A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

Byatt

DD is back in the UK, she just rang me.

Seems to have had a great time. Temps over a 100F so feels pretty cold here.

:T:T just so happy.

fuddle

I can't sleep at all. Sitting downstairs with a blanket, cuppa and a content snoring doggy who is chuffed to be sleeping snug next to me on the sofa instead of his usual bed in the kitchen. At least someone is happy!

Kidcat I just cant understand why the little boys parents would knowingly do that when their son has special needs and he and his friends would obviously struggle somewhat. I too would have left.

In my eyes contentment = happiness and we strive for contentment everyday. For us we've been through the wringer and lost it all financially so we appreciate the feeling of contentment more than any other need. When you haven't got that everything falls apart, I think anyway. I know that separation does effect many more people than just the couple and understand totally the shock and shake up effect it has on you.

mardatha

Woke up to a white sparkly frosty world and a strange sky. It isnt the normal grey - more a pale blue. How odd! Is this the end of the world?? Blue sky!!! whatever next!

Hardup_Hester

So sorry to hear about the hens Mar, but I don't want to take your RV, I have one of my own, but as I'm a stroppy scorpio I give as good as I get & although mine grumbles a lot, he is an absolute treasure & I wouldn't change him for the world.
Another one here who hates chuggers, fortunately the only place I used to come across them regularly was in Bracknell & I haven't had to go there for ages.I have a very painful & swollen foot/ankle at the moment but I'm not sure why, I should go to the Dr's but last time I went when my knee was sore & swollen because I'd been slammed into the floor by 3 teenage boys, she told me I was morbidly obese as I weighed 15 st, actually I weigh 12, she also said I had to expect my joints to start playing up 'at my age' despite the fact that I'd been pushed over. She then told me to join a gym as I obviously got no exercise! I've manage to get to work every day, hobble round & even done my lunch duties as I get £5 for each one I do, but I'm struggling by the time I get home & so hubby is helping me and keeping on top of the garden, ours is miles behind last year, but it is small & sheltered so we aren't doing too badly.
Hester

meme30

Good Grief! One week away and it's taken forever to catch with you all!

Byatt:- Pleased your DD is back and has had a good time. You will feel more relaxed now and that will help you get over being poorly faster.:)

SDG:- Love the menu, am queueing up with my tin plate and cutlery in hand!

PAH:- nice to hear from you, was wondering how you were getting on.:wave:

Kitcat:- That sort of news would have really thrown me as well. Sometimes we need something to be a sort of anchor that we can look at to check that the world is on an even keel when our own lives are upside down. Byatt is right it is like a bereavement.


Mardy:- I am married to a Virgo too. It's the moaning as well as the rants that get to me! I am naturally a glass half full person and sometimes his half empty glass almost drowns me! Good thing I can bounce back!:)

Bonnie-B:- Loving the 'foxtrot oscar'!:rotfl:

Ginny:- Grandchildren are natures heartsease. it's lovely how they can pick you up when the world gets too heavy. Sending hugs for you and your OH :grouphug:

Reading about your veg disasters makes me feel glad I have not started on my planned Ik*a bag veg patch. May is nearly over and it feels so wrong not to have any plants to look after! This is our relaxing week after last week chasing around 'down south'. Weather was dry and sunny. Not as good as it usually is, according to friends down there, but warm to those of us used to Sunny Durham!:rotfl:

Mrs_Chip

We live in strange times Mar, it could mean anything - I'd send the RV out for a recce if were you. And perhaps down to the sweetie shop to replenish supplies, you might need to hole-up for a bit if the yellow ball appears, lord alone knows what would happen if you went out in that!

Sitting here listening to the sound of our road being attacked by drills and god know what. We have had planned road closures on Sundays for weeks. Some weeks they don't come at all, others the get here at at stupid o'clock and make an almighty racket (like today) then bu88er off by 10 o'clock - really daft thing is it appears they have not actually closed the road as cars are going passed :mad::mad::mad:. It makes it really difficult to plan your day as we have no idea whether we can get in or out with a car.

Of course OH is up in bed blissfully ignoring the noise - he would not get out of bed a moment before time even if the house was burning down around him!

Glad DD is home safe and well Byatt, hope she had a good time.

fuddle

On a Sunday Mrs Chip? They're working on a Sunday?!

Hey Mar, panic on here.. I have no suncream! lol No bluey skies here but it does look white, not grey. Fingers crossed.

Full day ahead of me. I want this house ship shape before the start of the new week as I want to fit some power waking in - it seems there's some accumulations around my tummy area again.

