Come and tell us your dull and unexciting news 36: Calmly through the day

[MissConductUS]

A quiet and friendly corner of MN to share the very dull day to day happenings of our lives. No criticisms, political discussions, or controversies here. Think of it as neighbors (I'm a Yank) chatting over the garden fence or having a cup of tea while the kids play together. Everyone is welcome.

It will be calming for all.

Previous:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5477400-come-and-tell-us-your-dull-and-unexciting-news-35-calmly-through-the-day?page=1

Thanks @Mumtobabyhavoc Hope everyone is well now and you get to make bread.

Thanks @sproutsandparsnips Hope you and your family are fine.

We now have all skirting for laundry room in place, all downstairs cleaned, tumble drier is out, have worktop cut and wooden supports in place. Plumber coming tomorrow at 8am. Also arranged electrician to do jacuzzi bath when it arrives later this month and they will also change the consumer unit.

DD has been in rowing races in China all day and will race until she flies back on Saturday. She has seen pandas but hasn't sent us photos. I am hoping she will. We take her stuff back to Oxford on Sunday and she will have her second flight land on Sunday.

I got photos this morning of my new great nephew. He is gorgeous and was just over 9 lb, born yesterday. It’s been very bitter sweet because he would be my brother’s only grandchild, but we lost him at the beginning of the pandemic. He would have been so thrilled because he loved children and loved being with my grandsons. I’ve just been so up and down today, happy buying presents, but in tears thinking about my DB

Had medical appointments the past couple of weeks, with flu jabs next Friday, perhaps Covid as well. Finally finished filling in my 32 page booklet for attendance allowance, plus 3 extra pages of additional statements!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. Made me laugh @Mumtobabyhavoc about baby running naked 😂down the hall.

Sorry about your brother @Umanresources, sounds like you have been very busy.
Glad DD coming back soon @MrsSPenguinz
I haven’t made bread for a long time @Mumtobabyhavoc
Busyish day here - DS had game today, they were hopeful they could win but I think pride came before a fall as they lost 26-42. I cooked chicken curry and it went down well.

Congratulations on your new great nephew @Umanresources Sorry about your DB.

Chicken curry sounds lovely @sproutsandparsnips

We have had plumber in for 2 days and now all the plumbing is done for the washing machine move with new pipework to external drain, a countertop sink and tap added in to worktop and plumbing in place for the jacuzzi bath when we get it. He mainly worked in our garden. Though we have one small issue in that the tumble drier won't fit through the door of the laundry room but we will sort that, it's only 0.5cms short.

DH will take DDs stuff back to Oxford tomorrow as she starts her 3rd year then. We had a Chinese takeaway tonight.

Sending sympathy, @Umanresources. It’s really hard. One of my young relatives is getting married and I keep thinking how much my mum would have loved to know about it.

DH and I both had our flu jabs today; it’s an annual clinic at our GP. Neither of us is old enough to qualify for the free Covid jab so we were in the 'all ages' flu queue while the ones getting the full service were in another one. They whack the jab in so quickly you scarcely notice you've had it (apart from the sore arm afterwards).

I've left a little jar of sourdough starter bubbling away overnight so I can get up in the morning and mix up some dough, which will bulk-ferment during the day. Then it'll be shaped and ready for an overnight prove in the fridge tomorrow night, and I'll be baking it on Monday. That’s the bread-production routine I seem to have settled into now.

@MrsSPenguinz, we have a napkin holder on our dining room table that our cat loves to lie on top of. If you try to grab a napkin while she's there, she'll swat you with her paw for trying to steal it. We then have to fetch one from the cupboard in the kitchen where we store them.

@UmanresourcesSorry about your brother, but congratulations on your new grandnephew. Life events can really stir up old memories. My lovely MIL passed about six weeks before my daughter's wedding, and not having her there was really hard. She and my daughter were really close, and I see so much of her in the woman my daughter has become.

@HildaTablet, it makes no sense to me that the NHS doesn't provide covid jabs to everyone. If people get it, they'll be off work for a week, even if they don't need medical care. And it's a bloody miserable illness.

There's not much new here. The leaves are starting to change colors. We had so much rain over the summer that they're predicting a really colorful leaf season for New England.

We've decided to replace our asphalt driveway. We had it installed when we moved into our house in 2003, and it's not in good condition. DH has found a contractor with excellent reviews who has given us a good estimate. He won't be able to fit us in until sometime in November, which is fine, as we have to get a permit from the town to have the work done, and that can take a few weeks. We just need to get it done before the asphalt plants shut down in December.

I was outside blowing leaves off the driveway when I saw this little fellow. He's a juvenile black rat snake. I see them often in the summer, less so this time of year.

Miss, covid vaccinations are readily available here in BC, too. I don't know the practice in the other provinces, though.

