Friday Five!

I dust off my ipad and phone EVERY DAY.   

Haha! Very good! 

For reals!  My poor husband, though... he comes home from work and I've not been productive, and he just looks around and sighs wearily.  He doesn't clean, mind you.  He just looks disappointed with me.    And that's justified.  And he does acknowledge it when I do tidy up.

Meanwhile, I try to make up for my laziness it with tasty noms, a clean-ish "kitchen" space, and ingredients at the ready for random culinary collaborations (while also not contributing to the food waste problem... it's a very narrow line to walk!). 

Horses for courses! 

I do think messy house conversations need the caveat, "We're still trying to organise all the stuff we've merged together" (margo) and "We're doing DIY!, so it's all a bit wild" (x0Kiss0fDeath)

Even as clean as our house is, we do the mad dash before the in-laws come over. And I still usually try and make a caveat "We've been out in the garden all day" (or whatever)....  My in-laws house is always 'show home' ready.

I couldn't agree more with this! haha Caveats, even if they aren't real, should still come into play here!

I don't dust anything every day! 

Life is too short! 

I'm so glad it's not just me!

Haha! Very good!

It's usually my forearm doing the dusting, but that counts, right?   

It's usually my forearm doing the dusting, but that counts, right?   

The dust comes up.  We don't care how or why, or where it goes. 

1.  Sorry (not sorry) summer-lovers, but I am sick of this hot weather.
2.   OH is away to West Yorkshire on a beer trip.  Yes, another one.
3.  Because of 1 & 2, I am eating a tub of Ben & Jerrys Phish Food for dinner tonight.
4.  My downstairs neighbour is in hospital, so hopefully this means I will not be hearing Harry Styles blasting out all night.
5.  Saw a trailer for a new horror film coming out soon, called 'Hereditary'... need to watch for this, cos I want to see it!

It's usually my forearm doing the dusting, but that counts, right?   

Oh, yes! Blowing on something counts!

It most certainly does count!

Continued from earlier:

"2) Was puttering in the kitchen this morning, about to make the Daughter a cup of tea, and got a phone call from the landlord. Downstairs flat has water "coming in" and they wanted me to check our flat. I found a spot in our bathroom where cold water is seeping through the joint between the wall and the floor. They said at 9:30 that they were sending an emergency plumber out right away, and he'd find out if it was one of our pipes or coming from above us (there's a few more floors up there) and seeping out as it comes through the walls. It's now 3 hours later and we've not seen anything of a plumber yet. I have visions that the kid upstairs who is house-sitting while is folks are away has smoked one joint too many and left the tub on, or their loo is overfilling or something.  Either way, I had things to do "out" today, for a change, and am now sitting here not able to take a bath (sure way to get the plumber to show up), do any baking (in case he shuts the water off, don't want piles of dirty dishes festering), or really get into any project in a serious way.

Strange idea of "emergency" plumber visit, really."

Plumber arrived at 3:30pm, had to destroy the surround of our bathtub to get under it to check the pipes. Joiner is supposed to come fix that at some later date. There is standing water a couple of inches deep under there. Black mold is growing on some of the timber supporting the tub. (Oh, dear god.) Broken pipe had been previously repaired with, apparently, teflon tape. Plumber cut the offending joint out and replaced it completely. Gone by 4:00pm, leaving me with a torn up bathroom with standing yutzy water.

They sent in a dehydration unit in a few moments ago and it's now running and supposedly drying out the swamp. I am to check it periodically and empty the water condensation jug into the loo, and leave it running for the next three days (night and day, if possible).  No idea if water has escaped via the sub-floor into the space under the pergo in our linen closet or hallway, or the Daughter's bedroom.  We are both quite allergic to black mold, so... this is not a good turn of events. At all.

I wonder if they have a way to test for mold in the air that I can request? Our home for the last decade in the States was University-owned housing, and I was able to get the EH&S guys in to test for mold when we had a shower surround fail. (It was there, and they had to rip the whole shower and walls out and redo it.)

