General Chat

Just going out in the garden did the pond filters and then it started raining so Iv'e come in.

Done two lots of washing and fed the fish.

Janine's been down for eggs.

Mel what do you have on your cornflakes? you said that you have given up milk. Or do you eat them dry??

Just having a small bowl of cornflakes and a big bowl of fresh fruit.

Morning all,

Had a lie in this morning Its a bright morning with some sun and clouds but they are grey. Its 15 degrees and pc says partly sunny.

I have a neighbour comeing down for eggs today so I better go and see whats been laid.

Ann I have always had semi skimmed milk and I have 4 pints a week but did'nt buy any this week as I had 6 last week and not even opened the 2 pint.

If it stays dry and brightish I may go out in the garden again today and do some more onthe border.

good morning all Slept quite well although leg did wake me around 2am so I gave in and took a pain killer. Too much walking yesterday I think, I had forgotten how spread out from the bus Cheltenham is. 11 degrees sunny and blue sky so back to watering today I think.

Well done on losing some weight Mel. do it gradually though or it will all go back on. Not sure about giving up milk. did you drink a lot of it? Maybe try skimmed as you need calcium.

Vera, nice to have a visit from your Granddaughter to look forward to.
Both the town centres are losing shops Vera and we do have a lot of coffee shops and a few pound shops. I suppose if we didn't have the good bus service in both directions, we would not go into town much as car parking is expensive. Cheltenham does have a good park and ride though. One thing I find I am grateful for these days is that both towns do have a good number of seats (both are pedestrianised in the centres), and I do make use of them.

You'll be glad to see her Vera It will make your weekend.

The new doc sounds very good Ann and thorough as you say. I have lost weight just by cutting out bread, milk and biscuits although I do have a 2 bar dark Kit Kat in the evening and as much fruit as I fancy. I bought another pineapple this week as they are only 99p and a good slice of that and some grapes satifys the sweet craving. Ive had cherries again this week and grapes. I was just under 12 stone and now I am just over 11 stone.

Oh Mandy, that did make me laugh. What on earth is the thinking behind that age restriction? What dreadful exploits are youngsters going to get up to with an ashpan and brush?

I’m not a fan of soaps. I always think they begin well, then run out of storylines so they start getting sillier and sillier. Tbh, I don’t watch a lot of TV at all, mostly the news and the occasional documentary or history programme. I do use the iPad quite a bit and am catching up on Countryfile programmes at the moment.

I envy you your bus service and shops AnnG. We have very little left in our small town. Every time a shop closes it reopens as yet another café/coffee shop or as a charity shop. In theory we should be able to get a bus to three bigger towns between about 15 and 20 miles away but the buses are so infrequent and take so long to get there that it’s not worth the effort. I’m getting now that I don’t want the hassle of driving to one of the towns and coping with car parking etc.

Sorry you had a trek to different places before you had your meal out yesterday Annx. I hope you enjoyed the food when you eventually got some. It sounds as though the new doctor you saw was quite helpful and I hope the dietitian can help as well, though when you mention food you’ve eaten it always sounds healthy and non-fattening. It’s good that your OH had his scan results and has got beta-blockers to help with his head pain. I hope they do the trick. I have had them for 22 years now and the dosage level has gone down and up at different times. It has just been put up a bit again.

We’ve had rain overnight and it’s been on and off showery all day today. It hasn’t been very warm either. Both OH and I had to put jumpers on and when we popped out this afternoon I put a fleece on as well. I’ve been struggling to get my act together today. I had very little sleep again last night, got up at 7 am but was so woozy I went back to bed and sort of dozed till 10 am. I haven’t been able to get going on anything much, just fiddled around at this and that. We did pop out to the garden centre this afternoon as I wanted to get a gift token to put in with my daughter’s birthday card but I couldn’t even be bothered to wander around outside looking at the plants as I usually do. Hopefully I’ll be more with it tomorrow.

Eldest granddaughter who lives in Edinburgh rang to say she is coming down towards the end of next week to see her Mum and Dad (daughter and her ex) and would like to spend the Friday with us, so that’s something nice to look forward to.

The doc I saw was new, very thorough and thinks the problem is most likely a combination of extra weight and my having to spend too much time sitting due to my knees. He’s redoing the heart tests I had last year that were normal at that time just to be sure. I asked about referral to the dietician and it seems the county have a scheme you can refer yourself to instead now, so he emailed me the link for that as well.

