Come and tell us your dull and unexciting news 33: 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's a link to the prior thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5219345-come-and-tell-us-your-dull-and-unexciting-news-32-calmly-through-the-day?reply=140159580

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

Plumber came round. The shower seal has deteriorated, so we have to let it dry out till Monday then seal it again and wait 24 hours - it means using the girl’s shower upstairs till Wednesday.

He recommended we wait until the en-suite has been refurbishing before fixing the damage done to the kitchen ceiling and offered us another date in October. As we can’t afford it until a legacy comes through, I declined, but said I would book him the minute we have the money.

We capped off two really hot days (34C yesterday and 32C today) with wild, hot winds from the south and a dust storm, of all things. I had to close all the windows. The lines at the carwash will be long tomorrow.

Miss, sounds like your dd and her dh are having a great time. 😊
Bizzey, I'm really enjoying your nightie posts. 😂
I'm a pj's wearer for the very reason of twisting and bunching. And socks. Must. Always. Wear. Socks.
Math, you must have had quite a bit of humidity, too?
Myrtle, is that good news re the water, then? Is everything sorted for your holiday now?
Hilda, loving the cat info.
Death, I'm all about the hairspray. My hair has been awful since having the dc. Lots of post partum hair loss that is now growing back, so I've got different lengths mixed together. It's pretty much a ballerina bun daily. 😂

Had a very good walk in the rain and a playground stop with dc this evening. My phone says we walked just over 3.5km. Not bad for little legs! (Littlest did get a lot of time riding in the stroller, but is learning to walk along.) Managed to squeeze in sharing a slice of coconut cake as well. Both fell asleep fairy quickly after getting home, so I think it is a good sign the walk was a good choice. I vacuumed then had a bath and now am ready to go to aleep, so night night everyone. 😊

@bizzey

Thanks re nightie info!

HildaTablet ·
Yes I knew about Larry!

@Mumtobabyhavoc

Yes I probably do prefer pyjamas really but in any case this is only to clothe me while I go to the shared loo and kitchen (when I get a room that is!).

Meant to add a couple of pics from last night's walk. People often tend to the grass area in front of their homes between the sidewalk and road, which is city property. It makes neighbourhoods very quaint. 😊

Myrtle, is that good news re the water, then? Is everything sorted for your holiday now?

I can see an update is needed.

1. Quiz declined to give a refund to the Letter Before Action because ‘policy’, so I’ll take them to the small claims court.
2. Stojo (I had a leaking cup) are sending a replacement cup, and Amazon also gave a refund.
3. Transferred the holiday to another hotel in the same chain at a different resort. It’s only Adults Only in the upper tier which we have booked, but we get the same holiday and room. The holiday company have arranged and paid for different flights and because they are at 7am, and we would have to travel at 3am to get there, they have paid for a room at the Hilton the night before. We can reclaim the money from the cancelled transfer and the additional parking cost, and hopefully a meal at the hotel, on our return. We are very pleased.
4. The water leak is now dry so we will replace the sealant tomorrow and can use the shower on Wednesday. Hopefully that will keep the leak dry for a few months.
5. My HRT levels were higher (I changed the time of day I took it) but still not good enough, so hopefully I can change the regime tomorrow.

I also have a chat with a recruiter about a role tomorrow and hopefully a chat about interim work later this week.

I also had a genetics consultation on Friday. I have a missing part of a gene which is so rare it’s not on the database but it definitely causes some of my problems. I need to talk to my DM about get her tested. It does mean I am entitled to some custom-made footwear on the NHS, which should really help. They also know that I have a connective tissue disorder similar to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, but it’s not a currently known variant and may be something else, but they haven’t found the gene for it.

Myrtle, we had a shower leak during the pandemic. The whole shower stall was in bad condition and needed to be replaced. It was on our main floor and leaked into the basement, so the damage was minimal. Home remodeling is a very expensive endeavor. We only decided to redo our kitchen after my MIL passed away and left us some money.

Hilda, Larry is famous on this side of the pond too, but even DH had never heard of Hodge. Hodge is an excellent cat name.

Havoc, those are lovely planters.

DH spoke to the neighbors about the dead tree that needs to be removed. Turns out that it's not on their property. They said that the lot next to ours is owned by the town, in an open land preservation trust. DH will ring the town tomorrow to confirm and speak to them about the tree. They may take it down themselves, saving us a lot of money.

DH ordered a new hose reel and 125' hose. The reel needed to be assembled, which took him over an hour. That said, it's quite an improvement over the old plastic one. This hose is 50' longer than the old one, which will help if we need to water the lawn in the lower part of the yard.

