Amazon exiles discussion
Trackless wastes
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Today, I shall mostly be...
suzysunshine7 wrote: "! ! ! ... Oooh? - now wash your Mind! ... LOL ! ! ! ;o>"Not enough sanitiser in the world to neutralise that suppurating sump.
Still no response at all on the Cake ... (*sigh*) ... yet I know that she read my Facebook Message a good few hours ago now and just a short and simple 'sorry, no can do' would have been much better than just leaving me hanging on here on no answer at all. I already had this Cake all arranged and paid for a few weeks ago now - but unfortunately the Lady who was intending to make it has become increasingly more ill over this last week with what could possibly turn out to be Covid symptoms.
I know that the Lock-down isn't my fault - LOL!!! - but I do feel really bad for my poor Mum having to have her 80th be like this - and her Daughter not even being able to sort out a Cake for her. It's more than sad enough already for the both of us that I'm not able to make her a special Cake anymore just like I always used to do.
I shall have to keep hoping for now that the Cake Baker I've left the Message for is still planning and considering her schedule for next week and that no news yet is possibly going to be good news, I guess? - and to hope that there will be a positive response waiting online for me first thing tomorrow ... Fingers crossed!!! ;o>
Whayyy-heyyy, I think?!! ... I've just got a response but it just says to ring her up during her Business Hours first thing on Monday - which is only right and is fine by me but it will mean by then that it will be even shorter than before notice on my request by then ... and only just 4 days until my Mum's Birthday?!! I was rather hoping that with me contacting her yesterday and it being a Friday and that she might have been able to give me some kind of an answer during Friday's Business Hours even if it was only going to be a no.
Now, I have two whole Weekend days ahead to sit around and worry and fret through while I wait on not knowing if I can still make this Birthday Cake happen for my Mum?!!
Ahhh well, I've done pretty much just about all that I can possibly do on all of this now ... and so what will be will be!
... does anyone have ABBA's Phone Number?!! Only I'm just wondering now if they might possibly be free to have a bit of a Video Link Sing Song sometime next Friday?!! ... LOL!!! ;o>
I feel your pain Suzy. Daughter No. 1's birthday is on Wednesday and I've ordered a heap of stuff that is supposedly on its way. The raspberry fairy floss vodka is in a truck coming from Newcastle (640 miles) and the tracking monitor lets me see it has crossed the border into Victoria but no idea when it's arriving. A beech wood & glass honey pot (the last one available anywhere) is coming from the other side of Melbourne - should have got it delivered to Daughter No. 2 who lives close to the point of origin but I didn't know that when I ordered it. And two books are coming from a local bookshop. I thought they might have been here by now but fingers crossed. I will probably get the later order from the same bookshop first which contains 2 books for Daughter No. 2's December birthday and 1 for Grand-Daughter No. 2's birthday in July. I know the florist will deliver flowers on Wednesday - she's a real trouper and Daughter No. 2 will have sourced a cake delivery. I'm not overly worried as I won't be able to see A on Wednesday but I would like to at least be able to send her a photo of wrapped presents. And to know that everything has arrived safely.A delivery of artisan cheeses for a friend's 65th birthday two weeks ago may arrive this weekend (don't worry, they will be fresh - they've had to change their delivery service so are delaying cutting). I'm just worried that they might be left on her doorstep on a recently completed new build house with no front fence and on a very busy road. So I've had to spoil the surprise by telling her to keep a look-out.
On the bright side, I did get a delivery from Amazon after dark last night. They have been very reliable through this hard time.
Awww, Val! ... I got lost several times just in reading all of that! ;oOI shall also be keeping all my Fingers crossed for you too now - that it all comes together and everyone gets lucky on getting exactly what they want and need, were hoping for, and looking forward to on each of their big days ... X
Such simple and straightforward things have suddenly become so much more time-consuming and complicated - and working them out seems to all be far more down to chance and luck these days.
First you search the Internet for ideas, then you search the Websites to check out what kind of prices are being asked for these ideas, then you have to recheck as to which of these Websites are still open and operating and what they are saying about their current Delivery times ... then you pay ... and then you start praying that you'll get lucky on it actually happening and all working out as it should!
Various Courier Services where I am have only slowed down by just a day or two so far - it has mainly been the huge delays on Seller Dispatches that has been a much bigger problem for me. All of our First Class Post through the Royal Mail is now taking between 2 to 3 weeks to arrive according to their Postmark and so I have recently been relying very heavily on Amazon (who have simply been excellent and excelled themselves so far throughout this Lock-down) and the taking up of a couple of Free Trials of Prime on two family Accounts to back us up.
