General Chat

There were three of us who had bad nights last night Anne. I should sleep tonight after last nights sleepless one.

There's a really hard frost out tonight and all the grass is white. I don't think oh will be able to get up the road to put the black bin out. Our road is all uphill to the top where they collect the bin. The sky is full of stars tonight.

Ann. We had our caravan at Longnor Wood Holiday Park they also have places to rent mostly lodges or pods now, you can book from Hoseasons if you fancy a change from Cornwall.

When Peter went to the nursing home in Windsor it was £940.00 a week but he was only there for about 2 weeks before he died, like Frank's sister he needed 2 carers 24/7 so he went there straight from the hospital.

Jane, Ruby got the all clear from the vets on Monday, thank goodness so I now have to make a claim through Pet Plan.

Sorry that you had a bad night's sleep again Frank, Ann as well. I expect Ros is enjoying you doing the cooking again.

Meant to say When I had carers alloance for mum I had to do 40 hours with her I think. We had a lady come down and assess what I did for her but really I did a lot more than 40 hours as I was on call all the time. Mum was also paid £25 a week I think for extra help like gardening or cleaning etc.

We had roast pork lion tonight with roasties, savoy cabbage,carrots, onion and a few yorkshire puds. Homemade apple sauce the last of this years apples.

Yes I was wondering how Ruby's bottie is now. Should be all better now.

Wore a new bra today I bought on Tuesday. Its an underwired one and the wire has come through the material already twice and ended up under my chin nearly.

Evening All,

Frosty but no snow here today. I wonder if Gill has had any?

You are very welcome Frank. I hope it's useful to them. I was back to being awake half the night as well, then could have slept on this morning. Yes, make sure you keep your sticks with you till your ribs have healed. I bet you will be pleased to be back in the kitchen and cooking lovely dinners! :-D

Jane, unless they've changed the rules, you have to be caring for someone 35+ hours a week who isn't in a care home or hospital to get Carer's Allowance, which is paid to the carer, and also be on quite low or no pay. We used to deal with the claims in DSS. Even Attendance Allowance stops after 28 days in hospital, also in a Care Home, but Attendance Allowance does continue in a Care Home if you are paying the fees yourself, so that would help if they do have to pay them. The Local Authority pay the first 12 weeks fees if you satisfy a means test and if you own your home and they stop funding you, then you can defer payment of the fees till your house is sold. The whole thing needs to be far simpler for people to sort out when they are already worried and stressed. Have you got any further on the cooker you want yet ? Peter is your birth brother isn't he? Was his young life very different to yours?

Mandy, even I'm surprised I remembered too, I can't usually remember what I did yesterday most of the time! :-S Do you have much time to make the outfit?

Anne I would have loved your Adults Only, static caravan in the Peak District! I like to hear children playing and enjoying themselves, but on holiday, when you go somewhere peaceful, it's nice to chill and watch the wild life. :-) We've watched a fox hunting rabbits there before, only 20 feet away, but children tend to scare everything away.

Well at least you found some things you'd forgotten about while you were hunting for the collars Mel. I don't have any of my childhood toys, just a few books. Maybe you will find the collars tomorrow as you say! I still haven't found my flashstick!

We stayed in today as OH had work to do and I tackled more of the sorting in the study. I filled a plastic sack with shreddings for the smallholding, filled litter bins with more paper and have finished the worst filing cabinet drawer. I defrosted some of the cooked Christmas Turkey and did it in a bought sauce with onion, chopped green beans, butternut squash, carrot, peas and garlic, with rice which didn't take long to do and OH washed the pan up after.

Afternoon All

It's cold cold cold now. The sky has been blue all day and some of the snow we had is frozen now on the lawn. We only had a little snow, but it could be a bit different tomorrow night and into Friday.I just wonder if we might just be on the edge of it.
I reckon Janice will get a fair bit and hope she can manage to get to the station on Friday as she is taking Rachel to London for her 40th . They are having afternoon Tea up the Shard and then goign to see the Musical Thriller on Saturday.I think it should be ok on Saturday when I go to London to meet up with Peter.

Frank I think as you said it is going to be far better if your Sister can be in a Care Home and get the 24hr round care she needs. She should get a full Carers Allowance which would help with some payment so her Sons won't have quite as much to stump up. They don't want to be taking it turns sleeping overnight at her house .That would be such a strain. Are they still working or retired?

