Flying solo

Sun_Addict

Welcome back Robin and bearing your good tidings of debt free-dom too. Well done and what a relief it must be for you. Don't know what to say about OF. A good friend should be able to apologise to you and make up but a good friend shouldn't have betrayed you in the first place. Hope it all turns out for the best.

chevalier

I have missed you becoming debt free. But CONGRATULATIONS! That must be such a weight off your mind.
Your DS3 does take the pee sometimes doesn't he. Naughty boy. As for OF and indiscretions hmmm. Not sure I would let it slide. Otherwise you will always be censoring what you say around them, which will be a pain.

Glad that you are sorting out THEM.
chev

mcculloch29

Congrats on being debt free. If you were north of Scotch Corner and pressing on in your dream Robin, then you were somewhere near me. I wish I could say 'I know where you were!' Er no. It sounds lovely. There are no Georgian houses facing parkland that I can think of north of Scotch Corner. Victorian, yes, and post - war, no problem.
South, you have Harrogate and some other towns, that tick boxes.
I know, I know, I'm analysing a dream... but it's nice to think of links.

I just looked at the website of the village I lived in 35 years ago, in Germany. I've just realised I moved there 37 years ago today. Lots of photographs of what is going on there now. I particularly liked the look and sound of the 'Hot Needles' knitting club.

A huge pang of homesickness for all the wonderful community activities, those I knew, and new ones too. It consumed me for a few minutes, goodness knows why.

Then I sat and thought of the lovely things in MY community. Not as picture-postcard pretty as Germany - my old apartment was once a holiday let, we had half-timbered buildings, the full megillah - but the events in my town are still lovely, have become traditional and are things I feel part of.
That settled me back down. Night.

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Friends-in-the-Box, :hello:

Thank you everyone for visiting. :T

Granny, Lucky, Missrlr, Sun.A and Chev; it seems we are all in agreement re OF.
So, how to step back gracefully without causing offence?
..Happily, fate stepped in; an email arrived from CD's consultant giving the time of our next appointment - which clashes perfectly with OF's invitation! ..Phew; honour and karma maintained - CD's health takes priority over a day out. No-one could dispute that.

As to CD's eyes, <sigh> we'll see what the expert says. But she is obviously relying on scent and hearing more than sight now; her 'good' eye appears to be clouding over..

Thank you Granny, Lucky, Sparky, Bubbles, Missrlr, Sun.A, Chev and last but by no means least Mcculloch, for your congrats on m' long-delayed debt-free status..
Still getting used to the idea..
Although technically THEY still think I owe THEM thousands - but can report potential good news; Accountant reckons it won't be difficult to sort out, and a chunky rebate should be forthcoming (which will more than cover his bill).

mcculloch29 wrote: »

If you were north of Scotch Corner and pressing on in your dream Robin, then you were somewhere near me. I wish I could say 'I know where you were!' Er no. It sounds lovely. There are no Georgian houses facing parkland that I can think of north of Scotch Corner. Victorian, yes, and post - war, no problem.
South, you have Harrogate and some other towns, that tick boxes.
I know, I know, I'm analysing a dream... but it's nice to think of links.

Ah, my strange dream. Was helpful in getting it out of m' head by writing it down.** Thing is, dreams like that feel like they're happening in real time, so I spent hours on that journey, stopping at the tea-van near Sherwood Forest, then the cafe at Scotch Corner (used to know the owners - we both had a babe in hospital at the same time - but in my dream they weren't there any more. Wonder if ownership has changed in the last few years?).
Anyway, it was quite a long time driving after Scotch Corner before the road block appeared, so think I must have been further North than your locale, Mcculloch (you were up very late the other night - hope you managed to get some quality sleep after posting ).

** Since mulling it over, have realised that there are two peculiarities; one - having obviously got it together to achieve this long delayed journey, why would I have used rocks as ballast instead of much better-received gifts such as fine wine, virgin olive oil and other treats which are readily available here?
Secondly, if this was one of those oh-so rare connections through the ether where CD and I were also part of the tall man's dream, then he will be confused too - because I did not say a word to him..

No time now to relate Nasty Neighbour's latest.. Must prepare for a spendy day; CD and self are off to town.

missrlr

Wow
So good news on OF non meet
Bad news for CD?, have similar thing with Puplet we daren't move anything and several times we'd have had a splatter dog on the large conservatory doors, poor babe
Good news on accountant and refund!

