Friday Five!

KoD, I almost started my five with another massive congratulations to you because I knew you'd be headlining with citizenship!  Yay!  And can I just say it's absolute rubbish that you conceived of that awesome trip, but then didn't get to go?  I mean... how does that even happen?  I feel like your husband did you wrong.  If you couldn't go on your trip, why in the world is he going without you?!

Haha I've had my moment to shine in the LMH thread but I appreciate the extra thought I very much downplayed it in mu everyday life (to the point my in laws didn't know the date until after it had even happened lol) so it was nice to be able to share it here with people who get it.

The trip is fine, I'm just gutted because it sounds so fun! My husband is going because I told him he should as we shouldn't both miss out because of the dog. In hindsight, now that I've had their dogs who were a nightmare, I should've asked my in-laws to watch her so we could both go like my husband pushed for but I felt too guilty as I feel like we ask them a lot (but when I looked at dates after the fact, it's actually a lot less than I thought but just for longer chunks - like Japan - and they give us 3 dogs vs. our 1). He's told me I don't always have to be the martyr that sacrifices but I feel guilty having somebody else miss out

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Happy Friday!!

Hahah Chester Draws story jfkimberly
Enjoy your PSL x0Kiss0fDeath.  I enjoy pumpkin spice stuff ,but I find a Starbucks PSL too sweet. I make my own and I am always happy to enjoy it!

1.) Rainy and gross and rainy and gross weekend ahead. Well, never ended up brewing beer last weekend because of glorious weather on the Sunday (it wasn't a bank holiday up here), but this weekend, it's on....

2.) Feeling slightly positive at work for a change. I've got some traction on an idea I had and I will be presenting to senior management in a few weeks.   

3.) Have had a great music session with my pals the other day. We're really starting to find our sound   

4.) If the weather improves for Sunday, will be probably going to a classic car show 

5.) How to balance the need for more coffee with the jitters I have from drinking a lot of coffee already?   

Aww... KoD, you should listen to your husband more. 

PB, I like your slightly positive feeling toward work!  I hope your idea pans out and you get to spearhead something meaningful.  Fingers crossed for good weather so you can go to the car show!

Read JF’s post and thought she made an error.  I 100% thought it was Thursday!

1.  I’m on holiday so I don’t know the days of the week.  Been INSANELY hot since we headed to Zadar, on the seaside in Croatia.  Like on the surface of the sun, 37 degrees hot.  But out of nowhere a massive thunderstorm just started.  I’m hopeful it’ll cool things down, even if it’s just a break from the direct heat of the sun.

2.  My boss had a go at me at work last Friday, at quitting time before my holiday.  Not going to get into it now, but I was FINALLY feeling good about things.  He’s such a dick.

3.  The storm is making the power flicker.  So the WiFi keeps resetting.  Every time we get it reloaded, it pops off again.  Lol.

4.  We LOVED Plitvice National Park.  And we made the evening news (a story about a deer park, feel good story) I sent the clip to Tami.  She made fun of me.   

5.  My Sky contract has come to an end, so it’s doubled in cost.  I’ve called 3 times to cancel...  “system issues” each time.  Hoping I get 4th time lucky.  We are going to try to do the Netflix, Amazon Prime, playback app things.  Wish us luck!

Read JF’s post and thought she made an error.  I 100% thought it was Thursday!

1.  I’m on holiday so I don’t know the days of the week.

Sorry to bring you back down to reality.  Don't let me spoil your holiday!   Every day is beachday!  Yay!

5.  My Sky contract has come to an end, so it’s doubled in cost.  I’ve called 3 times to cancel...  “system issues” each time.  Hoping I get 4th time lucky.  We are going to try to do the Netflix, Amazon Prime, playback app things.  Wish us luck!

We do this and it's honestly so much cheaper and easier....but we also don't have any shows we're missing from cable that we can't get elsewhere. Hopefully you're able to cancel soon!


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Happy Friday... I'll start the fives today 

1.  Had a great short week at work... worked Monday, took Tues & Weds off, and worked yesterday and today.
2.  A few months ago I mentioned my friend who was being treated for breast cancer... she's finished her treatment, hair is growing back, and she is starting to feel normal again.  I had her up for coffee & cake on Tuesday morning and it was so lovely to see her.  And she brought me a slow cooker as a housewarming pressie, which is brilliant, as I'd left mine behind at my partner's place so he could still use it.
3.  My dog  - he makes me laugh so much, and he seems to love all my kisses, cuddles and holding hands/paws.
4.  Only 3 weeks till we go to Sheffield to see Icicle Works again... 3rd time I've seen them this year!
5.  No plans for the weekend... I'll just take it as it comes, although my bank balance could really use a weekend of me staying in.
5. 