I've started zinnias from seed this year, and put them in the green rectangular planter on the deck. DH also turned on the water out there, so I don't need to use the watering can. My Mother's Day petunias are still looking lush. My little ginger boy is keeping an eye on the deck garden from his favorite cushion.

DD and SiL flew home from London yesterday. Hopefully we'll FaceTime with them tonight and hear more about their trip. I went to the library on Friday and submitted my passport renewal application, so perhaps DH and will do some traveling after we retire this fall.

I saw the blue heron at the reservoir on Friday and got this pic from a distance.

I'm off to early church services shortly.

Good luck with the job news, Myrtle.

MissC, fingers crossed you'll save a decent sum over the tree.
Re Hodge, I suspect the Cathedral may have chosen the name because it was also the name of another famous London cat, the beloved pet of Dr Johnson, of dictionary fame. In Boswell's Life of Johnson he says:

Nor would it be just, under this head, to omit the fondness which he showed for animals which he had taken under his protection. I never shall forget the indulgence with which he treated Hodge, his cat: for whom he himself used to go out and buy oysters, lest the servants having that trouble should take a dislike to the poor creature. I am, unluckily, one of those who have an antipathy to a cat, so that I am uneasy when in the room with one; and I own, I frequently suffered a good deal from the presence of this same Hodge. I recollect him one day scrambling up Dr. Johnson's breast, apparently with much satisfaction, while my friend smiling and half-whistling, rubbed down his back, and pulled him by the tail; and when I observed he was a fine cat, saying, "Why yes, Sir, but I have had cats whom I liked better than this;" and then as if perceiving Hodge to be out of countenance, adding, "but he is a very fine cat, a very fine cat indeed."

There's a statue of Johnson's Hodge outside his house in Gough Square.

I took the dc to visit Engine 374 today. It was great to see it outside and we stood in line to board it and Havoc got to sound the horn. We went inside to watch it being brought back in using a winch and steel cable. It was the most anti-climatic event. It must've taken at least 20 mins yet the staff were acting like it was rumbling down the track with the, "Stand back!" "Don't pull on the rope!"

🙄😂

We walked down to the seawall at Yaletown Pier and blew bubbles after. 🤗

https://vancouversbestplaces.com/city-of-vancouver/yaletown/vancouver-roundhouse-community-centre/vancouver-engine-374-train/railway-museum-cpr-engine-374-anniversary-celebrations/

www.roundhouse.ca/about/history/engine-374/

A couple pics from the seawall.

I have purchased some sealant to repair the shower leak, a sealant gun, some sealant remover and a tool to take the old stuff off and smooth the new stuff down. DH is grumbling that he has to do it now. For some reason doing it at 6pm once he’s finished work is not good. Something to do with the light on that side of the house being bad because it faces east. (Reminds me of the men who can’t possibly hunt today because a lizard crossed their path - and thank goodness women tend the crops or they would all starve.)

I also bought two summer dresses from Tesco, expecting them to be £50 in total, but I got £6.75 off each dress because of Clubcard, which was a nice surprise - as well as them being size 12!

Had my HRT appointment and they are putting me on synthetic HRT and a new kind of pessary which should improve things. If that doesn’t work I’ll be referred to the menopause clinic at the hospital where they have other options including testosterone! I have a check up in three months’ time.

Myrtle, I've done lots of caulking. It's always best to use the caulking gun, so good purchase. The scraping off of the old is the hardest part. I usually tape and caulk in between for consistent edges.

I'm a bit miffed I'm up at 6:45... been awake a half hour already. Hoping dc don't wake up too soon as I would like to get a bit more sleep.

DH has been watching YouTube videos, so he’s now very confident. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Myrtle, I thought the plumber redid the shower seal for you and you were just waiting for it to dry. By the way, it's quite common for women to get testosterone as part of HRT and it can make quite a difference. I had no idea that Tesco sold clothes. I thought it was just a grocery store/supermarket.

Hilda, I found the statue of Hodge:

https://www.drjohnsonshouse.org/hodge-dr-johnson-cat

I did not know that cats ate oysters, or that London had locally harvested oysters at that time. NYC in the same era had abundant local oysters and they were sold on the street for almost nothing. That statue has an oyster shell that Hodge has presumably eaten from.

DH rang the town about the tree and sent them pictures of it. The town's arborist is going to take a look at it.

We did have a FaceTime call with DD and SiL last night and heard all about their trip to London. They had a lovely time. Now I want to go!

I was in the garden yesterday and saw these turkeys crossing our front yard and driveway. I'm glad they were smart enough to stay out of the road.

I am going to " try " and make a Spanish Omelette!
Or it could be a frittata !

I have eggs , new potatoes , peppers , onions and a load if other stuff I may chuck in a well !

