NST March 2020 Merriment

mothernerd

Yesterday was a good day. Twin of mummy of twins came with wheat biscuits and mini wraps (rationed) mum had requested (won't have any milk but, whatever). Aldi had been packed, they closed the first queue she was in and then the one they'd been told to move to. I asked about yoghurt (I eat porridge oats in fruit yoghurt) and marg/butter/ spread (mum has only a skerrick left although she has two large nearly full tubs of Stawk which was bought to do the X*** fair baking which didn't happen). I have some at home (including 2 x 50p on offer butter which I bought when forced to go to Icyland because the online order didn't bring curries for DS3) but will have to leave some for them. There didn't seem to have been a rush on those items. No toilet roll but thanks to their grandad (mum's partner for over 20 years), they had been brought up to have spares (and then spares of spares and as many toilet rolls as you could find room for).

Spent some time on the preppers thread which had reported the previous day that earliest available SM delivery dates were in 3 weeks (also news item yesterday when 2 pensioners received 5 items from their £50 delivery). Many preppers have stocks of long life stuff but use local shops for fresh stuff. So long-term sick preppers who normally use deliveries were giving crash courses to those who don't (including checking back to see if any slots had become available) or trying to set things up for an older generation who make me look like a tech genius (for every silver surfer there are people in their 80s and 90s who have never been near a computer) or tearing their hair out trying to persuade friends and relatives that this needs to be taken seriously and not go on as usual. Some also had grown up children who are fiercely independent, but due to syndromes/ MH issues may not fully comprehend what is happening not to mention the young woman who's going to go into labour at any time.

I really do apologise for being intolerant dolly, I understand your viewpoint (I avoid our indoor market because of pensioners who stick to the traditional open days - it only needs 2 walking sticks and a mobility aid standing chatting and the whole market is gridlocked) but some people do not have a choice (or are making the best available choices in their circumstances). I intend to do some future home delivery orders when I am in lockdown (and the twins have both offered to bring stuff) but atm the only food I am relying on is what I can get here.

In the afternoon I ventured to Morries (nearest to bungalow) and returned with 8 bags (I only had 2 bags for life but there was a carrier bag and some of their takeaway bags inside) on the walker. I did get funny looks on the two occasions I moved onto the grass verge to keep a safe distance from people coming the other way. No small trolleys or baskets inside the store but I didn't have to get in a queue to get served. I presume most people had gone early and that what was available were things they didn't want. No bananas but got 2 nets of oranges (mum request as she can eat them on a wrap - she's off bread but wraps seem ok), no potatoes but did get a red cabbage, a fennel,  two bunches of raw beetroot,two brown paper bags of onions and one of apples. More jam (general rule is if mum can spread it on a wrap, it'll do - but I'm drawing the line at dripping butties or sugar butties, 2 wartime specials they don't tell you about, bought some continental meats as they had mid April bb dates, 2 jars of baby beetroots for mum, 2 savers pickled onions for me, could have had a large bag of bramleys but had done mum's freezer audit (all 3.5 drawers of it) and she has 4 packs of stewed rhubarb/ apple combinations (I have a crumble recipe which uses mainly porridge oats).

Mummy of twins came in the evening. She had been unable to get soap - she has one last block but four small girls who will be at home after today. She had passed some of her toilet roll stock onto her m-il and s-i-l (both of whom barely speak to her). M-i-l had not said she needed anything when mot was shopping earlier in the week and was then surprised when she finally sauntered down to the SM. Mot gave me a lift home and I gave her 4 blocks of my soap (bought my favourite when it was on offer) and a hand gel (I bought it pre current situation) which she uses when doing respite care.

Did one hour's frantic packing (bungalow alarm goes off if you open the door after 9.30 and mum's bedtime is about 10 pm), brought six bags for life, a suitcase and some flat pack cube boxes (most of my clothes, dried pulses in their storage tins, more sewing, 2 frames bought for the embroidery w-i-p, more 'stuff they won't use' food. Have left them the job of collecting any Terry Pratchett/ Douglas Adams books they have for me.

Will speak to you later turtles - going to home/ town to get what I can and then back here as polytunnel is comng between 1.26 and 3.36 pm.

Gratitude for food that was available, for getting a lot done, for people helping one another.

ponypal

At work today, wasn't sure what would happen but my role still requires me to go in. Aiming for a No Spend Day. Will walk home. 
Positive things:
1. My bike has been serviced so I can cycle to work from next week
2. Spring weather
3. Having a movie night with my partner tonight

f0xh0les

This morning I went (secret squirrel fashion) and parked outside the primary school,  rang them, they came out,  passed a folder  at full arm's length through the barely cracked window, and then I drove off.  So DS4 has his school work. I can stop worrying about him.  I have found a load of airf1x models and kits that have never been made (I gave them for birthdays and Xmas) , so as far as I am concerned that is both art, and design and technology.  How stuff fits together.  There is not much online yet, just the homeworks for the bigger ones for the next 4 months, but the teachers really did not get much notice, so I can forgive them for not being up and running yet. They might even still be in school teaching the NHS kids. It would be nice to have a bit more info though. As I am stepping into the whole new world of homeschooling.  I have most of the GCSE guides from DS1 to pass on to DS2, but there are a few, like psychology and computer science, that I need books for, so that we can learn it.  Will use free vouchers from surveys and try and pick them up second hand, or on local bookface site.