We're having a gorgeous weekend with sun and crisp air. Temp is getting up to around 20c during the day and at night about 9 or
10c.

I was at Emerg with Baby last night who apparently swallowed a small rock. 🤦‍♀️ Nothing was seen on the x-ray, so the doctor wasn't convinced. On the drive home, at 2am by that time, I asked Baby again who began crying and said, No. 😭

🤷‍♀️

I agree about the Covid jab, @MissConductUS. I'd definitely jump at it - I had all the free ones that were offered during the pandemic (I've had Covid twice, but not until after I'd been vaccinated twice). You can get it privately, of course - it’s not hugely cheap, though. Between around £75 and £100-ish depending on where you go.

Hilda, that's expensive! It certainly serves to discourage vaccination. Have we learned nothing? 🙄🤦‍♀️
Due to isolation etc we managed to avoid covid until Dec '21 when a friend popped by to see newborn Havoc. We wore masks, had the patio door open, I had a fan blowing air between us toward the open door as we sat opposite about 8 feet apart.
Well. 🤬 We took masks off to eat and guess what ... Me, Baby and my mum were all brutally sick about 3 days later and for about 4-5 weeks, with the worst being for 3 weeks.
It. Was. 🤬 Brutal. That was when Omicron was the dominant strain. My friend had been exposed, but wasn't sick yet. Have had it to varying degrees about 5 or 6 times since.

Anyway, I think all vaccinations should be universally free and there should also be a robust booster program. Adults rarely get boosters.

There was an older man, easily in his '70's, in Emerg last night, with an exceptionally bad Shingles case. That vaccine is two doses and costs about $300, I think. I got it for my mum last year. Luckily, her extended health coverage (private policy) paid for most of it. The vaccine is strongly recommended for people 50 and over here, but available for anyone 18 and over, but you have to pay.
It's so much cheaper on the medical system to vaccinate for free.

Anyway... 💁‍♀️😭

Gorgeous day here. ☀️
About to get the kids out. ✅
Hope everyone's Sunday is going well. 🙂

@Mumtobabyhavoc the weird thing is that the shingles jab is free here for people in my age-group, and they really push it! So I've had that (and boy, was my arm sore for weeks 🥴 - but I'm very glad to have had it, as my mum had shingles and was in pain for literally years afterwards)

I had my flu jab on Friday in work. Even us healthcare workers are not offered covid jab, only flu. I have already seen a patient with flu this season (although he caught it in China!)
DH has made leek and potato soup which I will take to work this week in my new food flask which DS2 bought me for my birthday.

How strange it is country to country. 🤔
But pros/cons and nothing is perfect, I guess.
This chat has reminded me to call again to see if the booking has opened up for flu/covid vaccines. I called last week and the schedule hadn't yet opened. I want us all to get ours asap before the viruses start going around.

I ended up puttering here and we still haven't gone out. 🙄
We've just had doughnuts and I'm finishing a decaf latte. Playground next then a late dinner.

Very bittersweet, Uman. It can seem all wrong when life seems to be going on, but I hope the new baby will bring joy.

I also made chicken curry today, sprouts. We had naan bread with it.

Your renovation is progressing really quickly, MrsP. Hope you can sort out the doorway problem. DD is leading a very busy globetrotting life. Hope she enjoyed the rowing and that the return flights won't be too tiring.

I'm trying to decide whether to get the flu and covid shots this year. The covid shot seems to knock me out for a whole weekend. I probably will though. Maybe the upcoming Columbus Day/ Indigenous People's day holiday would be a good time to schedule it.

I'm watching a documentary on the Blitz and it seems to me the footage of nighttime London features far too many brightly lit central London spots.

Chicken curry sounds lovely @mathanxiety

Hope you had a lovely birthday @sproutsandparsnips and leek and potato soup sounds delicious.

Changing leaf colour will be lovely @MissConductUS

Glad baby is fine @Mumtobabyhavoc

Nice to bake bread @HildaTablet

Sunday DDs stuff was back to Oxford and she got her new room which is lovely and big and has an ensuite in old part of college looking over gardens. Heard about China and pandas and red pandas.

Had 2 electricians in half a day today to fit new consumer unit which is done. Went to spa on Tuesday and had a nice massage, pools and a meal. Cleaned after plumber. Got doorframe off so could get drier in laundry room. Did garden.

All that sounds so lovely Penguins. 🥰

Very busy here: school drop off, helped my mum, off to med appt and errands, home and baked a cake with Baby, school pick up, Costco for a return, home to decorate cake with Baby and Havoc, dinner/dessert, baths for kids ... I'm exhausted. Everyone is asleep. I've got a movie on and I'm scrolling. Bed soon. Another day on the go tomorrow.

Math, where did you see the documentary on the Blitz? I'm a bit of a military history nerd and love anything WWII related.

