New Year's Eve

I have found 2017 difficult.  I believe that people can be amazingly resilient under pressure but when the pressure eases then it's as if your body and mind say, 'okay, it's safe to fail now' and you get hit by all the accumulated rubbish that you've been toughing through.  It was the illness of my uncle, not his death, that was hard, and then there was the stored up stress of father's illness and death, trouble in the street, isolation, illness and worry.  I've had my catch up, now I need to be positive.   

I'm being harder on myself for 2018.  I can do better, and I will.  My target for January is

• Leave the house every day when there isn't snow and ice, even if it's just a few hundred yards around the block.
• Listen to positive music every day
• Look outwards instead of inwards
• Actively track the money coming in and out
• Actively work on making systems to get housewifery in place.  
• Plan targets for February

I have a track record of being even less dynamic at this time of year, and so it will be a push, but if I can manage these very small targets then my life will improve so much - and it will be much better for bear and DH.  Also, I think it will be fun!

Wishing everyone reading this a truly awesome New Year with Health, Wealth and Happiness.  May you lovely people all be blessed.  

Bear has a Party

It wasn't exactly a party.  A couple of pals came round to hang out and have pizza.  I loaded up a small table with drinks and treats and settled in a corner with my headphones on.  I could see the computer screen but I couldn't hear the utter rubbish they were talking. 

They started off with a nerf gun battle.  That's toy guns shooting foam dart type things.  The battle raged hot up and down the stairs and in and out of various rooms.  There was also some intricate plot going on as well but I couldn't tell you what it was.  At the end one of his pals offered to clear the nerf darts out of the prison, or the bath, as it is also known.

Then they had a very complicated round robin computer game challenge that seemed to involve a lot of good natured but loud discussion.  I definitely tuned that one out.  It may have been quite cold outside, but needs must.  The lads didn't seem to notice.  Then they went out to play football - another one of the cheapo last minute gifts for bear which was one of those bouncy balls that light up when it's hit or bounces.  They came in when they got chased by a drunk.

As far as I can tell it was a generic drunk not actually attached to anyone local but who insisted on shaking bear's hand and then asking one of his pals if he wanted a fight.  The lads came in at my insistence and bear washed his hand.  The computer game was restarted and then there was another nerf gun battle before the pizza arrived. 

The lads ate so much that they told me that they couldn't possibly move.  It was definitely not worth cutting the birthday cake.  They were so stuffed that they went outside for another round of football, this time without the drunk.  Finally they were all collected and I collapsed.

As far as I can tell everyone had a great time, no-one was hurt, the drunk was seen as entertainment and they would all come again.  I'm taking it as a success. 

New Year's Resolution

My New Year's Resolution is to have the house vistor ready, or at least more or less okay, at all times. 

The house is not in a good state.  Apart from everything else I have had ridiculous heartburn which mean that bending over and moving hurt.  I've spent the last few nights on the sofa in order to sleep upright.  I've had mud in and out, parcels opened, nuts have been shelled and lots of satsuma skin shed.  It wasn't even in a good state before the Christmas break, and it shows. 

Today I was expecting DH to be at work, bear being low maintenance with his birthday presents and a chance to at least heap some of the worst of the clutter somewhere out of sight.  I was entirely wrong.

I surfaced relatively late after a lumpy night on the sofa to snow.  Bear was thrilled and I watched him open his parcels.  Then we had a Tesco delivery - in spite of the snow.  I dragged it in and then took five.  Bear went out to play in the snow. 

While he was out, one of his pals was passing, along with his mum and two sisters.  I realised half way through carrying some stuff into the kitchen that they were having a full on snowball fight.  I looked around the state of my home, stuck my head out the door and invited everyone to come in, don't mind the mess and have some hot chocolate and lebkuchen.  The pal's mum is awesome and we had a good natter while the kids played. 

I hadn't got rid of the dirty cups before another of bear's pals turned up, closely followed by DH who had been given most of the afternoon off.  And as DH went upstairs to sort some stuff out I got a phone call from another of bear's pals' mum who was dropping off a gift.  I had a lovely chat with her - bear's pals have awesome mums - and then she left her son, bear's pal, and they hung out for an hour  after the other pal left while the plans for bear's birthday dinner were thrown up in the air.  So DH and I had something then DH took the last pal home. 

