Naoko's news, views and shoes thread

At first glance at the picture above, I thought your palm was swollen and you had a hole in it. What strange sea creature had his/her way with you?

The nail color is very interesting.

TxRad said:

The nail color is very interesting.

Click to expand...

That's what a couple of guests and the bride said at the wedding I wore it to. I was happy to be able to assure them that it matched my knickers

NaokoSmith said:

That's what a couple of guests and the bride said at the wedding I wore it to. I was happy to be able to assure them that it matched my knickers

Click to expand...

So, if your nails are natural then you are going commando. I'll have to keep that in mind.

TxRad said:

So, if your nails are natural then you are going commando. I'll have to keep that in mind.

Click to expand...

Natural! My nails are always protected by an elegant coat of nourishing polish which saves them from being stripped by household cleaning chemicals.

My naturals are not necessarily protected from stripping ...

My Ex did for my naturals some years ago.

Totally unrelated to anything but I have to get this off my bosom. Two blokes arguing over cars outside work just now: one claiming he couldn't get past. Went from horn-blowing, shouting, shouting with foul language, assault, police... what is it with testosterone? You could almost see the red mist. I'm still shakey and all I did was witness it. Maybe I need to pull on my big-girl pants? Sheesh.
I thought if I wrote it down I could exorcise the feelings. Hasn't worked.

But the vodkha and coke at the pub did

and the GB women winning Olympic gold in hockey is perfect

stickygirl said:

Totally unrelated to anything but I have to get this off my bosom. Two blokes arguing over cars outside work just now: one claiming he couldn't get past. Went from horn-blowing, shouting, shouting with foul language, assault, police... what is it with testosterone? You could almost see the red mist. I'm still shakey and all I did was witness it. Maybe I need to pull on my big-girl pants? Sheesh.
I thought if I wrote it down I could exorcise the feelings. Hasn't worked.

But the vodkha and coke at the pub did

Click to expand...

Swing-wing or fixed 67 degrees ?

stickygirl said:

Totally unrelated to anything but I have to get this off my bosom. Two blokes arguing over cars outside work just now: one claiming he couldn't get past. Went from horn-blowing, shouting, shouting with foul language, assault, police... what is it with testosterone? You could almost see the red mist. I'm still shakey and all I did was witness it. Maybe I need to pull on my big-girl pants? Sheesh.
I thought if I wrote it down I could exorcise the feelings. Hasn't worked.

But the vodkha and coke at the pub did

and the GB women winning Olympic gold in hockey is perfect

Click to expand...

Handley_Page said:

Swing-wing or fixed 67 degrees ?

Click to expand...

If it were in the US, it's not unlikely it would have proceeded to gunfire. Be thankful for the little things in life.

legerdemer said:

If it were in the US, it's not unlikely it would have proceeded to gunfire. Be thankful for the little things in life.

Click to expand...

An interesting thought, I fear.

Although some cars would benefit from a good-sized bullet in the block. . . .

So sorry about the upsetting testosterone-driven car thing, Jane.

And also your 'naturals', HP.

I have been teaching my socks off the last couple of days. Went over to Bristol yesterday for a tutorial with a slight hangover after going out on Friday night. (He was very sweet. Yes, I know. Don't worry, pet lovers, I put him back where I found him )

Today I must get the flat sorted and stuff packed up to go to the seaside tomorrow with Piglet and my friend's piglet. My friend may not be able to come at first (long story about a poisoned cat). I am so looking forward to it! The Welsh government ensure there is only narrowband on the coast and barely any mobile signal - which is horrid for the people who live there but great for us tourists. I will probably just about be able to get on here to chat but not, of course, on my work email I'm not even sure if there is internet in the holiday flat so if I don't come chatting for a few days, that's why. I will see if I can get cheeky postcards to post when I come back - because of course postcards always arrive after you came back from holiday.

Blurt: I really dislike how people have started to put automatic email answers saying 'I am absent for a few days', as if nobody were entitled to holiday. I shall say: 'I am going to the seaside on holiday'. I hardly take any of my holiday - owing to the ridiculous conditions I work under, not that management notice these things OF COURSE.

