stop feeling guilty, small rant (BENCHLAND)

[foxyferret]

Plumbers have been here all day.  Told me it will take today, tomorrow and possibly into Thurs.  New boiler is now fixed in place but they have had problems fitting the flue, they've been up on the roof all afternoon, dropped one of their tools which fell onto my conservatory roof and scared the living daylights out of me! Coming back tomorrow with proper roof ladders to sort it out and hopefully I will have have hot water tomorrow night.

Son has been contacted by the garage about his car.  A fault has been detected, parts have been ordered and it will be fixed and ready for collection on Friday.  Hopefully all will be well!

Hope you win the race Katy, I could have got an earlier date but trying to find a day when I could be home all day was difficult.

[katytc]

woo hoo FF the race is on will my machine be repaired before yours is installed???? Am not holding my breath............loved my bish bash b.............good decision!!

I know how cheap?? We thought it may be not that good but it was fabulous. There was another restaurant in our capital city that did the same, it was cheaper to go there by train than eat here, incredible, now I have a place on my doorstep woo hoo!!

Booked assistance for me and GD's trip to M this morning and sorted home insurance, managed to get it reduced by nearly £50 so pretty pleased.

Since my lido have been feeling awful, but today am feeling fine, ED said I was the same the last time but I can't remember.............

Am off to see GS today, Mr Wobbly, baldy, smiley boy haha xx

[foxyferret]

A three course meal for £4.95?  Unheard of in my neck of the woods!  Wow, I might move to Scotland!

I've just ordered on line a new washing machine from the "hot Indian meal" place.  To be delivered and installed on the 28th of this month and the old machine to be taken away. I have bought a Bish Bash B...I really did consider the cheaper alternatives but in the end "ya get's what ya pays for"!  The one that has died was a washer/dryer and now I won't have the drying option but I didn't use it a lot, so I thought it wasn't worth paying the extra for a washer/dryer again.

No news on son's car yet.  Nothing else has broken/gone wrong today so all is well at the moment.

I like chocolate cake and I like prunes so the cake tastes fine to me.  Pass me another slice!

[katytc]

Looks really good anyway!

Been out for lunch had a 3 course meal (Italian restaurant) for £4.95, it was fabulous, minestrone soup, spag bol and icecream, what a bargain!

Bought a pair of leggings, just for scruffing about the house meant to be a size 14, don't think so unless after that lunch I've gained another 2 stone haha, they'll fit you now JCJ xx

[JCJ]

It's chocolate cake, but not as you know it. Distinct taste of prunes, although not of coffee despite 3 heaped teaspoons! OH says he can't taste the prunes, so perhaps it's because I know they're there??

[katytc]

mmmmmmmm that looks yummy!

Will it be in the shed later? xx

[JCJ]

Quite impressed with my chocolate cake! If it tastes as good as it looks I'll be well happy! 🙂

Fat free chocolate cake 

I'll put some in the shed after I've made sure it doesn't actually taste of the prunes it has in instead of fat! 

[katytc]

Just stay quietly in the shed FF.

Have been rolling and floricking in the choc and hazelnut pastures all afternoon, it's been lovely xx

[foxyferret]

I haven't thrown myself into the lake!  The muggatea and chocolate hazelnut pastries tipped the balance. Thanks Katy.

JCJ - please don't let me anywhere near trying to make chocolate cake, with my culinary skills it would be a disaster.

The FF bench is not needed at the moment.  Hopefully all will be be settled amicably.

Nothing has blown up/gone wrong today, although I realise it's not over yet.

[JCJ]

Hahaha! Not pastures, *pastries* though I will graze on them?! 😄

[JCJ]

Can I have some chocolate hazelnut pastures? They sound delicious! Only in Benchland where they are fat free though! 😞

Good grief, FF - it's a good job there's a bench with your initials on, in Benchland. 😛 Sounds like you're going to need it?! 

Just having a sit down after my walk up to the wood to see the bluebells, then I shall be experimenting with my FF (the other one!l cocoa to make a chocolate cake for dessert. 🙂

[katytc]

grumpy, hopefully you will have some relief soon, fingers crossed. 

