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Carol
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Oct 02, 2025 02:13AM
Usual walk to the Babbacombe Downs this morning. A calm sea with five brave swimmers and a small sailing boat. The far coast shrouded in mist but the hillside below the Downs was vibrant with different shades of green foliage.
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Carol wrote: "Usual walk to the Babbacombe Downs this morning. A calm sea with five brave swimmers and a small sailing boat. The far coast shrouded in mist but the hillside below the Downs was vibrant with diffe..."With you in spirit.
Evening all, woke up about 4.30, then was jolted awake by my alarm, which is a rarity! Spent pretty much all morning in meetings, first one frustrating second one fairly interesting. Nice word game lunch. IT issues this afternoon meant I couldn't do as much as I wanted. Nipped into b and m for one thing and came back with more! Sad news about the attack in Manchester though
A misty drizzle here but refreshing to be out. On a very clear day it is possible to see Portland Bill in Dorset from the Downs, but today the far coast was just a blur, let alone the tip at the end.
Evening all, rubbish night sleep. Managed to stay dry going to work, but storm kicked in and was drenched walking back to the car, really need to look at a better coat. Was training someone today, which was interesting as parts of what i was training I'm not overly confident on! Did feel like i didn't do much other stuff though. Had lunch with one of old managers which was lovely, went to coffee shop and they closed at 12, got to briefly see one of the staff who said they only got told yesterday. And i had a voucher for a free drink. Now need a new coffee shop, though depending if yhe M and S cafe does takeaway, there are potentially 5 within a few mins walk, though I'm not a fan of Greggs. Decided to get a few bits from Aldi after work, some nice new autumn meals in, so of weather doesn't improve, I'm good for the weekend. And its a 3 day weekend!
Perfect day here today - clear blue sky, comfortable temperature.So, of course, they're going to change the heat exchanger on MONDAY, which is supposed to be HOT.
Oh, well! At least that part of our life - struggling with the AC in the summers - should be over.
I'm not holding my breath, though - we've been promised the replacement, and it hasn't happened, the two previous summers.
And, exciting! - we had actual rain overnight yesterday - which we hadn't had since very early this year. I worry about water for the crops, and people not having enough, especially when the mountains don't get their usual snowfall.
And if I see another computer farm dedicated to cryptocurrency - they use incredible amounts of energy and water - I'm going to be very unhappy. They're springing up everywhere.
Evening all, slept OK which is a surprise given the storm. Stormy weather all day, so apart from putting rubbish/recycling out, i haven't left the house. Energy company were doing free electricity for 2 hours, so did things like washing and hoovering then. Got another hour tomorrow- think its free for more than you would normally use.Glad you got some rain Alicia
Best of luck with the heat exchanger, Alicia. Hope it happens. It is good that you had rain.The storm was not very fierce here so we were fortunate and I managed to have a walk between outbursts.
Evening all, rubbish night sleep, Lucy had me up a couple of times, one was because she was sitting on the windowsill meowing! Tracker thought it was a decent amount but too fragmented. Felt i achieved a lot in the free electricity hour, might pretend I have more of those! More rain than forecast, looked like it had stopped for the day, so pegged yesterday's washing out and then it started drizzling, didn't stop for a while. Went to coop for custard, got loads of good bargains but no custard! Realised as i got to cafe, gave her a laugh! Had a nice chat and got a flavoured mocha, fairly relaxing afternoon including treating myself to a foot mask.Started one of your books Jim, nice bits of humour to break up the subjects that make you think. I did chuckle at breaking your watch being a reason for getting a smartphone!
I especially love Jim's books about farm animals and working an actual farm.He's full of subtle humour, and obviously loves his charges.