Mel what a rotten night you had,you too Frank . I slept very well :-D. Then had a very weird dream .I was in the Nurses home (where I used live),and for some reason we all had to leave really quickly, and I was panicking because I could pack all my stuff up in time. Then the next thing I was somewhere else and my Hairdresser Nigel was there and I was begging him to do something with my hair because someone had put my parting on the other side of my head !!!!

I too remember Jake as an evacuee Mandy :-D. Can't believe that was 8 years ago :-0 :-0. So it is time to make another outfit :-D. James was an evacuee too at school and i had to get him rigged out in the right gear. He must have been about 7 then.

Deboned Chicken for us tonight.My favourite one with a Sunblush Tomato and Parmesan marinade. I have Anya potatoes and Mushrooms in a roasting tray sprinkled with Italian Herbs and mixed veg to go on the side.

Thomas has been going out for hours on end over the last few days and not interested in his food. My guess was right and he has found a source of bunnies. I opened the door to the back porch to let him in and almost stepped on a baby bunny without its head
:-S :-S. He had obviously eaten it there.Gross :-S. It was still warm too. Thankfully there was no gore to clear up. Just a few spots of blood .So bunny is now in a poo bag in the bin.Thomas is sleeping his meal off.

Anne has Ruby's bottom healed up now? I have been meaning to ask .

Frank, that book about the 2 little girls missing is really good isnt it. I think the next one is called Where Secrets Lie. That is a goody too.

I must ring a cousin who has sent a gift for Hannah and Gareth.

Well I have looked high and low for those blimmin collars today. I have had all the draws out and mums boxes of stuff in the uti room. All my drawers and boxes and found things I had forgotten I had. I dound my two vinel dolls with rooted hair. The baby one is a Rosebud doll and I called her Diana. The other is a teenage doll with boobs which at the time I thought was great. Now I know somewhere there is a detatchable collar of mums and I have two of them but where they are is a mistery. I shall find them when I am looking for something else I expect. There are a couple of plastic boxes with lace and stuff in in the uti room but it means digging them out so I may do that tomorrow. Other than that there are two big tunks with material in. One in the hall and one in the lounge behind the fireplace with all my craft boxes on it!!!!!!!!!!!

My sub runs out at midnight, so just quickly to thank those who remembered my birthday. It was was much appreciated as I think I made clear.

Afternoon to you all,

Back to normal last night. Went to bed 10.30, up at 12.30. back to bed 2.30. up and washed and dressed by 8.00 am.Today I have the shakes, (no rattle or roll) lol lol. I am not at all steady on my pins, so my sticks with me all the time.

Heard from my Nephew this morning. Mary will be home Friday. Which will put a lot more strain on him and his brother. He went to visit Mary last night, and took soup, a small meal, and sponge pudding. When she had eaten what she wanted, he asked the nurse to make a drop of custard to go on the pudding. The next thing he saw was another nurse pouring GRAVY over the pudding and then POURING CUSTARD over the lot. To say the least he was not happy, and told the nurse so in no uncertain terms.

I have forwarded the message you sent Ann, and thanks again for thinking of me.

What's the ODDS of that happening Jane, both reading the same book within days of each other. I read another four chapters when I was up in the night.

What a performance I am having renewing our RAC.I always use Tesco vouchers. Tesco sent me the code to activate to pay for the membership. The RAC are saying they haven't received anything and our membership expires 11/02/2019. So I will have to sort this out with Tesco and the RAC. I lost my RAG wth the chap at the RAC this morning. I said he was as much help as a "Chocolate TEAPOT"

I've told Ros I want to prepare the dinner for tonight. FREE RANGE CHICKEN roasted ,with veg and roasties. I will do that when I leave the posting.

Daughters 55th birthday today, and as mentioned Dad's 61st anniversary since his death.

See you all later.

O I remember you sending us a picture of Jake dressed as an evacuee all those years ago. I shall have to have a look in mums craft draws and my sewing stuff cos somewhere I have one of those collars that you sewed on dresses. I'll have a look later today and if I find it I'll send it to you Mandy.

