Everything Takes Time.........

 
Gosh already Thursday and I hadn't started this post yet, usually that's because nothing worth writing about has happened but this week a couple of things have (don't get excited you'll be disappointed) but two things keep stopping me. Firstly I've been recommended a book I really must read, but I need to finish the book I'm half way through before I start it. Secondly our Internet keeps dropping out, not for long periods because the provider has a problem, but lots of very short hiccups for no apparent reason and very frustrating! 

If you are interested in what books, the one I'm reading is the third in Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, The Bullet That Missed. I'm totally invested in his main characters with plots that are ridiculously hilarious but sort of believable. 

Now downloaded and ready on my kindle is The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. I'll let you know about that when I eventually get to it. Told I must read it by two friends when we were six of us out to dinner Tuesday evening. 

Tuesday didn't actually go to plan. The plan was as friendKW needed Hubby's help on his laptop he would come with his wife, friendLW, in the afternoon then after the fix we'd go out to the pub for dinner. We haven't seen friendsL&M for ages (mutual friends of course) so they were coming too. Both couples were delayed, one by an earlier funeral and the other by last minute grandparent duties. Eventually all here and enjoying tea and cake. Laptop fix was easy apparently. Pub booked for 6pm so a three car convoy just 10 minutes before. Pub was busy and obviously short staffed as our crazy waitress was doing far too many tables. 

To cut a very long story a bit shorter let's just say there were incredibly long delays at all points of service, there was over zealous allergy scrutiny which ended in friendLW having inedible fish and considering we booked for 6pm as they all live a fair distance (we would normally meet half way) we didn't leave until 10pm. Glad they'd all had cakes earlier and thankfully with this gang we always do a lot of laughing! 

Dog sitting for the day when Son and fiancé had a day in London. She's a little cutie. 

Hubby has had two light bulb replacements to do, one on my car's brake light and the other for Daughter on her car's headlight. Plus he's still up in the loft, think he's done about 75% now. Not all done at the same time of course. 

I need to now be thinking about what to get Hubby for his birthday which is just a couple of weeks away. I'm also starting to think about the Royal Coronation in May as we will definitely have to have our usual street party, thinking now as Hubby and I are on holiday just before getting home with just four days to spare. Guess I'll need to recruit a committee! 

Enjoy your week ahead, stay warm and try to avoid the horrid virus that's doing the rounds at the moment.

.

Is it 2:30?........

 
I'd had the bottom half of a broken tooth near the back at the bottom of my mouth for quite a few years, but as it didn't hurt or clog with food I told the dentist just to leave it. Probably worth mentioning I really hate going to the dentist as I have a very strong gag reflex so when her hands are in my mouth I sometimes panic. I always go for my checkups but the sooner I'm in and out of that chair the better! 

Early last week that bit of tooth worked its way loose and came out! Reminded me of losing my milk teeth how you play with it with your tongue and then give it a final wiggle till it's in your hand. It wasn't painful at all. 

A few days after that the tooth furthest back at the top was painful but only for a day or two, one dose of paracetamol, using plenty of the toothpaste for sensitive teeth and eating on the other side and it sort of stopped being anything more than a little uncomfortable. 

Saturday about a third of that top back tooth broke away! Amazingly the remainder of the tooth no longer feels uncomfortable! So do I need to make a dental appointment now or wait until my next checkup (which isn't till mid March)?

Apparently the third Monday of January is called Blue Monday, referring to it being post festivities and bad weather etc causing depression! Well in this house we have Brew Mondays as it's coffee morning full of chat and companionship. 

Tuesday night and with friendL and friendS we went to the panto. We were all winter wrapped up as the forecast was a drop to  -2°C possibly colder. 

I don't really like panto in general. Very old very corny jokes do not make me laugh. I used to like taking the children and watching them enjoy it did give me pleasure though, so I've sat through a few although my own children outgrew them very quickly. It was friendL's idea as she loves them and friendS had never been before and was keen. 

This was a rock and roll panto and was full of really good musicians and all the cast had great voices and it was a constant flow of musical numbers. They all put so much energy into it. I don't mind rude jokes at all but the "dame" was totally over the top with smut that I was a bit worried for the children in the audience. Maybe I'm more of a prude than I thought. 

FriendL stayed excited right through and still giggled while driving us home. FriendS said she enjoyed it "but wasn't it loud!" 

I still don't really like panto. 

After the first long bag I made from the old airbed (see last week's post)  which worked but wasn't totally suitable for what O needed, I had another go! This one I lined, put in a zip (argghh) gave it side handles and a shoulder strap!   

Certainly not the neatest sewing but I'm pleased with the end result. 

When Daughter came to swap her car for mine (her's going for a service) she said that she'd also had serious tooth pain and needed an urgent dentist appointment. Hubby had toothache briefly this week too! Have they changed what's in our water? Will we all be reduced to soup meals soon! 

