Post a good thing that happened in your life today

[Steve F]

My new super dooper laptop arrived. Shiny...

[Lynchpics]

On 09/11/2023 at 18:26, Mr Standfast said:

After slowing down a bit since June and finding my Asthma medication was notworking as well I bit the bullet and saw the Doctor on Friday. Long story short I was sent to the hospital then and there with an irregular heart beat. Two cable pacemaker fitted today!!!!!! Much better now. Look after yourselves.

Take it easy Mr Standfast, glad to hear you are feeling better. 

[Bryan]

2 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

Well I did it, I broke down and got an electric toothbrush on Amazon on "Cyber Monday".   Got a good deal.  Now I need to get used to it.  I put toothpaste on it and turned it on and the toothpaste flew off like cake batter coming out of a mixing bowl.  Luckily this one has various speed, the fastest one felt like it was going to rip my gums to shreds.  I think I got the hang of it and I am sure it will do a better job than the traditional toothbrushes.

 

I've not regretted my purchase, I like using it, so that I now tend to brush my teeth after every meal, when at home. The trick is to avoid switching it on until it is in your mouth ! I also only run the tap to initially wet the brush and again to flush away after brushing, so it saves water. 

 

Enjoy your new toy !

[Michael Ventura]

3 minutes ago, Bryan said:

The trick is to avoid switching it on until it is in your mouth !

 

Yes, learned that the hard way!

[Cecile Marion]

37 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

Yes, learned that the hard way!

That and start off on the lowest speed for awhile and gradually ease up to the higher speeds over time. As you learned, the highest speed isn't for “beginners.” 😄

[Mr Standfast]

2 hours ago, Lynchpics said:

Take it easy Mr Standfast, glad to hear you are feeling better. 

Cheers John, lots of pictures still to take!

[NYCat]

Yes, definitely a good idea to put it in your mouth before turning on. I also had to learn to close my lips around it so as not to be dribbling.

 

Paulette

[Marianne]

6 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

Well I did it, I broke down and got an electric toothbrush on Amazon on "Cyber Monday".   Got a good deal.  Now I need to get used to it.  I put toothpaste on it and turned it on and the toothpaste flew off like cake batter coming out of a mixing bowl.  Luckily this one has various speed, the fastest one felt like it was going to rip my gums to shreds.  I think I got the hang of it and I am sure it will do a better job than the traditional toothbrushes.

 

Well, this is a bad thing, not good but it's tooth related. I wasn't going to post about it but after laughing about your toothpaste incident (and relating to it ... I forgot to buy a new head for my Sonicare after spending way too much time on Amazon & too many other sites yesterday .. and we have all watched the toothpaste fly across the room the first (few) time(s). Your teeth will feel so much better. 

 

My dentist recommended one years ago and it's great, but sadly my teeth are still a mess.  I have Sjogren's syndrome which makes my mouth dry, often painfully so, and impacts tooth health. Lost a tooth two months before Covid started and after months of vertigo, I was finally feeling well enough (a good thing!) to see the oral surgeon to start the implant process ... and then ended up seeing my dentist on an emergency basis today because a 35-year-old bridge fell out this morning... and now needs to be replaced. $$$$'s even with dental insurance (they only cover $1,500 a year - my bridge cost more than that 35 years ago). 

 

I really didn't expect to add a few thousand more onto the already mind-blowing cost of the implant & oral surgery (they also need to do a bone graft) that I already was facing. 

 

This unexpected expense has led to buyer's remorse for my black Friday/ cyber Monday purchases but then I think of how much my grandson and the rest of my great nieces, nephews, hubby, daughter, SIL will enjoy their gifts, which of course I wouldn't consider returning even though I really went kind of overboard. 

 

But maybe I need to return some of those clothes and the new home decor items I purchased? And some other gadgets I bought that I had my eye on for a while.

 

Nah. I lost 16 lbs in the past 6 months so all my jeans are too big - really most of my clothes are too big. So that's a really good thing! 😎

 

I've also spent so much time in the house with the vertigo, much of it hanging out in my sunroom ("sunroom" sounds grand, but it's simply a porch the prior owners converted to a room. It's also where we have our tv. We're probably the only people in America with one tv). Anyway, we've been here 25 years and while we've made a lot of changes, it's time for an update. So, yesterday, I decided to start with this room which we last updated 10 years ago when we bought a new couch and chair, new wooden blinds for the windows in a lovely stain that give the room a warm feeling, and our first and only flatscreen. The blinds still look lovely, the tv is fine, and I've repainted, but the rest is looking tired. 

