Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 10: 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.

It's a pretty miserable time of year, things will be brighter soon.

@forgetthehousework it's funny how it can come over you like that, no matter how long ago.

My doctor is half hour late I'm starting to feel impatient

@soddingkitten

The kitten entertainment centre bird bath arrived this morning. I’ve placed it under a tree in a more open area of the garden, which I hope means the sparrows can have a good scan for predators before they use it.

Sodding spends inexplicably long periods sitting expectantly under a straggly valerian plant sticking out of the garden wall. It is entirely unexceptional so DH think that must be where he caught his unwary hen sparrow. We can’t explain his interest in it any other way.

Doesn't valerian have a similar effect to catnip? Perhaps he's waiting for his next fix.

@forgetthehousework. Sometimes these things take us by surprise.

Sounds like there's lots of tricky days happening today. Sending well wishes to everyone.

We had the water man come round first thing this morning to examine our water pressure, as it's a bit crap. Turns out the water pressure is excellent but that the stopcock pipe thing doesn't go straight up, but bends back and forth on itself. This means that the water has to work harder to get to our indoor taps, but that pressure from the garden tap is exceptional (I can attest to this having been sprayed in the face with it).

This afternoon we are going to watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with the DC as we finished the book last night, and DS2 will be baking with Zoom Beavers at 6pm.

I have restarted the referral process for DS1. I strongly suspect ASD and ADHD. A few years ago we had an ed psch come into his school and observe him for about 30 minutes. She said he was fine. DH and I had another conversation about DS1 yesterday as he's hard work at the moment and I raised it again. He dismissed my opinion because I'm 'not the qualified professional' and that person said he was fine.
I had started the process a year ago and then halted it in the summer for various reasons. But now I think I'm doing him a disservice, so have started again.
The Drs emailed me back to say that I can have a telephone consultation next Friday morning. I have replied and asked for an afternoon as I work mornings.

Welcome, @Labobo, and thanks for sharing your news. I'm sorry you're feeling poorly. I'm also pretty sure that you'll have to lend a hand to the ingredients for the recipe or put them away and get a takeaway for tonight.

To all, please forgive my poor participation in the last few days. I am up to my eyebrows in doing annual performance evaluations

It is my day off today, so I went and collected DS results from his GP, went to his AS /ADHD specialist to hand them over and collect his prescription, went to the pharmacy to get it, went up and down 5 flights of stairs several times to collcet parcels and shopping and then I thought "Was soll's!" and went to get an annual ticket for all our zoos and spent 3 hours watching chickens, penguins and pandas, though I failed to take decent photographs.

@EggyPegg - Persist in you efforts!
DD was quiet (unlike her DB) and her teacher assured me that she was 'simply a bit slow and not expect too much of her', only after I had an 8 year old who wanted to vanish and changed schools did she get a proper evaluation and help. And her maths teacher did not discover her dyscalculia - I did.

And breathe - on a calmer note: we now have a functioning kettle - but it beeps!

That sounds great Prok I wish our zoos were open, DS would love to go. There's one we can walk to which we can take veg and fruit to the animals but you can't see any of the animals. I hope they survive, some are having to close here.

DH just went to the bathroom and the cat got cross with him so when he came out I told him the cat said wwoaw x 100 to you and then she made the noise to back me up. She's got her DH back now so happy cat again. I think DH needs a cat sling.

Tried to do French and science with DS, French he refused but seemed just repeating to me and then science he started shouting that the teacher was wrong and walked off. Thankfully its mics off. Though in maths the teacher was wrong (he was doing the wrong lesson completely from what kids had been told, he said it was heads of dept fault) so he could be right but his tolerance level is zero today unless you can go negative.

We had an encouraging e-mail, well two, about house sale so may still be on. Having hot chocolate, I was quite tempted by alcohol at lunch time after 3 hours of DS screaming on and off but resisted.

silkie I'm pretty sure someone on this thread mentioned a zoo being open?

I thought it was UK but perhaps I'm getting confused with Prok.

Zoos are meant to be closed, for some reason a few did stay open - mainly wildlife parks that you drive through - but we don't have a drive through wildlife park in our village and even the nearest wildlife park has now shut. The guidance says you aren't supposed to leave your village atm other than for essential shopping / medical needs. I did look it up for DS's birthday but it was banned.

Actually, the restaurants, the aquarium, and the houses are closed, so you only see those animals that come out and want to be seen. And there are no guided tours etc.
You have to wear a mask and keep your distance from others, facilities are traditionally with personal, so cleaned and supervised.
And there are no tourists.

I have joined the sponsors (I help keep the insects alive - in a very small way).

