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General => The Stay Safe Board => Topic started by: Mowsehowse on Tuesday 11 May 21 07:35 BST (UK)
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Morning All. Nothing very exciting to report.
Rushed around early to do the weekly grocery shop, though a neighbour enquired why we bother as most people have it delivered these days, which was a fair question, especially as we discovered H had his car keyed somewhere. Either in the complex car park, or at the supermarket, which seems less likely given there were so few early risers.
I reckon from the positioning it has to have been a deliberate act of vandalism. We have our suspects, elderly small minded bullies, and that is somewhat depressing!
Out for two walks. Very strong South winds, so not too cold, and missed any showers. I did carry a brolly, which I wouldn't have been able to use in those winds.
Spent another few hours on some research for my friend, who amused me by sending a message to the effect that she had "gone on MyHeritage and in 2 minutes had 23 names"...... Though she is clearly confused as to who is who..... well it took me many hours to sort out 3 generations with the same names, so I am not surprised. But I have to be amused how easy she found it to get so much information, and that she feels the job is now done!!
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I had work today, was way too hot so my feet were extra sore because they were a bit swollen at the end of the day.
Upset social work because I couldn't give them information about a person whom I'd never met and wasn't even a patient in the hospital. They were unable to tell me how I was supposed to do that.
Had cakes in the afternoon as it was a colleague's birthday.
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MH - so sorry to hear you feel someone has deliberately damaged your OH’s car... gives one such a sick feeling in the stomach...
Maybe home deliveries could have saved you the angst of early morning dashes!
I’m sure your friend doesn’t quite understand how family history works if she thinks it’s that easy 😂😂.
PharmaT- sounds like a bit of a mystery person! Always nice to have cake in celebration of a birthday...
My day
Decided despite the threatening skies I’d get some washing out! I do wonder sometimes if the forecasters ever look out of the window!
In between the often torrential showers we managed to plant out some geraniums I’d bought sometime ago into two pots, one out by the front door and one by the conservatory... they have a deep magenta flower so will look lovely when fully grown filling the tubs.
OH planted out his leeks and thinned the beetroot which seem to have shot up.
Other than that it was a relaxed day... I’m reading a good book and it’s hard to put down and the conservatory was lovely and warm, dry and no wind...
OH has finally returned to bread baking and the house was full of that wonderful smell of baking bread...delicious...
Dinner was pork loin rolled in herbed breadcrumbs and oats... first covered in plum jam to help the crumbs to stick and keep moist, baked in the oven with small pieces of potatoes, green veg to accompany.
We started watching ‘The Unforgotten’ got quite hooked on it and watched several episodes!
Not the most enlightening day but the good news from the PM is that we are allowed to give family hugs... messages from my daughter quite excited about that... we shall, but being careful at the same time and keep faces away...so looking forward to my trip down to them next week...
Hope others are felling more upbeat too...
Caroline
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MH, how awful to find that the car has been keyed and particularly when you suspect that the perpetrator is someone you know.
At least your friend didn't tell you as a result of her family history research that she's descended from royalty! Mind you, there was a lady last night on a programme about the queen's cousins who had spent years exploring some links but couldn't prove that she had royal connections, they got Ancestry on to it and turns out she's the queen's 13th cousin once removed! She's connected in several ways.
PharmaT, hope the cakes made up for the earlier frustration.
Hope your geraniums do well Caroline, lovely to have the home grown veg growing too. Fantastic to have your trip to your daughter's to look forward to.
My day:
Woke early again, I tend to do that at this time of year, in the autumn I go into hibernation mode. Went out wearing a jacket and it wasn't long before I had it tied around my waist, it was pleasantly warm, a bit breezy. Went a little way down the narrow path in the woods but I'd forgotten how much rain we've had, there were muddy bits and I was only wearing trainers so I turned back halfway along as there's not much room to skirt around those bits. Crossed over the railway and walked back up the path at that side, there were large muddy puddles there but at least there was space to walk around them. Walked across the bridge and over the field to come full circle.
Wasn't in the mood to do any gardening, I realised that I'd forgotten to put my tomato plant back in the garage overnight but it seemed okay. I'll just leave it outside now. Did a bit to my portrait and read for a while. Ordered some paperbacks for bathtime reading from the website that Annette recommended.
Just after 4pm the heavens opened, the rain was absolutely bouncing. After ten minutes or so it stopped and the skies cleared, then an hour later it did the same again but this time there were also hailstones as big as golf balls. Well not quite but they were large. Cleared out again for an hour then the same once again. Weird weather we're having, we seem to be getting April weather in May.
