what made you frown today?

thanks for the link, pep! I actually already saw that in my email and thought "ooh..." and then forgot about it :oops:
I have the next two days free and was planning to use it to write but I don't know that im much in the mood for writing. the thing is trying not to get too depressed stuck in this stuffy dim little room. first im gonna read some, and then maybe ill try to write a bit. but all I can think about is how I wish I bought those shortbread cookies!!!

oh my gosh, pep pep, and I thought Christmas dramas at my house were bad!!! were they punished severely?! is yours the type of family where everyone gives everyone else the silent treatment for days afterward and everything is really awkward because of the irrevocable implications of EVERYTHING and only through great contrivances do you manage to start communicating again (like mine) or do you all just wake up the next day and everything is hunky dory and all is forgotten? did they at least pay for a new television?

alright! Monopoly night at peps house!!! :rock: oh they do have Canadian versions of the game too but im familiar with the traditional London one. the Canadian versions probably have maple scented money. I don't think I want to play the coronavirus edition--sounds depressing! and I definitely do not want to trying my luck with the community chest.
No, not usually, but I know EXACTLY what you mean about the silent treatment, I was once married to someone like that. My family tend to explode and then it's all over in a couple of hours (or less). My brother and his wife had a famous row at my elderly parents' house. I am very fond of his wife, but she bulldozes people and can be a bully. She gets in these terrible moods and stomps about, and nobody knows what the hell is wrong. So she was kicking off, and then they went and sat in the car on the drive, with her SCREAMING at him for an hour, refusing to come in the house. Then my little old dad practically dragged her back in the house, and it carried on, with her insulting my brother and my other brother... and then my dear little old mum, whose mantra her whole life has been 'least said, soonest mended', said 'f*** you.' Sister in law was so stunned she drove off and didn't come back for 2 hours. Then they all had a hug and pretended it never happened and carried on as normal (very British). When I told my kids, they said 'Grandma is a legend.'

Yay, Monopoly night! All welcome! Bring your own shortbread! Yes, we should probably skip the Corona Edition (Community Chest: You have tested positive for COVID-19. Go into lockdown and lose all your money. Chance: Advance to Downing Street. You are now stand-in Prime Minister for 3 turns). Although I like the idea of the maple-scented money :lbf:
 
No, not usually, but I know EXACTLY what you mean about the silent treatment, I was once married to someone like that. My family tend to explode and then it's all over in a couple of hours (or less). My brother and his wife had a famous row at my elderly parents' house. I am very fond of his wife, but she bulldozes people and can be a bully. She gets in these terrible moods and stomps about, and nobody knows what the hell is wrong. So she was kicking off, and then they went and sat in the car on the drive, with her SCREAMING at him for an hour, refusing to come in the house. Then my little old dad practically dragged her back in the house, and it carried on, with her insulting my brother and my other brother... and then my dear little old mum, whose mantra her whole life has been 'least said, soonest mended', said 'f*** you.' Sister in law was so stunned she drove off and didn't come back for 2 hours. Then they all had a hug and pretended it never happened and carried on as normal (very British). When I told my kids, they said 'Grandma is a legend.'

Yay, Monopoly night! All welcome! Bring your own shortbread! Yes, we should probably skip the Corona Edition (Community Chest: You have tested positive for COVID-19. Go into lockdown and lose all your money. Chance: Advance to Downing Street. You are now stand-in Prime Minister for 3 turns). Although I like the idea of the maple-scented money :lbf:
actually the more I hear about this corona edition monopoly the more I think it might work. patent it, pep!! :lbf:

wow, that sounds like quite the evening :lbf: see, if something like that happened in my family that person (sister in law) would be black-listed, at least for a time. eventually she may (or may not) be accepted back but always with this outrageous behaviour hanging over her, ready to be brought up again at the slightest infraction. (it was pretty outrageous of sister in law to act like that though, to be fair! especially to your elderly parents). i prefer the "hug and pretend it never happened and carry on as normal british way" (minus the hug). once i've got it all out i no longer care and hardly have the energy to keep up a silent treatment.
 
