Day One of my personal challenge, no alcohol for September - anyone care to join me ...? 
Maggie could it be gout? 
Yes roses the end is (hopefully) in sight. We're playing 'good cop, bad cop' with the builder as it's the only way to get anything done.
I've just set DH onto him now suggested DH cycle across to check on progress. I've decided to harness his inner Grumpy Old Fart Man (well I might as well get some benefit from it!)
If it's good news I'll send the builder a nice text and if it's bad news I send him a 'more in sorrow than in anger' one. Then I get DH (who due to mild dementia) has lost what little People Skills he had, to ring him. As DH also tends to lose the thread of the conversation this is effective in more ways than one and as DH always has his mobile on speaker phone, I get to listen in glee while the builder tries to make him understand.
Just remember GSs 1 & 3 are due any moment for tea and an overnighter. Better get moving.
Gout?? 
Well, possibly so, after all the 
and chocolate, but I think I prefer Dr rosesarered's diagnosis and prescription!
Enjoy the DGS's overnighter, Anya - hope you get some sleep. We have DGS2 from tomorrow morning and overnight till Monday tea. DS called in at lunchtime with DGS3, who has slept for an unfeasibly long time in my arms (I suspect he liked the feel of my cashmere jumper 
), and of course I have invited him and his to join us all for dinner tomorrow, then DD1 rang and she is coming too... Unfortunately I have missed all the early slots for online deliveries of girt big chickens tomorrow and feel we will be wanting a lie in due to us going out tonight, so they may all be disappointed to find it will be my old speciality, sausage casserole. Not yer traditional Sunday dinner, but very much on a par with Deidre's revered stuffed marrow, if any of you are Corrie fans
Perhaps they'll have a spare boy big chicken instead Maggie 
Mine love sausage casserole but it's ages since I cooked one; you've got me thinking. Funny how some dishes just disappear from our repertoire without us noticing.
Boys asleep, at last, both huddled into one bed like a pair of puppies, and Murphy has somehow sneaked up onto the vacant bed. Wondered where he had got to better go and fetch him down. This is the old dog that insists the back steps are too steep to climb...but he's somehow made it up two flights of very steep steps and jumped onto a bed.
Hope everyone is ok??
Not to worry JG you've a lot on your plate (((hugs))) and thinking of you.
I too might disappear from the radar for a day or two as Virgin will be disconnecting our service here anytime in the next 24 hours and setting us up back at our real home but we can't move back for a couple of days depending if the builder gets his finger out act together.
Hope everything's going well for all the gang today
We had a full-time family afternoon on Sunday followed by DGS2's sleepover that night. He was adorable and only woke up the once, but I was half-awake most of the night waiting for him to call out, as you do. Then a brisk walk 2 miles to the GP and back in the rain, followed by a puddle jumping session with the little 'un betweentorrents showers led to crashing out for a couple of hours after he was picked up. Woke up surrounded by toys and toddler debris at 6pm
At least I should now stay awake during today's senior showing of The Programme - the free bucket of strong coffee will help. I've got a contact lens appointment and quiz to walk to as well, so can stack up a few steps to balance out the gin, pancakes and the panic chocolate eating before Lent starts tomorrow
I must say though, I'll be torn between the quiz and Happy Valley's return tonight - I do love a feel good series
Hi ,Maggie did you get your toe sorted? I'm thinking yes, ad you're planning on walking to various places.
Sitting here with in wet socks. Decided to wash GCs bedding ready for move. Set wash to 60oC, or so I thought, and was making lunch when I became aware of a tide of foam issuing forth from the soap dispenser, running down the front of the washing machine and advancing menacingly and mendaciously towards me across the kitchen floor.
The penny only dawned when I realised there is a black stripe on the programme selector which ought to have been pointing to the 60oC setting, not the plain white end! And the programme at 180o of the circle was rinse and spin.... Which doesn't normally include adding a washing tablet 
Walked 17,777 steps yesterday. Feeling a tad stiff today.
I've going to sleep at home from tonight as we have the basics in place now and we'll be moving in bit by bit over the next two weeks as what was salvaged is returned and as we buy new stuff.
Hoping things aren't too fraught JG ?
Hi gang, so much happening with you all - I can't keep up
Hope the toe is much better now Maggie- I love reading about your family times and your littlies sound both adorable and adored ❤️ Thank you as well for the recommendation for Happy Valley - I've never heard of it watched it before but I've recorded it so I can give it a try!