 

Until very recently, I always loved an eclectic mix of antiques and newer stuff - but lately it has all been feeling too 20th century. I think I spent too much time looking at all those sleek modern aspirational Scandi style homes. Not ready to throw out everything and start from scratch and my 1927 home doesn't really lend itself to a completely modern look, but the couch is already a solid color so I figure why not start with new throw pillow covers all in solid colors with different textures to update the look. I opted for a mix of budget priced covers and some of the high end ones too - I must have had 30 in my cart and finally bought about 17 different ones (I'm only going to keep at most 6 or 7 - four or five for the couch & a couple for the chair). I  also bought a couple of less-pricey-while-on-sale nice down pillow inserts to replace the ones that did not revive when I put them through the wash and dryer to fluff back up. They feel so nice when they're fluffy. (A good thing 😎 )

 

I'm hoping changing the look to solid colors with a mix of rich textures - lovely boucle and sleek linen with maybe one dark velvet pillow as an accent (who knew velvet would be hot, right?) will give the room a new simplified look and encourage me to deal with the clutter there and elsewhere. I need to get new slipcovers for the couch - slipcovers mean it doesn't need to sit at the upholsterer's for months - another good thing! 😎 - but I'm not sure what I want to do yet. Partly because we're on the fence about moving and reluctant to buy new furniture & recover the stuff we'll keep since it might not work in a new space and partly because, when we first moved here, I started by reupholstering my living room couch and after about 6 months decided I hated it, both the color scheme and the pattern, which of course I then had to coordinate everything else with anyway. And given the mind-blowing expenses of home ownership (especially an old home - built in 1927 - you Europeans are scoffing but it's old), I had to live with it for years. But we need to make the house look good whether we move or stay. So I figure this experiment is a far less expensive way to test run a new look and if we like it, maybe we can redo everything in tones and fabrics that coordinate so they can go in any room once/if we move. 

 

 So really this Black Friday experiment is a smart move that could save me money down the line and not an indulgence. Another good thing after all! 😎

[Sally Robertson]

On 28/11/2023 at 10:32, Betty LaRue said:

I enjoyed the snow, all 8 inches of it, greatly! What with football on TV & watching snow fall, I didn’t get the watercolor finished until today. I think I’m finally getting the rust off my painting technique. I’m somewhat pleased with the result.

Sunday was filled with the sounds of shovels scraping snow off driveways up & down the street, the sunshine making everything sparkle like diamonds while clouds of vapor hung by the shovelers’ mouths.
my son-in-law brought his snow-blower & blew off my driveway late Saturday night shortly before it quit snowing. I think he was afraid I’d slip and fall going to my mailbox near the street. Falls aren’t good when one’s back is held together with screws & rods.

On second thought…I’d probably break a leg or hip before the rods & screws gave way! 😁 After two days of sunshine, there’s a lot of melting going on but it’s still cold…the snow cover keeps it so.

I’m determined to lose a couple of pounds I gained, so I had only one meal today, but it was a nice meal. Why is it when the weather turns cold we eat more? Or maybe not more, but we crave calorie-laden richer food. I’m including you all so I won’t feel so guilty. Much better to say “we” than “I”.

I’m glad you enjoyed the snow Betty! I think possibly we eat calorie rich foods in the colder weather because of some primal thing where our body thinks extra fat is a good thing to keep warm. Plus a lot of those comfort foods feel warming as hot meals. A light salad doesn’t necessarily feel like it cuts it in the cold weather, but is refreshing in summer.

[Bryan]

On 29/11/2023 at 01:37, Marianne said:

 

Well, this is a bad thing, not good but it's tooth related. 

 

My dentist recommended one years ago and it's great, but sadly my teeth are still a mess.  I have Sjogren's syndrome which makes my mouth dry, often painfully so, and impacts tooth health. Lost a tooth two months before Covid started and after months of vertigo, I was finally feeling well enough (a good thing!) to see the oral surgeon to start the implant process ... and then ended up seeing my dentist on an emergency basis today because a 35-year-old bridge fell out this morning... and now needs to be replaced. $$$$'s even with dental insurance (they only cover $1,500 a year - my bridge cost more than that 35 years ago). 

