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When meeting up take sensible precautions. Meet in a public place and let others know where you are going.

EALING, ISLEWORTH, WEST LONDON ... SHALL WE MEET UP AGAIN?

562 replies

MrsBigD · 28/02/2006 14:39

o.k. I'm bored at work so thought I'll start another threat trying to organise gettogethers :)

With or without kids... I'm game

The latest Ealing thread was considering a zoo visit of some sort when it gets a bit warmer... and now it's gone and gotten colder!

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MrsBigD · 22/03/2006 07:54

lucky you!!!

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SnowdropsInTheSpring · 22/03/2006 07:57

Well, the thought of flying with a baby and a young child....Hehe. Only joking!
Can't wait! Love Cape Twon, thats where i got pg two out of three times and where dh proposed so very special place.

Hope all are well on this lovely Spring morning!

Gosh, i'm so happy today!!!! Grin

MrsBigD · 22/03/2006 08:00

so Capetown is fertile grounds? 'note to self... STAY CLEAR' LOL
DH and I should alledgedly have had terrible problems getting pg... ah well 2 'accidents' later we've put a knot in it Grin

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SnowdropsInTheSpring · 22/03/2006 08:02

Very fertile. So dh isn't going ANYWHERE near me. Told i couldn't have children when i was 19, three pg later...Grin

Off to feed my sproglett now.

Tata xxx

MrsBigD · 22/03/2006 10:28

gotta love doctors eh?!

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MrsBigD · 23/03/2006 06:58

got my book party tonight... don't know whether to look forward to it or be nervous! Grin

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YanksUponThames · 23/03/2006 11:53

Hi MrsBigD (and everyone else)!

I NEED TO VENT SOME STEAM and if it's tiresome I apologize and won't do it again, but I'm having a (so far) Crappiest Week in the Crappiest of Crap Months that I've had for a while. To wit:

  1. I'm supposed to go back to our house in the US this Saturday, i.e. the day after tomorrow, to take care of financial rubbish, personal rubbish, car insurance/licensing rubbish ('cos we've been gone for a while and loose ends are popping up that we thought we'd covered), for a week. So I'm trying to get ready to do that. BUT

(and speaking of doctors...)
2) Ds & I already got over some coughing virus a couple weeks ago; tedious phlegm but nothing to bother a doctor about. THEN dh gets a virus, but his seems worse than ours - serious fever & aches & more knackered (ds's & my coughing thing didn't make us fevered & knackered, just noisy). Unbelievable moaning (and complete uselessness around the house despite staying home from work and being underfoot) for 2 weeks now. Though clearly he really does feel like sh*t. Became obvious a few days ago that he has now developed a bacterial infection on top of the first virus (separate new fever, icky weird phlegm). Got appropriate antibiotics but not working fast enough. Getting short of breath too. Might even be getting proper pneumonia. Isn't this just ducky.
He went to the doctor earlier and has now been there a while, so I reckon they're either working him over, shouting at him for moaning and/or being thick, discussing results of Tues. chest x-ray, or he's waiting around for a new prescription.

(update: done with doctor, not great news (infection nasty and/or x-ray looks crap), now at Boots for new prescription)

  1. Meanwhile the hot water boiler/heater has failed, so no hot water at the moment. I think the heating element died and needs replacing. The actual landlord is some prat in Swindon who can't be got hold of. At least the local rental agents (a Barnard Marcus office) seem half decent and they're helping.

  2. Dh is so ill that he not only (probably) won't be able to have a fun week taking ds out places next week while I'm in N. Carolina (though I could still take ds with me), but if he doesn't improve in a couple days and maybe goes to the hospital, then what do I do?
    Postponing is of course possible except for the tiresomeness of a hard-won appointment at the N. Carolina Dept. of Motor Vehicles in Raleigh next Tuesday morning. Perhaps by the time (6 weeks or so) that they could reschedule the appointment, dh would finally be better. SadAngrySad (Sad that dh is feeling bad, Angry at the Universe for inconveniencing me further when there are already a lot of inconveniences)
    Aack. Bugger. Bugger bugger bugger.

So anyway, I don't know if I'll be able to make it to MrsBigD's book party tonight even though I really want to come. There are still phone calls needed to the States while their business hours are still on (until 10pm for us). One way or the other, though, I should still be able to make dinner on Apr.6. I already need a drink, and more than drink. Grin

Go ahead and shout at me if I'm being annoying, but I do appreciate a place to vent (don't have time - or money - for phone calls to relatives in US right now, etc.). I'll buy y'all drinks when I get the chance. I do want to meet up!

At least the weather doesn't totally suck today...

