Wednesday 5 September 2018

Just custard for me please



A little urban snapshot for you today, from an end-of-hols trip to Bristol. The top one is Christmas Steps, a famous old street running down the steep hill into central Bristol. The biggest boy treated himself to a new skateboard with his hard-earned money, the middle boy bought fishing stuff and the littlest boy had a new knife, as he has temporarily misplaced his all-singing, all-dancing Swiss army knife and he finds it hard to be without one. He likes to sit and whittle things in the garden, nothing dangerous, I hasten to add.

Bertie has a trick that he would very much like you to see.


Look, little pieces of sausage balanced on the back of each paw, and he isn't eating them. Oh, the concentration this requires. Other tricks, like not chewing the washing, are still a work in progress.

I have a bad toothache this week, involving waves of pain followed by grumbling pain. It is all I can do not to devote this entire post to it actually. I was finally forced to the dentist, who was very sanguine about it all. I was braced for root canal surgery or antibiotics at the very least, but he complimented me on my brushing (he did!) and said that all it needed was some mouthwash as the gum was inflamed. On the home front it may have harmed my credibility slightly as it doesn't require any extraction or amputation, but I am as happy as someone with toothache can be.

I am eating only non-chew foods, which has got a bit boring already. Overnight oats, yoghurt, cream of mushroom soup and custard. I risked a slice of Wensleydale earlier and tomorrow I shall do something with an egg I think. If it doesn't clear up soon I can see myself ending up with scurvy.

The urchins have raced back to school and the house is quiet and calm. I miss them of course, but by the time half term comes around I shall be nicely used to the peace and order and I'll be in a flap again. It's a rollercoaster, no? It will soon be time for the littlest boy to look round the big school. I'm certain my baby is far too small to survive such a thing. All those beastly big boys! He would of course love to be home schooled. We could stay home together everyday, whittling things while solving quadratic equations and doing a bit of physics before lunch. Although I suspect he would soon be missing his school friends and all the fun they have together. He thinks he's not keen on school, but I think he'd miss it if he didn't go.

I had a little tidy of the garden at the weekend, in between the last of the cricket and the first of the football. It's made a huge difference about how I feel about it out there. Now it all looks (fairly) neat and tidy and I'm liking it again. Amazing what a bit of a trim and some lawn mowing can do. Very occasionally I sit on the back step for a moment when I'm supposed to be cooking the tea, and I soak up the peace and quiet. I can see the garden through the back of the all the plants, and it feels all green and calm and jungly.


I am off to root around the kitchen in search of more non-chew foods now. When I was little and I had a loose tooth I was allowed honey sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Sounds like a plan.

20 comments:

  1. I hope your tooth gets better quickly and in the meantime grumble as much as you can to your family! It's called payback even though I find it doesn't seem to work as well for me as it does for them. I am in awe of Bertie's skill with the sausage, I wouldn't even contemplate doing that with Patch. He would have my fingers before I even got the sausage on his paws. Enjoy your back step garden contemplating moments. Sometimes they're just the ticket to help recharge the batteries. xx Susan

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  2. Oh, your poor inflamed gum - I hope it recovers soon. I haven't visited Christmas steps in my many trips to the city to visit E. I'll have to put it on my list. I must get out and tidy up our garden too; it's looking very tired and the lawn needs a lot of reseeding after the drought. Well done to Bertie on his new trick, his self restraint is impressive, and I love the view from your back step - is that a fig tree? xx

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    1. Yes, it is well spotted. I've got two or three in pots, and one in the ground which is growing huge, so I can see why pots are a good idea. CJ xx

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  3. sending healing for a speedy toothache recovery. our little danika has tooth problems too. we are waiting on surgery to have them removed.

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  4. So sorry to hear of your tooth pain.. nothing worse. I hope the dentists plan will work. I just had mine cleaned yesterday, he used some kind of laser thing. Ugh! Sorry your youngest isn't liking school. Our two were so excited to go back this week. But when they come home I ask did you learn anything new? Nah. lol ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  5. Have you thought of pureeing vegetables to eat? Possibly not as pleasant as honey sandwiches. Gargling salt might help shift it quicker too. Hope it's better soon.

