It might be cold. It might be windy. It might feel nothing like Spring. But at least the daffodils are out in force.

I couldn’t sleep last night. On a hill the wind tends to howl. And wow did it howl. It’s been like that for days. A number of the local tourist sites are closed on safety grounds.

So today my brain has been running a bit in neutral. Processing a barrage of questions.

“Dad why does Gordon Ramsey swear so much?”

“How is May still Prime Minister?”

“Has the Champions League draw taken place?”

“When can we go to see Captain Marvel?”

“Why do Daffodils have such a short flowering season and why is it in a time period which is notorious for poor weather?”

“Why haven’t they made a new series of Gravity Falls?”

“Why do we focus so much attention on the Battle of Hastings and William the Conqueror. Yet we never talk about the years proceeding the battle. They are just as important.”

“What’s a Gravity wave?”

“How old is Alice Cooper?”

and on and on.

And yet I managed to hold my own. It was that sort of day. Maybe not on top form but ticking off jobs.

  • Cleaned the Gerbil Cage without accidentally releasing the little darlings to cause havoc around the house,
  • Managed to negotiate a cheaper broadband deal,
  • Get the old laptop working again,
  • Completed this weeks work requirements,
  • Change a wiper blade on the car,
  • Repair some knee holes in jeans,
  • Sort out some problems with son’s school iPad,
  • Prepare meals for tonight,
  • Replace a hose in the hoover,
  • Finish the ironing,
  • Clean the bathroom,
  • Get all the outstanding bills pad,
  • Convince the Council to give us a free replacement wheely bin as our old one is held together with 2 rolls of tape.

But then the success came to a grinding halt. Failure in the face of an insurmountable problem. Defeated by a super complex Riemman Hypothesis. My version of Star Treks Kobayashi Maru.

Changing our son’s Duvet Cover.

How difficult can it be. The cover comes off so easy. But when you try to put it back on. Suddenly it’s like trying to play a game of Twister with Ninja Octopus. Gets twisted, Rides up. Goes in the wrong way. Decides to turn inside out. Suddenly the duvet appears to be covered in the worlds stickiest Velcro. It’s just a nightmare. SIXTY PESKY MINUTES later and the only thing I had achieved was to go into full Hulk Rage.

Come on Spring. Please arrive soon. Bring in the warmer weather so I can ditch the duvets and those demonic covers – for a wonderful couple of months. Daffodils remind you that those happy days are coming.

103 thoughts on “Daffodils and that pesky problem.”

  3. Why, why, why… Why is the sky blue? Why can’t the trees talk?

    Daffodils are curious flowers. Ours start coming up in the middle of February. I’ve seen them bloom in the middle of a snowstorm.

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  4. I am 157 centimetres tall, and getting the duvet inner inside its cover is hard going. It would help if I was half as tall again, and my arms were half as long again as they are just now. Can your genius son come up with a solution to this problem ?

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  5. In case it helps I’m happy to answer a few questions.

    “Dad why does Gordon Ramsey swear so much?”

    He’s very good at his job and gets annoyed when people who should also be good at their job aren’t and start saying and doing stupid things. He’s a really lovely guy actually and if you met him you would not hear him swear or say a single angry, shouty word he’s just like in the kitchen (and for the cameras) The origin of swear words and sayings / phrases in general is fascinating though. Susie Dent’s “Why did the Crocodile Cry?” is great 🙂

    “How is May still Prime Minister?”
    No idea even she wants to know the answer to that one.

    “Has the Champions League draw taken place?”
    No idea but here’s a link you might understand I haven’t the foggiest
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47573713

    “When can we go to see Captain Marvel?”
    I dunno… when can you go see Captain Marvel??

    “Why do Daffodils have such a short flowering season and why is it in a time period which is notorious for poor weather?”
    Not sure but understand your point.  I think every year and I’m thinking right now how cruel it is lambs are born all happy and bouncing around and they get just two or three days of fine weather and sunshine then it just tips down with rain, hale, sleet, gales and they poor things are bleating and wondering what happened.  Every year too it’s not even a coincidence it feels too deliberate.
    Nature has a warped sense of humour but the daffodil question is a good one. I’ll come back.

    “Why haven’t they made a new series of Gravity Falls?”
    I don’t know what that is it sounds like a gravity well which I’ve heard of but don’t know what that is either so leave it with me I’ll find out.