Evening all, slept till about 5, then must have been un wrong part of sleep cycle when alarm went off, as felt drowsy and been like that most of day. Picked up sister and her friend, we went to carvery for buffet breakfast, we all turned down the option for a buffet breakfast. Was a decent selection, i got freshly cooked vegi sausages which seemed like Glamorgan ones, don't see those very often. Very filling, only managed a small tea around 6.30. We called in charity shop on the way, i got boots, handbag and 2 tops for £10 - i never buy bags or shoes from charity shops but these seemed barely used. Did a bit of shopping in Bury, dropped sis's friend off, car wanted petrol so nipped to Tesco and just got to school in time to pick niece up. Dropped them off then came home, weather was 18 and nice enough to walk to shops without my coat! Too warm for a bath, but have tried new marble effect top coat, the orange is a disappointment, can barely see it, but others are noce - its a very odd consistency and smell, you just dab it around! Yes, they are my favourites Alicia, I'm reading rustic rants, need to see if more, if not, will have to drop hints for Jim! Who isn't around much at the moment
Because my husband decided we should pre-chill our apartment prior to the AC guy coming, we were cold overnight BUT it worked - by 2pm the new unit was installed and working, and it hasn't hit the highest temperature for the day in Davis, CA.According to karma, if we HADN'T pre-chilled, it would have taken all day, and probably not worked on the first try.
Tech guy said it should last forever and not leak. Good to know. End to three years of nonsense, where they promised to replace the unit, and refilled it (much cheaper but not permanent as the thing had a hole somewhere they never found) instead.
Had a nice talk with the tech as my father used to build cooling towers and created a better fill for them (I remember when he went to Kuwait to install his fill in one). Your 'normal' old lady in a retirement community doesn't usually have this kind of a background.
Fingers crossed for the new unit, Alicia. Wandered along on walk to the Babbacombe Downs this morning; the sea very calm and one swimmer. Have been reading about the benefits of cold water swimming but will give it a miss I think.
Cold water swimming is not my choice, either.The ocean off Acapulco or the Mayan peninsula is more my style.
Sounds like a nice place for a walk.
Evening all, Lucy woke me up at 2, she just meowed then shut up, didn't hear her go under the bed, but she appeared after the alarm went off. Full on day at work but no IT issues. Nice word game lunch. Bumped into ratty neighbour while reversing down street, seems she's kind of back with her ex. Went to shops for bargains, while walking home, a woman in front of me smiled and said hello, she must have realised I didn't recognise her as she said she waves at my cat. She was wearing a carer uniform so was confused until she turned in the street next to mine, then I realised I often see her husband and son through the window and wave back! Got an email from the solicitor over the court case i went to last year, they have my £16.30 in expenses and wanted bank details to transfer it. Replied asking for interest and it sent via cheque! Glad the new unit seems to be working Alicia. I wouldn't want to do cold water swimming either Carol
I have never been to the Mayan peninsula or Acapulco, Alicia, but I should think they are beautiful. My warm water swimming has been mainly confined to the South West and South of France although I have also swum in a Connecticut lake which was very warm.Dogs running all over little Oddicombe Beach this morning; they are only allowed from October 1st. The far coast in haze, but unfortunately not a heat haze.
Evening all, apparently slept through till 5.30ish, but didn't feel refreshed and tracker said I had 6.5 hours sleep. been a bit grumpy today. Very frustrating day today, no one to play word games at lunch, but had lunch with ex colleague which was nice. Did bump into another ex colleague this morning, was nice to see her, first thing she did was hug me! Afternoon didn't get better due to IT issues. No bargains today, got the excitement of new monthly challenge on my hidden object game, new feature this month too.
We are fully tested and approved as the heat exchanger installer checked everything today - nice man, and efficient.We told him we hope not to see him again, and he said he agreed.
A very disturbed night as husband had health problems which were sorted by a nurse at 8 this morning. Abandoned usual walk and about to sit in garden with my friendly robin who has been flying around since dawn broke.
Evening all, less than 6 hours sleep, so interesting day at work! IT issues started early today, which was annoying. Went out installing equipment for a couple of hours this afternoon, was quite nice. Came back to more IT issues but felt i managed a decent amount anyway. On the way back, the car made a clunking noise and a warning light came on, rang garage who said to pop it up and they'd look, can't get there till Monday though, so going to have to change weekend plans.Sorry to hear husband was unwell Carol, good a nurse was able to go so early
The AC failed after one day.Fortunately, the installer was available the next day (we sweated the night out), and, apparently and without telling us, this was the FIRST unit of its kind installed in a Resident apartment.
