5 OS pleasures in your day today - part 3

Frith

Sorry you've had a rough time of it, Suffolksue. I hope you can get a tumble dryer sorted out quickly. Glad the NHS are looking out for you.


Pleasures for today (Wednesday).


1) A lot of mithering little displeasures pre-noon. All I wanted was to find out what time the planning officer was going to arrive in the village, and see if I could speak to Highways. Pushed from pillar to post on the phone and never did get to speak to anyone!


Neighbour 2 doors up was also keeping an eye out. Of course, the planning officer appeared when I was boiling leek and potato soup and putting turnovers in the oven...


Anyway, a long meeting with her outside. 2 door up neighbour there then (completely by chance) 3 other neighbours appeared! I phoned the parish council chap and he zipped up in his car.


To pr!cis, we have 6 cottages in our terrace. Beyond them (on same side of the road) there is then no other house for 4 miles and 2 houses on the opposite side for the same stretch! But if you look uphill from us, there is a deadly (sadly literally) crossroads and the centre of the little village.


Cue someone putting in planning permission for 5 enormous houses on the land opposite us, where we all park our cars as our houses are 180 years old so they didn't think of parking... It is also parking for the shop, telephone exchange, village hall, school bus and anything else that doesn't want to get ploughed into on the main A road.


Well, the planning office was not entirely happy with the plans and couldn't believe how busy the main road was or how many cars use the car park ALL THE TIME (coming and going while we were talking). Council man said his bit. Highways apparently are very much against it. So we shall see...


2) Managed to catch downhill neighbours and they are also going to make a complaint. That is 4 of us so far. And the parish council...


3) Hen still alive, but barely. It looks like Mareks disease but all the symptoms of all hen illnesses are the same.


4) My Welsh language calendar came in the post. Dydd Merched today.


5) Made soup, turnovers, enough roast veg for 2 meals then did roast chicken, the veg, stuffing, bread sauce, peas and gravy for tea. Smaller son was pleased.


6) My brother came round for board games. Many more bottles of alcohol found (I think it's nearing 30 this year so far) and mum is choosing to no longer drive during the day either (used to be 5pm onwards that she wouldn't) which suggests she is now drinking round the clock. My brother did get a bit cross that I'm not "doing anything" and I reiterated the things I said I would do but there's actually very little we can do.


7) Bigger son phoned from Wales. He was sad this morning when all his fellow new recruits went to different centres but he likes this one more than Shropshire as the facilities are smarter and he can cycle into town! Will go to France in next 2-4 weeks.

DundeeDoll

tough time for you and your brother frith
for yesterday
1) very early start as was examining an MD in Edinburgh. Met son at the station (he cycled i walked so i left quite a bit earlier)
2) the internal examiner took me for lunch after - staff canteen shepherd's pie - was lish
3) had own cup and got double stamps on loyalty card from cafe nero
4) tempted by the pub but instead stayed home to write report
5) listened to radio 5. Leicester game very exciting and Luton won bop. Our first points this year.
for today
1) invited for lunch at very nice indian restaurant to meet uni partner - i packed an empty sandwich box in case of left-overs
2) bought a day ticket for the bus as needed to change campus twice - i will be able to claim that back
3) lunch was lish and there was indeed left-overs which i had for tea
4) then played ceilidh for uni boat club
5) bought raffle tickets. when i saw i was getting ticket 273 i said 'oh good my lucky number' (i like it cos it's 0 celsius in K) and guess what, it won £25 fancy dress shop voucher.

villagelife

Frith- hope the council see sense and reject the planning permission.

1. Text conversation with a friend. Some sanity in my day.

2. Hard day at work due to various things but was thanked by someone at the end of the day which helped.

3. Another new recipe tried. Lamb with rosemary and port. I enjoyed it and another quick meal.

4. Peaceful evening DH late in and both sons in their rooms watching Netflix. Reading my book listening to musiv.

5. Still no need for painkillers for my back.

balabooberlies

Purple Kitten. Thinking of you and your little one. So heartwarming that his family love him so much.

Suffolk Sue. Thinking of you too. Wishing you all the help you need.

Bala

X

LaineyT

Better news on your little one PK
Good to hear that you are getting the practical help you need Sue

For yesterday,

The mornings finally seem to be getting lighter, clear skies helped.

Vet visited the beautiful grey one for annual jabs and dentistry work. First time with an automatic rasp for my girlie and she was well behaved, there was some sharp points so hopefully more comfortable now. My 650 kg horse did hide her face under my arm when the needle appeared though.

Met the vet’s wing man, a 6 month old springer sat in the passenger seat. Obviously had to have a cuddle!

Driving home and heard that Utd had sacked yet another manager, when are they going to learn that current module isn’t working, fear for my club.

Bit of a lazy afternoon really, pootled around doing a few chores but read a fair bit too.