YanksUponThames · 23/03/2006 12:08

And good luck MrsBigD with party! I'm hoping it still might come possible to make it, but I'm not confident as there're so many things to do. I also don't know how likely it is that we'd pass along dh's evil germs second-hand -- now that I definitely do not want to do to any of you all or your kids. But I do want to see the books at some point. Hmpf.

MrsBigD · 23/03/2006 12:27

Poor Yanks! I think in your case the only thing that helps is
step 1 : scream
step 2: Look at the bright side... it's gotta get better!

If you can't make today (you can show up after 16:00 ;) ) don't worry. Holding another party on Saturday 1 April at my place and probably one on 4 April at Oscars cafe in Pitshanger Lane. Also I can bring some books to Old Orleans on 6 April, just not a big selection as they do tend to be heavier than they look ;)

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MrsRecycle · 23/03/2006 12:48

Vent away yanks - poor you there's nothing worse than a man that is actually ill Grin.

I'll make sure your glass is topped up onthe 6th. Also if you're after cheap calls to ring the US - we use \link{http://www.call18866.co.uk\these}. Very easy to set up (minutes) and then just dial 18866 before the number and you can chat away without worrying about the cost.

SnowdropsInTheSpring · 23/03/2006 14:21

Is Oscars the old video shop MrsB?

Poor Yanks, feel for you love! It doesn't rain but it pours!!!!

But at least the weather is fine today. Been playing in our garden for the first time and it has been lovely. Ds is tired so wants a nap and i think i will join him! (Be rude not to) Grin

Hope all are well

SnowdropsInTheSpring · 23/03/2006 14:22

My dh has just got over 'man' flu. Awful. God did we suffer....

MrsBigD · 23/03/2006 15:00

Snowdrops... yes it is :) used to be Oscars Video Cafe. But since refurbishment and dropping of Videos much nicer :)

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YanksUponThames · 23/03/2006 18:47

'man' flu. I love it! Grin Ain't that the truth.

And then when they really get sick, you have to deal with real worrying in addition to the (already ongoing and escalating) moaning and uselessness. Funny how when men (even dads) get sick it's okay to park their butts, but mums have to soldier on regardless until (or even if) they end up in the hospital. Dh is at least appearing to appreciate my soldiering on and at least trying not to moan too much (except to you guys Grin), and is chastened a bit now that he knows that I was dealing with the same thing he is, two Novembers ago when we were at MIL's house. But of course couldn't lay around in bed for two weeks. Oh no. Apparently they just thought I was coughing and being "uncommunicative" or In A Mood or something. Had I bothered to ask for a thermometer and showed them a 104F, maybe they would have figured it out.

Anyway, thanks for the support luvs!

And hope the party's going well!

Update on the other fun things: hot water boiler not quite fixed yet (actually I think the storage tank is just not getting hot water from the gas boiler because of bad valve, plus its immersion heater died), but people are on the way this evening (apparently) and the landlord did get back to me and doesn't seem to be quite the prat I was afraid he might be. So I do still have some faith in human nature. Having lived a number of years in a student-packed college town, I know about prat landlords.

MrsBigD · 23/03/2006 19:21

:) dh is the opposite... I literally have to beat him up to go to the doc when he's got a temp of 104!

As for the party... :( total flop, nobody showed. Considering I had 3-4 yes's and quite a few we'll try... ah well, more luck for Saturday 1st and for my first stint in the cafe on 4th.

If the next 2 are fruitless too I'll jack it in though :(

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YanksUponThames · 23/03/2006 20:33

MrsBigD - I'm so sorry I couldn't make it. Sad I waited all afternoon for the plumber but couldn't come due to being caught by a gas leak he couldn't leave, so now waiting for a different one. And trying to shovel in a bite to eat, which I haven't done since about noon. I missed your cookies! Even if (as likely) can only diagnose tonight, it might possibly result in sooner actual repair tomorrow. I hope, anyway, that it might help and I'm not just being daft. It's nasty to not have hot water when someone's spraying germs all over the place. I can only boil it so fast on the stove, or in the kettle. And we all could use a wash...

I know what you mean about your dh, though...I know the type. Sometimes I get a combination when dh blows off attending to something, then moans when it gets ugly. His dad was the sort that needed beating with a stick to get to the doctor. With the result that he didn't attend to the (diabetically) failing circulation in his swelling foot until it became gangrenous. Nice.

Anyway, if I'm in town I will try for the other events. I want to meet you! (I also want to make my trip if i can, but also don't want dh to collapse in the street with ds when I'm not there, so I still need to see how to work this)
Cheers...

MrsBigD · 24/03/2006 06:45

Yanks? did the 'engineer' show up and fix your problems? Poor you indeed.

