Milann's life keeps getting in the way.......

milann

We had a ride to friends today about a 20 minute drive to give her a plant and card for her birthday. She is shielding and her hubby is in a care home. We placed the plant down outside,  unwrapped so she didn’t have to handle any packaging for her to leave 72 hours until she touches it. She was very surprised to see us. We had a chat from a  distance -  half the path length for about 10 minutes before we left her. I really wanted to hug her as everything has taken a toll. I can’t think of her as 73 - In my head she is still my mad friend who we went caravanning with when our children were young. I’m so pleased we went over but I’ve felt quite sad since.......partly because she just looked disheartened - if that’s the right word - partly because I kept expecting her hubby to rush out showing us his latest gimmick as he was prone to do and partly because I just wanted to sit and have a cuppa with them both as we used to do.....
I went shopping for myself and family member this evening as it’s much quieter - walked straight in Morrison’s and Aldi. I got a load of reduced fruit and veg in Morrison’s which looked really fresh - I’ve paid full price for worse previously. Spring cabbage 20p, tender stem broccoli 20p, a big white cauliflower 41p, big box df mushrooms 41p, sliced pineapple 41p, melon 41 p, vine ripened tomatoes 41p....for some reason 41 p was their favourite price this evening. They didn’t have much meat left though so I left my car in Morrison’s and walked over to Aldi where I got a piece of pork so it’ll be pulled pork for dinner tomorrow 👍 whilst I was shopping dh made some Spanish style chicken which was ready as I walked in the door - very nice it was too.
We’ve told next door about the fencing so they’ll do it once they’re cleared an overgrown area at the back of their garden. A young couple who are both furloughed - they’ll have it done in no time. I can’t lift and dh can’t do it himself. We will help them if need be as the panels are 6 ft - so technically 1 at each end might just work - but they’ve said they’ll manage.
I’ve been sitting knitting and watching South Pacific this afternoon.....I do like a good sing song. 

beanielou

It’s only natural to feel sad.  

My mother was talking about a family quiz and said something about the different age groups and said I was middled ages which I suppose is true but was a bit of a shock but is true I suppose 🤷‍♀️🤔

milann

Just had an update from out local education authority. We won’t be opening schools until the at least the 8th June as we’d be on holiday until then anyway. On 8th and 9th it’s is looking as is we will be having in service days to train the staff with the new idea of what things might look like and let us get together again. Then it looking likely the children will be in on 10th but by the tone of the e-mail it is far from decided yet. It’s not often I agree with my LEA and their proposals but this makes sense so far.

I’m just having a break from working. We need to make some resources again this week and learn Makaton signs to some songs. 

We took shopping over to relative yesterday and did some jobs he can’t manage yet. I cleaned his cooker hood and kitchen windows and changed his bed. I think we were all a but flat yesterday. Next week we might venture out for a walk at a distance.

milann

Well it was interesting on our team WhatsApp group at work. One member of staff has decided to voice a lot of very opinionated thoughts about some staff and how they are dealing with the current situation. Heated didn’t come into it.....wrong platform and has caused a lot of bad feeling I think. It’ll be interesting when folk meet up again. A couple of others have tried to defuse things with jokes. It shows how tense some people are living in this current situation. Very strange times......Think we need to be like Thumper and remember ‘if you can say something nice - don’t say nuffin at all’ 
After  I’d done my work yesterday - we emptied a shed.....Dh had bought some stronger shelving before our old one eventually gave way - it was sagging big time. We put it all in the kitchen - I wouldn’t have believed there was so much stuff in there 😱 whilst we sorted it. It fits in so much better. So today if the ground dries up  after last nights rain we will be doing another shed. A couple of years ago we got rid of the big shed and replaced it with narrow bike sheds along the side of the house. They haven’t been there that long so HOW have they got so cluttered? So that’s today’s task.....