Pork escalopes for tea with celeriac mash, had forgotten how much I like it.

CRANKY40

Good morning all, pleasures for yesterday...

Took friend to physio - he's much improved and I made him walk across the car park instead of dropping him outside the door. He was also able to bend his leg enough to manage the front seat of the car.

Stayed for coffee and a chat with friend after dropping him off. Talked through a few of the difficulties that I feel I'm trying to work through with the HT. It's good to have another adult opinion and we came up with a few ideas to move things forward.

Work was very busy so time flew. Not many of us on shift so tips were good.

Took the HT to the pet shop for a couple of shrimps for his tank (algae eaters). They're called Dolly and Dot. He's even more in love with the contents of his tank now.

Long chat via text message with my sister. She's coughing too much to talk via phone but we still managed a good long gab.

PK I hope everything is good with your little fuzzy friends.

SSue Hugs

& Not OAP vanity at all, it's self care which is so important yet neglected by so many through lack of time/opportunity/family pressures etc.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Well it would not bee lunch bites of there was no BoP. Still, I can still change mext weak into, I guess, James Herring? Or does yous wants to still has your BoP?

Decision is made. Big Tour coming inn! Thinks mes shovel is going to be hanging shortly!

Now the last of the Few has departed.

PM2DD Oh the forums of the Fish are ecstatic this day, the Scoonts has lost their manager. He is a Grimsby reject. The magic dust has gone and the swan will soon be offski!

I sees theys found Mr Bingham! I can tell yous he is with Elvis in gatehouse, doing the coffees now!

Nows on to your version of the life of BoP!

Extra biscuit inn mes lunch box today. A Rocky!

Flipping good last eve as I did the pancakes. Properly done in lard. And good fors yous. No mess and loads of tossing. Yous see ifs you put them in lard, in the pan theres be easy to toss over. Served with freshly squeezed lemon and topped with cocoa and icing sugar!

Anyone else put cocoa on them pancakes?

I know, bits short this day!

When we are all silenced for who we are, we will be dumbfounded by our cohesive compliance

DigForVictory

This once a day idea seems to be dashed tricky to hold onto, like a bar of wet soap.

VJmum - a bath with bubbles in it... Thinking before typing surely helps? Find the perfect pod? Right, Jojo Rabbit on must see list as middleson raved about it too.
SuffolkSue - much of the strength is in fact pints of tea. The generosity of heart & spirit that doesn't let carers put DH to bed at their convenience, so you carry on. Awed, & proferring teapot. Drier deserting you? Not the ticket & hope help includes replacement/robust repair shortly.
MrsLW - the chaps deserve medals the size of dustbin lids. Aw, grandpickle sitting!
bala - love the thought of Tiggy in a bright pink coat! A good vet taxi is wonderful.
Jayzee - good supplies & DH who can cook - bliss! Nice folk at tips are wonderful - helpful & good for morale.
baggins - real fire & book - sometimes the anticipation can be almost as good as the event.
mhagster - chortling at Haggis glowering at birdwatch. Us humans just do not get it, some days. Hyacinths & Not Being In The Rain! A day just for you - excellent!
Cranky - is it the ironing or the completion that's the pleasure? Awed, either way. "Discharged by physio" sees me imagining some contraption with springs & a catch... Imagining tank with Dandelion, Dolly & Dot. The joy of txt when cough severe - recall a phone call where I talked & sis replied in whistles.
DundeeDoll - being the friend with whom you can "test out" angina meds! Priceless. Getting an untidy room sorted & then blessed to prevent relapses? [If that Works, might your Bishop be coaxed into a house call in Lancashire?] Love taking box to lunch, in case of leftovers & it worked! Why is 0K your lucky number?
Frith - well done was mostly by the funeral folk but it was heartwarming to see how Everyone had put the effort in. Fascinated by museum emergency plans. Are you migrating to double as house standard duvet? [Has to be less fuss than running King, Double And Single, ahem - voice of frustration when the fitted sheet doesn't.] Much easier as no matter how bigger sons grow, double still covers all, even if at an angle. So hope Planning Officer heeds evidence of yourself & neighbours & Councilman & own eyes & tells developer No. All strength with mother.
Purple kitten - so hoping for little animal & so right to hit the hot chocolate. Oh - happydance he's at home & cuddled into a bundle! (Please, get another chocolate down you? minimum?)
Skint - love that poem & thank you for reminding me of it. Finding our own path - we're certainly trying & I worry Himself has the toughest job as the stay at home parent role fades after A levels this summer & he he's losing foci for his energies & affections & interests.
Shropshirelass - never underestimate the pleasure of a snooze! Awed you have All your insurances sorted!
villagelife - a random doubledecker can be huge fun - did you ride up top? A proper shepherds pie is a lovesome thing in any size. Lamb with rosemary and port sounds wonderful, & it's quick?!
LaineytT - must admit I still need to get needle & thread out but it's on the to do list. Giggles in yoga help with chi if not breathing. (There's a pose renamed "of the pigeon" as getting into & out of it requires a bit of "coo"...) Bright sunlight shows up cobwebs? [Yikes] Love hiding face when needle appears...
BoP - alas the pasty was straight out of Mannings, but absolutely hit the spot. Cricket good news as well! Pancakes, ah! Lard in pastry - quite possibly - Lancashire after all.
procrastinator - worry not, I have form for missing weeks. Sunshine? Brilliant!
Nargleblast - your own car is like your own bed - others may have novelty but for relaxed confidence... Best of luck with living room plan & to son & new flatmates!
ampersand - wherever you read this, safe & happy travels! Not silly or vain to take steps to feel more like yourself, indeed positively needful/vital.
PaulieHerts - absolutely right to stay away from refurb-in-progress, even lurgified. Hope the healing sleep came.

