Get a grip woman!

Karmacat

That's a great outline, SL, I really like that - and I love the sound of your replacement outbuilding, such a good idea.

Suffolk_lass

On Saturday we had a phone call from DS to say he is not coming over to collect his Christmas present of see either of us to exercise outside. It's because one of his housemates went to someone's house on NYE and other people were in and out. I know said housemate was feeling really desperate so I am resisting the urge to have a go at him. I am more concerned about DS to be honest. Yet further isolated. His other housemate evidently also went out, but met people he has been seeing throughout (!) outside. We are all supposed to be adhering to Tier 4 here and there. I suppose if he spends all day outdoors with other people he cannot see the difference but of course the contact tree just gets bigger and bigger. I think DS received support from his online gaming community who all reinforced his decision to stay home (on his own!)

themadvix

Sorry to hear that SL, but I think your DS is very sensible. I get so cross with people who interpret the rules to suit them (including my father). We're all desperate at this point, so I do think you're showing huge amounts of tolerance for said friend.

Love your plans for the new year - here's hoping they come to fruition, especially the travel!

Busy_Mee

That is a great set of plans for 2021 SL. 

I would also be annoyed with DS' housemate. My DD also has friends who have continually broken the rules. I did smile to myself just before Christmas when they got fined £75 each for travelling to York from Leeds for a night out though. I suspect North Yorkshire were pleased to be moved up to Tier 3 as there was a lot of that going on.

Karmacat

My sympathies, SL, to you and your DS.  I've just had a conversation with my sister about our walks - we were going to travel 10 miles to go to the beach, and realised that wasn't allowed under Tier 4.  So then we thought, well, there's a park midway between our two houses, let's go there.  Now we're in Tier 4, I told my sister I wanted to wear a mask in the car, and she was fine with that.  Today, we've decided that even wearing masks, it's not a good idea, especially with the sound of how virulent the South African strain is.  

greent

My DS1 has decided to stay here until at least Feb, rather than return to his uni house because his housemates are so irresponsible re C0vid   (plus here he gets his laundry done and meals cooked for him! )

Suffolk_lass

Thanks all. On one level, it is so easy to be cross, but for youngish (under 30) slightly dysfunctional, single men, the three of them do drive each other slightly mad so if a silly decision is the worst of it over New Year, we can live with that.

On the upside (really,) DS rang again yesterday to say he had had a text saying he was overdrawn. DH and I each transferred some money (some from the house fund for his house, some from our account that can be reimbursed from his car and holiday savings) - it is his money in one sense, and there to bale him out. He did not get paid from work (I suspect he had worked so little that he forgot to put in a timesheet) and his account was near his OD limit. I am so relieved he told us. It was not easy for him as he is mortified not to be managing financially . We did not make a big deal and it is a relief to be in a position to help. His work also phoned him to see how he is and they are going to get him a decent amount of shifts again for January (phew).

My diet started - I eat too much but not naughty food. I hope this is me easing back in to the ultra low carb diet. We had probably too much protein and hummus but they needed finishing and there is no way I was binning them!

debtfreeoneday

Sounds like your DS is being super sensible and how reassuring he feels able to come to you. 

Suffolk_lass

We have to re-treat our bees against varroa mite while the brood level is really low (local wisdom suggests before the end of January) and after much research (over the last month or two) we have gone for a gas-vap (bunch of bits of plumbing pipe, welded together) that enables added crystals to be indirectly heated until they become gas and go in the bottom of the hive, thus killing any mites on the bodies of the bees.

So that meant ordering the device, some oxalic acid crystals, an auto-ignition blow torch (ours needs a match or lighter so you can't light it once the gas pipe thingy-what is fitted) and a face mask with the right grade of filter. So far the crystals have arrived and DH has gone off this morning to Screw-Fix to collect the mask and blow torch. The pipes bit should be here in the next week by mail order. It was all ordered way before lockdown and the survival of the colony could depend on it being done at the right time.

Once we have all the bits, this pair of novices need to apply the treatment with a board underneath the mesh floor so we can count how many dead mites fall (as this is an indicator of infestation levels). 

The alternatives were to not treat (risk of colony infestation causing collapse or mutations) or to use some sort of trickle method that sounds as though it coats the bees in a wet treatment. We did not like this idea as there is the risk of condensation at the best of times in cold Springs of East Anglia, or from bees coated in liquid getting too cold and dying off.

All a bit traumatic for us as we have yet to do our proper training.

SandyShores

Crikey Suffolk Lass, that sounds really traumatic.  I get all het up just getting the cat ready for the vet.  But it sounds like something you need to do, I'm sure it will all go to plan.