actually the more I hear about this corona edition monopoly the more I think it might work. patent it, pep!! :lbf:

wow, that sounds like quite the evening :lbf: see, if something like that happened in my family that person (sister in law) would be black-listed, at least for a time. eventually she may (or may not) be accepted back but always with this outrageous behaviour hanging over her, ready to be brought up again at the slightest infraction. (it was pretty outrageous of sister in law to act like that though, to be fair! especially to your elderly parents). i prefer the "hug and pretend it never happened and carry on as normal british way" (minus the hug). once i've got it all out i no longer care and hardly have the energy to keep up a silent treatment.
Yeah, I think I need to give Hasbro a call :lbf: And yes, there is definitely something to be said for the 'carry on and pretend it never happened' tactic (with or without the hugging).
 
Urghhh. Having to sit up late to try and bag a Tesco delivery slot when they release them at midnight. Which I might not even get, if the bastards who don't even need them grab them all first. :( Because OBVIOUSLY only undeserving people are the ones grabbing them all (apart from me).

EDIT: 12.01 All slots taken. :rolleyes:
 
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Urghhh. Having to sit up late to try and bag a Tesco delivery slot when they release them at midnight. Which I might not even get, if the bastards who don't even need them grab them all first. :( Because OBVIOUSLY only undeserving people are the ones grabbing them all (apart from me).

EDIT: 12.01 All slots taken. :rolleyes:
oh no, pep!! what are you gonna do? can you get one of your kids to go to the store for you?
 
oh no, pep!! what are you gonna do? can you get one of your kids to go to the store for you?
I could, in theory. My eldest passed his driving test recently. He'd be very willing - initially - but week-on-week? Probably not so much. And he'd buy all the wrong things (bless him :rolleyes:).

I could go to to the store. I can and do go out, but it has to be quick - I can't walk very far or stand up for too long. Those pictures of queues at Tescos, snaking all round the car park, give me the horrors because I know I can't do that. There are special shopping times for 'vulnerable' people which I suppose might prevent that, but I also need to be super-careful not to catch this thing.

I think the first thing I'm going to do is pick my ex's brains. He's very tech savvy and might know of a wheeze for the Tesco website. They release ONE new day's slots (for 3 weeks ahead) every night at midnight. But you spend the first 2 minutes trying to refresh the page because everybody's logging on at the same time. And by the time it's loaded, they're all gone. I've never seen anything like it, apart from when people use bots to hoover up tickets for things. It makes me wonder whether some sneaky people are doing something similar. In which case, maybe I have to get sneaky. :brows:

**DISCLAIMER** I am a technical ignoramus and have no idea whether this is even possible.

How is your lockdown going? Are you still working on the front line, providing essentials to all the ungrateful weird people? How is Eddy coping?
 
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Urghhh. Having to sit up late to try and bag a Tesco delivery slot when they release them at midnight. Which I might not even get, if the bastards who don't even need them grab them all first. :( Because OBVIOUSLY only undeserving people are the ones grabbing them all (apart from me).

EDIT: 12.01 All slots taken. :rolleyes:

Aren't Tesco doing the same as Sainsbury's...prioritising vulnerable types as P1 for deliveries?
If you're registered as vulnerable (based on the data they hold about you, or you've advised them separately) then you should be in that category & be able to get a slot?
 
Aren't Tesco doing the same as Sainsbury's...prioritising vulnerable types as P1 for deliveries?
If you're registered as vulnerable (based on the data they hold about you, or you've advised them separately) then you should be in that category & be able to get a slot?
They keep saying they are going to prioritise, but they haven't got a system in place for it yet. As far as I'm aware, they wouldn't have that kind of data on me. I've rung them twice to ask about it, but they're so swamped they're not interested.

I have Personal Independence Payment (for disability), but that comes via the DWP. I have a Blue Badge for my car, but that comes via the local council. I don't think anyone is joining all that data up right now - least of all the supermarkets. I think there will be a lot of people like me, who don't fit the criteria for the 'extremely vulnerable 1.5m category' to qualify for volunteer deliveries, who risk falling down the cracks in between. I am lucky that I have family who can help if push comes to shove, but some don't.
 
I could, in theory. My eldest passed his driving test recently. He'd be very willing - initially - but week-on-week? Probably not so much. And he'd buy all the wrong things (bless him :rolleyes:).