Again!  It's Friday again!  How does this keep happening?

Ooh, Albatross... I'm happy to hear your friend is through with her treatment.  And yay for Slow Cooker!  I couldn't give mine up if my husband and I separated.  That would be an ugly custody battle.

1.  I had my cheapest weekly shop in ages this week.  I'm worried we'll run out of food.  It's annoying because there was no reason to be so economical.  I could've had anything.  And I was hungry when I shopped.  It's like I don't even like food (and we all know that's not true!).

2.  My husband was off Monday, worked Tuesday and Wednesday, was off Thursday, works today and a half-day tomorrow, then he has Sunday and Monday off.  I am so confused lately... I constantly have to look at my phone/big-phone* to see what day it is.

3.  I bought frozen fish fingers!  We still don't have an oven (or grill), but according to the package directions, you can shallow fry them in a pan, so we're going to try that.  Recently, my husband had a craving for fish finger sandwiches, and I'm lazy so I was all, "Excellent... we will have that!"  And now we can.

4.  I'm struggling, here... Oh!  I played what turned out to be my last round in the Mastermind tournament this week.  The format is 10 games against each opponent.  Going into game 6, I had been leading from the first game and I was still ahead by 2 points.  Going into game 7, we were tied, but I shrugged that off as unfortunate luck.  Then things fell apart... I misguided my opponent in game 7, and there's a 2-point penalty for that.  So now, going into game 8, he was ahead by 2 points.  We both broke our codes in 4 for that round but in game 9, he had a really lucky first guess that practically solved it already, and I took two guesses to just find the colours... he ended up with 3 and I had 6 for game 9.  And then he beat me by 1 more point in game 10... in the end, he was 6 points ahead, so I'm not going to be too annoyed at the misguiding because it wouldn't have made a difference in the end... but I am a little annoyed with myself.

5.  Aldi have stopped selling my beloved egg custard tarts... Every time I go in there, I check, and it's the new recipe ones.  NOBODY is buying them.  They just sit on the shelf all day long.  They've also stopped selling the Bramwell's pickles with chili, which are awesome.  I have two pickles left in my last jar from when I'd stocked up randomly even though I didn't know they were about to be discontinued.  I guess it's back to ordering Vlasic pickles from the weird shops online.  And no more pickles on our cheese/antipasti platters.  *sigh*

* I might've mentioned this before, but Big-phone is what I started calling my laptop when I realized I use my phone and my computer pretty much interchangeably, but there are a few things I can only do, or I do better, on my computer.  The first time I said it, my husband had asked me if I could do something, and I was all, "Yeah, but hang on... I need Big Phone for that."  It stuck.

Friday. 

1) Daughter is working the early shift, and will be done after lunchtime, so then we can go have a nice late lunch somewhere. (AKA, I get out of the house!)

2) The Irish citizenship people couldn't understand why the name on my Foreign Birth Registry is not the same as my (30 years later) name on the Daughter's birth certificate. This meant that, although another department there has all the same paperwork (or I wouldn't have the Irish passport that I had to send over with her application), I had to scare up a certified birth cert, marriage cert, etc., and ship it to them. Fortunately, I had copies - very old ones, but with the state seals embossed on them so hopefully they'll do. I think they are actually the ones I used when I sent off for my own citizenship application, years ago!  They just asked for "copies" and didn't specify anything about certified or how recently certified.  So fingers are crossed. I shipped the documents to them DHL on Wednesday. They got to Ireland and signed for the next day.  [Note to self - DHL is the way to go when shipping overseas. I had taken them to the City Council Wednesday morning to get true copies certified anyway, in case they got lost.] So that's good - at least the Daughter's Irish citizenship application is moving again, after waiting so very long.

3) The Daughter made an absolutely stellar  yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting for a classmate's birthday and brought me home a leftover  slice last night. Three layers, really well done. A very traditional cake - lots of flavor and not too sweet. It smelled like a birthday cake. That may not translate, but there is a specific scent that I identify as "birthday cake" and not just any cake. She nailed it, a traditional recipe out of a King Arthur Flour cookbook. She had leftover frosting so I had put it in a dish and pressed chopped pecans into the top and put it in the fridge,. As long as it's sliced cold, it's a nice fudge! If it warms up too much, it's frosting again, though. (My teeth are going to fall out if I keep eating like this! Especially since I'm slated to make candied orange and lemon peel this weekend, to use up the last of the oranges and lemons we bought to preserve.)

