Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 9: 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.

Hello neighbour @Sunbird24!

The DC are in the garden talking to the boy next door (who is the same age as DS2). They are overjoyed to be seeing someone other than each other and us. Though if DS1 comes through and leaves the back door open again, I may lock them out.

I'm going to take DS1 skiing at our local still an hour away dry slope this afternoon. I got slope passes as a Christmas gift. It's crisp and bright out and the DC could do with being separated for a bit. Plus I want to go. DS2 doesn't like it there as he got sprayed in the face by the floor sprinklers last time. DS1 is a better skiier than me, so I'll have to worry less about him too.

I want to be cat-becalmed, too

I have made a list of people & agencies to involve to get DS into the dual system or even a really structured uni / FH course after his Abitur.

Good day, threadiznes.

math, your snow, ice and rain arrived here this morning just as cold rain, which I ran in. While running I was listening to a podcast about the paranormal and realized that I was running through the woods, in the dark, listening to stories about women having their wits scared out of them, in the woods, in the dark by bigfoot and various cryptids. I carried on anyway. My shoes were so wet I had to set them on the heating vent outlets in the living room when I got back.

Congratulations on your negative test results @Champagneforeveryone. Eggy - any more news on your DB's condition?

I have no idea what we're doing for dinner. We had a really nice takeaway last night, so we should do something here. I think there's some leftover Mongolian Chicken in the freezer. It's hard to find things everyone will eat since DD is so picky.

We're down a car until we can pick up DH's so it's good we have nowhere to go today.

@mathanxiety what a lovely dilemma to have!
We are having party food here later and DS is going to stay up until midnight..he managed it last year - I'd say his chances are better than mine after DD woke 3 times last night.. I'll have a nap now to bank up on some sleep.

Well the banana cake is made and DH has said it tastes good - a bit like bananas, what did I put in it?
To be fair , I don't often make cakes and I've never made a banana cake before, so I think we're both a bit surprised that it's edible

@forgetthehousework congratulations on your successful banana cake that tastes like bananas

@EggNogPegg I hope your brother continues to improve.

@MissConductUS I'm so impressed by your running especially since I would have been freaked out by that podcast!! One of my NY resolutions is to be more active. Wish me luck.

@mathanxiety we had a hard frost here over night but it's creeping up to above freezing now and the sun is threatening to come out! I hope you solve your Pork dilemma.

We are having a stuffed turkey breast for dinner courtesy of Mrs Costco. We had prime rib on Christmas Day so this is our holiday Turkey meal.

I don't know why autocorrect chose to capitalise Pork and Turkey.

Just realised last night its NYE tonight

So wants to be here all today. He's just having his shower and I slept in after staying up late so staying up shouldn't be an issue.

DH said he will get prosecco. Just asking DS if he wants any special food and drink and he is I can't make decisions like that its too much choice and responsibility. So we'll probably get some party food, a cake, prosecco and watch TV / Netflix and some drinks for the kids, maybe mocktails.

DH is zooming again and DD doing uni work - she starts back on Monday.

I got stuck on duolingo - I can't get my head around the Turkish locative. I will have to look it up in a proper grammar.

I’ve been to the supermarket for a food shop. There’s no nice party food left and there was also an enormous queue for Macdonalds so I may be getting Dominos delivered tonight

I’ve made my onion and vegetable dip for tonight. I might make some baked Brie later, haven’t decided.

Just watched the Sydney 2021 fireworks on Bloomberg Quicktake, looks like any other New Year Sydney fireworks, spectacular as usual and reminds me of when we went on holiday there in summer 2018.

twitter.com/Quicktake/status/1344632197244923905

Chores done, I sat down on the sofa with magic blanket over my lap to drink my tea. Sodding has appeared and we are enjoying another cuddle/snooze. There go my afternoon plans (but I don’t care). 😆

We’re all set as I have ordered our delivery from the Chinese restaurant for this evening - thank you for your faith in me @HelenaJustina.

DH and DS decided that we would all go to bed as usual - listen to fireworks at midnight (people usually go crazy round here for fireworks) and then get a good nights sleep. I am ready for a snooze right now.

Welcome @SecretWitch and thanks for sharing your appetizing yet calming news.

The rain has ended and burgers on the charcoal grill have been mentioned as a possibility for dinner. DS wants the fancy brioche burger buns from Whole Foods, but I cba to drive there just for a $2 package of hamburger buns when we have plenty of the normal ones in the freezer.

I've just gone online to schedule a septic tank pump out for Saturday. I got a reminder card in the mail post yesterday reminding me that it had been two years since the last time.

