HOUSEHOLD TIPS NOT FOUND IN WOMAN'S WEEKLY

[Marilyn]

I love clocks. I have a few. Hubby finds them annoying, but I find them comforting. I have stopped one that annoys him most...

[Stanley]

Some people are like that Maz. I love the quiet tick of a clock as I sit in a quiet house reading. We are lucky on this street. Due to the dead end back street and the garden fronts plus not being near a main road, we are exceptionally quiet.
Today's tip. If you are house hunting one test is to sit quietly in a room and assess the ambient noise levels.

[LizG]

I have a railway clock ticking away in the kitchen. I really miss it when it stops chiming.

[Stanley]

[Marilyn]

To be honest, I could not live in a house not quiet enough to hear a clock ticking...there is something soothing about ceasing being busy and becoming aware of a clock ticking...
On a different note we have a TV in our bedroom ( bad idea...should have never agreed to it). In the dead of night, about 3.08am it does an update for ten mins. A light comes on that brightens the room. When I was in extreme pain after my disc herniation, I got used to this light and it became a bit of a friend as I lay there staring at the ceiling. Strange thing to say, but it did. I still seem to wake up briefly at that time now. I also get comfort from the whoosh whoosh of my hubby’s sleep apnoea machine at night. Another comforting sound that doesn’t bother me.

[Cathy]

The only noises I like to hear during the night are rain or my cat snoring or purring.

[Big Kev]

I wouldn't be keen on a TV in the bedroom, we have one in the 'spare' bedroom but we don't sleep in there.

Although the road at the front of the house can be busy at times it has a 30 mph limit so the noise is minimal. I can't hear it at all from the back of the house.

[Marilyn]

Oh...I love rain as well! ( haven’t heard a drop for 2 months plus). I love wind at night too, roaring around the corners of the house. All comforting sounds.
I also love opening the full length window blinds in my kitchen each morning to the rising sun. Magnificent. I stand in those rays and feel renewed

[Tizer]

Our neighbourhood is quiet too. Whenever we have local tradesmen like plumbers and electricians they comment on it being quiet. They live in the same town but they're surprised that it's so quiet yet close to the town centre. There's a low ridge in between us and the centre which is about a mile away. It's quieter here than when we lived in the countryside. Everyone thinks it must be quiet living as we did down a lane on the edge of a small village. But there were tractors rumbling up and down the lane, other vehicles using the lane instead of the main roads, farm machinery etc.

Clocks - Mrs Tiz is using the glaucoma eye drops and has to hold her finger in the corner of her eye for a minute after inserting a drop. She's doing it in the bathroom and I notice she has stood a spare, large kitchen wall clock beside the basin to count out the minute. At least there's no chance of getting the timing wrong!

[Cathy]

Thinking of things I like to hear in the night, made me think of things that I don’t like to hear in the night. For me it’s the sound of a Mozzie!

[Stanley]

Ahh, mossies!



My charming four poster bed in Bruges when I was there with Carleton College. Only one problem, It was summer, lots of canals in Bruges, one just outside my window. I woke after the first night with a face that was puffed up and I looked as though I had some deadly disease! The owner of the hotel apologised, they'd forgotten to fit the mossie screen in my room.
Today's tip, always enquire about mossies if you are in a strange location!

[Stanley]

If you are in a situation where you have to hang about waiting for a delivery that must be signed for, relax, it can't be helped! You ordered the item, you must grin and bear it!

[Marilyn]

I was in that situation on Christmas Eve. Finally ( after electronically tracking the package all day), I thought I heard a delivery truck. So I went to the door and waited and waited. Finally I took a few steps outside and there was no one in sight, so I thought “silly me - I could have sworn I heard a truck!). Five mins later I checked the tracker and it read “PACKAGE COULD NOT BE DELIVERED AS NOBODY HOME...NOTE LEFT”. I raced outside, couldn’t find a delivery note anywhere. Then I looked over at my neighbours front door ( which we can’t see unless I go to the end of our driveway)...and there it was, tucked under their front door mat. Delivery driver had gone to the wrong house! He was very good about it and came back an hour later after we phoned him ( amazing as it was Christmas Eve and he probably wanted to get home). He questioned me very carefully about who I was because he worried I was a thief and wanted to steal the neighbours package! I offered ID.

[Stanley]

Nightmare Maz. We occasionally have the same problem here with East Hill being confused with Hill Street. I even had the police one day questioning me about playing loud music in the early hours! I pointed out their mistake and they were very annoyed with me!

[Big Kev]

If you are in a situation where you have to hang about waiting for a delivery that must be signed for, relax, it can't be helped! You ordered the item, you must grin and bear it!

New router is coming today, Royal Mail will have to redeliver as there won't be anybody in...

[Wendyf]

Sometimes the Royal Mail does a great job! On Friday morning at about 10.30am I sent off a parcel of books, second class, from Earby to my brother who lives in a village near Ottery St Mary in Devon. The parcel arrived with him before 9am the next morning!

[Stanley]

Delivery worked well and in the time frame. I am reminded of some advice my dad once gave me and it's today's tip. "Don't pee before your water comes!" He was right, not good to anticipate problems, have faith until the evidence says otherwise!
(do you remember the cautionary tale about the man borrowing the jack?)

[Stanley]

I topped up the stock of toilet rolls yesterday, I was down to my last 30..... We had a good laugh in the Co-op because we all had the same size stocks. We decided that this was the tip of the day. Try as you will, you can never escape the influence of your mother! (Even in the war she had an airing cupboard full of toilet rolls. Hitler wasn't allowed to affect that!)

[Stanley]

Living by yourself seems to be a good defence against picking up every infection going. The chief culprits are of course children bringing them home from school!
Even so, it's a good idea to bleach your sink and associated objects including your favourite mug at least once a day! (It's still part of my daily routine and touch wood......)

[Marilyn]

I am one of two, as you know.
Febby has been on holidays since the week before Christmas and returned to work yesterday. ( all that means is that he has not been sat upstairs on the computer every day, as he works from home.)
With him “wandering about” downstairs more, the mess has been noticeable! Gosh he can create havoc!

[Stanley]

I hesitate to comment.

[Marilyn]

Let’s just say, it has been a challenge!
He broke his sunglasses the other day and seemed intent on repairing them with super glue on the sink ( here we go again! ). He can not be trusted with super glue!
But the biggest mess by far, comes from his footwear ( I have tried explaining it to him)....he will mow the lawn and tread all sorts of mess through the house, whereas I change shoes for inside/outside at the door.
Add to that his need to paint all sorts of surfaces BLACK lately, and the drips that need cleaning up, ( the drips stretch from garage to points unlimited) and I can only say I need a holiday ( with one of those drinks that has a paper umbrella).

[Stanley]

Institute a paint ban?
I always used to have outside and inside footwear but my new fell boots are so comfortable I wear them all day but I am very careful about where I walk outside and seem to be able to avoid treading muck in. Apart from the odd small stones picked up by the commando soles but I pick them up!
Today's tip. Repeat prescriptions always take longer than expected! Get the request in to the surgery in good time. A 'two day' delay can easily become 5 days due to the way they work.

[Marilyn]

The fine layer of ash from recent bushfires is partly to blame, Stanley, and it is easily picked up on outdoor shoes. I’ve just had a moan about the kitchen floor...I steam mopped it yesterday...but you wouldn’t know it!

[Stanley]

That would get me here as well Maz.