5 OS pleasures in your day today - part 3

Frith

Ooo, look after yourself, SuffolkSue.

Risotto - I'm sorry, it's just wet rice! 

Pleasures for today (Tuesday)

1) Not a bad sleep.

2) Well! I was rather looking forward to having a blood test and seeing if I have any iron now. I had made the appointment online with no problems. Drove there, walked in, had name checked on the computer by the stabby nurse. She then said, "Who told you that you needed this appointment?" I said that I made it online, as I am still at 5% of optimum. She said, "You can't book blood tests" (although obviously I had...) 

Was then sent to reception who said I couldn't book a blood test online. I asked why it was physically very easy to do so, if not allowed. Blood test was cancelled, despite my having an appointment and the nurse sitting there.

I then had to shout across the desk about what exactly I needed it for (all in my notes) and had to wait 5 hours for the receptionist to phone me back and say of course I could have a blood test. It is now next week. Sigh...

3) I went on to M and S and had a pot of tea and did some Arabic.

4) Vaguely tidied up and did a load of washing.

5) Smaller son wanted to go to Sainsburys, so we did.

6) Made a batch of tomato sauce for tea tonight (meatballs) and also 2 bags for the freezer.

7) I am still catching up on Race Across the World. 

LaineyT

Ooh DD, just one more match now!

For yesterday,

A better night and woke just after 6 so read in bed for a bit.

Spent the morning at the yard, warm in the sunshine.

Bright yellows, rapeseed in fields and laburnum trees in flower.

A different looking pigeon hoovering up bird seed under apple tree, looked it up and apparently it’s a stock dove, lovely green neck.

Tea was stuffed peppers and arancini.

ampersand

SuffolkSue - that's been a nasty fall, by the sound of it.  Do all you're told, so you can enjoy spring and summer. 
Pk - good news of your latest rescue. Suggest name, Mercy ?
Frith - what an annoying load of fiddle-faddle.   Good luck for next week and that they remember!
#
1.  Happy 10% discount day at FW in Town of Horse.  & was overcharged - small human error, but Manager then made &'s carrots free.  Needless but kind, as the staff are, always. 

2.  Young LP friend/Professor is newly engaged to his colleague and &'s nonsense+congratulations pkge to them will head there today.  Was at rugby Club, with WiFi, so parcel now addressed to go.

3.  Sent film of dripping fuel from new2& vehicle to Fenboys.  Likely night-time pothole damage - big hit, completely unseen in darkness.  Coincidentally, heard Matt Morell, aka Mr Pothole, on radio yesterday.  Interesting, alarming and surprising in equal measure.  Also read of chap being fined for fixing a longstanding pothole when authorities did nothing for months, despite being aware. 

4. At Peacock HQ, gave bottle of &'s NZ province red and h-m marmalade to DoR for birthday.  7s Festival is Saturday with fundraising for Arthur Rank hospices.  Involvement discussed. Fingers x'd for success on all fronts.

5.  Loved this big red poppy, seen when parking - and now the usual 'No t'internet'.  Will load it later.  & tries to save osps via Notes, but even this doesn't always work. 
#
Happy Wednesdays all.
Out now.  Let's see if pics load:

Highdays

Hello again.

Funny weather here today, looked sunny at times but chilly, other times looked dark and grey but felt warmer. Not quite summer yet though.

Today's pleasures:

1) A lovely deep sleep, gradually easing into a new day from the warm comfort of my bed. Sadly, bed changing day today so all crisp and new tonight where I prefer it 'bedded in' (sorry!) a bit. Like having your hair cut on the very day it looks just right!

2) A day at home, just fab. We mooched and drank coffee this morning just because we could but then got cracking and achieved quite a bit. Parcel of lovely new hand washes and hand creams came, gorgeous boxes so will keep for bits'n'bobs. I now have rhubarb flavour in my bathroom and hubby has whisky and water flavour in his.

3) Bad news from the roofer who was due to start on Monday, he is behind with his site work and then on holiday for two weeks in June so can't now start til the beginning of July. Son spoke to the builder who says the roofer is so good he is worth hanging on for so the roof is now on hold and we are on with other stuff. They have boarded up the holes where the velux windows will go in the meantime and we have plastic sheeting flapping around. Son had a long chat with the engineer and a new plan for the  steel column and pad for the corner of the original house has been agreed on and will be run past the building inspector tomorrow. It'll be strong enough to hold up a skyscraper so there will be no problems getting his approval, it's a real belt and braces job but better safe than sorry.

