5 OS pleasures in your day today - part 3

mhagster

That’s an old letter box Pirate Pete 
A rainy day here, been on for most of day. 

Had a nice but damp and squelchy walk with dog first thing. 

Full of good intent started the tidying of upstairs by going into DD1 room. Because furniture has been getting moved round/ new beds/ mirrors down there’s stuff everywhere. And it makes me uneasy! 

So bag of VHS videos gone. Toy box that my dad made years ago gone to the niecelys. A big pumpkin light gone to the niecelys. A mirror I’d bought in Australia was sold and thankfully a friend bought it and popped up this afternoon so had a nice chat outside with her ( until rain got too heavy) 

Niece popped by to pick up trampoline from neighbours across road. 

Went to put together the two under bed storage box things I’d bought the other week...except there was no box bottom...just a lid! So had to take them back to shop ( though no longer had receipts) and they refunded them. 

Then had to go the mother for an hour or so. Hoovered and did dishes and sorted out a few things. 

Home. ( to message friend would pick up mirror so had to wait for her) . As it was so ghastly outside son kindly lit the fire ( I’m still not very good) and may have sat and maybe had a very mini snoozette whilst waiting. 

Boss popped by quick chat at doorstep with her.
Oatcakes  for tea. 

Purple_kitten

Car tax was due only just remembered, DH and I talked, but we are going to keep 2 cars going for now as it is nice not to have to worry in the event of an emergency with either one of us.

I’m having one of those days where even thou I’ve cooked a fair bit, it all seems to have gone wrong, luckily DH seems to snaffle it.

1 Asda delivery snaffled away, grateful for the delivery but a fair few things not available.

2 We have all the bits for a new floor in the bedroom but the bed is a bit of an issue to take apart, so today while changing the bedding, DH took the bed apart and created a frame for the slates so we can just lift it out. I don’t know if we will be able to find anyone to fit it, given the virus situation.

3 Batched cooked up with the turkey mince delivered, half for spag bol  tonight, chilli tomorrow.

4  Woke up with a very twingey back and to do list which rolls over.

5 Just got the washing in before the weather arrived.

Broomstick

Evening all 
Five pleasures for Wednesday:
1. Discovered a wadge of historic family papers including a few beautiful old handwritten wills that I knew existed but hadn't been able to find at my parents' place despite months of searching. 
2.  Went through some of my 'to do' lists (yes, there are several on the go at the moment) and realised that I'd done way more than I thought which was a pleasant surprise.
3.  Smashing pm from someone on this thread - thank you, you know who you are 
4.  Cooked 4x what was needed for supper: two portions for the freezer and one in the fridge for tomorrow and one for tonight and it was delicious..
5.  Lovely phone call at lunchtime with one of the healthcare people who visited my DM before she died and whom she liked a lot.
Sweet dreams
B x

Frith

Pleasures for today (Wednesday)

1) Not a bad sleep.

2) Hens OK and I popped out for more layers pellets and a new drinker for them.

3) Bought a new mask from the charity shop.

4) Managed to deal with the County Council (again) without getting cross. They cancelled their meeting with me today so their own deadline for deciding on a school for smaller son was up. So I had a conversation with his solicitor this morning to tell her about the cancellation and she was going to send County an email saying to sort a school out and they had 7 days to make provision, even if temporary. 
Lo and behold, County then phoned me with a new proposal... (they are getting good at gaslighting because they told me the meeting had been rearranged - it had not - and the other week they pretended that they had not known that smaller son was without a school place...) It was the second most stupid proposal they have ever come up with. They had found him a random place doing an apprenticeship (as what, no one knows), taking 2 GCSEs with lots of other youths. To cap the general stupidity at getting a teenager from a special school, who cannot communicate verbally and wanging him on an apprenticeship - they said he would be interviewed by phone later in the day. By phone !!!!!!! I pointed out (yet again) that he cannot use a phone. Then they said he could be interviewed over Zoom. No, he can't. 
Of course, then the apprenticeship providers phoned me. The lady there was one of the nicest people I have ever spoken to. Obviously, once again County had not told her any of smaller son's problems and she ended up saying, "Well, this would be TOTALLY UNSUITABLE" and "well done to you for keeping going with it" and that she hopes he gets into N College. I have emailed the solicitor with all this so hopefully she will be starting the appeal now. 

