The Wasp

From Facebook 

30 September 2014 at 23:28

I'm on the 'phone to Mrs Quilt and Thunderthighs comes avalanching downstairs and into the kitchen.

There is a kerfuffle, the sound of Fester mounting the stairs and Thunderthighs comes into the living room with a "Where's the tea towel?”  

I inform him there's a drawerful in the kitchen as he well knows.   

He exits and shortly thereafter heads upstairs.

Mrs Quilt wonders what the spillage might be.   

I comment that whatever it is there is also an airing cupboard full of towels on the first floor.

 

When I get off the 'phone, and it's all gone quiet, I wander into the kitchen and enquire of Fester what was going on that he wanted a teatowel.

"It was to catch a wasp.  Well it wasn't a wasp.  Thunderthighs said it was a wasp but it was a housefly."

 

 

As I was writing the above I heard himself stumble and curse the cat for getting under his feet in the bedroom.
Only it wasn't the cat.
It was one of my slippers:

which do not have the power of independent movement.

 

Is it any wonder I've gone grey?

Nothing, Honestly

If my Facebook archives are anything to go by nothing noteworthy (or post-worthy) has happened on 29^th September since 2009 – and possibly before.

Which means either not blogging today, or writing something new and original.

The problem with the latter being I am not in the best frame of mind at the moment.

The present unpleasantness is bad enough in itself but it’s the knock on effects that are getting to me.

 

I could cope with the Coven (meeting up with old university friends and flatmates) being postponed from March to October: even though I had been especially looking forward to it.  Dealing with Ferretfingers’ broken ankle, hospital stay, recuperation etc. had left me physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.  Coven weekends have been a balm.

On Friday I decided what with one thing and another it would not be right to take a long train journey and stay in a Travelodge with friends with vulnerable family members.  Social distancing and all the rest would make it no fun, however good the company.    

The most recent announcements make it impossible.  We all agreed this Coven is cancelled too.

We had hoped to go down to Wales at Easter - that was not possible.

A few weeks ago I emailed the cottage owner and asked about October half term. 

She said we could have it, and added prophetically “Don’t worry about paying a deposit: you can pay me when you come. If it turns out you can’t come because of Covid19 or some ghastly tempest, I would only be returning it to you anyway!”

Three weeks to go and I’m having to explain to Ferretfingers, who has been begging to go away for months, that it might not happen.  Goodness knows how he’ll react if/when it doesn’t.

Thunderthighs loves going down to Wales as well, but even if we did go bus and train trips would be out of the question.

And how can I see OldestBestFriends when we are most definitely from different households?

All Ferretfingers’ activities were cancelled for months.  He’s now back to swimming, walking and a day centre session once a week.  But how long can that carry on as it will soon be all indoors with people from a dozen different households?

I know in the great scheme of things we aren’t suffering – so far no one we know and love has died or even been ill. 

But close friends have lost parents and more than one friend is self-isolating.

Then there is this constant uncertainty and changing of advice and rules.

Which I have to explain to my boys as best as I can.

Almost every plan or reply includes the caveat “if the Covid rules allow.”

As anyone will tell you “autistic people like routine”.

A cliché but to some extent true.

My boys like to know what is going to happen when; and if it doesn’t or things chop and change they get anxious and stressed.

Being their mother I feel for and with them, and it all adds to my own stress, anxiety and worry about friends and family.

Sorry this hasn’t been a cheerful or amusing blog.

But (as an ex-boyfriend of mine used to say when criticising me) at least I’m being honest.

 

Death of a Hudl

Facebook post

28 September 2016 at 15:42 ·

Destructoboy has managed to kill his Hudl.   

To be fair he's probably worn the screen out using it for several hours every day since Xmas 2014 (or was it 13?).  

Anyway it stopped responding, even when he punched or headbutted it.   

So he threw it to the floor and then had a massive meltdown/tantrum because, amazingly, the screen was shattered.
Tesco no longer make Hudls so we need to get him another tablet. 

Any recommendations?

Bentonbag That was the screaming last night Miss Doozer

Miss Doozer I did wonder. At first I couldn't work out if it was on the background track for Poldark but when it continued over Michael Portillo's Great Continental Railway Journeys I realised it was probably a meltdown...

DM Maplin do a nice selection of good cheap tablets. Cram shopping centre

CP The Hudls do that anyway- we've had three, all of them (two Hudl1, one Hudl2) have suddenly stopped responding and never returned to life. personally I like a Kindle Fire, but H has settled instead for one of the new Motorola phones that have a huge screen and are therefore some sort of hybrid.

Mrs Lasagne Benton there is some protective covering in the form of a case I think you can get, if you speak to my son-in-law he will help xxxx

Bentonbag Oh it had a protective cover which has done very well considering.

Mr Mull I've been very impressed with my Kindle Fire the basic model. I use it mainly for my Amazon related content.  If you don't have Amazon stuff then it might be less appealing.

Erica Don't know about tablets but Posy's iPad wouldn't have survived without her Griffin cover.  Hers is pink and purple but you can choose whatever colour you want.

Ms TyleBach Amazon? xxx

Kingsmen Cameraman Destructoboy?  Is that what you are calling Fester these days? ;)

Bentonbag No, he's still the bad tempered baldy headed broken nosed fat bastard.  Destructoboy or Ferretfingers is our older son.  Thunderthighs or The Incredible Sulk the younger.