It's strange reading that we're allowed to hug people from Monday. In the unlikely event that I was to hug someone then it would be 429 days since I hugged anyone. Still counting. :)
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MH - so sorry to hear you feel someone has deliberately damaged your OH’s car... gives one such a sick feeling in the stomach...
Maybe home deliveries could have saved you the angst of early morning dashes!
I’m sure your friend doesn’t quite understand how family history works if she thinks it’s that easy 😂😂.
PharmaT- sounds like a bit of a mystery person! Always nice to have cake in celebration of a birthday...
My day
Decided despite the threatening skies I’d get some washing out! I do wonder sometimes if the forecasters ever look out of the window!
In between the often torrential showers we managed to plant out some geraniums I’d bought sometime ago into two pots, one out by the front door and one by the conservatory... they have a deep magenta flower so will look lovely when fully grown filling the tubs.
OH planted out his leeks and thinned the beetroot which seem to have shot up.
Other than that it was a relaxed day... I’m reading a good book and it’s hard to put down and the conservatory was lovely and warm, dry and no wind...
OH has finally returned to bread baking and the house was full of that wonderful smell of baking bread...delicious...
Dinner was pork loin rolled in herbed breadcrumbs and oats... first covered in plum jam to help the crumbs to stick and keep moist, baked in the oven with small pieces of potatoes, green veg to accompany.
We started watching ‘The Unforgotten’ got quite hooked on it and watched several episodes!
Not the most enlightening day but the good news from the PM is that we are allowed to give family hugs... messages from my daughter quite excited about that... we shall, but being careful at the same time and keep faces away...so looking forward to my trip down to them next week...
Hope others are felling more upbeat too...
Caroline
That pork recipe sounds lovely,will need to try it one day.
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Would like to know what you ladies are reading?
Caroline, how idyllic to be sitting in the conservatory reading a good book with bread baking scents wafting around you, and looking forward to your trip next week.
What a contrast to Roobarb, still counting such a long time since a hug :'( and huge hail storms.
Hard to believe we are all in the same, comparatively small island.
Cake for Pharma. Yummy.
Less early morning dashing might be good, Caroline, but I do tend to wake early-ish, and I don't really feel I should be requiring deliveries just yet, as we do have a lift in the building, although I have encouraged others, with troubled mobility, (or life situation,) to use such a service.
The car damage is upsetting, but I suspect H will make his feelings apparent at some stage, he is vastly more subtle and intelligent than the suspects!
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I've just this minute finished Unwanted by Kristina Ohlsson, a Swedish author. I'd downloaded it in 2013 and instead of starting the most recently downloaded books I decided to have a look at the early ones. I'm pleased in this case that I did. If you like crime novels I recommend this one.
I've found your comments about the supermarket shopping interesting, when I had the last but one delivery I commented to the driver that having to wait while people transfer their shopping into bags must be slowing them down, he said not really as they don't have as many deliveries now. I suppose things like that depend on the demographic of the area, I know that the south coast attracts many retirees to live there so I suppose that as people get older and potentially less able they will depend more on deliveries. Personally, I hate supermarket shopping so I'm a convert to deliveries now. Apart from an occasional trip to M&S food for treats!
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I am fiercely independent and pig headed too Roobarb. Shall not go down without a fight!!
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Fill your boots! ;D
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The cake was very good MH instead of one big cake we had boxes of a selection of different cakes so plenty of choice.
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I have spoken to people about hugging, several said they would be try to be very careful and some said they don't want to hug unless they are direct relations, think I am in agreement with them, whilst it is nice to hug, children and grandchildren, hugging in my opinion has become fashionable over the relatively recent years, will be strange to hug all off a sudden after not being able to, think I will go with the flow hoping I don't upset anyone
Louisa Maud
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I have spoken to people about hugging, several said they would be try to be very careful and some said they don't want to hug unless they are direct relations, think I am in agreement with them, whilst it is nice to hug, children and grandchildren, hugging in my opinion has become fashionable over the relatively recent years, will be strange to hug all off a sudden after not being able to, think I will go with the flow hoping I don't upset anyone
Louisa Maud
I'm firm believer in if someone doesn't want a hug you don't hug them.
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My day was just the usual.
Glad the site I recommended was useful, Roobarb, and that you were able to order some books for bathtime reading!
Mowsehowse, I've literally just finished reading 'The Vow' by Debbie Howells which I had downloaded to my tablet a while ago. An intriguing mystery and I couldn't put it down.
