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Old 03-26-2016, 04:42 PM
 
Location: Elsewhere
87,995 posts, read 83,805,998 times
Reputation: 114204

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It sucks getting old and having no one to help.

I'm trying to paint my room. I'm not rich enough right now to pay someone hundreds of dollars to paint a small bedroom. The painting isn't the problem, although it's a chore I detest and it's only getting ONE coat. It's having to move a bed and dresser so I can paint. I am 57 now and feel such a difference in being able to lift a mattress and move a dresser from when I was younger.

Then something always goes wrong. I got the mattress up against the wall and then the boxspring, which is much lighter--and it turns out a giant black spider was living under my bed. I think it must be the one the cat was playing with the other day. I'm not afraid of spiders, so I got him in a piece of paper and went to throw him out the window--and I knocked the screen out and I don't know how to get it back in. It just doesn't fit and I don't know what the trick is.

Some days it's not worth chewing through the leather straps. I envy women who can just snap their fingers and someone appears to do these things for them. I am just not handy at all.

Ok, going back in there.
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Old 03-26-2016, 04:51 PM
 
Location: Central NY
5,945 posts, read 5,082,238 times
Reputation: 16870
Mightyqueen801: I wish I was 57 again. I'm almost 74.

I also have no one to help me with things I need help with. So I keep plugging away, do what I am able to do, and if it's something I can't do, it does not get done. There are many of us in that situation. And I believe there are at least a few men who face that same problem.

But I think it's also pretty normal for some of us to want to cry about it for a while, feel a little sorry for ourselves, and then get back up on our feet and carry on.

As the song goes, "The sun will come out tomorrow....."
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Old 03-26-2016, 04:54 PM
 
1,908 posts, read 2,220,869 times
Reputation: 14495
I know what you mean. Sometimes it feels like it's not worth making the effort. When it seems like everything is conspiring to prevent you from doing whatever it is you are trying to do, it's hard to take the wider view. Once you start seeing progress in your project, you will probably be able to put things into perspective and feel more optimistic.


Regarding your screen, go look at one of your other screens to see if you can figure out how it fits into the window frame.
There is probably a groove or a tab or some other not-very-obvious element that lets the screen fit and stay in place.
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Old 03-26-2016, 05:04 PM
 
17,264 posts, read 11,085,176 times
Reputation: 40516
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801 View Post
It sucks getting old and having no one to help.

I'm trying to paint my room. I'm not rich enough right now to pay someone hundreds of dollars to paint a small bedroom. The painting isn't the problem, although it's a chore I detest and it's only getting ONE coat. It's having to move a bed and dresser so I can paint. I am 57 now and feel such a difference in being able to lift a mattress and move a dresser from when I was younger.

Then something always goes wrong. I got the mattress up against the wall and then the boxspring, which is much lighter--and it turns out a giant black spider was living under my bed. I think it must be the one the cat was playing with the other day. I'm not afraid of spiders, so I got him in a piece of paper and went to throw him out the window--and I knocked the screen out and I don't know how to get it back in. It just doesn't fit and I don't know what the trick is.

Some days it's not worth chewing through the leather straps. I envy women who can just snap their fingers and someone appears to do these things for them. I am just not handy at all.

Ok, going back in there.
Cheer up! Things could be a lot worse. You need to take it slow and not get frustrated with little things. I'm not a women but will be 57 in a couple of months and live alone not close to family. I still work at a job where I have to lift items 50 lbs or more on a regular basis, am on my feet all day and walk about 12 miles a day just doing my normal work chores. Some days I get home dead tired and still have to do laundry, grocery shopping, cook meals, take care of the dogs and then get up again the next day at 4 a.m. and start a new day.
That being said, looking at the bright side, I think it's keeping me healthy and I don't need to go to the gym to get a workout.
Everyone male or female has frustrating events with everyday things.
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Old 03-26-2016, 05:09 PM
 
Location: Elsewhere
87,995 posts, read 83,805,998 times
Reputation: 114204
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYgal2NC View Post
Mightyqueen801: I wish I was 57 again. I'm almost 74.

