Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 6: Calmly through the day

[MissConductUS]

I've started a new one. Please join us and share the boring and mundane things happening in your world. It will be calming for all.

@ReallySpicyCurry

I was also hugely relieved that Biden is in. From what I can gather he won't stand by quietly if Boris tries to muck around with anything threaten the GFA. I can manage with 20% rises in food prices and lorries queuing at the border as long as the GFA stays intact and we don't end up with things kicking off here again.

The GFA is a very sensitive topic in the US, and Biden has clearly stated that anything that threatens it is a red line that would end any chance of a US UK trade deal and be detrimental to relations overall.

About 10% of the US population is of Irish ancestry, including Joe and me.

So relieved Trump has lost. Felt really moved seeing all those people celebrating in the streets. Spent the morning making and eating pancakes with DD2, then phoned the parents. A mellow morning after all the tension and excitement of the American elections.

I was too busy following the US election coverage yesterday to post on this thread, but we were watching anxiously. We cracked open some Prosecco when the election was called at about 4.30pm here.

We went to our village Remembrance Sunday service which was socially distanced and very poignant. A bit touch and go when one of the watchers took it upon himself to stand in the road and stop the traffic. Thankfully no bloodshed though.

Now I am about to do some ironing and cook a beef roast- rock and roll

We have attended Mass online and then took the DC on a long, very muddy walk, 7.3 miles later we ended up having lunch at 2pm. They are now on a post-lunch high... I thought they would be tired and passive this afternoon!

I am bracing myself to make lunchboxes for tomorrow and clean the kitchen and do the ironing.

@MissConductUS and thank goodness for it. Without taking the thread into more serious waters, the implications for NI as a result of Brexit and BJ playing silly buggers with the GFA have kept me up at nights. I love NI dearly, but I'm in a mixed marriage, and I always said I won't raise my children in a war zone, so if it got bad here again we'd have to leave really. First time in a long time I've been able to relax a bit about it all. Such a relief

Just chiming in to say - good job USA. I’m made up for you all, I really am. I watched the speeches this morning and my goodness. Grammar! Sentence structure! Coherence! How we’ve all missed them!

I’m half Northern Irish - estranged from the family there for various reasons, but still with a bit of a vested interest in the GFA (although of course in reality every Brit has that - just some don’t realise it or won’t acknowledge it). So yeah... good news all round.

Now, back to the dullness, quick! I have ironed all the uniform then laid it out in the drawer in daily sets, down to pants and socks. I do this every Sunday and it never fails to please me.

@ReallySpicyCurry Not to beat a dead horse, but as you probably know the GFA negotiations were led by an American senator named George Mitchell. Americans of Irish ancestry were deeply pained by the Troubles as we have family in Ireland, and have always been very influential in American politics. It's not going down without a fight.

epicchq.com/us-presidents-with-irish-heritage/

I have done quite a lot of ironing today. The DC have been doing homework.

I have also sorted out half a bin bag of too-small clothes from the DC's rooms, which is very satisfying. Most is good enough to wear again so I will pop it to the clothes bank this week some time.

Currently supervising DS1 while he assembles his ingredients for cookery lesson tomorrow. It is extremely painful. I have to be here or he would take even longer than it is. He's trying every ingredient ashe goes and has just had a shock (and given DP and me a good laugh) with the dried ginger!

@MissConductUS, I already had visions of him being dragged out screaming by security guards!

Of course it didn't work, the update got to 98% and then encountered a fault and returned the PC to its original status.
I'll take it to my local 'PC-man' - the advantages of living centrally - I can just walk over.

Of course not now, it is Sunday.

DS has now presented me with some hair bleach, with which I am requested to bleach a section of his hair so that it can then be dyed red. Any satisfaction I feel that this is precisely the course of action I said was required last time is mitigated by the fact I actually have to do the bastard stuff.

Had a lovely Sunday roast with roast pork and stuffing, yorkshire puddings, tenderstem brocolli, carrots, roast potatoes and gravy.

I'm watching Gordon Ramsay unchartered on Disney going round the world seeing different cuisines and the sights and enjoying it as nearest can get to travel for a while.

DH said he's finally making the chicken run for the chicken house which arrived in August though not sure if he's just downstairs.

Got lots of solicitors forms still and losing motivation.

Earlier I did two loads of washing which is now dried and put away, emptied the dishwasher, sorted DS uniform for tomorrow, made the lunches for tomorrow(me and DS), cooked a roast chicken dinner with potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli and asparagus, played basketball with my DS and ran around after my DD. I also tidied the shed.

I'm currently lying in bed whilst DD naps. I'm not ruling out a nap either.

DH did an hour of putting chicken run together but then it got dark and he said another hour is needed. DH is now playing the piano.

I've finished the Gordon Ramsay programmes and drinking tea. Should really be doing solicitors forms again but did them all day yesterday and this morning and wanting a break from them.

Just discovered that although DS had transferred the washing into the tumble dryer, he hadn't actually started it running. Cue lecture from me on 'doing a job properly' .

DS is having his annual bath (he hates bathing so we always jokingly call it his annual bath) and will then put on his new sloth onesie I got. DD says he's too old for them at 13 but she said its lovely and so, so soft so I think she has eyes on it herself.

Solictor replied and I've done the ID checks.

DH made a vanilla cheesecake all by himself and he's so proud. He's going to cook some fabulous local burgers for dinner tonight.

We packed more stuff for the move and really hope we get a date soon. All going well, we'll get it all sorted tomorrow.

Yippee good luck!!

I have to get up at six again tomorrow - the met people predict 9°C max with wind from the east and sunrise wil be at 7:15 - I won't enjoy getting up.

DS's hair is ginger.

I feel he should be grateful it's not fallen out in protest, but his humour is not its usual sparkling self

I have to be up at 4.45 tomorrow

your poor ds @Champagneforeveryone

I’ve just painted the kitchen ceiling and am about to start writing the presentation I have to give tomorrow at 10. May be a late one depending on how much I can plagiarise from other, similar talks I have given!

@TheBeeatAmbridge thanks for the recipe, looks lush!

I would also like to break into exciting territory briefly by voicing my sheer relief that Biden is in. 4 years of clever, educated, career politicians in the White House.

I did, however, shed a little year when I nostalgically watched McCain’s speech when Obama won. I was so DESPERATE for Obama to win I didn’t really give McCain a second thought. But....what a calm, gracious, articulate man he was. I bet he would have been a fantastic POTUS.

In other news....our whole chicken only lasted 2 meals as I made soup from the carcass and leftovers today and we ate it all. The whole thing reminds me of the kids story about the stone soup - where the old lady gets everyone to add a bit of salt, potato, bacon, barley.....