Yay! @Nydj knew you could do it.

I’ve been emailed and then Whatapped about some work issues so am reluctantly getting my head into gear - we are having a pre-term meeting on Saturday where I will have to be coherent and strategic and problem solve-y.

Other than come up with a menu and the initial concept, the actual meal planning is lagging somewhat. DH has gone to walk the dog and hopefully get some essential ingredients. When I’ve finished work I’ll go and set the table and decorate the petit fours.

@MissConductUS

Welcome *@SecretWitch* and thanks for sharing your appetizing yet calming news.

The rain has ended and burgers on the charcoal grill have been mentioned as a possibility for dinner. DS wants the fancy brioche burger buns from Whole Foods, but I cba to drive there just for a $2 package of hamburger buns when we have plenty of the normal ones in the freezer.

I've just gone online to schedule a septic tank pump out for Saturday. I got a reminder card in the mail post yesterday reminding me that it had been two years since the last time.

I’m in Boston with a Whole Foods right down the road..shall I get a package for you?

DH just realised that the ketchup he bought was in fact BBQ sauce so he's just gone back to get ketchup as he says DS won't eat BBQ sauce. DS agreed he won't.

MissConduct what is Mongolian Chicken please? Sounds interesting ( in a suitably dull way for this thread.
Been to do a very small food shop. Had to queue for a good five minutes to get in. I preferred queuing in the hot weather.
I have signed up to Dry January.

Hello everyone 👋 We have had a very exciting day because ds and DH went to the playground. We haven’t visited a playground for ages so DS was delighted even though some of the play equipment was frozen solid 🥶 Meanwhile they dropped me off (outside an abattoir, lovely) and I ran along the footpaths to meet them. Then we got a drive-thru coffee and took it home to have with Christmas cake while we watched Tangled.

I was listening to Louis Theroux’s podcast while I ran and at a certain point started spluttering laughing like an out of breath nutter, which naturally was the point at which a rather alarmed looking couple came around the corner of the path. And as my headphones were under my hair and hat, I suspect they had no idea what I may have been laughing at 😳 Ah well.

DHs new trousers and top arrived today, which is quite exciting as he never buys new clothes and normally looks like a tramp... I persuaded him to spend some Christmas money on himself for a change! And my new watch arrived, so getting to grips with it.

Now sitting by the fire watching the light fade and the fog roll in across the fields. I’m not a big fan of going out on NYE anyway, but I’m certainly very happy to be staying in in my fleecy pyjamas and thermal top this evening

Happy New Year everyone 🎉

The shops that were open have been closed since 2 pm, no alcohol to be sold after 2 pm, selling of fireworks even more restricted than ordinarily. I might turn out to be very very quiet.
DH and DD still working, DS still reading.

And yes, MissCondcut what is a Mongoilan Chicken, please?

DH couldn't get cheesecake or polar bear cake but did manage to get two bottles of prosecco and trifle Just had sausage sandwiches with ketchup and onion. DD is still asleep, we hardly see her the past few days but she appears fine when she emerges - I think maybe teenagers just hibernate for the winter.

I’m in Boston with a Whole Foods right down the road..shall I get a package for you?

@SecretWitch - that's a lovely offer but DS has now agreed to burgers with no mention of the brioche buns. I'm also about 200 miles from you in the Hudson Valley, so there's a logistical challenge there too. I have loads of family in the Boston area and DS attends university there. He's home for the spring semester as he's doing his junior year internship with a Boston based company, but remotely from home. He's practically lived off the Whole Foods in Beverly for the last two and a half years. Are you an ex-pat UK person or a fellow American? It's always lovely when someone in my time zone joins the thread.

@Prokupatuscrakedatus - Mongolian chicken (or beef) is a sweet and savory dish, almost like a stew. Brown sugar makes it sweet and soy and hosin sauces supply the savory flavors. DH makes it in our Instant Pot with this recipe. It's delicious and even my picky eating DD loves it.

Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken

@Spudlet - Well done getting some new clothes on your DH. What kind of watch did you get?

We don't go out for NYE either.

Is it ok to join this thread?
Struggling and do need some normal mundane information rather than the news!
I have two DCs 3 and 1, and we all just sat down to tomato spaghetti with crispy chicken on top - a Jamie Oliver recipe which was actually really lovely.
We are now amusing the kids watching monsters inc and wondering whether ANOTHER day at home will mean nobody sleeps tonight!

Even if you do get to sleep someone in the neighborhood will remember, too late, that they bought fireworks and decide to set the off even though it's 2.00am. Or is it just round here?