JCJ you are clever bish, bash, ????? hee hee!

Geez what next FF? Not good times, don't throw yourself into the lake  you maybe eaten by the alligators soooooooooo just come to the shed, will make you a huge muggatea and share the choc hazelnut pastries. xx

[foxyferret]

Grumpy - I'm sorry that you are in pain and I hope that your appt will give you some answers and some form of relief or cure for it.  Sometimes just to know what it is can help. 

[foxyferret]

My tale of woe continues...................Son's new car developed a "noise" two days after we bought it.  His best friend, who is a mechanic in the Royal Marines, said it was one of two things.  One easily fixable or one extremely serious.  He had it in his barracks workshop on Friday to try the easy fix.  This hasn't worked.  So today we took the car back to the dealer and it is going to their garage on Monday. I hope it gets sorted easily as I am really not in the mood for a fight to get my money back although if it comes to it I WILL win! Thankfully I paid for it with my credit card, so I've got some insurance there too.  Poor son now has to bike two miles to catch a bus to get to work for at least two days.

Oh, and the kettle blew up this morning!  Is there a smiley for "totally p****d off?

Loved the Bish Bash B.......JCJ, will definitely be calling it that in future.  I was going to the "hot Indian meal" place to look for new washing machine today but son put paid to that.  Might go tomorrow.  Did buy a new kettle though.

Going to sit on the "what else can go wrong?" bench which is closely allied to the CSL bench and the "gibbering wreck" bench.  All very near to the Lost Plottery Shed.  Or I could throw myself into the lake!

[grumpy]

It's not just one wrist, it's several joints, and everyone seems to agree if it's SE  from the meds it should have worn off by now..... anyhow clinic on Friday should get a proper explanation.

But thanks for your concern.

Taken Support Group of One for her birthday day out today, without the 2 dogs, who are now trying hard to be VERY good so they don't get abandoned again!!!!!

Grumpy

[JCJ]

Grumpy, if you are waking up with pains in your hand/arm, it COULD be carpel tunnel syndrome?? I had that years ago. It's very common in women over a certain age and easily fixed with a simple operation under local. I had xrays in my neck and all sorts before they decided that's what I had. I hope, whatever it is, they find out and sort it out. Perhaps more gin in the medicinal tonic water might help? 😛

My new cooking kitchen appliances are Bish, Bash, B.... ones because they were recommended as the best. I have no complaints, so far!! When the other kitchen appliances need replacing (hopefully not too soon!) I shall certainly consider spending that little bit more for good old German engineering!!

[grumpy]

Yep, it's painful joints and boob that wakes me at night. GP sent me for xray on hand and wrist, B nurse reckons it's nerve pain in boob, and appt at clinic next Friday to get things sorted. I keep forgetting I'm 5 years older than I was when diagnosed...... so some aches and pains are to be expected.

Been for big walk with friend and dogs today, so we are all comatose in front of the fire.....

Grumpy

[katytc]

Ooops sorry to sound confusing, the one I had before was a b***h, the one I have now (not a b***h) came with the flat. xx

[foxyferret]

Yes, I was told to buy a b***h, so I will.  Which is the one you have Katy?  I am a little/a lot confused.....is yours a b***h and needing parts that take forever?  Or is yours another make?

[katytc]

Gee whiz FF, when things go wrong they def go wrong, hopefully everything will be sorted soon, was recommended to buy a b***h, fab machine!! Don't buy the one I have now with the parts that take forever.............!

Yes Ali, why do children love boxes?

Am on the "excited" bench am getting ED's phone today, she has been upgraded, so will have a reasonably new fangled device, oh dear??? My mobile is very, very basic so will be on the "bamboozled" bench later xx

[Ali_H]

Poor foxy 😞 I had a hat trick many years ago, my son was a baby and we woke up a couple of days before Christmas to find the central heating and hot water weren't working, not good timing especially with a baby. I decided a nice cuppa was called for, went to the fridge for the milk only to find it was warmer than refrigerated milk should be, and that I was standing in a puddle of water leaking out of the washing machine. 3 things you really, really don't want to be without at that time of year and especially don't want to have to replace all at the same time...... My son loved the boxes though 🙂

[foxyferret]

Talking of sweets, I have recently been eating far too many.  Found something new (to me) and they are rather moreish 

I have managed the hat-trick.  Boiler dead, microwave dead and now washing machine dead  Only worked for one wash after son-in-law's "fix".  Had a repairman out today and it is "beyond economical repair"  Been all over the internet today looking for a replacement. Asked repairman's advice, he told me the best make to buy and said "don't spend less than £350". 