 

I really didn't expect to add a few thousand more onto the already mind-blowing cost of the implant & oral surgery (they also need to do a bone graft) that I already was facing. 

 

 

Sorry to learn about your  Sjogren's syndrome - I had to look it up.  Apparently it can be treated but not cured at this time.  

 

That's a lot of cash to have your teeth sorted. I winced when they charged my wife around £260 to have two teeth capped. 

 

Now on to my goodish thing.

 

Our newish but limited analogue central heating controller has been misbehaving, staying on longer than set, or indicating that the heating was on when it wasn't etc. Given that the temperature is hovering around freezing at the moment, it needed to be fixed. I searched the net for a replacement and fastened upon a digital version, by the same manufacturer, which claimed to be 100% compatible in terms of backplate connections. The reviews were positive.  I then looked for a local supplier. The nearest I could find was 30 miles away and they wanted £80. An online retailer was charging £62 with free delivery. I decided to risk the online vendor, and lo and behold, it arrived the very next day. It does fit the existing backplate, but the programming is more than a bit convoluted. I followed the manufacturer's online video and, fingers crossed, it might be set up correctly.  Time will tell.  

Edited November 30, 2023 by Bryan

[Marianne]

1 hour ago, Bryan said:

 

Sorry to learn about your  Sjogren's syndrome - I had to look it up.  Apparently it can be treated but not cured at this time.  

 

That's a lot of cash to have your teeth sorted. I winced when they charged my wife around £260 to have two teeth capped. 

 

Now on to my goodish thing.

 

Our newish but limited analogue central heating controller has been misbehaving, staying on longer than set, or indicating that the heating was on when it wasn't etc. Given that the temperature is hovering around freezing at the moment, it needed to be fixed. I searched the net for a replacement and fastened upon a digital version, by the same manufacturer, which claimed to be 100% compatible in terms of backplate connections. The reviews were positive.  I then looked for a local supplier. The nearest I could find was 30 miles away and they wanted £80. An online retailer was charging £62 with free delivery. I decided to risk the online vendor, and lo and behold, it arrived the very next day. It does fit the existing backplate, but the programming is more than a bit convoluted. I followed the manufacturer's online video and, fingers crossed, it might be set up correctly.  Time will tell.  

 

Stay warm Bryan. Fingers crossed. 

[Michael Ventura]

On 28/11/2023 at 20:37, Marianne said:

 

Well, this is a bad thing, not good but it's tooth related. I wasn't going to post about it but after laughing about your toothpaste incident (and relating to it ... I forgot to buy a new head for my Sonicare after spending way too much time on Amazon & too many other sites yesterday .. and we have all watched the toothpaste fly across the room the first (few) time(s). Your teeth will feel so much better. 

 

My dentist recommended one years ago and it's great, but sadly my teeth are still a mess.  I have Sjogren's syndrome which makes my mouth dry, often painfully so, and impacts tooth health. Lost a tooth two months before Covid started and after months of vertigo, I was finally feeling well enough (a good thing!) to see the oral surgeon to start the implant process ... and then ended up seeing my dentist on an emergency basis today because a 35-year-old bridge fell out this morning... and now needs to be replaced. $$$$'s even with dental insurance (they only cover $1,500 a year - my bridge cost more than that 35 years ago). 

 

I really didn't expect to add a few thousand more onto the already mind-blowing cost of the implant & oral surgery (they also need to do a bone graft) that I already was facing. 

 

This unexpected expense has led to buyer's remorse for my black Friday/ cyber Monday purchases but then I think of how much my grandson and the rest of my great nieces, nephews, hubby, daughter, SIL will enjoy their gifts, which of course I wouldn't consider returning even though I really went kind of overboard. 

 

But maybe I need to return some of those clothes and the new home decor items I purchased? And some other gadgets I bought that I had my eye on for a while.