Don't worry about not making it. I'm not giving up 'just yet'. Already preparing 'flyers' for the cafe so hopefully at that point I'll get the 'business' going Grin If not... then I've ended up with lots of wonderful books and the ones I don't fancy I can always sell on ebay ;)

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trying2bgood · 24/03/2006 14:49

yanks - know how you feel, had a similar problem with our boiler about a month and a half a go, we had no hot water or heating for about 4 days, it was hard going with two kids and freezing temps, was so grateful when it was all fixed and am very happy that I pay for cover!

mrsbig - am completely out of the loop again, what books are you selling?

MrsBigD · 24/03/2006 15:39

T2bg I am trying to get into Usborne organising :)

So far VERY slow start Grin

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Uwila · 24/03/2006 15:58

Yanks, how are things now. Man flu is truly the worst, isn't it. Have you over noticed the the Kleenex for men. It always cracks me up and I tell DH they are for his man flu. At first he got a bit smug like man flu was something really bad that only he could endure. Then I explained that the phrase "man flu" is a joke and is only severe in the perception of the sufferer. Needless to say he doesn't think it's as funny as I do. Grin

So, are you still off to the states. I sort of fell off the bandwagon on the sippy cup request. Can I still have them? I'll pay you on the 6th? I'll even pay double your cost.

MrsBigD · 24/03/2006 16:57

Uwila are those cups really that good? They must be going by your keen'ness Grin

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Uwila · 24/03/2006 17:38

Yep. They are much better than the ones sold here. Oh please please pleas Yank...... can I still have some Playtex Insulator cups??????

Looking forward to seeing everyone on 06 April. Grin

YanksUponThames · 24/03/2006 23:17

You're not gonna believe this and I'm so brain-fried and knackered right now that I can't either but dh does have pneumonia and did end up in the hospital. He went back to the chest doctor today (who was having consulting hours at the hospital), and they decided to keep him there. Apparently the x-ray was crap, the infection is nasty, and a good bit of his right lung isn't doing much useful at all. No wonder the poor guy has got short of breath. They especially didn't like the fact his pulse-ox was down to 90% rather than being close to 100 like it should be even if you do have a cough. So they kept him at the hospital and he now has IV antibiotics and extra oxygen. He was starting to get better a bit with the new antibiotic from the GP the other day, but hopefully with more of it and some oxygen for a couple days it should get better even faster. If all goes well he'll be back home Sun or Mon, hopefully a lot better.

Now I feel a bit bad about the 'man flu' thing, but to be honest it did apply at first.
The 'man flu' at the beginning was true enough, but I could tell that this time he actually felt worse than usual. He has been kind enough to tell me that because I was suggesting it he went to the doctor at least a day sooner than he would've otherwise. Still sucks, though.

The only reason, I think, that I'm not freaking out more is I'm too knackered right now but it also helps a lot that I happen to have a few medical type people in my family and grew up with hospital stuff. So I already know stuff and know medical lingo well enough to talk to the doctors and understand what they're on about, usually, and since half my family work in hospitals for a living I pretty much know what goes on. I'm very grateful in a situation this crappy that at least I don't also have to deal with a huge amount of Fear Of The Unknown.

So anyway, I'm not leaving for Raleigh tomorrow.
Eric suggested that moving the trip to the end of next month should work, so I've done that. There's a chance I might still get Uwila's sippy cups before then, if I can persuade, say, my sister or someone to get them and send them sooner than I can get there. Maybe. I'm amazed at how long it takes boxed parcels to get here, and how expensive it is. Annoying since there're other things I could use sooner, too.

On a brighter note, at least the hot water is fixed. While dh was getting shoved in the hospital, the plumber was here and spent the afternoon replacing the diverter valve that had failed to send hot boiler water into the hot water tank to heat the water (and the electric heater in the water tank is dead, too, but that will have to wait until later since that will take another afternoon); at least the boiler can heat the water now. Ds has finally had a bath again, and is peacefully in bed. Now that I've finally had my second bite to eat for the day while writing this, I think I'll take a bath...

Crikey. I hope everybody else has a good weekend. Dh is sounding better tonight.

YanksUponThames · 24/03/2006 23:21

Oops, just noticed I accidentally wrote dh's name once instead of dh. Oh well, a bit late now. Like I said, I'm knackered.

MrsBigD · 25/03/2006 09:22

Yanks Shock it's really not a good week for you and yours is it!

My friend had pneumonia a while back. took her months to get her strength back. Then again she was looking after 2 small kids at the time so probably didn't get the rest she needed.

Hope dh gets better quickly.

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