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Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "What did you do when you were working on submarines..."It was my first job after grad school. I worked for an American lab which did reports when subs were recommissioned after having their nuclear reactors' fuel replaced (because a hole had to be cut in the hull to get the fuel in and out).
We rode along, supervised the tests, and wrote the report for the Navy (independent contractors). It was an interesting job for a woman - few had been out to sea on one. I was on board a British sub for a missile launch once - the missile was instrumented so it could be followed. Successful test. A very long time ago. Off Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Our lab rented apartments for us in condominiums. We had to leave them in the condition we found them, or pay for the cleaning ourselves. But you start with a perfectly clean place and lots of storage space and only what you brought in a suitcase or two, so I had no excuse not to tidy as I went - except I was young and the days were long and it was easier not to pick up after myself. And then much harder to clean before leaving. I learned.
You have pets and fosters - that's harder to clean around. I imagine there's always something you need to do for them.
Evening, another sunny, if windy, day. Didn't do what we had planned, my friend had an upset tummy last night and I had a bad night sleep (couldn't cool down, was still awake at 3, got up at 8 and couldn't get back to sleep), so I nipped to Lidl (there were 2 things I thought I had enough of, but realised last night I didn't), called in at my friends to drop her something off and had a brew, then we decided to do a few chores and go for a walk around 3. Did a stretch of the canal I haven't done since Christmas, we saw a deer (on a stretch that is quite close to the road), and some goslings, which were cute, but weird as we saw a lot of pairs of geese, and a lot sitting on nests, but none of them had any young. Came home, made the bed (Lucy was sleeping on it before I went, didn't have the heart to disturb her) and then sat reading for an hour, have done 12.6k steps and a new streak. Just a shame I couldn't get the bedding dry on the line but looking at the dust on the car with all this wind, not sure how well my white bedding would look! But I didn't want the winter sheets still on the bed. Wow, that sounds really interesting Alicia, and must have been hard getting into as a woman. I don't have the fosters anymore, but the girls are still separated, so I've kept the routine, to spend time with them. glad you had a good time with your friend Kath.
Not hard - as long as you worked for the contractor (and had the required credentials, the Navy officially didn't care - but they wouldn't let you go on overnight trips. Some of the guys went for the six-week shakedown cruises - they said it was boring, but they got paid for 24 hours every day! The Navy said women would be too distracting overnight. Since they had to put a guard out every time you used the head, I imagine it would have been a problem.Most of the training/recert cruises were for the day only - long days, starting before 6am (you had to be on board before the captain, because when he came on, they rolled up the gangplank and went to sea) and ending coming back from deeper waters after dark. If you asked nicely, you could go up to the conn tower on the way back and watch dolphins and flying fish, stars, and an occasional rocket launch from the Cape. The crew and most of our staff had done this many times, so they just chilled out below deck, and it wasn't hard to find a place - but you might be stuck up there for the whole three hours back.
I still remember lots of details - and it was the late 1970s. Don't ask me about the missiles, though - I don't have a clue any more!
Alicia wrote: "Not hard - as long as you worked for the contractor (and had the required credentials, the Navy officially didn't care - but they wouldn't let you go on overnight trips. Some of the guys went for t..."Because on subs a lot of the crew wander around virtually naked (because it can be so hot,) and nobody has their own bunk, as they all hot bed they try to discourage female staff from going on the subs.
Evening, another dry day, not quite as windy as yesterday. This morning's meeting was late, and I got asked to sit in on another meeting Wed pm! Even if I can't make it, I still get to do some research for it. Think I'll deserve this long weekend too. Took a colleague round the lodge behind our work at lunch, she's had a rough couple of weeks so thought she'd appreciate getting out and chatting to someone, she either enjoyed it or was polite enough to say she'd come again. Thought I'd just do a quick walk round the park just to get rid of the stiffness, but they are doing some resurfacing work, so couldn't do the short walk I wanted. Glad it left me enough time to read. I can imagine women might be a distraction in such close quarters Alicia!
Jim wrote: "on subs a lot of the crew wander around virtually naked ..."That could have been a problem, yes. I have no personal knowledge, and the nuclear subs I was on (maybe 7 total) were all frigidly air-conditioned.
As I said, it was a long time ago.
Very probably, Desley.
Your colleague likely appreciated chatting very much.
Hello allBeen busy at my beach hut which is now open for the season again. Sadly there has been an absolutely baltic north wind blowing almost incessantly since, necessitating that I wear so many layers that I can barely bend!
