Messymascot's faith in humanity and ginger safe haven

[jazzy]

Well, all sorted with the packing and everything. Just need to sort out my posh sausage butties for lunch now and then I'm ready to go. Sure I've forgotten something and it will probably come to me when we'r 10,000 feet in the air. Weighed the case to make sure I'm within the limit and thought I might as well weigh myself too. It isn't something I do too often. Anyway since I was weighed a year last November when I had a medical before doing a stem transfer for my brother, I have actually lost nearly one and a half stone. I could tell from my clothes that I had lost weight but I'm quite chuffed with that.

Anyway, if I thought my trip up to Liverpool was going to go without hitches I've just learned otherwise. Had a call from my sister. I was meant to be going out with them tonight for her birthday but her son has had a positive lateral flow test for work. He took one yesterday which was negative. He has zero symptoms but is only 31 and fully vaccinated so that wouldn't be a surprise. Anyway, if the PCR results don't comer back by tonight then dinner is off. It's a double whammy for me because I had ever intention of getting him pissed before explaining to him the delights of cruising. On boats may I add.

Weather down here is beautiful and I hope it stays that way for the flight. I think I've booked a window seat but it's that long since I've been on a plane I don't know. 6F.

a lot of blue sky up here too Fred , bon voyage

 

[Barnfred 55]

Since my last post, I had a message on Facebook from another mate who was organising a night out on Tuesday. He's also come down with covid, no symptoms. He's left a mate in charge of arranging it. A great lad who I've been mates with since I was 11, but a real Mr Unreliable. Ah well.

 

[Barnfred 55]

a lot of blue sky up here too Fred , bon voyage

Haha. The flight got in 30 mins early. I was playing a game on my phone and the plane started shuddering I thought crap what's that. We'd just landed.?

 

[Bluetintedspecs]

I used to love the adverts for the mash potato. Was it Smash? The ones with the little robots falling about laughing "They peel them with their metal knives .hahahaha" lol

"Then they smash them all to biiiiits." Yeah love that ad.

This is my favourite ad though.

 

[Bluetintedspecs]

Hi Bts.

Dog is still hobbling but no deterioration and no obvious pain with his painkillers. He is happy , still tries to run , wags his tail and has a good appetite.

Mrs J as Macca would sing is " getting better every day".

Thanks for asking amigo.

That's good to hear Jazzy

 

[Bluetintedspecs]

My Dad is definitely improving slowly on a week to week basis, don't think at nearly 87 he'll get back to where he was though and I think we will be having an awkward discussion soon about him giving up driving.
My brother is back from Thailand next week so an opportunity for us to sit down and look at our options for their ongoing care.

Glad to hear things are looking brighter for your dad. Hopefully you and the family can sort out a plan for the ongoing care for your mum and dad soon.

Your daughter sounds like an absolute diamond, by the way. You must be very proud of her.

 

[Sassy Colombian]

My apologies for the multiquoting but my option is doing this or multi posting , and sometimes one has to be pragmatic lol

Good morning on this fine day ,I hope all had a good sleep and wake bright and shiny .
+4° here so tee shirt weather ! I am mostly doing wood again today as I clear the decks before I chop some trees down .
For those interested this is about the best time as the sap has dropped and it will now dry faster ,we will use birch which has a bark that can be used as fire lighter ,we chop it down and then let it dry for a couple of seasons .
We also ( which is a bit different ) have a barrel in the sauna and fill that with wood so it dries as we burn ,we also put a metal plate on top of the coals and cook sausages once a year or so .
Have a great day all .

You are sure have gotten use to Finland's coldness, it has to be at least 18° for me to be tee shirt weather lol

I bet it smell great getting in the sauna with the birch burning, that's one aspect that Covid ruined for me since the sauna I used was at the gym and since the pandemic began they have kept it closed. Thankfully I still have our jacuzzi outdoors which was my salvation during lockdown.

Morning Guys, a huge 45 minute sleep in today, blessed.

Have a great day everyone. I'. feeling ok see if the suns out before I decide which route to walk madam.

Terrain, it made me so happy to read your post of sleeping well, having a good restful nigh can make such a difference in how we feel throughout the day

Morning one and all.

A few shout outs first....

@Sassy Colombian hope you and Mr SC are getting better and you have good news on the job front.

@Barnfred 55 hope that your have a good journey north and that whilst the next week will have sad and poignant moments that you are able to enjoy your week.

@larbert toffee how are things with mum and dad? Travelling back today?

@Armaghtoffee hope yesterday was better than the day before and that today is even better.

