After the drama of last week, we've had another busy week. Funny how you get periods in your life when that happens isn't it?
So, things I learned
- The need for sleep will eventually catch up with you
- A phone call at 5am is rarely someone calling just for a chat
- When getting a new carpet in the lounge and dining room there is a heck of a lot of furniture to move
- I am not of the right strength or stature to shift heavy furniture
- We have far too many wine glasses
- Looking after grandchildren when you have a new carpet is fraught with concern over spillages and crumbs
After little, bad quality sleep at the end of the previous week I feel like I slept for much of Sunday! I certainly napped most of the afternoon, and was in bed by 9.30.
But a good, long sleep was not to be had! In the early hours of the morning, Rosie had managed to pull off the huge bandage around her hand and Rachel was on her way to hospital to get it re-dressed. Why did she need to call me at 5am? Because strangely, the hospital car park payment machines do not take card payments and she had no pound coins left after all the visits last week. She knew that I had cashed up some change before our trip to Chichester (for this very reason!) and wondered if I had any left. This is the problem with becoming a cashless society isn't it? We are so used to tapping our card to a payment device that there is no need for cash and shops actively discourage you from using money for even the smallest of purchases!
Boy do my back and shoulders ache. Fortunately our son in law came to help the night before the carpet arrived, but even the emptying of sideboards and bookcases resulted in many trips up and downstairs. It did however have a few positives in that we came across things that we thought we had lost or had forgotten we had!
So the carpet was laid, we stood back to admire it and then decided to see how much furniture we could get back ourselves. Then couldn't stop until it was all back! Why on earth did we buy solid wood dining table, sideboard and bookcase? Oh how I ache today.
But in returning the glassware to the shelves I realised just how many wine glasses and beer glasses we have. I mentioned to Paul that we wouldn't be having any parties in the near future so did we really need to put them all back but he rightly observed that we would then have to find a new home for them so they went back exactly where they started!
So all the furniture is back, glasses and books on shelves, TV reconnected ... and Rosie arrived for the afternoon while Leo and his mum went to the local pumpkin patch as a little mum and son treat for being a good boy while his sister got all the attention last week. How could I protect my lovely new carpet? By suggesting a giant picnic for us and her 'babies' and laying spare blankets and quilts on the floor for us to sit on!
Before Rosie's arrival
And after!
So that's our news from this week. Who knows what the next one will bring? Tomorrow the county next to us, where Jon lives, goes up a tier of restrictions so I am sure it is only a matter of time before we are affected too. The town we live in is right on the border of the two counties, on one street in town, one half is in Essex and the other in Hertfordshire so I'm not sure how they will be coping!
A little ps here especially for Alexa, if you are reading, I cannot comment on your blog posts and I don't want you to think I am ignoring you! I haven't changed anything on my computer or iPad so I'm not sure what the problem is. Any suggestions gratefully received!
Deb on your note to Alexa - I had the same problem with both the blogs I read that use Typepad (Alexa's included) & I had to change my browser for a few days, then it right itself, but it seems to be back again - hope this helps).
ReplyDeleteRe our son's area restrictions - there are so many issues in our part of Ontario - we are not considered a hot/red zone but a few cities only 45 minutes from us (not Toronto) that are red zones, drive into our area - how does your county handle people not crossing in/out of restricted areas? Quebec has border crossing patrols ...
Your new carpet looks beautiful & I like your solution of keeping the new look & feel for a little longer. Rosie is having quite the time with this injury. I am wishing you a restful weekend, with a couple of afternoon naps thrown in for good measure.
Oh my goodness, that all sounds very busy and stressful - not surprised you needed a good nap. You'll be growing those muscles ... Your lounge looks very calm and spacious with your new carpet, and I like your solution - practical as well as very comfy. I had to smile about the wine glasses, as yes, it all has to go somewhere ... Restrictions in different areas are really complex, aren't they. And not at all consistent. We're still in Tier 1 here with 108 Covid cases per 100K, but where my daughter lives, they're in Tier 2 with only 70 per 100K. Hard to understand the rationale!
ReplyDeleteWell I can see that you only need 6 glasses at the moment or maybe 12 to allow for some being in the dishwasher but one day hopefully you will need more. The carpet looks lovely. It’s a problem isn’t it when you want to improve your house now your children are flown but they do tend to fly back in with their little messy fledglings!
ReplyDeleteLooking at previous comments I think wales have got it probably stricter than us. My daughter is in Swansea and there is no going in or out of the county without good reason.
Your life is certainly busy! I think the new Covid restrictions have most of us confused. The best tip I heard was that whatever tier level you are in, that's the level you operate under regardless of where you are.
ReplyDeleteI'm another who can't leave a comment on Alexa's blog ...
Ha!! We used to pick up wine glasses for each wine fest we attended. I had probably 30 or more. Definitely cheap ones but kind of fun because each one had a different logo specific to that year's wine fest and the date of the event. Had to let them go, though...most of them!!
ReplyDeleteHope you can let your achy muscles rest this week. I used to move furniture with great abandon. Probably 3-4 times a year just for kicks. But our current furniture is heavier than the stuff of my younger years. And my back much weaker. I hesitate to even move pieces so I can vacuum these days.
Your carpet is lovely. What a pretty colors. Hope with your precautionary measures it will remain clean and pretty for years to come.
Are you guys experiencing a coin shortage as we are? I feel guilty for having my jar of coins in the closet. We must pay with plastic or with exact change these days.
All these restrictions are hard to understand and I do find them confusing. We're in Tier 3 even though Wirral has a much lower rate than Liverpool. It is advised that you don't travel out of your Tier area but when some people go to the local Designer village they get a fine for being there. How can that be if it's only advised?
ReplyDeleteYour lounge looks lovely with the new carpet and I love the idea of a carpet picnic. We had many of those when the younger male was little. I hope Rosie managed to keep her new bandage on.