ADs drinking al fresco at The Sleeping Swans

[BogRollBOGOF]

ADs, grab your thermals, long johns and winter woolies, we're finally off to drown our sorrows at the Sleeping Swan!

That is an awesome word @BogRollBOGOF - did you make it up yourself?

I'm currently reading 'Happiness by Design' by Paul Dolan, which I bought after seeing his LSE interview that someone on here posted months ago. It's really interesting and I think I may start a thread about it. The gist so far seems to be that happiness is about finding the balance of pleasure and purpose that works for you.

I picked up scurryfunge from MN a few years back, it's a pretty old word that deserves reviving

Been back at our junior parkrun.
So refreshingly normal, a big group of people together, getting on with it and having fun. You're naturally with your little family cluster and not on top of each other anyway except a few brief moments of scanning a bar code in the open air. I'm not worried about a mass of 5 yo's breathing at my waist anyway

Ahhh

BOGOF

I can't see why you have to scan a bar code?

@SloeSummer

BOGOF

I can't see why you have to scan a bar code?

It's just the standard process for parkrun for the timing. Always has been, nothing to do with Covid

rosettes oh I see, thanks.

I posted the Paul Dolan webinar @Taswama but I haven't read his book so I might do now!

Something very strange is happening.....

The Guardian today have published at least two anti dementory articles. One about the pointlessness and irresponsibility of mass testing from the MHRA and one about false positives.

It's really hard to see from them after their doom narrative over the last 12 months. Very weird.

Today I have been shopping, bought some new clothes as I'm determined to dress nicely every time I go out (I'm generally well put together but haven't been arsed this year. Felt so good to be out and about doing normal stuff.

I've not been to the pub yet as no booze for me (I know I could order a soft drink, but the temptation would be too much for a nice g and t or a cold wine in the sunshine) and no eating out as I'm off the meat, dairy, general animal products. Still, only a week to go....then lent is done, Easter is here and I'll be eating lamb, drinking wine and eating pastries til im fit to busting.

You’re good, @LivinLaVidaLoki! Lent ended for my church at the beginning of April, I’m not sure I would have the self-control to keep going if it was still Lent now. I’ve met a lot of friends in various outdoor places in the last few weeks, much wine has been drunk.

@DrRamsesEmerson it started in my church on the 15th April and ends next weekend. Tbh I'm not particularly religious but Easter is a big deal in the orthodox church and whilst I'm not the most observant person, it's not really about religion for me as much as it is about identity. It is part of who I am. Growing up in a country with different belief systems (kinda similar but not quite), I like that this is all still part of me, part of my heritage, who I am.
DH is British and DS was born here and I suppose I want him to have that recognition of his identity, his heritage.
I know it sounds silly being so observant when I'm not usually a religious person but to me, this feels important.

I know that just sounds bloody strange. And probably doesn't make much sense and for that I'm blaming lack of wine, gin, meat, dairy and general animal product. I'll be back on form next week 😁😂

Sorry 15th March not April.

The editorial of The Observer on Sundays can be quite different to the Guardian, it'll be back to business as usual tomorrow....

Jeez! How emotional was 'Call the Midwife' tonight

@SloeSummer

BOGOF

I can't see why you have to scan a bar code?

Parkrun participants have their own barcode, and are given a finish barcode with their finishing position on. They take both to a person scanning and the system links the two bitd of information together, also with the time for that position.

So athlete 5555555, matched with finish token #10, and matched to position 10 at 10:10:10 on the stopwatch. It's great when it works... when run directing you think carefully about who you want to wield a stopwatch (or these days, app) as they're the person most likely to bugger it up and result in having to manually tweak it all to some kind of sense.

Ooh I love parkrun. It's like a cult

@BogRollBOGOF back at Junior Parkrun here too and the 3 DC and I are loving it. So sad that we've had over a year without...kids being able to get fresh air, run, gain confidence. We've missed it so much.

@NannyGythaOgg

Jeez! How emotional was 'Call the Midwife' tonight

Call the Midwife is back? Yay! I love that show.

CTM started again last Sunday I love it. Was so good last night.

But it's on at 8 and then line of duty was on at 9 which was a bit of a change of pace

@TrustTheGeneGenie

CTM started again last Sunday I love it. Was so good last night.

But it's on at 8 and then line of duty was on at 9 which was a bit of a change of pace

I thought that was very strange juxtaposition too

After a surprisingly normal-feeling weekend, back into broadly normal routines again today.

Good to see the DCs coming out of school with slips for extra curricular sports clubs. Even DS1 is interested in one of them!

I suppose I'd better feed the darlings up before we go out in a bit...

Not coviddy or AD related at all but just need to rant/vent...

I have just managed to stain a ceramic/porcelain floor tile two weeks before we move out of this flat

I've spent the afternoon trying everything to get it out. Floor cleaner, bicarb, Cif, black Marseille soap, Magic Eraser, the lot. I've lightened it but not got rid of it. And probably set what's left of it now too.

Bloody bloody BLOODY staining bastardthings. Feel like such a fool.

Actually what is relevant here is how after the last year a small thing like this has sent me off the deep end a bit. 18 months ago I'd have rolled my eyes at myself and forgotten about it. Pah.

Oh, how frustrating!

what have you stained it with? someone might have a genius idea what to tackle it with! (disclaimer: probably not me - the extent of my knowledge is that tomato stains fade in sunlight!)

It's the dye from an Ocado plastic bag. I put the bag down, it must have had something wet underneath it or in it. It's left a kind of greyish blue mark about six inches across. (The tile is a kind of warm beige colour, so you do see it.)

Ach. Grip incoming. It'll be alright. Maybe it'll fade a bit more. And our landlord is really reasonable anyway. The rest of the place is basically pristine so it's not like we're leaving it in a state.

In other news, turns out a Magic Eraser is fantastic for getting light scuff marks off white painted walls!

Surely Ocado bags shouldn't do that. They should give you free shopping!

@TabbyStar

Surely Ocado bags shouldn't do that. They should give you free shopping!

Agreed on both counts!