The end of November is nigh, and I’m noticing more and more Christmas lights up in towns and on peoples houses. Asda are already awash with Christmas tat.
Far too early IMHO, 2 weeks is enough for me! Oh well, to each an apple. November didn’t start too well as I’d really hurt myself at the end of October. I got up from the sofa and twisted so as to trap a nerve in my back, and ended up incapacitated for a week. Couldn’t drive so couldn’t go to work, and sitting down or standing up was quite horrendous. I had planned to visit my lad Ben and Grandson Lewis on the following weekend and really didn’t want to cancel, but by the time it came around I was all better. Big relief. Nurofen and paracetamol combo to the rescue!
Off I went down south and as it was Guy Fawkes night, we went out to Milton Keynes to a Firework display, but first went for dinner at one of the Wagamama restaurants which has Asian fusion food based on Japanese cuisine. I think it’s supposed to be hip and groovy to eat there, but neither Ben or Lewis enjoyed what they ordered though they did their best, and it’s good to try stuff out of your comfort zone. I ordered Pad Thai, which is slap bang in my comfort zone so I was fine 😃.
Of course it was raining on and off so traipsing over to the firework display wasn’t that great as it was in a park and things got a bit muddy. There was a big fairground which was heaving with people and long, long queues for the rides, which none of us fancied doing, but Ben and Lewis wasted some coins in a mini amusement arcade.
We waited in the field for 45 minutes before the fireworks started, and they lasted 20 minutes. They were not all that spectacular but the end bit (you can see below) was pretty. Anyway, getting rain sodden didn’t stop me enjoying being with my boys.
Back home we’ve had nearly 2 months with silly internet. We decided to swap over from Virgin to BT, for various reasons I won’t bore you with but not least because it’s faster and cheaper per month. It has taken 7 visits over 10 weeks, by several teams of internet fixerupperers to get us connected. They’ve had to dig up the path that runs past the front garden, dug holes in our front garden, spent hours on the phone back to base and finally yesterday got us connected and we are back online.
BT were very good whilst this was all going on and gave us a mini hub that was basically a sim card in a case. It was enough to use the computers but no good for streaming, and it dropped out every now and then and on rebooting had to have a megalong password put in. So annoying (I know, 1st world problems) but they didn’t charge us for it, so I can’t complain really, even though I just did.
Achievement of the month… I made dumplings for the first time ever and they were OK at least. Phil tries to make them quite often and fails dismally everytime, so I volunteered to have a go and ta-daaah!
Work has been as usual, mostly busy though this week it’s dropped off a bit, that happens around this time of year, and this year paying for wax removal might not be a priority. I pulled the longest pair of skin ribbons I’ve done so far out of one ladies ears, one out of each, amazing! They remind me of shedded snake skin.
Phil has been busy repainting the woodwork of the landing doors and skirting boards, as well as upscaling the banister. Looks nice. To celerate we went off to Jarrow and chose a new stair/landing carpet, which will be fitted in a couple of weeks. It’s from the same people who carpeted the house 20 years ago when it was new. Nice to see a local family run firm make it through all the mad stuff.
After all that hard work the past 10 days have been a pain literally for Phil as, not to be left out, he trapped a nerve under his shoulder blade. He’s been fannying on with a tens machine, which did do some good when it worked, but couldn’t sleep too well and finally went to the Docs yesterday and got himself some strong painkillers, which gave him a good nights sleep. He’s doing better today, at least I’m not getting hourly reports of the pain level, and he’s unplugged himself from the tens, so fingers crossed!
I bought an indoor cyclamen back in October, it’s doing well but I can’t get over it liking cold weather and no sunshine. It’s pretty.
Lord Vincent and Winnie have been stuffing their faces since the weather has turned cold, and don’t go out so much when it’s raining, but both are doing OK.
I found this and it made me laugh, so true!
I didn’t do much photography at the beginning of the month, but had a play around trying ICM (intentional camera movement) shots
I love how ICM photographers make artistic work with it, but somehow it just isn’t for me.
Sophie is back for a couple of weeks, and we went out this weekend, so there will be a post on the Universe blog in the near future, though I will wait until the film shots come back as there are not many digitals. Not sure how long that will be as the post office are on strike until Friday. Along with half the country. Good to see people fired up and taking action at last.
