Have ordered and retrieved another lovely lunchtime feast from the restaurant across the road - I had already ordered a few things as takeaway during the lockdown, and today it is a formidable, big Cordon Bleu (of a spicy kind, for once!), very decently-sized and -looking French fries, and a mixed salad.
Currently in the process of devouring some of this - a restaurant-quality meal at home, the best of two worlds, yay! Bon appetit, all.
We've got more sun than forecast so far. I didn't get much sleep last night, but I think they mostly enjoyed camping. And Monty the cat is apparently still capable of leaping onto the roof of a dome tent in an attempt to get in!
Boris eased the lockdown just in time for us to have the second week of our Lake District holiday. There had been a warning of gales fo4 Cumbria, and boy, did we have a gale last night! The noise of the wind and rain woke me twice last nice, and although we haven’t been caught out by the weather, we’ve seen some pretty severe squalls, and the wind in Little Langdale is vicious!
Sunny here in Kent, with fluffy cotton-wool clouds (ha!), but a stiff westerly breeze. Not too chilly, though - my car reckons about 20-21C.
Good to get out to Church this morning for the first public service since lockdown began.
Not too low a turnout (60% of our usual Sunday crowd), and wonderful news from one of our students - an African lass, who has had tremendous problems to face (family illness/the sheer bloody-mindedness of the English *government*/University authorities), but has nonetheless achieved a very good Degree result!
Only 21°? 33° here for many days to come, according to the prophecies. Am thinking of that Goon Show line, "Throw some more ice on the fire, will you!"
Boris eased the lockdown just in time for us to have the second week of our Lake District holiday. There had been a warning of gales fo4 Cumbria, and boy, did we have a gale last night! The noise of the wind and rain woke me twice last nice, and although we haven’t been caught out by the weather, we’ve seen some pretty severe squalls, and the wind in Little Langdale is vicious!
It’s pretty vicious further down the lake from you as well. There were a few sailors out in yesterday’s breeze, but nothing venturing out today, and both ends of the lake are shrouded in grey.
Memo to self: if erecting rather flimsy construction of poles and plastic sheeting in the garden, a day of strong wind and squally showers probably not the best time.
And I knackered my back again, which had just been coming round from the sciatica.
Shall see if it's still standing tomorrow, or whether it is several gardens away.
@pendragon, I remember our son being the dragonlets’ ages and wanting to camp out in his grandparent’s back garden. Husband said he’d do it, only to come in after half an hour as he got asthma. So I was the one with the sleepless night.
Today we met up with our lovely niece, whose just returned to London after spending lockdown with her mum. Her job is looking a bit dodgy, due to the wonders of Brexit rather than COVID, but we had a fun couple of hours picnicking in Richmond anyway.
We are out later for a socially distanced gathering for a family birthday so very much hoping the rain keeps off.
It's a while since I had a buffet-style, party food meal and I'd forgotten how easy it is to overindulge on those high fat, high calorie, low in nutritional value foods. >takes dose of liver salts<
My husband cooked chicken with thyme stuffing today. Halfway through the meal I suddenly had a huge increase in my sense of smell and a strong aversion to thyme. I assume this is a new post-covid symptom. Or maybe my hormones are even more out of kilter than usual.
Memo to self: if erecting rather flimsy construction of poles and plastic sheeting in the garden, a day of strong wind and squally showers probably not the best time.
You were trying that trick yesterday too?
We went round to No. 1 nephew's yesterday afternoon, where he'd put up a gazebo thing in his garden so that we could practise a semblance of social distancing, and it worked to an extent, but it did look rather as if it wanted to be somewhere else ...
We tried a bit of actual sitting outside (No. 2 nephew and Archie were there too, so toddling space was required. ), but when it came on to rain as well as blowing a hoolie we gave it up as a bad job and went indoors and played a sort of Pelmanism game with No. 1 nephew's children.
Must go and exercise the Iron Ing - I'm beginning to run out of decent-looking shirts, and it's looking like more rain, so amblage may not be happening.
I checked my work email earlier but nothing was doing (I’m actually only employed October to June but future timetables need sorting this time of year). I’ve done my Monday morning yoga class, then the laundry and I’m just resting now for a while before lunch then doing some study.
The grow tent thing survived, so I continued tidying the corner by the shed. I tipped out the compost bin and sifted out the woody bits, put back the rest and doused it with accelerant. It will be coming time, in a few weeks, to cut down the wild patch, so that will be a lot of green going into the bin.
lock down is one thing. Associated problems another, My TV decided that it needed a revamp and the consequence is that until l I can get the right password sorted I have lost half my programmes. Ohh well ......