OH had his scan results phone appointment yesterday and they think his head pain may be linked to his migraines and have prescribed a beta blocker. They did notice minor furring of some arteries, not of concern but yet, but he is to consider taking statins.

AnnG I often say to OH that many shops are disappointing now and I often don’t see anything I want to buy. It’s a good idea to use the big old empty store buildings that way though. We used to have a House of Fraser in the city that I liked. They have just demolished the old market in the city. They were going to build a new one but now they have put a hold on any new development until they decide what to do with it as it has opened up the view of the old Corn Exchange building (where I did PE and dancing at senior school for a year) and several other historic buildings. But now I expect nothing will happen for months. It’s not really fair keeping the old stallholders waiting wondering if it will become a market again.

Yes, the disruption with programmes seems worse than ever lately. I don’t know where I am with Corrie and Emmerdale and hadn’t realised I’d miss The Great Sewing Bee last night.

That was funny and made me laugh as well Mandy. Whatever next!

Well I've heard it all now someone wanted to buy a dustpan and brush set in tescos and apparently its now an age restricted item ,you've got to be over eighteen to buy one , I had to laugh as someone said its because the under eighteens don't know how to use one lol

Mel have you ever watched Hope Street it's on on a Friday about the time doctors was on although I think it's now finished but they are nice little stories, set in Ireland about a police force ,a different crime each week but also following the people that live in the town ,I think the last lot were the third series of it , uou might find it on bbc iplayer .

O blast its the only soap I watched with my lunch usually. I did see Daniel in another program this week, I'm sure it was him.

I cvan't get int o anything today and yesterday was so productive. Janine my new neighbour just rang to tell me they were having a skip delivered and it would be parked behind their bungalow but not blocking my drive in. I said she would have to get in touch with the parish council as it the village hall car park and not my actual driveway. She also wanted eggs but I can only do half a dozen. She's coming down tomorrow for them.

Afternoon all,

We had a little rain first thing then it got out a bit and I did manage to get two big bath sheets dry before it clouded over and we had a few spits of rain.

Oh the programmes seem to have all been pushed aside for the footie and now the tennis and I hate to say it but next week the women's football starts .
Last night it should have been the sewing bee but that was taken off and it's on tonight now .
Mel doctors has finished until the end of August and then it's on until Christmas or just after and then it finishes completely, they have finished the filming .
The lady who plays midwife Rhuma in doctors is now in eastenders .

hey, hey, leave Corrie and Emmerdale alone we have lost a lot of them already since the football has been on, now we have both football and Tennis. :-D

Yes it was the big store in Cheltenham (Cavendish House), lasted a bit longer than Debenhams but was similar. Yes in town. I think this is a temporary measure while they decide what is going to happen to the building.

Gosh thats a good idea Anng housing several kinds of shops in one big one. Was that in the center of town?

Em's been for eggs as Sam's back into his plain buns. She took two dozen and may come back for another half dozen if her mum wants a dozen if that makes sense.

We.ve had mor of that light rain and its turned a bit humid now so you don't know what to wear. I don't feel like going in the garden today withit being mucky weather.

I think I need to have a good tidy up in here instead so I think thats what I will do. I had toast this morning so don't want any lunch.

When are we going to get Doctors back????? it seems years since I saw it and then it will be the summer holidays and it won't be on then. Why don't they take of a Coronation Street and Emmerdale (which I don't watch) and give us at least a couple of Doctors a week.

Back from cheltenham, the first time I have been there since about February. All I bought was the TV paper and a coffee and danish. couldn't see anything I fancied in either M&S or John Lewis. Trouble is, the latter had sales on so plenty of overpriced rubbish. I didn't use my stick until just as I started to walk back to get the bus home then folded it on the bus, but took it out again when I got off for the short walk home. My leg is quite painful and stiff today so I think this is something I am going to have to live with. I remember my grandfather used to complain about his legs. Not sure if I will eventually go to the doctors. Probably be told it is my age. Still I did actually walk quite a long way without the stick and Cheltenham is a bit of a drag from the bus to the shopping centre. I do miss House of fraser though in the centre there are no nice clothes shops, just Next, River Island. They do have 'posh' shops like Jaeger, White company and several others but they are spread out, not in the centre and I was too tired to walk to them. Still it was a trip out.
One thin interesting, which probably was my undoing. Before I went to the shops I went into the building that previously hosed House of Frazer and it is full with all individual stalls like some craft, some sell things like suitcases, jewellery, that is in half the shop, in the other half there are a few actual clothes pop up shops. A great way to use that huge empty store.

