Great news about bébé en rouge. I can't get the image of the little chap driving round Paris swaddled up like a papoose out of my head.
I went to Kew Gardens on Monday which was fab. Lovely weather and a gentle stroll round the woodland garden and a look at the new temperate house. I thought of all our New Zealand, Australian and South African shipmates as there were a lot of plants from thsoe countries.
There are different levels of first aid qualification - 25 hours, 16 hours and 5 hours. I have held all of them at different times and they cover different things - most cover CPR and basic first aid, but the 25 hours will allow you to be the First Aider for a workplace.
This one is two days, 8:30-4:30, so probably closest to the middle one. I don't know that I'd want to be "the" first-aider for anywhere, but no learning is ever wasted, is it?
This morning the lovely lady looking after my allotment brought around today's harvest of strawberries and rhubarb (I keep telling her to be sure to keep plenty for herself) so I shall be doing something with them together (not really a waste of good strawberries as they are all slightly nibbled by little slimy creatures). Virtual rhubarb & strawberry compote, anyone?
Rhubarb and strawberry crumble? I can send virtual crumble topping ...
After several days of lovely summer, the temperature has plummeted from 22° yesterday to 10° today, complete with rain, wind and universal dreichness. This aberration isn't supposed to last: normal service is expected to resume tomorrow.
But why did the Almighty* decide to send the one day of lousy weather on the day when the Guild of St. Joseph (the Cathedral men's association, aka the Holy Joes) are having their annual barbecue?
Interesting day of being recognised by people I don't know because of my whizzy knee scooter and not being recognised by people I do know because of it. And of being told by a well meaning googler that I have wrongly chosen a train route that I have carefully devised in order to minimise platform changes for an Epic Journey to the seaside tomorrow. Thankfully the rail franchise understands what I am doing and will help me on & off each train.
I have begun to get bored of this immobility and am starting to count the days down (5).
Come on, chaps - there must be a little virtual cider left ...
The barbecue was actually a very couth* affair (the eating was done indoors) - nice nibbly things while we waited for things to be cooked, a glass or two of WINE, decent burgers and some very good salads to go with them. And very congenial company.
As predicted, today's weather is unutterably gorgeous (currently 24° and sunny), and the heat's set to continue into the weekend.
As the finance monster has been temporarily vanquished**, we treated ourselves to a rather good lunch in one of our favourite restaurants: a shared kale, nut and cranberry salad to start, then smoked fish-cake for me and haddock with pico de gallo for D., who then had a really good lemon cheesecake with lemon sorbet (of which I had a few bites), all washed down with a glass of very decent French Sauvignon Blanc.
* the opposite of "uncouth", i.e. very civilised.
** When you transfer money electronically, how can it take 2-3 business days? My brother transferred some money that wasn't included in Dad's estate and told me it had gone from his account, but it hasn't appeared yet in ours. Where does it go in the meantime? Does it stop off in Reykjavik for a swim in the Blue Lagoon?
[...] ** When you transfer money electronically, how can it take 2-3 business days? My brother transferred some money that wasn't included in Dad's estate and told me it had gone from his account, but it hasn't appeared yet in ours. Where does it go in the meantime? Does it stop off in Reykjavik for a swim in the Blue Lagoon?
I guess that was probably a rhetorical question, Piglet, but I think many other people wonder about this, me included. In my experience, you have to pay extra in some places if you want immediate transfer (=extra cash for the bank); and any additional days 'your' money's just floating around somewhere, it is in fact with one or the other of the banks, so again, there's temporarily some extra cash in it for them. Or perhaps they have to check because of money laundering laws, which might take a while?
Some financial institutes offer immediate transfer if you do it yourself with e-banking, but you can't do that with everything, or don't want to.
VERY annoying. My commiserations. I hope it'll work out well in the end!
