Ouch @Cameron . I once went head over heels off my bike on an icy patch and got a very bad black eye. My husband was worried everyone was thinking he’d beaten me up.
Don’t forget to get a new helmet, the old one probably isn’t much good now.
I have a spare helmet so I am all set in that department. It will be a while before the bumps and bruises go down, and I venture out though! Tricky finding a non-ouch sleeping position last night - at least the headache went away with a couple of pills.
I'm surprised how upset I am seeing photos of William and Kate ignoring the cross-border rules when my own daughter is stuck in England and can't come home.
Up to now we've been very positive about making the most of it when she can come home, but today I looked at the photos on the news and cried.
I'm surprised how upset I am seeing photos of William and Kate ignoring the cross-border rules when my own daughter is stuck in England and can't come home.
I see there's an argument that TRH are permitted to travel, because it's for "work purposes". Which is probably technically true, but also seems terribly tone deaf. There is a pandemic going on. Don't travel around unnecessarily. It's not a very difficult concept, really.
Speaking personally, were I to be a beleaguered hospital worker, I'm not sure that all the complications of a VIP visit would improve my life. Get on zoom now, and visit when everyone is vaccinated.
(((@North East Quine))). People who think their presence is more important than the rules everyone else are bound by are not of the meek who will inherit the earth. (Of course the meek don’t want to inherit the earth, but that’s another thread.)
I agree with @Leorning Cniht - I thought it was a bit ill-advised of their Royal Highnesses to make the trip. OK, it's their work - and in normal circumstances I'm OK with that - but these are Not Normal Circumstances.
NEQ, I'm really sorry you're not going to be able to see the Quinie - what a bummer. Is the North East Loon going to be home?
Yes, the Loon is here, and isn't planning on leaving any time soon. We don't actually know what we're doing at Christmas yet - in September, my father's prognosis was that he was unlikely to see Christmas, but he's still here and "well." A lot could happen between now and the 25th, though. We're just taking it one day at a time.
{{{NEQ}}} I'm so sorry to hear that. I thought the cross-border rules were being relaxed in the UK for the five-day Christmas period; are there other reasons why your daughter can't come to you?
In my case we're not travelling because a) the relaxation of the rules covers a period that's inconvenient (we'd need the travel period to be between Christmas and the New Year, the earliest we could travel would be Boxing Day and a days drive each way doesn't give time to make it worthwhile), b) the rules about the number of households mean we couldn't get together with the whole family even if we could travel as we're spread between too many households and c) it's simply daft to relax rules for a few days (if the science says the rate of infection has fallen enough to relax rules then do so, if the rate of infection hasn't fallen the rules need to be kept in place and enforced).
{{{NEQ}}} I'm so sorry to hear that. I thought the cross-border rules were being relaxed in the UK for the five-day Christmas period; are there other reasons why your daughter can't come to you?
If she was just here for five days, she'd be self-isolating the whole time to make sure she hadn't caught it on the journey north. We're juggling Covid risks, the desire to see our daughter, and my father's terminal illness. She had arranged with her employer to work from home in the run up to Christmas so that she could come up, self-isolate while working in her room here, and then be able to spend Christmas with us / her grandfather. So she should have been heading north next week.
Here’s a nice thing. When I was in the local Coop just now the manager gave me a card and a small present to thank me for helping organise the local volunteers during lockdown! I am so touched.
(The present is posh vinegar crisps and mince pies, both of which I dislike, so Mr Cats and the Giraffe come off well!)
We had a card today from a widowed relative who is not going to have any direct contact with her family over Christmas but she is looking forward to a glass of something and a mince pie on the landing with a neighbour = a 'stairheid swally' she said.
Apparently I am a disgrace to the Scottish Nation.
We sent a box of comestibles down to our daughter and her fiance. I say "we" but only one half of "we" was involved in the masking up, going shopping, sanitising, packing the box, queuing in the rain outside the Post Office to post it bit.
The other half of of "we" became involved yesterday, watching our daughter unpack the box on a video call.
"What whisky did you send? I don't recognise the box" said the other half of "we."
I told him. He was baffled by my choice. I explained that when I was a wee girl my grandmother was great friends with the wife of the distillery manager there, and we visited regularly. I had no idea what the whisky was like, but the memories of the visits made me happy whenever I saw the name.
My husband's mind has been blown that I could choose a whisky on that basis. His face is wearing the "I'm reconsidering my life's choices, specifically the choice I made in 1987 to ask you to marry me."
Sounds like a perfectly basis for making a selection for a gift, especially a gift for family. A solid family connection and history associated with the distillery. Unless you specifically know what the whisky tastes like and you know that's not to the taste of your daughter and her fiancé, and though you may know their tastes you clearly don't know the whisky in question.
