Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 19: 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.

Here is the link to the prior thread:

Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 18: Calmly through the day

I've just taken delivery of a new washing machine - my old one conked out after 8 years. I chose the same model, but it has a bigger capacity and higher maximum spin-speed. It's much quieter than its predecessor. I've been poring over the different wash programmes with great interest and my husband and I have been popping into the utility room to watch it complete the various segments of its inaugural cycle, like proud parents watching their child in an egg-and-spoon race.

@Peach01 you have my sympathy re reflux I lived on Gaviscon through my pregnancy.

Grrr DS awake for last 30 mins I changed his nappy but he will not settle back down.

Good morning - I will be busy today - and probably getting wet again.

My work mates 'Ausstand' was lovely - we managed to eat, drink and talk while still keeping to the current C-rules. And we will have a 'Weihnachtsessen', too. (And he will continue working on a 'Mini-Job' basis to finish a project.)
One did not join as they are against vacc. and masks - so we took them some food.

arblemarch, there's little to rival the frisson of excitement a new washing machine induces in the slightly elder person

I had a washing machine and a tumble dryer delivered at the same time. As we were also in lockdown it was genuinely the most excitement we (and the neighbours!) had enjoyed in weeks

Today I have the choice of shopping in either Morrisons or Asda, with a quick stop in Aldi on the way there or back. Asda will probably win as it has all of the items I need and both of the stores near me are large. Morrisons is a small local store with narrow aisles.

Beautiful photos of Sev Prok So sorry to hear you had breast cancer. You have to go via GP to get a gynae referral here and you cannot just do routine check on nhs or than the public schemes, there is one for cervical every 3 years or so, then one for breast think every 3 years from 50 to 53 start. Otherwise can pay for private checks or when symptoms get a 2 ww referral which hoping will only be 2 weeks but who knows with covid. DH gets annoyed you cannot go straight to specialists like in France, I would prefer it too but they pay more as % of gdp.

Lovely cat pictures MissC

I think DD has been stalking me on here as she came in after school last night and asked me if I was ok, I said fine. She said are you sure you dont have any news. She has gone off early this morning and was doing schoolwork last night though has discovered she has been told the wrong topic she can miss on history gcse, its the compulsory one she has missed so she is asking school if can change exam board to old schools one or she will need to catch up.

I have been doing some economics research work for an Australian consultancy this morning, great but time difference complicates things.

@Champagneforeveryone

arblemarch, there's little to rival the frisson of excitement a new washing machine induces in the slightly elder person

I had a washing machine and a tumble dryer delivered at the same time. As we were also in lockdown it was genuinely the most excitement we (and the neighbours!) had enjoyed in weeks

Oh, heaven!

Hilda Had similar fun and games getting covid vaccine for kids. First school sends out form for DD. Fill in 5 pages online then disappears saying error. Assume that is as within 28 days. Then that vaccine gets cancelled. New date arranged. Fill in form. Accepts it. Then couple weeks later says your appointment is cancelled as child will be 16. Try to make appointment online, sorry your child isnt 16 you cant apply. Eventually just found a walk in. Was same with flu vaccine for kids, cancelled twice and gave up at that point.

Prok that’s the most gorgeous cat!

Time for a break -
Silkiechickens - They tried a referral system once, but it cost more in the end, so they dropped it again. There are things I have my GP for (infections, rashes, medication supervision, check ups) and then there are things I go directly to my specialist - usually gyn, eyes and teeth.

The new washing machine tells me when it is done - but it does n ot beep. It just flashes END at me.

I’ve had the busiest week. I logged 47 hours of tracked work and that doesn’t include the time I spent doing some (self) training to learn how to do some of the work I’ve been doing. I love what I do but I’m feeling a bit knackered.

Fitted in my Covid booster yesterday as well.

Basement flooded last weekend but we’ve got so used to it happening that we just go through all the processes to drain and dry it, then admire how clean the concrete floor looks.

Going to do all the winter prep here this weekend too MissC. What do you do with all the plants from your deck? I have lots, mostly herbs, and I’m wondering if I could keep them alive somehow.

Can I join your chatty thread please? I've had a lazy morning as I've felt a bit wiped out this week, now getting up the energy to go and do some cleaning before the kids finish school.

@ArblemarchTFruitbat nothing better than a new appliance to play with!

Silkies I don't know whether you'd be considering this but you can self-refer privately to get a breast lump checked. Obviously this is dependent on finances but sometimes needs must.

I once did this when I had a very distressing experience with the NHS 2-week rule going badly haywire. Thankfully all was fine (it was a cyst) but the clinic in London was very good, I could book almost immediately and the specialist and nurse were excellent and caring.

I'm the NHS's biggest supporter but things are so very difficult right now and if you don't get seen quickly it's worth thinking about, perhaps? I'm concerned for you.