@MrsSPenguinzWell done to your daughter for scoring such nice accommodations. DS had an ensuite for his last two years at uni, but it was because he worked as a dorm supervisor. They also took a few thousand off of his housing charges. It wasn't much work really. He was mostly there to answer questions for new students and enforce safety rules. Taking apart the doorframe to get the dryer in must have been a project. When we had our fridge delivered, they had to take the front door off the hinges to get it into the house, but we didn't have to touch the frame.

Not much new here. We've given the paving contractor a deposit for doing the new driveway, and DH has applied online with the town for the permit. DD and SiL have booked their flights to come for Thanksgiving. The overnights are getting cold. We'll have to shut off the water to the outside hoses soon.

I'm watching a comedy on Apple TV that I think is from the BBC. It's called Small Prophets, and it's about a bloke who works in a DIY store who's trying to create homunculi in his shed that can predict the future. It's been fun for the first two episodes. I watched the last episode of Ted Lasso for the current season. It was brilliant, as usual, but a bit sad that it'll be a year until the next season is out.

I have some pictures taken with the new iPhone. Daisy is guarding the napkins on the dining table. Woe to the human who tries to nick one. The deck is much clearer now that I've dumped the zinnias. The close-up of the cat on the cushion was taken from the same place as the first picture, using the 8x zoom on the camera. And my hanging basket of Lantanas that DH gave me for Mother's Day is still flowering and healthy! Finally, the farm store had quite a nice selection of gourds and pumpkins out, so I got a small pumpkin to put out in the front garden.

I've since brought the massive jade plant inside. I don't want to risk it in the cold overnights.

Re fridge and removing entry door: The delivery guys did that to bring new fridge in several year ago. My door was never the same for opening/closing and there was a noticeable gap and draft. I had a handyman come by to fix it, but he couldn't get it quite right. Finally, had a proper contractor in for another job, mentioned door, and he fixed it properly.

Fast forward to earlier this year and another new fridge. I had the delivery guys remove the fridge door and reinstall it inside. They weren't super happy, wanted to try and squeeze through, then wanted to take outside door off, but I refused and made sure the fridge door was perfect (and fridge properly balanced) before they left.

I believe the documentary was on Netflix, MissC. I bore DD to death by always clicking on the WWII offerings.

A few trees have changed colour here, and there's a sprinkling of leaves on the ground too. I was going to bring my deck plants in this weekend, but tomorrow's high temp will be 81°F, with a low about 60, so they'll live to fight at least one more day.

I have Monday off, and I'm looking forward to the long weekend.

I baked banana bread yesterday evening and remembered to add coconut, which DD and I had been meaning to try but kept forgetting. We've already eaten half the loaf.

The nearby roadwork has finally finished apart from a few details like filling in the trench left where the alley joins the street. The day after the new asphalt was laid down they dug three shallow patches across the street, and I realized they were going to put in speedbumps, which are now lurking to surprise the unsuspecting, as there are no warning signs or painted markings.

A few weeks ago, I had a fall and fractured my eye socket. I'm not supposed to blow my nose for eight weeks, so of course I've just started a cold!

We have too many apples.

From a previous experiment, everyone passing will merrily take them from a tub outside the house. Fast too

Oh no!

try a carefully adapted version of this?

https://buteykoclinic.com/pages/buteyko-breathing-method-nose-unblocking-exercise

Welcome, @WarriorN, and thanks for sharing your apple news and respiratory advice. It's also peak apple harvest season here in the Hudson Highlands.

DH, DS and I are off to a local craft fair this morning, so hopefully I'll have some pictures later.

Wishing havoc a very happy Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

WarriorN I once ended up with dozens more apples than I needed because of a glitch on a website. I made apple butter with them. It's amazing how many apples you need to fill a mason jar.

Hope you have been able to have a rest @Mumtobabyhavoc You do so much looking after others. Happy Thanksgiving weekend.

Love the pictures @MissConductUS especially the lovely Daisy.

Welcome @WarriorN

Have a lovely day off @mathanxiety

Sorry about your fall @sueelleker

Got a Waitrose order yesterday, DS immediately ate 1.5 packs of blackberries but I managed to have a few, and a few things from Dunelm, mainly fleece bedding for DS and gardening gloves and a new charger for DS from another shop. Today we did gardening and clearing what the plumber left in the garden for 3 hours. Was a nice sunny day. I have had a bit of a cold but think it's on the way out now. DS took a bath whilst we were gardening. The silkies came with us and were singing. DH told the silver one she was his favourite chicken and the brown one made a happy noise thinking he meant her so I told DH to tell her that as well.

We now have a date for DSs summerhouse to arrive though it's mid November so a few weeks yet but that works as bath currently says 21 October and don't want them together.