For me, it's the central heating timer. I have watched the central heating engineers re-set this for me several times. They effortlessly push buttons, I have usually had little bear hanging off me, they smile, leave, and I can't adjust it again. If I want it changed I need to pay the call out fee plus vat.
I would also like to say that when I asked them how to change the batteries in the timer they said to just slide the cover off. The cover doesn't slide. Darling father prised it off with a screwdriver. I think they were confusing the timer I should have had with the one I actually got.
So I will be having one more go, then ringing up and paying up through gritted teeth. I will probably save more than the call out fee if I get it changed to what I want (one degree cooler and about two hours less) but I wish I could just understand the timer.
(I've checked the manual (shows different timer) and I've checked online. It hasn't helped. It's just one of those mysteries of life.)
Friday, 31 August 2012
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Nearly School
It's nearly the start of the new school term. I have just ironed a swathe of little bear's shirts, the jumpers are all ready, the trousers pressed. All I need to do now is find the name tapes...
I feel a failure this summer. We hardly managed to go anywhere, although little bear was quite happy with this. However with weather, illness, martial arts camp, days at the school club and general playing with darling father, the summer has filled up.
And little bear is going into proper school with desks and reading books and real homework. I wonder how much I shall shell out this year on stuff? I think it came to around £150 in just asks last year, not including things like school dinners, uniform etc.
I am currently on here in a lull in the battle to get little bear out and getting his school shoes. Then I think it is hot chocolate weather, with a dvd and some cuddles back home. We may as well enjoy this time while we can.
I feel a failure this summer. We hardly managed to go anywhere, although little bear was quite happy with this. However with weather, illness, martial arts camp, days at the school club and general playing with darling father, the summer has filled up.
And little bear is going into proper school with desks and reading books and real homework. I wonder how much I shall shell out this year on stuff? I think it came to around £150 in just asks last year, not including things like school dinners, uniform etc.
I am currently on here in a lull in the battle to get little bear out and getting his school shoes. Then I think it is hot chocolate weather, with a dvd and some cuddles back home. We may as well enjoy this time while we can.
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Something to aim for
OH needs a new bin in his study. I have purchased another bin from my friend ebay, like this one. We have decided to redecorate the house to match it.
Well, we have to start somewhere.
Actually, starting anywhere would be a good move as apart from little bear's room we haven't decorated for nearly twenty years. This may be an inspiration. I'm not sure exactly how I am going to match things like wallpaper to a wastepaper bin, but it has to be worth a go - right? At least, it's an impetus to change, right?
First things first - find the exactly perfect material for the new cushions that I have decided to make. Also find jumble sale locations for purchase of woollens to unravel. That is a start of sorts.
Can you tell I am not expecting much from this. However, if anything at all happens, it has to be an improvement.
Well, we have to start somewhere.
Actually, starting anywhere would be a good move as apart from little bear's room we haven't decorated for nearly twenty years. This may be an inspiration. I'm not sure exactly how I am going to match things like wallpaper to a wastepaper bin, but it has to be worth a go - right? At least, it's an impetus to change, right?
First things first - find the exactly perfect material for the new cushions that I have decided to make. Also find jumble sale locations for purchase of woollens to unravel. That is a start of sorts.
Can you tell I am not expecting much from this. However, if anything at all happens, it has to be an improvement.
Time management
When I actually worked in an office I was quite good at time management - I had to be! I was often working in legal places, and time and tide wait for no listing clerk.
Today I am being particularly rubbish about getting things done. This is not really a post, it is actually an excuse not to be ironing. And I have committed to making some cushions for OH and myself (and possibly darling father). This is not necessarily going to end well. You see, it takes not only time but actually sitting down, starting and finishing the job.
OH and I both prefer my home made cushions. I get two largish pieces of sturdy material, sew them more or less together and then stuff them with unravelled jumpers. Factory made jumpers work best, as there is spring in the wool and because it is finer than hand knit there is lots of space for air to plump up the cushion. However it still makes a substantial and firm cushion that you just can't get in the shops. They really are just right for propping up in the corner of the sofa and curling into, though they are absolute murder to wash and it costs less to make again than to get them dry cleaned.
So to actually achieve the cushions I need to buy some material, as I actually got rid of a lot of the sturdy material needed for the best result. I need to find some sweaters to unravel (I got rid of all the old sweaters as well). I need to sew the dratted material together, which takes less time than you think by hand. By hand is usually the quicker option for me as I am scared of my sewing machine and it takes me forever to set it up. Then I have the task of unravelling the sweaters. I actually quite enjoy this bit, but there is always dust and fluff everywhere. Then finally finishing off by sewing up the gap. And it isn't actually the doing of the stuff that takes time, but the actual setting aside of the time to do it.