Morning! I started off dynamically by getting one lot of washing on the line and a second lot in the machine, and a loaf rising. I think I may have blown all my oomph in one go! Done a couple of reviews, though, but my intention of writing this morning may have to slip to tomorrow.
Kath, your oomph might have been blown away by Rosemary's north wind
Evening, rubbish night sleep, but only had a meeting today that didn't require much concentration. However, I haven't been given enough changes for tomorrow's meeting, so will have a very busy morning tomorrow. Went for a walk along the canal at lunch with friend, and as well as the usual wildlife like llama and cats, we saw a heron and fish today. Finished another book after work.Glad you are able to be back in your beach hut R, although it doesn't sound the best place to be this week! Sounds productive Kath.
Hi all. Sorry I've been a little quiet. 8 months travelling through the wilds of central america and perfectly healthy. A week back in the UK and I get bloody covid! Due to my previous history of dodgy pneumonia, it's been a little worrying, but I'm definitely through the worst of it now, thank goodness. Talk about landing with a bump!
Rest adequately. Long covid is no joke. Hope it doesn't get you. Bummer.
Evening, that was a long day! My 1-2 meeting got brought forward to 12, so I thought great, 30 mins between the two, but of course my 12-1 meeting finished at 1.25, only because the room was booked, so I had 5 mins between the two to make a drink and shovel two mouthfuls of quiche down my throat, and of course the 1.30-3 meeting went on till 2.50, so I had 10 mins to eat the rest of my lunch before checking else I was needed to do. And if that wasn't bad enough, our server went down about 11.30, luckily I had opened the documents I needed for the first meeting beforehand, and had e-mailed the document for the second meeting in case I couldn't attend it, but it has made some things slightly interesting, had to be shown an alternative way to make one of the changes as we couldn't do it the normal way. Hoping it will be ready for me to print the documents in the morning. As I hadn't gone for a walk, I was going to go to the reservoir on the way home, but ratty neighbour had to take a parcel in for me (i asked Amazon to deliver it tomorrow!), so thought I'd see if she wanted to go for a walk, so we went to a different reservoir. Sorry to hear that Stuart, do hope you don't end up with any side effects.
Lots of rest, Stuart, and plenty of liquids - not alcoholic. A friend who is a pharmacist has had it twice, once before the vaccines and then recently. He comes into contact with people who are ill but don't necessarily have symptoms. His experience is that it's a much lighter infection after the vaccines. It was far too bitter yesterday to do anything in the garden. Today I'm hoping to put out some flowering plants I raised from seed earlier in the year - larkspur, and Chinese lanterns.
Evening, woke up at 5.30 (which is an hour before the alarm), thinking about a solution for work in case our system was still down, then didn't get back to sleep. Luckily it was (although we found a flaw this pm!), so had a busy morning finishing, printing and binding things. Then this pm my brain didn't work very well, so a lot of catching up tomorrow. At least I got a lunch break and to go for a walk (forgot to say, colleague I walked with on Mon changed one of her days in the office yesterday and stopped me in the corridor to tell me she had her walking shoes, so clearly didn't put her off on Mon). Weather is turning a lot cooler, not sure we've had any sun today.
Glad you have someone new to walk with - it's more fun.I know the brain-lapse feeling - not good; best to go rest from.
Evening, so glad it's Friday and a long weekend, downside is the cleaner couldn't come today, I was hoping for a nice clean house so I could do fun stuff like organise nail varnishes and books - might just do a half hearted attempt at housework so I can still organise my things! Had 3 meetings and 2 deadlines today, brain still didn't get in gear enough to get through my backlog, just kept looking at all the things I needed to do and couldn't figure out where to start. At least the second meeting went from a 1.5 hour meeting to just under an hour, but it started late, so lunch was late, went to the coffee shop to discover they had trialled the new menu, so ended up getting a cheese and avocado toasted sandwich as well as a carrot cake blondie. Didn't finish on time, just as I was debating where to walk, my friend text and asked if I wanted to walk with her and the foster dog so I said yes, we tried a different trail, got slightly lost, but I have done 13.6k steps today, decided having fun was more important than coming back and doing the washing up.
Good for you - fun first, dishes last.