Boris eased the lockdown just in time for us to have the second week of our Lake District holiday. There had been a warning of gales fo4 Cumbria, and boy, did we have a gale last night! The noise of the wind and rain woke me twice last nice, and although we haven’t been caught out by the weather, we’ve seen some pretty severe squalls, and the wind in Little Langdale is vicious!
It’s pretty vicious further down the lake from you as well. There were a few sailors out in yesterday’s breeze, but nothing venturing out today, and both ends of the lake are shrouded in grey.
Are you in the Lake District? Fancy a shipmeet with me and Darllenwr?
My husband went to the his local pub after work with a colleague. They had to wear masks and had their temperature taken, they sat outside and ordered using their phones, and had to provide their name and contact details. Apparently it was a great improvement on queueing at the bar. They aren’t serving food yet and staff are wearing face shields.
I’ve looked up our local gastro pub in the village and they are open and serving food so we might have a trip out for my birthday next week, if not before.
Yesterday MrBeaky and I both had haircuts.
I was pleased with the the way the salon had organised everything but part of me was still nervous about the risks we might be taking.....
However the impact on our self-esteem has been considerable as we both have short hair which was looking ghastly as it grew out and we can now face the world/ Zoom with equanimity!
That must have been quite a boost
Just a short walk for me today as I have an online conference to attend. This move online by academic conferences has been a major boon for me, usually I can’t get to anything due to my bipolar disorder causing social anxiety in unfamiliar contexts but I’m really familiar with teaching and learning online, and probably more so than most other attendees as it is the norm for the OU. Today’s conference is in higher education and I even managed to access some finding from it from work, despite being an associate rather than staff.
We had a lovely afternoon yesterday with No. 1 niece, her husband and both dogs: Larry's human, No. 2 niece, is on holiday in Ibiza*, so her sister had gone and picked Larry up for some doggy amblage and a "play-date" with his doggy "cousin", Harvey. Fortunately, the two dogs get on really well, and were chasing each other all over the place.
We had a lovely long walk (we must have been out for over an hour - I've no idea of actual distance), but the end result for me was a large and painful blister on one of my trotters.
* She and her partner are both serious travellers, and have been suffering really bad withdrawal symptoms, so as soon as foreign travel was allowed, they were off. I don't think it was very wise, but it's not my call.
That's a problem - the feet get so little pavement time that they whimper when asked to do a bit.
It's a meh sort of day out, but I will try and take myself to the garden and plant up some seed trays of herbs in the growtent - to replace the ones dug up by squirrels.
Having had a rather dismal dinner last night of recycled roast beef, tonight's was much more successful. Burgers made with pork mince and parmesan, and spicy potato wedges, washed down with a bottle of organic Dabinett Dorset cider.
That sounds delicious.
We had pasta in cheese sauce with a small piece of roast salmon. I was tired after my long day so couldn’t be bothered to make the effort to chop veg!
It does appear to be lowering somewhat - I really ought to go and amble before it starts to rain.
Yesterday afternoon, after an abortive attempt at opening a bank account by actually going to the bank*, we had a lovely hour or two with my nephew and Archie, and just as we left their flat, the heavens opened. The car was only a few yards away, but we got soaked.
I made a salmon, broccoli and green veggie risotto for supper, which I really enjoyed, but S. didn't; she says risotto just isn't her thing, so I won't be making it again until I'm not cooking for her.
* I thought all I had to do was turn up at the bank with the requisite documents, but no - apparently you have to apply online (again), and then you need to make an appointment to bring in your documents, as it's likely to take an hour and a half ...
After successful dentistry (see prayer thread...), I am now treating myself to the shrimp leftovers of last night. Mmmh!
There are certain foodstuffs that just totally agree with you, and for me shrimp is one of them! And so is the lovely pre-made couscous, of which I bought a whole kg (coz half-price - the shrimps were too!), and which comes as a taboulé salad with assorted veggies and chickpeas. Heavenly it is indeed, and I reckon reasonably healthy! I'm adding a handful of sultanas for goood measure. It keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.
Recently, I'd bought another entire kilo of ready-to-eat potato salad (half-price), which was formidable too, and was devoured over time with the odd sausage or three, or an egg, or even some cottage cheese.
