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[Lynne (Tigger's Mum)]

I’ve stuffed him full of home made pizza and a beer. It always works.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Well, I had a bit of a bonus today, I did a beanies order on Fri, it arrived yesterday, and then today I got another identical delivery. I was very good and rang to inform them, just got told 'happy Thursday, either keep it or share the love' - I'm going to keep half and share half. Lovely and sunny, but the phone said this morning it's -4 and felt like -8, not sure I've seen that before! My sister has found a box of old photo's, it's been lovely seeing pics of my grandparents weddings (they had two, one in England and one in Germany, as my nan was German) and engagement.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Afternoon, another sunny but cold day, yet by Mon we are forecast to be in double figures!! Another bonus today, my glasses are quite loose (they fell off my head when I was bending over unpacking shopping last week!), I thought I'd have to get a new pair, mentioned it to the friend I go walking with and she thought they could be tightened, I just popped to the optician round the corner (who i don't use!) and they did it free of charge, so that saved me buying a new pair. Just had to tell my neighbour off, she is talking about driving for her post op bloods next week, I pointed out it was too soon, she said I was told 2-4 weeks and it'll be nearly 2! The hospital told her it was when she could sit comfortably, but I pointed out the DVLA guidance is being able to do an emergency stop, or you aren't covered insurance wise. Might take her car keys off her. I knew she'd be impatient and pushing too much.

[M.T.]

It's been sunny but very cold the last few days. But it seems to be dry cold so it doesn't feel as nippy as it did over the weekend when it was damp and bitter. My iPad has been collected for mending but no sign of it yet. Will have to chase the insurers and find out what gives. Busy methodically going through the list of things I've been meaning to get round on my books. Some of those things have been on the list for 5 or 6 years so it's quite exciting ticking them all off. Lots to do though! Onwards and upwards. Looks like snow again now. Probably because I've put the washing out. It's very windy though so it'll freshen up nicely and I can finish it off in the dryer.

[Jim]

Yes, a dry cold, I've been getting on with some hedging :-)

[M.T.]

Talking of which ... I have to pop out for my walk and ring Mum. Much as I love her, it's hard work ringing her every day. Clearly, the time to ring is when the carers aren't there. She's very moithered and slow in the morning so I used to ring then but now she's too slow and only just gets downstairs before the carers arrive. So I have to ring in the afternoon after the lunch time crew has gone but before the pop-in-at-teatime visit. It's right in the middle of the afternoon, breaking it up from being the only long run I get at anything to two more pointlessly small chunks in which I achieve sweet fa.

It sounds horrible but the thought that McOther and I might put our son through years and years of similar misery is a pretty grim one. The idea of living through it isn't exactly peachy either.

Ho hum. On the up side. In the pissy snippet of time that's just ending I got all the changed book names and covers uploaded to the ISBN people and finished overhauling the listings on Google Play and adding new books to that. Now for Amazon, Kobo, D2D, Smashwords and the paperback people. On, on as Malthasar says in Galaxy Quest.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Glad you've at least got some things done off your to do list MT

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Urgh, I had a bad night sleep and typically my walking friend is up early! Seeing as my phone says it's -3 and feels like -9, can't say I'm in the mood for a walk, we'll have to find somewhere sheltered. Also got some errands to do this afternoon, my neighbour messed up the Asda order so I have to collect some of it from the store, I was supposed to pick up some click and collect orders yesterday, but said I'd rather go out once, unfortunately the slot is 4-5, but I am going to treat myself to takeaway pizza on the way home.

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

It's been utterly baltic here for the past couple of days. Beautiful blue skies and snow, but colder than a well digger's arse (to borrow a phrase from Tom Waits). Tomorrow is also meant to be cold but after that things should start to thaw. Hopefully. Ooh I'd like a takeaway pizza...

[Jim]

This evening got warmer

I walked down to the beach before dark to look at the ice washed up :-)

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Interesting walk with friend, not used to seeing such thick ice, we found one puddle that could hold our weight!! Didn't end up with takeaway pizza though, neighbour found someone on Facebook marketplace selling some cat food cheap, which meant I was the opposite side of town to the takeaway. Eye has been bad this weekend, good job i've got a checkup on Tue.

[M.T.]

Mum got wind that brother was visiting and was up at two thirty am to prepare. Wouldn't go back to bed but the carer did manage to persuade her to lie on her bed and read a magazine. Then I got called out of zoom church because she was trying to get ready - even though it had all been done - and the carer had to go and was worried about leaving her so I had to chat to her on the phone (to keep her sitting in her chair) until Bargain Hunt at 12.15 - guaranteed to keep her there, that one. I managed it, made myself a spot of lunch, brother and family have arrived and now I'm about to join the other church service at the point I left off the previous one. Jeepers.