OS pleasures recently

The Christmas-built Playmobil Musketeer is on my monitor alongside a dozen brother figures. “You need to buy another one!” chirped a superstitious colleague. I smile, striving not to laugh aloud or blush. There’s a box at home with at least 20 other mystery figures.... [My Inner Toddler is a tad subdued at present.]

It’s been snowing a bit, so I worked from home. Sorted a file for a colleague, updated the workflow management data, marked off leave & public holidays - I’ll not be looking at New Years in quite the same way again. There may be daughters in law, even grandchildren yet, but for a while it’s going to be a bit of a sod.

It’s taken 28 days to go back & deliberately listen to You Never Can Tell (Springsteen live Leipzig 2013) which I was listening to and loving the vivid live-music taste - and yet today it’s still glorious. Yes, there’s an extra “he missed this” pang but it’s still great music played well. The Purple Rain cover is just one of those ‘with hindsight’ stunners.

Mother in law on phone asking after youngest - difficult to explain his digital life & the closed door between that & what we are allowed to see. Mind, when middleson has friends over we’re used to being instructed to stay out of sight.

The funeral directors called to ask if we wanted a “thank you for the cards & donations” notice in the paper. A snip at £150, which is *still* more than the stamps & stationery to date or forecast. There are still a lot of thank you notes to write & send, but the newspaper isn’t my preferred format.

Friend eyeing youngest’s fleece & apparently laughed “in heretics” at the “grandad jumper”. In which he was warm & comfortable & wholly serene. [Machine washable & thrives on tumble drier too. Methinks friend unaware of practicality of fleece. Doubtless they’ll learn!]

Seen on a truck “if it ain’t flyin’ i ain’t tryin’” it was parked at the time, but the marshalling guy (to reverse him in) was discussing the finer points.

Colleagues ‘dropping by’ and crooning over my (usual) mug which is a holiday photo album patchwork job. Never occurred to me lad’s haircut was a mullet but yes!

Text from sis - she’s got the job running a charity shop! What this will do to her mental health related benefits, housing etc we can only wait & see but she’s (rightly) very pleased.

Home made Shepherds pie microwaved & eaten at my desk today. Bless the man, Himself makes being at work even more rewarding.

Right. Health strength love courage big hugs & working white goods to all as gave need, may all who travel return safely & anyone needing cold weather gear tomorrow find it in sufficiency & weather resistance!

juliettet

Lovely as always DFV. Strength right back to you.

Strawberries BOP? No No No. Sugar & lemon always.

S Sue, our wonderful NHS workers are priceless.

My 5 ,
1. At the end of a busy fortnight at work. Even powered up the laptop for 2 hours on Sunday. Very productive though.
2. Another week and it will be light when I leave the office.
3. Spring bulbs now all visible through the earth. A bit early for Central Scotland.
4. Homemade pasta sauce for tea. Easy to sort.
5. PK, I wish all pets were so well looked after. I hope the recovery continues.

mhagster

Hello. The first day at work done! Was a bit stressy this morning but a much calmer afternoon.

Lovely chat with DD1 as I made the scones & soup this morning...chattering as I went along . She was lying on her hammock in the garden!

Bought daffodils for work and daffodils for home.

Home with 3 baked potatoes to get chopped up to make 18 roast potatoes for freezer.

Alright tips ( nothing startling which sounds very mean spirited. They’re absolutely not a given that we get them but it makes a busy day worthwhile when we do!)

Yay! Still daylight when I got home and dry ( just) for the quick doggy walk.

Hot shower and jammies on. Aching back and aching hips. One more day to do...I absolutely can do it!

Enjoying peace and quiet as no one else is in. Just me and the dog.

Making little bagel pizza doodahs for tea. With salad and coleslaw.
One more day of vegetarianism! It ain’t for me!