Regarding the dentistry of earlier today: I complemented my dentist once more on his incredible manual skills - after all, a mouth is a fairly crammed and very sensitive place -, which he gracefully and gratefully accepted, saying that not many people do acknowledge it. He says it takes 10 years to get into the swing of things, meaning: you need shedloads of practice. He's not cheap, but very reliable, and doesn't do root canal treatment - he has developed his own method of saving teefies, and proposes specific ceramic fillings, which he even gives a 10-year guarantee on. And those are rather good, I must say!
So, still a bit sore from it all, but can eat again (see above) now that the anaesthetic has worn off and my lips have resumed normal service, and I am not in much pain really, proving the tooth is now safe. Still, I think a bit of a siesta is called for - also, it is supposed to get up to 28°C again -, so that's my excuse.
O just the very thought of dentistry makes me shrink like a Snail from Salt...
I did have to have an extraction mumble mumble years ago, and insisted that the dentist used as much anaesthetic as he possibly could.
He obliged, and it worked, but one side of my face felt as though it belonged to someone on the other side of the street, IYSWIM.
I know the feeling, BF! - From various appointments over the years, since the 1970s, I notice that anaesthetic is now being injected nearly painlessly with some sort of electronically beeping implement, and a far cry (sic!) from the horror and syringes you and I will have experienced in the last century! While some progress is rubbish, this one is wonderful!
Also, my dentist offers to patients rose-tinted and other colour spectacles to wear during the dental work. He thinks that colour therapy can help calm you down. You don't have to wear any, but I normally try the dark-blue tinted ones, which to me feels very soothing. Would be worth to experiment with!
On the aforementioned occasion, the torturer dentist injected my jaw no less than seven times (how very Biblical...). He then suggested I might like to wait in Reception whilst the injections took effect. He said it might take some time until I was sufficiently sedated.
45 minutes later, I still wasn't ready to go into the torture-chamber, but Mrs BF came into Reception to see how I was getting on. I mumbled something to the effect that, although I hadn't been operated on yet, she might like to make an appointment for herself while she was there. After all, why should I be the only one to have Fun?
She declined, but took pity on me, and came back an hour later to take my poor mangled body back home...
I have a memory of a filling being performed as an older teenager. (eg 20+ years ago)
In the middle of the long slow process of numbing my gums - with what seemed like a comically large syringe - the phone rang. The dentist's assistant had not long "nipped out" for something, so the dentist had me hold onto the syringe as he answered his own phone.
Not my current dentist, but a previous one, said 'oh sh*t', while trying to sort out one of my teeth. That's right up there in the list of things you don't want health professionals to be saying while treating you. My current one charges a fortune, but is very good and very keen on technology. He 3D printed me a tooth a few years back.
It's been a bit wet and grim here. I had to go to said dentists to see hygienist today. It was the first time I'd been on a train since March, which was also for a visit to my dentists. What an exciting life I'm leading at present.
What is this thing called train of which you speak?
If it's one of those long snaky metal electricackle things which run on rails, I don't think I've even seen one, let alone been on one, for about a lustrum...
What is this thing called train of which you speak?
If it's one of those long snaky metal electricackle things which run on rails, I don't think I've even seen one, let alone been on one, for about a lustrum...
If you lived in the Phoenix, Arizona, area I could understand that. We have freight trains, but no passenger trains. But I'm pretty sure your fair city does have regular train service. I know I've passed through on my way to another fair city with a famous big church to the east of you (and a few years ago had planned to take a train from that fair city to yours).
I do wish Phoenix had passenger train service to San Diego, and Los Angeles, Tucson, and other outposts of Arizona.
My apologies for awakening traumatic dental memories from amongst the Ship's Crew. But thank you for listening and sharing. Looking up my dentist's website, I found that - of course! - he uses this gadget called ' The Wand'. No wonder that works so well and those horrible syringes are a thing of the past for me and his other patients. So innovative!
Explanation on how it works (from the UK) here; videos and more information available on the web.
What is this thing called train of which you speak?
If it's one of those long snaky metal electricackle things which run on rails, I don't think I've even seen one, let alone been on one, for about a lustrum...
If you lived in the Phoenix, Arizona, area I could understand that. We have freight trains, but no passenger trains. But I'm pretty sure your fair city does have regular train service. I know I've passed through on my way to another fair city with a famous big church to the east of you (and a few years ago had planned to take a train from that fair city to yours).
I do wish Phoenix had passenger train service to San Diego, and Los Angeles, Tucson, and other outposts of Arizona.
We do indeed have trains - lots of them! We even have a big new glass box labelled 'Station', but it's been quite a while since I availed myself of its facilities (which include a free bookstall, and a piano...).
