Fireworks, but not as you know it....

The gas board are causing bigger eruptions and sparking more verbal fireworks than you will ever find at a Bonfire night display for my neighbours and I. For the past 2 weeks, without end in sight, they have been digging up the entire length of the road to replace everyones fittings to plastic. I live on the main village road and the houses are an assortment built over the past 200 years or so, from the oldest terraces, then the semis and newest, with odd exception, the detached. As you can imagine the terraces have to park their cars on the road, as do a few of the semis. The gas board in their ultimate wisdom, instead of going all down one side of the road, then making good before starting on the other side, have decided to just leave one side in chaos and carry on the other side. The road is narrow to start with, they have also dug up the side road and put traffic lights on it. Bedlam has ensued, fisticuffs and expletives are rife. The sound of pneumatic drills is driving me to distraction, to the point where I am thinking of taking a kitbag into work and not bothering to come home between shifts. I am lucky enough to have a long drive, though to access it means driving down 100 yards or so of shared access with my neighbour. The said neighbour has no drive at the end of the access, but I agreed years ago that they could park 1 car at the bottom as We would still be able to get our vehicles past it to get in and out ( tight when it's the landrover, but still able). With all this hassle of the road and parking, I have let them bring their other car down and leave it at the top. Here's the rub, we have 4 vehicles and are in and out quite frequently, and yesterday when my son needed them to move their car for the 3rd time he got quite a 'cold shoulder' and comments. I don't know what to do now, whether to tell them that I am no longer going to be considerate and let them park in the access or to just bite my tongue. After all, we are inconveniencing ourselves with keep having to ask them to move the car, but have tried to be good neighbours and seem to be having it thrown back in our faces.

What has this to do with healthy eating? STRESS, that's what. Lack of sleep and tensions are testing my will power to the extreme. The kids are tetchy too and I am diffusing arguments constantly. AAAARGGGGHHHHHH. Earplugs do not work and the house is vibrating with the drills. I ate a big bag of crisps yesterday, first in a long while and I am craving them and crusty french bread as I type.

This simply won't do. Right, bl***y rain or not, I am hooking the dog up and going for a trek over the muddy fields. Maybe I can stomp this irritation away.

Have a better day than me folks, this grumpy mare is signing off for now. 😤😠😖

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Oh dear Shellie, sounds like you're having the day from hell, I hope your soggy, wet stomp has worked and that you're now feeling a little calmer

Failing that, hire a road roller and squash your neighbours cars, stop paying your gas bills, park your car on the traffic lights and set the dog on the workmen. You'll feel so much better afterwards

[Hidden in reply to moreless]

Oh moreless, you lovely lady, I am chuckling at your response. The walk has put me in a better humour if not quite restored to my usual positive self. I arrived back at the house soggy and muddy, though a lot less muddy than the pooch, lol. After showering him, then myself, I warmed myself a bowl of corn chowder and had a nice cup of tea. There is a wonderful joint of pork slow roasting in sticky hoisin sauce, which is to be accompanied by vegetable rice for dinner after going to the local bonfire/fireworks display tonight. I saw my neighbour a half hour ago and they apologised for being 'off' with my son, I accepted and diplomatically reminded them who is doing who the favour. Said neighbour had the grace to look sheepish and said sorry again and that they appreciate our consideration. To be fair, it is a testing time for us all, and tempers fray when stuff like this happens. We went back into our respective homes on friendly terms again. I am imagining my little Alfie ragging the ankles of the workmen, naughty thoughts I know but very satisfying, lol. He is a tenacious little beggar too and certainly wouldn't let go if he actually did have a go., hehehe. 😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Oh - that dinner sounds delicious Glad to hear the neighbour problems have been sorted. Enjoy your fireworks ! (We can watch ours out the front window - ringside seats ! Great for us - not so great for the menagerie of animals we have !)

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

lucca, it smells divine!!!! I am only having a small portion of the pork and rice, but am doing a portion of stirfried iceberg lettuce in oyster sauce to fill the plate up for minimal calories. Determined not to fall off the wagon again and succumb to crisps. 😊

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Hidden]

All's well that ends well then and you still have Alfie in reserve should the need arise

Enjoy your yummy dinner and the fireworks.

Happy bonfire night

[Hidden in reply to moreless]

Ha Ha - you should start up anger management classes, moreless

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Hidden]

"You talking to me?" "You talking to me?" "You talking to me?"

[Hidden]

Also had annoyances today Shellie, too long-winded to go into here. Am nearly home, tired, with good intentions but also a bottle of wine. Hopefully the good intentions will win... Hope you stay strong-willed too xxx

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Hidden]

Just one glass Ruth!

[Hidden in reply to moreless]

I have absolutely amazed myself and stuck 2/3rds of the bottle in a plastic water bottle in the freezer. Good intentions still in with a chance

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Hidden]

WTG You! You've nailed it!

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to moreless]

I've just had a thought, how about freezing the wine in an ice cube tray and just have one at a time

[Hidden in reply to moreless]

Anything mouth sized prob bad idea... Visualising a succession of 'wine sweeties'!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Some days are just.......AARRGGGH, aren't they Ruth. I have been to the display and back home have not bothered with the pork and rice, instead I have had a wine and soda spritzer, and am now sitting with a small glass of sauvignon blanc -- oops! I have had a banana though, does that count as strong willed? Hoping your feeling a lot more relaxed now hunny and your will has been so much stronger than mine. Chin up, 'these things are sent to try us' as the saying goes, we are strong... well.... sometimes we are, lol. 😊

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm also more relaxed now, wine has worked, hmm... Also with some time to reflect now, I'm considering dealing with my work issue via formal methods, i.e. raising a complaint about bullying behaviour, as I think that's what's happened today. Maybe you need to find a constructive, active solution too. This wine, overeating, stress etc is down to internalising rather than confronting. Your neighbours need to stick to your system and be responsive during this current situation, they need to be made to understand they're lucky to even share the same air as you let alone the same street!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sorry to hear you're having work problems in your new job Ruth. Hope you get them sorted

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, I've asked advice from the lady from the agency that's placed me there. She's been lovely, says she'll speak to the head person at my office and find out what's going on. In the meantime I've just got offered another job for January, so feeling pretty confident about standing my ground. Funny how quickly things can start to look up again!

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Hidden]

For some reason, an employed person becomes eminently more employable.

Now you have a choice Ruth, don't let people treat you badly, you're worth so much more.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

That's good news. I hope she gets it sorted for you Sounds like you are temping ? I used to do that in London - used to get sent to all sorts of strange places for a couple of weeks at a time. I worked for Yakult for 2 weeks just before they were introducing their probiotics into the UK, when there were just 2 or 3 people in the head office. You should of seen my face when they were offering me samples of fermented yogurty bacteria to try - I thought this would never catch on. (I also said that about the Spice Girls who I met two weeks before they got to no 1 with Wannabe - don't ever trust me as an indicator of popular culture !)

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I've never liked either - they've both dropped off the radar pretty much too, so I think you're spot on Lucca the long-term forecaster! I'm on a temp contract that's meant to transfer to permanent in Jan, not ideal but I'll see how it goes, seem to have a few options at least

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Oh Ruth hunny, I hope you get your work situation sorted out and you are feeling a lot happier. Bullying is horrendous in any form and if you are the one on the receiving end, an emotional turmoil. Take care chick 😕

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Shellie, hope things pick up for you too