I suppose I could do stuff like piping and cords and tassels. I'm not going to though. Nor am I going to do fancy applique or embroidery. These cushions will be seeing some serious use, and need to be substantial and durable. We won't be looking at them, we will be sitting blissfully against them. Eventually.
Today I am being particularly rubbish about getting things done. This is not really a post, it is actually an excuse not to be ironing. And I have committed to making some cushions for OH and myself (and possibly darling father). This is not necessarily going to end well. You see, it takes not only time but actually sitting down, starting and finishing the job.
OH and I both prefer my home made cushions. I get two largish pieces of sturdy material, sew them more or less together and then stuff them with unravelled jumpers. Factory made jumpers work best, as there is spring in the wool and because it is finer than hand knit there is lots of space for air to plump up the cushion. However it still makes a substantial and firm cushion that you just can't get in the shops. They really are just right for propping up in the corner of the sofa and curling into, though they are absolute murder to wash and it costs less to make again than to get them dry cleaned.
So to actually achieve the cushions I need to buy some material, as I actually got rid of a lot of the sturdy material needed for the best result. I need to find some sweaters to unravel (I got rid of all the old sweaters as well). I need to sew the dratted material together, which takes less time than you think by hand. By hand is usually the quicker option for me as I am scared of my sewing machine and it takes me forever to set it up. Then I have the task of unravelling the sweaters. I actually quite enjoy this bit, but there is always dust and fluff everywhere. Then finally finishing off by sewing up the gap. And it isn't actually the doing of the stuff that takes time, but the actual setting aside of the time to do it.
I suppose I could do stuff like piping and cords and tassels. I'm not going to though. Nor am I going to do fancy applique or embroidery. These cushions will be seeing some serious use, and need to be substantial and durable. We won't be looking at them, we will be sitting blissfully against them. Eventually.
Monday, 27 August 2012
Little bear is generous
Darling father has a huge, sweet-shop sized tub of haribo in his room, which he distributes to little bear, a few bits at a time. Little bear is missing darling father. He misses the attention, but he also misses the haribo. He has been asking about the haribo all morning.
He has now proposed that we all go to Makro to get a big tub of haribo for us all to share, 'and we can all share, me and you and daddy, and grandad if he gets back in time'. I don't know how quickly he thinks it would go down, but even a soft mother like me would be limiting access to a kilo of gummy sugar.
At the moment I am proposing a trip to the corner shop for a ten pence mix. Little bear thinks this sadly inadequate, but I am sure he can live with the disappointment.
He has now proposed that we all go to Makro to get a big tub of haribo for us all to share, 'and we can all share, me and you and daddy, and grandad if he gets back in time'. I don't know how quickly he thinks it would go down, but even a soft mother like me would be limiting access to a kilo of gummy sugar.
At the moment I am proposing a trip to the corner shop for a ten pence mix. Little bear thinks this sadly inadequate, but I am sure he can live with the disappointment.
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Little bear got bored
Darling father presented little bear with one of those plaster bricks where you painstakingly scrape off the plaster to find plastic dinosaur bones inside. He then went on holiday for a week. Little bear is five and one half years old. He got bored very quickly indeed and delegated it to me. I don't have the energy.
So, there we are with this plaster brick with bits of plastic sticking out, sitting in the middle of one of my nicer dishes (thanks, darling father) and a complete lack of interest. OH decides then to cut to the chase. He picks it up and throws it hard repeatedly at my front steps. However he doesn't realise that it isn't a complete skeleton in there, just some bones that have to be put together. Poor OH was suddenly faced with a lot of plaster rubble and some parts that needed assembly - and some parts missing! So then he and little bear were scratching at all the bigger lumps and squashing them and rubbing them against the concrete to see if any more small plastic pieces would show up.
Sigh. My front steps look like they have been donkey stoned, I have almost a full glow-in-the dark tyrannosaur skeleton adorning the side table and I fully expect the ginger gentleman to turn up with the missing piece of the jaw claiming it as a legitimate trophy. And darling father escaped all the tension. Lucky him.
I am getting a lot less tolerant of random toys for little bear, and remarkably less tolerant of random toys with lots of small pieces. When little bear goes back to school I think it will be remarkable how many of these bits get 'eaten by mice'.