I wonder if they have a way to test for mold in the air that I can request?

I'm sure there must be something available. Ask anyway.

And make sure they compensate you for the extra electricity you will use on the dehumidifier.  Read the meter now so you have some sort of a starting point.

It most certainly does count!

Continued from earlier:

"2) Was puttering in the kitchen this morning, about to make the Daughter a cup of tea, and got a phone call from the landlord. Downstairs flat has water "coming in" and they wanted me to check our flat. I found a spot in our bathroom where cold water is seeping through the joint between the wall and the floor. They said at 9:30 that they were sending an emergency plumber out right away, and he'd find out if it was one of our pipes or coming from above us (there's a few more floors up there) and seeping out as it comes through the walls. It's now 3 hours later and we've not seen anything of a plumber yet. I have visions that the kid upstairs who is house-sitting while is folks are away has smoked one joint too many and left the tub on, or their loo is overfilling or something.  Either way, I had things to do "out" today, for a change, and am now sitting here not able to take a bath (sure way to get the plumber to show up), do any baking (in case he shuts the water off, don't want piles of dirty dishes festering), or really get into any project in a serious way.

Strange idea of "emergency" plumber visit, really."

Plumber arrived at 3:30pm, had to destroy the surround of our bathtub to get under it to check the pipes. Joiner is supposed to come fix that at some later date. There is standing water a couple of inches deep under there. Black mold is growing on some of the timber supporting the tub. (Oh, dear god.) Broken pipe had been previously repaired with, apparently, teflon tape. Plumber cut the offending joint out and replaced it completely. Gone by 4:00pm, leaving me with a torn up bathroom with standing yutzy water.

They sent in a dehydration unit in a few moments ago and it's now running and supposedly drying out the swamp. I am to check it periodically and empty the water condensation jug into the loo, and leave it running for the next three days (night and day, if possible).  No idea if water has escaped via the sub-floor into the space under the pergo in our linen closet or hallway, or the Daughter's bedroom.  We are both quite allergic to black mold, so... this is not a good turn of events. At all.

I wonder if they have a way to test for mold in the air that I can request? Our home for the last decade in the States was University-owned housing, and I was able to get the EH&S guys in to test for mold when we had a shower surround fail. (It was there, and they had to rip the whole shower and walls out and redo it.)

Eep! I wonder if that's why your allergies have been so much worse? There are definitely mold remediation companies. You may want to ask your local council about the housing regs for that (or someone here might have advice).

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Would you guys believe I only weigh around 8 stone (which is more than I weighed when I moved over, but by no means reflective of how much I talk about food!).

Damn. I'm a bit jealous. I've not weighed less than 123 since I've been an adult (that was my fittest)

I'm sure there must be something available. Ask anyway.

And make sure they compensate you for the extra electricity you will use on the dehumidifier.  Read the meter now so you have some sort of a starting point.

Oh, ~GOOD~ idea on the electric. I just went in and read the meter, and the usage is in the "red" zone showing we were going to greatly exceed our daily set budget. I've missed an hour of cost, but thanks to your note I won't miss three days' worth!

I am going to send an email to the landlord's rep shortly. They've been pretty good about things in the past, and have a good reputation (Wheatly Group) so fingers are crossed.

Damn. I'm a bit jealous. I've not weighed less than 123 since I've been an adult (that was my fittest)

Don't be jealous/impressed... I'm 4'11" if I cheat.  My BMI is "healthy".

Don't be jealous/impressed... I'm 4'11" if I cheat.  My BMI is "healthy".

I was curious if you were on the shorter side with that weight! I'm 5'7" and 10 stone on a good day. Definitely gained since moving here!

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Oh, gosh, I was at 190lbs when I got here, and my clothes are definitely tighter now, so I'm sure I'm over 200 now. But I'm closing on 6ft, so it's not as bad as it sounds. But it needs to sound like 180 instead of 200!

I am so jealous of all you skinny twigs!