Unrelated query: does anyone have an opinion on Moscatel from Valencia? My neighbours gave me a large bottle and some chocolates for taking care of their cat while they are away. I am sharing the cat care with my cat care lady, as I will be away too for part of the time so I'm wondering whether to give her the chocolates or the wine.

Enjoy yourself, Naoko.

I hope you find someone interesting when on holiday; someone who can flirt with you successfully in the near vicinity of Piglet and Piglet's friend without upsetting them.

......

oggbashan said:

Enjoy yourself, Naoko.

I hope you find someone interesting when on holiday; someone who can flirt with you successfully in the near vicinity of Piglet and Piglet's friend without upsetting them.

Click to expand...

Thank you, dahlink! I usually don't flirt too much when around Piglet, LOL. Just enough to get free stuff

Beachbum, hullo! any news from Lori?

Ugh, I've woken up at 4 am. I think I caught some feverish cold from one of my students who selfishly insisted on staggering along to the tutorial in spite of being ill . I had the most terrible dreams: about having to take flash photography of people who would loom out of the darkness, otherwise something unspecified and dreadful would happen. I know I was snoring horribly too, I woke myself up, I snored so badly! That might have been the cheesy pizza, mind.

I shall take some paracetamol and drink lots of water and hopefully the cold will be mostly gone by tomorrow. Any tips on stopping snoring gratefully received. (Except giving up cheese and Jersey gold top milk - I couldn't bear to do that.)

NaokoSmith said:

Ugh, I've woken up at 4 am. I think I caught some feverish cold from one of my students who selfishly insisted on staggering along to the tutorial in spite of being ill . I had the most terrible dreams: about having to take flash photography of people who would loom out of the darkness, otherwise something unspecified and dreadful would happen. I know I was snoring horribly too, I woke myself up, I snored so badly! That might have been the cheesy pizza, mind.

I shall take some paracetamol and drink lots of water and hopefully the cold will be mostly gone by tomorrow. Any tips on stopping snoring gratefully received. (Except giving up cheese and Jersey gold top milk - I couldn't bear to do that.)

Click to expand...

I don't know if you can blame pizza for the snoring. For the nightmare, more than likely

My ex used to wake himself--and me--up snoring all the time. Sadly, we never found a way to prevent it. Ear plugs became my friends.

Hope you feel better quickly! Lots of rest and yummy cheese should do the trick

I find echinacea perfect for stopping a cold before it gets a grip - it works, for some reason.
We don't snore, we ..... suggestions anyone?
Have a luverly time. Piglet will soon be too old and want to go to Ibiza with her friends

EverLux said:

Hope you feel better quickly! Lots of rest and yummy cheese should do the trick

Click to expand...

Aww thank you! although lots of rest is a bit unlikely ... I will make sure I have lots of cheese, though

stickygirl said:

We don't snore, we ..... suggestions anyone?

Click to expand...

Breathe musically?

stickygirl said:

Have a luverly time. Piglet will soon be too old and want to go to Ibiza with her friends

Click to expand...

I know. I treasure excursions with her and her friends. So I really really hope the cold clears up quickly. Today I can keep snug and warm, as it's going to pour with rain - although I do have to pack the car, do a two/three hour drive and unpack the car. Tomorrow I want to hit the beach, though! The flat my friend has got is right on the beach.


I hope the poorly cat gets much better and my friend can make it down to spend a bit of time with us too. She has had no holiday whatsoever this year.

NaokoSmith said:

Thank you, dahlink! I usually don't flirt too much when around Piglet, LOL. Just enough to get free stuff

Beachbum, hullo! any news from Lori?

Click to expand...

