5 OS pleasures in your day today - part 3

mhagster

Good to hear from you DD and what does Dr M even know! You’re not his type! Pah! We’ve all bought hats! 

For today which turned into a very hot day by local standards… me dressed in jeans as it was dull when I got dressed! 

Second job. Little shift. Three  to go! I am
counting the minutes 😆

Quick home and hung out washing. Then round to mums to load car and go to tip. Update on declutter thread. 

I’ve been clearing the house for 10 weeks and I’m almost there! Inside anyway! But if you saw how much stuff there initially was. I am chuffed with myself. Knackered but chuffed. 

Home via supermarket. Heard my name being called. Was friend so we chatted for a while. This was ( for those who can remember) my letter writing friend from when I lived in Australia. Nice to catch up. 

Too hot for me so I reclined on sofa and may have had a snoozette. 

Then back round to mums to do a bit more power washing and cutting back plants. 

Home and just waiting on my veggies cooking. Having chicken pie for tea. 

Frith

Poo bums to Dr M. 
Well done on the clearing, MHags. 

Pleasures for today (Tuesday)

1) A lie in!

2) Tidied up and cleaned the bathroom.

3) Went to town to get smaller son a new football. Had a cup of tea in M and S and bought a few bits from Sainsburys. I had more jobs on my list but it had got to 32 degrees.

4) Made chicken sandwiches for lunch (from last night's chicken), then smaller son and I made his linguine recipe for tea.

5) Smaller son seems to have had a renaissance (I looked at the screen for ages then, as I could only think of reconnaisance !) He asked for a new football then we played for about 15 minutes (too hot for more). We haven't done that for over a year. He has also decided he is going to eat healthily. At 6 feet 4, he probably weighs about 17 stones at the moment, though he looks ok as he is so tall and broad. This is day 2 of his scheme and, with no input from me, he has decided to stop snacking and eating junk food. He asked for bananas, apples and oranges from Sainsburys, so that is what I bought. He is going to have one takeaway or meal at the football each fortnight. 

6) The weather forecast says 35 degrees here again this week so I was very pleased to see thunderstorms then rain forecast next week. There are so many small fires breaking out and all the lawns and verges are dead. 

7) Smaller son was invited by his teacher and TAs to join their fantasy football thingy when he left college. He is second at the moment and I keep hearing which member of staff is doing well! 

LaineyT

Aw, that’s a shame re DrM DD, but who knows who or what is in your future….
Any idea what’s caused this renaissance Frith, something seen or heard?

For yesterday,

Washing on the line before breakfast and then off to the yard while it was still relatively cool.

Little bit of schooling first, just 15 mins and only trot then a meander up and down the shady side of field.

Driving home and ping, red warning light in car 🙁 dropped off at garage in village and Capt S picked me up.

Phone call 2 hours, mouse damage on wiring, all sorted now. (Very) small bill bless them so popped to the shop on forecourt and got them all an ice cream, most appreciated in a hot workshop.

Tomato and mozzarella arancini for tea with roasted veg couscous, then we had ice cream as well!

Watched a bit of the cricket, interspersed with old episodes of the BB Theory.

DundeeDoll

mhagster said:

Good to hear from you DD and what does Dr M even know! You’re not his type! Pah! We’ve all bought hats! 

 

🤣🤣🤣 and now I am to meet his younger brother on Thursday. which is obvs what you do with 'just good friends' and indeed LaineyT who knows
Love that you refer to your 6 foot 4 son as your 'smaller son' - is that an age thing or is your other son even taller frith?
1) the plumber cameth (then wenteth having shouted something up the stairs - radiator off but new towel rail still in the hall)
2) realised that I needed to paint the wall behind the old radiator as all would be visible through the towel rail so his absence allowed me time to find the paint and roller 
3) having done that i used the rest of the paint in the roller set to do some snagging i've been meaning to do for (blush) 5 years
4) plumber came back, paint was dry, rail back up but then he went again leaving tools
5) Rangers match with Dr M and Mr G - got a reminder text from Dr M (!) as was late due to needing to walk the poor dogs. Made it for the 2nd half and guess what - the plumber was in the pub - he is coming back to finish today - there is nowhere to hide in Dundee 😎. Well done mariners BOP we skates over Luton's result.

