AS: More tea, Vicar? - the British thread 2020

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  • Such a dull day here and I feel fidgety. Youngest son is still in bed and husband still in US. I’m contemplating going for a short walk (been resting the last few days as I broke my toe 6 weeks ago and it became swollen again this week).
    At this rate I might even do some work to release the boredom.
  • Talons crossed as well!
  • @Heavenlyannie - Ouch!

    I sympathise re broken toe, knowing how painful and disabling even such a seemingly minor injury can be!

    Hope it soon mends - by 6 weeks, it should be knitting together again, so, if the swelling continues, seek proper medical advice, cuz IANAD.
  • @Heavenlyannie - Ouch!

    I sympathise re broken toe, knowing how painful and disabling even such a seemingly minor injury can be!

    Hope it soon mends - by 6 weeks, it should be knitting together again, so, if the swelling continues, seek proper medical advice, cuz IANAD.
    Ah, but I am a nurse and, consequently, very much a medical avoider! 😆
    No walk, but I’ve been very virtuous and done lots of housework - may my works bring me praises at the city gate (this seems highly unlikely).
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Ouch re your toe, Heavenlyannie - I remember my old boss breaking a toe and saying what a surprising nuisance it was.

    I'm having a very lazy day today - all I've done is mess about on the computer and have avocado on toast* for lunch.

    * which, if one were to believe the headline from the Daily Fail that's currently doing the rounds on Facebook, makes me a mass murderer - or does that only apply if the avocado-eater is the Duchess of Sussex? :naughty:
  • I love avocado on toast, preferably with a poached egg.
    For lunch we had green soup, accompanied by eggy bread with cheese (a sort of eggy cheese sandwich).
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    We met up with a friend today who gave us a tour of Deptford, which was very interesting. It was also much colder than I was expecting, so I was glad of a couple of refreshments stops, including one for her very nice vegan sausage sandwich.
    Glad to be back home in the warm. We intend to snuggle under our 'comfort blanket' (one I knitted a while back) and watch a film shortly.
  • Piglet wrote: »
    you want to clean your teeth (which you can't because they won't let you take toothpaste on the plane ...).
    It doesn't have to be in a tube

    That is not meant as a recommendation, just for information.
    I've never used them, but heard them mentioned on the radio recently in an item about a 'plastic-free' shop.
  • I’m giving those a try, now I’ve found the fluoride ones sold loose so I didn’t need to commit to vast quantities of an unknown. Not sure what my dentist will say at my next checkup.

    This evening I played in a band for a barn dance - as there were 2 bands there were more playing than dancing!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Sounds like fun, Daisydaisy!

    Apart from making a casserole with a couple of lamb chops and eating half of same, I've had a very unproductive day, being a total couch-potato.

    My excuse is that I'm still a bit jet-lagged, and I'm sticking to it.

    ION, we're bracing for an ice-storm; although it's currently 10°, the temperature's set to plummet overnight, and then we're to get 12 hours of freezing rain and ice pellets, which will Not Be Fun. I've arranged to get a lift to church from a friend with a 4×4, so I'm hoping to be back in the choir-stalls tomorrow, but the weather might yet defeat us - I've been advised to check the Cathedral's website to make sure things are going ahead.

    It'll be a bit strange - I haven't been to church since Advent Sunday, and haven't sung a note in over a month! :flushed:
  • Wesley JWesley J Circus Host
    I'm sure it will be rather note-worthy! Best of luck and enjoy, Piglet! :)
  • At least you don't have to worry about the weather keeping prospective buyers from looking at your house. That part of the ordeal should be over. (Talons still crossed!)
  • PDRPDR Shipmate
    edited January 2020
    Piglet wrote: »
    It's perfectly acceptable to write the wrong year until at least the beginning of February, but the wrong decade? :mrgreen:

    The usual with me is to remember to write the correct year on checks until about Valentine's Day, then revert briefly to the previous year before getting my head straight again. The fact that I will be skipping back from 2020 to 2019 rather than 2019 to 2018 will make absolutely no difference at all to my brain.

    My tea preference is: Yorkshire Tea or Trader Joe's Irish Breakfast; strong enough to chew through a polystyrene cup; show it the milk. I like coffee on the stout side too - French roast and strong enough to levitate a Swedish Lutheran, but the neurologist has decreed no more than two cups a day both to be taken with breakfast because I have atypical migraine.
  • A latte for breakfast every morning here (love the espresso machine) but 2 coffees a day is my limit or I would be buzzing.
    Another lazy day here. Other half doesn’t get back til this evening and I don’t drive so can’t get to church. I’m going to do some wool spinning and prep for tomorrow evening’s tutorial.
  • Just got home from the airport after our three weeks in New Zealand with eldest Beaky daughter and family. It was our first visit there in five years and this time the flights back have really knocked us for six- a sign of age I think....
    We had the best of times but it was hard to leave as they are facing so many challenges.