Still, lovely to have a week off. Mum is absolutely lovely but she is very high maintenance at the moment and it's quite hard work.

Desley, I hope your eye is alright. I guess the cold wind isn't good for that kind of thing.

Jim, I do envy you being able to look at the sea so easily. Must be brilliant.

[Lynne (Tigger's Mum)]

I wish I could see the sea too - It is literally 50 yards in front of us but the rain is so hard and such low cloud it’s just all grey out there.
It’s so rough it’s taken the tv signal off so OH is having to watch the rugby on his iPad. It’s a bit galling when they say how sunny it is in Dublin. It’s not that far away.

[M.T.]

Blimey yes Lynne. Then again you are in Wales ... ;-) Hope the rugby is going well and not putting him in a bad mood.

[Lynne (Tigger's Mum)]

He’s happy with the rugby. It’s suddenly much milder, back to normal westerlies. Today’s adventure was a Tesco delivery.
I had to laugh at my daughter. She was anxious about us having any side effects from the vaccination. She’d heard that the second dose could give more problems than the first. She said we should make sure we have a few days clear in our diaries in case we were ill after the second dose. When everyday is clear it’s not hard to do.
I haven’t used my Filofax at all this year,

[Alicia]

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "I had to laugh at my daughter. She was anxious about us having any side effects from the vaccination. She’d heard that the second ..."

We lost a couple of days being under the weather, but it wasn't at all as bad as I expected from the reports.

4 more days and we will be through the two-week period after the second shot. Hope you are all well, and protected soon.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Had a rubbish night sleep and a 2 hour health and safety meeting to start my day with - turns out we are included in the people who will be given mental health first aid training next month, not sure how happy I am about that! Forgot to say, I picked up my cushions from Asda on Sat, went to put them on the bed on Sun, and found one is damaged, initially I was going to ask for a replacement, but 6 looks enough on the bed, so will get a refund instead. I got asked to complete a survey yesterday, when asked why I was unsure about recommending them, I pointed out that having two damaged products in a few weeks, and one of them having been bought with a voucher given after the first damaged product does put you off. Hospital rang last week cancelling my app for today, they tried offering me one for next month, which I refused and magically they found me one for tomorrow. Does mean though that today i have to take my neighbour for a blood test, tomorrow hospital and then Fri take her for a wound check.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

What an afternoon, had my eye check up at 3.45, luckily I told colleagues I wouldn't be back as I didn't get seen till 4.32 (I finish at 4.30!) - I knew I was going to be waiting when I had to sit in the corridor as the waiting room was full!! Eye hasn't cleared as well as hoped, so been put on a different regime for 4 weeks then a check, it hasn't felt comfortable since reducing last week, so not surprised. Then had an issue with my prescription so was just after 5 when I left the hospital. Neighbour needed me to pick up some cat food and take some parcels back to Next on the way home, I got stuck in traffic (no sympathy from her though, got told I should have found a different way home, but I knew part of the traffic was cos of a road being closed, so didn't want to risk it), turns out Next currently shut at 5, so I'd have never got there, will have to go back on Fri. Did call in at M & S for some food, felt I deserved a treat, got some cheese and marmite hot cross buns, percy pig drink and a vegan sandwich that is supposed to be really good. Got home to find neighbour had made soup, am sure her soup pan is too heavy for her to lift though.

[Alicia]

What a day! You are so kind to help the neighbor.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

That was just 3 hours Alicia!! The annoying part is that she is doing more than she should be.

[Alicia]

It seems cheeky to tell you HOW to do things when you are being kind enough by doing them.

Hope your eye responds - you and my husband have had a lot of eye problems, and they're scary.

[Jim]

Yes hope things are picking up with the eye problems.

[M.T.]

Blimey Desley, I hope things pick up with the eye and totally agree that was a little cheeky of the neighbour!

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Well, eye does feel a bit better with the increased steroid drops and i did put a dilating drop in last night too. Dry and windy here, had a funny moment before, we've been given a new folder to store our documents in, but when I went to use it, no one thought of giving us permission to use it!! Got a meeting this pm

Well, my friend said that if she'd sat in the hospital and then traffic, she'd have screamed if someone had said that to her. Ironically i've just had to ring a client who lives near the traffic i sat in and he told me there is no way round it. The one that annoyed me most was being told how to tablet her cat, I must have tableted hundreds of cats over the years, as well as her dog and rabbits!!

[Alicia]

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Well, eye does feel a bit better with the increased steroid drops and i did put a dilating drop in last night too. ..."