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Awww, Val! ... I got lost several times just in reading all of that! ;oOI shall also be keeping all my Fingers crossed for you too now - that it all comes together and everyone gets lucky on gett..."
Amazon still seem to be fairly good and speedy on Uk deliveries at least.
Just ordered me dad a nice 15 year aged bottle of Glenfiddich Whiskey to be delivered Monday, a cocooning surprise present :0
Good news! I received an email (Saturday, 5.00pm) saying the vodka had been delivered but no one had come to the door, knocked or rang the bell. I checked the front veranda, where parcels are often deposited, and nothing. Getting worried - sometimes deliveries are mixed up between No. 25 (us) and 2/5 (Unit 2, No. 5 up the street) - I eventually thought to check the letter box which is out on the street. Despite the HUGE labels saying "Fragile", the very obvious bottle was stuffed in the box head down and large enough to prevent the box from closing. But I've got it and it's intact so I'm grateful for small mercies.
Ohhh fantastic, Val! ... I'm SO happy for you!!! - YAYYY!!! ;o>
Today I shall mostly be learning ...
... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o>
Val wrote: "Good news! I received an email (Saturday, 5.00pm) saying the vodka had been delivered but no one had come to the door, knocked or rang the bell. I checked the front veranda, where parcels are often..."I'm amazed they'd just leave Vodka like that.
Perhaps the Courier is one of those Born Again Tee-totalists? - and desperately wanted Val to know just how much they deeply disapprove of her being such a Lock-down Lush?!! ... HA HA HA HA HA!!! ;o>
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Today I shall mostly be ... trawling the Internet in search of any ways that I can find to try and make my Mum's 80th Birthday be as special as she is - and memorable for all of the right reasons d..."Your mother's b' day is on VE day, Suzy? Many happy returns on reaching a magnificent milestone year!
My sister b'day is on May 8th..she's also will be celebrating (of sorts) a milestone year..her 40th! My baby sister is 40 on Friday.....strewth! I remember when she was..well.... yay high.... *puts hand outstetched at knee height*
Won't be able to celebrate her birthday alas, as she's a carer, so a keyworker as they say. but we gave her a load of cash..i gather she's bought some more clothes for her already overcrowed warddrobe! :)
Serial wrote: "I'm amazed they'd just leave Vodka like that...."It was just a courier hired for delivery and probably from a depot here in Melbourne. Even if the driver realised it was a bottle, he/she may have thought it was hand sanitiser/shampoo, whatever. Though that might have rendered it more valuable than vodka!
More good news. Sunday 12.30pm and a courier arrives to deliver three books - 2 for Daughter No. 1's birthday on Wednesday and 1 for Grand-daughter No. 2's birthday in July (last copy of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young").
"... sanitiser/shampoo, whatever. Though that might have rendered it more valuable than vodka"Russians would call it a blasphemous statement. Ouches! I was nail biting til you got your delivery Val, phew...
Val wrote: "More good news. Sunday 12.30pm and a courier arrives to deliver three books - 2 for Daughter No. 1's birthday on Wednesday and 1 for Grand-daughter No. 2's birthday in July (last copy of Bob Dylan'..."YAYYY!!! ... it's all getting better and better and better!!! ;o>
Today I shall mostly be ... wandering around Facebook and clicking on any interesting-looking links for local and nationwide Grocery Suppliers - as well as checking up on what now has, or is about to be, reopened locally including any Cafes or Restaurants that now do deliveries ;o>Our local Chippy now charges a whopping £24 just for 3 Regular Cod & 1 large Chips! - and our favourite Chinese is unfortunately remaining shut so far - but there is an American/Italian Restaurant & Takeaway that has stayed open throughout for Deliveries only (on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) and it always gets nothing but rave Reviews.
I want to give my Mum the option of having a Meal delivered on her Birthday - but my Dad can be such a killjoy even at the best of times because he has such an incredibly limited interest in anything that isn't plain or familiar so I already know he won't be impressed by anything that is on the American/Italian Menu.
I may have better luck in pleasing him by trying to order in 3 Full English Breakfasts from one of the more upmarket Cafés around here instead and then putting together a bit of a special Tea later on? I just wish I knew if the Birthday Cake that I'm hoping and wishing for is going to be a reality or not? - as in waiting on the answer to this until tomorrow now means that I stand no chance at all of getting anything extra-special Cake-wise from elsewhere.