Goddaughter I have a Samsung galaxy tablet thingy that works quite

Mrs Leftfoot Poor Ferretfingrs.  Hope he's feeling better now .... Hope you all are. Xx

Mrs Quilt I've moved onto an Ipad mini, too small for Ferretfingrs but the universality of it pushed me to buy it

Bentonbag He has an ipod which he's using in the meantime.

Kippa The Hudl was very good. What is the nearest one can get these days?

Bentonbag I don't know but if Fester finds out at Maplin on Saturday I'll let you know.

Birthday Card Question

Facebook post

27 September 2016 at 09:16 ·

So there I am freshly showered, towel wrapped around me, standing in the bath squeejeeing water off the shower screen and window, listening to Nicky Campbell and some bint bickering on Radio5Live, when I hear shouting from downstairs.
"Mu-um"
"What?"
More indistinct shouting after "Mu-um"
"For God's sake! I'm in the bathroom with the radio on!"
Footsteps up the stairs, polite tap on bathroom door which is immediately opened and Thunderthighs appears.
"Mu-um, why do you have more birthday cards than Dad, Ferrefingers and me put together?"
"Because I have friends, and ladies tend to send each other cards.  Who do you send birthday cards to?"
Mumbled "Family"
"There you go then."

I didn't mention the fact that he only 'sends' cards to family after production of same and prompting by his mother.

In fairness I must say that he now buys his own birthday cards for most family birthdays.

Fancy Knickers

Sometimes I wonder about my Facebook friends …

26 September 2013 at 10:50

Now here's a moral dilemma for you.
My cousin has given us an M&S gift card as a wedding present.
Would it be terribly bad if I spent it entirely on things for myself at the Byker M&S outlet store?

KA Nope....your choice. However, when she asks what you bought....!

Strawangle No! Get spending x

Bess Cavalier Tempting, but theoretically 50% of it is Fester's ... but if, like Mr Cavalier, he doesn't like M&S for Men you're in the clear.

Mr Mull Simply ask Fester if he wants to go outlet shopping- when he answers 'no' then he has had his chance.

Darklady You could spend it on Christmas goodies!! For All the family!! XXXX

FifoD Buy fancy knickers ... then you both enjoy!!! :) x

Mr Mull Fester in fancy knickers is quite a frightening thought!

J-A S A seriously frightening thought .... I would definitely ask him if he wants to go clothes shopping and then spend accordingly!

In the end I got a lot of king-sized fitted sheets as they were on special offer.

Rain Posts

I have mentioned before that 2012 was our Annus Horribilis, it feels like the only good thing to happen that year was getting the loft extension done so Thunderthighs could have his own space

As well as Thunder Thursday (which made the national news), there were a few other nasty storms, the worst ones blowing in from the NorthEast.

Mother used to say “The wind that bloweth from the East, is good for neither man nor beast.”

25 September 2012 at 10:39 · Rain-post 1
About 9.45 last night Thunderthighs comes into the living room "My ceiling's leaking".
The board Will Fixit had put over the dormer window gap was being forced inwards by the gale so the rain was trickling down it into the loft. 

So up there with the contents of the paper recycling box, old rags, 2 buckets, the washing up bowl and 2 plastic storage boxes to catch and mop up drips. 

Also put a washing up bowl under the drip in the boys’ room: which fortunately was falling onto something absorbent but unimportant.

'Phoned Will Fixit to warn him of what he would find when he got here: 

"Oh I'm having a window delivered at 9.30 tomorrow morning."

Better late than never.

25 September 2012 at 10:45 Rain-post 2
Up at usual time (7) this morning put on Local Radio and heard traffic, travel and weather news. 

Put Thunderthighs in waterproof shoes and long hooded raincoat and sent him off to the Metro (he has got to school). 

Get Ferretfingers ready - no taxi - 'phone Firemound School - lots of no taxis.

Will Fixit arrives having taken 40 minutes to get here from Heaton (usually a ten minute drive) - loft ok.

Firemound School 'phone me - taxi has given up due to the Coast Road and Findus roundabout being flooded. 

Taxi 'phones me just to make sure we know they've given up (impressed with that). 

Ferretfingers has the day off: Thunderthighs will be as mad as a wet hen when he finds out.

Window arrived only an hour later than scheduled (quite impressed with that too)

 

Henlady Have got several mad wet hens today and have put them all to bed early...... Thunderthighs will be glad he doesn't have to go to bed early too.

Bentonbag The dormer window is now in so the loft should now be rainproof, a plasterboard wall is going up to create a room and landing (rather than an open space), then Will Fixit will 'phone the electricians so there will be power and light. 

So Thunderthighs should have his own room by Xmas (fingers crossed)

 

Chocolate Cake!

We celebrated my 61^st birthday with a weekend in Wooler and a walk up to Duddo stones   

(somewhere else I’ve promised myself I shall revisit when this present unpleasantness has passed) 

 

was feeling fabulous😎.on Facebook   

24 September 2017 at 17:43 ·

Thank you for all my birthday wishes.

As you will see on the photo we went to Wooler for the weekend. 

 

We stayed in the Tankerville Arms: family room excellent value and the beer and food was good too.

 

The boys insisted we had a three course meal for my birthday last night.

Or rather when we tried to order dinner Ferretfingers shouted "Chocolate cake" until we gave in and agreed to have a sweet as well as a starter. 

 

I had Tia Maria coffee but, unlike when I was sweet waitress at The Plough Inn Rhosmaen, they prepared it in the kitchen not at the table like I had to do ...