Frith

"Love that you refer to your 6 foot 4 son as your 'smaller son' - is that an age thing or is your other son even taller frith?"

DD - When I started writing here, smaller son was the smaller, as he's 2 years younger. 

Bigger son just scrapes the 6 foot barrier.

Admiral_Barbarossa

ampersand said:

Help? please, Admiral.  With leaping energy costs, should & swap from mains to batteries for her constant radio usage?  As per many posts passim, no TV here - notspot. 
& would appreciate any viable advice.  Small one currently plugged in to outside mower extension - a repeat of the ancient 'Crown House' on right now.

There are no energy deals at the moment!

On energy! We have allowed windy miller to dictate watt we have. So I will short for others and can only predict  watt October will bring! Any guess on January would be impossible. I managed to fix last August on a good deal as I watched the world come out of Covid nonsense! Good news is Oil peaked and has now stabilised, with the drop on the price of petrol at the pumps! This will not be reflected inn the price of the pint of milk or other goods inn the Boo Tick! AVOID! So where does that leave us! This is based on The Admirals cabin! 3 bed detached, well insulated and in good condition. It is about the medium house on the OFGEM Scammers site!!!

Elect: 2,950 kWh SC £185 Cost £1,620
Gas 9,500 kWh SC £105 Cost £1,500

I note the scamming utilities are sending out quite high fixes. There are no fixes, tell them to get off the planet. As they realise that our educators have failed to teach arithmetic over the last twenty plus years, the Scamming Utilities send out sky high fixes showing scary costs in pounds and pence! The media do nothing to provide any break down of these figures or how to reduce costs! They are only after ripping you off!

Watt can I do to reduce my cost!
I have reduced our gas water heating costs by half by only turning it for 10 minutes per day! Try it, I would suggest about 5 minutes per person in the house. Frith. Your younger sun probably showers for three hours at a time, the remedy would be an ice bucket challenge. Please use the ice bucket challenge on anyone who takes an age! 

LED Lights! We fitted LEDs throughout the cabin. This reduced elect costs from 3,300 kWh to the 2,950 we have too day!

Now onto & and her not spots! The radio uses about 10W, so would need to be on for around 100 hours to rack up 1kWh (10W x 100 hours = 1kWh). So for 4 hours a day, this would take about 25 days to get to 1kWh. Cost would be around 55 pennies, excluding the SC! Elect is cheaper for radio and does not produce waste inn batteries!

Watt should my consumption be!

Take readings every Saturday and get rid of items that sit and are not switched on! Apart from not spot &, leave the Router and Sky box on. Background is about 70W. The clock on the cooker uses next to note as well!

Take reading on Saturdays. Our use is about 8kWh a week in summer elect and max is 11kWh in winter, as conservatory is on frost! If you do not frost the conservatory, you get mould!

Gas is a little moor difficult based on your meter. This can either be in m3 (metres cubed) or ft3 (cubic feet) Take a notew of watt it is on your meter! Gas has to be converted to kWh. There are calculators online to do this four you! I has linked this one!
Convert Gas Meter Readings to kWh (energylinx.co.uk)

Gas should be around 11kWh per person a week to heat water in summer and then rise to 110 to about 500 kWh a week from Oct to April, giving about 7,700 kWh for this period! We has the thermostatic times witch to control this! Remember that house today are designed to be heated, so you must use frost prevention of 5C minimum!

So watt is the Admiral expecting to pay inn October! Well, I will not as I be still fixed, but for all that would be about £285 a month. Three times watt I currently pay!

As for the future, I believe the EU will not allow Germany to enter recession and as such supply through Nord will be good. Thus, I think the OFGEM Scammers will be scurrying about the hike they allowed the utilities to get away with! Fromm next April, I believe prices with stabilsie again, though never get as low as they have in recent years! How much? I seriously think £220 a month!