Turned on, as per the thermostat - ran for 30 seconds - stopped.
He came, found out the pan which holds the condensed water from the cooling was filling to capacity (automatic shutdown so it doesn't flood your dwelling). There has to be a clear path for that water to drain.
He re-routed it, fiddled with the controls, FORGOT to screw the access panel back on (which gave us a crazy scare later that day when it fell off!), and left the AC running.
Still a nice man, but the newness of the installation (had we known, we might have been less stressed out) that had not been mentioned to us didn't help. And I don't know what he might have been thinking not to put the couple of screws back to hold the access panel on.
'May you live in interesting times' should not apply to heat exchangers.
The amount of time and stress that went into the project was impressive. I can't take ANY. I'm still not functioning. LOL
At least it appears to be working fine, except that the app I run it from on my phone, in the middle of the night, was doing something weird, too.
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Started one of your books Jim, nice bits of humour to break up the subjects that make you think. I did chuckle at breaking your watch being a reason for getting a smartphone!."can you think of a better reason :-)
My lady wife and I have been away for a few days. We went up to Dalkeith to a wedding, our daughter was best man at a wedding and we were also invited. It was a bit far to just go for the day so we made it a slightly long weekend, getting there before the storm hit :-)
Good heavens, Alicia. Gremlins seem to be almost permanently at work with that AC unit! Hopefully nothing more can go wrong.
A clunking noise and a warning light also do not sound good, Desley. I really dislike cars- I know they are so necessary but I neither like driving nor like seeing them everywhere. I suppose it was once horses which would have brought their own particular manury problems in their wake. Am trying to sell my little car because I no longer drive but it is very ancient so no one seems to want it.
I should think Dalkeith is historically very interesting, Jim. I once lived in Dundee which is to the north of Edinburgh and really enjoyed it there. Such beautiful scenery so close by and from our apartment we had a stunning view of the Tay Bridge.
Happy to report that so far all things heat exchanger seem solved.Now if we could just move on to our government? It is in need of much repair.
Sorry you can't find a car buyer, Carol - sounds like a useful sale for a teenager with mechanical inclinations.
Sorry to hear about your car problems, Desley - those used to make me very uncertain and irritated. We don't currently have one - but there is the MedVan here, and plenty of Lyft and Uber cars, and yesterday my assistant picked me up in the from lobby and took me straight to the doctor's for bloodwork. We figure we can get a huge number of rideshares for what we used to pay for petrol, maintenance, and insurance - but I still miss just being able to hop in the car and go.
Jim, hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation with your good lady.
Evening all, didn't get on yesterday, we went to Nandos for a leaving lunch which was nice, and went to Lidl for some shopping just in case car needs some work! Slept through till 5.30, but got another 1.5 hour till Lucy woke me up! Decided as it was a nice day, I'd walk to lake and treat myself to a drink, the water levels are so low it might need a new name! Because of that, there wasn't much wildlife about. Had a hot choc with toffee apple syrup, staff hadn't thought of that but said they'd be trying it later! Sat in the bird hide for a bit, then went to a bench in the sun to read and finish my drink. On the way home i saw two ladybirds flying, they were about my height and not sure I've seen that before. Nipped into coop and got the new limited edition pizza (butternut squash and sage) reduced, so that was lunch sorted, and even managed more housework than i planned, though legs didn't like me by 6pm! I have done 11.8k stepsNice to see you Jim, hope you had a good break. Hopefully thats the last issue with the AC unit Alicia
That must be such a relief that finally it is working correctly, Alicia.
Interesting that you saw two ladybirds flying, Desley. I literally haven't seen any for years although I gather that because of our warm summer some places have seen large numbers of them.
