Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 14: 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.

DH has been back at work then at Pets at Home collecting the cat renal diet food (which she is certain the vet said is additional food) and the bitter spray to try and protect the new sofa covers from rabbit. I just ordered a Chinese which he will collect on way back. Silkiecat is getting impatient.

I told DS he had a point for PE and he said that is because I am dedicated to PE. I said it was your serve and he demonstrated.

I'm sorting financial things too - here our state pension is a maximum of £175 a week from 68 and that's with 35 years of contributions and no contracting out. You can buy years if you are short and you get them for a child under 12 at home if you get child benefit. I have 6 years to get but contracted out for a few years so they will take £26 a week off mine. But I have 7 years of a defined benefits one plus some employers and private ones. You get tax back on pension contributions here but are liable to tax when you draw your pension (but first £12,000 or so is tax free) and get take 25% as tax free lump sum.

I just looked out the window and it's snowing here. This was not in the forecast. It's melting as it hits the ground, so that's good.

I've just had a leftover slice of homemade pizza for lunch. It was really good.

The state pension people send a letter every two years, telling me my monthly sum if I stop now, continue until 67, and suddenly become unable to work at all for health reasons - all because I am an ordinary or common and garden woker.
DH who is self employed / freelance has to organize his retirement money himself.

I've heard New York can get freezing at times?

I've worked out that the casserole is Moroccan in style, makes sense since I also added some mixed spice, now have added sultanas. I now have no cooking to do til the weekend as I have the casserole, ratatouille and bean/vegetable chilli. I still have 2 aubergines, cabbage, mushrooms, potatoes and trillions of onions to use up. Shredded spring greens in the freezer. I'm doing a jacket potato tonight and then my work is done. I didn't realise it would be such hard work being overrun by vegetables, no more veg boxes til next week.

Viewing 2/3 properties on Monday by the beach, exciting!

Oh I can't remember what silkiecat likes, was it spare ribs?

I like pretty much the entire Chinese menu Frownette Today I'm having satay chicken and a few chips and pineapple fritters. DD is having veg spring rolls and veg chow mein. DH and DS are having mixed starters and chips.

Beach properties sound lovely Frownette I keep looking at them on Rightmove.

Sea level rise would make me quite cautious about buying a beach property.

The snow has stopped. Frownette, I think we have more extreme temperatures in general than you do in the UK since you have that lovely gulf stream current to moderate your weather. The winter that just ended here was really harsh. We went way over our estimated use of propane and got a lot of snow.

I used to love Chinese food but lost my taste for it somehow after my first pregnancy.

I've just told DH I just watched the film We bought a zoo where the husband bought a zoo and said I would be very happy if DH bought a zoo. DH laughed. I think he would like a zoo. I didn't realise you could buy zoos.

We're dog-sitting for a few days & I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
It's my turn to do the morning walk tomorrow, so I may be less joyful when my alarm goes off an hour early.

DH forgot to pick up a DC for the second time in two days... words have been had mostly apologetic/exculpatory ones from him The DC tonight was very resilient and walked to a nearby friend of their sibling and asked to use their phone.

@HelenaJustina

I just read this story. It's pure MN level cheekiness.

South Florida couple tries to have wedding at stranger's mansion without getting permission: report

I loved We Bought A Zoo @Silkiecats
I understood nothing of your pension paragraph. I confess to completely ignoring it. DH is much better at these things than me so I plan to hang onto him and let him sort out our retirement (I do nothing for feminism on this front I admit).

That's very annoying about your car @Champagneforeveryone

I gave away our water butt on FB Marketplace today. The woman messaged me about it yesterday and I completely forgot until she turned up on the doorstep. Luckily all I needed to do was grab it from the garden.

Tomorrow is an afternoon of errands after work. I need to collect DS2s new bike and also a Beaver t-shirt and cap I found on Marketplace (he's been coveting a cap for a while and she wants £2 all in for both) and a Cubs jumper. He's due to move up in September and one popped up round the corner, brand new with tags so I thought I'd be prepared (pun not intended).

Clearly this is the week to buy him a new bike. My phone photo memories told me that it was 3 years ago yesterday that we bought him his last one.

I loved the film too Rhubarb and was amazed it was based on a true story and Dartmoor.

The pension you presumably get one through work if you work in a school so should be fine but read the booklet if you want to know about it. State one you should be getting as well via working, you can check your pensions forecast on gov.uk for state pension but you should be fine for that. You have to register and get codes via post, not sure why they make it so difficult. I'ld always check myself and not rely on your husband, but you should be fine.

@amigababy

thedudesmummy it was medium busy. A bit shady, cold later on, with ice in my drink. Lovely though, they opened last Monday.

Next doors cat is staring at me. It is very timid, but at a distance it's going all soppy and rolling over like it wants to play.

Probably wants to be admired :)

Cats do like admiration.

Ah no way, I slept really fitfully last night as I noticed I wasn't wearing my ring. Only things I did last night when I got in was have a snack, cleaned the bathroom, put a recyling bag out and emptied my bedroom bin. I checked all surfaces last night then half hour ago reluctantly thought I needed to go through all the bins but went outside to do the recycling one first and luckily it was glistening on the pavement, I thought it was snail slime at first so bent down to have a closer look.

Bad news is that I must have lost weight which I can't afford to lose, I'm eating too many vegetables. I redressed this just now by eating a 200g chocolate bar, ring is going back into jewellery box until I've plumped up a little.

@Silkiecats. Yep, I have had a could of different employer contribution ones as this is my third job since it was introduced (though I'm planning to make this one more long term). I haven't a clue how to access them though. They're all through different companies.

My pension is a total mystery to me - I’ll sort it out when I’m working again 😬

My grumbly foot threw a complete hysterical tantrum the other day and stopped me from running yesterday 😑 I put some supportive insoles into my general walking around trainers to collect DS from school and the foot did not approve. However it was ok yesterday and feels pretty good today so I shall attempt a little run. I will be wearing shorts as it’s lovely and sunny here this morning - I’m sending DS to school in his shorts too!

Oh and this may be too exciting but we met a snake in the woods yesterday! A harmless grass snake, but really quite big so possibly a female as apparently they tend to be bigger than the males. She was sunbathing on the path and was actually a lucky snake as a horse and rider had just cantered right along that way - presumably she’d hidden as she didn’t have a big hoofprint in her and the horse abs rider hadn’t gone in orbit, horses not generally being that fond of snakes

I can post a picture but thought I’d best check if anywa was scared of snakes first. She was a beauty though.

Ohs noes, we have 2 foot sufferers :(

Yes post away with snakey! It's like Noah's ark in here anyway.

@Frownette could you get something like this?

www.amazon.co.uk/ring-adjuster/s?k=ring+adjuster&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Thanks Sunbird24, I do need to put on a bit of weight though so it's a good incentive :) I don't want to abandon my fruit and veg boxes though. It was lucky it was at night time so no-one spotted it on the pavement.

Really want to try your avocado virgin pina colada, might try that this weekend. How's tricks?

Ok, if anyone really gets freaked out by snakes let me know and I’ll ask for it to be removed 🐍

I think snakes are beautiful. My mother is phobic though.

Wow, she's impressive. Would have given me a fright if I encountered her IRL though

I be freaked out if I met that snake but fine with pictures.

Trying to work out who owns some land by us.