What are you doing today?

[Horus]

Nothing much for me neither today as the weather is foul, so maybe a bit of housework and watch the TV, a boring day really.

[LovelyLadyLux]

I'm selling a table so this morning waiting for the lady to come and get it. Then I still need to go to the lumber yard. Was going to go the other day but stopped when my brain checked in and told me that no way I needed to walk walking OUT TO the lumber section in the pouring rain.

Probably gonna be a cuppa out and reading my book just to escape the house for a few hours this afternoon.

[Horus]

I prepared and cooked a baked Cauliflower Cheese for my daughter as she loves it, then I typed up the recipe to post on here, maybe tomorrow.

[Jayway]

Oh, be happy to try that. Mine are rubbish, slimy or hard cauliflower and usually end up being whizzed into soup - -

[Grandad]

I mentioned that we had appointments yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Well, yesterdays eye injection was a bit sore when the anaesthetic wore off but I was able to drive to and from the hospital so no big deal.

Today was a boiler service; time window 08.00 to 12.00, so that could mean the morning hanging around. 08.07 engineer arrives 08.37 engineer departs But what used to be just a simple check on boiler settings and flue gases now includes many other things on their check list including: Loft and cavity wall insulation, immersion heater, smoke alarms, thermostatic valves, and any other gas appliances. He found a problem with the gas hob but, more of that tomorrow.

Now off to Sainsburys, weekly shop, boring, trying to persuade Mrs G to order online but she likes to select and 'feel' the fruit and veg.

[Horus]

Shopping day for me also, so its a visit to Aldi supermarket, doctors to pick up a prescription, then daughters to drop something off. Next stop will be Home Bargains for kitchen requirements, then to the Bank and the last stop will be Tesco to finish off the shopping. Then its home and put all the stuff away and sit down with a cuppa, depending upon the time I get finished I may even stop at the chippy to save me having to cook a dinner.

[Grandad]

depending upon the time I get finished I may even stop at the chippy to save me having to cook a dinner.

Stop it H I am on a bit of a weight loss phase at the moment. I am pre-diabetic with an A1c of 44 (48) is the point at which you are considered diabetic. If I lose a fair bit of weight that should come down and my BP should also improve SO, please stop talking about the 'chippie'

[Mad Dilys]

I spent yesterday on paperwork - worryingly a whole chunk of Bank statements is missing. Wierd as I do love my filing - in store I have all my records going back to 1991

Today I shall do a bit more searching then prepare veggies for the next couple of days. I am so used t doing everything in bulk that I can't be fiddled scraping one portion root of vegetables, I need to do a couple of pounds of each and put them in the fridge. Some will make a stew, some will be mashed and some of that will be frozen. Some of the carrots will be eaten raw, batons or grated in salad.

[Grandad]

MD, your mention of bank stuff reminded me that yesterday I had two brown envelopes in the post. One was state pension notification for year commencing 11 April. That will go up just shy of 2%

The other was Council tax notification, that has gone up nearly 4%

I don't get it, how does that work?????

And to add insult to injury, my occupational pension went 'balls up' and there has been NO INCREASE since I retired 17 years ago

[Horus]

I know how you feel Grandad, it does make you wonder how they work it all out. OK I suppose we should not expect to be better off each year pension wise, but the least we should expect is that it covers all the relevant increases, when you take things such as rates, gas, electricity, water etc all things we have no control over. It really does make you wonder how some Pensioners go on year after year with no choice of where their meagre money is spent with often food and warmth being at the bottom of their priorities, it makes my blood boil while all these fat cats get richer every day.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Going to have some acupuncture done today. Lower back and hip has been bother me for some time so I'm going to see if shoving a few pins and needles into me will fix it.

@MD - I never make small potions of anything. I only cook ever couple of days cause I always make big amounts and then into the fridge or freezer. I'm too lazy to clean up every day I figure it is much more efficient to do it once and have left overs than to be out there every day trying to make something. Guess I've never cared that much about variety in my diet. I can eat the same thing day in and day out and love it My daughter will cook something different for her family every day but, just dawned on me as I type this maybe that is a reaction to my style of cooking which is to make huge amounts and then eat for a week.