4) I got out the furniture polish and leather restorer and finally tackled the "Office in a Box" mid-century furniture unit last evening. It is now all opened up and along a wall in the hallway. I have to say, while I was disappointed in it when it arrived, I really do like it when it's opened up and nice and tidied up. The interior wood is in really nice condition and lovely, and the leather desk surface is in remarkably good shape for the age of the piece.  There's lots of shelves and drawers and the desk is a good height, too. I have ordered a splitter and am going to have an ethernet cable up into it so we can have a wired connection for the laptop, and also one for the voip USA phone. (Right now I've got a manual switch that I have to click when I want to connect the phone to the internet and then back again to use the computer. So this will allow me to use them both at once.) When the Daughter has groups of people over, the whole thing folds back into the large box it is, and locks up for security.

5) The Fish.     Apparently some eggs or newly hatched larvae made it into the filter, where they lived for many weeks. When I cleaned the filter out the other day, out plopped three more baby fish. Unfortunately, one was so small I didn't see it, and so it got washed in cold tap water in the alkaline gravel that I keep in the filter - for five full minutes.  I only noticed the tiny bit of pink at the bottom of the bowl when I was taking a break. [He's the tiny pink dot towards the front/left of the photo.] He (and the others) went back into the big tank, and are seemingly no worse for wear! Need to find homes for them... if anyone's in Scotland and wants some free Albino Corys.....

Happy Friday!

Yay for doggie Jimmy, Albatross!
Hehee, jfkimberly, fish fingers sound perfect!
Nan, mmm that cake sounds amazing


1.) Have been watching my 'Pale Ale' fermenting and bubbling away all week. I hope it tastes nice.  Will rack it off tomorrow and see what like. 

2.) Need to learn a few new tunes for band practise on Monday night.   

3.) Weather looks decent to do some garden pottering this weekend. 

4.) My grandfather passed away yesterday .The last of my grandparents. He was 93.  I dunno how to feel really.  I didn't really know him too well as my Dad was pretty estranged from him for a long time (they made their peace in the last few months), so I can't really say I feel too sad.  They're not having a funeral or anything, so no need to try and find flights or anything.   Shrug.   

5.) Craving chips. Will need to make some chips tonight.   
 

Yay Friday! How I have wished for you all week

1. Technically not a Friday happening but Husband was hit by a semi yesterday which miraculously was not hurt in any way but his car is totalled which is a bummer because we paid it off early last year.

2. Doing fractions homework with the little one and OMG the way the teach is just not straightforward like it used to be lol feeling a bit unsure of myself.

3. My moms birthday is Monday and I’ve somehow forgotten to get her something so thank god for one day delivery!

4. Tonight is a very much come straight home, put pajamas on and Netflix is on. Can’t say I have plans to do much else this weekend

5. I feel like my gp is finally taking me serious about my allergies and has given me an inhaler and ordered blood tests etc done which I’m so happy for as I’ve been fighting this cough which I’ve narrowed down to allergies for months. But I feel like he only actually is finally doing something about it due to something else going on. I wish they’d just take me serious the first time I saw them.

I've been MIA for a few weeks but happy Friday! Here's what has been happening with me:

• Driving lessons have been going well - have had 2 so far and another one booked for next Tuesday. Once I get more consistent with my parking, I'll be all ready for my test in November. Getting my full license is the LAST thing on my moving to do list that I started on back in January!
• Have noticed the evenings getting significantly darker much earlier. Considering this happens every year, I'm still always taken aback once I start noticing. Although it is a lot more pronounced this far north...
• Spent last weekend in Forfar with my MIL and her dog. I was dreading the drive down after work on Friday but it was a gorgeous weekend and really nice to see her - plus we spent Saturday in Montrose, which is where my husband lived when I came to Scotland for my Masters in 2016. Lots of happy memories (and a gorgeous beach) there.
• I had a bit of an adventure on Tuesday and ended up having to travel to Aberdeen (90 minutes on the train) for an emergency appointment at a clinic because there was nowhere closer that could see me (am all good now!). Luckily I was off work so I was able to spend the entire day resolving things. But I kept thinking about the people who wouldn't be able to do so - who couldn't get off work, had to look after kids, or couldn't afford to hop on a train with 30 minutes notice to travel so far for a 20 minute appointment. Made me feel so grateful that I have the luxury to deal with an inconvenience but concerned for everyone else in rural Scotland (& the UK) who can't. Also grateful for the NHS because god knows what an emergency visit would've cost me in the US!
• It's bright and sunny out today and I can't wait to get out and enjoy it. Finally

I was out shopping later than usual yesterday and noticed the shorter evening, too... I was home before six, and it was dark enough that I had to turn on the lights when I walked in the door.  It happened so fast!  I feel like it was only a few days ago it was still light out at 8pm.

