Flying solo

Eager_Elephant

Maybe it's me but it seems like Dansmum is implying that what the girls did was acceptable as men do it???


I have never known Robin to post that men have had a mini holiday, treated a family member as skivvy and then failed to pay rental in full.


I think alluding to all people in their 20's as self-centred having been raised that way is completely irrelevant.


But maybe I am just annoyed on Robins behalf and no one read it like me?!?

missrlr

I disagree with the sense I have taken Dansmam post in.
Self centred behaviour is not a progression it is a return to some dark and violent times.
It is not to be condoned it is to be pitied and trained out. Being a go getter does not mean the children have to be self centred bloody minded rude arrogant societal destroying ignorant imbeciles.
All behaviour of this ilk is atrocious.

End of rant

*Robin*

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

You lot do cheer me up - thank you everyone - reckon you're all more affronted than I was at the visiting Girlies' bad behaviour! :rotfl:
They're back in the Middle East now so no point in upsetting ourselves further by sending a bill, because even if it got through the Israeli controls it would be ignored.

Looking back over their visit as a whole, I can't help wondering whether the Girlie who Divo Three has known for a couple of years was hopeful of bagging a husband with a UK passport?
Yes I'm biased, but being dispassionate DS3 is not a bad catch; easy on the eye, good earning potential, mortgage-free, no part-time kids from a !!!!less** past - he can even get by in Arabic (although this potential bride would have had to persuade him to convert to Islam, which is possible - but unlikely, knowing DS). Their visit was set up before DS got together with NGF, although the Girlies knew about her before they arrived.
Maybe this particular Girlie [the teacher] was hoping her own undoubted physical beauty would tempt DS away from his new relationship?
When it became clear that wasn't going to happen, perhaps the Girlies decided to get the most possible benefit out of their holiday, at the least cost? While quietly getting their own back by taking advantage of Divo Three's good nature.
** f e c k -less. Since when was that a swear-word?
We'll probably never know the truth, it will become just another episode in our patchwork lives. An amusing tale; one of DS3's many lucky escapes from disaster, recounted late on winter nights to select company, around a blazing fire..

Meanwhile, the TV news is crowing about how much warmer it is in the UK than all the popular holiday destinations. That's certainly true for Andalusia. Am sat here in m' jacket, doors and windows tightly shut while a cold wind whistles past the Nest. :rotfl:

Yesterday the weather was kinder; overcast and calm. Young Gardener achieved quite a lot, preparing a completely new vegetable terrace down in the more sheltered part of the garden. We also planted out a couple of almond trees, which the Good Lord watered in for me last night via a spectacular lightening storm.

While YG was wielding DH's mattock, I put a larger patch on the soil pipe (first one was only 98% dry - not good enough). Gloves were supplied with the fibre glass kit, but they melted in contact with the gloop so Muggins is suffering from sore, sticky hands. I'll be slicing glass shards out of my flesh for a week!

Spends:
Young Gardener - £40 + £30
Blocks - £15

^^ Wrote this before Dansmam, EE and Missrlr posted, and I got m'self a roasting elsewhere. The topic requires - and deserves - a separate comment. :cool:

please-let-me-be-lucky

Just popping by now I'm back from my travels. Disgusted at the holiday 'guest's' behaviour!! We left our Wensleydale cottage this morning as spick and span as it was when we arrived, wouldn't cross my mind not to! Xx

missrlr

My goodness gracious if their families were appraised of such shocking and disrespectful behaviour I shudder to think of the Consequences!!

What a disaster with the gloves! I hope you haven't got a serious amout of glass in your poor hands can take weeks to work out (voice of experience) lots of hot salty soaks helps (and hurts)

Glad the gardening is moving along apace. Please don't do too much though. Two warm days and the UK jumps to the unrealistic conclusion of a hot summer. Now we we have cold north winds and whilst it is sunny it is COLD. Better than rain though!

Sun_Addict

Ouch your poor hands Robin - hope they're not too bad.

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSEers, :hello:

Belated Happy Beltane, to all who celebrate it.

Three times I agonised over a long commentary about modern standards of behaviour, and three times it got lost. :mad:
Had enough; give up.
Probably need a new lappy.

Think we're all worried about the way society is heading, Dansmam, EE and Missrlr; no disagreement, simply acknowledgement that it's a distressing subject to find the right words for..

Sun.A has been on holiday and returned home in the time it's taken me to post, and Lucky's break must already be settling into a happy memory.. Hope the Girlies ended up with good memories too - their lesson will come. :cool:

Recently, life at the Nest has involved lots of queueing to satisfy officialdom, and emotional angst while attending a happy occasion.

Young Gardener has almost finished the new veg terrace. He also re-interred the [now dry] soil pipe, and helped me plant lemon, mango and red plum trees. I've harvested the last of the poor battered broad beans, and the spuds are ready too - lifting 'em is today's 'physical' task.

DS3 discovered we can get free banking if I deposit £800 in a special a/c at our local bank. He reckons it will save around £600 a year in fees between us; very MSE.
Even more MSE because the interest after tax is 0.75% over what the other savings a/c pays. Win win. :T

Divo Three has changed direction again. He loves teaching, but really doesn't enjoy the admin involved in a more senior position. So a new deputy has been appointed at school, and DS3 is off to play with the so called great and the good this summer, working for his old boss again. NGF is going too, she's got a job alongside him.
Am really going to miss DS3, whilst of course being very happy he's enjoying a productive, adventurous life.. :j
When the glamping season is over, he's returning to teaching but this time as dive-master - on one of the Asian 'holiday paradise' islands.
Invite to visit already issued - that is one I'll find hard to resist!