Seasidegal58

Hi there milann - these WhatsApp work groups can get a bit much. Mind you after an initial flurry of activity everyone on my works team app seems to have disappeared apart from the odd funny joke/ video.  Having said that, the most contentious person in our team never subscribed to it so it's probably why it's been fairly low key re opinions!
Good luck with the shed today!😀

HairyHandofDartmoor

milann said:

Well it was interesting on our team WhatsApp group at work. One member of staff has decided to voice a lot of very opinionated thoughts about some staff and how they are dealing with the current situation. Heated didn’t come into it.....wrong platform and has caused a lot of bad feeling I think. It’ll be interesting when folk meet up again. A couple of others have tried to defuse things with jokes. It shows how tense some people are living in this current situation. Very strange times......Think we need to be like Thumper and remember ‘if you can say something nice - don’t say nuffin at all’ 
After  I’d done my work yesterday - we emptied a shed.....Dh had bought some stronger shelving before our old one eventually gave way - it was sagging big time. We put it all in the kitchen - I wouldn’t have believed there was so much stuff in there 😱 whilst we sorted it. It fits in so much better. So today if the ground dries up  after last nights rain we will be doing another shed. A couple of years ago we got rid of the big shed and replaced it with narrow bike sheds along the side of the house. They haven’t been there that long so HOW have they got so cluttered? So that’s today’s task.....

Blimey, that was a bit intense on your WhatsApp group! They do know once it's written down it can't be taken back? 😱 I'm not surprised it's stirred up bad feeling 😱! Is your HT part of the group? My HT is part of our group and everyone is terribly polite and thanking each other all the time 🤣, although a lot of jokey stuff gets put up too. To be fair my staff are polite and nice to each other in RL too. I agree that WhatsApp doesn't seem the right forum to criticise people.

Didn't you know there is a clutter gremlin that sneaks in and puts all the clutter there when you're not looking? 🤣😂

milann

When the group was set up it was made known that senior management had access to the group although they don’t usually participate on it. Annnd I’m in on Friday with the mouthy one and my team leader who she was also having a dig at and she responded very professionally .....could make for an interesting day 😨😨 I can’t be doing with it and will tell her so if she tries to get me embroiled in it all. I think it’s a crazy time and everyone is doing the best they can in the moment with the info they had at that time......hindsight is a wonderful thing.....and stress causes people to say things that could have been worded differently 🤨
There is a big meeting at work this afternoon to decide how we go forward with all the recommendations. 

I’ve got some stewing steak in to make a stew for tea. It smells delicious. Looking forward to teatime.Dh is sorting the shed, he has shouted once or twice for help but it’s all his ‘junk’ oops I mean tools and precious gadgets. So I’ve come out of the way think I’m more of a hindrance 🤪😂😂
Another NSD not spent a penny since Saturday.

Seasidegal58

I wouldn't blame you for telling her - there's enough going on in the world as it is at the moment. 

Stew sounds lovely - yum - you've put me in mind of making a vegan version.  😀

milann

2 out of 3 sheds are looking pretty good. I might saunter around to B&M for some paint slobber and give them a quick coat and paint the fence panels we brought back last week before they get put in by next door.
Stew turned into a meat and potato pie and it was rather delicious even if I say so myself - I didn’t have any pastry but dh enjoyed his. My 20 p pack of cabbage was devoured with it - not a scrap of waste on it. I’ve paid full price for worse. I stir fry it these days with a bit of onion and garlic - makes it very tasty - better than boiled cabbage. I’m trying with my SW - slowly but surely getting there a half pound at a time.... Enjoy your vegan version Seasidegal

milann

Just been around to B&M they didn’t have any fence slobber so will get dh to go to B&Q some time. I watered the garden on my way in too. I’ve got my first sweet pea flower - grown from last years seed. Just watching Chelsea Flower show. It must be soul destroying for all the gardeners and exhibitors for all the flower shows......I know the most devastating thing is losing a loved one and getting the virus.....but it’s messed lots of folks lives in a lesser way too. We will get through and it’ll pass in time - just seems a long haul atm. Here’s hoping we come out of the other side having learned lessons.