Swagger Inn 180 - Spring is here and we witter on...

[SisterHelenoftheEternalCatchUp]

New thread open for reports on local wildlife, the weather, gardening and domestic chores. Plus the never ending hunt for HBFs who stubbornly fail to materialise.
<wipes the bar down>
<re-covers the chaise>
<stocks up the cheeseboard>
<pours the drinks...>

Morning all. Cloudy this morning.

No plans other than work and taxi-ing. I was meant to be meeting a friend but forgot to actually reply to her message, so she's busy with other stuff now. More gardening may happen.

Have a lovely day all.

Afternoon/evening wenches.

Ventured into the pool today. Jolly nice. The change of scenery however doesn’t seem to have done much to improve DS2’s mood/attitude. Il sigh.

Obligatory boat trip tomorrow. DH loves him a boat trip 😁

Hope your friend was available after all Helen, and that all wenches are okay.

Afternoon. Cloudy day but warm. I've just been out to water the plants, no rain now for a few days. I've also been going through the filing cabinets to try to reduce the build up. There's paperwork in there going back 30 years.

Enjoy your boat trip tomorrow LetUs.

Hope everyone's had a good day.

at 30 years worth of paperwork Apricot - that's a job and a half! Worse than your mega photo session, and nowhere near as interesting. Good luck! I was watering the pots today as well.

It's very hard taking DCs on holiday once they're older and no so easily entertained. DS can be incredibly hard work too, unless we're doing something he wants to do. and and [cheese]

My day has been as expected with less motivation and no gardening (other than sploshing some water about). Friend and I are trying again next Monday. Work has been done, and I made some progress with some thorny problems, but I really wasn't feeling it.

Damian Lewis was on the radio this morning, so I thought of Fancy And couldn't decide what I thought of his new tune, combination of odd and interesting.

I've put in cake in the oven, which means I can't go and soak in the bath. Bad planning.

Morning all. Today's excitement was using a cracked breakfast bowl and wondering why there was milk all over the counter. This is partly my fault, because the bowl got cracked and I couldn't bring myself to throw it out, so it sat on the side. Which inevitably meant that yesterday, someone <side-eyes at DH> put it in the dishwasher, and then I just stacked it up with the other bowls for use when I emptied the dishwasher.
Also, a mouse stomach to clear up. Scintillating stuff.
Still, it's warm and sunny outside.

Afternoon. It’s quite warm and I sat out earlier and did a sudoku, but it went cloudy so I came back in. Other than that I’ve been pottering around looking for stuff to go in the recycling bin as it’s collected tomorrow. I’ve shredded a load of paperwork so that can go in. Riveting stuff…

DH messaged to say they’d arrived yesterday, otherwise I’ve heard nothing. As I’ve said before, a man of few words.

Hope the boat trip was enjoyable LetUs and DS2 enjoyed it too. The last holiday we had as a family was at a golf complex in Tenerife when the DC were 22 and 20. The manshapes played golf and DD and I wandered around and lounged about, so we were all happy.

Shame about the bowl Helen, and eeek about the mouse remains.

Have a good evening all.

Evening. In today's exciting news, after dropping DS off via horrible traffic, I went and browsed Aldi's aisle of randomness and picked up a pump-action sink unblocker (bit like a bicycle pump but with a plunger on the end instead). Reader, our bathroom sink now drains beautifully .

Work happened, and I potted-on a plant. I am currently a kitten bed, though Spot has long since slid off onto the sofa next to me (and is squeaking quietly in her sleep), and Slinky is half way off me. IdiotKitty is outside somewhere stalking the local wildlife and being outraged that the kittens exist and keep pestering to play with him

Morning wenches.

Boat trip was rather good. We did fishing off the back of the boat and I actually caught a fish. Unfortunately it was so massive that the chap whose boat it was and who was co-running the trip couldn’t even land it after 20-30 minutes of trying. The line snapped (something about only using a small rod because they don’t expect to catch anything that big) and he wasn’t best pleased. But it was this big <holds hands very far apart> and I suppose I now have a fisherman’s tale to tell!

The kittens wanting to play with IdiotKitty reminds me of when you see lion cubs on a wildlife documentary wanting to play with an older lion 😁 Must check out that plunger in Aldi when we’re home.

We did say to DS2 it was up to him whether he came with us or not and he decided yes he’d like to, so he can knock the mood on the head really. (Although I’m glad he came with us because even though he’s the age he is I’d have been fretting a bit at him home alone for a week).

House to yourself for a while Apricot - lovely.

Have super days wenches.

Morning all. as rain forecast? We have rain. Not heavy, but enough to disgust IdiotKitty - he's not going out in that.

I have got BoringOfficeJob and I'm running late. Can't say I care (DS has a late start so no taxiing for me), but ho hum. I should get my self moving...

Afternoon. Much rain overnight but it's been dry today although cloudy. I haven't been out but I think it's quite warm.

Very impressive plumbing there Helen. I need one of those for our bathroom.

at LetUs's fisherman's tale. Yes, house to myself is lovely. I can leave unfinished jobs lying around without having to explain myself when DH comes in. It's not that he's being critical, but he wants to know everything that's going on and then he tells me a better way to do stuff.

Evening wenches.

Another warm day here and not much done but sod it because I’m on holiday.

Yet another example of how MrApricot and DH are very closely related. They need to shush.

Evening, has been utterly manic with work, am knackered! Am working away from home, back home tomorrow night, am hoping for a a calmer evening - less work and enough time to watch the match.

Fingers crossed for Frasan ww <cwtches>

Aw at cute sleepy kittens Helen they sound adorable. DD is looking after Chonk and Floof - yesterday she sent me a photo of him staring at her her while she ate dinner 🤣

I'm glad you're getting to do very little letus, you deserve a break

😁 Apricot enjoy the peace while it lasts!