I could go to to the store. I can and do go out, but it has to be quick - I can't walk very far or stand up for too long. Those pictures of queues at Tescos, snaking all round the car park, give me the horrors because I know I can't do that. There are special shopping times for 'vulnerable' people which I suppose might prevent that, but I also need to be super-careful not to catch this thing.

I think the first thing I'm going to do is pick my ex's brains. He's very tech savvy and might know of a wheeze for the Tesco website. They release ONE new day's slots (for 3 weeks ahead) every night at midnight. But you spend the first 2 minutes trying to refresh the page because everybody's logging on at the same time. And by the time it's loaded, they're all gone. I've never seen anything like it, apart from when people use bots to hoover up tickets for things. It makes me wonder whether some sneaky people are doing something similar. In which case, maybe I have to get sneaky. :brows:

**DISCLAIMER** I am a technical ignoramus and have no idea whether this is even possible.

How is your lockdown going? Are you still working on the front line, providing essentials to all the ungrateful weird people? How is Eddy coping?
well I don't see why the hell he cant go to the grocery for his ol mum once a week in the middle of a crisis if she needs it, after all you do for them!! what the hell are kids for anyway?!

your situation with the grocery store sounds worse than ours. i mean we do have queues to get in but they're usually not that bad. and if you need delivery you can almost always get it, if not for same day, at least for the next day. all of our grocery stores are like 10 times the size of yours with the concomitant larger staff though, maybe that's the difference. (or do you have big grocery stores and ive just never managed to find them??)

i thought you had a standing order with tesco? or is that out the window now?

oh im doing okay. i spent the last two days inside--not because we really have to, we can still go to parks and out walking--but because i felt i should and nothing is open anyway. yes, im going to work today. im almost looking forward to it after the last two depressing days. plus, ill get to eat. one of the perks--the only perk, i should say--of working at a grocery store at this time is that i can bypass the line waiting to get in. eddy's still in self isolation, looking forward to getting out! i need to have a six pack waiting for him. he'll need it!!!
 
well I don't see why the hell he cant go to the grocery for his ol mum once a week in the middle of a crisis if she needs it, after all you do for them!! what the hell are kids for anyway?!

your situation with the grocery store sounds worse than ours. i mean we do have queues to get in but they're usually not that bad. and if you need delivery you can almost always get it, if not for same day, at least for the next day. all of our grocery stores are like 10 times the size of yours with the concomitant larger staff though, maybe that's the difference. (or do you have big grocery stores and ive just never managed to find them??)

i thought you had a standing order with tesco? or is that out the window now?

oh im doing okay. i spent the last two days inside--not because we really have to, we can still go to parks and out walking--but because i felt i should and nothing is open anyway. yes, im going to work today. im almost looking forward to it after the last two depressing days. plus, ill get to eat. one of the perks--the only perk, i should say--of working at a grocery store at this time is that i can bypass the line waiting to get in. eddy's still in self isolation, looking forward to getting out! i need to have a six pack waiting for him. he'll need it!!!
It seems like Canada is a bit behind the UK with this thing - or maybe it's less bad so far because you're more spaced out (geographically)? We have over 1200 deaths, as of today. Hence the strict lockdown and the hysterical queues at the stores. Normally, like you, I can book a delivery the day before. I've never seen anything like this. Yeah, I do have a Delivery Saver contract with Tesco, but when you log on there are just no slots. Nobody has any solutions because everyone is just overwhelmed with the demand.

If it gets unworkable, the kids will just have to step up and help. BUT... today my eldest turned up with 2 TINS OF TOMATOES!!! ❤ ❤ ❤ I think I was more excited about that than the mother's day flowers I got last week :lbf: This feels like the war, I think Morrissey should record 'We'll meet again' to get us all through. Pretty sure he could do a mean Vera Lynn.

Good to know you're eating in all of this (and not just shortbread, I hope?) How are you for tinned tomatoes?? Does your store have enough of them? Someone should point out to whoever's in charge that there is about to be a serious shortage. Wait, Eddy is only allowed his 6 pack AFTER isolation? You mean he's not demanding them now, to alleviate the stress?
 