Hope this balance continues! Now do go do some planning for trip home please ....... (Gentle boot up bum)

Sun_Addict

Hope you get a good rebate Robin.

*Robin*

Dear Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

Thanks for popping in, Missrlr and Sun.A.

It's a fearsome night tonight, **begun 0330** not worth trying to sleep; every so often a discordant noise signals something crashing over outside..
The first gales stole away half the guttering, several potted trees, a huge branch off Almond One, the day-bed mattress - deposited inside the ruins of NN's greenhouse; 'twas rare fun retrieving that! - and about 50kgs of irrigation pipe which ended up at the bottom of a cliff!

Since then we've had thunder, hail, floods, a couple of small tornadoes at the coast, then last night an earthquake - both felt the tremor; CD was very uneasy, it tipped a few pictures wonky but nothing worse, thank goodness!

What a good reminder of one's true size and importance on this planet..

Still, we'd been warned - about the storms at least - so had stocked up and done necessary 'away from home' stuff just before the wind started gusting. The Nest is actually a very comfortable refuge - so long as the power doesn't fail (has flickered a few times - fingers crossed it stays on).

Clever Dog's trip to the clinic was a spendy success. She saw both vets, blood tests were repeated and we stocked up on gloop.
Consultant thinks CD's deteriorating sight is caused by poor blood supply to her good eye, which he's hopeful of reversing with yet another pill. Otherwise he was happy with CD - the pressure in her blind eye is not so high that he wants to operate (phew!).
Dear Vet was pleased with CD's blood results too; heart and liver meds have been discontinued, and she swapped another pharma-drug for a natural supplement (which pleased me ).
Spend: £150

On the subject of £££: Decided to get English-language telly upgraded. Have a good excuse; several uni-lingual British guests are already booked in for Christmas hols. It's easy entertainment, folk expect it to be available, and, well maybe it can count as my gift / improvement to the Nest (to mark the season - as I can't get DH a present any more ).
Spend: £250

While am confessing.. Finally got infected by the seasonal buzz; fell into Black Friday Week. Found amusing gifts for both DGC, then spotted something special, which Divo Four has hankered after for years..
It was rather over budget - but, on offer half price! Couldn't resist..
Spend: £375

Some DIY bits to repair the guttering, a top up grocery shop and 'phone creds emptied m' wallet - so that's Robin out of the world of consumerism until December. Should be okay, it's not long and there aren't too many commercial opportunities to tempt one, on the side of a storm-wracked mountain! :rotfl:

missrlr wrote: »

with Puplet we daren't move anything and several times we'd have had a splatter dog on the large conservatory doors, poor babe

Aw Missrlr - poor little fella! Ouch! ..Blind Dog walked into a closed door a few times when his sight had completely gone, but he didn't move so fast there was any risk of splatting - oh dear; am flinching on Puplet's behalf.

missrlr wrote: »

Now do go do some planning for trip home please ....... (Gentle boot up bum)

That dream was a warning. However, booted bum accepted - pushing on with trying to sort out UK list from here.. Might be able to leave CD with Divo Four; compress the most important tasks requiring presence in person, into a flying visit.

Sun_Addict wrote:

Hope you get a good rebate Robin.

Looking very promising, Sun.A. Accountant is going to be taking care of THEM from now on, which is an enormous relief.
Tbh, the two big expenses above wouldn't have happened but for the prospect of this rebate and being released from the spectre of THEIR incorrect bill.
..Hope it wasn't too naughty to re-allocate some of the restored funds before rebate actually arrives..

It is morning now, the long night is over. Another hour or so and the wind should die down.
Just ventured outside; air full of salt spray, howling wind, horizontal rain.. Grey, hazy; a few car headlights on the road, can just about see a brown flood in the river. There's not much left of NN's greenhouse.
The Nest appears intact; all trees upright, van and caravan ditto, pipes etc in their allotted places.. But the gale's not quite over, so isn't time to celebrate yet.

M' wall looks great though; well worth the ridiculous amount of effort it took.

Sun_Addict

Just stopping by Robin and, weather aside, things sound very positive at the moment. Pleased to hear that

Brightspark87

hi robin, sorry to hear the weather has been a little rough! I hope that you have successfully ridden out the storm in the nest. It sounds like its taken a battering however.

Glad you and CD are looking after each other. xx

chevalier

robin f you get achance could you pplease have a look at the long post on
the last pouagwe of my thread thamks