    Impressed with the sausage trick. I don't think that would happen here.

    I've been having similar feelings about our garden this week, it's a constant balancing act between enough wild for the wildlife and some order for the humans!

    L would commiserate with your youngest, he didn't particularly enjoy school and is much happier at college x

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  6. Hot salt water...hot as you can stick works wonders...as does a dab of whiskey or other spirit. x

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  7. Hi CJ, a comment on your past three posts in one here! Dogs: absolutely. They become part of your family and you love them. Bertie is a poppet and that sausage trick is seriously impressive. Decluttering and coffee: would you like to come over and help me declutter house and garden? I make a mean coffee :-) Sore teeth and back to school: sorry you have sore gums. Pain in that area can be so debilitating because it's just there and hard to ignore. I hope it subsides quickly. In the meantime, I'd eat honey sandwiches with custard. My younger son went into the sixth form yesterday and my daughter has gone back (into yr10) today. The eldest is still in bed, making the most of home and luxury until he goes to uni in a couple of weeks. I am feeling old and a tad emotional. Enjoy the peace and calm and your lovely garden. Sam xx

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  8. Hi. Can is suggest you try Colgate Sensitive Pro Relied toothpaste. You can use it like a regular toothpaste or rub it onto your gums. A new dentist recommended it for me recently. Good luck. Judith

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  9. Feeling for your gums, hopefully now much improved and the need for gloopy foods will soon be in the past. Love Bertie's new trick and the gloriously named Christmas Steps. What a lovely place to end the summer holidays. Glad that you are having a little peaceful time in the garden. Wishing you a painfree week. B x

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  10. Nice post and pictures. I hope that your inflamed gum gets better soon. Well done to Archie for his self-restraint. xx

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  11. Dear CJ,
    Sometimes I suck on an aspirin if my mouth has an ulcer. Haven't had one for awhile, but spirin takes the pain away. Bananas and eggs are excellent foods for sore mouth. Tell Bertie he is such a clever dog. Waiting to hear he has stopped terrorising tne washing on the clothes line. Regards, Robyn

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  12. Our.garden need of more than a tidy as it has been sadly neglected in favour of keeping the allotment alive this summer

    Well done, Bertie that’s some trick.

    I hope your sore gum has improved.

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  13. Oo! I recognise those steps in that first photo. It's years since I walked down (or up) them though. I hope littlest settles back into school ....and that your toothache improves. I can see that major surgery or emergency extraction would have scored points with your boys!

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  14. Love the first photo. I think I am the littlest boy since I am the one that lost my pocket knife that my husband and son like to remind me is very expensive and sharp. sigh. Your dog has more patience than me. Enjoy the calm moments, the storm will start again before you know it.

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  15. Bristol looks great. I would like to get there one day. Bertie should be proud of himself! Hope you can enjoy a pain free week

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  16. I hope you are back on solids by now, poor you. I never had a toothache in my life (touching wood), it does sound rather unpleasant. I am glad that no tooth extractions or root canal treatments are necessary. Bertie is such a clever dog, sausages are very tempting indeed. Have a lovely weekend. x

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  17. I used to love walking down Christmas Steps, that photo brought on a big wave of nostalgia. I'm sorry about your tooth algia. Hot salt water mouthwash can be a help. I hope it has abated as I see I am a little late here.
    I thought Bertie had some slippers on. Is sausage on the foot resistance part of a training regime? Well done if so. I must try putting slices of cake on my hands and see if I can stop myself from eating them. I have stopped drinking for the time being so I'm not entirely without willpower.
    I lost a penknife once. I was sitting in an apple tree at the time and dropped it and was never able to find it. I still miss it. I was 8.

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  18. I hope your toothache has receded by now, it's a ghastly pain and frustrating having to eat only soft food. Love the photo of Bertie's new trick - did he get to eat the sausages after?

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  19. So sorry about your tooth, you are right it would have been a better story for the boys if the dentist had pulled it out with no pain meds all bloody and gory. Enjoy your peace and quiet, a thing I never seem to have here. Love Bertie's trick, just getting one of mine to sit is a huge accomplishment.

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