Good white morning,

It started last night and I thought it was snow but when I went out to have a look it was like tiny hailstones. Could'nt sleep last night just lay listen to the hail on the window. Woke oh up who cuddled up to me and was lovely and warm but after a while I got up for the loo to see if that would help. It did'nt so I clock watched till 6.30am when he got up and then I must have dropped off. Woke at 11am to briliant sunshine but it has gone now and we have more hail.

The sun melted a lot of it where it could get too but its still on the orchard and my car and the whole of the chicken run and back field. Oh told me after I told him I could'nt sleep about three mins later I was snoring but it was him and not me cos I listened to him. Then the moon shone through the window and lit the bedroom up.

Today where the snowdrops are in the orchard they look creamy white against the snow.

Morning Gill ,morning all,

We've had a little snow it was snowing when we went to bed ,the roofs and cars are white but the paths and road just look icy, the sun's now shining so I don't think it will be too long before the snow goes.

I think I'll tackle the bedrooms today they need a dust and a hoover ,the fires lit so it's nice and cosy.

Anne ,Jake got on fine with his paper Round he is with another boy for two more weeks just to learn the round ,he was very wet though as it was raining.

Ann fancy you remembering I did a costume for an Evacuee before ,it was for Jake and I did make him a gas mast box :-)and knitted him a sleeveless v neck top , it must have been about eight years ago now as he would have been in the class Lacey is in, she's six ,he will be fourteen this year so eight years !!!

Right better get hoovering .

Morning all

White everywhere today, I think it's been snowing in the night and stuck to the hail we had last night. The sun is out now but it's very cold so I doubt it'll melt much. Still not enough snow for Sandra to build a snowman yet and it's very wet and slushy, but it looks pretty.

Lots of housework to do today, so that'll keep me busy for a while. I think once that's done I'll take another look at my family tree, a have a few brick walls to tackle, once I've finished the bit I'm on now.

What is everyone else up to today?

I,m watching the dog program. The little Jack Russel rode a pony!!! It was great.

Yes Mandy, Sandra was watching for the snow and was quite disappointed when nothing really happened, I wouldn't mind but it came down quite thickly at one point, but with all the rain beforehand the snow just melted when it hit the ground.

We've just had loads of hail and lightening, the hail was so bad it almost knocked the TV off while I'm watching Winterwatch.

You've got your work cut out for you making Lacey's outfit, I'd love to see a picture when it's done. You're very clever, I wouldn't know where to start.

I was the same Mel, my mum would make me eat liver, we didn't have a dog I could give it to so had to eat it. She always seemed to make it on the evenings I came home from school feeling really hungry. I've never been a bit eater so being really hungry for me hardly ever happened. I still don't like liver and have never eaten it again since I left home.

How's your indigestion now Jane, I hope it's cleared up for you, it can be really uncomfortable. Have you tried eating some mints I find those sweets are good for indigestion and also heart burn. I hope you're feeling a bit better now.

So you were like ba ba black sheep with your THREE BAGS FULL Frank! It's where to put it all when you get it home too. The tablets are often small, but the packets they put them in aren't. That's good you are healing nicely though. I've emailed you a link that may be useful about your sister.

Mandy, you know me far too well!!! :-D LOL. Yes, you are right, the bracelet needs to wait while I finish some more things. It's a good job I haven't enough beads to do it yet!! :-) That will be a bit of a challenge to make a dress with round collar and buttons down the front. I was never happy with my buttonholes when I did sewing, but I suppose they don't have to do up and can be mock ones. Will Lacey need a gas mask bag as well? Am I right in thinking you made one of those for one of the other children a while back? I bet the children love dressing up and seeing what their friends wear too. We never did fun things like that at my schools. I hope you sleep better tonight.

I would have enjoyed either of your meals Jane, they sounded lovely! :-D What did Chris have for his birthday this time? It's OH's next month and I need some ideas.

Gill I think the similar prog you saw may have been about Hannah Hauxwell as she collected water from a stream. She was in Yorkshire and spoke very slowly and lived in a remote cottage and kept a cow for milk. This lady drove her car to a village a few miles away to collect her water from a well there. I hope Sandra gets more snow tomorrow so she can build a snowman. I don't think any is due here tomorrow, but we should get it the 3 days after that. I hope it won't be deep by Saturday as I am going to the new adult learning place in the village with a friend to another of those fused glass workshops. OH said he would take me and fetch me if it is and drop me at the door to save my knees and risk doing the splits! :-S

Mel that was an eye watering expense! Homes are so expensive though. You managed to see some snow on the moors today then. There are parts round here that always seem to get the snow first where the ground is higher.. Liver and onions with cubed potatoes, carrots and swede was first OH's favourite dinner and I used to cook it for him on Saturdays for when he got home from work. Without onions I think liver is quite bitter.