OK so woke to a couple of good bits of sports related news. England putting up a fight in the final test even though it is a dead rubber. Labuschanes dismissal was absolutely hilarious.

Similarly , also in Australia, Djokovic finally gets his visa revoked by the Immigration minister. Despite Serbian protestations this must be the correct decision given his reful to be vaccinated, errors in completing the forms and his blatant disregard for safety after he tested positive.

So weather looks good so I will continue to work in the garden and tidy up for the visit of my cousin and his partner who will look after mum and animals whilst we are away.

Have a lovely day everyone.

Jazzy, I'm finally starting to recover and so is the Mr. but our daughter had another rough day yesterday. Seeing one's child in any sort of agony can be very distressful so yesterday was that kind of day for me but today she seems to be over her fever and on her way to recovery just like us. Thanks for checking. I hope Mrs. J ear is also doing much better.

I also woke up to the news of Djokovic and I agree it is the correct decision, He is entitle to not get vaccinated as his right but it is also a choice that he has made and the Australian government also have the right and the choice to revoke its visa. Moreover, this whole circus has taken away from coverage of the other tennis players that are following the rules.

Morning all,

@Barnfred 55 safe journey mate. Enjoy your trip to Liverpool. It will no doubt be emotional for you, but good to spend time with loved ones.

@larbert toffee hope your dad is on the mend and you're managing to sort everything out.

@jazzy hope Mrs J is feeling better and back to her normal self for your trip. How's your old dog getting on, by the way?

@Sassy Colombian hope you and the family are feeling better after your illness. Any news o the job?

Hope everyone has a great day.

No news on the job yet but I'm not surprised, there is a lot of jobs currently available at my college so Human Resource is busier than usual and when it is usual it can takes several weeks before one gets invited to an interview so the waiting game continues.

Thanks for everyone that has checked about my job and @blue1948 I wish I had the same faith as you that I'm going to get it but unfortunately I'm not 100% convinced. We shall see what happens. Regardless it will be a win either way.

Morning all.

Just sitting in my car, trying to work up the motivation to get out and walk to the gym. Been an exhausting week but quite productive/rewarding.

Hope everyone else is doing well and managing to avoid those January blues.

Brett, I can exactly relate to that feeling. Today I decided to go back to the gym after being sick and I was having a hard time motivating myself to walkout the door but once I got there and did my workout I felt much better. I hope it was the same for you!

Morning all, all okay thanks Jazzy, my Dad is continuing to slowly improve, I had a busy few days, I'm on fist name terms with the local pharmacist she has been brilliant with me helping getting his meds sorted, I also got all of his utilities and phone sorted out, now back home but my eldest lad and his missus are down there for the weekend so my mind is at ease.
I'm back down on Moday but will be staying for a week, I'll be joined on Friday by my friend, youngest son and my eldest Grandson coming down for the Villa game.
My Grandson is 9 and it will be his first time at Goodison, it's going to be a surprise for him he just thinks he'd coming down for a visit, the way we're playing though I might take him to Chester zoo instead?
You guys and girls have a great day.

Lt, that's great to hear your dad's health is improving even if it is slowly. Your whole family seems to be doing such a great effort taking care and accompanying your parents at all times, they are very fortunate you all care so much about them.

Chester zoo may be indeed a more exciting affair ?

Morning all, another lovely sunrise after a frosty night. Didn’t sleep too well, I usually listen to podcasts to while away the small hours. Last night’s was “The Laughing Cavalier“ who apparently isn’t laughing at all it’s just his upturned moustache which makes it appear that he is. I’m sure you all feel better for knowing thatlol. Safe journey @Barnfred 55, have a good walk with the boss @Terrarian and have a great day everyone else.

Sorry to hear you didn't sleep well dear @Gwladysover Maybe a nap this afternoon will serve you well, do you indulge in such thing?

Good morning all. What a wonderful day for doing something wild like taking all your clothes off, strapping your legs around your neck and saying, how's this for a oven ready turkey.

Hey darling, if you decide to go for the oven ready turkey pose then feel free to post a pic for us on the Birds Thread lol

Busy morning ahead. Getting picked up at 12 to go to the airport. I'll try and back track this mornings posts before I leave. Need to shower, pack and make some brunch so should find some time later.

Have a safe flight to Liverpool, Fred! I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. xx

Morning Fred.

A Irish blessing before your travels:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

May good luck be with you Wherever you go, and your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow.

May your days be many and your troubles be few, May all God’s blessings descend upon you, May peace be within you, May your heart be strong, May you find what you’re seeking wherever you roam.

May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been
the foresight to know where you’re going
and the insight to know when you’re going too far.