So that’s about it for November 2022, the year is nearly over just Christmas to get through and then we can all start again!
Stay tooned!
📷 😊
Fraggle's Otherverse 
lovely juxtaposition of dumplings and skin ribbons
🤢
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I thought so too! 🤣
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Julie has a bad back at the moment, and is using Deep Heat pads bought from Amazon. They stick for 16-18 hours, and work really well.
I think fireworks are a waste of money, so never go to displays.
I have always loved dumplings, but they never seem to taste like those my mum made.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I got some of the deep heat pads but they didn’t work for Phil. The firework display was free thankfully. The recipe for the dumplings is lush if you fancy a go I’ll email you the recipe link.
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Yes, please email the recipe. Julie was talking about making dumplings.
Shame about the pads not helping Phil. Julie is using them again this week, and they are helping her sleep.
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Love the musings Fraggle. I’m seeing a theme of pain, rain, and chaos in lots of blogs. Did the moon move? Are we being overshadowed by some planet? So glad you’re on the mend, and were able to visit your boys! Okay, the dumplings are making my mouth water! Well done! Hugs, C
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Cheers Cheryl!
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The selfie of you with the cat is very well made (^_^)(*x*)/
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Thanks!
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…still waiting for the whale…but the skin ribbons will suffice…. : )
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Haha excellent!
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I am sad to say that here in America, the Christmas Season now starts about a week before Halloween. It is beyond ridiculous!
What is a tens machine? I can’t make heads nor tails from context.
And that ear stuff. No thank you. I didn’t see it and that doesn’t exist…
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A tens machine is basically an electric pulse through 2 pads you stick on yourself either side of an injury, leads attach the pads to a battery and you can turn it up when the pain is bad and down when it isn’t so. The ear stuff happens to everyone eventually…..! 😁
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Dumplings, the word sounds as good as look and taste, I’d love the recipe if you get a chance please, send me the link as well 🙂
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Will do that today!
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I’m good at dumplings, at least, I’m good at the style of dumpling that I like to eat. They’re fluffy and moist. I just follow the recipe on the back of the vegetable suet packet.
I could have done without the innards of someone’s ears while I was eating breakfast, but I suppose it’s a reminder that one day someone like you is going to have to poke around inside mine. I hope it’s a very long time in the future.
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Ah maybe I should have put a don’t eat anything whilst reading warning on the post!
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How did you get these skin ribbons out of her ears? I MUST know!
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Micro suction and forceps. Great fun!
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That pic of ear gunk is NSFW!!! I had to Google what a skin ribbon was. I am traumatized.
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The Harbinger will come for your skin-ribbons tonight!
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He could probably pull them out with that crazy beak of his.
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Hah!
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Well that was a fun, informative, and newsy bit. Sorry to hear about the trapped nerve, but glad you got it all sorted out.
I’m one of those people who start celebrating Christmas in November (my tree was up the day after our American Thanksgiving). I’m a true holiday sap.
Regarding the skin ribbons…..erm, I’m pretty grossed out.
Loved the book blurbs. As a writer, they gave me a big chuckle! 😆
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Haha I was hoping someone would appreciate the book blurbs! Yeah, sorry about the skin ribbons, I was quite chuffed with them, 🤣. I secretly love the early bird Christmas decorations 😁
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😁🎄
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Hahahaha!Wasn’t expecting the skin ribbons!But Im always fascinated by thats bleurghy stuff…and your dumplings look great missus!!And sorry about your back, hope its better, between you me and TT we are all falling apart.
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Yes this getting old stuff is sh1te. Phil has had a trapped nerve for 5 weeks now driving him mad (and me) but I’m doing OK so fingers xt I stay that way. Are you all done with your RSVP?
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God poor Phil..Im still feeling shite, covered in coldsores and sinus infections and ulcers and generally feeling crap no idea why the germs are targeting me, its a pain!!PS I am currently in work on my own, covering a craft fair and a woman just asked if her brass band could come inside and play because its raining outside…like F you can Missus! 😀
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You need a tonic 🤣 as my mum would have said! Love a brass band me, alexanders ragtime always good for a toe tap!
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I took a tonic but I think the virus diverted it haha… I do like a bit of brass myself…normally (and outside) but I’m up to here with germs and christmas shoppers…bring on January!xx
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Yep, with you on that!
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…am glad your back is good again, hardly anything worse…
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