Diary summary week ending 31st March 2024

[Viktoria]

Thanks Roobarb ,it is a very special Service ,a very long tradition.
I will Google it.
Thanks again,V.

[Roobarb]

Just click the link in my post Viktoria, it'll take you to the BBC news article.

[Gillg]

A beautiful Spring day here in Devon today.  Long may it last!

Yesterday we  spent the evening recovering from a delicious lunch with 12 family members - tasty salmon bake and chicken tagine with couscous and lots of different sauces, followed by a baked chocolate cheesecake and lemon and coconut cake.  Wine was drunk and there was lots of interesting conversation with some family members we hadn't seen for several years.  We didn't need or want any further food that day apart from a piece of fruit later on.  Good job, as we are supposed to be on a diet after a holiday which involved some really good food.  Our next eat out will be lunch at a nearby French bistro, where we will meet old friends who are holidaying in the area.  Shall we ever lose those extra pounds?  In May we will be off to Germany, just in time for the asparagus season.  As two people who in their twenties were very slim, almost skinny, we are finding it quite hard to stay that way.

Today I am generally tidying up as the week ahead promises to be rather busy.  Small portions, no cake and more exercise for the next few weeks, I think.

[Viktoria]

Thanks Roobarb,The Queen’s hat was not right with her beautiful coat ,it was more a Winter hat,but she still looked good .

She is doing well and has an easy manner.
People have warned to her ,I am glad.

What a lovely day ,sunshine all the way !
No clocks to put forward tonight,daftie that I am am I did them last night !
Cheerio, thanks again Roobarb.
Viktoria.

[louisa maud]

It has  been a beautiful day here, managed to get washing  in completely dry, also managed to get some gardening is done but it was  a bit chilly .

Yes, the Queen is doing very well, people have warmed to her and she has proved to be a hard worker, she deserves a rest now and again though.

Happy Easter to all

LM

[Viktoria]

A lovely morning here, my little conifers in containers are decorated with coloured eggs, my front garden.
Many people will be visiting the cemetery today and they might cheer them a little.
Son and daughter in law here today for a meal, I might not get to Church.

Flash Harry and Kyra here tomorrow for a late lunch ,just a few little eggs but books instead.
They get so many eggs - parents,aunties  ,Grand parents and great grandma.
They played a little trick last year,gave me two tiny eggs ,each in a proper tiny box so I have done the same this year ,but lots of tiny eggs in chocolate / cocoanut nests on a big chocolate cake ,a medium cake today for dessert for we four then a bigger one for tomorrow  when we’ll be six .
F.H loves a joke.
I made the play dough too so lots of wiggly worms,snakes etc, an old plastic cloth on thr floor from when their Daddy was little and loved craft work when he was at my house in school holidays etc.

Oh happy days , they go by so quickly.

Well must get  on.
Hope all have a nice day, and those unwell especially so ,not forgetting those who are grieving ,always worse at family times isn’t it ,and the lonely.

Kindest regards to everyone.
Viktoria.

[River Tyne Lass]

Had a bit of a stressful day yesterday.
Went to visit Grandson and took some Easter gifts.  One was a new board game, which looked like a lot of fun. Great concept and graphics.  Very disappointing in reality though when we tried to play it.  Instructions long winded and unfathomable.  Eventually, we gave up.  Son advised I should take it back.  He thought it was ridiculous (actually, we all did) that the instructions were too complicated for them (Son & DiL) with their 3 university degrees between them, to understand.  I haven't got a degree myself, only A levels, but then again you shouldn't have to have a degree to play a game marketed for age 8+.    I am going to take it back.

Then Grandson and I started a game of chess.  He is very clever.  Only six and he is a good player.  However, he thought I was winning and out of nowhere had a bit of a meltdown.   He is very competitive.  I don't know if I was winning.   Oh dear, though.  It was quite stressful seeing him get so upset out the blue.  They managed to calm him down again though.  I'm not going to sugar coat it, I'm afraid 'Grandma's' Easter visit yesterday felt like a big fat flop.  I don't think I brought very much cheer at all.  Never mind, it is what it is.

Very loud men on second bus home.  One had a very loud, irritating false sounding laugh.  Every few seconds it was 'Ha ha ha, ha ha ha' sounding exactly like that.  One was vaping too, which I am sure is not allowed upstairs, or indeed anywhere on a bus.

I have just left a review of the game on a website.  I think it is awaiting moderation.  It will be interesting to see if it gets published.  I haven't been rude but I haven't been very positive either.

Feeling tired and still a bit out of sorts today, as you'll be able to tell.  Realised I have left it far too late to be on time for Church. Oh dear!  Easter Sunday as well!

Happy Easter Everyone, regardless. 

[Viktoria]

R,T,L.my great grandson is often invited to play with an autistic boy’,a little younger .
The other boy is of course very clever and not used to not winning all the time .Flash  Harry is a good loser but wins a fair amount ,so the other boy has a fair amount of meltdowns .
Such intelligence ,world Capitals, the flags of all countries etc etc,but can’t cope with not winning on the occasions he doesn’t .

Being super intelligent is not easy, such children often miss out on the very basics which are the building blocks all
children need.
I am not advising you, but sympathising .
Very clever children have their own problems,but are after all only say eight years old,never mind that they have extended knowledge ,emotionally they are still only eight .

Best of luck with your complaint .
My second son has slight Asperger’s ,Two degrees, but very low frustration levels .
Sees things very differently from many people
Totally honest often to his own disadvantage .

Hope you soon feel better.
Viktoria.

[River Tyne Lass]

Thanks Viktoria,
My Grandson is having on-going hospital treatment so I think he is bound to be additionally coping with stress.  I think that probably factors in too.  I think for any of us with underlying stress a seemingly small thing can suddenly trigger as if a huge thing.  I know he will need to learn to lose graciously at some point but because of what is going on, I think I will need to make some allowances for now.
He is going through a lot and but is mostly happy and cheerful.
Yes, I hope I do get somewhere with the game complaint.  I won't be able to take it back till next weekend.  The shop will probably be closed tomorrow.   I've never known anything like it.   So complicated I think it is not fit for purpose.  I would defy them to try to get any deemed intelligent looking person of their choice coming into their shop to be able to get the game up and playing in half an hour.  I would even be willing to wait around all morning to see if they can get anyone to do it.
I suspect my review isn't going to be published.  I think they they only want to hear things like 'oh that sounds like such a lovely game'.  Not much of a review process if they only publish the positive comments from people who like the concept and the look of it (like I did) but who haven't tried actually playing it.