It seems like Canada is a bit behind the UK with this thing - or maybe it's less bad so far because you're more spaced out (geographically)? We have over 1200 deaths, as of today. Hence the strict lockdown and the hysterical queues at the stores. Normally, like you, I can book a delivery the day before. I've never seen anything like this. Yeah, I do have a Delivery Saver contract with Tesco, but when you log on there are just no slots. Nobody has any solutions because everyone is just overwhelmed with the demand.

If it gets unworkable, the kids will just have to step up and help. BUT... today my eldest turned up with 2 TINS OF TOMATOES!!! ❤ ❤ ❤ I think I was more excited about that than the mother's day flowers I got last week :lbf: This feels like the war, I think Morrissey should record 'We'll meet again' to get us all through. Pretty sure he could do a mean Vera Lynn.

Good to know you're eating in all of this (and not just shortbread, I hope?) How are you for tinned tomatoes?? Does your store have enough of them? Someone should point out to whoever's in charge that there is about to be a serious shortage. Wait, Eddy is only allowed his 6 pack AFTER isolation? You mean he's not demanding them now, to alleviate the stress?
shit, pep. if I were a thoughtful mother I would've stuck a six pack in my suitcase with him. but he's a bit of a sloppy drunk and he might have spilled beer all over my clothes.

tinned tomatoes!!!! alright!!!

I don't know how we are for tinned tomatoes, I didn't check that out since I don't buy them. tonight was a fun night. we close at eight (which is new for the store, they used to stay open 24hrs), and after several announcements to say that we were closing and to ask people to bring their stuff up to the checkout were made, I see some dolt with a humoooooonngggoous order, and he says to me: can you tell me where the crackers are? I was like "uh sir, we're closed now, you need to go to a checkout now" because this order was going to take a LONG time to process, and we all wanted to get out of there at 8:30. so he was like "okay", but he seemed really dopey. at 8:20 we see him still walking around shopping, by this time his cart is overflowing. so again someone tells him "we're closed now", and again he asks "where are the crackers?". finally he comes to the till and as it turns out he's picked up about 8 of everything, when there is a limit of 4 with signs posted all around to inform him of this. thankfully I didn't have to ring his order through, but instead got to stand there acting officious taking away whatever stuff he had that was over the limit (several armloads). we all got out of their ten minutes late because of him. what an absolute dolt.
 
god, why is my acid reflux so bad? I keep getting injections of pure acid into my mouth. then a pickle I ate like 12 hours ago washed up into my mouth. I havent had acid reflux this bad in ages. my teeth feel all weird now, like the way the bottoms of swimming pools feels on your feet. I want to brush my teeth and go to bed but I don't know if I should brush my teeth because I've heard that, contrary to popular belief, you shouldn't brush your teeth after you've had acid in your mouth because it rubs the acid in.
 
shit, pep. if I were a thoughtful mother I would've stuck a six pack in my suitcase with him. but he's a bit of a sloppy drunk and he might have spilled beer all over my clothes.

tinned tomatoes!!!! alright!!!

I don't know how we are for tinned tomatoes, I didn't check that out since I don't buy them. tonight was a fun night. we close at eight (which is new for the store, they used to stay open 24hrs), and after several announcements to say that we were closing and to ask people to bring their stuff up to the checkout were made, I see some dolt with a humoooooonngggoous order, and he says to me: can you tell me where the crackers are? I was like "uh sir, we're closed now, you need to go to a checkout now" because this order was going to take a LONG time to process, and we all wanted to get out of there at 8:30. so he was like "okay", but he seemed really dopey. at 8:20 we see him still walking around shopping, by this time his cart is overflowing. so again someone tells him "we're closed now", and again he asks "where are the crackers?". finally he comes to the till and as it turns out he's picked up about 8 of everything, when there is a limit of 4 with signs posted all around to inform him of this. thankfully I didn't have to ring his order through, but instead got to stand there acting officious taking away whatever stuff he had that was over the limit (several armloads). we all got out of their ten minutes late because of him. what an absolute dolt.
Ah, the human race at its finest! God bless the retail industry and all the selfish weirdos they have to deal with on a daily basis. Still, it must have been some consolation, getting to stand there removing all his goodies one by one, like a game show host in reverse. This thing seems to be bringing out the best and the worst in people all at the same time.

