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

Byatt

Thanks JP, it was quite big, I was hiding behind the back door at one stage! Well, I don't mean it was so big I had to hide, but you know what I mean!

I'm pretty certain it wasn't a bumble bee. It was stripey, big (long) and buzzy. I didn't notice its tail . If it's just one that's fine, and I wouldn't want to kill bees. I got a bit flappy.

jpscloud

GreyQueen wrote: »

I get happier as I get older as I think I was probably born middle-aged and am thus coming into my own. It's great, you can stop pretending to like things which you never liked anyway, but thought you were supposed to like because you were young and that was the sort of thing young people did. Like nightclubs. I loathe clubs as I hate loud music and drunken idiots and all the posturing and preening and falseness. Now I can hang about at home if I want.

I not only do this, but also avoid all staff outings/celebrations. I could never have put this as succinctly as you just did GQ.

jpscloud

I do know exactly what you mean by "so big I had to hide" Byatt - I love all things creepy crawly buzzy and wildlifey, but even I scream and run when an exceptionally large spider jumps out at me! I'm also allergic to wasp stings, and am totally paranoid about them now too (bees are still cool, never been stung by one).

I would keep an eye on the area for a bit, just in case. Large stripey and buzzy could be many things, but if it's not a bumblebee then it's probably not as easy to live with either!

Edit: just realised you said NOT so big you had to hide but... I'm a bit of a hider myself where large buzzy things are involved, even if I'm fascinated :rotfl:

fuddle

GQ - Reminds me of the time in my early twenties when I had to pretend to be so excited to be going to Magaluf on a druken holiday just because it was the thing to do when you're in your early twenties with your girlfriends. I hated every blooming minute of it. Even during the day wasn't relaxing pool or beach, it was booze cruises with groups of lads. Yuk! It was never for me but I did everything begrudgingly thinking that there was something wrong with me for not liking it.

You will get that sofa! Hope you get the logistics sorted so you can be safe in the knowledge that it really is destined for housey.

It's easier to decline occasions etc when you have children or there's two of you to say no. My old work mates have stopped asking if I'd like to come to nights out now because I always have another night out booked. The truth is I just don't want to go. I wish it wasn't frowned up to just not want to do something.

GreyQueen

:j Just come off the phone with the folks and described The Sofa and the logistics. My follks' live an hour's drive away but we've arranged that they're coming up this Tues anyway. I've got the day booked off work and we arranged this all a couple of weeks ago. The c.s delivery driver is shared between several stores of the same chain and can only do a very small part of Thursdays, when I'll be at work.

I was exalting over the wonders of the sofa and how it is almost identical to the one I have, inc that the leather bit is all of a piece and lifts off the wooden base. Mum and Dad are well familiar with my sofa as they helped me move it into this flat and Mum has also wrenched it apart to insert a fresh bit of timber when it had a comedy accident a few years ago (frame collapsed). I probably have the only DFS sofa in the land incorporating a fine bit of American oak from the woodyard.......

Mum pipped up that we could just carry it from the c.s. I hadn't even considered that option. Brother (all six feet of him) will help too and we'll do that on Tues morning. Sorted! I shall go down to the c.s after w*rk tomorrow to pay for it and arange a time to pick up.

So, if you see 4 strange peeps carrying a leather sofa thru the backstreets of an English city............it's probably me and mine. Oh, such a weight off my mind.

There's an extra spin to the tale. The sofa comes with a matching armchair and they were priced as a unit. I cannot fit the chair into my flat so asked the shop if I could pay the asking price but leave the chair behind so they could sell it to someone else? The manager thought for a moment then offered the sofa alone for a lower price. Totally made-up. Have mentioned this to Mum who is now intruiged about the armchair as she has one which is the sole survivor of a suite and is on it's last legs.

She was thinking aloud to me on the phone and Dad was going on in the background how she didn't want to buy an armchair in the city and cart it across country to their town etc etc. And they didn't need an armchair yadda yadda yadda. And I just whispered to Mum that he's a married man and'll have to do what he's told......:rotfl:Would not be at all surprised if she buys the armchair, too. My Dad once only half-jokingly told me, when I had my Bossy Hat on, that if I wanted a man to order around I'd have to get my own husband.

Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possessess........

smileyt_2

Hi folks.

Mardatha I'm sorry to hear about your hens I know you loved having them. Perhaps you can go and visit them occasionally?

Kidcat I agree, what a shock for your family. Your poor Aunt. What on earth has possessed your uncle? Your aunt will need a lot of support to deal with this shock. Do they own their house? She needs to make sure she gets her rightful share of everything, including his pension if, as I suspect, she has been at home caring for the Downs Syndrome child over the years. It will be a lot to cope with.