Just noticed yesterday's didn't postEvening, nicer weather than forecast, I got the washing done and pegged out before going to local market town, and had a bit of a treat day, got some nice homemade food, and then called in at Morrisons and got some nice food from there too. When I got back it was too warm to walk with friend and dog, and to be honest, my feet were sore after yesterday, so I just went the long way home from picking up my prescription to maintain my streak, have done a couple of bits in the house, but mainly focused on finishing my book.
I just wanted to say that I’m still alive and have enjoyed catching up with everyone’s posts. I got COVID on holiday and am still really post viral. It manifested itself as a shitty cold (had a temperature a couple of days) but could smell and taste so didn’t think much of it until I got home and all three of us tested positive. The only difference is, you know how you feel after proper flu sometimes, when you’re just wiped out? I feel like that. I’ve just hit the five days clear mark and I went to church this morning and was the only member of the choir there (there are normally only four of us). After singing the first hymn I felt really shaky and sweaty! It was bizarre. Singing the other hymns didn’t help and thank goodness the organist played the communion hymn through once first because it was a tune I didn’t know.I have also joined a gym - which may be a mistake. I have to track my food and it’s the most gargantuan ball ache. They’ve given us an app to do this with but it’s all in cups. Why is it that in most countries, if you’re looking at entering a marketplace, you adapt your product to that market. But American companies sell stuff in the UK and Australia that’s completely unsuitable to us but they think it’ll work because we speak English too. Jeez there are some super market products on this thing, but if I’m doing things like scrambled eggs, it wants me to measure it in cups which are 120grammes … and everything British and European is quoted per 100grammes because we’re not fucking nuts.
Ugh. And how do people in the States cope with that kind of attitude to accommodating the wishes of customers? I bet these gets are just as high handed supplying their own domestic market as they are with us second class foreigners.
M.T. wrote: "I just wanted to say that I’m still alive and have enjoyed catching up with everyone’s posts. I got COVID on holiday and am still really post viral. It manifested itself as a shitty cold (had a tem..."PLEASE, if you just got through covid, do NOT attempt to work it through at a gym. Until you're SURE you don't have long covid. It will make things worse.
REST.
Alicia wrote: "PLEASE, if you just got through covid, do NOT attempt to work it through at a gym. Until you're SURE you don't have long covid. It will make things worse.REST..."
Don’t worry, I will. I’m keeping an eye on it and making sure I stop when things get too taxing. If the worst comes to the worst I can put the gym off for a week or two and start then. Right now I’ve booked some for next week but have avoided anything aerobic and if the first one is too much I’ll explain and cancel the second two.
That said, this is my second bout of covid and it took me a LONG time to get over the first one so I’m expecting things to take a while. While I’m improving every day, I’m more optimistic. The thing I really need is sleep but it’s difficult to persuade myself to go to bed at 10pm and with a hard target of 7.00 am every morning I have no choice. Normal people hours are a pain in the arse for night owls. Mwahahargh!
Evening, felt very drained today (probably not helped with Lucy thinking 6.20am was breakfast time and wouldn't settle down), so decided not to leave the house - gutted to end my streak at 23 days, but pleased with myself for doing it for so long, and I won't be continuing the month like I started it! I did manage to do the housework (some half hearted) with plenty of TV breaks, and have just had a nice soak in the bath. While taking all the unread paperbacks off the shelves to put them back in alphabetical order, I found 2 lots of wax melts hiding behind it! Sorry to hear that MT, can't believe you are even contemplating the gym!! Can you have naps during the day to help catch up on sleep?
M.T. wrote: "Alicia wrote: "PLEASE, if you just got through covid, do NOT attempt to work it through at a gym. Until you're SURE you don't have long covid. It will make things worse.REST..."
Don’t worry, I w..."
I DO worry. The best time to NOT get long covid is right when you are recovering. Doing too much is one of the MAJOR causes of not getting well, and people are all so determined to 'get back to normal' and to 'catch up' that they overdo it.
I won't nag, but you can't stop me from worrying. Because I KNOW how bad it is to live with a post-viral syndrome that never goes away. Looking forward to the research that might now have some money expended on it.
That's one of the other things that I know in theory Alicia, but not good at putting into practice!
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "That's one of the other things that I know in theory Alicia, but not good at putting into practice!"Not worrying or not resting, Desley?
If I tell you that it may mean the difference between years of lowered functionality, or actually getting better, could you rest more? Long covid is a post-viral syndrome; there is a fair amount of wisdom out there on them, but the doctors are not plugged into it.
Alicia wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "That's one of the other things that I know in theory Alicia, but not good at putting into practice!"Not worrying or not resting, Desley?