Suspicious mole is on their radar I think 🤔.

Not had a letter , but I have had an appointment though for August to see Dermatologist.

So it seems like it is a wait and see situation which I am happy about as I really don't think I could cope with anything more before the holiday !! 😀 !

I mean ...if it hadn't have been me going to the GP to get proper treatment for my back...I would never have known it was there !

I bought a new water bottle with hourly time markers on it .

The bottle seems huge ...and if anyone told me I would have to drink the bottle X2 ...I would have been panicking !!

But , it only takes a few sips /slurps from the bottle to reach the next level.

Doubt if i will keep to the strong regime if it , as it is quite big and I have downsized my handbag due to back and neck issues. 😂😂.

But I will keep it indoors and keep sipping!

Myrtle, I thought the plumber redid the shower seal for you and you were just waiting for it to dry. By the way, it's quite common for women to get testosterone as part of HRT and it can make quite a difference. I had no idea that Tesco sold clothes. I thought it was just a grocery store/supermarket.

Our plumber is booked ahead for weeks at a time, so he pops in and says this is what needs doing and lets us get on with it. DH has sealed it, but it was messy. I don’t mind because it meant I didn’t have to do it and I’ll tolerate a messy job over one not done at all. We hope to refurbish it in October.

Tesco have their own clothing brand, F&F. It’s cheap basic stuff and only available in larger stores. I think Asda first started stocking clothes - very cheap school uniform basics and the other supermarkets followed.

I got this dress:
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/321066362?_gl=11tjfev3_upMQ.._gaNTQ2MjM1OTI1LjE3NDc2NzU4Nzg._ga_33B19D36CY*czE3NDc2NzU4NzgkbzEkZzAkdDE3NDc2NzU4NzgkajAkbDAkaDQ3OTIyNTg1OCRkV3k5RjFCQzNWRzhWUDFkeEMzSkxpaU1vZWswVjlWQTYydw..

And a similar red one with capped sleeves and buttons all the way down the front, but I can’t find it on line.

Bizzey, how much water are you trying to drink? I know that drinking lots of water continuously is a social media thing, but it's not beneficial and can be harmful.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/water-intoxication

Water is in your food and all of your other beverages, like tea. If you're thirsty, drink some water. If you're not thirsty, don't. Your body is very good at regulating hydration.

It was meant to be found, Bizzey. 😊
I had to look up the difference between Spanish omelette and frittata. I thought a frittata was the Spanish version. 🤦‍♀️

I was awake before 6:30 today. Maddeningly. Took almost an hour to fall asleep again. I woke up again after 9am, baby was still sound asleep and Havoc was playing with a new toy in the living room. 😅
Have now had a mediocre bagel and latte. Mediocre because I didn't heat the bagel properly, it needed another few minutes, and the milk for my latte wasn't foamed as well as I like it. The frother is losing battery power, so it takes longer to foam, like over a minute.
While I was doing it I was having an internal argument to just change the fricken batteries. Of course, stubborn me wouldn't because I already change them EVERY MONTH. 🤬 I do have rechargeable batteries and a charger somewhere... BUT, THAT'S NOT THE POINT, IS IT? Batteries should not be used up in one month by a stupid device used for a minute a day.

(get your minds out of the gutter, ladies).

@MissConductUS it is only a litre bottle ...it just looks huge !

@Mumtobabyhavoc ...yes I agree !

Our hot weather is only a memory today. It was 45F this morning, about 7C. The heat came on and it was very welcome.

I put my hummingbird feeder out on the deck on Sunday, walked back to the porch and turned around to lock the screen door because Dcat has been curious about the handle and I dont want her learning to open it. I was just in time to see a hummingbird at the feeder, and as soon as he left another arrived from the other direction.

i would so love to have hummingbirds on my feeders, @mathanxiety - it would be so exciting, too much so for this thread of course. We do have loads of birds but recently the pesky squirrels have started eating the niger seed in the goldfinch feeders. Every single internet thread assures us that squirrels aren’t interested in this seed in the slightest but our greedyguts interlopers will eat anything and have broken the plastic so they can literally scoop it out with their paws. We love the goldfinches and normally have loads - they nest here and the garden’s full of fledglings normally - and the squirrels were driving them away, so we paid ££ for a special feeder that the little barstewards can’t access. After a few suspicious days I’m happy to say the birds have taken to the new feeder and appear to be content with it. The squirrels are FUMING.

We had a trip yesterday to a ‘big house’, the former home of 19thc Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli - Hughenden Manor. The weather was lovely and the house is too, with beautiful gardens. There was a lot of beekeeping activity going on. A few pics attached (in memory of Silkie, who used to be the resident stately home visitor - I often think of her).