An early night for me I think so I shall be off now. xx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS, .pleased that you had an enjoyable meal I did like the sound of your choice Jane, that's what I would have chosen

Ann that necklace is so pretty it will be good when you have a matching bracelet too. You must be pleased to get the holiday week you wanted. Once our three were grown up and before the granddaughters came along we always avoided school holidays. We were lucky when we bought our static caravan as it was on a small adults only site in the Peak District.

I hope Max copes alright on his diet Mandy One of our boxers had to cut down on her food,. Ruby being a fussy eater is just the opposite. How did Jake's paper round go on Sunday?

Frank, pleased to hear both you and Ros are both on the road to recovery.but be sure not to over do it.

We had chilli con carne for our evening meal not something we have very often so it made a change.

No sign of any snow this way but it has rained on and off.

Glad you got everything done at the nurse today Frank. It will save another trip having your injection at the same time. Hope you sleep well tonight too.

Ann the necklace is really lovely and quite a different thing to which you usually make. Hope the braclet goes ok so you can wear them together. I like the colours. I have some of those multi coloured beads in the same colours.

I am pleased Chris enjoyed his meal. I think you said he always has liver if its on the menu. I would have liked that too. I never have liver because oh hates it. When he was young he was made to sit at the table until he hadeaten it. Then he found out mum would let him go to the loo and he had a big mouthfull and spat it down the loo and got rid of it that way. He also used to feed the dog under the table with his liver till his mum found out and banned the dog from where they were eating. Liver and bacon used to be a nice easy dinner for mum to cook on a Saturday and I often brought my friend Lynda to dinner on a Saturday and she ate it too. Trouble was mum would always cook it a bit too much and sometimes it ended up like shoe leather.

So no snowman in Cheshire then!! There's snow all over Dartmoor and I went out in big sleet but it has all stopped when I got to Bideford. I saw the snow on Dartmoor on the way home as I drove down towards the chapel on the corner where its high and could'nt believe my eyes at first. If its on the moor then Okehampton usually gets it too.

Frank thats very expensive for your sisters care whether its at home or 24/7. I know when my nan was in a home and after my dad died I had to pay the bill when she died and it was 16000 pounds. I was next of kin!!

He has curry tonight and I have a nice homemade steak pie which may or maynot have a bit of kidney in it. I made two for myself when I did the big pie last week and froze them with some gravy for each. I have a small TIN of garden peas and a few new pots to go with it......Nice......

Evening all,

Happy Birthday Chris :-D good for you having a pud it is your birthday .

I can see why you will struggle with the new fencing Mel with it being that big ,it's a good idea of Ann's to have it so that you can let them have one side or the other .

Ann another beautiful necklace ,now be good and don't start the bracelet to go with it until you've finished some of the other things :-D
I bet you were glad of your hat today it's been so cold out i haven't really been warm all day .
I was awake about five o'clock this morning couldn't get off again so i had a read then this afternoon i couldn't keep my eyes open so i had a cat nap .

What a shame the snow didn't amount to anything in the end Gill ,i bet Sandra kept checking outside to see if any was laying ready for her snow man .

That's a lot of money for care Frank but it's what she needs to keep her safe and for every ones peace of mind .

I have to dress Lacey as an Evacuee for school !!!! i had a quick look and it looks like i need to make a forties style dress short sleeves with a round collar and buttons down the front .

I think the 24/7 care is the best by the sounds of it Frank. It's a lot of money per week though, but for peace of mind it's worth it. It sounds like you're healing very well now. I hope you have another good nights sleep tonight.

Your meal sounded lovely Jane, apart from the liver, I'm really not keen on that. I did smile though when you said Chris managed to force down his pud. Pleased to see he had a nice birthday.

The necklace pic came through Ann. WOW it's brilliant, you are so talented. I don't think I've seen anything as beautiful, the matching bracelet will look lovely with it.