Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 12: 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.

@Spudlet that all sounds lovely! My DC have been great today, I had 4 homemade cards this morning, cava, chocolate, flowers and a tea cosy for my tiny tea pot. I also had breakfast in bed prepared by the 9yr old. There has been almost no arguing/sibling bickering and they’ve done everything they’ve been asked to. I’ve got today’s jobs done and read the paper!

Sodding has today worked out that pushing things off the worktop sometimes makes the packaging spring open so he can eat what is inside. Farewell lightly nibbled almond croissant! 😠 I also caught him licking the foam off a freshly poured can of John Smiths. 😖 Fortunately I’d handed DH his beer before Sodding took an interest in the can. He’s into everything at the moment. I had to haul him out of the airing cupboard earlier as he was trying to squeeze round the back of the immersion tank. Short of ripping out the tank or the tiled in shower enclosure on the other side, there is no way to get to the back of the cupboard. I love the bones of him but his curiosity is insatiable.

Such fun sodding

ChampagneCat perches serenely on my bedside table. I wake up and find pens, lip balm, epaulettes, AirPods and other random detritus scattered all over the floor every day

Even better fun is to sit on the dresser and stare insolently while lobbing things off the top. Rather like a small child, bonus points if the humans can be tricked into picking them up so they can be hurled into the abyss again.

She also has a stuffed catnip snowflake which she brings downstairs so that the hapless humans can throw it back up the stairs for her to chase. We worked out that between us we spend at least an hour a day between us chucking this bloody thing for her

I seem to come back from the shop a lot without fizzy drink. I feel annoyed because I do quite like a fizzy drink, but I used to have a bit of a “habit” like the chancellor, so I try to feel good in my sadness.

DH has taken the wrong wheel as a muster to the DIY-shop and the wheels he came back with now do not fit his 30 year old chair.

I suggested that a new chair after 30 years is not extravagant (He is from Baden they like to "halt's Gerschtle beisamm'").

@Significantown, my DS loves a fizzy drink. These days it's cranberry flavored ginger ale. And it must be Canada Dry. I hope your headache didn't last too long and that the new job is going well

The menz are sorting dinner. BBQ pork ribs for them, grilled chicken breasts in a balsamic vinegar marinade for me. We'll probably just have rice to go with it.

Prok, my DH is the same way.

prok, what is a Greschtle? Google translate was not any help.

I hope everyone has had a good weekend and those celebrating Mother’s Day have been felt appreciated and/or been able to show their appreciation to their mums.

Tonight was the final of the great pottery throwdown and after a couple of dodgy episodes, the final was lovely.

@Nydj
"Gerschtle" here means money, derived from the word Gerste = barley + the diminutive ending they like to put on words.

Thank you - and I hope your DH spoils himself with a new chair after 30 years 😁

We've had our weekly Zoom call with DD and my MIL. DD is as happy as a pig in mud and doesn't seem to miss us at all. MIL got together with a friend of hers who is also fully vaccinated now. They bought takeaway lobster rolls and ate them on the beach when we had a very warm, spring-like afternoon last week. That was really lovely to hear. She's really been isolated for the last year, so it's great that she can get out socially again.

@Nydj, what's the great pottery throw down?

Prok, the English word salary derives from the Latin for salt, which was used as currency in the olden days.

@MissConductUS, it's a bit like Bake Off. But with pottery. I keep recording it but have never actually managed to watch it.

A thirty year old chair is good going.

DH and DS1 powered through with the fire this afternoon, despite it being a bit windy. DS1 donned his ski goggles as protection from the smoke. DS2 declared he was cold after 10 minutes and came inside to watch TV.

We are collecting some well rotted manure on Tuesday. The excitement is palpable.

@Nydj who won? I was outvoted last night in favour of the new series of Top Gear starting.

[quote HelenaJustina]@Nydj who won? I was outvoted last night in favour of the new series of Top Gear starting.[/quote]
I have sent you a pm - as I did t want to get into trouble for posting spoilers.