Re: contentment. I agree fully with the comments on here. I have never liked nightclubs or noisy pubs and have never been able to stay up until the wee hours. I love my house even though it's scruffy - it has my dogs and whatever young person I'm looking after at the time. I have my crafts and my books. Last night I was tired so I just sat on the sofa with a dog on either side and we cuddled and chilled for an hour listening to meditation music (interrupted by the rhythmic snores of Bruno!). How dull is that (by the society's standards)? But I felt peaceful and relaxed and yes, content. I'll be 43 this year and I love being in my forties. Like GQ says, it releases you from all sorts of social expectations And I never go out at New Year either - all that drinking and wandering about in the freezing cold - no thank you!

Chuggers. We get them all the time round here. I always tell them I'm unemployed or soon to be unemployed or only work part-time (all of which are true, depending on the time of year). I also ask them what they are doing round here as most people are only just scratting by - it's a very poor area. They often confess that they've been knocking on doors all day and not had one sign-up and I tell them they've been set-up by their bosses who shouldn't be sending them into poor areas like this anyway.

Right, the paracetamol has kicked in and taken the edge of that monthly pain, so I'm going to ride to B and Q in search of a specific bit for my drill. Oh the excitement!

Have a lovely rest-of-Sunday everyone. xx

lizzyb1812

Great minds think alike GQ - that's me and your mum When you said how near the shop was I thought that carrying it would be the best way. Having helped carry a fully erected garden shed a similar distance it's definitely doable and it will make people smile as well And for once you can be grateful you are on the ground floor!

GreyQueen

Yeah, it's defnately do-able. Bro said what if it's raining and I pointed out it's leather and we'll just towel it off if it gets rained on.

I'm considering posting the sofa thru the living room window rather than faddle about getting it thru 2 doorways. I have double-glazing which can open a smidge on a tip-and-tilt or open like a gate. With a couple of us inside and a couple outside it should be a cinch and the sofa will be situated right under the window anyway. The black sofa will roost temporarily on opposite side of the room and for once in my life I'll have enough comfy seats for the family's visit.

Mum was musing about The Armchair and saying that it wouldn't go into their car with Bro in the back and I just said, not insurmountable, he can ride the bus if necessary. Would be very surprised if she doesn't buy it. Dad will have to do as he's told as I'm sure he promised to obey her nearly 50 years ago during the wedding ceremony.

I was raised with second-hand furniture, a motley collection, and have followed the trend in my adult life. My bed and mattress are new (well, the frame was new 15 years ago) but everything else is c.s. or family/ friend cast-offs. This new reddish-brown sofa will be almost exactly the same hue as my 3 pieces of faux-mahogany blockwood furniture and will accessorize charmingly with the chocolate velour curtains (£5 for 2 pairs at booter).

I'm one lucky lucky woman and there's no mistake. I have dragged the sofa away from the wall to treat Henri d'Vac to a dust bunny banquet and removed the stash of value pasta which was lurking in a shallow box encased in a bin bag under there. Now enough room for it in the kitchen cupboards. The new sofa has 3 wee drawers under it. Drawers! All of you who live in cramped quarters will know what an exciting prospect extra storage space is. I can hardly contain myself!:p:o

Just looked on the DFS website and mine looks very like their model "Clayton" but with a sleeker back not all those buttoned bits. Except I shall be paying 10% of that price, tee hee.

PS. lizzy, well done on carrying an assembled shed. That would have been a sight worth waiting for.

fuddle

I looked, I looked! Lurverly GQ. Roll on Tuesday. I can tell you're very excited and hey, what a complete bargain! There's BHF furniture CS near me and I have never been in. I can't, I'm scared of what i'll pick up! lol I do like to have a homely home but I too have bits and bobs from people. I tend to give them a lick of paint to coordinate with what I've got.

This coffee table I've been priming today? It was nabbed from my friend. It had been in the garden for a fortnight all wet so the top layer of varnish had peeled off. I plucked up the courage to ask her if I could have it and within 5 minutes I had the car round I've just had it drying out and sanded it. It's been primed and ready for the creamy colour paint.

You'll have to let us know if your mum picks up the remaining arm chair

BitterAndTwisted

GreyQueen wrote: »

The new sofa has 3 wee drawers under it. Drawers! All of you who live in cramped quarters will know what an exciting prospect extra storage space is. I can hardly contain myself!:p:o

I can hardly contain myself imagining how many more tins of FB and tommys you're going to able to stash in there. Or is it a loo-paper mountain now?

About The Armchair: your parents need it. Didn't you say the one they have is on its last legs? Before you can say "Jack Robinson" they will be fighting each other to sit on it. Leather. Lovely. Those things are expensive and don't come around often. I'd be snapping it up, double-quick.

I had to snigger over your Dad's comment about finding your own husband to boss around. My own said a very similar thing many yonks ago. Still haven't found one compliant enough to elevate to that role. Not sure I need one now, either.