Nice to hear about the books that others are reading.
Annette
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Oh MS It is awful that someone has intentionally keyed your car. I get the impression there might be a story behind it. I hope it can be resolved, though it sounds like you will be out of pocket if you decide to repair it.
Pharma, Caroline’s recipes are a source of inspiration for many of us (well, definitely for me ;D ). I think we’re all in inviting ourselves over for a garden party once covid passes. ;D (Poor Caroline)
The last supermarket delivery I had was from Tesco in about 1996 - at that time I think they had just started home grocery delivery. ;D I don’t like supermarket shopping but I often want to look for inspiration in the aisles. What I would really like is an M&S food hall.
I agree that it has become fashionable LM. It’s hugs rather than hand shakes - at least it was before covid. It’s not something I miss. :)
My Monday: OH and I went to pick up something for me that he purchased online - one of my quirky collectable objects.
We then popped to a nursery - the last one remaining in my local area. There used to be five or six we regularly visited, but sadly they’ve all closed. I was looking for a new Sweet Osmanthus / Osmanthus fragrans. It is one of my favourite scented flowers - they are divine. The two I already have are in pots and aren’t really thriving, so I want a nice new one to plant in the ground. Unfortunately there were none in stock but they are on order so I will just have to be patient.
Next stop was Bunnings (similar to B&Q) to buy a couple of small items, then lastly we decided to have a late lunch. It’s been a while since we ate out.
Started watching a new series, “Butterfly” with Anna Friel. Interesting so far.
Usual dog walk - uneventful, just how I like it.
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Another side of hugging, some people who hug have no one at home to hug, same as the peace in church adopted over recent years by my church, the only contact they have, not allowed over the past year.
LM
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PharmaT & Ruskie - I look at BBC Good Food web site... I do have a sub ( Christmas present) for the magazine and I mark those that I like the look of, but I also just go to their site put in what ever it is and see what recipes come up! I usually tweak them in some way if I don’t have/like a particular ingredient! I’d love to have you all over for a garden party ... how fab that would be, we’ve stuck together now for over a year and I’m sure there’d be no lack of chatter!
The book I’m reading at the moment is The Royal Secret by Andrew Taylor his latest one out ...set in 1670’s. I’ve read all his previous books and loved them, bit historical, crime and social...
Re hugging only intend to give my daughter and grandsons a hug... no one else! Not into that with lots of others...
Had some exciting news this morning... a message via Ancestry from a 3/4th cousin (DNA match 178cM over 10 segments) from my fathers side of the family of whom I know very little .... OH thought I was bonkers jumping up and down with excitement.... replied straight away and hope I hear back soon.... his/hers gt grandmother was my dads aunt! Might get to know more about that side.... and proof too of paternity.... never thought there was a doubt but did begin to wonder as not had any matches ( that I can work out) so far from that side! Keeping fingers crossed we can exchange info...wonder where they live.... beside myself 😀😀.
Caroline
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Excellent news about your new DNA match Caroline. No one ever contacts me and most of the ones I contact don't reply - shame.
I do a similar thing as you Caroline - change recipes to suit. I find Google very handy if I have a couple of unusual ingredients - a few appropriate search terms usually brings up some decent recipe ideas. I don't tend to stick to a particular foodie website though I like the sound of the BBC Good Food one. I sometimes head to Delia Online too.
Your poor OH if a dozen or more rootschatters descend upon your garden Caroline. He'd probably have the urge to head off to golf, but I think you should put him to work in the kitchen slaving over some nice fresh loaves.
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I am very selective about hugging and kissing!
Before Covid 19 I only really did it to family.
Occasionally I see the programme where guest houses keepers visit each others’ premises.
The comments and nit picking are spiteful and shriek of tactics ,yet everyone is kissing and hugging each other!
So no real meaning to it ,so don’t do it.
Well ,daughter phoned as usual ,no visits in May as still some way to go re how many can meet,so she suggested a week in July when she will have FH as Mummy is on a course and Daddy working and school closed for the Summer holidays .
So Colchester Zoo, a Petting farm, Sandy sandwiches at the Suffolk coast .
Etc etc etc.
Things might be a lot easier then.
Second son phoned this morning - home testing kit negative but now the blood tests.
A clear bright morning so started to sort out bulbs to dry off,then dark and heavy rain teeming down, now bright sunshine again.
I have been looking for some Laura Ashley wallpaper to match some fabric of hers ,Kate- a trellis of tiny leaves enclosing a little rosebud .
Advertised but the wallpaper is not exactly the same as the fabric ,so get some advertised vintage fabric instead ,but it says not available!
