like a little angel when you were messaging. That made me smile.

Well done on the puzzles.

I did ok today. Waffle was another 4*s and I am just 3 away from the Gold Team.

#waffle1484 4/5

streak: 47
#wafflesilverteam

Wordle took 5 moves and I wasn’t convinced I would get it today but thankfully I did.

Wordle 1,700 5/6

Connections were fairly straightforward and I just had the one blip along the way.

Connections
Puzzle #978

I did complete deluxe waffle earlier in the week too. 2*s.

#deluxewaffle194 2/5

#wafflesilverteam

I hope your mum has been that little angel again today and that your day has been a good one.

I have been back in the office today and it has been a fairly productive day so a good lead up to the weekend. I am looking forward to the weekend though as it has been a long difficult week.