Good. And perceptive of your neighbor to admit that!

I think the people who keep complaining about getting meds into their pets somehow are proud of them (the pets) for 'fighting' - it seems silly when the pros (yourself included) do it routinely. 'My pet is special' taken too far. That said, the videos can be hilarious.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

It wasn't my neighbour who admitted it, that was a friend I was moaning to who said she wouldn't have been polite if someone said that to her! My old vet was quite relieved that I could admit exactly how bad one of my old cats was, as so many owners refuse to accept their animals are bad patients.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Ended up doing quite a few errands after work yesterday, was quite tired, but have been up since 2.30ish. Need to do some stuff at neighbours house, my walk, and some stuff at mine, and got a zoom birthday quiz this evening, which I'm looking forward to, even if I will be tired. I did get offered the Covid jab yesterday, but asked to be put on the next clinic, wasn't sure next week was the right time with my eye, ironically out of our team of 3, I was the last one to be offered, despite being the oldest with the most health issues.

[Alicia]

I CAN tell you once you get the shot, Desley, the stress goes down considerably, and two weeks after the second one, you feel like your old self in many ways.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Thanks Alicia, I've told them I will have it but just thought I had more risk of a reaction while my body is dealing with my eye than if I wait till the next one, which should be in a fortnight.

[Lynne (Tigger's Mum)]

Well just when I thought the weather couldn’t be any wilder, wetter or windier it cranks it up a notch. Forecast for us says it will stop raining about Thursday. I shall have webbed feet soon. Even the dog won’t go out in it willingly. He’s not stupid.
The weather is still taking out tv off perhaps we need to get some other system or new dish.
My Doberman’s is a peach to pill. He’s a real sweetie. Open wide and down they go - much easier than pilling cats.
My autocorrect changed that to pulling cars :o)

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Quite a good day yesterday, although I put the wrong socks on yesterday, rather than my boots rubbing my skin, I have a nice bruise! Neighbour is lucky I can bite my tongue, she has been craving lemon drizzle cake, one of the cafes we walked past were selling some, so I bought her a slice. Rather than a thank you, I got 'why did you only buy me one slice'. I was going to treat her, but am charging her for it now, and won't be bothering again. Zoom quiz and music bingo was really good fun, I came 13th mind, the first one I was quickest to answer was the publication order of 4 classics! Music bingo was really good, I won a round on that too, but no prizes sadly. Feel quite good to say how much I drank, just a bit tired, I do have some housework to do, but only one thing essential.

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

I am agog at your neighbour's behaviour Desley...

Got to drive to Aberdeen tomorrow for consultant appointment. Really don't want to.

[Jim]

Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) wrote: "I am agog at your neighbour's behaviour Desley...

Got to drive to Aberdeen tomorrow for consultant appointment. Really don't want to."

You and me both Rosemary. Well and truly agog! Hope your drive goes well, I had my vaccination yesterday, the local doctors surgeries have got together and are doing people in the health centre, it's working really well

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Thanks guys, glad I'm not being over sensitive. Annoyingly I'd already asked a friend to bake her a lemon drizzle cake and she'd already bought the lemons for it, so didn't want to say she didn't deserve it. She better be grateful for that, or I'll be taking it back with me!! Had a productive meeting this pm, but then went a bit to pot with the announcements, I now have to take a minimum of 3 days (with 1 already booked) by the end of March with nothing to do, luckily I don't have to take all 8. Asda have decided to give me a £5 voucher and £1 refund for my damaged cushion, which is annoying, with what I've already bought, there is nothing else I want from them, so might ring and see if they can cancel this and give me it all in cash, tell them that the quality is putting me off buying anything else.

[Lynne (Tigger's Mum)]

It’s lovely to help a neighbour but if she’s pushing the boundaries it’s not good for you.
It was such a lovely day yesterday but today is back to gales and rain. The dog was staring hard at the floor, I assumed he’d dropped a bit of his treats we stuff inside his rubber bone so I felt along to carpet, the lump of ‘stuffing’ I put my fingers on got up and ran fast up my hand. I don’t like spiders, my heart is still racing. Ugh!

