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.

Just about to have crumble and custard.

Been looking to what lessons DS I will be doing tomorrow and next week. Then I will need to remind DS that the next 2 weeks aren't just an extended holiday. I always end up doing 90% of his work anyway.

DH is playing piano again - think he's trying to work up motivation to go to old house again. In theory we have to 14th but waiting to see if stricter rules come in and only have the weekends. Cat is at least getting much more relaxed about him leaving her as he's bringing presents back for her like mattresses and an extra cat table to lie on.

@Nydj @MissConductUS

Thank you.

Have struggled on as normal today . But it is catching me every time I move. One of my teens said 'now you know how I feel with my blister!' (Small blister on foot).

I didnt bother pointing out that it was not quite the same thing. Lol

DC1 has ASD and lives their best life by learning remotely! They can get on with their work, in peace, no one being noisy or ‘annoying’, no group work, social interaction is at a distance and slowed by technology. I guess ASD experiences/young people are as varied as neurotypical. They certainly struggled less with the lack of social interaction than their neurotypical siblings during Lockdown 1.0.

I will now start to iron my work shirts (linen), there are eight of them currently trying to get them from crunchy-hard to ironably-soft.

Our senco told me during lockdown almost all the SN kids had done no learning at all and DS was very rare to have done any though its largely me doing it then going through key points. That's enough for him to keep up. He's not bothered about the not going out at all / no contact with friends but put him back socially and worse issues at school on return.

HelenaJustina yes, dd1 is on the autistic spectrum and absolutely loved lockdown - she's delighted to be remote learning for the first 2 weeks of term (at least). It's an ill wind, I guess... (Dd2 totally opposite and desperate to get back to school.)

Just awake ready for final night shift. Lots of positive tests and self isolation's going on right now, as well as much scaremongering over cancelled leave etc. Since we've got nowhere to go it hardly matters to me TBH

DS has finally concluded that it is cold in the house. A degree or so colder and he may be forced to put on a pair of socks or a hoody.

I'm impressed at all of you who iron. I very rarely do so lazy. DH does his own shirts sends them out to the dry cleaners and I don't really wear anything that needs ironing.

In other mundane news, I have run out of cream for my coffee. Might have to go to the shop later. It is snowing quite hard here.

@Nydj I'm pretty much half-and-half English and North American (Canadian) and I'm pretty sure "early doors" is an English thing! The first time I ever heard it was actually from a Mumsnetter, about turning up early for a meet-up together

@HeartsTrumpDiamonds, it’s not really a phrase that is in my vocabulary and was just about to type ‘early on’ when it occurred to me that I could swap it to ‘early doors’ and it may tickle some of the non-UK based mumsnetters.

It’s been a lovely afternoon of doing nothing very much at all. I have only ever seen the odd bits of Gavin and Stacy so have decided to watch it all as it is available on iplayer - first two episodes were very good and I am hoping the rest of them will help me get through the cold miserable months of January and February.

Halfway through our walk, we got a message from DS’s school telling us it is closed tomorrow for an unspecified period of time. Apparently it’s due to staff shortages but not due to Covid cases within ‘the school community’, so goodness knows what that means - whether staff are self-isolating because they’re contacts or because the unions have told them not to go in or what.

DS will be happy at home but struggles to access online learning. He finds it overwhelming and tends to start running around and stimming. Yay. I suppose I could try and twist their arms into taking him as a child with a diagnosed special need, but he’d only be doing the same remote learning there as he would here, so he may as well stay at home. We will do as much as we can, but also do some baking and go for a walk.

I was meant to be starting a course for parents of children diagnosed with ASD tomorrow but there’s no way I could focus on it with DS at home, so I’ve had to email and pull out. I feel really guilty about dropping out at such short notice, even though it’s really not my fault. Hey ho.

The shirts are ironed!

DS is still working - I can hear him type.
DH is typing, too and so is DD.

I really need to go shopping. Can't get a delivery slot for love nor money. Even Iceland have failed me this time and they're usually great.

Well done @Nydj, you stumped me with early doors. Mr Google was very helpful as usual. I'm not sure if I believe the pub or theatre etymology.

The bird feeder is emptying at a rapid rate again, confirming that it's back in good order.

It's been busy here, but mostly dull. We lost water pressure for about two hours while the town shut off the water to fix a leak in the mains. I noticed the wet road when I went for my run but didn't put it together as we had pretty normal water pressure when I got home.

The tree is down and the decorations are boxed up. DH has just hauled the parts up to the attic (loft?). I need to do a little vacuuming hoovering but not much, as it's an artificial tree. We had some snow but it only stuck on the lawn, not the driveway. More is on the way tonight that will stick.

By the way, DS's wage will be 30 US dollars per hour. I'm not sure if you see "$" as a dollar symbol or a pound sterling symbol. By way of comparison, the minimum wage in this part of NY is 14 dollars per hour. I was shocked at what they're paying him. The big accounting firms are always hunting talent to recruit and if he does well in his internship they'll likely offer him a job when he graduates, so they want to make a positive impression on him as an intern. If he takes it he'll stay in the Boston area, which I have mixed feelings about.

DH and DS have just set up the external monitor he got for Christmas and connected it to his new laptop. The monitor will charge the laptop battery through the USB 3 cable that connects them, so that's rather handy.

@Spudlet and others with kids in school, I think it's pretty much a lost year for students everywhere. Some school districts here have done okay with distance learning and others haven't, but it's not the same as being there, especially for the younger kids and those with SN.

Finally, the now famous Mongolian Chicken is defrosting for dinner, as we can't cook on the grill if it's snowing tonight.

Anyone else back in work tomorrow after a couple of weeks off and really not feeling like going?
I’ve set 3 alarms because of my sleep timing problems, and prepped everything I can think of I’ll need in the morning but I’m really wishing I was retired and didn’t have to bother. Sadly I’m only just 43 so that’s a while off yet! 🤦‍♀️

I only had change for an hour’s parking earlier. Just as well, as DS1 declared he was bursting for the loo (nowhere open) 10 mins into our walk. He owned up to having 4 drinks with lunch.

Yes and yes. Like you, I have done my best to ensure a smooth ride tomorrow morning. I made my lunchbox earlier and my outfit is ironed. My sleep/wake pattern is all out of kilter too, so I’m not looking forwards to going back.

@Sunbird24 I'm going back on Tuesday after two weeks off and feel the same as you. DH and I would love to retire but it's not a realistic option for another four or five years. 😥

Love this thread. Been lurking for a few months.

Sunbird I start back tomorrow. I have managed not to think about work since the 19th.

I can see your dollar sign. 😁

Just had cheesy scrambled eggs for tea. Lovely 😁

I'm scared to use my IPL machine. Just had it in my leg and chickened out before I pressed the button 🙄😂😂😂

Forgotten how to use mumsnet properly. I was on it a lot up to about 2015.

Dull news. Wondering when to take down the decs. We are helping someone move house, so they may have to stay up past 6 Jan. Oh well.

Sunday terrors here, back to work tomorrow as well

My feet were so cold after our walk today, I tried to warm them up using up hairdryer.

This thread is helping me calm my jitters re work. It’s the anticipation of being thrown back into the hectic unknown-ness and knowing how exhausting it will be which is off-putting. But it’s all in a good cause and for the greater good... breathe.