The AC is working fine. Thanks for reading my whining. But the AC season is very close to over.
At least we didn't have the disruption during the hottest days of the year!
May that problem stay solved until we are no longer here.
It will be nice, next year, not to have to think about it. Here's hoping!
Your pizza sounds great, Desley - enjoy!
Evening all, got a lie in this morning. Forgot to say, i got my cheque from the car accident yesterday, so finally all sorted (happened in May 22!). Have been worried about Lucy today, she had wee'd on the kitchen floor rather than walk upstairs, and didn't want to move when i gave her her medication this morning. She seemed a bit off her food (though came and checked out my lunch!), but perked up a bit about 3pm, she hasn't finished a whole meal, but she's eaten bits of the 3 pouches she's been given, treats have gone down much better. She's had some fresh air and sleeping near my feet. Was foggy first thing, but pegged out some of yesterday's washing to finish it and risked a second load, they didn't fully dry. Had to pick something up from A's and checked for bargains, was really warm.
What took them so long, Desley? Sorry to hear Lucy is having eating trouble again. Must be so worrying.---
Sigh. AC NOT fixed. Same symptoms: controlled by thermostat, it kicks on, runs 30 sec, but does not go on to the cooling stage and turn on the compressor, but instead shuts off.
Have reported. It is PROBABLY that the fix the tech guy did is not a permanent fix (the drains are clogged, maybe?), but this is getting old. Husband is going to put shorts on.
Carol wrote: "I should think Dalkeith is historically very interesting, Jim. I once lived in Dundee which is to the north of Edinburgh and really enjoyed it there. Such beautiful scenery so close by and from our..."It's a strange mix, as there is an awful lot of new housing being built, largely for people working in Edinburgh.
When my daughter moved into the Musselburgh area less than ten years ago there was a lot of choice if you were looking for somewhere to rent. She was lucky and bought during Covid but now, perhaps due to the government changing the rules, there is an awful lot less rented accommodation available.
I walked through an area last year and they were starting ground clearance, and as we drove past this time, it's full of houses with people living in them
Lucy is a worry, Desley. Hopefully she will perk up.
Jim wrote: "Carol wrote: "I should think Dalkeith is historically very interesting, Jim. I once lived in Dundee which is to the north of Edinburgh and really enjoyed it there. Such beautiful scenery so close b..."People need homes so I presume the new building is a good thing. Probably not so attractive as the older parts of town.
That is terrible, Alicia, that the AC is not working again. I would be tearing my hair out by now but you seem remarkably calm.
Have to change from Windows 10 to Windows 11 today. Dreading it. I am always technologically challenged at the best of times. I gather it takes a bit of getting used to.
Evening all, had a bad night with Lucy, she struggled with her legs so much she fell off the bed twice - the first time i put her up near me, and she went in such a deep sleep i thought she'd died. She wasn't much better when i got up, she struggled to stand on the bed but made it down the stairs. She jad no interest in food, not even the treats she ate yesterday, so i rang the vets to make her final appointment when they opened, they got me in at the end of the appointments. Glad i was WFH today, but she wasn't that interested in cuddles and you could tell she was ready. Went to garage at lunch, the computer said a gear box issue, he pressed some buttons and seemed to clear it. One of my friends kindly took me to the vet and gave me some chocolate. Had a nice chat with the receptionist, she started just after i got Lucy. It was a vet I've never seen before but she was lovely, i weighed her while she was prepping things, she was down to 2.48kg (3.6kg when she went in June). Could only muster up inclination to have a pot noodle for tea, but going to not worry about what I'm eating the next few days. I decided to relax in bed with a cup of tea, i let the girls out and have left my door open, Coco has popped in twice, waiting for Chanel. House feels very strange, especially as Lucy had got so demanding recently.
I am so sorry to hear that, Desley. Lucy had been going downhill for some time now and you have been caring for her so well. A very difficult time; look after yourself.