 

Nah. I lost 16 lbs in the past 6 months so all my jeans are too big - really most of my clothes are too big. So that's a really good thing! 😎

 

I've also spent so much time in the house with the vertigo, much of it hanging out in my sunroom ("sunroom" sounds grand, but it's simply a porch the prior owners converted to a room. It's also where we have our tv. We're probably the only people in America with one tv). Anyway, we've been here 25 years and while we've made a lot of changes, it's time for an update. So, yesterday, I decided to start with this room which we last updated 10 years ago when we bought a new couch and chair, new wooden blinds for the windows in a lovely stain that give the room a warm feeling, and our first and only flatscreen. The blinds still look lovely, the tv is fine, and I've repainted, but the rest is looking tired. 

 

Until very recently, I always loved an eclectic mix of antiques and newer stuff - but lately it has all been feeling too 20th century. I think I spent too much time looking at all those sleek modern aspirational Scandi style homes. Not ready to throw out everything and start from scratch and my 1927 home doesn't really lend itself to a completely modern look, but the couch is already a solid color so I figure why not start with new throw pillow covers all in solid colors with different textures to update the look. I opted for a mix of budget priced covers and some of the high end ones too - I must have had 30 in my cart and finally bought about 17 different ones (I'm only going to keep at most 6 or 7 - four or five for the couch & a couple for the chair). I  also bought a couple of less-pricey-while-on-sale nice down pillow inserts to replace the ones that did not revive when I put them through the wash and dryer to fluff back up. They feel so nice when they're fluffy. (A good thing 😎 )

 

I'm hoping changing the look to solid colors with a mix of rich textures - lovely boucle and sleek linen with maybe one dark velvet pillow as an accent (who knew velvet would be hot, right?) will give the room a new simplified look and encourage me to deal with the clutter there and elsewhere. I need to get new slipcovers for the couch - slipcovers mean it doesn't need to sit at the upholsterer's for months - another good thing! 😎 - but I'm not sure what I want to do yet. Partly because we're on the fence about moving and reluctant to buy new furniture & recover the stuff we'll keep since it might not work in a new space and partly because, when we first moved here, I started by reupholstering my living room couch and after about 6 months decided I hated it, both the color scheme and the pattern, which of course I then had to coordinate everything else with anyway. And given the mind-blowing expenses of home ownership (especially an old home - built in 1927 - you Europeans are scoffing but it's old), I had to live with it for years. But we need to make the house look good whether we move or stay. So I figure this experiment is a far less expensive way to test run a new look and if we like it, maybe we can redo everything in tones and fabrics that coordinate so they can go in any room once/if we move. 

 

 So really this Black Friday experiment is a smart move that could save me money down the line and not an indulgence. Another good thing after all! 😎

Wow, that is really putting money where your mouth is!

Edited December 1, 2023 by Michael Ventura

[sb photos]

14 hours ago, Bryan said:

 

Sorry to learn about your  Sjogren's syndrome - I had to look it up.  Apparently it can be treated but not cured at this time.  

 

That's a lot of cash to have your teeth sorted. I winced when they charged my wife around £260 to have two teeth capped. 

 

Now on to my goodish thing.

 

Our newish but limited analogue central heating controller has been misbehaving, staying on longer than set, or indicating that the heating was on when it wasn't etc. Given that the temperature is hovering around freezing at the moment, it needed to be fixed. I searched the net for a replacement and fastened upon a digital version, by the same manufacturer, which claimed to be 100% compatible in terms of backplate connections. The reviews were positive.  I then looked for a local supplier. The nearest I could find was 30 miles away and they wanted £80. An online retailer was charging £62 with free delivery. I decided to risk the online vendor, and lo and behold, it arrived the very next day. It does fit the existing backplate, but the programming is more than a bit convoluted. I followed the manufacturer's online video and, fingers crossed, it might be set up correctly.  Time will tell.  

 

 

Re your central heating controller. I remember long ago when running an electronics based business talking to someone about his old analogue central heating controller. His spare controller had been swopped out, made by Farnell Instruments of Wetherby in Yorkshire. Farnell were more well known for previously building electronic test equipment which I still have some tucked away. They had ceased manufacturing and concentrated on distribution. All I could do to assist was to conduct checks on individual discrete components and a blanket replacement of all its electrolytic capacitors. He swapped it out on return and it functioned normally. He was hoping that now having a  spare controller again it would see him out. When I sometimes drive past what was his distinctive house on Brill Common I wonder what became of his antiquated central heating system.

[Bryan]

On 30/11/2023 at 16:34, Marianne said:

 

Stay warm Bryan. Fingers crossed. 