Mrs_Chip

Our road is a trunk road Fuddle, and the route from the ferry up to North Wales. But it is narrow, along from us it only wide enough for one vehicle (oh the joys of holiday season traffic, it quite often gets gridlocked). So when they have to resurface they have to close it, and Sunday causes the least disruption to everyone else.

As predicted they are now as quiet as mice ! :mad:

GreyQueen

Nicepeach wrote: »

Bonsoir tout le monde:wave:

Talking of CS purchases, I acquired some very interesting tights this week (brand new in packaging with very expensive original price label from a swanky department store). They have pants built into them & according to the packaging "therefore require no other under garments to be worn!). Anyway, put a pair on today & they are much paler than I thought so I am thinking of leaving them in the washing up bowl overnight in a bath of cold tea to darken them. Anybody else tried this random method of colouring their tights & know of any good reason to avoid it?

It won't work unless they're made of a natural fibre like cotton, nicepeach. Tights are spun from petroleum-products are all that family (nylon, polyester etc) are dyed in-the-fibre as it is drawn out, rather than woven in a neutral shade and dyed afterwards. You can tea-dye natural fibres if you want to make a glaring white look olde-worlde and it's done pretty frequently in theatre and TV. Done it myself. If anyone wants to give it a go, I should stress that you leave out the milk and leave the cloth to steep a good long time and get it a bit darker than you want it, as some will come out in the washing. I did read a household book-type tip years ago about making your "faded nylons" - it was a 1960s American publication - look a bit better by applying foundation makeup to your legs.

Give the size of legs, the price of slap vs the price of tights, and it doesn't seem very MSE to me but I thought I'd share just in case it was of some relevence somewhere.

PS I like long posts. And middling-posts, and pithy one-liners, too. Keep 'em coming.

fuddle wrote: »

In my eyes contentment = happiness and we strive for contentment everyday. For us we've been through the wringer and lost it all financially so we appreciate the feeling of contentment more than any other need. When you haven't got that everything falls apart, I think anyway. I know that separation does effect many more people than just the couple and understand totally the shock and shake up effect it has on you.

:A Fuddle, that was my first warmed-heart feeling of Sunday. Thank you; it's profound and wise and kindly.

I'm one of life's happy little bunnies because I aspire to contentment rather than chasing around after some impossible ideal of happiness. The faster you chase it, the further it runs. And when you get on with appreciating what you have, the sun and the shade, the miracle of the weeds and the comfort of a good cuppa and a natter with a mate, suddenly, you understand that you're happy anyway, and you don't need anything more.

I caught the sun a bit yesterday and am pink. I didn't bother to put the sunhat on because there was only a wee bit of sun between the cloud but I'm a redhead and it's been such an un-sunny spring I just caught it. Glad to hear Mardatha's got some sun and hope we all get a helping. Grey here at the moment but it may well brighten later.

I've decided to spend the morning pottering after doing a c.s. donation run (a few are open on Sunday) and some h*usew*rk and go to the lottie in the afternoon. I have the runner beans soaking in the kitchen but will look to plant them on Monday as want them to have a 48 hour soak as this will shave quite a bit off the germination time and the season is cracking on.

Last year my Dad did a wee experiment and didn't plant runners until late June and still got a good crop, just later, so don't be afeard to experiment, peeps. I'm wondering if, during these times which are definately different, weatherwise, more and more of us will have to change gardening habits to move with what we've got instead of what we're accustomed to having?

Oh well, time for a wee wander on the other threads then hit the streets. I can hear my neighbours are up so think I can run my washing machine now with a clear conscience.

Tea quote-of-the-day, in case I'm not back later..........

Remember the tea kettle - it is always up to its neck in hot water, yet it still sings! ~Author Unknown

kidcat

Thank you - I have woken up today in a more level headed frame of mind. AM going to seize the day and take two littlies to local national trust place (we have membership) for an hour or two and then will pop to shops to buy some extra stuff.
I am planning on throwing a chicken casserole into SC today which I can drop into my aunties house tomorrow whilst kids are at school.
Word is that Uncle has cut all ties and plans on maintaining no contact whatsoever - I am hoping that is anger/upset speaking and that we are able to persuade him to keep in contact with his kids and grandkids. His youngest has downs syndrome and is desperately upset and confused so am going to try to persuade her to come back with me for a bit tomorrow to play with dog and pick up kids with me.

Its bright again here today, not sunny as such but definitely not rain clouds anyways. Mardatha congratulations on blue sky - I think you should set up a camera and record this day for posterity - it will be a day you can talk to the grandkids about - I remember the day we had blue skies!!
Seriously I cannot believe how bleak it has been here and you always get weather so much harsher than us - it just defies logic.