Hi Naoko, thank you for asking. Lori arrived back in Paris yesterday afternoon exhausted and emotionally wrung out, but very happy; they found her family in Gramercy, they'd been trapped by the floods and were waiting for the National Guard or FEMA to show up, instead they got Lori, her uncle, and her cousin Jean-Gastone. They also found her three little old aunties, the old girls had been grabbed by their neighbours as soon as the water started rising and carted away North of Lafayette and out of any flood danger. She was understandably frantic trying to find them, they're her grandfather's baby sisters and the youngest is 93, but they were safe and well, so she could come home with a clear conscience. We're staying in Paris for a few days to let her recuperate, she's been on the go since Tuesday, then it's back home to Juan les Pins.

beachbum1958 said:

Hi Naoko, thank you for asking. Lori arrived back in Paris yesterday afternoon exhausted and emotionally wrung out, but very happy; they found her family in Gramercy, they'd been trapped by the floods and were waiting for the National Guard or FEMA to show up, instead they got Lori, her uncle, and her cousin Jean-Gastone. They also found her three little old aunties, the old girls had been grabbed by their neighbours as soon as the water started rising and carted away North of Lafayette and out of any flood danger. She was understandably frantic trying to find them, they're her grandfather's baby sisters and the youngest is 93, but they were safe and well, so she could come home with a clear conscience. We're staying in Paris for a few days to let her recuperate, she's been on the go since Tuesday, then it's back home to Juan les Pins.

Click to expand...

Please pass on our very best wishes.

Hello all!

Beachbum and Lori, I'm so relieved to hear the good news on Lori's family! The news of the flooding has been truly heartbreaking.

Naoko, I hope you have a wonderful time on your beach vacation! Its sounds divine. Good thoughts that your friend's cat is ok and she'll be able to join you.

I had a very stressful night last night, that continued into the day. I only got about 3 hours of sleep, I was tossing and turning with worry. My oldest, who is 11, started middle school/Jr. High today! Grade six. Which differs from elementary in that instead of only one classroom and one classroom teacher, he now has a locker and changes classes every 40 minutes and has to find his way around a much larger school and it's super stressful. For me.

My 11-year-old has some special needs and I've always dreaded sixth grade. His elementary school was such a lovely place, his team of resource people top notch, they really cared about him. Turns out, he's becoming quite self-sufficient, only tried to open the wrong locker once, found all of his classes and had a good day. Didn't get devoured by wolves, as I half expected would happen.

His case manager seems quite capable, the OT will be checking in, and all the teachers are nice and not demons in disguise, as far as I can tell.

sheablue said:

...

I had a very stressful night last night, that continued into the day. I only got about 3 hours of sleep, I was tossing and turning with worry. My oldest, who is 11, started middle school/Jr. High today! Grade six. Which differs from elementary in that instead of only one classroom and one classroom teacher, he now has a locker and changes classes every 40 minutes and has to find his way around a much larger school and it's super stressful. For me.

...

Click to expand...

My heart particularly goes with you on this.

Best wishes to both of you today!

curl4ever said:

My heart particularly goes with you on this.

Best wishes to both of you today!

Click to expand...

Thanks so much, Curl.

Day two seems to have gone just as well as day one. Though, the kid has now twice forgotten the "Concussion form" that I apparently have to sign for gym class , and almost forgot to bring his viola home. Well, he did forget, but I caught him and sent him back inside to fetch it.

In other news, I am participating in a multi-part flash fiction challenge. I'm really looking forward to getting some feedback and the parameters of the next step in a few weeks.

Good to hear everything's ok for Lori's family, and that Shea's son is doing well at middle school.

Naoko, if you're still interested in the Moscatel de Valencia, I did ask my daughter about it. "Welch's white grape juice with added alcohol," she sneered, but then she is a bit of a snooty oenophile (is that redundant?).

She said to go with the chocolates, but if you must, the moscatel is very sweet and slightly citrusy, and passable as a dessert wine. She doesn't recommend pairing it with chocolates, though, proposing that it would go far better with fruity baked goods.

I never ceased to be amazed at what one can learn on the AH. . . .

Handley_Page said:

I never ceased to be amazed at what one can learn on the AH. . . .

Click to expand...

Morning HP xx

I never cease to be amazed by what passes as "fact" on the GB. I just learnt a whole lot more about quantum theory today!

A nice spot of drizzle for the bank hol weekend?

stickygirl said:

Morning HP xx

I never cease to be amazed by what passes as "fact" on the GB. I just learnt a whole lot more about quantum theory today!

A nice spot of drizzle for the bank hol weekend?

Click to expand...

Quantum theory on the GB?

Was someone trying to explain the large dark areas between their three brain cells?