Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 21: 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 20: Calmly through the day

Prok, well done to your son. I'm sure he is very happy about it.

I was running late and skipped church and just went to the supermarket. I have finally finished filing the last of the taxes, so may treat myself to a nap.

Lemons, was this a new restaurant or somewhere you'd been before?

I am always suprised (until my brain kicks in) when you talk about visiting GPs, therapists or retail and supermakets etc on a Sunday.

I've just encountered this thread for the first time. It makes very calming reading. What is the background? Can anyone join in??

Welcome, @SevenSistersStar, it is a very calming thread. As to the background, it's been running like this for a long time. I did not originate it but somehow inherited the stewardship of it a couple of years ago.

The thread is open to all. Please join in, tell us a bit about yourself and share some mundane news.

By the way, is your handle a reference to the group of women's colleges in the US? Two of us have daughters attending one of them.

@MissConductUS it was a pub about 20 mins from us. It was poor cold lacked any seasoning. I feel I cook a better one.

Hello @SevenSistersStar this is a lovely lovely thread. It’s so nice that I actually find myself thinking in the day about some of the people on this thread or feeling genuinely happy for someone if something good happens etc.

It’s a very unMN thread!

@MissConductUS

Welcome, *@SevenSistersStar*, it is a very calming thread. As to the background, it's been running like this for a long time. I did not originate it but somehow inherited the stewardship of it a couple of years ago.

The thread is open to all. Please join in, tell us a bit about yourself and share some mundane news.

By the way, is your handle a reference to the group of women's colleges in the US? Two of us have daughters attending one of them.

Thank you, what a lovely welcome. Seven Sisters is an area of London and my handle is a reference to a lyric of a song I particularly like. I first used it when I used to write in to a forum section of channel 4's teletext. I sent an actual letter in the actual post! This was the late 90s and we used to debate issues such as the athenticity of the Manic Street Preachers. That all feels a very long time ago. But also I feel fundamentally the same person as I was then so I thought I'd resurrect it for Mumsnet.

Today my son and I went for a walk around our local area and had a good long chat about the things he is interested in. This includes why ancient Sumer doesn't get mentioned as much as Egypt, Greece or Rome, and what the difference between a cupcake and a muffin is. It was really lovely. I'm a big walker and I think he will be too by the looks of things.

seven The difference between cupcakes and muffins - DS and I discussed exactly that last week (though my DS is probably very much older )

I am looking forward to a day of solitude at the office, as the 8th is a regional holiday. Nobody who as hours on the flexi account (Arbeitszeitkonto] will be in.

Hi @SevenSistersStar , there is a village in South Wales not far from where my dad grew up with the same name.

Today the adventures with the van continued….DH went and got a battery charger (on the recommendation of a friend and fellow van owner), put it on charge all day and it started! Though apparently it is now not to be trusted 🙄 Then the guy from garage where it usually goes, and had the mot booked for Tuesday, called to say their building works are delayed so they’re closed again this week. The guy did offer to come here and fit a new battery for free though. DH promised him a cup of tea and a biscuit if it comes to that.

Seven, I'm an American who has never been to the UK but I would dearly love to go. My DH used to live in London and has promised to take me after the kids are done with uni. For reference, I live here:

The Hudson Highlands

As Lemons said, it is a very unMN thread. I think when people join, they get the vibe that it's not a place for political debate or rubbishing people. Everyone is really remarkably well behaved.

Shoes, if the battery took a charge it may be the alternator that's faulty, not the battery. The chap from the garage can put a tester on the battery to see if it's worn out. Do you know how old it is? After 5-6 years they wear out.

The weekly family zoom call is coming up shortly. I'm hoping that there will be more clarity about where DS will be working after he graduates.

It's oddly balmy here today. It hit 19C, which may be a record. One of the cats refuses to come in from the deck for dinner because it's so nice out.

Miss that seems to be the consensus now, this is the longest we’ve owned any vehicle (van 8 years old) so had not experienced batteries dying out before, but hey ho, get it changed and the van can limp on until it’s time to say farewell to it.

Shoes, if the van is eight years old and you've never replaced the battery, it's shot. We replace ours at six years just to be safe.

We've had the family zoom call. DS has yet to receive the offer letter from the firm's NYC office, so he's going to chase up the HR person about it. It sounds like he's made up his mind to move back in with us and not take the position in Boston. He'll drive home on Saturday for spring break and DD will be away next week with her uni crew team for a training week in South Carolina where it will be much warmer.

My silly little car went to the garage last week on a safety recall and they replaced the fuel pump. Just about got rid of the smell of petrol inside but I swear the fuel consumption isn’t quite as good as it was before. Maybe it just needs running in a bit?
It’s going to need 4 new shoes at some point fairly soon which I expect will be hard on the wallet.

Prok Well done to your DS and to you to helping him through.

Helena Well done on your DCs expeditions and endurance and yours.

Had a roast dinner today and I donated much of my roast pork with gravy to Silkiecat who is delighted I have gone on a more vegetarian diet. Apple strudel and custard for dessert.

DD went to the gym again. I largely just slept again, get results tomorrow and quite anxious so probably just as well to sleep.

DD brought rabbit upstairs to buy me with the birthday cake I bought him, he was happily munching away then DD screamed bear (to her brother who was in the bath) rabbit is eating his cake and then rabbit froze. DD said I think rabbit is anxious but no idea why. So when DS then appeared I said to take rabbit and his cake back downstairs and he happily enjoyed more cake there. Could not get pics as the silkie was asleep in her house and no-one wanted to risk waking her.

Welcome SevenSistersStar Its a lovely thread.

As a child when we went to Wales we used to go over 7 bumps in a road like small hills close together which were called the seven sisters. Been to the one in London but about 20 years ago now.

DS will be 18 next month, we've just booked a 3 night Air BnB in Kyiv to celebrate.

Maybe we will go one day

I made a fish pie for dinner tonight. Not something that is common in Canada (the west anyway). We have had lots in England but never here.

I used a Nigel Slater recipe that used a topping with oatmeal, butter and flour thinking perhaps it would avoid the potato stodginess. Well maybe but the vast quantity of butter cancelled out any benefit I am sure.

It turned out quite good, but I made a huge mess in the kitchen. Too many steps! I used haddock and large prawns.

DH thought it was good and was quite good natured about helping me clear the cook's mess. At least the decks were clear before we ate.

Next time I might turn to Mary Berry. Her recipe looks simpler.

I worked on my painting today, trying to do a sunset scene. Better than last time at least.

@Silkierabbit I hope you get your results soon. I looked up the test name and now understand better what you are facing. What an amazing woman you are!

It has been bright sunshine the past couple of days. Daffodils are almost out.

I love fish pie and so does Silkiecat. Fish pie with lots of fish, butter and little potato and definitely no spinach would be her dream recipe. We normally just get co-ops luxury one which is really good and its a lot lighter than we make it ourselves.

Definitely getting results today, should be at 11.30am, been delayed a week but that's largely as another place does them and also apparently the oncologist banned the nurses from giving them early. I expect that as they are not good esp as they have booked me into a chemo appointment for 3 weeks time but will see.

DH has to move his car in the morning as the neighbour opposite who bought the new build house at vastly inflated prices has realised the kitchen only has 3 units in so he has bought a new one which part of arrives tomorrow. I asked DH did he move here from London (he has paid about 30% over what its worth) and DH said yes. Then its the bins, but just green and blue. DD has a stats mock exam.

I like this Good Housekeeping recipe for fish pie, don’t always stick to it exactly but as it’s sliced potato instead of mash that bit always stays the same - www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/recipes/a537729/seafood-pie-with-leeks-and-blue-cheese/
I don’t even like blue cheese normally but it really works here

Good luck for today Silkie and hope DD’s mock goes well too.

I only heard about the AirBnB thing yesterday Champagne what a great idea. Have you got other plans for DS’s birthday?

I donated to the appeal via our Church contactless machine yesterday, the money is being funnelled via DEC so that donations are doubled.

Good morning all. Good luck for today Silkie. Everything crossed for you, m’dear.

It’s been a pretty crap weekend here at Spud Towers, hoping this week will be better. Had a long heart to heart with DH last night about how certain things have been going - it wasn’t easy and there were tears. But it felt better after getting it into the open. I think we’ll be ok.

Spudpup is still not well, and my two appointments that I had today both cancelled with the dreaded lurgy so that’s the thick end of £60 that I’ve lost out on. Can’t be helped of course, but after last weeks busy-ness, this week I’m not even going to make into triple figures unless I get some last minute bookings. I do learn a new treatment tomorrow which I’m hoping will go down well. I’m sure this is just part and parcel of being a new business and all, but it’s always scary when the diary looks empty 😨

Hey ho. Sorry I’m a bit of a misery guts today - will try to snap out of it asap. Have good Mondays one and all x

@prokupatuscrakedatus and what did you decide? For my son it was all about whether the icing came over the top of the cake case or the cake itself. I tried to introduce the idea of fairy cakes but he didn't seem to have heard of those. There must be a difference in the actual recipe but I don't know what it is.

@missConductUS ooh you learn something new every day. I'd never heard of that area before. Now I'm looking it up on Wikipedia.

I think the London Seven Sisters is probably quite different to the Welsh ones which are probably nicer!

I was intrigued as to where the name came from and apparently the village grew around the coal mine which was built there, the owner of the mine had seven daughters, so seven sisters. Every days a school day eh?
Best wishes for today silkie

Very best wishes for today Silkie

I’m a big fan of London history, SevenSisters, and I was always told that the place-name originally came from a group of 7 trees that existed (possibly?) as far back as the 14thc. But they were definitely still there by the 19th, hence the name of the Seven Sisters Rd.

Weighing in on the great muffin vs cupcake/fairy cake debate….I’d have said cupcakes are a creamed butter & sugar method while muffins are a quick-mix adding-wet-to-dry-ingredients method. I wouldn’t say no to one of either, though

Very helpful garage guy has just been to change battery. Can’t actually drive it cos no mot but at least he can get it there now to get it done when they’re up and running again. The poor garage guy was very stressed as the work they’re having done there keeps over running. I did offer him tea and biscuits but he declined.

I've just potted up some tomato seeds. Roma a plum type and Moneymaker which I believe is a popular one. I will be giving one of each to my friend.

After my lunch, I will repot some geraniums in the hope they will save me buying new ones for the summer.