We had a lovely day here in North Shropshire yesterday roses beautiful sunshine - and again today ... I hope the sun is shining on you wherever you are 
Anya - about bloody time - I bet you are proper excited!! I really hope it all goes well for you - I won't send 
just yet - probably best to wait until you are in and have found a vase settled
I clocked 'mendaciously' - it is in reserve and I will be showing off demonstrating my expanding vocabulary at the next possible opportunity
Still busy here - one assessment after another for DM but at least they are happening..... Attendance Allowance form completed and posted - thank you again to Galen for advice. More safety gadgets to be installed by Telecare to ensure her safety at home for the time being.... Lots of help available but so many hoops to jump through to make it happen (((weary face)))
Still no chocolate this month and taking part in a step challenge with DS - very competitive motivating I am managing between 10,000-13,000 each day - clearly way behind our champion of champions Anya who is so far in the lead I can hardly see her ...LOL
Are you sure you are wearing a fitbit and have not had an engine fitted ...
I am being encouraged by my new Fitbit and hope to be able to keep it up ...??
Looking forward to seeing diva 2's happy little face at school pick-up later ?
Happy Tuesday to all xxx
Sweet dreams Anya
Morning, all! Gosh, it’s busy round here!
The manky toe is fine, thank you (still looks manky though, but DGS2 is delighted that we have “matching black”). It turned out it was just a trauma injury after all, so obviously I’ve dropped something on it, stubbed it or one of the DGS has jumped on it (the most likely scenario), and I’ve not even remembered. Now there’s a surprise….
I thoroughly bamboozled the optician at my contact lens appointment on Tuesday – I have one lens for close work and one for distance and it turns out I’ve been consistently wearing them in the wrong eyes (still mine, though ) for months. Of course I claimed to be absolutely sure I was following the instructions on the packet – then I immediately told her to scrap that, my “absolutely sure” these days is a 50/50 gamble. And as it happens, the instructions on the box won. To think I was once trusted to do a responsible job Mind you, I’ve just filled in an official form that apparently has to be returned by Thursday 14 February and which states two completely different return addresses, neither of them with a postcode. I assume this form was compiled by someone younger than me (though maybe not – it could be another disgruntled 50’s baby whose state retirement date has been cruelly snatched from her ). Form-filling, ugh – no wonder you’re weary, jg, though jumping through all those hoops must be very good exercise
Loved your laundry story, Anya - when washing machines turn bad! I bet you’re relieved to be back under your own roof , even if not yet surrounded by your own things.
I hope you enjoyed Happy Valley, jg - you need a fairly strong stomach for it, but I love it. It’s set around here, so we’re forever pausing the action when we see buildings and roads, and even people and cars, we know. It’s a wonder we can follow the plot, really – especially with the subtitles obscuring the bottom of the screen (due to DH’s poor hearing or Sarah Lancashire’s mumbling, depending entirely on your point of view ).
Just my reading group to walk to today, but I’ll dig out the stepper later in a vain attempt to catch you lot up.
Maggie I am surrounded by my own things today...only they are contained in 157 large cardboard boxes and I've just lost the will to live
I came back 'home' last night. I had the basics; a kitchen and the coffee machine, a glass, a mug, a bottle of , the dog and a bed. It was lovely to wake up back home and joy of joys jump into a shower that worked.
8.00am the belongs arrived, and arrived, and arrived. I'm sitting on the sofa surrounded by boxes, the kitchen is piled high with boxes, as is the conservatory and the back yard. And then the tiler arrived and I can't get at any cupboards to put anything away.
feeling overwhelmed by cardboard but in a good(ish) way
Congratulations on moving back home at last, Anya!
It's been a long haul...
Hey Anya - just take your time and enjoy being back in your home. It will all fall into place eventually I'm sure So happy to hear that you are there at last
I tried to get one of those water-bag thingies with flowers so that you didn't have to search out a vase but I couldn't find one so I thought you might appreciate this instead and then some 
Welcome home ?? xxx
Welcome home! I was going to suggest you get yourself down to the nearest shop for more , but I see jg has already provided
Thank you all for my lovely selection of virtual gifts I've enjoyed thrm all and I've managed a RL takeaway, wine and chocolate (sorry choc-free peoples) Pure comfort food. Given up for the night now as aching in every joint.,
Still trying to figure out how I reached 10,000 steps without leaving the house but made a reasonable impact on the wall of boxes. About a third sorted. Just off for a nice soaky bath and then Death in Paradise.
It's lovely to be home
An amazing achievement ...Anya - 10,000 steps takes some doing - especially indoors but you have done so well with the boxes ???
We all wish you well in your new/old ..??? home - lots of ?
Diva 2 came for a sleepover on Friday night and is still here!! A long walk today involving geocaching meant my step count went up to over 15,000 steps ... and still counting - bless her she walked around 5 miles ??- she's 6 years old!!
Not sure she is going home tomorrow - if not it means a visit to great grandma - my DM - who loves every minute of little people ?
Still no chocolate -
Good on you re no chocolate JG that's one challenge too far for me, so RESPECT! That's a goodly distance for a 6-year old. Absolutely certain GD1 (same age) wouldn't be up for that. Hope your DM gets to see her GGD and I can imagine the pleasure it gives here.