4) Faffed about playing in the kitchen this afternoon. Have made some diet lemon curd which turned out surprisingly moreish and may have mostly been consumed already making it maybe not quite so diet-friendly but luckily have some more lemons so will make some more and will show a tad more restraint. Also made meatballs to have in tomato sauce with spaghetti for tea. We are feeding the little fella as son and the eldest two have gone out for tea and to a 15 film, I played about getting as many veg into the sauce as possible and then blended it so he won't even notice the carrots, tomatoes, peppers, courgette, celery, mushrooms, broccoli and cauli that he would normally turn his nose up at! And, yep, I was right and he wolfed it down!

5) The steps up to my front door need a handrail and some railings. Man came at teatime to discuss and measure up and had some really good ideas. I am very excited, they will look just perfect. Not cheap but these days what is??!! 

And now for the final pleasure of the day, I get to bath the little fella and read him his bedtime story. Then sleepy cuddles and whispers and he will be in the Land of Nod pretty much before I get downstairs. Precious times!

Enjoy your evening.

mhagster

A busy day of in and mainly out.

up early. 

Chat to DD1
Drive down to beach town to meet niece. Once I was out of town it was a nice drive but a bit rush-houry in town. Nice drive back.

Met for breakfast. I just had toast and jam. Walked along the seafront then had a mooch around the charity shops. I got a wee blouse that I washed and wore tonight. And a jacket for great nephew. 

Popped into supermarket there to see if I could get a suitable balloon for this evening but no I couldn’t but did get 2 bunches of flowers reduced from £15 to £1.50 ! 

Then we drove separately to the beach I walk on and had a nice wander. Both of us chatting about what the sea means to us.

Then I went home and she went to pick up boyo at nursery. 

Hello doggy…it’s a flying visit as I needed to go and housesit for DD2 

From there  I went to b and q and got plants. I’d a £10 off voucher and miraculously got a eucalyptus which is what I was looking for at half price! 

Home and hello doggy. I know I missed you too. Showered and changed and back out again! 

Had a ‘night in ‘ at work as a colleague is leaving soon. Nice night. Chatter. Good food.

Came home with fruit that I’d bought to make a fruit platter but didn’t use all of it. A slice of cheesecake too. And I’d also got a bunch of RTC peonies. 

Hello dog…it’s time for bed! Hoping i sleep better tonight. 

Purple_kitten

1 We did the tip run which is a pleasure.

2 We went from the tip over to what used to be a lovely garden centre for lunch and things, but we ignored lunch after we saw the prices, and we were underwhelmed by a lot there, we did get the compost we wanted on a great offer, and got back and spent a long time gardening.We also picked up some 75% off kitten food for the new little un, to try and ween him off the other food he's on, onto slightly better food, and then hopefully he'll naturally make his way to the normal grub.

3 While I gardened, DH took down the satellite dish and replaced it while I kept an eye on the ladder and helped re tune.

4 New for us bedding bought earlier in the year on sale.

5 Batch cooked up a curry, which was tonight’s food and portioned to the freezer.

Little 4 paw is continuing to learn, and the others are starting to accept him - touch wood, not out of the woods just yet. He keeps getting very over tired and very grumpy with it, as I don't think he's had the freedom of any house and all the noises that come with it before, the other night he was on the go all night exploring being very vocal about every step he took.

Suffolksue

Saw physio this morning and urgent orthopaedic referral done 
I was expecting to have to fight for one ,but as soon as he saw me and heard what had happened he just said he was doing it .Apparently a fall like that (hip just gave way ) puts it up to a new level .
face is settling but still enough noticeable bruising  to shock  people !
wonder how long is urgent in  current times 
major pleasure is the kindness of all the staff who have dealt with me .