We managed our Wednesday gang night out this week. FriendM had been away for the last two Wednesdays and she's away again for the next two so it was good to catch up this week.

Bad photo but quite yummy apple cake with our apples from the freezer and some leftover Christmas mincemeat stirred in.  

Hubby hasn't done much in the loft this week as it's been too cold up there to work and he doesn't want all that cold coming down into the house. No rush but he gets the figits when he's hindered. 

Q - When is the best time to see the dentist? 

A - 2:30  (tooth hurty) 😂😖🤭

After that very silly joke I'll say cheerio for this week.

. 

Make and Mend.......

 
Sunday morning and Hubby now has the extra loft insulation and more boards. They came out of Son's van (he gets discount) carried upstairs and up into the loft before I could take a photo.... but wouldn't have been an exciting photo anyway. My two favourite men do work well together. 

Not the first time these jeans have needed a repair but they are still his favourite working ones. 

Had a pair of mine to fix too. Hubby's split on the knees and mine wear thin top of the legs. 

O and the dog were here all day Wednesday and Hubby was taxi for R as everyone was working. O set up his usual studio at the end of the lounge. 

O carries his tech in a briefcase but recently he's been bringing a tripod and more in a carrier bag that's not quite long enough making it awkward when he's in and out of the car. So I'm trying to see if I can make something better and I'm using a punctured airbed as the fabric. 

Thinking it through always takes the longest. 

My first machining was to make a strap and that went easier than I'd expected. Clothes pegs come in handy when you can't use pins. 

Always a thrill when I win bobbin roulette! 

Tricky turning the heavy plastic right side out after sewing 

and I had meant to put the strap on the plain side with the flocked side on the front 

and I now think it's far too long..... 

but apart from that I'm pleased I used the airbed fabric and didn't just throw it away. 

Two days this week Daughter and O have been here for lunch, which is lovely, and one of those days O was filming and I had to find him an old picture frame and with Hubby finding him a fake wall and offering a little safety supervision he filmed himself smashing the glass (which proved more difficult than he'd expected). He filmed some other stuff but took it all home to edit. Now I'm curious to see the final short film. 

Hubby has done two more tip runs. There was so much cardboard and polystyrene, he had fun emptying the car there when it got really windy. Friday he said he'd vacuum my car inside because it really needed it. However, the vacuum bag burst almost immediately (it's really old) so my car will get done when the bags on order arrive. 

Not looking forward to the very cold weather predicted for this weekend. 

Stay warm, stay happy.

.

HNY 2023......

 
As we have done for quite a few years now, we saw the new year in with our NeighbourA who's also a good friend. I bought takeaway style Chinese food from Iceland and the three of us ate together while all social media was pinging with new year wishes. When I discovered neighbourJ was alone I invited her to walk up and see the new year in with us, which she did. No heavy drinking (I'm on fizzy water) and no big party but plenty of chat with a little background music, then TV from 11:30 ish and at midnight four of us hugged and kissed and wished each other a happy new year. 

With so many days of big three course meals and full on roasts, Hubby chose cheese and crackers for dinner on new years day, I didn't object at all. Normal and healthy will resume very soon. 

Although it was a bank holiday we still had our usual coffee morning on Monday. Also felt odd that we weren't seeing Daughter on Monday, her birthday, but she had other plans. 

Tuesday we decided to remove the festive bling and it would have been done at leisure but Daughter messaged to say they were coming for lunch so it was in fact down, packed and taken upstairs before they got here. 

Hubby had said he was going to add more insulation and boarding to the loft, probably in the spring when it's not winter cold or summer hot up there. However, we all know he can't sit still so New Years day he was already up there sorting stuff. So far he has made one trip to the tip with a full car, mostly boxes and packing for goods we no longer have, plus lots of redundant electrical and computing stuff. 

I finally gave in and said he could bring down the pram! 1960s Mothercare coach built. Bought new for my sisterM's first baby and was used by all three of her babies and toddlers. Then it passed to me and used for both my children and often had friends' children sharing a ride. 

Sad to see it go, however Daughter thinks someone who does the multi period reenactment at Kentwell might like it as its definitely authentic 1960s. [edit: they said yes please].

Scrubbed up really well. 

Thursday and a second full car trip to the tip. Hubby then washed my car and invited Daughter over for a car wash too. Daughter nearly fell asleep at lunch as she'd been up from silly o'clock to take R and her friend to the airport, they are having a short holiday in Bordeaux which is quite exciting as neither of them have flown or holidayed without parents before! 

Friday Daughter and O headed north to stay with friends for the weekend. This had been planned quite a while ago, and now with R suddenly flying off to France and M working we have a weekend dog sitting. She really is no bother. 

R and her friend are already at the airport to come home and messaged me with a few photos. Looking forward to hearing about it when I see her next. 

So that's about it for another week. 

Have a good week ahead and see you back here next weekend.

.