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.

MN has been a lifesaver for me over the years. I used to go along to all the London meet-ups and even organised a few. Some of my closest friends there were originally MN connections and I miss that side of it! I don't post prolifically any more apart from a couple of places on here but I love finding feel-good threads like this. ❤️

DD1 is only applying to Canadian universities because basically we can't afford the tuition in the US! She originally really wanted to go to the UK to go to uni but for a number of reasons, not just financial, we have convinced her that there are good schools in Canada too

Hunkering down here for a wintry blast tomorrow afternoon and overnight into Wednesday.

I discovered three beers left over after Christmas.

@mathanxiety it's going to be really cold here tomorrow too. Fortunately only a quick supermarket shop to do.

Hello again. Have been writing an essay but nearly finished now.

Morning all! It’s flipping brisk here today. DH’s turn for a lie-in, so I’m up with DS - he’s in a den behind the sofa, and I’m on the sofa snuggling with ddog. Although we have no cushions as DS has requisitions them all for his den.

I will be going for a run later, will have to stick some tape on my knee as it’s a bit fussy. I think I might have hyper-extended it when I was slithering around in the mud last week.

Was planning a run this morning ("Operation Blubber") but it is snowing quite hard. I think I'll take the Christmas tree down this morning instead.

Just done the Times quick cryptic crossword with my husband. Its our new morning routine and I LOVE it. Today I'll be finishing my essay and then doing a tiny little bit of de-Christmasification. Have to do it in stages.

It is 4 C and slightly sunny we are promised rain today.
I intend to send a DC out for hot water bottles and bread while I clean and bake an apple-walnut cake.

@sproutsandparsnips it is indeed. A fine series with some brilliantly drawn female characters. Under-read generally. I also love Ellis Peters and Rosemary Sutcliffe in the historical fiction genre.

Very jealous of those of you with snow, I received an adorable picture of my niece playing in it yesterday. We have none, it’s currently overcast and very cold. Planning a walk in the nearest town to deliver some Christmas thank you cards and buy some stamps for the ones which need posting. The DC also want to go and play in the flood water (not as dangerous as it sounds) in the village. Part of the access road and the playing field are under water.

Good morning all.

No snow here today. I had a lie in whilst the DC were entertained with their Kindles. They're now playing with the Build a Bears and accessories we got yesterday. I am drinking tea and reading my book. It's a crime thriller set in Snowdonia.
@HelenaJustina. I have just looked up the Falco books. They sound good. I have added them to my reading list.

@SilkiesnowchicksandXmastreecat. Has SilkieCat forgiven your DH this morning? When we used to put our cats in the cattery to go away EggyCat1 would shout at me repeatedly from the moment she heard me speak when I arrived to collect them. Always before she even saw me. Once we got home she would invariably sulk and remove cuddle privileges for a few days.

@MissConductUS I had been meaning to ask if you'd ever visited the UK. Maybe when the world is normal again.

We have optimistically booked a holiday for August. We've only had to pay £100 as a deposit and the balance isn't due until July so we decided to take the risk. It's a Eurocamp parc in the Netherlands that we visited two years ago. It has a safari park and an adventure park on site that you get unlimited access to. We'll drive and there's no rush to book a ferry, so we can see how things lay closer to the time.
@Spudlet, your DS is the ideal age for this parc if I can be so bold as to give you an unsolicited recommendation. I hope your knee is okay during your run today.

I have a request for MissConductUS. Could you post some more pictures of around outside your house (if you don't mind and it won't give you away)? It was so lovely and made me feel nice inside

Good morning- can I join in?

Rode the horse this morning, which was far too exciting, as he galloped and tried to buck me off, so I'll gloss over that bit.

I'm now at home, wondering if it will snow, and should I clean my oven 🤔 I might have a snooze...

@Apocalyptichorsewoman
Snooze is a good idea, oven cleaning is overrated and far too exciting. Think of the things you'll find.

Hello everyone. Had another lazy start to the day which I intend to follow through with more laziness . I did do a little exercise though on the machines that DS uses at home. But only a little bit.

DH is sorting through his paperwork which reminded me of you and, well, your DH’s piles of papers although I forget where they have travelled to at this stage.

There is no snow here and I am also jealous of those of you who have it.

@Prokupatuscrakedatus you could be right 🤔A festival of oven chip crumbs might be more than I can handle today...

Welcome @Apocalyptichorsewoman. A snooze sounds much more preferable.

@HelenaJustina. You reminded me to sort out thank you cards. I suggested to the DC that they make them, so they've done them on MS Paint.

@MissConductUS, thank you for the music recommendations. I have added them to his playlist.