Evening all. Work was massively irritating and frustrating. Stupid work. <sigh>

Hurrah for nearly catching a massive fish LetUs - I think it was probably thiiiiiiiis big <spreads arms as wide as they'll go> Also hurrah for Apricot's temporary peace and quiet.

Sympathies on working away Fancy - hope tomorrow goes better.

In good news, DH isn't watching football (too stressful).

Morning all. Sunny and warm outside, inside is mostly tiiiiiiiired. We're out to the cinema later today to see latest reviewed-as-not-v-good Star Wars film with DS.

Work in the meantime though.

Afternoon. Nice day. I went for a walk over the road to post a letter earlier and although windy it’s quite warm.

Hope work has calmed down a bit Fancy.

Also hope that the film was better than expected Helen. I haven’t seen any of them. DGS had a Star Wars bedroom at their previous house. DH pasted a huge mural of the little creature with the ears, can’t remember his name, on one wall for him.

Afternoon/evening wenches.

It’s a bit toasty here.

Awww at DD sending you the pictures Fancy, and 😁 at being stared at whilst she ate her dinner. Hope you got to watch the match. We watched it here but in our room as there’s quite a few stereotypical Brits Abroad here now and they were already getting a bit carried away in the bar where the tv was on.

<kicks Helen’s work> Hope the film was better than expected Helen. I’m considering watching The Odyssey or He-Man but each one represents a trek since local cinema shut (not really a trek as such but certainly a lot further than local).

Was it Yoda Apricot? The little green chap with the big sticky out ears?

Evening. Film was predictably formulaic, but harmlessly entertaining. Though very loud.
<has headache>
<chugs down drugs>
It's very hot and humid, which isn't helping either.

There was a trailer for the Odyssey - could be quite fun. Has anyone read the Song of Penelope series? That was very good.

Hope that Fancy is home safely and everywench has hod a good day.

Urgh, headache still. To add insult to injury I thought it was Friday last night.

Hope everywench has a good day.

Afternoon. Quite hot and humid here too, walking out of Sainsbury’s was like getting off a plane abroad.

Yes LetUs, Yoda, that’s who it was. The people who bought their house left him on the wall, but it’s been up for sale again recently and DD and SIL were walking past and saw the new people and nonchalantly asked if they’d left it, but nooooooo, he’s gone.

I don’t know what day it is either Helen, they’re all the same. Hope the headache’s gone away.

Have a good evening all.

Evening. Hot and humid here. Cooler tomorrow I think, benefitting from a sea breeze.

Headache went, thank goodness. It made work slightly less tedious.

In today's kitten news, they were entranced by a centipede in the dining room. No, I don't know what a centipede was doing in there either. I got the dustpan to sweep it up, and it had vanished so I went back to cooking. Then it came back so I put it outside. Thrilling stuff, if you're a kitten

DS is off out on a college night out, and will let me know when he wants to be picked up. It's going to be a late one (or early, depending on your perspective) and I'm out helping at a local fete tomorrow as well <sob>

LetUs must be travelling home tomorrow? Safe travels!

Also hope Fancy is actually home safely this time as well, it being Friday and not Thursday

Morning wenches. Can confirm it doesn't feel any cooler today. It was 19 degrees when I picked up DS at 1:30 this morning (drunk and happy and chatty). Can't even shut the curtains for now, since the kittens are loose and would climb them like a wench with an HBF (or theoretically like we would. I ache too much for that sort of fun.)

Need to crack on, I'm meant to be out the door at half past.

Have a good day all and stay in the shade!

Afternoon.

I am indeed safely home 😁

I've never seen a Star Wars film either apricot , we must be a rare breed?

Hot and humid here tooHelen - big grey clouds that look teasingly stormy but will deliver nothing I'm sure.

I did get to watch the match thanks letus with a beer and cheesy snacks, was a welcome break. Watching in your room sounds like a sensible plan!

There is a fete in the nearby park - currently a local band is doing covers of varying levels of acceptability. Surprisingly, the version of a Stevie Wonder favourite sounded alright (from inside my house so the sound quality isn't great), less so for the Dexy's cover.

Afternoon. Warm but cloudy. DH came home last night and he's been moaning about his golf trolley not working properly and something about a lost controller. Misty was pleased to see him, she's been following him everywhere.

There's another idea for a book title Helen, The Kittens and the Centipede. Hope the fete went well.

The local band sounds interesting Fancy. All I get is a neighbour's son practising his drumming.

Have a good evening all.

Evening wenches.

We are home. I’ve been awake since 2.30 UK time this morning as I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. I’ve also had two cups of caffeinated tea since I’ve got home after having none for a week so I’m a bit all over the place. Journey home was a bit of a pain as the abroad airport wasn’t particularly well organised in parts, babies and young children, of which there were very many, were (I suppose understandably) grouchy and crying and screaming on the way home so it being a short flight was a good thing. Baggage claim took ages and the taxi pick up area gave chaos a bad name. However, excellent holiday on the whole. Great food (I am now part croissant) and drink, excellent staff, lovely resort. Bloody hot though.

Cases are emptied and all washing is sorted into eleventy billion piles.

Poor Yoda, gone he is 😔. I suggest MrApricot tells Misty all about his golf trolley woes.

Stupid headache Helen. Perhaps that’s the only way I can get DS2 to talk - give him a few drinks. He did have one on holiday but that’s is so I won’t hold out much hope on that one.

It’s a nice surprise when cover versions sound good. It’s even nicer when they’re next door.

I am picturing Wicked watching the Sweden match currently with face paint on!

I'm trying to watch the Sweden match, but the latest band have just started with a very loud version of Park Life <sighs>

Aw that's cute of Misty - think letus has the right idea though 😁