If I get desperate I could always try asking a Neighbour if they would mind going out of their way to check out what Waitrose has in? - but we've never been all that impressed by any of the supposedly really special Celebration Cakes from there in the past ... (*sigh*) ... and I'd be asking an awful lot of someone to go off out and looking around elsewhere for us.
ARRRGGGHHHH!!! - this is ALL my Mum's fault, you know?!! - LOL!!!
Of ALL of the times to be celebrating being 80 years old did it really just have to be right now and this year?!! ;oO
Born in wartime (likely to have been conceived in Sept '39 - the declaration of war as an aphrodisiac?), turns 80 in pandemic time; I wouldn't let her pick your lottery numbers.
Not an aphrodisiac, more likely the uncertainty of a husband returning. I’ll be 80 in August!
On my hands and knees washing plaster dust off the upstairs floors
Hmmm?!! ... no comment, Mr B! ;o>
SussexWelsh wrote: "On my hands and knees washing plaster dust off the upstairs floors"DIY-ing? - or has the Ceiling fallen in?!! ;oO
suzysunshine7 wrote: "SussexWelsh wrote: "On my hands and knees washing plaster dust off the upstairs floors"DIY-ing? - or has the Ceiling fallen in?!! ;oO"
Ongoing renovation project, Suzy.
SussexWelsh wrote: "On my hands and knees washing plaster dust off the upstairs floors"If it’s an old house, wear a sturdy mask. Old plaster and Artex used to contain asbestos.
Lez wrote: "SussexWelsh wrote: "On my hands and knees washing plaster dust off the upstairs floors"If it’s an old house, wear a sturdy mask. Old plaster and Artex used to contain asbestos."
It's old, Lez (1840) but I believe the awful Artex we've sanded down was applied in 1986, so should be safe.
SussexWelsh wrote: "Ongoing renovation project, Suzy."Whew!!! - glad to hear it, Sussex, although I don't envy you one little bit on all of the cleaning up that has to be done after all of your hard work ;o>
Plaster dust is hellishly difficult to shift. It gets into tiny, inaccessible crevices and dry dusting sends it flying into new places, while damp cleaning makes for horrible smears. We're still finding sneaky traces in unsuspected places nearly a year after the work was done. :o(
Felt lucky to live where we do, today.Long walk through woodland, carpets of Bluebells and Wood Anemones. And wild Goats up on the hillside.
1/2 mile up the road from us.
Today I shall mostly be ,,, ! ! ! SINGING and DANCING ! ! ! Can anyone guess why? ... the wonderful Cake Lady! - she said YES!!!
;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o>
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Today I shall mostly be ,,, ! ! ! SINGING and DANCING ! ! ! Can anyone guess why? ... the wonderful Cake Lady! - she said YES!!!
;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MaiV...
I love it, Tim ... funny, I'd all but completely forgotten all about this Group and yet I remember now that I quite liked them at the time ;o>
"the wonderful Cake Lady! - she said YES!!!" - she related to the man from Del Monte?
As much as I detest doing so, I'd better drag my getting fatter by the day backside onto my exercise bike at some point before this day's over. 😡😡
well, my fat arse has been up since 4.30 am (f****** cat), brought mrs tech breakfast in bed, made her 'piece' for work, walked lux about 3 miles, bused to asda for some shopping, mowed the whole back lawn, hung out the washing, fed the animals, fed myself, and now i'm going to lie on the couch with patrick mccabe!
Collette wrote: "As much as I detest doing so, I'd better drag my getting fatter by the day backside onto my exercise bike at some point before this day's over. 😡😡"... all the more of you for your other half to get to worship and adore, Collette ;o>
Tech XXIII wrote: " ... and now i'm going to lie on the couch with patrick mccabe!"... Oooh-Errr!!! ... cosy!!! ;o>
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Collette wrote: "As much as I detest doing so, I'd better drag my getting fatter by the day backside onto my exercise bike at some point before this day's over. 😡😡"... all the more of you for you..."
…. but if his arms won't reach around her ….?
I think I've lost weight in the lockdown. I rarely wake before 10 so a big bowl of Bran Flakes and Muesli at 11, a banana at 2-3, slice melon about 5 and a reasonable portion of cooked tea around 7 is the (boring I know) regular order of the day. Drinking way less (only had 7 500ml beers over the whole weekend, no more till next Fri/Sat), we don't have biscuits in the house and very few snacks which helps as does about an hour with the weights most days. Digging out smaller t-shirts and jeans to wear now and moving the belt along a notch or two in the right direction. Apologies to the comfort-troughers for publicly polishing my halo, still a long way to go to get from a BMI that was borderline obese down through overweight; don't really anticipate hitting the normal portion of the graph but since older, fatter men with underlying health issues (none of those that I'm aware of) have a much higher death rate from Covid-19 it's got to be more effective than clapping the NHS one night a week?