I don't drink much whisky now, because I don't drink alone and when able to get out somewhere I quite often have the car (just looking forward to being able to get out again sometime later in 2021). But, I do enjoy a wee dram ... and, getting a bottle which I don't recognise and thus need to test would be a wonderful gift - especially if accompanied by a story like the one of you visiting the distillery with your grandmother.
When I was a child, whisky toddy was the cure-all. I've never been able to make the switch from it being childhood "medicine" to it being drunk for pleasure.
It's very odd to see the phrase "bourbons are ok" (unless relating to choc biscuits). That certainly gets closer to the "disgrace to the Scottish Nation" label.
I'm afraid I'm not a whisky drinker either; I like the idea of it, but I've never developed a taste for it*. On the rare occasions when I drink spirits, it's GIN (especially Deerness GIN from Orkney - it's lovely).
* I could just about make an exception for 18-year-old Highland Park, but I can't afford it. Maybe that's just as well.
We developed the taste for a single malt when on holiday in Scotland with friends. Mr Nen now has a nightcap of it most evenings as it helps him to sleep. Apparently.
Another one here who simply can’t make the jump from Medicinal to pleasure.
Whisky for me is forever linked with strong tea and being tucked up on the sofa....
Sounds like a perfectly basis for making a selection for a gift, especially a gift for family. A solid family connection and history associated with the distillery. Unless you specifically know what the whisky tastes like and you know that's not to the taste of your daughter and her fiancé, and though you may know their tastes you clearly don't know the whisky in question.
It depends on the quality of the whisky, doesn't it? I'm not much of a whisky drinker, but I do like tea. I'd be happy to receive a gift of interesting teas from anyone, even if they weren't all to my taste. I'd be a bit taken aback to be sent a box of Lipton's teabags, on the basis that the sender's grandparent used to be a floor manager in the factory.
Ah, but there's no bad malt whisky ... so that's a safe bet that you wouldn't be getting an equivalent of Lipton's, especially a long established distillery. The mass-marketed malts are well known quantities, something else would be an unknown that may not be to your taste but will be good.
BBC News reports (with much self-righteous huffing and puffing from various anti-Scottish entities) that President First Minister Sturgeon rather wrong-footed herself at a wake by removing her face-mask to briefly speak (still socially-distanced) to some people.
AIUI, she immediately apologised for her temporary lapse, and gave herself a bit of a beating, so to speak. Sounds to me as if common humanity took over from common sense for a few moments...
Should she resign? Or shut herself up in prison? Or what?
BBC News reports (with much self-righteous huffing and puffing from various anti-Scottish entities) that President First Minister Sturgeon rather wrong-footed herself at a wake by removing her face-mask to briefly speak (still socially-distanced) to some people.
AIUI, she immediately apologised for her temporary lapse, and gave herself a bit of a beating, so to speak. Sounds to me as if common humanity took over from common sense for a few moments...
Should she resign? Or shut herself up in prison? Or what?
I think it was an honest mistake and she has acted properly in avoiding excuses and apologising profusely (and, it seems to me, sincerely). Personally, I think that is all that is required.
It is interesting to note that at FM's questions in the Scottish Parliament today, none of the other parties jumped on this - they certainly would have if they thought they could score a point. I wonder if anyone could place their hand on heart with confidence to never having a momentary lapse.
Of course, there are plenty of photos of Boris breaking the rules (and quite unapologetically), but that is about as surprising as a fart at a sprout-eating competition.
I think she should finish the job Alexander II started in 1214, when he and his army reached Dover...
BTW - Barnard Castle is in County Durham, so she'd have to lay Northumberland waste (with the traditional fire and sword) before getting as far as Sp*csavers...
"Englandshire" is a term coined by moderately pissed-off Scots as a riposte to the habit of some of the British media of appearing to regard Scotland as if it were a county like all the other "shires".
I think she should finish the job Alexander II started in 1214, when he and his army reached Dover...
BTW - Barnard Castle is in County Durham, so she'd have to lay Northumberland waste (with the traditional fire and sword) before getting as far as Sp*csavers...
Much of southern Scotland, including Edinburgh and Dumfries and Galloway, were part of the Kingdom of Bernicia which extended south to the Tees and Cumbria. Barnard Castle is on the northern bank of the Tees, so would logically be inside that enlargement of Scotland to incorporate the historical kingdom divided by a later border north of Carlisle.
Comments
Don’t forget to get a new helmet, the old one probably isn’t much good now.