I must admit I do like the thought of Eddy, holed up in your suitcase, swigging beer and spilling it all over your clothes. I can't help feeling there's a subversive children's book in that.

Yesterday we ate meatballs (thanks to the tinned tomatoes :thumb:) AND played Monopoly. Who knew that the secret of happiness could depend on such small things? Eldest managed to lose his temper even though he was winning, but I guess you can't have everything :lbf:
 
god, why is my acid reflux so bad? I keep getting injections of pure acid into my mouth. then a pickle I ate like 12 hours ago washed up into my mouth. I havent had acid reflux this bad in ages. my teeth feel all weird now, like the way the bottoms of swimming pools feels on your feet. I want to brush my teeth and go to bed but I don't know if I should brush my teeth because I've heard that, contrary to popular belief, you shouldn't brush your teeth after you've had acid in your mouth because it rubs the acid in.
Hate to mention it, but could it be all the shortbread? Anything you eat that can be fermented (ie carby, sugary stuff) will in theory make it worse. Eat fat, protein and vegetable fibre, and take hydrocholoric acid caps. You need MORE acid, not less, to make your stomach empty properly instead of bubbling its contents up your windpipe.
 
Hate to mention it, but could it be all the shortbread? Anything you eat that can be fermented (ie carby, sugary stuff) will in theory make it worse. Eat fat, protein and vegetable fibre, and take hydrocholoric acid caps. You need MORE acid, not less, to make your stomach empty properly instead of bubbling its contents up your windpipe.

I've marked this as informative, only because it was the closest emoji thing to 'too much information'...
 
Hate to mention it, but could it be all the shortbread? Anything you eat that can be fermented (ie carby, sugary stuff) will in theory make it worse. Eat fat, protein and vegetable fibre, and take hydrocholoric acid caps. You need MORE acid, not less, to make your stomach empty properly instead of bubbling its contents up your windpipe.
yes, pep pep, i think shortbread is probably half of it. I do notice that whenever I eat shortbread I tend to get bad acid reflux (I don't seem to get it with other cookies though, just shortbread, which had me thinking maybe it was the butter, because I get it when I eat croissants as well). the other half I think probably has to do with the gin and tonic and all the coffee I've been drinking. im done with the gin and tonics now. alcohol is fun when it's a novelty but I just cant stay interested in it once the novelty wears off. im still probably gonna keep eating the shortbread though. :oops:
 
Ah, the human race at its finest! God bless the retail industry and all the selfish weirdos they have to deal with on a daily basis. Still, it must have been some consolation, getting to stand there removing all his goodies one by one, like a game show host in reverse. This thing seems to be bringing out the best and the worst in people all at the same time.

I must admit I do like the thought of Eddy, holed up in your suitcase, swigging beer and spilling it all over your clothes. I can't help feeling there's a subversive children's book in that.

Yesterday we ate meatballs (thanks to the tinned tomatoes :thumb:) AND played Monopoly. Who knew that the secret of happiness could depend on such small things? Eldest managed to lose his temper even though he was winning, but I guess you can't have everything :lbf:
ah pep, im so glad you had a good night! whats better than a good homey dinner and a rousing game of monopoly?! next time im in the uk you have to invite me over for game night! (mostly I just want to see your son lose his temper :lbf:)

oh it was VERY satisfying, pep pep. getting to stand there and inspect his groceries and remove anything that went over the limit, tut tutting as if he were a greedy school boy and I a merciless headmistress!
 
ah pep, im so glad you had a good night! whats better than a good homey dinner and a rousing game of monopoly?! next time im in the uk you have to invite me over for game night! (mostly I just want to see your son lose his temper :lbf:)

oh it was VERY satisfying, pep pep. getting to stand there and inspect his groceries and remove anything that went over the limit, tut tutting as if he were a greedy school boy and I a merciless headmistress!
Ah, Rifke, you are welcome at my Monopoly (and meatball) table any time!
 
some guy went on a shooting rampage in nova scotia today. apparently it was the worst mass murder in Canadian history. 17 people dead. when I saw the shooters picture I felt sad because he looks like a nice man. I wonder what kind of hell he must have been in that this was the best plan of action he could come up with.

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:(
 
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