What a lovely Irish blessing!

Hi Bts.

Dog is still hobbling but no deterioration and no obvious pain with his painkillers. He is happy , still tries to run , wags his tail and has a good appetite.

Mrs J as Macca would sing is " getting better every day".

Thanks for asking amigo.

That's good to hear. When he loses his appetite that's when it will be more concerning but as long as he continues eating well then there is hope. May his good appetite continue for a long time.

Hopefully the warm Caribbean weather will finally get Mrs. J to finish her recovery so she can have a great time at the cruise.

The wonders of modern science ,having a sore elbow I phoned a doctor friend ,it seems I have tennis elbow which is surprising as the last time I played was years ago . So ice packs it is and no chopping wood the boss says .

Oh no, tennis elbow sounds painful, I hope it doesn't last too long.

 

[jazzy]

Thought I'd throw the gang a curveball.

Just watching a Sky documentary on UFOs.

Very well made 4 parter.

So , are you believers - is the truth out there or is it BS?

 

[blue1948]

Since my last post, I had a message on Facebook from another mate who was organising a night out on Tuesday. He's also come down with covid, no symptoms. He's left a mate in charge of arranging it. A great lad who I've been mates with since I was 11, but a real Mr Unreliable. Ah well.

Thought I'd throw the gang a curveball.

Just watching a Sky documentary on UFOs.

Very well made 4 parter.

So , are you believers - is the truth out there or is it BS?

I love a good conspiracy so I am in the yes camp ,there was program on it many years ago with Dave Allen where he had scientists work out the probability ,I found it riveting .I will try to find it and post a link .

 

[roydo]

Thought I'd throw the gang a curveball.

Just watching a Sky documentary on UFOs.

Very well made 4 parter.

So , are you believers - is the truth out there or is it BS?

I believe there are UFOs. I just dont believe they are anything other than secret military trials of new jets and stuff.

Not saying there is, or could be, intelligent life somewhere in the vastness of space, just that they havnt ever visited us.

 

[Harryflashman]

@Barnfred 55 hope the trip up north goes well mate .

 

[Sassy Colombian]

Happy Friday, friends!

I finally have some time early in the day to catch up to this thread, as I mentioned in my previous post yesterday was another hectic day for me not only at work but with my daughter as she was the sicker yesterday but it seems she has already turned for the best and is doing much better today. This morning I made it to the gym for the first time in weeks and it was struggle but I definitely felt great so I'm very glad I made the effort. My work laptop is having issues today so I'm waiting for IT to get me a new another one which means I can finally take a break from work. Now that it is January the weather in Asheville has done a fully turn from the spring temperatures that we were experiencing a couple of weeks ago and for this weekend we are expected to get anywhere between 8-16 inches of snow and if it really happens then everything will shut down. Eventhough we live in the mountains, most people are not used to maneuver in this type of weather and only the main roads will be cleared so it becomes almost impossible to leave your house, although my hubby is very good at driving on the snow so we will be out if necessary.

Like @Barnfred 55 I'm still supper annoyed about Benitez getting rid off Digne. I’m not sure if you have all read the message he posted on Instagram (here it is) but it seems that just like James, Benitez just pushed him out of the club and hasn’t been honest about the player.

 

[Sassy Colombian]

Thought I'd throw the gang a curveball.

Just watching a Sky documentary on UFOs.

Very well made 4 parter.

So , are you believers - is the truth out there or is it BS?

I’m definitely a believer, it would naive for us to pretend we are the only beings populating such vast universe. Moreover, I also believe earlier humans had interactions with aliens and previous civilizations may have benefited from such interaction.

What are your thoughts?

 

[blue1948]

I love a good conspiracy so I am in the yes camp ,there was program on it many years ago with Dave Allen where he had scientists work out the probability ,I found it riveting .I will try to find it and post a link .

No luck finding a link but the essence of it was that even if there happened to be another "human race" that the window in their development would need to be within a few hundred years of ours or they might not understand us .
It was about the time of the Voyager when they placed a capsule with some symbolic message and they went on to determine the point of the whole thing .

 

[Armaghtoffee]

Thought I'd throw the gang a curveball.

Just watching a Sky documentary on UFOs.

Very well made 4 parter.

So , are you believers - is the truth out there or is it BS?

We definitely aren’t alone.

Went to a Brian Cox lecture in Belfast about 5 years ago and he stated his opinion that there is life out there although we don’t know the sophistication of it. It may be bacteria (most likely) but we also may through our endeavours to reach out across the universe reveal our existence to a life form more advanced than us.

It still chills me now that.