The good morning, good night thread

[Ed]

Had a look around a house earlier today -- we're looking at buying one to rent out. It's a repo, which is sad in itself, because you can't help but feel for the people who used to live there and couldn't make the finances work, but what a pit this place was. The decoration was horrendous, the kitchen had obviously been a DIY project, as had the bathroom, cheap dark laminate flooring throughout the place, black mould all over the outside walls, and it was tiny. Postage stamp garden, crappy little garage you'd struggle to park a car in.

My wife said what was on my mind -- it makes you glad of what you've got. Compared to that place, we live in the lap of luxury, yet the mortgage to buy the place is three times as much as our current one. Don't get me wrong, we haven't been handed it on a plate. It's taken a colossal amount of work to get this far. I've spent the past ten years building it in my spare time. But it makes you realise how overpriced houses are when an average family struggles and ultimately fails to buy a crappy little hovel like that one.

[LashSlash]

get to work, monkeyman, and good-luck. nothing ventured nothing gained!!!. forget about that trip you were dreaming of to sharm-el-sheik. ...... when i was there, it consisted of 2 1/2 palm trees and a pile of hashish....now, you can get 1/2 a plalm tree for the price of your house. people should be allowed the security of living in their own houses..... [got a feeling its somebody or others policy not to let us be masters of our own castles. ]     

[Rev. Austin]

I had a really lovely day out yesterday with my best mate, his missus, his 8 year old nephew, their 16 month old son (my godson), the other godfather and one of the godmothers.  We all went to The Deep (which, my American friends, is a massive aquarium [is that the right term?]) in Hull.  Their nephew told me I was his best friend, and then invited me round to read his Transformer comics hahaha what a sweetheart 

In CD news, I've polished off my bit for the collective short story - Ed, shall I send it your way, or just post it in the thread?

[delboy]

Superb day sports wise, yesterday! An outstanding score in the big rugby match - Gloucester beat Northampton away. Awesome result! England won, too, but where I come from that's a minor diversion.

Today I've been battling the elements on my bike - figured I'd better start tackling some hills. Found Wainlodes Hill (Geoff will know it) much tougher than last year. I put it down to winter inactivity - but then discovered I'd gone up it on the middle front ring, rather than the small   

Just been working through some Charlie Parker's licks on the old guitar.   He was pretty good, ol' Charlie. Not sure what the rest of the day will bring. The dog looked at the rain and shook his head, so it won't be dog walking.

Might even find time to read a Sunday paper 

Derek

[Robert Essig]

We all went to The Deep (which, my American friends, is a massive aquarium [is that the right term?])

If you're speaking of giant cages where monkeys do the nasty then you're right!

Or perhaps giant tanks filled with water and sea creatures.  We've got a very nice one here in San Diego.

[Pharosian]

We all went to The Deep (which, my American friends, is a massive aquarium [is that the right term?])

If you're speaking of giant cages where monkeys do the nasty then you're right!

Or perhaps giant tanks filled with water and sea creatures.  We've got a very nice one here in San Diego.

Sea monkeys, maybe... 

Yes, Rev, you got the term right. I've been to several aquariums. There's one at Newport, Kentucky, not far from where I live, but I've also been to see them in Chicago, Monterey (California), and Waikiki. It's always interesting to me to see how different the exhibits are at each one.

[Ed]

In CD news, I've polished off my bit for the collective short story - Ed, shall I send it your way, or just post it in the thread?

Post it to the thread, please, Rev

[Geoff_N]

I have a lung-hurting rattly cough so thought I'd purchase a cough elixir to help at night. But at Boots the chemist all I could find were medications with NON-DROWSY printed proudly on the packet. Many contain caffeine or other eyelid jerkers. I don't want to be kept awake. Where do I get a cough cure with MAKES DROWSY on the side! Please. Cough cough.

[Ed]

I'm with you, Geoff. The best stuff I've ever had was when we went skiing in Canada. I bought some stuff like Lemsip cold and flu in a sachet. Made a drink with it, drank it, and it knocked me out for about four hours. It was great -- I woke up feeling relaxed and refreshed. Great stuff.

As you say, though, we have all the crap that helps you carry on as if you haven't got anything wrong with you. Dunno about you, but sometimes I like to just give in to it and wallow a while Hope you feel better soon.

[Rook]

Geoff, if it's an irritated cough, fennel tea works pretty well for calming it-- not terribly long term, (so it won't really help you sleep through the night) but it numbs the throat some.(Got me through a nasty two-week bout of flu last month.) If it's wet, it still helps, but not quite as well. Won't hurt anyway.   Though my mom is a proponent of whiskey. (I'm not joking, actually-- she recommends it in tea to everyone with a nasty cough. That and an expectorant for phlegmy lungs.)

Feel better!  

[fnord33]

Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well Geoff. I hope you feel better soon. Everyone I know swears by Mucinex and Zycam.  It seems like everybody's sick right now. I'm trying to stay in as much as possible until it dies down a bit.

I knew the spooks were watching me. Now I have proof.  I got my first jury duty summons today. I'm supposed to report for duty the day I'm going out of town for a show I've already bought tickets for. I knew I shouldn't have clicked that conspiracy video on facebook.  If I disappear suddenly you know that the powers that be are secretly plotting to set off a massive earthquake in the gulf and kill us all. Most of you guys are in Europe so it'll just be an interesting story your friends won't believe, but you'll know. Then they'll come for you.

[Ed]

I always remember a quote (but can't remember who said it, real or fictional) that juries are made up from the dumbest members of society -- the ones too thick to get out of jury service. Personally, I think it could be pretty interesting. Not sure I'd want it to go on for six months, like the OJ trial, though.

Geoff -- I've got into the habit of dosing myself with Lemsip, laced with elderflower cordial and honey. I take them every four hours, and at the two hour mark take a couple ibuprofen. I've kept working througgh the last two or three colds like that. It's surprising how much the pain killers work. Not sure how much help it would be with a cough, though. Hope you feel better soon.

[marc_chagall]

Honey has been proven to be more effective than any over-the-counter cold remedy for coughs and bad throats, and if you're wanting drowsiness, a nip of whisky added to a cup of tea will probably do the trick. Ibuprofen's one of the most effective pain-killers, and it's dirt cheap in ASDA. I should know. Battling toothache here, and it's the only thing that's working. Will have to see the dentist though. 

[Ed]

Yeah, I couldn't believe I was spending a couple of quid for a small packet of Nurophen when I could get about double the amount of Tesco's own brand ibuprophen for about forty pence. Sorry to hear you have tooth ache, Delph. Seems like we're a sickly bunch here at the moment

[Rev. Austin]

My housemate swears by that posh honey - Manukah or something - although I think it's about £14 a pop  you can also, apparently, put it on your skin.  Not sure I'd want to, but each to their own