@MissConductUS, that’s lovely news about your MIL and I know that it’s a little bit hurtful, but I am pleased, as no doubt, you are too that your DD has settled in so well. Will she be home for spring break soon? I am trying to sound knowledgable but have no idea when spring break actually is.

eggy the show is well worth watching as they contestants are so lovely - even in the final, they were sending out calls of support for eachother. Miss, I think previous series of the pottery throwdown are now available in the USA (on HBO?) if you fancy a watch?

I always hope to find episodes of the 'sewing bee' somewhere. I'd love to watch that properly. I took courses but lack confidence and practice even at beginner level.

@EggyPegg - I think so, too, especially as he spends up to 14 hours a day in that chair.

My bike chain came off on the way to school today! It was particularly annoying as we were already running slightly behind, and then ended up walking (fortunately we were already in the village so at least it was safe to walk). I have now booked both mine and DH’s bikes in for a service as they both see a fair bit of action, and I’m wondering if I could fit a pannier rack onto mine without it interfering with the trailer bike, as I wonder if my basket is affecting the gear cable to the front derailleur? I think there might just be enough clearance. I’ll have to show the bike shop man a picture and see what he thinks as I’m not towing the trailer bike all the way to the bike shop when it’s not necessary - the thing weighs a tonne and when DS isn’t sitting on it it’s very rattly.

I now have bike oil on my hands now which I can’t get off as once we got to school I was able to lean the bike against the fence and get the chain back on. Couldn’t do it wearing my gloves though.

@Nydj, I am only slightly miffed that DD doesn't seem to miss us and am overall very happy that she's settled in so well at uni. She has always been very independent and I think she's really liking that aspect of uni. She does seem quite happy to connect with us on Zoom, particularly with her brother.

She is on spring break now, but if she traveled to NY she'd have to quarantine when she returned to Massachusettes, so she's just staying put and enjoying the time off. The college offers bus transportation into the nearby towns so she's done that a few times to do some shopping and get to know the area a bit better. We'll see her in May when she finishes the semester and we pick her up for summer break.

The Great Pottery Throw Down is indeed available here on HBO, but it would be an extra $15 monthly charge for me to get it added to my TV package and with Netflix and Amazon Prime I already have more video content than I have time to watch. It does sound like a fun show.

We're back to winter weather sadly, with temps of -7 this morning and a forecast high of 3 today. At least the first day of spring is next Saturday.

Spudlet, sorry to hear about your bike woes. I have a 10-speed Peugeot in the basement that I haven't been on in 30 years or so. The tyres have rotted out. DH wanted to put it out for the bulk pickup last summer but I wouldn't let him. I'll probably never ride it again but I can't bear to part with it just yet.

Can I please have a little moment of motherly joy here?
DD (severe dyscalculia even putting in a TAN is a challenge) has to pass an exam in an information technology module. She failed last semester and retook with the aim to 'not fail'. She came out with a 2,3!

That's fabulous Prok! Well done to your DD!

Today I took my van up the motorway on a 45 minute round journey, keeping the RPM at 2,500 to clean the DPF.

Yesterday I finally twigged how to join two crocheted granny squares in a ‘join as you go’ method.

Now I’m watching the Aristocats with my dear little girl.

Things are good!

@HairyFeline
What method is that?

@HairyFeline

Today I took my van up the motorway on a 45 minute round journey, keeping the RPM at 2,500 to clean the DPF.

Yesterday I finally twigged how to join two crocheted granny squares in a ‘join as you go’ method.

Now I’m watching the Aristocats with my dear little girl.

Things are good!

"Think goose dear!" I loved that film. Abraham, DeLacey, Guiseppe, Casey, Thomas O'Malley.

@Prokupatuscrakedatus
It’s the one explained in these instructions for the blanket I’m making... it makes the whole thing much easier!
attic24.typepad.com/weblog/aria-blanket.html

Hairy
Thank you - I recently finished a 1,40 x 2,00 m blanket of small grannies. And that would have been really much easier.

Sorry have been AWOL this week! Work has been manic, I slept through the weekend at my parents’ and am now finally at my own house where I had to reset the boiler and discovered that my spare car (meant to sell it a year ago but you know, lockdown) has no tax or MoT because I’ve not been home yet this year to sort it.