[Robbo70]

I am sitting in a coffee shop in a t shirt and jeans marvelling at the lack of rain

[Horus]

I am sitting in a coffee shop in a t shirt and jeans marvelling at the lack of rain

In that case I hope a Caleshe horse wee's on your leg

[Ruby Slippers]

Sounds lovely, Robbo!

[LovelyLadyLux]

I wouldn't mind sitting in the sun and warmth in a coffee shop 'bout now. Getting real tired of all this dull gray and cold.

[Horus]

I wouldn't mind sitting in the sun and warmth in a coffee shop 'bout now. Getting real tired of all this dull gray and cold.

Same here as we speak it is trying to snow, who said it was Spring? They keep banging on about it being the mildest Winter this century, Oh yea? maybe if you live in the South East, but for the rest of us its been a long drawn out and very wet last few months and as cold as I can remember, so where they get this idea of it being "the mildest this century" from I dont know.

[LovelyLadyLux]

I'm getting ready to head over to the dtr and sil house to take the one twin to school and then sit with the other who has flu as my dtr is taking the granddaughter to have a front lower tooth that never emerged surgically removed by an oral surgeon. She is 3 and the front tooth on the bottom that is typically the first to emerge just never did. All her teeth have been to the slow end of coming in but this one just never did anything. Dentists x-rayed once she was old enough to sit and they could see that the tooth had an odd V formation. Root and lower half is there but the top part never squared over and instead is sort of V shaped. They advised this isn't common but does happen but there IS a risk of abcess so they want to remove it. She goes today, they get her to drink what they call 'giggle juice' that keeps her awake but really relaxed and with minimal to no memory of what happens and pop her tooth out. The actual removal is fast but it takes about 30 min for this liquid anethestic to take hold. Will basically be hanging out helping with whatever is needed and picking up the twin who doesn't have a the plaque and is at school. Not an exciting day but we'll finally resolve this entire tooth issue.

[Grandad]

TGIF Every day this week we have had some appointment or arrangement in the morning or afternoon that the week has flown past and we have done nothing.

This morning I had to get up sharp and install a new gas hob. had pre-arranged for the GasSafe installer to call to make the connection at 11am so no room for any delays. He came on time, all connected and tested before mid day and Mrs G loves her new hob. I put the last one in 15 years ago when I installed a new kitchen (and did all the gas connection) As the rules have tightened up and any problem would negate the house insurance so I played safe this time.

Oh yea and what was all that about snow and cold weather in the midlands? Lovely here, 4pm and the sun is still shining with endless blue sky. The sun is going down but it is not that cold either.
4.15pm

PS: Hope your little lady is OK after her ordeal LLL.

[Horus]

Yes that's right, you go on and gloat Grandad.
I decided to brave the imminent snow blocked roads and call up to see my brother (now back home and hopefully on the mend) so that I could take my mum her 'Mothers Day' card and over priced flowers. I didn’t stay long as he was still in bed and mum was having a late breakfast so we were heading back home within the hour. Annie was well perked up thinking she was going out so I did a quick diversion and took her along the Salt Line walk, boy was it muddy! I took a container full of wild bird seed and some peanuts for the squirrels and the Blue Tits and placed them at strategic spots along the way. I do see some birds along there, but nothing like the amount and variation of some other places, so I am thinking of fixing up a few feeding stations along the path so as to encourage people to maybe leave some food as they do the walk. As we walked it was snowing very heavily, but not enough to stop us getting back home again, it did look quite lovely at times with the snow on the ground and the flakes falling through the bare trees, alas no camera with me today. It must have been very cold as even Annie avoided splashing in the stream, instead she would leap over it from bank to bank and if you think she looked scummy the other day then today she was double scummy and I had to bath her in the driveway she was so muddy, plus wash her harness and a small waterproof coat I had put her on as both were filthy.

@LLL, I also hope the little one is fully recovered from her visit and it has not left any lasting memories.

[Jayway]

Horus . vaping .... I never smoked cigarettes, I smoked small cigars that stopped my constant sneezing, itching and runny nose. The new manager at Makro really annoyed me as he would not get my brand, Blackstone Cherry so in a fit of umpf I went to town and bought the set, cigarette thing, charger, liquids. I tried it for a month then I realised how stupid I looked sucking on this contraption like a childs dummy and threw it out. I have not smoked since but do occasionally smell my last Blackstone Cherry in the box - - - - - -