If I tell you that it may m..."
Not resting, I'll try and get better at it.
You deserve it. You work very hard. You're always filling in, doing things for other people, working longer to get something finished.
I am definitely resting at the moment. Taking it very easy and picking at bits here and there. If the gym is too difficult tomorrow I will simply cancel the other appointments. They're quite hands on and you have a personal trainer so I'll just contact him and explain the situation. They seem very sensible although to be honest, I think they're going to be too expensive for me as a gym, long term. I thought I'd signed up for 12 weeks but it's 12 sessions. Also trying to keep up the steps (because they help the arthritis) by doing five or ten minutes walking about each hour. Keep everything moving but in ways that mean I don't feel it or get over taxed. :-)I promise I'll be good Alicia. :-)
It certainly feels like it at the moment Alicia! ETA Lucy can be good at helping me rest, she must sense I need more rest as she won't stop sitting on me at the moment! Am hoping we'll have a bit of a quiet period now, where I can have a full lunch break and do normal hours. I completely agree with steps helping MT, I'm less stiff than I was, and feel better mentally, although that might be because most of my walks involve nature places, and it's lovely seeing things
Evening, that felt like what a Bank Holiday should be about - had a lie in till 8, and Lucy wasn't even fussed about breakfast then! Lounged about in bed watching TV till 10, as I wasn't going to my friends till 1 and I only had the washing up to do (which didn't even get finished!), she wasn't up for a walk though, so I went for a walk along the canal and then to Lidl for a few bits before going to hers, we ended up watching 2 films, can't remember the last time I did that, then had to pop to ratty neighbours as I'd bought her a couple of things from Lidl as she couldn't come with me.
I'm beginning to suspect that some people are being fobbed off with 'long covid' when actually they have some other condition. I know somebody who had it pointed to her that for the last four years she's had 'long covid' every March April. So a fuss was made and the doctor organised blood tests and she is very short of vitamin D. After three weeks of treatment apparently the long covid is gone!I know another lady who was discovered to have (from memory) B12 deficiency when family pressed for proper tests.
I have no doubt that long covid exists, but I think there's a danger of it being the new diagnosis useful for getting people out of the surgery :-(
Yes, that is a good point Jim, I know I avoid going to the doctors for certain things (like when I injured my foot) as the majority of the time they see a chronic illness on my record and just put it down to that, rather than seeing if it is actually something else.
Other conditions often have tests - and treatments/cures.The doctors resist running tests because it costs money.
This is malpractice - and I'm getting tired of it. I've had something going since July 2020, and am no closer to a resolution than I was then. NOT covid-related at all. They are just not doing anything.
Morning all. Blimey, Mary - do as your'e told. Nothing!Suspect you're right, Jim. Covid will rag you down, then any underlying conditions have free rein and are likely to be called long covid.
Had a nice, restful bank-holiday weekend, but then all our weekends are restful, by design! Too cold to work in the garden but I did some greenhouse jobs. We're hoping to get the bean frame erected today, though it'll be a few weeks till the beans are planted outside.
Evening, had a very weird wake up this morning, I'd put a 90's playlist on when I went to sleep, and woke up to God Save the Queen, did feel the need to check my phone! Quiet day at work, and only got 2 meetings this week. Did a walk at lunch, had to get petrol on the way home then realised I needed to do one of the litter trays, so after that I decided that as I'd hit my step count, I could lie on the bed and read for an hour.
Alicia wrote: "M.T. wrote: "Alicia wrote: "PLEASE, if you just got through covid, do NOT attempt to work it through at a gym. Until you're SURE you don't have long covid. It will make things worse.REST..."
Don..."
Agreed. Coincidentally, I met a friend yesterday who had ME for years and still has issues whenever she gets too tired or catches a cold. Her advice is never to push it in the aftermath of a virus - she did so after flu which triggered the ME.
I wish someone had warned me, 32 years ago.Now, rest keeps me from making a crash worse. But being stuck with a post-viral syndrome for decades ruins your life.
Went to Mum's today and I confess I am knackered but I had to borrow McOther's car which is harder work than mine because it's a lot slower so you have to concentrate a lot harder finding gaps to pull out, etc when everyone is going about 15mph faster than you are. On the other hand, I feel a lot better and the Noisy Cricket should be fixed on Friday. Had tried to get Mum onto superfast broad band with TV but Virgin are absolutely terrible after a month of trying to get them to come in the morning, of them ringing Mum instead of me and of them turning up on spec with no warning. I complained, explaining that my Mum was vulnerable and had dementia and the reply I got was, 'my prayers for a speedy recovery for your Mum' they are fucking nuts.So, I told them to piss off today. Original phone and internet peps have popped up to thank us for staying. No communication from Virgin but it seems texting them and saying they were crap has worked. Now I have to make sure they don't take any money from Mum at the end of the month.