Brass Neck wrote: "suzysunshine7 wrote: "Collette wrote: "As much as I detest doing so, I'd better drag my getting fatter by the day backside onto my exercise bike at some point before this day's over. 😡😡"... all t..."
There's Suzy being all nice and you just had to go and spoil it with that big fat gob of yours, Mr B! Grrr!!
I lost one and a half stone in hospital last year. Not how I’d choose to do it but it didn’t involve any effort!
Brass Neck wrote: "... a big bowl of Bran Flakes and Muesli at 11, a banana at 2-3 ..."Don't fret Collette, I think poor Mrs B has got 'bigger' issues?!! ;oO
Her Arms might reach much better around him these days but she daren't risk giving a proper Hug just in case she squeezes him too tight and ... ! ! ! ;o>
Brass Neck wrote: "suzysunshine7 wrote: "Collette wrote: "As much as I detest doing so, I'd better drag my getting fatter by the day backside onto my exercise bike at some point before this day's over. 😡😡"... all t..."
Do you have scales in the house, Brass?
We don't and have never had, but I'd be interested to know what I weigh, more than I think I do anyway no doubt :0
Lez wrote: "I lost one and a half stone in hospital last year. Not how I’d choose to do it but it didn’t involve any effort!"Yep, I have Pneumonia a few years back, noticeable weight loss afterwards. Not the best way to do it for sure.
Serial wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: "suzysunshine7 wrote: "Collette wrote: "As much as I detest doing so, I'd better drag my getting fatter by the day backside onto my exercise bike at some point before this day's o..."Yes we have scales - high tech one that 'speaks' but I don't use it since it once said, "One at a time please".
In all seriousness, we have scales but I never use them. I was sent for an MOT by my GP a few years ago and they put me on the cusp of obesity on the NHS BMI graph. Not only that they said they'd check for diabetes. Having had one many years ago I asked if it would mean starving the night before. Oh no they said, we have more sophisticated tests now so it doesn't matter what you eat. The appt was for 7.30 so I went to the chippy beforehand for tea and scoffed a large haddock & chips (Grimsby area chippies don't offer cod unless by request). I phoned the surgery for the results and said I need to speak to a nurse for them? "Oh no, Mr Neck (the name has been changed to protect the, ahem, innocent), you need to see the diabetes nurse," came the reply. Needless to say I had a bit of mental wobble for a week or so before I could get in for the appt with said nurse, envisaging the impact on food and booze choices I was about to be slapped with. Turned out someone had misread the results, that I wasn't even 'pre-diabetic' whatever that is and the nurse said she'd being having a word with the Dr who was responsible for the initial judgement. The relief was palpable and I did make some modestly healthier adjustments to diet, alcohol and exercise.
What were the "modestly healthier adjustments"? A smaller portion of fish and chips and a can of diet juice?
... and an extra large side order of Mushy Peas? ;o>
suzysunshine7 wrote: "... and an extra large side order of Mushy Peas? ;o>"And changing his beer brand to Miller Lite! 😬
Collette wrote: "suzysunshine7 wrote: "... and an extra large side order of Mushy Peas? ;o>"And changing his beer brand to Miller Lite! 😬"
That's not real beer!
Amazon exiles
Books mentioned in this topic
Time of the Child (other topics)This Is Happiness (other topics)
Time of the Child (other topics)
Mog's Christmas (other topics)
We're Going on a Bear Hunt (other topics)
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It's rather too late in the day now, as her Birthday is on the 8th, but with so many places now actively considering re-opening on some level, I decided to spend most of last night and all of today so far in endlessly wandering all around my usual Cake Website haunts and on bobbing in and out of various Forum Discussion Pages as well as searching on Facebook to see if I could come up with a Celebration Cake for her ... before finally checking in on someone local who will always be very high up there on my List of top twenty Cake Bakers and Designers? ... only to now discover that she has pretty much continued to still stay open for Business throughout the entire Lock-down?!!
... WHAT?!!!!!!! ... REALLY?!!!!!!! ... ARRRGGGHHH!!! ;oO
I've sent her a Message through Facebook but am now on tenterhooks as to whether she will be able to fit in making me a really special and beautiful Cake now, at such short notice, as she is always SO incredibly busy with also having several other sides to her Cake Business as well.
I can see that she has read it but ... ?
The seemingly never-ending wait on her response feels like it is killing me! ;oO