Glad little 4 paws is settling in but a dubious pleasure is constant night perambulation S 

PaulieHerts

Lovely couple of days away in a caravan in Walton on the Naze.  Sunshine on Tuesday and dinner with an old friend yesterday, a boat trip to see the 🦭 followed by fish and chips at Frinton today 😊. We’ve been sussing out the area as I would really like to live by the sea when OH retires. Got to head home tomorrow as I have a dental appointment on Friday ☹️
night all  💤 

DigForVictory

Rolls back in! RL quite demented.

purple kitten -- hoping your new arrival is allowed home with you by now - settling by doing " found the garden ... not convinced he’s slept much at all" all will settle eventually?! "keeps getting very over tired and very grumpy"- no matter what his life expectancy that sounds like young male to me.

mhagster - flat pack frustration now over & you can enjoy a good read That eucalyptus was waiting for you!

ampersand - put the keys in the fridge - oh that's awful close to the knuckle & Very Funny! Rugby leftovers to homeless - brilliant. Glorious flowers!

Highdays - you are amazing generous with ironing. Atta gal sneaking the veggies into them.

Frith - hurrah tickets & oh dear mother. Ulp car crash. Yikes pass thre paper tickets!

LaineyT - googling running braid showed a youtube that made it look easy, but its always a fiend if you don't braid routinely!

DundeeDoll - can't go wrong with a blast of Bowie! "Dr M sent apologies, he'd forgotten his niece was getting married" - chortling here Ah hg rhubarb reaches parts other plants daren't mention.

VJsmum - properly clean house well done! 

topsyturphy - Well done planning a holiday and repeating the "sympathy But" line. I'm guessing he keeps it for you & not the neighbours?

Happycas - venue agreed?! Excellent. (Insurance nailed into place?)

Suffolksue - darlin girl what Have you been doing that medics are setting your nose?! Hip went dicky on you & wham? Yikes. Hurrah urgent orthopaedic referral in hand.

BoP? Where are you? Snorkers lacking savour in your absence.

OS Pleasures recently

Put up bunting (in teeth of republican opposition) 

Planted out myrtle - hoping for growth, leaves, blossom (& maybe it can be part of a bouquet someday…)

Crooned to borage & chives, clearly grasping spring & working at it!

Looked up how to tie a friendship knot - grand for neckers but also for scarves.

Watched the coronation and just smitten at the military logistics underpinning the religious event. Beautifully done. (That I’m a huge fan of the pipes & drums & horses is just one of those things.)

One of the apple trees in mum’s garden has fallen victim to doorstep “tree surgeons” who’ve left a heck of a mess & probably killed the tree I learned to climb on. The two bright gleams are the cheque has been stopped & I may get some apple wood to learn to carve spoons. Not how I wanted to continue the family tradition but I’ll salvage what I can.

Oh my. Home made cream tea & I have stopped just one scone short of queasy, but oh I am So Lucky my son is so patient & such a good cook!

Line dried bedlinen, a very special pleasure. Switched summer weight duvet into place, ooooh feels light (fleece blanket in grab range.)

The problem with floor work doing yoga exercises is you find yourself somewhat eyeball to eyeball with the hoovering you haven’t done. Still, once I’m flexed & moving more easily, I can ignore it better.

Researching apple tags for parental well-being & coming to the concept of geofencing & stopping as we need a better alternative. Pleasure is she doesn’t need it yet.

Badminton horse trials - glorious! 

Exhuming herb seeds (2014!) - we’ll see if they germinate. Rose hips showing hopeful signs, herb cuttings not yet dry & dead.

Sewing bee & the polka dot parka - Himself might faint (an OG man) but it makes me chuckle. The whole zip & placket racket is a real monster.

FamIly tree climbing in Norfolk. Really, just how odd do things get out there?! Mind, sis-in-law of grand-aunt of husband of maternal first cousin.... 

Oooh, phone software update. Always intriguing to see what changes. (Brightness so far mostly.)

Spread the good word about the one pound shampoo bar (MSE blagged deal) - nice to hear happy “ooh!”s!

Just heard rain drops patter on my home office window - glad plans to get laundry onto line delayed….

Bunting down & in the recycling, republican given hedge a gentle trim.

Middleson up early for work, then tomorrow likewise but going to Newcastle to be fitted for his best man suit, back Sunday for another early start Monday. (He & a friend a joint best men - how they sort the speech & cover all the Best Man bases will be fun to hear. As his mother I’ll probably not hear a peep.)

I am amused at the flutter of next doors bunting, as I sit in the sun & listen to small birds exchanging views.