I got sea bass in for dinner.  Tomorrow is pizza, so I hope it will last until Sunday or at least I can freeze it. 

There has been a procession of people in and out, which has been wonderful.  But I have not been able to be as welcoming as I would have liked because the house is upside down.  It's basically, how can I give what I consider proper hospitality without changing things around.  I wish I could have done more. 

As it was, everyone got hot chocolate, lebkuchen, drink, warmth and nice candle smells.  Also there was a warm welcome.  I just want it to be better next time.  And it will. 

EBay Under the Influence

It could have been worse.  Dave Gorman tells of a time when he didn't realise he had ordered a hot air balloon from eBay until it arrived at his house. I'm not accepting that challenge.  The list, while drunk in charge of a laptop, is

• 8 cloth napkins - it could have been worse.  I've been considering them for a while but was considering making some.  These cost less than the equivalent fabric would unless I got a serious deal
• A plate drainer (needed)
• A cutlery drainer (needed) - these two were sort of needed as I can't get the current ones properly clean but I was putting off buying them until I really, really, really, really wanted them.
• A duvet cover - looks like we're getting new placemats.  
• A bathroom bin - I've been looking for a decent one for ages and hopefully this will do the trick
• Medieval England - Rural Society and Economic Change 1086 - 1348.  It may not be everyone's cup of tea but it will be awesome with the series of fantasy novels I have ideas for kicking around at the back of my head.

Compared to the stuff I've ordered while sober, I think I got off very lightly!

Tesco Were Lovely

I strongly believe that if you want to be free to complain then you should also feel free to compliment.  I have really struggled at times to remember that it's another human being at the other end of the phone, especially the scammers, and I sometimes fail, but I try. 

In that spirit, Tesco rang me last night.  I have an order coming tomorrow which includes stuff for bear's 'birthday party' (some pals hanging out with access to age appropriate Netflix, computer games, tv and pizza).  I've got some goodies coming and one of the things that I ordered was a fruit platter.  I felt a little guilty but less than you would think.  It's £6 for a tray of prepared fruit meant to feed six and that has to be ordered so many days in advance as it's made to order.  I thought that it would save time, waste and stress.  The very nice man who called apologised.  They weren't going to be able to include it in the order because due to the weather disruption (and I'm once again incredibly grateful for how little we've been affect and deeply sympathetic to those without power and who are stuck in bad conditions) the fruit couldn't be shipped. 

I said fine.  I said I understood.  It's just a few pieces of fruit and the roads are downright dangerous in some places.  I don't want some poor lorry driver risking life and limb so I can have some pineapple fingers.  We are in a good place, we have stuff in and it's okay.  I honestly couldn't complain about a valid issue that is out of the control of Tesco.  Not only that, but they contacted me with two days to spare so that if I actually really needed something like that then I would have enough time to sort out a substitute.  And they also gave me a voucher for £10 for my trouble - nearly twice what I would have paid (but didn't) for the fruit. 

I'm not sponsored by Tesco, though you may not believe it after reading some of my posts, but I do feel safe doing business with them.  To my mind, it's a real test of how a company treat a customer when things go wrong.  Tesco have been pretty awesome. 

White Vinegar Half Price

For those able to take advantage

Link didn't work, try searching for Golden Swan White Vinegar.  It's awesome for cleaning.

That is 20 litres of white vinegar which has always been very reliable when I clean for £6.39.  I don't know how much postage would be if you are not a member of prime,

According to the sums on the respective websites, the white vinegar from Amazon costs @ 3p per 100ml.  The white vinegar from Morrisons, sold in the small bottle, costs @ 17p per 100ml.

I hope the offer is still there if you are interested and take a look, but even at full price, it is a very good price although I feel bad for the delivery drivers.

I Have a Headache

Against all the odds my headache is nothing to do with alcohol.  I consider this a miracle.  It is to do with bear's pal calling round (they are friends again) so I have the audio book of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire being played on bear's computer together with the musical game of something that bear is currently playing on the phone which sounds like a very tinny version of Fur Elise and the computer game that the pal is playing where lots of implausibly shaped soldiers run around and shoot at each other.  The very important steering wheel has still not been plugged in, which is a shame because at least it doesn't have much of a sound track. 

I'm still keeping an oversight of bear's computer use but as he gets older I can fade out a little and hang around in another room.  I am looking forward to the day.