I have a spare helmet so I am all set in that department. It will be a while before the bumps and bruises go down, and I venture out though! Tricky finding a non-ouch sleeping position last night - at least the headache went away with a couple of pills.
Ach well, you live and learn...
Over here in the NE I’m still cutting lettuce.
Up to now we've been very positive about making the most of it when she can come home, but today I looked at the photos on the news and cried.
I see there's an argument that TRH are permitted to travel, because it's for "work purposes". Which is probably technically true, but also seems terribly tone deaf. There is a pandemic going on. Don't travel around unnecessarily. It's not a very difficult concept, really.
Speaking personally, were I to be a beleaguered hospital worker, I'm not sure that all the complications of a VIP visit would improve my life. Get on zoom now, and visit when everyone is vaccinated.
She's living with her future in-laws and they are lovely, but the last time I saw her we were looking forward to her coming home for Christmas.
I'm not an ardent royalist, but I'm not a republican either. This just feels like a personal "Fuck You, North East family!" from William and Kate.
NEQ, I'm really sorry you're not going to be able to see the Quinie - what a bummer. Is the North East Loon going to be home?
If she was just here for five days, she'd be self-isolating the whole time to make sure she hadn't caught it on the journey north. We're juggling Covid risks, the desire to see our daughter, and my father's terminal illness. She had arranged with her employer to work from home in the run up to Christmas so that she could come up, self-isolate while working in her room here, and then be able to spend Christmas with us / her grandfather. So she should have been heading north next week.
(The present is posh vinegar crisps and mince pies, both of which I dislike, so Mr Cats and the Giraffe come off well!)
We sent a box of comestibles down to our daughter and her fiance. I say "we" but only one half of "we" was involved in the masking up, going shopping, sanitising, packing the box, queuing in the rain outside the Post Office to post it bit.
The other half of of "we" became involved yesterday, watching our daughter unpack the box on a video call.
"What whisky did you send? I don't recognise the box" said the other half of "we."
I told him. He was baffled by my choice. I explained that when I was a wee girl my grandmother was great friends with the wife of the distillery manager there, and we visited regularly. I had no idea what the whisky was like, but the memories of the visits made me happy whenever I saw the name.
My husband's mind has been blown that I could choose a whisky on that basis. His face is wearing the "I'm reconsidering my life's choices, specifically the choice I made in 1987 to ask you to marry me."
I don't drink much whisky now, because I don't drink alone and when able to get out somewhere I quite often have the car (just looking forward to being able to get out again sometime later in 2021). But, I do enjoy a wee dram ... and, getting a bottle which I don't recognise and thus need to test would be a wonderful gift - especially if accompanied by a story like the one of you visiting the distillery with your grandmother.
Sadly I seem to have developed an adverse reaction to single malts, though, oddly, bourbons are ok.
* I could just about make an exception for 18-year-old Highland Park, but I can't afford it. Maybe that's just as well.
Whisky for me is forever linked with strong tea and being tucked up on the sofa....
No, no - away with all this Luxury! Do without the strong tea...
It depends on the quality of the whisky, doesn't it? I'm not much of a whisky drinker, but I do like tea. I'd be happy to receive a gift of interesting teas from anyone, even if they weren't all to my taste. I'd be a bit taken aback to be sent a box of Lipton's teabags, on the basis that the sender's grandparent used to be a floor manager in the factory.
AIUI, she immediately apologised for her temporary lapse, and gave herself a bit of a beating, so to speak. Sounds to me as if common humanity took over from common sense for a few moments...
Should she resign? Or shut herself up in prison? Or what?
I think it was an honest mistake and she has acted properly in avoiding excuses and apologising profusely (and, it seems to me, sincerely). Personally, I think that is all that is required.
It is interesting to note that at FM's questions in the Scottish Parliament today, none of the other parties jumped on this - they certainly would have if they thought they could score a point. I wonder if anyone could place their hand on heart with confidence to never having a momentary lapse.
Of course, there are plenty of photos of Boris breaking the rules (and quite unapologetically), but that is about as surprising as a fart at a sprout-eating competition.
Hehe - but she'd have to give herself permission to cross her own border...or quietly move the border south while no-one was looking?
BTW - Barnard Castle is in County Durham, so she'd have to lay Northumberland waste (with the traditional fire and sword) before getting as far as Sp*csavers...
Southern Alba, perhaps?
No real offence intended!
Who said 'Albion perfide' now ?
Meanwhile <votive> for Scottish seed potato farmers, who have just been thrown under the Brexshit bus...
Hopefully, they'll find a market in *England*, as we shall need something tasty to go with our mackerel or cuttlefish...