Friday Five!

I got Stuart some really good gifts

extreme bloating, chronic diarrhea, gas and wind

Thoughts and prayers for Stuart
 

Thoughts and prayers for Stuart

Luckily he is only partially able to smell. Otherwise I would have been oot a long time ago.

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1.  TFIF!!!  This week has been so confusing having those 2 days off in the middle.  Don't know if im coming or going!
2.  OH and all our friends leave tomorrow for Yorkshire.... apart from me, who can't go because I have to work the 31st and the 2nd. 
3.  Going to look for a new job in the new year.  I'll never in a million years find what I really want, but it's got to be better than this.
4.  OMG.. have you tried those Carb Killa protein shakes?   NASTY!  I've got one in front of me now, but am diluting it with water cos it's too sweet and yukky.
5.  It's gonna be a lonnnnnnng day, I think.

1.  We are in Madrid!  The sun was hurting our eyes yesterday.   

2.  My old neighbors from Florida are also here and we are meeting for lunch. 

3.  After a long day of travel yesterday (Gatwick, need I say more), we went to the grocery store and had crackers, salami, Iberian ham, cheese and beer for dinner.  As my husband said, it was a 10 out of 10.

3.  Survived Christmas drama.  I really think we just need to travel over a Christmas and avoid all the crap from here on out.  Husbands cousin hosted and she was LITERALLY in the kitchen the whole day.  It wasn’t quality time at all. (Yes, we all pitched in but it’s a small kitchen and it was easiest to keep out of her way).

4.  Husband got me different show tickets for Christmas.  Woohooo!

5.  For Daddy, my daughter wanted to buy him a flamingo garden statue, which we did.  She picked out a cat garden statue for me.  We laughed and laughed.  She got us matching gifts!  And each of us didn’t know about the others.  Smarty pants!

Bonus.  Daughter is out of her mind excited to see real pandas at the zoo tomorrow!

2.  OH and all our friends leave tomorrow for Yorkshire.... apart from me, who can't go because I have to work the 31st and the 2nd. 
3.  Going to look for a new job in the new year.  I'll never in a million years find what I really want, but it's got to be better than this.

I am so sorry that you had this put on you at such short notice, forcing you to stay home from what sounds like a fun planned trip.  That really realky sucks!  But... nobody offered to hang out with you in solidarity?  What will you do on NYE when you're not at work?

Oh my gawd, enjoy the pandas (and the daughter's reaction to them), KF!  And your garden statues!  That's really cute!


My Five

1.  My husband was supposed to take not-Panda today so I could go do some NYE weekend grocery shopping, but when he tried to start not-Panda it wouldn't turn over.  It was only after he got to work in Panda that he thought of what the problem might be.  Too late to fix it, and too late to bring Panda home for me.

2.  We use Wunderlist app to share a grocery list.  My husband hates shopping, but he has the list and the transportation.  Nothing can stop him now!  Oh, except he's working 'til half-four.  But then he shall shop!

3.  We gave my MIL a sundial that we made from a slice of log that was trimmed from one of her trees, and we gave my FIL a workshop sign inlaid with some scrap mahogany from his workshop.  They were a bit last-minute and we were still sparying lacquer on them at midnight Christmas Eve, so we weren't sure how well the gifts would be appreciated.  We were worried for nothing.  They LOVE their gifts, and my FIL even plans to write about his sign for the model aeroplane magazine he contributes to (his sign says "Aeroplane Factory" and has a mahogany-inlaid bi-plane on it). So, yay!

4.  The year is almost over and the fact that my husband will win the backgammon tournament for 2018 is pretty much a foregone conclusion.  That doesn't mean we won't play all weekend.  It just means my play will be reckless as I try to close the gap.

5.  2018 started pretty rough (husband was still commuting to Salisbury, I was still scraping my pennies in anticipation of council tax, water rates, and ILR application all in a six-week window), but once the good things started happening, they just kept rolling on... husband started his new job, my ILR was approved, husband's grandparents gifted us money for citizenship, I was able to complete that (and get my shiny red British passport!) Before Christmas and the grandparents were able to attend my ceremony.... it's been a brilliant year, and I'm sad to see it go.  But here's to 2019!  May we all survive the roller coaster we can't seem to get off of!

But... nobody offered to hang out with you in solidarity?  What will you do on NYE when you're not at work?

1.  no. They take their beer trips VERY seriously... the trains and hotels have been booked for months.
2. nothing.  watch TV, probably.

Wow, some good and some bad this week.

1. Christmas with the hubby was lovely, we had a turkey crown, and all the trimmings, still need to eat our sprouts but that's what happens when you submit in roasted potatoes when you usually do mashed.

2. He bought me a Nintendo Switch for Christmas! I am playing Pokémon and Crash Bandicoot remastered and it's awesome.

3. We got tickets to go see Zimmer Vs Williams in Birmingham, a friend couldn't go, but she told me the wrong date and I didn't check the tickets so we went to Birmingham yesterday night and he walked all over... (He is having a Crohn's flare up and some other not great issues)... And the concert we're supposed to see is tonight. There was a fight...