Evening, day started off gloomy, I decided against my lunch time walk, and good job I did, I'd have got wet! Felt the difference, but at least I got an after work walk in, and it brightened up as I was walking, but a cold wind, good job indoor reading spot stops those! Glad you feel better, but I hope you haven't done the gym as well as that MT!
M.T. wrote: "Went to Mum's today and I confess I am knackered but I had to borrow McOther's car which is harder work than mine because it's a lot slower so you have to concentrate a lot harder finding gaps to p..."The world seems configured lately to waste your time as much as possible. And to make it more complicated and different from the last time you did Task X, so you have to start all over. Sigh. Glad your mum has you to sort things for her.
You should complain about that totally insensitive comment about dementia - I can't believe customer service was that clueless.
How do? Had the cake club this morning (I made sticky rhubarb cake) and it's flower arranging in half an hour so that's my day in a nutshell!
Evening, that day didn't go as expected! I'd booked a meeting for this morning, didn't think I needed to go, but half an hour before, someone thought I should - most of the hour was boring, but it was a good job I did. Then the afternoon 1 hour meeting turned into 2 hours! At least it was a nice day, went for a walk at lunch, it was spitting a bit, I ignored it till I noticed you could see raindrops in the river, turned round, half way back, it went really hot! Nipped to Aldi after work for a couple of bits I prefer from there, got home and walked round the block to hit my step count then friend messaged and asked if I'd take her to a car place to look for a new car, felt bad saying no, so took her over, we are going to another two tomorrow, as that one claimed to be cheap, but they seemed pricey to me. I like the sound of your day Kath, and the sound of the cake!
I'm relearning graphics - found my version of Pixelmator is now called 'Pixelmator Classic' - and watched all the video lessons. I can't upgrade to the fancier one - my trusty Mac laptop can't handle it with the current operating system (long story).Then went to the App Store and tried to purchase Learn Pixelmator 3.5 - to find it was a free upgrade! I love the 1-2 min. video lessons - I can't do longer videos, but these have all the details and an example or two, and they are just right for me. I would gladly have paid the $5.99!
That's my focus for now - relearning everything I need to produce the next cover(s). I am finding the relearning much faster than I expected - phew!
Alicia wrote: "M.T. wrote: "Went to Mum's today and I confess I am knackered but I had to borrow McOther's car which is harder work than mine because it's a lot slower so you have to concentrate a lot harder find..."Oh yeh. I will be confirming my cancellation in writing and I will be explaining, at length, why.
Evening, another day that didn't go as planned. We got invited to a teams meeting about Equality and Diversity by our HR manager, so I ended up with 2 back to back meetings this pm, luckily both were only 30 mins. Day started off nice, had good intentions to hit my step count at lunch, but called in candle shop for some more goose food, and they were quiet so we ended up chatting for half an hour, so I only had time to call in co-op for a bottle of milk and get back before my meetings. Went looking at cars with friend after work, we ended up trying 3 places, the last one had some promising options, and then called in Aldi for a few bits. Unfortunately it started raining by then, so I couldn't hit my step count.
That's a lot of going car shopping with someone else - six places now? Hope you can find something soon.Be sure you count the steps around the car dealerships!
Managed to remember to cancel the virgin direct debit in Mum's bank so hopefully thy won't be able to take any money from her. Also finally fitted the electric booster kit to my bike and tested it by riding up the hill at the same speed I usually ride down it! Oh yes! Very excited about that. Have another gym session today. I have to do 3 40 minutes sessions a week but it's great fun. Have moved the Mum mortgage thing forward, which is great, but every time I finish a bit of the homework two more pop up. Other good news ... the Noisy Cricket is fixed. Yes it was a grand plus £200 VAT but I had been saving up a bit so hopefully I'll have it paid off in two months.
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I had a great time yesterday meeting and celebrating with my old friend Jonathan. He heard on Thursday that he's passed (with flying colours) a course to enable him to progress in his career, so we had great cause to celebrate over a lovely restaurant lunch.
Back to earth today, repotting tomatoes!