    “Why do we focus so much attention on the Battle of Hastings and William the Conqueror. Yet we never talk about the years proceeding the battle. They are just as important.”
    Excellent question and you’re spot on.  Will pick up and elaborate to explain if this doesn’t make sense but guess it’s not that any specific event is more or less important than others. We maybe need to bring things into a neater order so it’s easier to start from and work with.  If you just say”Battle of Hastings” most people instantly go “1066”  and few know much else other than the year. I’m one of them. It gives a set reference to start then you can work and fill in the gaps leading up and following that.  Otherwise we’d  never get out of history lessons until we’re in our 50’s

    “What’s a Gravity wave?”
    Wait what??! How bizarre 😀 (see answer to gravity well) My husband can tell you this in a simpler way he’s an engineer and all about fluid and thermodynamics.  

    “How old is Alice Cooper?”
    71yrs old.  Maybe too old to still be wearing makeup and sporting long hair but who are we to judge?

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    1. Wow top answers. Yeh we went for a similar with 1066 but son kept going back to the fact that a number of U.K. areas have strong Viking and Roman histories and these are not focused upon enough. Plus Williams persecution of the north is not given any context if you don’t go back another 100 years.

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      1. Ahh right well here’s something he might be interested in.

        My son does archery and combat training with Historia Normannis

        They do all kinds of different full public displays, shows and live battles in authentic kit, weapons and use / team up with other groups for the really big events.

        They have some changes to schedule to dates but every year they go into battle at Whittington / Lancaster Castle – brilliant 🙂

        Other thing is this a link to crosses in a churchyard I can see from where I am right now.
        https://thejournalofantiquities.com/2013/05/03/the-whalley-crosses-lancashire/

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  6. Also and in case these are any help to Dad…

    Gerbils

    Invest in one of those little animal play pen / enclosures so you can release the beasts and let them mooch and roam around safely whilst you clean the cage. If the kids are about they can set up obstacle courses with stuff from round the houses i.e. kitchen roll tubes, old egg cartons and plastic tubs / boxes or whatever they find lying around.
    If they’re not you can cover and safely keep them inside with a secure top sheet.

    Nedz. Used more for horses and ponies to put down as bedding in stables so you’re not likely to find and pick it up at normal pet stores but any animal feed suppliers in the area will have it in stock. 20kg for original blue bale roughly £10 and lasts ages.

    Brought one home from the yard Sept / Oct last year for the hamster (big cage and has a deep base) and it’s still got a quarter left.

    It’s super fine stuff, virtually dust free and made of all herbal natural stuff and doesn’t have large chips and splinters etc. Plus because it’s used mainly for horses it soaks up pee and poo brilliantly so there’s no wet soggy corners or spots it leaves the bedding soiled but relatively dry. When you’re cleaning out just tip the lot, spray and wipe with pet-safe anti-bac, let it dry and tip out more fresh Nedz. Job done.

    http://www.nedz.co.uk/

    Changing a Duvet Cover.

    People don’t believe me when I tell them I literally cannot do this without my daughter coming to the rescue. Try and I know all the tips of how to hold and get the corners inside out and so on – still literally get stuck inside it every time without fail and then can’t get out again yelling “HALP… HALP I’M STUCK HALP”
    When I managed a large care home I still needed staff to come help me change bedding and refit the duvet covers otherwise I’d end up needing to pressure the nurse call buzzer and await rescue like I do at home.

    It’s something which if you cannot do you’ll never master. Daughter asked what I’d do if she weren’t here and I had nobody else to help me fit a duvet cover. Gave it some thought and decided I’d buy sleeping bags, unzip and lay them out as a full duvet. Sorted. Throw the whole in the wash as and when, hang it up on the bannister to dry – lay it back on the bed. Now that’s the future!

    Make your life easier and cut corners wherever you can to free up time and attention for more important stuff.

    Similarly the cleaning, tidying and laundry and other daily tasks and chores don’t always need be done urgently. Let things slide now and then and don’t worry if the house isn’t pristine – no house with young kids and pets should ever be pristine in my opinion.

    Nobody ever died regretting having not done a full wash load just one more time. Not in my lifetime anyway.

    Duvets / cleaning and all that can wait. A certain matter that does need to be addressed however… Captain Marvel.