    MrsBeaky- trying to stay awake but struggling to remain upright!
  • Typhoo is lovely so it is odd how difficult it is to reach the same taste when exported to other countries and still made using pure British methods.
  • I had a brief spell in the middle of last year when I was convinced that it was 2020. Because I had added a year I argued about my age, on several occasions, with the doctors in A&E when I had my spell of tachycardia.
    Not sure if they attributed that to my racing heart, or now have me written up in my notes as demented.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Maybe you were just getting ahead to keep up with your heart ...

    Despite it being a fairly filthy day - we did get a bit of freezung rain, although it's since changed to light snow - we had enough in the choir to do a proper choral Communion, and it was really rather nice. Everyone seemed pleased to see me, and I was relieved to find that my vocal cords haven't seized up due to lack of use!

    I had the other half of the pizza for lunch, and am now relaxing with a glass of WINE.

    The traditional Sunday afternoon snoozette/Quality Bear Time will follow shortly.
  • HeavenlyannieHeavenlyannie Shipmate
    edited January 2020
    I’ve just finished an evening online tutorial so I’m now relaxing with a glass of wine.
    I fancy some cheese...
  • Ahh, vintage Lincolnshire poacher.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I've had a fairly quiet but not altogether unproductive day. The weather wasn't really conducive to doing anything outdoors (light snow on top of freezing rain), so I wrote a covering letter to send some stuff off regarding D's estate; tried to phone Service Canada about his SIN number (and gave up in disgust - I'm going to have to go to their offices and try and speak to an actual Human Bean); did some laundry; and made a batch of rolls, some of which I took, along with a bottle of wine, across to J., the kindly neighbour who collected my post while I was away.

    Tomorrow's not going to be so serene: I've to let House Inspection Bloke in at 8 o'clock and a friend's picking me up to go for coffee and do a few errands at 9:45, so I'd better go and get a reasonably early night.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I'm messing about on here waiting for House Inspection Bloke to turn up, and have found that the only good thing about having to be up at sparrow-fart is that you get to see the sunrise, which this morning was really rather good.

    Ah well - coffee later - it'll be my first Timmy's for nearly six weeks! :flushed:
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    Oh, @Piglet, I hope he arrives and all is well soon 🕯!
  • Indeed.

    ION, a wild, wet, and VERY windy day here - but so mild that the celandines are blooming in the Vicarage garden, and the bluebells are beginning to push their way vigorously upwards in the church grounds!

    In fact, it's really 14th MARCH, I suspect, and somehow I've missed a couple of months...
    :confused:
  • Saying things like that is Just Asking For It.

    Don't forget that the Beast from the East came in March!
  • True. Some cherry trees in these parts have blossom, but if (when) we have a cold snap it will likely kill them off. ION, the weather here is very noisy.

    The plan for today was a visit to the library (which has better, faster wifi)to get some admin done. I'm lecture secretary for my local historical society and have a lecture report ('Timber buildings of Wakefield') and a year's round up to write up. The howling gale has put me off so am sat under a duvet at home attempting same. Where did I leave my fingerless gloves...
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I've had a busy morning: coffee followed by banking and paying bills, followed by chasing about to Service Canada, who have moved their offices, and when we finally got to the right place, they couldn't really help anyway ...

    House inspector has been and gone, and left his slippers* behind ...

    If everything's in order with the inspection, I'm going to have to move myself and my Stuff out of the house by next Tuesday. The word "eek" springs to mind. :flushed:

    * Canadians tend to carry a spare pair of shoes or slippers in the winter to avoid dripping all over your floor.
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    Eek indeed @Piglet. Have you got someone who can help put stuff in storage and give you a bed until it's all completed and you can head back to Edinburgh?
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Purgatory Host, Circus Host
    Good grief that's short. I'd come and help but it's a bit far away unfortunately.

    We have the tail end of your storm. It's quite blowy up on the 25th floor.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    edited January 2020
    @Sarasa I certainly hope so!

    One or two of the choir have tentatively offered accommodation, as has the lady who does the flowers.

    It's getting everything packed up that's bothering me - I hardly know where to begin!

    Also, I'm probably going to have have to stay here a bit longer than I intended, as the pension application is going to take at least 20 days ...

    @la vie en rouge - thanks for the offer anyway! :mrgreen:
  • Piglet wrote: »
    If everything's in order with the inspection, I'm going to have to move myself and my Stuff out of the house by next Tuesday. The word "eek" springs to mind. :flushed:
    Holy speeding bullet, Batman!

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Quite!