Anyway, good luck with your driving!  It's such a relief to get that sorted.

My five:

1. I forgot it was Friday.  I don't know what this means, but it's probably something.

2.  One more week and then my husband is off for my birthday week (last full week of September).  YAY!

3.  We've decided to put off doing the bathroom renovation until after we've done the rewiring to the house... we'll be chasing in all the new wiring, and we don't want to have to tear up the new bathroom to put in the wiring.  It makes sense, and when my husband was trying to decide which to do first, I made the final call because it does make sense.  But after three years without a kitchen, I'm starting to despair...  Now the bathroom is being put off, too?  Eep.  And this was my choice?!

4.  I went up to Carmarthen to do my shop yesterday, so I was able to get chicory and comte and a few other things from Morrison's that I can't get at Aldi.  Chick'n chicory and cheese platter are go!

5.  Today and tomorrow are going to be beautiful blue skies and highs in the upper teens (~17°C).  Initially, the forecast said Sunday would be the same, but now Sunday is looking to be a bit grey and disappointing.  But we still have today and tomorrow.  I think we'll be grilling.  I wanted to do pizza, but I completely forgot to buy mozzarella while I was out shopping yesterday, so that's out.  :/  I'm a dumb.

Have you gotten quotes for the wiring yet JFK?Maybe you can start planning on when it'll be done, and then prioritise the kitchen? (or do bathroom and kitchen in succession if any plumbing/pipes need work as well) I really can't quite imagine living without a proper kitchen with how much I cook! You definitely make it work, but I can imagine the the things you'll create when it's fully functioning.

And I'm glad you're OK elee. It's scary when you have something go wrong, but the NHS is very good for acute issues.

My 5:

1. Still super happy that the interview went well yesterday even if I don't get the job. I was feeling rather dejected after the last year, but both in the prep for the interview and while presenting in it, it was a good reminder that when doing the things I am actually trained and experienced in I am happy and that comes across well.

2. I booked tickets to see the High Contrast band in London in November. I love him as a producer, and one of the best shows I saw back home was Bonobo live, so I have high hopes it'll be something that inspires for a while. I will make sure to take the day off work so I am not wiped out and have plenty of time to recover. I did get ticket insurance just in case my ears are still too buggy, but I was able to listen to louder music this week and I'm hopeful they keep improving.

3. I've been busy joining classes. My PT is doing tai chi for arthritis, so that started 2 weeks ago. And next week a "sing for yourself" class starts. I love singing and the person running it is asking people not to wear fragrance so it'll be inclusive of people like me who can't join other choirs for that reason. (I called all of them in the area, they either required mobility and standing, lots of performances, or wouldn't ask people to limit scents or a combo of all 3) So, a low stress inclusive class that's all about fun singing with no performance requirements is totally amazing.

4. We visited the inlaws last weekend, and it was really nice. The fish n chips shop in town is definitely my favourite. £6.50 for a fully GF lunch and it was enough food for the day!

5. I have been working on a crochet blanket for a while, but now I'll switch to cute things to add to the pass the parcel box.

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Have you gotten quotes for the wiring yet JFK?Maybe you can start planning on when it'll be done, and then prioritise the kitchen? (or do bathroom and kitchen in succession if any plumbing/pipes need work as well) I really can't quite imagine living without a proper kitchen with how much I cook! You definitely make it work, but I can imagine the the things you'll create when it's fully functioning.

We're doing the chasing in ourselves.  We'll have a proper electrician out to set up a new consumer unit, connect a three phase water heater, and check our wiring work.  But we're doing the bulk of the labour.  We will likely be using my birthday week to clear out the loft and get started on that project.

Once it is done, we'll bring in a plumber to sort out the plumbing for the kitchen and bath.  Then we will refinish our bathroom as quickly as we can.  We still won't be able to do the kitchen because the exterior render still needs redoing, and until we do, the kitchen damp issue will not play nicely with whatever we do in there.  Fortunately, the render problem doesn't go as far back as the bathroom wall, so we can get that done.  It will be a massive upgrade when we get to that point.

I do imagine all the things I'll be able to cook one day.  And bake!  *blissful sigh*

I love the idea of doing Tai Chi... I would need a very patient and understanding leader, though, as I have range of motion issues and really bad balance.  But it looks so cool when a group all do it together.

5. I have been working on a crochet blanket for a while, but now I'll switch to cute things to add to the pass the parcel box.

I read that and my eyes went up to my little octopus-in-a-top-hat and I smiled.  I love him!