It all feels a bit  limbo like.   NSD 12 already.  Step-gran checked up on - she is miserable (not much change then), but the uncertainty is stressing her out, and funerals have been banned and everyone is to be cremated - scandalous news for the over 80's granny mafia who have been paying for their 'plots' for years.

f0xh0les

Not sure why m-a-f-i-a  is not allowed.  Just wanted to clarify I was not calling the grannies anything rude.

Siebrie

Hahaha, Foxholes! I don't know why mse won't let you call a spade a spade!?!

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for dd getting on with her school work, for good books to read, for having some time with the back door open as dd went out to play, for starting to unpick a cardi I knitted my sister - it never fitted right and she's found a pattern for me of one she likes, for technology and electricity to keep it going, for not being ill, for the ribes flowering out the back, for finding a Winnie-the-Pooh journal for my next notebook.

BadBookkeeper

Friday at last!
1st day of DS being home already disagreeing with DH about screen time limits!  I’m doing mornings then going to work, DH doing the opposite.  My shift was breakfast, wash, brush teeth, get dressed, homework, game of monopoly, a snack, a walk.  This afternoon gaming 🤬

Not an NSD as needed alcohol and a lotto ticket!
Spoke to parents through their window.  I was scared of infecting them but now I’m scared of them infecting me.  They are not listening to advice!  Dads 70th tomorrow it’s going to be a miserable event.  On the plus side I have a cake that has 22 servings!!!
My boss is offering our drivers and vehicles to local supermarkets to help with home deliveries.
Gratitudes- I still have a job, DS behaving, Sunny day.
A lot of people are in a worse position than me.  My budgets may be stretched but that’s repairable.  Have as good a weekend as you can xx

facethemusic

Friday- still on NSD 10/15. Bought stamps- DD wants to write to Grandma and Granda while we don't see them so am now prepared- just hope Royal Mail keeps going! Still working, that's unlikely to change unless I get sick. So grateful for kind friends, and people I thought of as "acquaintances" rather than friends being helpful, kind and being upgraded in my thoughts! Teachers trying their best to provide ideas and plans for this unexpected home education period. Villagers - more proof that you can't beat community spirit in a small village. 
Stay safe

abundant1972

Evening everyone!

Life is so strange right now... I'm not sure it has hit me yet... Seeing all this madness on the news in Italy... and it not matching up to what I am seeing here - at least not yet. It feels like the calm before the storm. I am trying to keep my corner of the World safe and happy, and do what I can to keep my Mum and Dad from panicking too much. 

Not a NSD. You'd think I would be stacking them up but I seem to find an excuse to go out and buy something. I'm definitely not panic buying - but it definitely gives me some comfort. 

Today I am grateful for:

1)  My little corner of the World and the sanctuary it provides
2) Having a job and some degree of security
3) Having had the opportunity to give someone a shoulder to lean on 

Night for now all x 

mothernerd

I'm now at the bungalow but have to make a quick trip back tomorrow (as early as I can without setting off the door alarm) for 5 lots which would not fit in the taxi tonight - I have been tired sick since 7 pm so I wasn't going to push things. Went home about 10 am this morning - mum was looking for me until she realised that when I asked for the keys to unlock the padlock on the gate, that was me leaving. Went to the community shop and have small bags of carrots (I have 5 carrots, I;m so excited, haven't seen a carrot for days), white and red onions (3 of each), mushrooms (the few that were left at the SM yesterday looked as if someone had played football with them) and 2 small butternut squash for 20p (I left the ones at the SM because I froze chunks of one I roasted at X***, but the community shop had a large trayful so it didn't feel as though I was taking something someone else would need.

Went home and did more frantic packing (found every last scrap of paperwork) and have nearly stripped my room. I took the sheets from the bed and the towel from the bathroom - these will need washing but can then use them. Phoned for a taxi and it was a car with a big boot so everything fit. Driver was cursing a delivery driver who stopped on the corner outside mum's bungalow and I said I thought it was my delivery (an hour early). So the taxi driver unloaded from the side of the house and could reach across to line things alongside the path.

Could have gone straight back home as the delivery had arrived but was sensible enough to sit down, eat, have a drink and relax for an hour. Mummy of twins arrived with the twins and the condensed milk mum wanted. She gave me a lift back and dropped me at little Arseda - mid afternoon seems to be the best time to shop, not many people and no queue to be served, some shelves stripped bare but others fine. Picked up under-ripe bananas for mum. A few other tasks completed - mum's cheese grater broke a few weeks ago and mine has gone awol and I'm leaving the replacement I bought for Beloved to use, 12 more cs books and a nice second hand chrome book for mum.

More packing back home (mainly separating out food they won't eat, packing my spice and herb jars, quick look throught he cleaning cupboard - mum tells people I clean using vinegar and water as though I'm some sort of wizard, but then her cleaner is a 'different product for every job' person). last job was to take my stuff from the fridge and freezer. I had shown DS3 the two bags of pasta I found in the cubby holes under the stairs - Beloved doesn't do wholemeal.

Since I arrived here I've put away the freezer stuff (some in the fridge to be used first, had a shower, changed mum's dressing, unpacked roughly 8 bags of things and sorted the things on the bed I was doing when mot arrived.

Today I am grateful for everything I have achieved this week (some things were unavailable, there will be things i've forgotten but I have stuff I can work with and will improvise the rest), for finding places to put things (still a w-i-p and bits are slightly crowded but it's organised) and for DS3 stepping up (we had a 'talk' last night and by the time I got here he was messaging me details of a £15,000 house and asking me to point out its faults.