Oh its raining no wonder it is grey out there.

Morning from another very grey day here in deepest Devon. Its only 14 degrees and a bit windy not a nice day to go in the garden again but we will see. Good luck with your watering Anng I must do my toms and cue today as I forgot yesterday but they are in a soak tray so shoudl be ok.

Must pop up the post van this mroning so better get my skates on.

Morning All,

It's 12 degrees here too AnnG, but we have had a sprinkle of rain during the night as my car is wet. The ground looks dry though. I know it is different as I have OH here some of the time, but I know what you mean about apathy setting in after a few days of seeing the same four walls, as I like a change of scene after a day or two as well. I find it a pick me up and helps motivate me to get on with things at home then.

I have a Drs appointment this morning as my ankles have been swelling more than usual on the hot days we've had recently. I'm hoping it is just my weight causing it as it will spur me on to lose some again. Then a couple of errands to do. Lunch is the casserole I've made so easy.

Oh better get ready! Toodle pips for now.

Good morning all, 12 degrees here no rain at all overnight despite it being very cloudy getting fed up now with watering two gardens. although if it is not sunny they only need doing once. and luckily Cynth took her 4 baskets down and put them on the patio table all together so it is easier to water them. can't make up my mind whether or not to go to Cheltenham this morning. the trouble with being home for several days is apathy sets in. Early yet anyway so I will see later.

Afternoon All,

Forgot to cut and paste so lost my post! I think it’s when I brush my wrist against the Ctrl key on the bottom left.

I don’t like snakes either! There were so many in the Cannock Chase where I was a young girl, boys would bring them to school in jamjars and threaten to let them out. They were mostly the poisonous Adders as well and when I went out to play my parents taught me to look out for them as the area was full of bracken, even the hedges and roadside verges.

Vera our washer is a Karcher and not the smallest, but I don’t think we have turned the water tap on fully before, so that would probably help! I don’t think we have done it often enough either so it gets very ingrained. So Mr Crewcut got it right that time! As to your big space did your eyes gently close with your finger pressed on the ‘Enter’ key! Lol.

Our quick bite out didn’t get off to a good start yesterday. The place we have found quiet before had about 60-70 motorbikes in the carpark. OH noticed one with a german flag on it. We peeped through the door and it was packed with noisy german men, clearly some kind of group travelling together, so no chance of quick service or quiet! We moved on to a place we used to go to about 20 years ago that is part of the same group now and does the same menu. Well, the place has really gone downhill with furniture more shabby than chic, so we were both quite relieved when they said they didn’t serve food on Monday lunchtime. So we went to our other haunt at Ullesthorpe Court and I had a tuna jacket with coleslaw and salad and OH had a fish finger stack with coleslaw and salad. No pud Mandy! Lol.

What a shame your friend’s daughter tripped and fell AnnG. It is so easily done though. I hope the strapping will be enough and she won’t need it pinning. It’s lucky there is family nearby as so many have family who have moved away. Two of my neighbours have children living abroad.

OH never ceases to amaze me! He’d run out of things to put on his wholemeal cobs before he goes to a meeting tonight, so I said I could scramble some eggs for him and he liked the idea. After I’d done them in the microwave I told him they were cooling ready to do his cobs. ‘Don’t I eat them hot’ he said. ‘Not usually’ I said. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever had them cold before’ was his reply. ‘Well what do you think is on the egg and cress sandwiches you sometimes buy?’ said I. The light suddenly dawned!

I’ve done nothing outside today except put the slow cooker on with a chicken thigh casserole, onions, mushrooms and root veg with a mustard and horseradish gravy. I also gave the front of the oven a good clean and some of the cupboard doors.

He has'nt got to wait till Christmas has he Vera?

Came down from the border at 18.44pm I have been out there all day. I started on the border after a bowl of cornflakes for lunch and have managedd to et a whole haystack of brimbles out and off the wall . I really need a COT now and then I am going in the shower. Just as well I have a large trailer but I will still have to fill it three or four times I think. I wil see if I can get a picture of what I have cut off.