4. My mom sent me a box!! It is a most wondrous box!!! There was also taco seasoning. It was the first thing I smelled when I opened it. So yummy.

5. We're going to the concert tonight, but with less effort put in than last night.

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Wow, some good and some bad this week.

1. Christmas with the hubby was lovely, we had a turkey crown, and all the trimmings, still need to eat our sprouts but that's what happens when you submit in roasted potatoes when you usually do mashed.

2. He bought me a Nintendo Switch for Christmas! I am playing Pokémon and Crash Bandicoot remastered and it's awesome.

3. We got tickets to go see Zimmer Vs Williams in Birmingham, a friend couldn't go, but she told me the wrong date and I didn't check the tickets so we went to Birmingham yesterday night and he walked all over... (He is having a Crohn's flare up and some other not great issues)... And the concert we're supposed to see is tonight. There was a fight...

4. My mom sent me a box!! It is a most wondrous box!!! There was also taco seasoning. It was the first thing I smelled when I opened it. So yummy.

5. We're going to the concert tonight, but with less effort put in than last night.

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We saw Zimmer v Williams this past summer and it was FABULOUS!  Enjoy!

Bummer about getting the date mixed up.

We’ve cancelled our lunch date as half of their family have a stomach bug.  I know we can’t live in a bubble but better to cancel and reduce the risk than meet up with them and get sick ourselves.  My husband’s autoimmune issues taken into account, plus kids, plus we just plain don’t want to be sick.

We’ve cancelled our lunch date as half of their family have a stomach bug.  I know we can’t live in a bubble but better to cancel and reduce the risk than meet up with them and get sick ourselves.  My husband’s autoimmune issues taken into account, plus kids, plus we just plain don’t want to be sick.

I still haven't got over the last one your family dealt with.  You absolutely made the right call.  Do not expose yourselves to germs needlessly.  *shudder*

5. We're going to the concert tonight, but with less effort put in than last night.

I somehow missed your number 5 squeezed in there!  I'm glad you're going to try again.  I have no idea what it is... wait...  composers?  Film score composers?  I'll now take a second to Google.... Ahhh!  It is!  That sounds excellent!  Enjoy!!

Happy Friday!

1.) Didn't realise it was Friday until I saw this thread.  Very lucky to be off until the 3rd!. (Factory is shut, so have to be, but at least I didn't have to use too much annual leave) 

2.) Had a great Christmas.  Christmas Eve, went to the panto and pub with friends. On Christmas Day, had In-laws over, I cooked.  Boxing day at the in-laws, MIL cooked spaghetti bolognese. Yum.  We won Articulate and were thisclose to winning Trivial Pursuit.  Playing games with in-laws/BIL is a huge deal, competitive.  Winners are celebrated! 
Big Skype/Facetime sessions over the last few days with family.  Very good.   

3.)  Still eating leftovers.  All good though.   I like leftovers. And I like to get creative with them 

4.) Trying to motivate ourselves to actually leave the house. We need shavings for the guinea pig cage, so we have to leave hibernation.  HAHA

5.)  In the market for a new phone. Mine is in't upgrading anymore and is super duper sluggish now.   

I had a long reply written but Tapatalk ate it So this will be condensed a bit!

Albatross I wish I was closer and could spend NYE with you. I'm sorry your work did that to you, I'd be looking as well after that.

KF - enjoy the pandas!

Lyonaria - that concert will be worth it I think. They are both such incredible composers!

My five...

1. Had echocardiogram today. Was wearing mask as I always do, but my face is still burning from it. The guy said he'd put on 5 different colognes because the blend smells nice. What patient wants to smell that while they're forced to lay still on a table for 20+ minutes? He tried to say he's never had another patient who was allergic, and I had to say that's highly unlikely but they probably didn't want to say anything.

2. I'm allergic to chilis I still have to do some more careful experimentation to see if it's all chili, or just some. I know cayenne is a no because that was what triggered it.

3. I want to travel next Xmas to somewhere warm and low key.

4. My husband ate all my vlasic pickles so I restocked today.

5. I love Longacres. Sale on Xmas foods included this:


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Friday. It seems to be Friday again.

1) My compression socks came earlier this week. Supposed to be six pairs in the package, there were three. Complained this morning to Amazon and they are refunding the cost, rather than dealing with it. (!) So the socks are free. They are pretty nice, too. A shame the dealer is not reputable (did not respond to request to provide the other three pairs) as I'd buy more of these in the future.

2) Just back from tea with the Daughter. Had a nice chat. She is looking peaky, which has me worried. I can't quite put my finger on it, but her color is off, and around her eyes doesn't look right. She says she's tired, but she is tired quite often and working in retail over the holidays is draining. I think I need to make a pot of chicken soup, heavy on the garlic.

3) Said Daughter is at an interview right now at her temp job - they are interviewing people to make permanent. She would like that. They told her yesterday they were ordering her a new uniform, since the slacks for the one she has now have to be pinned with safety pins or they fall down. I would assume that is a good sign - they would not be ordering her a new uniform if they were letting her go next week?

