28 Comments
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Rachel Carruth's avatar

So gross!! Poor you! I hope the order has gone now.

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Anne's avatar

Oh dear - is it evil of me to wish I had been a fly on the wall when the source & cause of the great stink was discovered? I laughed when you said you didn't give Jimmy a hard time over it - I would have been screaming at him like a banshee - but I guess one scathing look before exiting the front door would speak a thousand words!

I must admit here that I too am an unplugger - every night before I go to bed I switch off and unplug things, but have managed to get through 82 years without unplugging the fridge & freezer. There's still time I guess!

Have just read The Full Nest! I reserved it at the library and the timing was great - I had cataract ops and the reservation came in a week later. Enjoyed it immensely - will admit to snorting when I read chapter 16 - vintage tins? Now who did that make me think of? A bit alarmed reading chapters 20 and 22 - I do hope they were pure imagination and not drawn on real life. Thanks for the great read - now looking forward to the next book.

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Beverly's avatar

I am crying with laughter here. Glasgow's version of the 'Great Stink'. It must have got so much worse on the last day because though there was a bit of a whiff in the air, it was not overwhelming and I too, just thought it was because the weather was warm and the house was closed up. Of course I did not open the fridge freezer! Braving the pong was worth it for the macarons though. We enjoyed them at the library. Next time I do plant watering, perhaps I need to do a plug check too!

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

Haha I’m going to add that to your list of many ‘supporting the neighbourhood’ duties!

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

Glad the macarons were enjoyed! X

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Louise Stone's avatar

Oh lawd. The unnecessary unplugging/switching off at the socket of things drives me BANANAS. A friend (whose only defence is that she had much older parents than everyone else, who seemed to do this as a matter of course and therefore brainwashed her) plugged her phone in to charge using my charger, in my flat. Before she left - and unbeknown to me - she switched it off at the socket, but carefully put the other end back within easy access on the sofa arm. Cue me wondering my phone hadn't charged when I'd plugged in overnight and was about to leave for the day. Gah!

I hope the smell hasn't lingered...

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

It's infuriating! That random switching off of things at the socket. Hmm, wonder why bread isn't toasting when it's been in toaster for 45 minutes, type thing.

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Elise V Allan's avatar

I'm laughing through the dry boke! Urgh. Windows open for a month! Hilarious and ghastly 😂🤢🤣🤢😂

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

They were open for QUITE a while, I promise you!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

OMG, Fiona. I'm holding my nose just imagining. I'm surprised your neighbours hadn't had the police in checking for a corpse! I hope the pong has lifted.

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

Ha it has finally Wendy, thankfully - we've just come back from a couple of days in Northumberland and I was quite trepidatious, stepping in!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Saving a few pence cost you a few pounds!

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susan walker's avatar

Hilarious! My brother’s tv did actually explode from being left on in the 80’s and burnt his flat down 😩

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

OMG! Now Jimmy is feeling quite vindicated!

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Julie Burke's avatar

Men eh ? Got to love em !!

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

DO we though?! 🤪

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Julie Burke's avatar

Mostly !! 🤣🤣🤣x

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Francesca Bossert's avatar

Yikes! I know that smell! I happened to us once, years ago, arriving back to our chalet in the mountains after months away. I opened the door and we all nearly passed out from the stench. There must have been an electricity cut at some stage, and the spare freezer had defrosted. This being Verbier, it was full of cheese for raclette and fondue, and fish fingers for the kids when we arrived late on Fridays, and all sorts. I settled the kids in front of the television, wrapped a scarf around my nose and mouth, and went to work. Ugh....

Maybe you need that Paris break now?

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

Agh, what a welcome that must have been! Instant joy quasher. It would be cheese & fish too - delightful!

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Janet Mcnally's avatar

This actually happened to us. Husband turned our fridge freezer off at the wall too; he said he thought it was the new bread maker - why he thought he needed to do that, just to the bread maker I just don’t know!! Then he proceeded to question if everything “really did need to be thrown away?” He’s lucky I didn’t throw *him* away 😬

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Janet Mcnally's avatar

I know!! A tip for fellow readers is if it happens to you; turn the fridge freezer back on immediately and let everything re-freeze. It’s much easier to dispose of frozen goods than stinky wet limp bags of homemade soup ☹️

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Louise Stone's avatar

This is excellent advice!

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

Ha - did you really need to be so wasteful and chuck out rotting foodstuffs? Hmmmm.... 😀

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Rafael Concepcion's avatar

Hello there, luv. Please, PLEASE tell me that you’re embellishing how badly your house smelled when you got back. Nitey-nite, luv!

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

I'm actually not, Rafael. It has finally dissipated. But I'm still mourning those expensive prawns

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adrienne eker's avatar

Im off now to buy your book!

If its written anyhting like your posts here it is bound to be great. My greatest joy, finding a new author- this is how I found maggie Alderson and I have now everyhting she has written!

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Fiona Gibson's avatar

Ah thank you Adrienne, really hope you enjoy! I must check out Maggie's books. I love finding a new author too!

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adrienne eker's avatar

also check out Imogen Clark- I bought one by chance, I am hooked!

Another new one- Tom Lake by Anne Patchett

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