We had risotto for dinner and DH grated a large block of cheese. I also cooked jacket potatoes for my second dinner.

What type of risotto?

I managed to get a few awful jobs done today, the type you procrastinate over and wish would disappear down a hole whilst you flick a V-sign at them.

Court tomorrow so I'm going to straighten my hair tonight for the first time in years.

frownette cheese and chorizo

Court sounds very exciting for this thread

Dinner was nice - homemade pork burgers (veggie burger for DD). Kitchen is now a bombsite but it is so depressing thinking about endlessly clearing it up. Should have got a takeaway.

I sorted out my homeworking area today. To the untrained eye it looks no different, but I know where everything is. Sodding “helped” by sitting on piles of paperwork when I was trying to sort them out.

I had banana sandwiches for dinner. Because I'm 38 and I can

@EggyPegg

I had banana sandwiches for dinner. Because I'm 38 and I can

I had a Nutella sandwich for my dinner, for much the same reason (plus 5) 🙌

I tried to make a dip for our Morrison’s pizzas today - like the one you get with dominos pizzas. I never though I would say this about a pizza but I really don’t like the taste of dominos pizzas - the base tastes so weird! Anyway the dip was a success in that we all ate it although I don’t think it tasted quite close enough to the dominos dip.

I hope everyone has a good weekend - especially those of you battling with homeschooling.

Eggy we had the ed psyche say that there was nothing wrong with DS and I agree, in that there is nothing ‘wrong’ with him, he just processes info differently than a lot of other people. By the time the ed psyche saw him, we had already booked an appointment for an assessment Dr Daphne Keen through my work medical cover so went ahead with it with encouragement by the school. I am so glad we did as the diagnosis and her referral for occupational therapy really helped DS. Having a diagnosis has been more than just a label for DS - it has made life a lot easier to DS in many areas.

This is what I'm hoping @Nydj.

I stopped the process originally as I've never had DHs support (but he's never stopped me, he thinks I'm wasting everyone's time) and then I read that a diagnosis of ASD prevents people from joining the military. I don't know if DS1 wants to join the military. Some elements of it (structure, routine, discipline) would suit him well. But I didn't want to be the one to take that option away from him. But now, I don't know. I feel like we could use some support. And I think he could really use some support and understanding as he moves up through school. His primary school are great, but he starts secondary next year. I don't want him to just be 'that naughty kid/that lazy kid'. I'm hoping that a formal diagnosis will at least mean some understanding and support from the staff.

I try and often fail to use the strategies I use at work, but because DH isn't onboard, he thinks I'm pandering to him rather than just telling him straight. His approach isn't working but he's closed off to mine.
It's frustrating that DH knows what I do, and is so supportive on one hand, but he thinks I see too much at work and that I'm projecting. Maybe I am. But it means I recognise nuances that he doesn't.

Does having a diagnosis help? DS1 is 9 and will be 10 in July.

And I agree wholeheartedly that there's nothing wrong with DS1. I have tried to explain processing differences to DH, bit he's just so dismissive.

Thus has all come about because DS1 is distracted in his Zoom drum lessons. I suggested to his teacher that we hold off until we're face to face again, and he replied that DS is like that face to face too. We had a chat with DS and said that if he wasn't enjoying them, he could give them up. He got upset and wanted to continue.
DH supervised half of the next drum lesson and I did the second half. Both the drum teacher and j said that his focus had been much better. DH still thinks he was too fidgety and not listening. He expects him to sit still, listen and follow the instruction exactly. That's not how DS1 works. He can't sit still and needs regular reminders to bring his focus back to the teacher.
DH then grumbles that he focuses well enough on Minecraft without distraction. I have explained that that's because it's under his obsession umbrella and because of the way he's wired, that's natural. He thinks I'm talking nonsense.

@EggyPegg Possibly best if you don’t put off seeking a diagnosis because of a future career that DS may not even want. TBH, having been through military training it sounds like he could struggle with some aspects of it. Best way to tell would be if he could join one of the cadet organisations but I’m guessing that’s probably quite difficult right now!

A diagnosis definitely helped bring on board relatives who thought we pandered to DS too much. Also helped hugely in secondary school back in the day when we could get a statement for him. He could also access extra resources while at uni. Happy to chat offline if it would help.

He is interested in joining a cadets. I was in the air cadets as a teen and loved it. We have a sea cadets in our town that he's interested in, but he's too young at the moment.

I know it sounds like a daft reason for stopping it. I just didn't want to put any limitations on his future at all. But by not pursuing it, I'm potentially doing that anyway with his immediate future.

Thanks @Nydj, that would be really helpful if you don't mind.

Apologies to all for derailing the thread.

Not at all - I have sent you a PM

I got the job I went for!