5) Had a tidy up and cleaned the bathroom. Did a load of washing which I can't dry until tumble dryer person comes tomorrow to fix it. No central heating means no radiators so it is hung over every chair and top of door in the house. 

6) Tasty tea of pork loin chops with roast veg and stuffing. Bread and butter pudding and I ran out of jam halfway through so the rest of the "sandwiches" were made with salted caramel sauce, which was very good indeed.

7) Started to make Christmas crochet decorations.

8) Watched Ambulance. 

balabooberlies

All goodwill restored.  Apparently because I convinced OH to put his Windows 7 laptop in our local shop (because it had stopped working) to upgrade to Windows 10 he was having withdrawal symptoms.  Doesn't like being without internet.  Sheeesh.......if only I knew......... 

Dad arrived safely.  Feel sorry for him.  His brother and son ill.  Fingers very tightly crossed for both.  Will be taking him to Victoria station today to help him onto train to Kent.  No changes so easy journey.  Mum will pick him up.  He is chomping at the bit to see his grand-daughters.  He looks remarkably well considering all.

Good news.  My hospitalised brother managed to sample a sandwich today without ill effects.  Still on acute ward for various reasons and will have to have biopsies in a month or so.  Cross that bridge when we come to it.

Had lovely chat with cousin in Cyprus.  Always good to hear from her.

Ooooohhhhhh  Dad brought me a favourite hard cheese.  Greek/Cypriot version of parmesan.  And some cakes from my uncle.  Feel very spoilt.

Thinking of you Suffolk Sue.

My soppy hugs and kisses to all.........

X

villagelife

Bala it's good news that your brother has rated something.
1. Managed to book on line delivery for a couple of weeks time for DS1 when he moved into his fkat. He will be staying here for the first week while he paints
2. Work was reasonable - not my main place of work. Spoke with couple of people.
3. Still picking tomatoes and courgettes from the garden.
4. Early night as I feel tured.
5. Reading my book.

ampersand

Good morning all,
&'s occasional binbag out at 5am. Brekkie done, but back in bed writing this, listening to the sharp, observant and funny 'North by Northamptonshire' on R4x. Sheila Hancock's interspersed narration is such a bonus.
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03mflth

1. Another fiddly boozy yesterday, surely it's the final one:-)  2 litres of vg brandy, 96 plums, 2k white sugar, 2 kg brown sugar, increasingly lateral thinking for containers and more unoccupied dark, cool places, but DONE.  Will & remember where all the various bits of fruity still are, come crimbo?

2. YHA Board Member election online. Voted for the head and shoulders outstanding candidate.  Most need to learn that wall of text 'I' this and 'I' that are NOT persuasive.  Frith? Have you had a chance to look yet, amidst all your County shenanigans?  Good luck with that today and thanks be for yesterday's 1 woman and solicitor.  Serious suggestion, a byline diary for dear grauniad, demonstrating dysfunctional government? 

3. More rugby club teatowels collected Tuesday, boilwashed, out and in between cloudbursts. Earlier in day, zoom mtg with care home residents blipped often, but we'll try again.  Definitely worthwhile.  Watched 1st XV squad's intense session training, wow!  Coaching excellence, visibly building week on week. 

4. First 4 walnuts gathered from grass. & will beat squirrels this year by being here. None left last year - & was far away, happily.