4) Once we know if she is/is not hired on after the Xmas rush ends, I can start looking at airline tickets to the States in a serious way. We were waiting to see if she was going to be working - if not, we'd travel for a longer period of time, as it's probably the last time we'll fly into LAX. If she's working, we'll go for 7 days, so she only has to miss one weekend of work (she works weekends). Assuming her employer is ok with that. I'm hoping Aer Lingus has a good sale, so we can clear customs in Dublin instead of at the other end.

5) The kitchen garden (in the kitchen). I tried a new gnat-away spray on one of the cilantro plants. It basically melted into mush. Note to self - don't use that stuff again!  Am getting ready to ditch the potting mix entirely and go to hydroponics. I had good luck with that in the States. I just need to get a Stirling engine pump to move the water around....

Speaking of tired. A nap is really appealing. It's the first day it's been sunny here in I don't know how long and I just want to curl up in the sun where it's shining in on the bed. Which would mean I'd fall asleep and wake up at 2:00am and not be able to get back to sleep. Bummer.

It's Friday, Friday!  Gotta get down on Friday!

1. It's been such an odd week this week.  The boss is back at work, and people have been a little on-edge after working over Christmas - both of our immediate supervisors were on leave and it was an absolute dream to come into the office.  Alas, this is no more.  Not that we play up or anything without supervision, but there is always so much tension and disagreement within our team on any given day.

2. Taylor Swift released a Netflix recording of her final Reputation Stadium Tour show in Arlington on New Year's Eve.  Dave and I started watching it last night (didn't have time to finish it), and it is AMAZING.  Took me straight back to when we saw her in June.  I'm going to need to figure out if it's possible to buy a copy of the recording as it's definitely one I'd like to own.

3.  We are getting a new TV tomorrow, after talking about it for years.  Unrelated and not nearly as exciting as a TV, but we are also getting a new (way-too-expensive) trash can with compartments for recycling and food waste.  I saw one at John Lewis in the Trafford Centre over Christmas and thought it might be a good idea to get one to help us get more into the habit of properly recycling.  DIDN'T REALIZE THEY WERE F***ING £150.  I found one for much cheaper on Amazon, probably slightly damaged, but holy cannoli.  Who spends that much on a trash can?  Thankfully we had Amazon vouchers.

4.  We hopefully have a handyman coming 'round this evening to put up some shelves and move Dave's guitar hooks from one wall to the other of the living room to make way for abovementioned TV.  Dave and I nearly file for divorce every time we have to do any sort of DIY as we are both terrible at it and generally don't accomplish much other than arguing.  Our goal is to pay this guy hourly for this work tonight, then to get a quote out of him for repairing the house's settling cracks and repainting.  We've not had any sort of confirmation from him that he is actually coming over this evening, but there you go.  If it gives me an excuse to leave the office half an hour early then say no more.

5.  I nearly drove into my neighbor's living room over the weekend.  Dave was having me drive back to our house after doing a bit of practice on a quiet road in our town in the evening.  The approach to our car park is a long downhill slope with a 30 limit that requires constant babysitting of the brakes.  He told me to change to second gear, but I didn't do anything because I thought I was already in second gear - I was in third.  Attempted to turn the corner into our car park and was like "why am I not turning fast enough?"  Dave wrenched the steering wheel over and we missed colliding with the neighbor's house, but I needed a new pair of pants after that.  Yikes!  Took a beat afterward and we went out again to practice hill starts, and I did much better.

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1.  First Friday of the new year finds me in a foul mood.
2.  I really hate this job, and even more than that, I hate my boss.  She's always been horrible, but even more so now that I asked if there was any scope for me moving back to my old team and she declined my request.  Definitely need to look for a new job this year.
3.  OH and pals are back from Yorkshire... met them in pub last night and had a good old catch-up.
4.  Going to a birthday party tomorrow for a completely obnoxious and poisonous liar, who I have to pretend to like/tolerate (long story).  Fortunately, the pub we are going to is right across the road from our local, so we'll be able to just show our faces, have 1 or 2 sociable pints and then disappear over the road to our real friends.
5. Only 3 weeks till Manchester Beer Festival!!  Wish they'd get the beer list published so we can see what treats we're in for!

Happy New Year Friday Fivers!   

1.  It's only been a 3 day work week but has felt like a full week!

2.  The whole family is full of cold.  My husband and I are on the exact same timeline and we are both newly moaning of a sore throat.  So it's either a cold that gets worse or we are getting a cold on top of a cold.   

3.  I see a podiatrist today about a problem with my foot.  Hoping to get it sorted, fearing the price tag. Of course, it's not covered on the NHS.  Not much is!    And also not covered by private insurance.  Win-win.   

4.  Husband and I have lots of things in the calendar for 2019.  I'm pleased.  It's good to do things.

5.  Need to figure out 2019 holidays!!  We go to Florida next month for the first time in a year and a half, which will be nice.  But need to figure out the rest of the year!