I can hear (but not see) the Eurostar trains whizzing to and from that Horrid Foreign Place, France, across the river bridge not far away from where rests the Ark.
A Good Dentist is worth a fortune, especially if s/he does NHS treatments. Our previous dentist was one such and when we moved house we travelled 45 miles to continue to be treated by him - until he retired.
I am lucky to need little treatment but my husband has had several teeth saved by the skills of this man, who refused to extract a tooth if he could save it. He particularly enjoyed reconstruction work.
Last year we signed up with a new dentist locally who was less experienced. My next appointment was meant to be in April, but first I was told she had left, then of course the practice closed during lockdown. I have not yet been invited to return, but I am not in any great rush. I am sure there are people who have been suffering and whose need is greater.
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Currently in the process of devouring some of this - a restaurant-quality meal at home, the best of two worlds, yay! Bon appetit, all.
Sunny here in Kent, with fluffy cotton-wool clouds (ha!), but a stiff westerly breeze. Not too chilly, though - my car reckons about 20-21C.
Good to get out to Church this morning for the first public service since lockdown began.
Not too low a turnout (60% of our usual Sunday crowd), and wonderful news from one of our students - an African lass, who has had tremendous problems to face (family illness/the sheer bloody-mindedness of the English *government*/University authorities), but has nonetheless achieved a very good Degree result!
It’s pretty vicious further down the lake from you as well. There were a few sailors out in yesterday’s breeze, but nothing venturing out today, and both ends of the lake are shrouded in grey.
And I knackered my back again, which had just been coming round from the sciatica.
Shall see if it's still standing tomorrow, or whether it is several gardens away.
Today we met up with our lovely niece, whose just returned to London after spending lockdown with her mum. Her job is looking a bit dodgy, due to the wonders of Brexit rather than COVID, but we had a fun couple of hours picnicking in Richmond anyway.
You were trying that trick yesterday too?
We went round to No. 1 nephew's yesterday afternoon, where he'd put up a gazebo thing in his garden so that we could practise a semblance of social distancing, and it worked to an extent, but it did look rather as if it wanted to be somewhere else ...
We tried a bit of actual sitting outside (No. 2 nephew and Archie were there too, so toddling space was required.
Must go and exercise the Iron Ing - I'm beginning to run out of decent-looking shirts, and it's looking like more rain, so amblage may not be happening.
They have now been returned to the hall cupboard for the foreseeable future.
I'm sure they're much happier there.
Are you in the Lake District? Fancy a shipmeet with me and Darllenwr?
I’ve looked up our local gastro pub in the village and they are open and serving food so we might have a trip out for my birthday next week, if not before.
I was pleased with the the way the salon had organised everything but part of me was still nervous about the risks we might be taking.....
However the impact on our self-esteem has been considerable as we both have short hair which was looking ghastly as it grew out and we can now face the world/ Zoom with equanimity!
Just a short walk for me today as I have an online conference to attend. This move online by academic conferences has been a major boon for me, usually I can’t get to anything due to my bipolar disorder causing social anxiety in unfamiliar contexts but I’m really familiar with teaching and learning online, and probably more so than most other attendees as it is the norm for the OU. Today’s conference is in higher education and I even managed to access some finding from it from work, despite being an associate rather than staff.
We had a lovely long walk (we must have been out for over an hour - I've no idea of actual distance), but the end result for me was a large and painful blister on one of my trotters.
* She and her partner are both serious travellers, and have been suffering really bad withdrawal symptoms, so as soon as foreign travel was allowed, they were off. I don't think it was very wise, but it's not my call.
It's a meh sort of day out, but I will try and take myself to the garden and plant up some seed trays of herbs in the growtent - to replace the ones dug up by squirrels.
...probably something to do with Nut Cutlets...
I'll get me sou'wester.
He’s got a flight early tomorrow, so fingers crossed that goes. 🤞
I had my church fellowship meeting on Zoom today - 12 of us and very pleasant.
25° and very sunny here. ☀️
Though, if I were in Sunny Heidelberg, I might just want to forget all about Boris Island and its woes...
We had pasta in cheese sauce with a small piece of roast salmon. I was tired after my long day so couldn’t be bothered to make the effort to chop veg!
That's good news. Lovely to think of all the Family Boog having some time together in the sunshine.
Unless he's perfected the art of Yogic Flying....
Yesterday afternoon, after an abortive attempt at opening a bank account by actually going to the bank*, we had a lovely hour or two with my nephew and Archie, and just as we left their flat, the heavens opened. The car was only a few yards away, but we got soaked.