So, there we are with this plaster brick with bits of plastic sticking out, sitting in the middle of one of my nicer dishes (thanks, darling father) and a complete lack of interest. OH decides then to cut to the chase. He picks it up and throws it hard repeatedly at my front steps. However he doesn't realise that it isn't a complete skeleton in there, just some bones that have to be put together. Poor OH was suddenly faced with a lot of plaster rubble and some parts that needed assembly - and some parts missing! So then he and little bear were scratching at all the bigger lumps and squashing them and rubbing them against the concrete to see if any more small plastic pieces would show up.
Sigh. My front steps look like they have been donkey stoned, I have almost a full glow-in-the dark tyrannosaur skeleton adorning the side table and I fully expect the ginger gentleman to turn up with the missing piece of the jaw claiming it as a legitimate trophy. And darling father escaped all the tension. Lucky him.
I am getting a lot less tolerant of random toys for little bear, and remarkably less tolerant of random toys with lots of small pieces. When little bear goes back to school I think it will be remarkable how many of these bits get 'eaten by mice'.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Must stop shopping!
I suspect I have used this post title before...
Little bear, OH and I popped into town to do a few bits and for little bear to buy something nice for OH. OH promised to introduce me to a cafe they had found which was really nice. It was also tucked away, just opposite the Leeds City Varieties.
It was lovely - a really nice, clean place which serves veggie and vegan food. It had purple walls (which is not always a good sign) but lovely clean tables, tasty food, and an indulgent attitude to little bear, which always endears places to me. It also had chocolate cake. Chocolate cake is surprisingly low calorie when eaten next to little bear - he ate most of it!
Then after a not inexpensive snack little bear and I went shopping. We were taking a short cut past Charbonnel et Walker and there was a note on their door for inexpensive chocolates, short dated. So, nostalgic for the memory of the rose creams my grandmother used to get at Christmas, I got a half price bo that was very small for the cost. As little bear was there, I also asked for two strawberry creams, as I didn't like to ask for just one.
TWO POUNDS AND TWENTY ONE PENCE FOR TWO CHOCOLATES! I nearly told them to put them back! Little bear has had one, and said it was very nice. He will have the other later and then he will have a loooooong wait until the next one - possibly until he can buy his own. Over one pound for a chocolate that is the size of a votive candle, though to be fair it probably tastes nice than a votive candle.
Then we wandered into the market. I bought a new sink drainer as I was fretting about getting my current wire one clean enough and a large bag of fresh peas for china chilo. Those purchases, while I could have managed without, were unexceptional. The trilby I accidentally bought for little bear (actually intended for darling father, but fitted little bear so well that I just accepted the inevitable) was less excusable. Then another drink in the lovely cafe and little bear is now at soft play with his Dad.
I have seen a wastepaper bin I would love for the study. The old one could perhaps do with replacing. However I think I will try and hold off until after Christmas. Actually, I need to hold off on practically everything until after Christmas.
Little bear, OH and I popped into town to do a few bits and for little bear to buy something nice for OH. OH promised to introduce me to a cafe they had found which was really nice. It was also tucked away, just opposite the Leeds City Varieties.
It was lovely - a really nice, clean place which serves veggie and vegan food. It had purple walls (which is not always a good sign) but lovely clean tables, tasty food, and an indulgent attitude to little bear, which always endears places to me. It also had chocolate cake. Chocolate cake is surprisingly low calorie when eaten next to little bear - he ate most of it!
Then after a not inexpensive snack little bear and I went shopping. We were taking a short cut past Charbonnel et Walker and there was a note on their door for inexpensive chocolates, short dated. So, nostalgic for the memory of the rose creams my grandmother used to get at Christmas, I got a half price bo that was very small for the cost. As little bear was there, I also asked for two strawberry creams, as I didn't like to ask for just one.
TWO POUNDS AND TWENTY ONE PENCE FOR TWO CHOCOLATES! I nearly told them to put them back! Little bear has had one, and said it was very nice. He will have the other later and then he will have a loooooong wait until the next one - possibly until he can buy his own. Over one pound for a chocolate that is the size of a votive candle, though to be fair it probably tastes nice than a votive candle.
Then we wandered into the market. I bought a new sink drainer as I was fretting about getting my current wire one clean enough and a large bag of fresh peas for china chilo. Those purchases, while I could have managed without, were unexceptional. The trilby I accidentally bought for little bear (actually intended for darling father, but fitted little bear so well that I just accepted the inevitable) was less excusable. Then another drink in the lovely cafe and little bear is now at soft play with his Dad.
I have seen a wastepaper bin I would love for the study. The old one could perhaps do with replacing. However I think I will try and hold off until after Christmas. Actually, I need to hold off on practically everything until after Christmas.
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