In a meeting in how to make online training more accessible, inclusive & generally supportive of all, the challenge of the accessible version being a Bowdlerised & uninspiring & failing in teaching text was discussed. I suggested this core text be written First and the graphics & interactive elements added After - glorious “oh!” of recognition that that was both hugely possible and inexpensive. Far too logical but it may help!

Alas there is insufficient breeze to dry the bath towels,so they’re folded to be pegged back out tomorrow, which is forecast glorious.

Watching the weather forecast & planning a bedding wash, hoping to wash & dry as many sheets and duvet covers & pillow cases as possible so we can all sleep on sun crisp bedding.

Heaps of line dried bedding, in a house brushed through with fresh sunny air.  (I even did a stack of washing up, dried & put it away. Youngest irate at me ‘hiding’ the grater!)

Queen live at Wembley-then. Glorious! It is indeed a kind of magic (fondly recalls ‘Highlander’)

It’s been a glorious day, but as soon as my toes hit the hot water bottle a wave of “ahhhh” rolls through me…

Reading Dorothy L Sayer (/Paton Walsh) & “to hear the sound of poetry in an unknown tongue. Very impressive and mysterious.” So read aloud “two households” and pondered a limerick or two & just thanked anyone listening for DLS.

I get the quince seeds out of the fridge thinking it’ll be warm enough now, set up the germination cell & then watch the weather forecaster point out the cold imminent. D’oh! (Mind, proposed heatwave may help.)

Grinned at colleague’s T shirt “best dad in the galaxy” over Darth Vader. Sharing the big grin at the shared story.

Gallumphed down in time for the civic trust meeting in person! Stayed to chat (my fellow committee members are formidable & fascinating & very funny!)

Gifted “the diamond jubilee book of scouting” & dive into scout proverbs. “A boy’s memory is as long as a guinea-pig’s tail”, and “Beware of uniformity” strike deep, releasing laughter & relief that decades later, someone ran a very sharp eye over the leaders as well as the scouts.

Sharper than a serpents tooth. Brat snarling don’t touch his bed. Stripped, washed, line dried, unappreciated….

Lad presented a new idea for engineering to Royal Mail honchos that will save £40K/year/site. Says he modestly “part of a small team” then added “I was the driving force”…. Me roaring with laughter here.

A gift card feels like licence to spend almost irresponsibly. So I stuck to the list (& only added jam & biscuits for the lads.) The garden stuff was shut anyway.

The cost of being a student to double. Really not certain this is the right path for youngest, but equally certain he needs to achieve independence - just not sure how.

Through national numeracy I treated myself to a brief lesson in humility (I do need to use a calculator sometimes, ahem) and then did a bit of applied maths & made another mortgage overpayment.

Middleson has taken delivery of a dehumidifier - at last he can dry his inflatable kayaks with less fuss & we can try to care for the gable wall in the wet.
Scouts built & climbed a monkey climb - much happy yelps and "I'm Bond!" cries. I may feel older than a printed Bible tomorrow but right now I'm about 11 & full of the joys. 

Health strength love & courage to all as have need, waterproofs & sunhats as indicated!

Frith

Pleasures for today (Wednesday)

1) Not a bad sleep.

2) Invigilated during the morning. Just one student in the room (I tend to be given the more complicated people as I used to work there) and she was very pleasant.

3) Went to Waitrose cafe afterwards and did some Arabic.

4) Off to the charity shops and I found 2 tops for me and a Woods ware teapot for my sister. We have been looking for one for her for years and years! 

5) A crashing social faux pas, which might amuse... Outside the charity shop, a man had locked his keys in his car. He only lived the other side of the river so I said I would give him a lift to get his spare keys. It was probably 20 minutes to drive there and back and we had a chat about his folk music playing and his American classic cars. 

On our return, he said thank you and asked for my phone number. In my confusion/surprise, my brain tried hard to say politely, "No, you'll be OK now" (now that you are back at your car with your keys). Unfortunately, my brain actually said, "No, you're alright"... 

6) Dropped the teapot off at my sister's and received a photo later of her grinning and pouring tea from it!

7) Tasty meatballs in a wrap and a few chips for tea.

8) Went to chess club which also finished in an... unexpected fashion. It must be the day for it!