Epic Journey was successful - each train had a ramp, making the gap over to the platform un-scarey. The English seaside was very English - no sun, instead drizzle and a strong breeze, which was challenging for many in my flute orchestra (we had a summer gig there) although we were tucked away nicely in a rather smart glazed bandstand. I think we'd have gone for a paddle if the sun had made an appearance.
@Wesley J, I think you're probably right - my brother said he'd used the cheapest international transfer, for which I don't blame him in the least. Bank transfers - and banking generally - are a form of daylight robbery.
It's another very hot day here - 29°, but quite low humidity, so not too unpleasant (although we do have one air-conditioner on).
Must go and sort out the bread that's almost finished doing its thing - fortunately our oven is quite well sealed, so baking it shouldn't heat the house too much.
We had crashing storms last night. Good dogs just slept on through
Keir has his call up papers. He’s leaving us to go to Big School in Leeds wb 23rd July. We’ll miss him, he’s been the best puppy yet - so gentle. New baby probably in August, ‘tho it could be earlier if there’s a glut.
No storms here (yet), though a little gentle rain would be welcome (!).
Good news, I guess, re Keir, but yes, I'm sure you'll miss him. New Baby will be fun, too, though, no?
Funnily enough, I happened to drive past a chap walking his Black Labrador today, and that reminded me of you and your dogs! Black Lab had a shine on him that almost hurt the eyes....
I've just walked a kilometre taking a good 30 minutes and needing 4 stops to catch my breath. Still, it's the furthest I've managed since this last treatment, so I need to look at the positives. It is only going to get better...longing for the return of my taste buds though.
Well done, Dormouse, but don't overdo it!!! Small steps, and never more of them than you can manage!
I really must do a bit more ambling - I always seem to find an excuse - too hot, too wet, whatever.
However ...
... drum-roll ...
I think I might have lost a little weight! A couple of years ago, when we were over the Pond, I bought a pair of culottes, which got kind of forgotten about when we were moving and our non-summer-specific clothes were in storage. I had tried them on a few months back, and couldn't even get the edges to meet, let alone get the buttons done up, and felt rather cross with myself. I put them away and thought, maybe one day ... Today I decided they'd go nicely with the new top and waistcoat I treated myself to the other day, and lo and behold! they fitted perfectly. All that poverty-induced abstinence (which included cutting down my WINE consumption*) must have had some effect.
It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good!
* Not that I'd want to cut it out altogether, you understand - as the Apostle Paul said, "take a little wine for thy stomach's sake".
My GP told me recently I was becoming a Fat Git (he didn't actually use those words!), and said I needed to lose some weight (mostly off my tummy, which has a distinct southward inclination).
Much of the said weight is steroid-medication-induced (honest, Guv), but I do try to eat modestly and healthily, snacking on nuts, radishes, fruit etc., and almost eliminating CHOCOLATE (O woe!). Lately, I've noticed that I need to tighten my belt a little, so maybe this Abstinence is beginning to work!
BF, I’m in the same (somewhat overloaded) boat but I have found that we chaps can lose weight faster than the ladies. Good luck!
On the subject of bank transfers they usually operate on an input day+processing day+output day cycle so if the transaction gets in by close of play Wednesday it should be at its destination on Friday. That’s if it hasn’t changed radically in thirty years, which I don’t believe to be the case
Bravo piglet!
Agreed on the bank transfers. A particular irritation of ours at the moment is paying nursery - we use a voucher scheme thing. So MrJt9 pays the scheme, who then sit on the money for 5 days before transferring it to the nursery.
There's someone making a lot of money out of it, and you can bet it isn't you or me. We've found with Canadian banks that transferring money can take an inordinate amount of time (despite the fact that they charge us a tenner a month for the privilege of them benefitting from our custom).