Bought a new microwave last weekend so at least that is sorted. I have had three estimates for a boiler and a local firm will start installing a new one next Tuesday.  Kettle will probably stop working next as it is doing overtime for hot water!  

I will be going to my daughter's at the weekend for a bath and to use her washing machine.  I haven't told/asked her yet though!

[katytc]

Yum yum choc cake in the shed soon, perhaps?

Ate all of the strawberry roses in one go..............xx

[JCJ]

Aaagh, poor you KTC! Eat some sweeties to make your bruises better! 😛

I'm unfortunately not that fond of sweets, which are low fat and therefore not off limits - much prefer chocolate which isn't/is! So excited today, though, as the postman brought me a parcel containing the fat free cocoa powder ordered from my online auctioneer, Mr FE. Now I'm surfing t'interweb for fat free chocolate cake recipes. Yum. It may be a good thing I kept all those clothes that are currently too big?!

[katytc]

That's fab JCJ even though confusing at least something is happening, woo hoo!!

Sympathy please bruise covers WHOLE hand haha!! 

Now where did that come from?

Lovely day here did lunch and have arranged another lunch for Mon, so amongst all you slim girls there will be one that's not, mmmmmmmmm who will that be?? Also bought loads of sweets today just little treats pour moi, you get strawberries roses in a bag now, oh yum, yum soooooooooo excited xx

[JCJ]

As I left school, I got a text *reminder* message saying I have an appointment at (insert local hospital) 20/5/15 @ 11:00. Have I?? That's news to me! Thought at first it was for my onc appointmen,t but that's 15/6/15 @ 3:45pm! Ah! Must be Gastroenterologist! 🙂

Got home to TWO identical NHS letters inviting me to attend the General & Colorectal Surgery Clinic next Wed. (1 day outside the 4 weeks GP stated for "urgent referral"!) Surgery?? Does that mean they have already decided to do the gallbladder op? Or do I have to have liver op? Is this the same as the Gastroenterologist I was told I was going to see? So confused! 😮

[katytc]

Ok soooooooo off to bed tonight with bananas, fridge magnets, magnets, corks and tonic water, will I be able to get into my bed???? Along with the cramps am having baaaaad hot flushes again...........am I going backwards???

Have no bruise at all so no sympathy for me, feeling superly, duperly tired that's usual for the first 48 hours.

Well JCJ, you can buy a whole new wardrobe, woo hoo, that's exciting!! For MMU3 can you wear a flower along with tiara in your hair so we recognise you?? Hopefully you will hear something soon, do you feel ok sticking to the low fat?

grumpy, is it the pain that's making you weepy?

That thing that's still not fixed, grrrrrrrrrrr the part comes from only one place in the whole wide world and it's in Scotland she says laughing hysterically...................xx

[JCJ]

Hope you are not too bruised and sore, KTC, from the infusion OR the running?! 😛

It's probably the gin in the tonic that stops the cramp? Pity I can't stand the stuff!

I discovered, at the weekend, that I can put my newest jeans on, straight from washing, without undoing them, it was only my belt (OH recently had to put 2 more holes in that!) keeping me decent! Yestrtday, after school, I nipped (haha! In my dreams - got stuck in an ENORMOUS traffic jam for an hour!) to the nearby retail park to purchase some more.

I had a big sort out at the weekend too. Tried on everything in the wardrobe and made 4 piles:

1) just about wearable - put back in wardrobe

2) unwearable but keep in case I put the weight back on

3) minor alteration required - usually moving a button

4) put in a pile for the next charity bag that comes through the door.

Then I went to scour the local charity shops to try and fill some of the empty spaces now left in the wardrobe. Managed to get 2 pairs trousers for under £4 each, so I was quite chuffed. Operation re-clothe JCJ is still ongoing! Anyone know where I can purchase a new donkey suit? 🙂

[grumpy]

 Is gin allowed in the tonic water?????

