Snippets Of Surburban Life

From Facebook Archives

16 August 2010 at 14:12

Thunderthighs has dropped the microwave plate and it's in six pieces in the bin (18 years old so it owes me nowt). 

Anyone know where I can get a new one? 

I think I've seen them in charity shops. 

In the meantime we're using a dinner plate but that's probably not ideal.

The Squireen  I might have one somewhere I will have a look

Bentonbag  Many thanks - how was Broadstairs?

The Squireen  Good

Tylebach  ebay possibly?

Mrs Banjoman  Kwik Kook North Shields (Yellow Pages)  Happened to us while back.  Replace glass cost about £10 from this guy who had every kind of glass replace in the back of his car.

The Squireen  Sorry can’t find it

(I had a rummage in the crockery from Blodfa and found a pyrex plate of Mother’s that fit the bill perfectly)

16 August 2011 at 16:27

Have just picked 2lb of crab-apples from the tree in the back garden.

16 August 2013 at 13:03

Ferretfingers is back from his second National Citizen Scheme residential and what's the first thing he does?   

Checks the recycling bin to make sure his naughty Mummy hasn't got rid of any more of his humoungous collection of catalogues, phonebooks, brochures, timetables and other leaflets.

Miss Fiddle  Did he find any?!

Bentonbag Not this time

16 August 2013 at 23:38

Borrowed Ferretginfers’ laptop to look at Twitter (Fester was on this machine) when I said he could have it back he picked it up from my knee and said "Thanks Ma"

Ma!  

I've never thought of myself as a "Ma"

Darklady  It comes to us all even those of me who has been called by my given name since the year dot by my children.    

Does make one wince though! Smiles X

16 August 2020 at 22.15

I like to take a little night air in the garden before coming up to bed.  

Glad I took my torch tonight as I came across a hedgehog up by the pond.  

S/he's about a foot long and three or four inches wide, and stayed perfectly still.  

I politely said "Good Evening Hedgepig" and continued my stroll.   

There's plenty of windfalls, snails, slugs and scattered birdfood to keep it going.

 

Bureaucracy

From Facebook Archives

13 August 2010 at 16:33

We’ve had an afternoon of petty bureaucracy.   

First up to Oxford Centre to get Ease-extra cards: which entailed signed passport photos, copies of birth certificates and proof of address (they sent the forms to me so have that anyway) for combined under 16 travel/library/proof of age card.   

And I had to have both boys with me to get their photos taken for the card.

Back home, get myself and Ferretfingers into wellies and raincoats and up to FourLaneEndsMetro travel shop to put in the form for his concessionary travel; which involved passport photo, form from Social Services and proof of address.   

So I took Schools Transport letter and two letters from Department of Work & Pensions re Disability Living Allowance and told the woman to choose one.  

Am now wet through from the knees down - despite wellies.   

How come bureaucracy spelled correctly looks wrong?

Miss Fiddle  Wish I'd worn the wellies - I've wet feet from doing the supermarket shopping :-mainly from the flood in my drive - the holes my neighbour drilled through the concrete have filled up....

Bentonbag  Don't fall in them - you may never be seen again ...

Miss Fiddle   But I'm not Dr Foster!!!

Bentonbag  Nor are you from Gloucester.

Mrs Frayarn  They are a pain in the ass.  My daughter and son aged (back then) 7 and 5, were charged full fare because they didn't have their under 16 card on them.  I wasn't there, a friend had taken them to school who didn't want to cause a fuss and coughed up.  Still makes me mad thinking about it.  I remember taking both in at age 5 to have their photo taken etc and, like you say, all the ID that goes with it.  Over the top.

Bentonbag In other parts of the country (including London) there is some common sense and you don't have to prove your child is young enough.  God only knows why Tyne&Wear Nexus has to be so mean spirited.  Can you imagine visiting here with a young child?  It must do wonders for the tourist trade.  It also costs money to make and administer the system and it would be so much simpler to take people's word for the age of their children.

Miss Fiddle Good job Kent didn't insist on proof of age - I used to pay half fare until I was in my early 20s......

Thankfully over the past sixteen years some common sense has been applied and things are much simpler for parents now – well on this front at least.   Although, being a cynic, I think the cost of administering the system weighed more heavily than either common sense or the inconvenience of parents. 

 

Wii Age

2009 was the year we got Ferretfingers a Nintendo Wii for his birthday, and the accompanying board.

It’s not been used in ages.

From the very first volume of Facebook Archives

29 July 2009 at 10:18

Depressed. Ferretfingers’ WiiFit board says my body is 4 years older than me.

Ms Exlibris That’s not bad, first time I went on I was about 60!

Now I'm down to 36!  Pity it’s not reality..

1 August 2009 at 11:17

Today my Wii age is down to 37, that's down by 17 years in 3 days

Ms Exlibris  If only it were that easy....we could be teenagers again!

Bentonbag  Let’s - only I didn't really enjoy being a teenager much - 20s and 30s much better (give or take bereavement) - 40s and so far 50s not too bad either

9 August 2009 at 21:28

My Wii age is down to 31.   

I remember when my body was 31: there was 20% less of it and much less of it ached.

11 August 2009 at 16.33

My Wii age has gone back up to 54!

The Squireen  Much more realistic

Bentonbag  Much more depressing

Faye  Crikey Ben your Wii age is all over the place! Maybe it's measuring the age you feel?

Bentonbag  It was back down to 34 last night.   

It's the balance test that does it, when it gives me a new one my age goes up.   

Apparently I'm unbalanced - but I don't think anyone needed a Wii to work that out.