Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 8: 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.

So, the plumber came this morning to fit new taps, which have been dripping since we got a new boiler a couple of weeks ago which used a high pressure system rather than the low pressure the taps were used to.
Kitchen taps fitted, fine.
Bathroom sink taps ... he's cracked the basin trying to get the old ones off so is supposed to be coming back this afternoon to fit a new one!!! But it's getting later ...
I have a feeling we'll be washing at the kitchen sink tonight as it is impossible to use the bathroom basin.
I realise this is not dull and unexciting (for us anyway), but I have an overwhelming urge to tell some (hopefully) sympathetic listenerslisteners.

Pharmacists here have candy flavors for the liquid antibiotics.

We don’t seem to use flavours nowadays, except for the fake banana flavour in amoxycillin suspensions. DS1 had tonsillitis regularly in primary school and getting the stuff into him was a nightmare. I had a tiny taste once thinking “how bad can it be?” It tastes like pure evil. 🤢 DS2 also had regular tonsillitis but asked for tablets/capsules from around 8yo because the GP said it was worth a try & DS found it much easier to take antibiotics that way.

Oh dear - we are having new taps fitted tomorrow due to leaks on bath and bathroom sink. Hope you can get it sorted quickly. I'm waiting for a horrendous water bill as ours have been like this for a month and a half but DS had two isolations so we had to cancel, struggled to get a plumber and then the plumbers van broke down.

Still waiting for EICR report which was being sent by tomorrow on Thursday, think its one of DH's tomorrows. These normally happen eventually.

My sympathies Forget.

I forgot my news. It has been absolutely hammering down here all day. We went delivering Christmas cards on foot locally to escape the house and got soaked through to our underwear. The local river is the highest I’ve ever seen it, the water is moving fast and has flooded the lower lying parts of its flood plain. I was concerned a dog jumping in to retrieve its ball might get swept away. The ground is absolutely saturated and there are huge puddles lying on the playing fields. We saw manhole covers and storm drains pushed up by the force of water, even in the higher ground areas we visited on our stupidly long walk. The roads are also flooded in places, making the pavements touch & go for pedestrians as the cars pass. We were relieved to get home and in to dry clothes. I’m glad our area has good flood defences, but I won’t be at all surprised to hear of flooding in other areas.

I might not have said actually. He has swelling in his finger. He completely perplexed doctor number 1 with it last week, and doctor number 2 appears equally baffled. She has said that he has dry skin though so wonders if he had cracked skin and an infection has got in. @soddingkitten We discussed tablets but apparently they're quite large and she thinks his throat is still too small.

I need to go and collect his antibiotics now that DH is back with the DC to wait for Boiler Man (now coming to quote us for a new boiler as he's Worcester approved). It's 13 years old, so it's time. We had hoped it would hold out until we redid the kitchen and bathroom as we aren't sure that it will do the job when we move the bathroom upstairs.

They had a marvellous time at the NT properly. It looked very pretty as the sun went down apparently (picture sent by DH)

At home I got to grips (again) with secondary referencing and fixed the roller blind in DS1s room and the roman blind in the playroom. They now both go up and down all the way like they're supposed to.

I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling unwell @MissConductUS. I would advocate rescheduling.

Sodding the flavors here are still pretty bad.

Egg if the tablets are too big you can split them. The chemist can sell you a little device that does this, or you can go old school and do it on a cutting board with a knife. Any tablet that's scored can be split and taken in pieces.

My feeling poorly this morning must have been a hypotensive episode because I'm feeling perfectly fine now. They have a pretty specific set of symptoms. I'm going to have to start monitoring it more closely and ask my lovely GP who is much younger than I am and very pretty to adjust my medications again. So the dentist is still on and I won't take my second dose of the BP meds until I'm home.

DH just went and got a parcel (seond hand books for DD) from the Späti round the corner. The DHL man saw 5th floor no lift an delivered the parcel there. The regular posties know we come down.

Now DH is frying köfte.

Egg the picture frrom the NT property is lovely. You've had a nice day while poor Sodding has been nearly washed away by torrential rain.

In other news, it is DD's birthday today. At first she said that she wanted to celebrate it last night, so I got all of the presents ready and picked up her favorite chocolate mousse cake from the posh bakery. After inhaling eating a bit of DH's Mongolian chicken she said she was too full for cake but still wanted to open presents. So the cake is on for tonight.

She had a bit of jaundice when she was born, nothing too concerning but the pediatrician who did her neonatal exam wanted a follow-up in a few days. He opened up his office on Christmas day so that we could bring her in for a quick exam. I'll never forget that kindness.