Waiting for clinic appt 're breast and joint pain - can't sleep properly, wake up weeping. Apparently this can happen years after surgery and even when 5 years meds have finished.....oh pooh!!! Just want to be normal again. It's a bummer, but the alternative would have been worse!

Meg still has wobbly legs, and Joey is still bonkers!!!

 Love to all

Grumpy

[Ali_H]

Running in Benchland? I'm very impressed. Cramp in legs, yes, it's horrible. My homeopath suggested tonic water which I had heard about, but also she suggested a banana at bedtime (for the potassium if I remember correctly).
Hope the bruise gets you lots of sympathy, ouch....

[lexilou3]

cork under pillow, magnets near legs ?

who knows,,, good luck x x

Good on you for running !!!

[katytc]

Hello lexilou!

Thank you for the tips, different from tonic water haha, do I put cork and magnets under my pillow?

Fabulous your clothes shopping went well FF and a size smaller?

Had a quiet weekend gearing myself up for today, up at six, bus at eight, arrived just before nine, a problem again with canula, 2 attempts in the arm (there was NO blood???), a doc called fitted in hand, 5 hours  later canula removed and a HUGE bubble formed in my hand, oh no!!! All ok after pressure applied. Had six minutes to get in the lift, run along corridors and get to the bus stop, made it, whew!

Really odd feeling brain is wired, body exhausted, haha! Nurse says I'll have a whopper of a bruise!

Let's hope it's worth it! xx

[lexilou3]

Cramp in legs.... a good buddy of mine swears by magnets under the mattress. She stated 8n desparation with the fridge magnets. Wishing you a good nights sleep x

[foxyferret]

Been shopping today with daughter and daughter-in-law. Good results, new trousers (for the Christening) have been bought at a very reasonable price. (No need to alter the suit! ) New summer shoes too.  I really hate clothes shopping but today it all fell into place AND I seem to be a size smaller than I thought I was, so that's good Daughter and daughter-in-law also got what they wanted so it was a success all round.

Cramp at night in bed?  My mother swore that a cork under her pillow cured her cramp.  Worth a try? Who knows?

[JCJ]

FF, expensive things always seem to come along all at once, don't they? I hope your son's "new" car behaves itself. Buying used cars is such a nightmare isn't it? So many sharks and charlatans!

Katy, I get cramp in my legs a lot too. 😞 Used to get it just in my toes, but since taking Tapoxyfen, I get it all up my legs, often at night - sometimes several times in one night! - and when I swim. Horrible.

Cloudy and drizzly and cold here.

[katytc]

Had only one cross to cross, so lucky me haha!

Mmmmm not good news about the car but great you can help them out FF.

We have sunshine, woo hoo!!

Going to get on everyone's nerves but bought 2 Xmas presents yesterday, organised or what??!

Still not the happiest of bunnies but getting there........

I am having loads of cramps in my legs just now, always in bed so keep wakening up had them when I first started taking ta"poxy"fen so what's that all about? xx

[foxyferret]

 Son's car that passed it's MOT three weeks ago, letting us think we had plenty of time to look for another, died at the weekend.  The water pump went first and then the clutch.  Not economical to fix. We have been all over the internet and to many local (and not so local) garages and we finally found one which he is picking up tomorrow. The old question "Would you buy a second hand car from this man?"  was answered by a swift "NO" in some places. So, I am paying out a fair few quid and he will pay me back.  This I knew and was expecting (but maybe not so soon).

What I didn't expect was that this morning my boiler would also give up the ghost! No heating and no hot water!  Thank heavens it got me through the winter months, at least now the heating is not vital.  Tonight, to add insult to injury, when I went to heat up last night's leftovers the microwave..............  IS NOT WORKING!!!  AAARRGH!  I don't belieeeeeve it!  More expense.  

Three crosses on two bits of paper?  That's nothing.  I had to put 13 crosses on 3 bits of paper!  I don't know what aliens would think but my view is, just who DO you vote for when none of them know what they are doing and couldn't govern their way out of a paper bag?