I made a salmon, broccoli and green veggie risotto for supper, which I really enjoyed, but S. didn't; she says risotto just isn't her thing, so I won't be making it again until I'm not cooking for her.
* I thought all I had to do was turn up at the bank with the requisite documents, but no - apparently you have to apply online (again), and then you need to make an appointment to bring in your documents, as it's likely to take an hour and a half ...
After successful dentistry (see prayer thread...), I am now treating myself to the shrimp leftovers of last night. Mmmh!
There are certain foodstuffs that just totally agree with you, and for me shrimp is one of them! And so is the lovely pre-made couscous, of which I bought a whole kg (coz half-price - the shrimps were too!), and which comes as a taboulé salad with assorted veggies and chickpeas. Heavenly it is indeed, and I reckon reasonably healthy! I'm adding a handful of sultanas for goood measure. It keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.
Recently, I'd bought another entire kilo of ready-to-eat potato salad (half-price), which was formidable too, and was devoured over time with the odd sausage or three, or an egg, or even some cottage cheese.
Regarding the dentistry of earlier today: I complemented my dentist once more on his incredible manual skills - after all, a mouth is a fairly crammed and very sensitive place -, which he gracefully and gratefully accepted, saying that not many people do acknowledge it. He says it takes 10 years to get into the swing of things, meaning: you need shedloads of practice. He's not cheap, but very reliable, and doesn't do root canal treatment - he has developed his own method of saving teefies, and proposes specific ceramic fillings, which he even gives a 10-year guarantee on. And those are rather good, I must say!
So, still a bit sore from it all, but can eat again (see above) now that the anaesthetic has worn off and my lips have resumed normal service, and I am not in much pain really, proving the tooth is now safe. Still, I think a bit of a siesta is called for - also, it is supposed to get up to 28°C again -, so that's my excuse.
I did have to have an extraction mumble mumble years ago, and insisted that the dentist used as much anaesthetic as he possibly could.
He obliged, and it worked, but one side of my face felt as though it belonged to someone on the other side of the street, IYSWIM.
Also, my dentist offers to patients rose-tinted and other colour spectacles to wear during the dental work. He thinks that colour therapy can help calm you down. You don't have to wear any, but I normally try the dark-blue tinted ones, which to me feels very soothing. Would be worth to experiment with!
45 minutes later, I still wasn't ready to go into the torture-chamber, but Mrs BF came into Reception to see how I was getting on. I mumbled something to the effect that, although I hadn't been operated on yet, she might like to make an appointment for herself while she was there. After all, why should I be the only one to have Fun?
She declined, but took pity on me, and came back an hour later to take my poor mangled body back home...
In the middle of the long slow process of numbing my gums - with what seemed like a comically large syringe - the phone rang. The dentist's assistant had not long "nipped out" for something, so the dentist had me hold onto the syringe as he answered his own phone.
*swoons*
It's been a bit wet and grim here. I had to go to said dentists to see hygienist today. It was the first time I'd been on a train since March, which was also for a visit to my dentists. What an exciting life I'm leading at present.
If it's one of those long snaky metal electricackle things which run on rails, I don't think I've even seen one, let alone been on one, for about a lustrum...
If you lived in the Phoenix, Arizona, area I could understand that. We have freight trains, but no passenger trains. But I'm pretty sure your fair city does have regular train service. I know I've passed through on my way to another fair city with a famous big church to the east of you (and a few years ago had planned to take a train from that fair city to yours).
I do wish Phoenix had passenger train service to San Diego, and Los Angeles, Tucson, and other outposts of Arizona.
Explanation on how it works (from the UK) here; videos and more information available on the web.
What a truly marvellous invention!
We do indeed have trains - lots of them! We even have a big new glass box labelled 'Station', but it's been quite a while since I availed myself of its facilities (which include a free bookstall, and a piano...).
I can hear (but not see) the Eurostar trains whizzing to and from that Horrid Foreign Place, France, across the river bridge not far away from where rests the Ark.
I am lucky to need little treatment but my husband has had several teeth saved by the skills of this man, who refused to extract a tooth if he could save it. He particularly enjoyed reconstruction work.
Last year we signed up with a new dentist locally who was less experienced. My next appointment was meant to be in April, but first I was told she had left, then of course the practice closed during lockdown. I have not yet been invited to return, but I am not in any great rush. I am sure there are people who have been suffering and whose need is greater.