We nearly lost our house in Newfoundland because of their inefficiency. We'd sold our house in Belfast, and D. had arranged the transfer of the price of the house we were buying, but because the Canadian bank thought it should take a week, the cheque he wrote to pay for it bounced, and the seller thought (not unreasonably) that we were messing her about and sold it to someone else. Luckily for us, the other buyer couldn't raise the cash, so the seller came back to us, and this time D. assured the Canadian bank in no uncertain terms that the money was in the account, and would they kindly extract the digit and get on with it (not his exact words - he's too much of a gentleman ).
IIRC at one point the bank here said another transfer from the UK would take three weeks, which is just ridiculous (and I think turned out to be wrong).
At one point the bank here said another transfer from the UK would take three weeks.
It sounds as if they intended to stuff the money in a case, send it by horse and cart to the docks and place it in the hold of a tramp steamer. I mean - they could have used one of those new-fangled airships - large denominations notes can't be that heavy! [Devil]
On a similar subject, it took nearly that long for the internet to reach our house - Mr. S wondered if the missionary had to bring it up the hill on a donkey. It wasn't as if the previous owners hadn't had it, so no-one was having to dig a trench and fill it with electrons.
Well done Piglet on there being less of you - I hope you're enjoying those culottes.
After a day recovering from the excitement of a day at the seaside, today has begun with busyness - washing is on the go, and I'm about to start on a batch of pumpkin rolls (part of freezer decluttering). I've not made these before so I'll not offer them up for a virtual tasting session until I see how they turn out.
At one point the bank here said another transfer from the UK would take three weeks.
It sounds as if they intended to stuff the money in a case, send it by horse and cart to the docks and place it in the hold of a tramp steamer. I mean - they could have used one of those new-fangled airships - large denominations notes can't be that heavy! [Devil]
It's absolute idiocy the way in which banks treat us. Money transfers are now merely bits and bytes. Once upon a time I worked in institutional banking. We would transfer funds bank-to-bank in minutes, let alone interbank, and the delay was really just getting a human to punch keys and verify, on both sides of the transfer. On the retail side (i.e., private customers like you and me), I've noticed that the restrictions, time frames, etc., that currently obtain are those of a much less technologised era. My suspicion is that the delay in dispensing funds, cumulatively, gives the banks a huge pool of funds of which they can make use, interest free.
I assume that's why. Anyhow, it appeared today, and I spent a pleasant hour or two at the shopping centre this afternoon making some of it disappear ...
Well done Piglet on there being less of you - I hope you're enjoying those culottes.
I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable they were. Sometimes I think the shape or design of a piece of clothing makes all the difference - today I bought a smock top from a shop where I usually have to buy the plus sizes (which the branch here doesn't stock), but because of its loose (and reasonably long*) design I could get away with their biggest "normal" size.
* I'm a vertically-challenged piglet, but I have a relatively long back, and there is no such thing as a top that's too long!
It can take up to four weeks for cheques to go through international negotiation, and probably costs the earth. Never accept payment by foreign cheque, people.
It's a very warm day here (27° and a wee bit close) - I was glad of the air-con in the house, the Pigletmobile and the hairdresser's. Having said that, I've turned the coolers off in the house (but left the door open) and it's really quite nice. I may even go out for a little amble later when it cools down a bit.
Please kindly to cross all fingers, toes and other crossable appendages. If baby en rouge can keep his oxygen saturation up while sucking, they'll let him out of hospital on Sunday.
Comments
I went to Kew Gardens on Monday which was fab. Lovely weather and a gentle stroll round the woodland garden and a look at the new temperate house. I thought of all our New Zealand, Australian and South African shipmates as there were a lot of plants from thsoe countries.
There are different levels of first aid qualification - 25 hours, 16 hours and 5 hours. I have held all of them at different times and they cover different things - most cover CPR and basic first aid, but the 25 hours will allow you to be the First Aider for a workplace.
He obviously is as feisty a Little Person as ever graduated with honours from the most arduous feistiness course at Feisty Town University....