It works thanks Marianne, just as well as we now have a covering of snow and a predicted -5 degC temp overnight.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Bryan

[Bryan]

We've bought tickets to see local folk singer Ken Tonge in conversation with Peggy Seeger in March next. year. I know Ken, we served as school governors together, he's a keen cyclist and I've seen him perform a few times.  Hopefully we'll all still be around come the event !!

[Bryan]

Yesterday we attended a christening, that of my wife's cousin's grandchild. We're not remotely religious, our kids were not christened and we don't attend church, so I wasn't looking forward to this and saw a possible way out as there had been quite a bit of snow. However the major roads were clear so no excuse, I had to go.

 

As it turned out, the relatively young priest who led the service was quite a character and kept us entertained with questions and humorous asides. He did manage to drop a candle into the font, but it lit when extracted.   I quite enjoyed the whole thing, it filled a space in the day !

[Mr Standfast]

6 minutes ago, Bryan said:

Yesterday we attended a christening, that of my wife's cousin's grandchild. We're not remotely religious, our kids were not christened and we don't attend church, so I wasn't looking forward to this and saw a possible way out as there had been quite a bit of snow. However the major roads were clear so no excuse, I had to go.

 

As it turned out, the relatively young priest who led the service was quite a character and kept us entertained with questions and humorous asides. He did manage to drop a candle into the font, but it lit when extracted.   I quite enjoyed the whole thing, it filled a space in the day !

 

 

I have also noticiced a lighter touch recently from the CofE.  I listened to the Bishop of Gloucester speak at a vigil for a murdered child last year. Touching heartfelt words completely grounded in the hear and now. Very moving.

 

G'night all.

[zxzoomy]

Out early in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, and found this event: young representatives of the Royal Thai Army help others in a national clean up day In Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, South East Asia. The 5th of December is a national holiday as it commemorates the birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama 9. This event begins with uniformed participants being on parade for photos and short speeches, followed by everyone using twig brushes and water tankers to sweep the streets clean. The day is known as Father's Day in Thailand. Behind them is the Naga Monument, built in 2016 in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, features a large 7-headed brass Naga serpent statue facing North across the Mekong River. Costing 9 million baht, the sculpture is 4.49 meters wide, 10.90 meters high, and weighs 9 tons. Named Phaya Si Sattanakharat, it's considered the largest brass Naga sculpture in Northeast Thailand. The Naga, central to Thai mythology and Buddhism, played a crucial role in protecting the Buddha during enlightenment, as in the story of Mucalinda, the 7-headed Naga.

 

[Mr Standfast]

Allowed to start driving again today.

 

Bloody brilliant...

 

 

(Bing image creator)

[gvallee]

39 minutes ago, Mr Standfast said:

Allowed to start driving again today.

 

Bloody brilliant...

 

 

(Bing image creator)

 

Excellent news Mr. Standfast! You've got your wings again! I cannot imagine being unable to drive. It would feel like a prison. But perhaps one day I will have to 😒

 

[Sally Robertson]

4 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

Allowed to start driving again today.

 

Bloody brilliant...

 

 

(Bing image creator)

Fantastic news Mr Standfast! I love your hedgehog in a red car pic 🦔🚗 

[Mr Standfast]

Gen and Sally. Thank you. Beep beep

[Allan Bell]

3 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

Gen and Sally. Thank you. Beep beep

 

Good that you are driving again.

 

Beep Beep You sound like the road runner.

 

Allan

 

[Ed Rooney]

 

Hedgehogs are famously good drivers . . . and they eat the pesky bugs in a garden too. 

[spacecadet]

On 28/11/2023 at 18:40, Michael Ventura said:

 

Well I did it, I broke down and got an electric toothbrush on Amazon on "Cyber Monday".   Got a good deal.  Now I need to get used to it.  I put toothpaste on it and turned it on and the toothpaste flew off like cake batter coming out of a mixing bowl.  Luckily this one has various speed, the fastest one felt like it was going to rip my gums to shreds.  I think I got the hang of it and I am sure it will do a better job than the traditional toothbrushes.

😀as you've no doubt found out by now, you don't run it outside your mouth. Far better than manual.

Now you just have to track down the replacement heads on eBay that cost a fraction of the branded ones and work just as well.