5. 4 birthdays attended to, littlies to grown-ups, and things dropped off today :-) Newest news of all was an NZ msg just as &arrived at rugby - little chap safely arrived, another All Black in waiting, as per pic:-), shown and shared.  Means two 1st grandchildren for &'s cousin this qtr:-)
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Church this morning will feel right.  Wish Spitalfields did - but still not, by all reports - near nil footfall in a high covid spike area and situ, plus &'s age.....and all the while bank balance starves, too. Hmmm.
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Bala and Sue - 
You are dealing with so much more. Slow easing for you and your family, with brother and Dad, Bala.  
Sue, others have said so much that's right, including the 'caring for yourself' emphasis which is too often the hardest to do. Please try.
Broomstick - saying same to you, as well🤲.  I remember the long, caring journey you had, plus enforced house move and other uncertainty.
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Brings me to you, mhags - especially thought of every 1st of month, all the while writing wisely and generously for others' longterm care times....and you, still, with your mother.
DfV too, this day 🤲
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Everyone, keep taking care.
Kitty - that means you, too.  We intuit the 2-foots are trying your patience, but gradually, they're shaping up under your intense training.  Be that as it may, we ospers need you to continue dear Raffles' Yellow Thing divination with whiskers, please 🐈🐾🌞🌅🌥🌤🌄.
 

LaineyT

For yesterday,

Early morning visit to the village garage, this time a service for beloved’s car, the bill wasn’t as ouchy as expected which is always a pleasure.

Having Hibiscrub and wound powder in tack box as equine girlie had a cut on her leg, wasn’t bothering her as she allowed me to fiddle around with it and yard owner reported all was well when she came in later.

Cheese and pickle sarnie for lunch, sometimes the simplest things hit the mark.

A solitary yellow rose on a patio plant.

Catching up on Only Connect and actually getting quite a few answers right.

VJsmum

Gentle hugs for those in need.

Frith - you are a marvel in your endeavours for smaller son.  It's a wonder you aren't beating your head against a wall somewhere - really, rather than metaphorically.

Pleasures for Tuesday
1. Back to work (in home office) but it was OK.  
2. A walk in the sunshine to the postbox and back through the cemetery - i like walking there as it is away from the road, there's trees and grass and birds and squirrels.  Was intrigued by a plaque that read "available grave no. 5051" in amongst the ancient graves!  Why?  WHat's happened to its original contents?
3. emmental and asparagus parcels for tea - the biggest meal i've eaten in over a month.
4. More ancestry
5. Banked.

And yesterday
1. More work - had to record my lecture but it went ok.  Not too many retakes.  Decided that next time i'll try to do a 'blooper reel' to make them laugh.
2. Yoga - i must do sessions other / as well as the very gentle session i keep doing.
3. A walk up the road and coffee with a friend - her little dog is funny.
4. Soup and crumble for tea.  Crumble made with the blackberries i picked the other day.
5. Family film night - OH's choice which was "Enola Holmes".  Was watchable but very 'light'.  We lit the fire and all got too hot!

Have a great day all.

DundeeDoll

sending hugs to bala and suffolk sue
hoping things get sorted soon for ds2 frith
vjsmum chest of drawers, very impressive!
sorry to read about grimsby's break in transmission, fingers crossed things pick up on their return (remember Luton looked totally doomed at lockdown)
Seem to have missed a day (realised when reading that mhags got her washing dry 'yesterday' we have had solid rain, looks set in for today too. so for the last 2 days
1) stunning night skies, the first night planets very clear, the second a beautiful moon lighting up the clouds
2) my pots have recovered well from the drenching (forgot to ask dd2 to water them when i was away)
3) i have made a sweet potato soup in my new thermal pot. This is soup #23 since lockdown and my first recipe in the thermal pot (a modern twist on the hay box - made yesterday, still warm with no additional heat after boiling up)
4) really enjoying my new book - the penguin lessons
5) can't remember if i said on a kitchen cupboard clear found my food processor - made more coleslaw yesterday - soooo easy, soooo tasty, soooo cheap. Am working my way through a cupboard at a time. Planning on all cupboards and drawers to have been sorted by Christmas