IJ
This morning the lovely lady looking after my allotment brought around today's harvest of strawberries and rhubarb (I keep telling her to be sure to keep plenty for herself) so I shall be doing something with them together (not really a waste of good strawberries as they are all slightly nibbled by little slimy creatures). Virtual rhubarb & strawberry compote, anyone?
Is it legal to eat it with clotted cream?
BTW, full marks to your allotment-looker-after. One of the (however many) Corporal Works Of Charity mentioned in mediaeval bokes of devotion, I think.
IJ
After several days of lovely summer, the temperature has plummeted from 22° yesterday to 10° today, complete with rain, wind and universal dreichness. This aberration isn't supposed to last: normal service is expected to resume tomorrow.
But why did the Almighty* decide to send the one day of lousy weather on the day when the Guild of St. Joseph (the Cathedral men's association, aka the Holy Joes) are having their annual barbecue?
* or Trump - it's probably his fault.
Perhaps next year the Holy Joes could plan their BBQ for the summer......O, wait a minute.....
IJ
IJ
Or perhaps a nice CLARET?
IJ
Interesting day of being recognised by people I don't know because of my whizzy knee scooter and not being recognised by people I do know because of it. And of being told by a well meaning googler that I have wrongly chosen a train route that I have carefully devised in order to minimise platform changes for an Epic Journey to the seaside tomorrow. Thankfully the rail franchise understands what I am doing and will help me on & off each train.
I have begun to get bored of this immobility and am starting to count the days down (5).
Now where is that cider?
Hic.
(But enjoy the Epic Journey, anyway!)
IJ
The barbecue was actually a very couth* affair (the eating was done indoors) - nice nibbly things while we waited for things to be cooked, a glass or two of WINE, decent burgers and some very good salads to go with them. And very congenial company.
As predicted, today's weather is unutterably gorgeous (currently 24° and sunny), and the heat's set to continue into the weekend.
As the finance monster has been temporarily vanquished**, we treated ourselves to a rather good lunch in one of our favourite restaurants: a shared kale, nut and cranberry salad to start, then smoked fish-cake for me and haddock with pico de gallo for D., who then had a really good lemon cheesecake with lemon sorbet (of which I had a few bites), all washed down with a glass of very decent French Sauvignon Blanc.
* the opposite of "uncouth", i.e. very civilised.
** When you transfer money electronically, how can it take 2-3 business days? My brother transferred some money that wasn't included in Dad's estate and told me it had gone from his account, but it hasn't appeared yet in ours. Where does it go in the meantime? Does it stop off in Reykjavik for a swim in the Blue Lagoon?
I guess that was probably a rhetorical question, Piglet, but I think many other people wonder about this, me included. In my experience, you have to pay extra in some places if you want immediate transfer (=extra cash for the bank); and any additional days 'your' money's just floating around somewhere, it is in fact with one or the other of the banks, so again, there's temporarily some extra cash in it for them. Or perhaps they have to check because of money laundering laws, which might take a while?
Some financial institutes offer immediate transfer if you do it yourself with e-banking, but you can't do that with everything, or don't want to.
VERY annoying. My commiserations. I hope it'll work out well in the end!
Time for mulled cider I think.
It's another very hot day here - 29°, but quite low humidity, so not too unpleasant (although we do have one air-conditioner on).
Must go and sort out the bread that's almost finished doing its thing - fortunately our oven is quite well sealed, so baking it shouldn't heat the house too much.
Keir has his call up papers. He’s leaving us to go to Big School in Leeds wb 23rd July. We’ll miss him, he’s been the best puppy yet - so gentle. New baby probably in August, ‘tho it could be earlier if there’s a glut.
Good news, I guess, re Keir, but yes, I'm sure you'll miss him. New Baby will be fun, too, though, no?
Funnily enough, I happened to drive past a chap walking his Black Labrador today, and that reminded me of you and your dogs! Black Lab had a shine on him that almost hurt the eyes....
