Hi,
I was going to start off by making a wisecrack about being a genderfluid person who’s been struck in one gender for too long. However, it feels a bit meh, given there are many folk who get significantly less freedom than I do.
So – and despite me showing said quip, I think it’s better to count my blessings and enjoy what I have.
For a start, this week’s been pretty good and the cooler – but still summery – weather has been very pleasant. Child 2.0 continues to sort out the red tape around higher education, and he’s enjoying a very laid back long break. He’s certainly earned it, after all the exams and coursework.
Friday
Give or take an hour and I’m just back in from a morning of errands. Dare I say the four day week is really working out for me and the family. I’ve had the gift of time to pick up the Ever Lovely Mrs J’s very large bag of medicines. Yes, we are at that point in life! Given the amount I collect, I’m surprised the dispensary doesn’t run the theme from Trainspotting. But as that reference is mid 90s, it’s quite possible the staff weren’t born then! 😁👵
New dog food has been required as eldest pooch was unwell in the week. As in trip to the vets unwell. Said hound is our Old Lady and she’s on the mend following treatment and switching up to wet food. She was certainly enjoying the freshly cooked chicken I was trying to bribe her with, to get her appetite going.
Treated
I’ve also just had my legs waxed so the dreaded ick-fuzz is fully removed and they’re back to how I prefer them. That certainly helps with my mental health and while there’s the annoying growing back period, there’s a lot less hair than before. My lower legs stay pretty good even between sessions.
I asked if S – the beautician – also did nostril waxing, as I’ve been meaning to ask for a while. Cue some hot wax on a small stick and the comedy of inserting those into either nostril. Readers of a certain age may wish to reference the Blackadder Goes Forth sketch of ‘wibble’. 🙂 That aside, it wasn’t too painful and I think that’ll save on some personal care in weeks to come.
Geek chic
I’ve also bought a new smartphone as the old one was no longer getting security updates. The new model is midrange and I’m really pleased with the interface, size, and the key needs of texts & calls working.
The old handset has done well and I think I’ve had about three years out of it. Given the manufacturer of the older handset seems to be retreating from European markets, perhaps swapping more isn’t a bad thing.
Being a geek, I did look at some of the open source Android systems out there. I love the idea of a long term and upgradeable handset – like Fairphone – but I’m not flush on cash right now.
I also looked at upcycling my old handset by using e/os, iodé, or LineageOS; yet my old handset isn’t supported by them. Shame, that would have saved a purchase and kept the hardware for longer.
The new phone came with Facebook and TikTok installed, so they were straight off. I get that manufacturers are probably getting a bung on that and many users might want said apps ready to go. But, I would rather have no bloatware and add items I need.
I have kept an old miniPC and found a good use for that, though. It’s a low power device and as it’s a little old, struggles with the heft of Windows 11’s RAM needs. Instead, it boots quickly and runs well with Linux Lite. I’m not ashamed to call myself a noob, because we’ve all got to start somewhere.
I’ve also rebuilt an old laptop with ChromeOS to give away to an old friend from the group. However, they don’t have WiFi at home at the mo, so I’m keeping the old unit safe. I did try a number of non Google desktops, but the laptop is over a decade old and support doesn’t last forever.
Next week
It’ll be a short week for me this time around, as I’ve taken holiday off to help Child 2.0 with a few things.
Work are having a summer social half-day, so given the weather I’ll be in shorts. I guess if anything is said – most folk are too polite, or simply don’t notice – we shall see. I sometimes wonder if it’s better to be out and authentic. But we’ve danced around that one a few times.
Chams on Thursday to look forward to and maybe, just maybe, it’ll be cool enough to think about wearing some pretty 🤞
_______________
Stay cool & fabulous,
L x
Freshly cooked chicken. Mmm, never mind the doggo’s appetite, you got mine going! I’ll have a dollop of bread sauce with mine, ta.
That all sounds pretty positive. I wouldn’t worry about getting hairless legs out. Nobody notices these things anything like as much as we do!
Have a good weekend.
Sue xx
Chicken thighs as they are quite fatty and we need to get some calories into the old girl, bless her. I try not to eat too much meat these days – particularly beef or bacon – so the smell of freshly roasted chicken was very tempting! Best not think about it. Nom nom nom 😁
As to the leg situation, how many years have I been keeping them smooth? Two, if not three, and not a peep. If they ask, they ask.
Hope you have a good weekend too.
I always have a very large bag of medication to collect for my Wife. And it’s never together on the shelf, so the assistant has to wander up and down the shelves looking frustrated. The joys of pharmacies.
As to nasal waxing, it’s not a good idea. Never pluck nose hair. Trim it instead. If you remove all your nose hair, you lose your filter to stop dirt and disease getting in. Nose hair also slows up the intake of air just enough to allow our sense of smell to work at it’s best. And pulling out or waxing hairs can cause micro tears and damage in the Danger Triangle of the face which runs from the corners of your mouth, to the top of your nose. Any infections getting into wounds or sores here, can quickly spread to the brain. Trimming nose hair is fine, and there are special trimmers and body grooming attachments that do the job safely. And that ends my public safely announcement.
I’m glad your dogs better, and I hope you enjoy your new phone. I think they should definitely be made to last longer.
Dee xxx
It can be a bit of a queue with the meds 🙂 Still, they all help, so that’s good.
Point noted about the nose. I’ll see how things go. I have a trimmer but it’s only okay-ish. I do find my nose gets irritated by hairs further back, so it’s more than cosmetic. Fingers crossed the blood/brain barrier does it’s work eh? 😉
The new phone is working well, thanks. I guess with certain companies wanting a rental model for services, you’d think they’d offer a longer support model, but no.
Sounds like it’s been a really positive week overall, Lynn. 😊 It’s lovely to hear that the four-day week is working well and giving you that extra bit of breathing space for family, errands and looking after the important things in life.
Glad to hear the Old Lady pooch is on the mend too. It’s always worrying when pets are unwell, but they certainly know how to appreciate a bit of extra care (and chicken!).
I smiled reading about the waxing. It’s amazing how something that might seem like a small thing to others can make such a difference to how we feel about ourselves. I know exactly what you mean about the smoother feeling and the boost it can give.
Interesting to read your thoughts on the phone and keeping older tech going too. I love the idea of giving things a second life rather than replacing them unnecessarily.
Hope the summer social goes well. I think there’s something quite powerful about those little steps towards being more authentic, even if they feel daunting.
Hugs,
Lotte x
Thanks Lotte. I think the social went okay and it certainly had it’s moments – in a good way! Nothing was said – other than, “oh, what’s your tattoo of?” – so I didn’t say any more. I mean, you don’t want to crash the gig.
A bit of an early start, but given I have the luxury of remote work 99% of the time, it’s not too bad. Mind you, I’ve been up very early to walk the hounds as it’s far too hot during the day, bless ’em.
Old Lady Dogue is doing well, thanks for asking. Back to her usual “Well, I did like this food yesterday, but don’t you have anything else?” 😁
IMO, I find it irksome that many bits of tech are left behind without security updates. That or the impact of the latest operating system – and accompanying bloat – hammer the old devices. I get that things move on and that eventually things break.
But, if I think about the number of old laptops, phones, and tablets I’ve tweaked to use open source software, all of them got another handful of years use.
I think Child 2.0 was using a decade old Lenovo with ChromeOS on top. That was because their school had Google Workplace for teaching. I’ve a Linux miniPC that struggled with Windows 11, but now flies for web stuff, email, and light (Open) office tasks.