    😀

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    1. The little darlings have a carry den which they are supposed to go in but they much prefer to run over my arms and back. You put one in the den then when you go for the second one, the first one immediately jumps onto your hand when you try to put the second one in the temporary den. …and on and on.

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  7. I have learned the trick to changing the duvet cover. Take the cover, turn it inside out. Lay it on the duvet and then grab the two width wise edges of both the duvet and cover and turn it right side out, for the rest! Brave👏👏👏

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      6. Works best when you put your hands inside the inside-out duvet cover and grab the two most distant corners – use them like gloves while you then grab two corners of the duvet that are supposed to go on the corners where your hands are. Lift up and pull hands apart and just let cover wriggle down the duvet as you shake it! 🙂

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  8. Start with the duvet cover inside out. Put your arms inside the cover and grab the two furthest corners. Then, pincer-like, also grab the corresponding duvet corners. Keeping hold of both, shake the cover. You may then need to let go to pull the cover over the final bit. Fasten, grab this corners and shake again.

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  10. Hubby does the duvet thing as my arms aren’t long enough. He turns it inside out, the grabs the corners and flicks it over.
    Glad you got a cheaper Broadband deal. We’re with the Post Office and our landline package is £15 a month all in plus calls. We usually use the mobile unless we need a secure line, but basically, we don’t use the phone that much so it should work out ok.
    You seem pretty organised though. We have a leak on our water butt and have to raise it up an inch or so. Cue paving slabs, ut we will have to emoty the damn thing now as we can’t lift it, and thus starts the windy thing again.
    Curious about the holes in the jeans……. thought that was all the rage now?
    Have a good weekend.

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  14. Love your daffodil shot! 🙂

    That boy’s gonna keep you on your toes. 😉 You’ll be thankful for this when you’re avoiding Alzheimers in your senior years. 🙂

    I think a better question is why Gordon Ramsey is on television AT &%$##*&@%$! ALL???

    If you want a serious answer to Gravity waves i’m happy to oblige… but it won’t fit in a comment box! Email me! 😉

    There were only 2 series (40 episodes) of Gravity Falls made but the author has said he’s open to the idea of doing another one – just up to the studio execs to make the decision and stump up the funds i guess? There is a follow-on graphic novel released last year called ‘Gravity Falls: Lost Legends’ that may keep junior amused for an hour or two?

    Finally, you Sir, are a true Superhero (plus you make me laugh!) 🙂

    “Hulk SMASH” (it).

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  15. Ha ha absolutely brilliant – l have the same problem with duvet covers. I almost used to go into meltdown mode. Suze waltzes in and volia done! Now all we need to do is figure out the best way to fold a fitted sheet!

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      1. Yes, l too find that method is correct also, however couple of years ago l found myself in a position of having to iron half dozen of the sods ha ha!

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  16. I believe that ou God puts Daffodils in the storms of life also, to show us He is still there in our strongest storms. Your son asked the right question. He is wise and truthful. :))

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  17. Oh, the duvet cover – I feel your pain! I have wasted so much time on it as well. I’ve tried all the tricks. Really comes down to the cover asking, “Do I want to mess with her today, or give her a pass…..?” Silly thing! Great job on the questions, and getting so much stuff done (even the ironing! High-5!) And lovely flowers. I just cleaned my gardens out the other day of all the dead plants from winter – ready to watch things bloom here. So pretty!

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  20. Thank you for following my blog. Yours looks very interesting. Duvet covers! My husband and I looked like a comedy team the first time we tried to push our queen-sized duvet into the cover. Around the time I figured out how I was watching Miranda Hart on Hulu. If you ever need a day or more of laughter, see if you can find it. Especially her episode of replacing the duvet cover alone. She’s uncomfortably tall and so slap-stick is easy for her. I have to admit that there aren’t enough episodes out there. I cried at the last one just because I knew I’d miss that fun. I’ll have to go back and watch again soon!

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  21. I’d be walking on the moon if I could accomplish all that, holy cow! You are a MACHINE!

    And I gave up on the whole making beds thing ages ago, much to my mother’s chagrin. Just slap the blanket on there and let’em figure it out 🙂

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  22. Tie the corners in on top first. Then stand on the bed and let the cover fall down over the duvy. I have 2 king sized ones I have to do this with. I learned the hard way.

    EASIEST way is to hang it over a 2nd story balcony while praying you don’t drop it. LOL

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