IJ
I really must do a bit more ambling - I always seem to find an excuse - too hot, too wet, whatever.
However ...
... drum-roll ...
I think I might have lost a little weight! A couple of years ago, when we were over the Pond, I bought a pair of culottes, which got kind of forgotten about when we were moving and our non-summer-specific clothes were in storage. I had tried them on a few months back, and couldn't even get the edges to meet, let alone get the buttons done up, and felt rather cross with myself. I put them away and thought, maybe one day ... Today I decided they'd go nicely with the new top and waistcoat I treated myself to the other day, and lo and behold! they fitted perfectly. All that poverty-induced abstinence (which included cutting down my WINE consumption*) must have had some effect.
It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good!
* Not that I'd want to cut it out altogether, you understand - as the Apostle Paul said, "take a little wine for thy stomach's sake".
My GP told me recently I was becoming a Fat Git (he didn't actually use those words!), and said I needed to lose some weight (mostly off my tummy, which has a distinct southward inclination).
Much of the said weight is steroid-medication-induced (honest, Guv), but I do try to eat modestly and healthily, snacking on nuts, radishes, fruit etc., and almost eliminating CHOCOLATE (O woe!). Lately, I've noticed that I need to tighten my belt a little, so maybe this Abstinence is beginning to work!
IJ
On the subject of bank transfers they usually operate on an input day+processing day+output day cycle so if the transaction gets in by close of play Wednesday it should be at its destination on Friday. That’s if it hasn’t changed radically in thirty years, which I don’t believe to be the case
Agreed on the bank transfers. A particular irritation of ours at the moment is paying nursery - we use a voucher scheme thing. So MrJt9 pays the scheme, who then sit on the money for 5 days before transferring it to the nursery.
We nearly lost our house in Newfoundland because of their inefficiency. We'd sold our house in Belfast, and D. had arranged the transfer of the price of the house we were buying, but because the Canadian bank thought it should take a week, the cheque he wrote to pay for it bounced, and the seller thought (not unreasonably) that we were messing her about and sold it to someone else. Luckily for us, the other buyer couldn't raise the cash, so the seller came back to us, and this time D. assured the Canadian bank in no uncertain terms that the money was in the account, and would they kindly extract the digit and get on with it (not his exact words - he's too much of a gentleman
IIRC at one point the bank here said another transfer from the UK would take three weeks, which is just ridiculous (and I think turned out to be wrong).
Mrs. S, happy to have connectivity again
After a day recovering from the excitement of a day at the seaside, today has begun with busyness - washing is on the go, and I'm about to start on a batch of pumpkin rolls (part of freezer decluttering). I've not made these before so I'll not offer them up for a virtual tasting session until I see how they turn out.
It's absolute idiocy the way in which banks treat us. Money transfers are now merely bits and bytes. Once upon a time I worked in institutional banking. We would transfer funds bank-to-bank in minutes, let alone interbank, and the delay was really just getting a human to punch keys and verify, on both sides of the transfer. On the retail side (i.e., private customers like you and me), I've noticed that the restrictions, time frames, etc., that currently obtain are those of a much less technologised era. My suspicion is that the delay in dispensing funds, cumulatively, gives the banks a huge pool of funds of which they can make use, interest free.
I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable they were. Sometimes I think the shape or design of a piece of clothing makes all the difference - today I bought a smock top from a shop where I usually have to buy the plus sizes (which the branch here doesn't stock), but because of its loose (and reasonably long*) design I could get away with their biggest "normal" size.
* I'm a vertically-challenged piglet, but I have a relatively long back, and there is no such thing as a top that's too long!
Interest free use, i.e., the banks do not pay to use it. Their use of it without cost generates income for them.
It had to be said. It's nice to keep cool in the summer heat.
Please kindly to cross all fingers, toes and other crossable appendages. If baby en rouge can keep his oxygen saturation up while sucking, they'll let him out of hospital on Sunday.