Goodness, I’m sorry for those with plumbing problems (that sounds like it came straight from a 1970’s comedy).

I hope dentist is ok, OP and that your DS is better soon @EggNogPegg.

I made a cake this evening then had to leave DH in charge while I went on a zoom call. Apparently, it took over 50% more time to cook than it should have and ballooned up hugely - we think the recipe should have said a 2lb loaf tin instead of 1lb loaf tin.

Dh has just gone to co-op to get veg for rabbit's birthday cake, polar bear cake (as we need to celebrate with rabbit ) and hopefully some brocolli and cauliflower as I got irrationally sad when Sainsburys said they may run out.

I'm drinking tea. Dh has had a French colleague on the phone for 1.5 hours quizzing him on if there's any food left in the UK. I said to DH he could make money getting his Mum to send parcels of French food over then reselling them on.

@EggNogPegg, my DM used to crush tablets into a teaspoon of strawberry jam to persuade us kids to take them.
Thanks @soddingkitten, I phoned to find out wtf was happening and the plumber who came out should have said "We will order one today and it should be in tomorrow, in which case we will fit it on Wednesday." Which adds another layer of grrrhhh - would it have been so difficult to say that in the first place? Am I so scary ( no, don't answer that).
Anyway I hope yours goes OK tomorrow @SilkiesnowchicksandXmastreecat.

Am on my second slice of polar bear cake - it is the rabbit's second birthday after all.

We are currently debating what to have for tea. There are many delicious things in the fridge but DS keeps saying things like “but that’s for Christmas eve Mum!” We’re not making much progress, but Pringles are keeping us from starvation and in-fighting in the meantime.

DH just decided that I will be baking another 2 batches of cookies tonight, to be sent off to his DM tomorrow.
I will make coconut and nut, they travel well.

I'm sitting in the waiting room at my dentist's office. I'm a bit early. I brought a plate of my Death by Chocolate brownies, which they were very happy to accept.

Got electrical certificate through for old house and sent on to estate agents and solicitors.

Defrosted one of my two freezers today. Really must buy a frost free one at some point before one of them dies. DS2 enjoyed bashing at the part melted ice with a wooden spoon.

Taswama - Frost free freezers are less hassle, but suck moisture out of food quickly if it isn’t hermetically sealed and the cold, moist air ours pumps into the top of our fridge (Samsung American style fridge-freezer) freezes anything soft or perishable solid, so we can only store jars & the like on our top shelf.

Hello to all and I hope all is well on this Monday eve the dentist went well for @MissConductUS and sympathy to @forgetthehousework

I don't know how I managed to press post there- maybe because I'm on my phone..or maybe because I've a splitting headache tonight..

Ex is trying to pile on the pressure again- it's a rotten thing to do this close to Christmas but I'm trying to stay strong - he won't get away with it this time.

I love trifle too @soddingkitten - I haven't made it since last Christmas (but I have eaten many shop bought varieties)

I finish work tomorrow at 12 and I cannot wait to be at home with my little family for the start of Christmas.

I am seriously considering trifle after reading that thread.

But for now I'll go to bed.

Boiler Man has been. He has quoted us £500 more than the manufacturer for before Christmas installation. DH said thanks but no thanks and has now booked a new one to be installed on Christmas Eve.

@MissConductUS, do they not lecture you on sugary treats at the dentist? The dentist the DC went to made it very clear that there were to be No Sweets and chocolate only Twice A Week (we smile and nod and do it anyway)

@soddingkitten Ah Pringles. That's your tea sorted.
We had pizza whilst watching The Goblet of Fire as the DC finished reading it last night. DS1 was affronted that they cut out the actual Quidditch at the World Cup, DS2 said that there wasn't enough action, and just like when we saw it at the cinema, DH and I once again felt that it was too rushed and it makes your head spin. DH commented that the actors even seem to rush their dialogue before it quickly cuts to another scene. All four of us failed to see the need for David Tennant's repeated lizard-esqe tongue movements.

Rabbit had his 2nd birthday cake of carrot and little gem lettuce and he was very happy.

DD has painted one wall white in her bedroom.

Got on early bus to work this morning My pass did not work. I thought that strange as it is a free pass. I slowly dawned on me that my free pass cannot be used before 9am. Oh dear, my other card is in my handbag. So I now know you can use your bank card without having to use an app or something (which is what I thought). Shame I did not have my handbag with me right? Actually I did it was hanging from my shoulder..........

I need to pick up a new duvet that I ordered from John Lewis later today. Duvet has a 5 year guarantee. I’m not really sure what it’s guaranteed against as I wasn’t expecting it to have many moving parts.