[Jim]

I thought I'd play with the dictation on windows, see if I could write something in word

I said neither, and it came up with the following four interpretations. neevu lever Lisa noisy

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Took my neighbour food shopping yesterday, she did suggest driving herself, but I said I'd drive, it's the most strenuous thing she's done since her surgery, and I was concerned it would be too much (plus she can't go by herself due to lifting). She was struggling by the time we got to the till, and when I offered her blue badge back, she told me to keep it for a bit longer, so suspect she will still be getting me to do some running about, even though I try not to use it. I did at least get a thank you last night. She was going to test just popping up to the vets today, but there are roadworks, so it will be quicker for me to walk there and back than either of us drive. Shame it's so windy mind, but the exercise will do me good.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Urgh, so that was a frustrating day, spent 26 mins arguing with a customer service man at Asda, he was very reluctant to put me through to a manager then kept telling me it was pointless to put in a written complaint. So after going to the vets and chippy for my neighbour, we tried again, with my neighbour putting her viewpoint across too, and we insisted on holding for a manager, they all kept saying the same, that as I had paid part with a voucher and part with my card, that the voucher takes priority so they can only refund me that way, so basically I only get a refund by buying something, and if I can't find anything in 90 days, I effectively don't get one! So their policy isn't the customer is right, but this is what we think and tough!! if anyone knows anything to go back to them in writing, bearing in mind the refund was because the product was damaged, please let me know!

[Jim]

It does sound a bit strange, have you tried talking to Citizens advice because it strikes me as a simple legal point

[Stuart]

Desley - the money savings expert site is pretty good for things like that. Not sure if I'm allowed to provide a link so just type in "martin lewis money savings expert" into the search engine of your choice!

[Stuart]

Go to the Complain and Reclaim tab then the Consumer Rights one

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Also tweeting @Asda with your complaint might be helpful (if you're on Twitter)

Expedition to Aberdeen was largely uneventful - if remarkably busy with traffic considering no-one is meant to be travelling! No further worsening of husband's eyesight detected so he is to start reducing the drug dosage and we're to go back in four months.

Downstairs neighbour nearly turned away a delivery for us today as she had "never heard of that company at this address". Yes, that would be the name of the sender... Fortunately I had seen the van and caught him as we needed that paper today for printing. Sigh.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Thanks guys - sadly this is the extent of my social media!

Glad husbands eyesight isn't worsening R, good luck with reducing the drugs

[Alicia]

Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) wrote: "Also tweeting @Asda with your complaint might be helpful (if you're on Twitter)

Expedition to Aberdeen was largely uneventful - if remarkably busy with traffic considering no-one is meant to be tr..."

What an irritant about the 'company at this address' - unbelievable!

You'd think that would be basic literacy. And the driver would be pointing it out. It's a wonder anything ever gets done.

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Well yes, you or I would Alicia ... But bear in mind we are talking about a woman who recently started a conversation with me about getting her electrician to sort out the lighting in our common stair because it was so dark.
I had to point out the lights to her. And the associated handy on/off switches. Five months they had been in their flat by then. We now call her (privately!) Tam - as in Thick as Mince :D

[Stuart]

Tam! Like it! (even though I'm vegan!)

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Urgh, another frustrating day, I had my face to face oral surgery app this morning, my app was at 10, at 10.17 I got sent to x-ray and at 10.50 got seen - despite there being hardly anyone around, the woman in front of me got seen after me, felt sorry for her. So the outcome of me being there for nearly an hour was that they do need to remove the root, but I have to wait for another app to do that. I asked how long, bearing in mind I've been waiting nearly a year, and he said he hopes it will be before the end of March, but i might have to go to a different hospital. Pay day today, got more than I was expecting with my tax refund, so far I've just bought a book with it. Going doing a stock up shop after work, but Feb must have been really short, as I haven't used all of last months's stock up yet, apart from milk.

[Alicia]

Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) wrote: "Well yes, you or I would Alicia ... But bear in mind we are talking about a woman who recently started a conversation with me about getting her electrician to sort out the lighting in our common st..."

Poor woman! Ordinary life must be so confusing for her.

[Alicia]

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Urgh, another frustrating day, I had my face to face oral surgery app this morning, my app was at 10, at 10.17 I got sent to x-ray and at 10.50 got seen - despite there being hardly anyone around, ..."

So sorry about the unreasonable delays. Is it the system? Or this particular practice? It sounds mismanaged, somehow.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Been up since 5.30, but me and Lucy have been watching a film in bed, it was really nice, I am finding I'm relaxing more about things now, especially the working from home thing, I said to my boss that I do feel trusted now and it was nice for him to say that my work is appreciated, we hit our deadlines which is the priority. Just waiting for my friend to wake up now and decide where we are walking, cleaner came yesterday so not much housework to do, and neighbour got her lodger to do the tray yesterday so don't need to do anything at hers today.

Dentist is blaming Covid Alicia, I was saying to a colleague yesterday that while I appreciate they have to do things differently with Covid, it's odd I had to wait from Mar to Dec for a telephone consult, surely they have less work to do if they are only ringing people up??