Good afternoon all, no snow here but it is very cold. My app says it will snow tomorrow which will be interesting as we do not cope well with snow at all.

I have a Covid test later today. DS and I have realised that we have both been coughing, though we both feel well. I'm not at all keen on a further bout of being locked up in the house so hoping it will be negative. I'm fairly sure it will be as DH is not coughing, and it is inconceivable that he would pass up the opportunity to be ill if it was available

The second bulb went on the cooker hood which led to cleaning of the holders and the cooker hood and the hob knobs.So exciting!!

I have been energetic:
The bedroom is clean, the bedding is airing before I put new covers and sheets on. The kitchen is clean.
Bathroom was supposed to be next, but the "sent out to the shops DC" brought Chips/crisps/chips so I needed a break to test them - but I will resume work in about 30 minutes - promise.

Welcome Horsewoman riding a horse sounds very exciting esp as we are Tier 4 here. Not that we generally do anything exciting normally other than summer holidays now as too busy with house move things and work on house here.

Eggy The cat and DH seem on good terms again today - I've heard him say how is my favourite poppet and there was no oww after it from him so doesn't sound like he was attacked. Silkiecat used to be cross with DH for about 3 days after the summer holiday cattery, never any of the rest of us as it was DH's fault entirely then a couple of years ago she got very ill in the cattery DH choose so next time I found a posh cat hotel for her where its inside own room with view of gardens and fresh fish or fresh chicken is served 3 times on china plates and you get to write an A4 list of cats requirements re cuddles etc. No complaints after the cat hotel and she came back very healthy. DS insisted the rabbits and silkies also have a pet hotel so they are treated equally. It does get very expensive though - one place the pets cost more than us for the night per person / pet.

I slept in - was watching Netflix 2020 in the night. DH is still in PJs as well but is just having a shave. I'm drinking tea and will have lunch then DH will go down to old house incase as we are nervous about a Tier 5 stopping us going to old house and stopping the sale of it and we are about 2 days from exchange once solicitors are back.

Good luck with the test Champagne I think coughing this time of year is normal. I cough everyday anyway all year round so I wouldn't even know if I had another cough unless I was near death with it.

I’m still in my pyjamas. Clearing the loft used up two days’ worth of motivation. It was sunny earlier but has clouded over, reducing my motivation to get out for a walk.

I am toying with taking the Christmas tree down early. We left the tree and decoration boxes out on the landing yesterday, anticipating the formal Christmas pack away. I wanted to replace the ancient, tattered cardboard boxes the tree decorations live in with sturdy plastic storage boxes this year but assume they come under ‘non-essential items’ (Tier 4) so that may have to wait another year.

Welcome @Apocalyptichorsewoman and @Bin85 and thanks for sharing your news and delurking! The more the merrier.

Sorry for the late start, little jobs that needed doing kept popping up this morning. I had to put the bins out after my run, then bring them in. There was laundry that needed doing, and mentioning my Brita pitcher yesterday reminded me that it was due for a new filter and a good washing out, which I've also done so far.

@sproutsandparsnips - I found a few pictures of the house and yard from a few years ago. It's been repainted since. I may nip out later and take some new ones.

Eggy I'm so glad you liked the Copland pieces. He was born of Eastern European parents and grew up poor in NYC but his musical gifts were recognized at a young age. Quiet City is of course an ode to NYC, capturing both the urban energy and tranquility of it. This is a great arrangement and performance of the piece:

And the NYC visuals blend perfectly with the music. Copland was known for merging American folk and spiritual music into his compositions. Appalachian Spring was a commissioned ballet score for Martha Graham and originally scored for just 18 instruments, that being the most that would fit in the orchestra pit of the theater it debuted in. You can hear the melody for the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts at several points in the composition.

I would love to visit the UK at some point, but we are a bit skint cautious with money these days since we are paying American eye-watering university fees for both of the DC at present. We have one more year to pay for DS and three for DD. DH says he'd love to go back but I think he's worried that he'll run into one of his old girlfriends in London.

@Champagneforeveryone - Winter coughs are quite common, due to the dry air and more time spent indoors where it's dusty. By all means, get tested but if you are otherwise asymptomatic I wouldn't be too concerned.

I've had my car cleaned inside and out. Love it when it's all clean 😊

I've just had cheese and crackers, two clementines, cheesecake and am now drinking tea.

DH just left for our old house and before he left he gave Silkiecat a big pile of turkey, the rest of it is just for her now, and he is clearly trying to stay in her good books. Silkiecat is very strict though and she will decide if that happens though the route to her heart is through her stomach for DH at least.