Evening all, slept through till 5.30, but don't feel like I did. Glad I went to the office, was nice to have a distraction and some people knew so hugged me and checked in on me. Had a nice word game lunch and got told Starbucks is closing soon, bit worrying. It's Wear it Pink day tomorrow, have done dotty nails, tried to get as many on as possible, it was tiring trying to freestyle that many dots! Managed mash and beans for tea, so a bit better. Come to bed early again, Chanel has popped in briefly.Thanks Carol
Carol wrote: "That is terrible, Alicia, that the AC is not working again. I would be tearing my hair out by now but you seem remarkably calm."I would tear my hair out it it helped, Carol, but I don't think it will.
And they know we're not going anywhere - nor will we stop gently complaining until it's fixed. We'll get there - I just can't afford the physical aftereffects of an adrenaline high, so I refuse to waste any of MY energy and time if I can help it.
As a writer, though, I store this kind of frustration in a series of emotion files, and use the experience to make my fictional frustration as real as possible.
But it HAS been hard when the temperature also keeps me from being able to write - I have to be in a temperate zone with a narrow range for the brain synapses to cooperate.
We bought in here for life - these are the annoying things that happen in your 'forever home.'
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Evening all, had a bad night with Lucy, she struggled with her legs so much she fell off the bed twice - the first time i put her up near me, and she went in such a deep sleep i thought she'd died...."I'm so sorry, Desley. You have been the very best and most caring of human companions. With you in spirit.
So sorry to hear about your wee cat Desley. Look after yourself now xx
You are keeping busy Desley so that is good. Love the image of the pink dotty nails.
Have just come back from walk to the sea; the cliff railway was gently humming its way down the hillside; the tiny beach below was being lapped by a murky green/brown sea with swirling bands of white foam.
Sorry to hear about Lucy. My two are ignoring me at the moment- I shut them out of the front bedroom so that I could paint and get the new carpet and bed - it’s going to be a guest room, so the cats will have to make do with the rest of the house for the time being.My hair is now grey/ash blonde and I can’t get used to seeing it that colour instead of the brown with red highlights.
I read that you got a new tracker Desley. Mine works but won’t connect with the phone app. So I’m wondering if I should upgrade or just carry on.
I’m still waiting for a completion date for my house- the buyers solicitor has finished searches and is now looking at the freehold. I bought the freehold about 15 years after I bought the house.
I have ordered a couple of rose bushes - I plan on having a rose garden and some wildflowers to replace some of the overgrown shrubs. The two I chose are “Mum in a million” and “Grandma’s Rose”
I I did some batch cooking and also made quite a few different pies which are now in the freezer and I have made some chutney, piccalilli and crabapple jelly. I still have plans to make more chutney and possibly lemon curd. One of the chutneys that I made was fig chutney which is very tasty with melted Brie.
I’m still doing my gym classes, and have done a bit of walking- don’t know how I have time for it all. My bus pass is used regularly! but the car isn’t.
Evening all, not slept well this week, and struggling a bit with the change in routine. It was odd earlier having something for tea Lucy would have liked, was strange not having to save some, or be screamed at (the last few weeks she was screaming while food was still cooking!). Yesterday's Amazon order had some of her renal pate as it was finalised on Sat, not sure what to do with her leftover renal food, at least her adult and treats can be given to the girls. On a positive note, got lots of compliments for my pink attire, got asked to join a group photo that got on our Facebook page! Colleague is leaving tomorrow, we had a team lunch yesterday which was nice.Thanks guys x
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Evening all, not slept well this week, and struggling a bit with the change in routine. It was odd earlier having something for tea Lucy would have liked, was strange not having to save some, or be..."Hugs.
Looking forward to your reminiscences about Lucy.
Hi DesleySorry to hear about Lucy, but nobody could have done more for her than you did.
Glad the pink was appreciated, Desley. Pink and mauve are my two favourite colours. They have a warmth about them. A plumber coming today to mend various pipes and a tap and was up too late to go for usual walk. Am watching Riot Women by Sally Wainwright in the evenings- an excellent drama about 5 menopausal women who form a rock band in Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire.
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