Back soon!

DigForVictory

mhagster - bird bath! Pressure washer & snuggles. Shrewd home chemistry on brass. A 10 minute walk that was 7 minutes sniff - hug Haggis from me?! Snoozette wholly earned. 10 weeks - formidable...

Frith - there are meteorites? Plots staying up late and looking at sky if clear... I remember not knowing how long the van was & caving colleague wriggling under it with a tape measure. The Severn is walkable across?! Hurrah Rashford vouchers, and use of tapemeasure on feet. Smitten at renaissance - easiest way to eat healthy is to be motivated from within.

LaineyT - intrigued at stressed out charging around. Ah deadheading - the sort of gardening even I can get right & pleasantly meditative. "Hippo impression" - aye, there's a local grey who is firmly rugged & I'm beginning to see why! Roast chicken lunch, yum. Canny voucher use, & captured Moth! Mouse damage to wiring - Mission Impossible theme now earworm.

Highdays - the first brew of the day can be very special! You've lost the weight of a 7 year old? Well Done! Hurrah 'me' stuff & the wicked humour of grandson.

Admiral - if pigeon in cheery tree, slingshot practice & plan delicious bird bake? La Traviata is wonderful. Fish kettles are fun, even if I've yet to cook a fish using one. You reassure me Twitter dubious if washing spag hoops is a Thing. I have converted almost all bulbs to LED & need to rewire bathroom but when I do it will be LED. I have also a Big Heap of fleeces & the like for sitting still but staying warm in & will try to get the boiler programmed versus frost as a default. Then hide the controller and take up star jumps.

ampersand - the feeding of 50 single-handed - In Awe, Again! Much impressed mechanic saint team lured by hm Satsuma and Lemon marmalade... (Local gent has a fondness for damson jam.)  A sessile oak is very lovely stalwart friend.

VJsmum - line drying & bring there at CAT scan - both underestimated. Well done family pilgrimage, & hm GF quiche.

DundeeDoll - ongoing prayer for best news on 15th, meanwhile cor "domestic tetris" (brilliant!) & DrPiano's Stuff Photo & some days, Menfolk....  And there are more, Plumber included. If we start on "I was going to but", I have walls unpainted 5 years later!

OS Pleasures recently

Fink weather! I had unexpected rain - still, I’d brought most of the laundry in already, but the bath towels now need a lot longer.

“Finite headspace” means sister not applying for govt allowances even though funds can be to routed into an account mum can access now. The man’s still breathing (hurrah) so far.

Sister, hurried, “we’re off to pets at home for puppy pads” (seems the incontinence mats aren’t on the palliative kit list) “and fat balls” - my audible boggling had both sisters laughing, but other sister planning to get assorted pet treats & "just enjoy the bigger store" too.

My parents want to donate their brains to dementia research. Us daughters concerned “what if he dies at home”? & answerphone clear, if funeral directors keep the donor cool they can still collect. Pleasure is knowing we can do what he wants even as he’s at home.

Middleson trying different combinations of drybags for his kayaking & Youngest stepped past this with “packing up your s_x toys?” (All that rubber & the heavy duty pump.) I roared with laughter so no punches were thrown but a few speaking glances…

Lad up for “end point assessment” and was planning to do a bit of the paperwork tomorrow. I persuaded him that a bit today would mean less tomorrow (& maybe not a panic the day after - I managed not to say that out loud) & he’s sat typing at laptop. [All went well.]

Saw “weedkiller pick of the day” offered as TV & presumed this is where from fiction authors do their research. (It’s a sales channel? How disappointing!)

Joanna Lumley & Iranian door knockers that, from the sound, tell you if the caller is male or female. Hugely civilised! A rose water list as opposed to wine - there’s an idea that could catch on.

Youngest has cooked. Monkfish says the box. Perfectly nice but can’t tell difference between that, cod & “white fish”! 

Briskly walked to see ponies - 3 carrots 3 ponies, happy time scrunching! Neighbour’s dog licked my carrotty hands.