I also have no one to help me with things I need help with. So I keep plugging away, do what I am able to do, and if it's something I can't do, it does not get done. There are many of us in that situation. And I believe there are at least a few men who face that same problem.

But I think it's also pretty normal for some of us to want to cry about it for a while, feel a little sorry for ourselves, and then get back up on our feet and carry on.

As the song goes, "The sun will come out tomorrow....."
Haha, I just saw Annie in the theatre a few weeks ago.

Thank you.

That's just what I'm doing, taking breaks and doing a little at a time, but I got overwhelmed for a moment.
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Old 03-26-2016, 05:09 PM
 
1,751 posts, read 1,332,247 times
Reputation: 4386
On the screen there may be two spring clips....try this:

Sliding Window Screens Removal & Replacement | Wallside WIndows

And I know how you feel. I'm packing myself up for a move and it took me hours and hours just to do the dining room dishes/glasses. I dread what's ahead of me in regards to the furniture. Last time I had to move something big the only people who would come were two kids who charged a fortune for 15 minutes work. And I wouldn't hire them again because I don't trust them.

I have a friend who has a bone disease and is 10 years older than me and needs help too. She keeps telling me "no" when I offer.

We need to start a club. A helping club. Pizza painting parties (erm...you don't want me painting though! lol...really though); moving parties. However, I expect we'd all be working all the time then.
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Old 03-26-2016, 05:14 PM
 
Location: Central NY
5,945 posts, read 5,082,238 times
Reputation: 16870
crusinsusan: What a great post!! I love that idea.... helping one another out when help is needed. Pizza-painting, pizza-moving, etc.

Things could be so much easier for all of us if we would just pitch in and help one another and have some fun and food, too. Maybe hold the wine till the job is done!! haha
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Old 03-26-2016, 05:15 PM
 
Location: Concord, CA
7,122 posts, read 9,191,080 times
Reputation: 25337
Ask the boys from the football team at a local high school to come over and move your stuff.

They would enjoy helping an old lady.
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Old 03-26-2016, 05:16 PM
 
Location: Elsewhere
87,995 posts, read 83,805,998 times
Reputation: 114204
Quote:
Originally Posted by marino760 View Post
Cheer up! Things could be a lot worse. You need to take it slow and not get frustrated with little things. I'm not a women but will be 57 in a couple of months and live alone not close to family. I still work at a job where I have to lift items 50 lbs or more on a regular basis, am on my feet all day and walk about 12 miles a day just doing my normal work chores. Some days I get home dead tired and still have to do laundry, grocery shopping, cook meals, take care of the dogs and then get up again the next day at 4 a.m. and start a new day.
That being said, looking at the bright side, I think it's keeping me healthy and I don't need to go to the gym to get a workout.
Everyone male or female has frustrating events with everyday things.
I fell down stairs at a friend's house in January and injured my back, and I've been going to physical therapy twice a week and doing strengthening exercises at home. I figured today THIS is my workout.

I just retired four weeks ago. I worked in an office, but the days were long and stressful and the commute was 2 hours each way. I only ever had time to do the minimum--laundry, dishes, feed the cats and scoop, and try to keep the bathroom and kitchen somewhat sanitary. And vacuum. There was no time for painting or moving things or cleaning out closets, and now that I'm home I have to do those things, but it gets overwhelming. There is so much, and I don't have an excuse anymore.
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Old 03-26-2016, 05:19 PM
 
1,212 posts, read 2,240,919 times
Reputation: 1148
Quote:
Originally Posted by crusinsusan View Post
On the screen there may be two spring clips....try this:

Sliding Window Screens Removal & Replacement | Wallside WIndows

And I know how you feel. I'm packing myself up for a move and it took me hours and hours just to do the dining room dishes/glasses. I dread what's ahead of me in regards to the furniture. Last time I had to move something big the only people who would come were two kids who charged a fortune for 15 minutes work. And I wouldn't hire them again because I don't trust them.

I have a friend who has a bone disease and is 10 years older than me and needs help too. She keeps telling me "no" when I offer.

We need to start a club. A helping club. Pizza painting parties (erm...you don't want me painting though! lol...really though); moving parties. However, I expect we'd all be working all the time then.
I think a bartering service would be a great idea too, but yeah... Money talks.
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