First time I've ever had to queue for 15 mins to get into the polling station though, I hope that means the turnout is good.

[JCJ]

Glad you have got your lido at last. I hope it's as effective as last time.

I'm still waiting for my Gastroenterologist appointment - but it's only been 2 weeks, so I'm not particularly surprised! Fed up of the constant nasty taste in my mouth - especially when I walk more than 50 yards, or swim - which makes me feel sick. 😞

School is in panic mode for SATs next week (year 6 tests) and also on red alert for OFSTED, whom our HT and exec HT are convinced will imminently descend on us! Quite frankly, I wish they'd hurry up and get it over with!

I've just been to put 3 crosses on 2 bits of paper standing in a little box in an old persons' day room. What would aliens think of that??! 😛

[katytc]

Haha grumpy!!

Am on the "down in the dumps" bench, which is not like me at all..................shortly will move to the "cut it out" bench.

Thankfully it's stopped raining, has just been awful! We still have that wind though.

Had a phonecall from the library saying a book I wanted is now in sooooo am excited about that, have some supermarket shopping to do, just all the usual............

Having my "lido" on Mon will have to be up superly, duperly early as it's in another town and if I go by bus I am dropped off at hospital door, which is great. Will check out clinic so I can be grumpy about what's going on or lack of what's going on xx

[grumpy]

TWO wet coats hanging up to dry.......

Two damp dogs in front of the fire.....

And tomorrow it's that damn event - and then we'll have weeks of 'comment'........

More glitterberry juice required methinks.

Grumpy (and damp)

[katytc]

Oh golly gosh, party over am on the " sooooooooooo tired" bench must have been all that dancing.........

We have sunshine here today, yesterday it was torrential rain, have been to THAT place, 6 weeks today since part ordered, must be the longest in history..............you son in law would be superly, duperly welcome FF, glad you had a lovely birthday and your washing machine is working, fabulous haha!

Hello Kay, very happy to see you popping in!

grumpy good news about your van.

No appts yet, JCJ?

GS has a TOOTH, ten weeks old?? and is losing is hair, looks like he'll be a blondey xx

[foxyferret]

JCJ - I think you'll find tomorrow morning that I only have one head but I am so glad that you are enjoying the celebrations!  Maybe a little food to sop up the alcohol would be of benefit?  Fat free of course.

The ingenuity that you have all shown with your 60's/70's costumes is amazing.  I'm only surprised that there are no broken ankles with the height of your platform shoes.

My son-in-law is a star!!!  The washing machine is now working.  I always knew there was a reason I welcomed him into the family   Sorry Katy, I wish I could send him to fix yours.

[JCJ]

HIC! Whosh had too mush glitteritterberry juish? Not me! HIC! Foxshy, why do you have two headsh? HIC!

[foxyferret]

Forgot to say.... thank you all very much for your birthday wishes.  

[Ali_H]

Dashes in ---- Happy birthday!!!!! ------ dashes out....

[grumpy]

That's OK then, I'll just have my tea and pop along to the Lost Plottery Shed clutching some glitterberry juice and ice cream desserts in a box.

VERY proud of myself, as I have negotiated a part ex on my camper for another one - all on my own!!!!!

Grumpy

[foxyferret]

Hiya Kay, lovely to see you *waves*. Sorry that you've not been feeeling too clever but that's the beauty of Benchland, one can just pop in and out as the fancy takes.

Grumpy - you haven't missed the party at all, it's still ongoing until tomorrow night.  A whole Birthday weekend

Decided not to go clothes shopping as I know it would have been a nightmare.  Will be altering the trouser suit and it will just have to do. 

Had a lovely day today, all family have been over, daughter brought a cake which grandchildren have eaten most of, but there are a couple of slices left for me!

Joining Katy on the "my washing machine is not working" bench.  Son in law is going to have a look at it later.  I really hope he can fix it.

[Kayteeb53]

Just popped in to say hello to you all. Sorry not been around but not been very sociable over last few months x

[grumpy]

How come I keep missing the parties?

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

Grumpy

[katytc]

Happy Birthday FF, still dancing? Have a wonderful day xx