Hilda I was considering doing that in June when I didn't get far with GP but as he had dismissed it and kids needed support I left it. I don't know how long NHS referral will be, in theory its 2 weeks maximum but I am trying to check and if it isn't fast may go private. Cannot find a phone number for them though, have e-mailed but its a bit of a random appointments e-mail. It seems to be varying with other people, one in Scotland on MN seems a massive delay, another one got next day. I think it will be benign but still want to get seen asap. On another thread someone else tried private and it was longer than NHS. The GP said to get back to her if not got appointment in 2 weeks and she will chase. Issue is I need the appointment for phone number. She said I need mammogram, scan and biopsy.

I have done more work for the Australian guy and am really hoping he goes to sleep as I want to sleep but its 2pm here so I can't say that but its 1am his time.

Welcome, @ArblemarchTFruitbat, and thanks for sharing your laundry appliance news. Were you okay with only getting 8 years out of your last washer? I have a Miele washer that's about 12 years old and hope it has a few years left. I also have a General Electric gas dryer that I bought in 2003 when we moved into our house and I am amazed that it's still working.

Welcome, @Acornsandleaves, and of course you can join in! The more the merrier, and thanks for sharing your news.

Silkie, I agree with Hilda. Get it scanned privately if you can. Not knowing what you're dealing with is really stressful.

ZZ, the annuals I just chuck over the side of the deck into the woods. Some plants, like my humongous aloe plant, come inside for the winter and sit by the sliding glass door. I have some herbs I moved into the garage to keep them going a little longer. They do get indirect light there and it's fairly warm. Re the basement flooding, have you looked into getting French drains installed? Well done on getting your covid booster.

@fedup65356, I'm also a shopping nomad. I go to the warehouse club for staples and bulk items, the posh Italian supermarket for pizza dough, fabulous bread and ciabatta rolls and meatballs, and the regular supermarket for everything else. Fortunately, it's not that long a drive to any of them.

Just say the word if you’d like the details of where I went in central London, Silkie, and I’ll pop you a PM any time.

ZZ, the annuals I just chuck over the side of the deck into the woods. Some plants, like my humongous aloe plant, come inside for the winter and sit by the sliding glass door. I have some herbs I moved into the garage to keep them going a little longer. They do get indirect light there and it's fairly warm. Re the basement flooding, have you looked into getting French drains installed? Well done on getting your covid booster.

Bringing them into the garage is a good idea - I'll try that. It would keep the frost off them.

We have French drains, but they drain into a pit that has a sump pump that keeps coming unattached whenever a lot of water goes through it. Which is... you know... when you need it to work :-)

DH really really is going to fix it this time, apparently...

@Silkieschickens Hope your appointment comes through quickly and turns out to be nothing serious

Thank you @MissConductUS . I only ever buy washing machines in the sub-£300 price bracket, so I don't expect them to go on forever - 7 years seemed reasonable for what I'd paid originally. It had also moved house with us a few years ago and that never does much for their longevity.

Thanks Hilda very kind of you. I do not live by London now so would go locally but thanks for offering. I have tracked the nhs phone number down.

Thanks Acorns and MissC I am currently in the ignorance is bliss phase though do still want a quick referral.

I have put the teddy bear fleece duvet cover over my birds duvet cover so I have 2 duvet covers and a fleece sheet, its very snuggly and warm.

The Australian professor has gone to bed so I can sleep too. Ds is back home. Dd shoukd be home shortly. My laptop is mended and can collect tonight. Hopefully dd did some mocks but i did not ask yesterday, ignorance again is bliss. Have a good weekend everyone.

Thank you MissConduct for your kind thoughts! I’m off the steroids as of today which is great as my pulse has been getting more racey and not in a good way! I have to see the ‘specialist breathing nurse’ (there’s a mad job title!) but apparently he is on annual leave for the next two weeks. So today I am trying to keep warm and looking forward to seeing the fireworks from my window whilst soothing my pets. I have an older dog and an 11 month kitten and neither will like the fireworks much.

Ooh teddy bear fleece duvet cover sounds lovely and cosy Silkie. I'm currently snuggled under my blanket on the sofa watching bake off with the kids, and I'm very tempted to buy myself a teddy bear blanket.

@Thewolvesarerunningagain keeping warm and watching fireworks sounds like a good plan. I think we'll have a small fire and toast some marshmallows and hopefully spot some fireworks. We usually go to a bonfire but I forgot to book and everything is sold out, oops!

No problem Silkie and I do hope you get seen with no further delay.

I’m hoping to get a free viewing of some fireworks tomorrow. We live not far away from where they usually do the local display, if there is one, so we’re pretty much assured of a good view from an upstairs bedroom window. If not, though, there’s a village display next weekend to which all are invited, and it’s always excellent. I like a good fireworks display. The best one I’ve ever seen was on the South Bank in London when the GLC came to an end and they had a big party to mark the demise.

I'm off to the dentist. Happy Guy Fawkes day everyone!

Village bonfire, sparklers and bbq tonight missing it as still isolating for another 4.5hrs 2 of the DC came back after an hour as they said it was boring. DH has gone back to try and find the third one (littlest). Fourth DC is also still isolating but remains symptom free.