Had to laugh about Maggie and the contact lenses are you sorted out now?
Another Happy Valley fan here. Love the grittiness and superb acting.
Today I've given up the no sweetners challenge. I tried for two weeks and found I was simply not drinking tea and coffee (because there was no pleasure in the taste) and getting a bit dehydrated. But so far this week my step score over 6 days is 77,654 so I won't knock myself up over a failed attempt. I've more things to worry about than that.
I'm down to two last boxes, but the loft space is pretty full (so I've been told as I haven't dared look myself) . Things I've done without for four months. Do I really need them? Things like letters my children wrote from University, when au pairing in France, birthday cards from them, and the GC.
Boxes of crockery I don't need, but am loath to throw out. Boxes and boxes of family photos in frames. I can't face going through them item by item, making decisions, at least not now, after three full days I've had enough.
I tried to go through everything, but my priority was just to take what we needed and get everything cleared away; 10 boxes to charity shop, about the same to the tip, about forty in the loft, and about a hundred unpacked and found a place to 'live'. So at least we have what we need.
GDs and their parents off to Leeds today to see other family. GSs and parents off to Spain at lunch time. And I'll have four dogs to stay this week
But the house is coming together nicely (not sure about the new tiles in the kitchen) and I'm so happy to be home.
So nice to wake up this morning and read your posts. Homes full of DGC and your own stuff (even if perhaps a bit too much of it ). What bliss.
The lenses are sort of sorted, thank you. Though I continue in my one woman quest to confuse and bewilder Specsavers. My optician told me that as my eyes seemed to have adapted to the new arrangement, I may as well leave it as it was and she'd swap the details round on her computer. Being a pedant, I decided by the time I got home that I'd revert to the correct way. By my next appointment we'll all be baffled.
We went dancing last night, and doesn't my bunion know it? Just as well we did though, as I needed the steps. You are all so far ahead of me now I feel like shouting at you to wait for me! There'll not be much walking today either. DSIL is in Amsterdam on a stag do this weekend (considerately planned for Valentine's Day), so we are all heading over to keep DD2 company this afternoon. DH and I will sleep over to be on the spot for toddler minding tomorrow
Still no chocolate for me either. I scooped up the chocolate hearts decorating our table last night, but will sacrifice my own needs and dole them out begrudgingly to the family today. I did snaffle a packet or two of mini Lovehearts for myself though. DH just couldn't understand how I admitted they were ruining the taste of my beer, but carried on eating them anyway....
Forgive me gang - for I have sinned ? I was feeling a little peckish this afternoon and before I even remembered I had given up chocolate I had munched a g/f chocolate brownie....(((hangs head in shame)))
Feeling quite smug though because my step total last week was just over 92,000 ... I beat DS in all but one of the challenges he set (and even then I was only 25 steps behind him) ?
The good thing is that it got us both out and about walking/running and generally enjoying exercise. DH and I have done a number of walks locally (straight from the house) that we haven't done before and discovered paths hitherto unseen. All good!
Diva 2 finally went home yesterday and she is back for another sleepover tonight ... LOL - she is definitely going home tomorrow though... Then it's Diva 1's turn to visit at the weekend - no peace for the wicked ...
Hey Anya did those keks arrive yet ...? And - how is home sweet home feeling ? or ? I hope you are learning to love the new tiles and enjoying the week with the dogs - lots of walking methinks ???
I'm sure you are putting me to shame in the no-chocolate stakes maggie - that was a very strong-willed and selfless act to dole them out the chocolate hearts to others - I think I would have failed struggled with that I have just made my appointment with Specsavers - I'll try not to confuse them too much - although after my experience trying out lenses at my last appointment - I am embarrassed to show my face again.... All I will say is - I'll be sticking to my specs for now
One last note - Diva 2 ate all of her dinner tonight and so I asked her if she would like some pudding - "no thank you Grandma - but are there any more sprouts left" ... I'll leave it there ???
Night night
Love the story about the sprouts JG reminds me of something my daughter told me the other day when she found herself saying to her son (5) 'No you can't have any more asparagus until you finish your sausages'
My step count has actually gone down these last few days as it's a nightmare taking all four dogs for a walk, so I'm keeping it short. The old ones just want to stop and sniff all those delicious doggy smells and the youngsters want to run ahead, and as the oldies are deaf and the young ones disobedient, I'm really stressed by it all . I feel like that donkey starving to death between two equidistant food sources - what's that name? Something like Burnham's Ass???
Also I can't leave them alone in the house together for too long as Daisy from next door and Lilly (granddog) want to tear each other to pieces don't get on. Did I really say that dogs are easier than GC?
No keks ever arrived, but Amazon have refunded the money.
Well done Maggie on not sneaking any of the chocolate hearts for yourself and it's perfectly understandable that one can 'forget' and down a chocolate brownie in a moment of aberration
Keep up the good resolutions gang and enjoy your day.
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