NGF sorted out m' wretched smart-fone before they left. It's been to Madrid for a new brain and no longer charges fees for unwanted 'net access. Still don't like the thing much; had to remove m' UK chip because it wouldn't stop internet roaming - using up creds for nowt aaargh! :mad:

On May 1st it became illegal to light bonfires in the campo.
Yesterday I watched the amazing Andaluz airborne fire brigade put out the first local wild-fire of the season, just a couple of kliks up-river from the Nest.
Immense admiration for the heli-pilots - they dodge power-lines and rock outcrops to get their bulging sack of water right up close to the flames; very impressive - and brave! :T

Van was returned to the Nest gasping for fuel but otherwise in good condition, for which am grateful.
DS asked if he could take a note from it's 'emergency cash stash' in case he and NGF found themselves stuck at the airport in the middle of the night - ah, the perils and pleasures of budget travel with Ry@na!r. :rotfl:

Spends:
Young Gardener - £120 (£40 in advance).
Diesel - £50
Taxi cash DS3 - £20

Feel quite proud to note that grocery spending has been zero since m' last post; am beginning to run down store-cupboard stocks.

Sun_Addict

Hello Robin Seems like you've trained DS3 well in MSE ways. He sounds like he's got his head screwed on and a real credit to you. I'm pleased to read all is sounding good at the nest (aside from the phone and the wild fires that is).

Brightspark87

Hi Robin

Very impressed with DS3 MSEing! Hows CD? xx

*Robin*

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

Imagine a game, if you will; something like snakes and ladders but with the dice replaced by peeling an onion: Expect a few tears caused by the fearsomely named syn-Propanethial-S-oxide* - either happy or sad, depending on whether ladder or snake was revealed by each layer peeled away..
Now do it again. Every potential advance will bring up new issues.
The object of this game is to achieve one's desired aim [which could be anything] before running out of onion.
*http://www.reactionoftheday.com/2013/06/why-do-onions-make-you-cry.html

That's what life at the Nest has felt like for the past week.

Draft Two of this post told you all about it, but it's gone, lost in yet another re-boot - and now am paranoid I'll jinx m'self if I say too much before arrangements are finalised.

Young Gardener has been coming to do four or five hours work every day - saving up for driving lessons while he learns how to be employable, lol. He's a willing lad; can really see the difference he's making in the garden now. All the heavy jobs I can't manage are slowly getting done.
Today we're waiting for the p o o-man to show up. He should have arrived yesterday at nine ayem - so must be a committed believer in the mañana principle. :rotfl: :cool:
Meanwhile am running out of alternative tasks for YG; giving each of the cultivated trees a barrow load of manure is really the most important garden job at the moment.

Sun_Addict wrote: »

Hello Robin Seems like you've trained DS3 well in MSE ways. He sounds like he's got his head screwed on and a real credit to you. I'm pleased to read all is sounding good at the nest (aside from the phone and the wild fires that is).

Hi Sun.A, thanks for popping in.
These days Divo Three is more MSE than yours truly; yes, we must have taught him well. When the children were young there was never any spare cash for fripperies, because it was all sucked up by our choice to invest in a holiday home - really we weren't in that income bracket.
It's not a decision I regret, because all the Divos and both DSDs have grown up fluent in both languages, as well as being very MSE (am I allowed a Proud Mummy moment? ).

:think: What astounded me was that the bank only require one family member to become a 'socio' in order for all to claim the benefits.

Pause:
P o o has arrived - a veritable mountain! Dear Lord, thank goodness we only ordered a half-lorry! Poor YG is going to be slaving for hours under a hot sun, barrowing it onto the garden..

Brightspark87 wrote: »

Hi Robin

Very impressed with DS3 MSEing! Hows CD? xx

Hello Sparky, lovely to 'see' you at the Nest.

Thanks for asking after CD; she's had a bit of a rough time recently. Muggins decided a paperwork review was in order, luckily it happened to be the day before CD's rabies inoculation - and therefore her passport - was due to expire! :eek:
CD needed the whole range of jabs this time, so it's not surprising she felt bleugh afterwards, but she's perking up again now. In a couple of weeks she'll be getting a new friend; our next guest is another dog. He's an oldie too, so hopefully they'll be good company for each other.

Later:
More layers of the onion: While trying to sort out summer holiday accommodation, I may have just handed my identity - and £2K for starters - to a fraudster.
Of course hopefully he is no such thing - just an upright man who has merely taken my deposit.
While trying to check the a/c he's got details of, I discovered that someone has deposited £4K!
Erm..? :eek: Have absolutely no idea where or who it's come from - certainly wasn't expecting such a windfall!

See what I mean - layers of an onion?

Sparky, does your particular branch of the money business involve understanding bank reference codes on transfers, as they appear on a statement? It's the only clue I've got re the unexpected £4K..

:think: So, shall I panic and call the bank; get my a/c frozen? On reflection, with that a/c transactions never show up instantly on-line.
Or should I leave it to karma - trust that he is indeed a good man, who I know only from a jovial half hour 'phone conversation..? Instinct says it'll be ok - after a stressful uncertain interlude.

Peel another layer off the onion - 'phone the bank, or go outside where it's a perfect summer afternoon, and dig up some more spuds? Decisions, decisions..
One thing I'd better do is post this, before lappy freezes again. :cool2: