Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 30: 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 a link to the prior thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5013993-come-and-tell-me-your-dull-and-unexciting-news-29-calmly-through-the-day

Welcome to all regulars, lurkers, and new contributors! Everyone is welcome to join.

Great to hear everyone's news.

I loove the London pics and London. It sounds really hot though. I have nice memories of a trip to London with DD the weekend of Harry and Megan's wedding. We visited the Keats House and saw the wedding on a big screen in the Royal Festival Hall.

Today I met my elderly neighbour who goes out every morning on his walker and is inspiring.

@MissConductUS

Lovely photos as usual!

Reminds me of sitting in Richmond by River Thames. There is a resident heron/Crane/whatever there too.

@bizzey

Hope you are feeling in better sorts soon.

@@culturevulture1984

We all had high hopes for that wedding! Glad you had a good time though!

Luckily I always start out early for my shift at work. The first bus I got on, a mental patient with his trousers down too low kept walking around on the bus. The driver tried to insist he sit down. In the end when we got to the bus station she stayed there (the rest of us got off) until he got off. We eventually c).ould get back on. Unfortunately the route it took meant lots of stopping and starting because of the road works that are everywhere! Anyway I managed to get in on time and eat my lunch (Spinach Mornay and a lemon possett - good old Waitrose!!

Dandy, your summer birthday celebrations sound great! I was thinking along the same lines as having a birthday right between Christmas and NY could be hit or miss with invites. On one hand parents may relish sending kids off for the day to get a break, but the stress/strain of another gift purchase may be too much. On the other hand, a lot of people may be away/have other plans for Christmas break.

@HildaTablet

Wow those paintings are lovely! I cannot remember when I last mooched around a gallery, Typical - I live in London and haven't been around it much!

It’s been a hot couple of days. Had to be up early yesterday for a visit to the hospital for a blood test. It was a regular one for my diabetes check. In and out within 10 minutes. The whole visit door to door was 25 minutes. Brilliant!

I’ve had several books delivered over the past few days and managed to read 3 of them, reading in the garden, bedroom, living room and conservatory. It’s been a quiet and very relaxing time, thank goodness.

Loving the better weather; I'm so nesh and love the heat(I know I'm in a minority)
Found out today that I can cook rice in the oven, brilliant! Tried it for tea and it was great.

Thanks Havoc.

Getting breakfast here then flight to Kuala Lumpur then stay there a night and back to UK following day and back to my boys. Floof is apparently hyper but has been fine with DH dedicated to him.

Hope everyone has a lovely day.

Got out the door only 7 mins later than planned to take my mum to hosp to oncology for check-up today. Stopped at a specific grocery store on the way home where I can buy lactose free butter and whipping cream which I need for the cake I'm making for Friday. Once home another load of laundry went in, got a snack together for Havoc and made some meatballs for dinner which I'm serving with hummus, naan and salad. We're having a lovely light rain this afternoon. I find it very calming.

Safe travels home, Penguinsa. 🫶

@@Umanresources

That is what I would do if I had a garden! Even in cold weather I would probably sit out there in my winter coat!

@Penguinsa

Sounds like you had a wonderful time but I bet you will be glad to get back and see DH and the Floofmeister!

Wherever I am in the world I love to come home to a cuppa tea. I sometimes crave for things I cannot have wherever I am like in Egypt we had pitta bread and such like but I really wanted Naan bread. Why I don't know. It is not normally a craving!

The Floofmeister will be beside himself on your return. Ours used to ignore us for a day or two. On one particular holiday, they were being fed by my Nan - famous for over-feeding anything alive. How those two cats thought they could manage to look half starved on Nan's rations I do not know!

Great medical appt was smooth.

Safe travels home Penguin.

Spent a lot of time booking flights/ helping with travel plans for my young adults today.

Culture, it is surprisingly time consuming booking holidays online. I dread it, actually.
Death, I always take dark choc digestives with me when I travel even though I rarely buy them home. And I always drink tomato juice on the flight and I never do that at home!

Baked the cake last night, but not happy with how it turned out as didn't seem to rise enough. So, made a half recipe of it earlier this morning and am waiting for that to cool. Will put it together when dc are napping later. Have got laundry on now.
It's raining and quite dark right now. I've got a morning talk show on and am sipping a latte. It's quite nice because I also have the patio door open and the fresh air and sound of the rain is quite lovely.

I hope your trip home is going well, Penguinsa.

Deathray, we had a cat who would ignore us for a day or two after we returned from a holiday. It was because she was so angry that we left.

DD and SIL flew from Japan to California yesterday. They're going to spend a few days there visiting some of his family, then fly back to New York on the red eye flight on Saturday night, arriving early on Sunday. I know they're coming to our house from the airport, and then doing some traveling to see more of his family next week. The details are a bit sketchy at this point.

Friday is our 27th wedding anniversary. DH has booked dinner at the DD's wedding venue restaurant for Saturday as a treat. We'll include DS, of course. He's leaving Sunday to drive upstate for the job interview he has on Monday.

My zinnias are doing really well. I expect them to flower in the next week or two.

Oh, Miss! A very happy anniversary to you and your dh. Have a great weekend! 💕

My DH had a good laugh at me when I took a small tub of my favourite instant coffee to Italy.
I have had an eventful day where I don’t feel like I have achieved much. I got my car repaired which had pothole damage. Then went to a carers showing of The Fall Guy, which was actually quite good. Then got embroiled in the usual school run and after school activities.
After dropping my dd off at guides I couldn’t get home as fire engines were blocking the road. Neighbour, who must be in her 80s got out fine but they had to break through the internal ceiling to reach the fire. She won’t be living there for a while. Makes you stop and appreciate your safe space when you see things like that.

I have bought myself a 1 tog duvet and a couple of floor fans. I am now set for the summer!

Welcome, @Kpo58, and thanks for sharing your calming shopping news. It sounds like you are set for hot weather slumber. I will admit, I had to google 1 tog duvet and found one at M&S. What is the difference between a 1 tog and a 3 tog duvet?

Never mind, Mr Google has revealed the answer:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tog_(unit)

Here in the U.S. they are just labeled as summer or winter duvets, which is much less precise than your approach in the UK.

We love our duvets here with such changeable weather. I have a set of two which are 4 and 10 with Velcro on each corner so they can be combined. Then I have a 1 tog for normal summer and a cellular blanket for heatwaves.

Just about to board MH4 to Heathrow. Spent last night in Kuala Lumpur and went swimming with DD which was surrounded by a tropical garden and previously that day lovely breakfast in Sepilok and flight from Sandakan to KL. Had pizza and mocktails with DD last night and a lovely breakfast this morning. Have extra legroom seats on this. DH will meet us.

Safe trip home, Penguinsa. 💕

Thanks all. On flight in the air now with random WiFi. Really looking forward to seeing Floof and the boys again.

Happy anniversary MissC.

13 hour flight. Have my book Land Below the Wind and got extra legroom seats so relatively comfortable. The Malaysian Airlines have such a beautiful uniform for the women.

What a lovely porch Miss.
Look forward to seeing those Zinnias.

Taking some time out this morning in my local cafe. It's cool, quiet and pleasant.

Safe trip @Penguinsa I've loved hearing about your travels.

@IWanderedLonely I thought I was the only one who used the word 'nesh' because it was Northern. Love it.

Havoc you* *seem to have such a calm life. I am in awe that you manage to get so many things done during the day. I envy your cake making skills. The first one I made when I was first married sat outside in the garden like a brick, for a week, because even the birds couldn't penetrate it!

Happy anniversary MissC. How lovely to revisit the wedding venue again. I bet your DD and SiL will be happy to share their tales of Japan.

Today is* *a lot cooler. I just have laundry to put away and then some more reading. I have a cooling spray for my hip arriving today.

My 8 yr old grandson got a certificate for coming first in a Spelling bee at his school. It was for English spelling, which makes me incredibly proud as it is his second language. I used to teach spelling in primary school, but have never taught him and his dad is dyslexic and has trouble spelling, so I think it's skipped a generation and he's inherited the spelling gene from me! So proud of him 😍

It's much cooler here today too, Uman. Well done to your grandson on the spelling bee. I've always been a rather rubbish speller.

@culturevulture1984, the deck is the best part of our house. It runs all of the way down one side of the second story and overlooks a county nature preserve. The cats love it out there if the weather is nice as they get to look down into the woods. Here are some better pictures, one of which includes my old weather station, which I recently replaced.

DD and SiL are going to Florida next week to visit his grandmother and some other relatives. DD booked her flights but not transportation to and from the airport, so DH is sorting that now.

DH, DS and I have booked blueberry picking at the pick your own farm tomorrow morning, and the weather looks good.