Unexpectedly useful & helpful family zoom sorting funeral plans, even a hymn - then they found the previously written ideas After (!) I’m still planning an externally provided sandwich platter wake so mum doesn’t have to cook or wash up (at all if possible) on the day of the funeral. (Dad’s still living, so far. I’m just foreseeing things.)

Sister-in-law has sent us cards to write messages to ma-in-law to go on flowers on coffin. Lads trying to refuse & on the pointy end of logic (if you don’t, she’ll stress at me & I’ll growl at you & then give her your phone numbers…) recognise no option but to reach for a pen. Pleasure in being fairly sure can stick comfort to bereaved in today’s post.

Robust agreement there will not be a “coffin topper” on my casket (no, agrees Middleson, shocking mess at bottom of cliff) - delighted to hear family humour & running gags about alibis have made it to the young generation!

To change Corgi cover to reflect new boiler requires new policy (argh) but lass on phone very sweet & laughed at me wanting the documents “in a form I can chew”. Pleasure in it being right.

Tried on funeral frock - still fits, phew.

Tried a couple of different ways to wear hair for funeral - had to laugh, my grey hairs showed up vividly! Pearl hairpins from wedding still in box - think it would amuse Ma-in-law.

Health Strength Love & Courage to all as have need, and may I suggest we all take up sunhats? Just til this blinking heat cools off again. 

mhagster

Hello. Sunny day here again. Did not wear jeans today 😆

Didn’t set my alarm this morning.

10 minute walk early just us and the birds. 

Work. Two to go! I can do it! 

Went to mums straight from work . Update on declutter thread.

Home. Hello doggy. I’ve hoovered. Cleaned bathrooms. Stripped bed. Cut grass. 

Watched a nice film…May have had a tiny snoozette. 

Back round to mums. 

Home. Filled bowls with hydrangeas. 

Friend just called so she’s popping over. 

Admiral_Barbarossa

mhagster said:

Hello. Sunny day here again. Did not wear jeans today 😆

Ooh, la la!

I’ll see the cat out, nite all!

Frith

DfV - yes, meteorites reaching their peak in a few days. You need a deckchair that nearly lies right back or to lie on a yoga mat on the grass otherwise you get a stiff neck. There is one every 5 minutes or so at the moment. Medical research - my mum wants to go to Birmingham Uni for medical students to practise on, when the time comes. 

Lainey - I don't know why smaller son has taken action. It must be in the water (more to follow).

Pleasures for today (Wednesday)

1) Not a bad sleep.

2) Bigger son appeared! Like smaller son, he has suddenly made a decision - to stop smoking. He has stopped about 3 or 4 times before. He is very good at stopping, but has "just one" about 6 months or so later and starts up again. Usually day 3 is the worst and he gets very tetchy but he was fine today (which is day 3). 

3) It is all go for the Europe trip. The van has been to a weighbridge and has new (scrapyard) speedos and dials. 

4) We went out for breakfast, went on to carpet town, looked round the two largest charity shops then went to B and Q for storage boxes. Also paid smaller son's birthday cheque from his auntie into his bank. 

5) Back home and we completely cleared out his shed. He had 3 enormous storage boxes of tools (plus many bags full), plus sheets of wood and metal, power tools and the vice and workbenches. He took all that to his father's. Tomorrow we just have to dismantle the shed, which isn't too bad. It was EXTREMELY HOT working on the clearing today. 

6) I popped into nearest town afterwards (as I shan't go over the next few very hot days) and had a good haul at the charity shops. I bought a long length vest top (VW campers on it) plus a floor length sun dress. I'm not sure if I've worn a dress since I got married. Also found a t shirt for smaller son and a book. Bought a book for brother in law's birthday (from the bookshop). 

7) There was disappointment when I got home as I hadn't bought any snacks. Toast and peanut butter was served then I made toad in the hole for tea with carrots. It was too hot to make roast potatoes so I just did a few hash browns! 

8) I did the washing, including charity shop buys and pondered whether I should put it on the line wearing just my nightie. I did go out and saw a glimpse of my neighbour through her window and she was cooking in her underwear!