No real problem .
It does feel very personal when your property is wilfully damaged .
A mature middle aged man ,a professional person, was found guilty some few
years ago , for wilfully damaging cars all along a route, everyone expected it to be younger people and were surprised a grown up would be so spiteful.
Not sure why he felt he could do that.
I am not sure if the following can be counted as success or failure- ,my artificial grass has got moss growing in it, ::)
Just spoken to FH, thanking me for his card ,they are travelling up ASAP and will sleep in their van which my grandson has customised like a camper van.
He can pick up his present from me then.
Thanks for all the news folks, keep well .
Viktoria.
herszKate,
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Very happy you can look forward to some contact time with FH Viktoria, and I hope the issues with your son's health are resolved very soon.
Such a worry.... I wonder how our chum in NZ is getting on? Haven't heard from her for a while.
Ref the car damage, it just seems very coincidental timing, given that mine picked up some similar damage when we first came here, after I had been told explicitly by a resident, that if I put my car in a particular (unused) place, he would block me in until he felt like moving his vehicle which might not be for a couple of weeks.
The off road parking here is very limited, and some people have garages, which do not house cars, mainly vehicles because most are too large.
Nearly every dwelling has 2 cars.
There is allocated parking, and parking for "visitors" which is always full of resident's cars.
We have a situation where someone who has lived here since the complex was first built wants a garage, but doesn't have one, and uses a non allocated space as a right, though the allocated space he has is never in use. He has made great friends with another resident who uses a non allocated space continually, which is fair enough.
Still with me? Bet you wish you hadn't asked!!
H is a Director for the complex, that is, he aims to smooth over small difficulties and changes all the light bulbs.
He was approached with a complaint that someone had parked over night in the entry, obstructing the pavement, when all allowed spaces were in use.
My husband reasonably pointed out various reasons why such action was necessary, if not desireable. I was proud of him as I would have wet my knickers and run away!!
Sadly I did expect some sort of retribution, (if only "being sent to Coventry") and as I say, the timing was impeccable, but who knows?
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Well I do not have a car ,Neither do I have automatic right to the space outside my house for visitors to park.
I say nothing even when huge vans park and block my view ,I have no right to say anything .
People do use” my “ space, notably Mr Grumpy he with the dropped kerb!
That is so his wife can get in and out of their front garden which they converted to parking ,without him having to move the van off the dropped kerb.
My daughter has said if he is parked outside my house and there is nowhere else to park she will use his dropped kerb,that will have him seething and he will be filmed screaming and threatening on her camera,also his attack on my son will be available.
I do not agree with that, I have smoothed things over but then to drive for five hours and have to seek parking ,which won’t be very close by and the risk of such damage as has been described as well,I can understand why she feels like that.
I really don’t think she would ,she is a peacemaker too .
We had a car stolen once, the car keys were in a little fancy dish on the hall stand .
Two new fireside chairs were delivered and one man was doing the cushions and removing protective packaging etc ,a young lad with him did not come into that room but stayed in the hall as he said he did not like dogs.
Next morning our new Golf had gone !
The Police held out little hope saying a new car like that was more valuable broken up for parts .
The keys had too ,but ,there were signs of forced entry ,window catches forced yet some lovely cut glass vases etc were not moved one inch on the window sill .
I am pretty sure they did not get in that way .
It was a while before we realised the lad who stayed in the hall would have seen the keys , standing where he did.
The car was recovered some time later doing wheelies in a council estate and
being a danger to playing children.
The driver was the same racial group as the young man who helped with the chairs but stayed in the hall .
We had no names of course.
The Police of course went to the furniture shop .
We did not hear the end of that of course ,but got a new car so no problem.
Locks changed etc and a burglar alarm fitted.
The keys were where they were because some days earlier the car had rolled back ,stopping as it came to another car.
Some electrical fault was the diagnosis as all the windows were down .
We had to show the Police we had all the keys ,myOH put them in the dish,very unlike him ,but he was chatting with the Police officer and just dropped them in—- temporarily!
The car went to the showroom from where we had bought it and sorted out.
Actually when it was stolen we were glad to be rid if it ,it felt” heavy “my OH said . We changed to a Polo so we could park off road in a dead end side street without inconveniencing people with garages down there .
They could pass the Polo but could not have passed the Golf .
A natural stone wall with some big stones jutting out ,that would have ruined
the side panels of cars leaving the cul de sac, if a wider car was parked there.
We had nice neighbours and everyone cooperated.
Viktoria.