    I've had a visit from a removal bloke, who didn't panic at all when I told him I'd have to be out by Tuesday, so that's a bit of a comfort.

    I've cleared D's clothes into "dump" and "drop-in centre" bags (eye leakage alert*) and will start on the same for the paring-down of my own wardrobe - it's about time I had a clear-out.

    * I had eye leakage earlier when I was at the Cathedral office and saw D's successor's name on his pigeonhole. My own stupid fault - I shouldn't have looked.
  • A smidgin of eye leakage is hardly unnatural just now, O @Piglet, and certainly Not Your Fault!

    Best wishes for the clear-out, and the move - such activities do concentrate the mind most wonderfully... :grimace:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Having spent the morning plootering about (admittedly also doing a few legal bits and bobs to do with the house), I really ought to be starting that wardrobe clear-out.

    The house has passed its inspection and the buyers' finance seems to be sorted, so it looks as though thunderbirds are go!

    I've just had what seems to me like a very reasonable quote from the movers - as I'm not taking very much furniture with me, it's a fraction of what we paid for moving from Newfoundland to New Brunswick. It'll take quite a while to get there - 10-12 weeks - but as I haven't anywhere to move into, that doesn't really matter.

    I think I might be getting there ... :smiley:
  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host
    Excellent news, Piglet. :smiley:
  • Great, Piglet. May the decluttering proceed apace. 👍💪
  • Oh Piglet, joining the virtual helping squad here. Which isn’t much use but still...
  • Good news, Piglet, I hope it goes well. My decluttering abilities would be of little use to you, even virtually.
    Gardener has arrived early this morning with digger man, they are digging up the end of our long terrace garden so we can landscape the back and put up bicycle sheds. Gardener is a nice young man who used to live at next door but one to us when he was a teenager. I once taught his care assistant mother when I was a nursing sister. Seeing him as a grown up makes me feel old!
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    Well done, @Piglet and good luck with the packing!
  • Yes, and may you find a congenial Habitation (I won't call it a Stye, or Sty!) when you return to Bonnie Scotland in due course.
    :wink:
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    Good news, Piglet, I hope it goes well. My decluttering abilities would be of little use to you, even virtually.
    Gardener has arrived early this morning with digger man, they are digging up the end of our long terrace garden so we can landscape the back and put up bicycle sheds. Gardener is a nice young man who used to live at next door but one to us when he was a teenager. I once taught his care assistant mother when I was a nursing sister. Seeing him as a grown up makes me feel old!

    I know what you mean, I felt the same when some of the children I’d had in playgroup (I was a play leader for quite a while) then turned up in my classes when I later taught in Further Education! Now, of course, I’m retired and occasionally meet some who, not only have children of their own, but are middle aged themselves!
  • Yes, and may you find a congenial Habitation (I won't call it a Stye, or Sty!) when you return to Bonnie Scotland in due course.
    :wink:

    Byre, perhaps? (Although Byres Road is in The Other City).
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    With my financial clout, it'll probably be a cardboard box ...

    The only hurdle to be crossed now is the buyers being approved by the landlord who owns the estate. You buy the house, but have to pay rent for the ground on which it sits, and you have to fill in an application and be approved before you can buy, and then sign a form saying you'll abide by the regulations (which include things like maximum sizes for dogs*, which I understand may be a sticking point). I think it's a bit of a liberty myself, but you do what you have to.

    I ought to go and do some more declutterage before the evening (our first choir practice with D's successor - hope my tear-ducts behave themselves!).

    As tomorrow is bin-day, I really ought to clear out the larder and fridge - I've got jars of Mysterious Substances the might be ready to move out by themselves ... :flushed:

    * and not having Riotous Parties - this may be a trailer park, but we are not Trash. :smiley:
  • Ah, the mysterious substance jars, always an interesting find.
    Good luck!
  • Ah, the mysterious substance jars, always an interesting find.
    Good luck!

    Make a curry and invite friends. You're leaving the country, anyway.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    ST, that's wicked! :naughty:

    I have excellent news - Château Piglet is sold!!! (Where's that "yipee" smiley when I need it?).

    The estate agent's coming out tomorrow to put the SOLD sign up, and I'm going to have a very busy weekend ...

    Did I mention "yipee"? :smiley:
  • Wonderful news!
  • O frabjous day! Calloo, callay!
    :grin:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Throwing jars away is all very well, but while I've been away, my wheelie-bin has become frozen where it stands, and I can't move it to the edge of the drive. I've put most of the bags out, but I can't reach the ones at the bottom of the bin ... :flushed:
  • Wesley JWesley J Circus Host
    Where's the flamethrower when you need one?

    Good news on the the house sale. May you sail on, yourself, to a bright new future in Alba! :)
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