General Chat

You won't want any lunch then Mel. hope you enjoy it.

thanks for photos, love the deer,

Mrning can't stop its the big breakfast.

good morning all, drizzly here today but wow! 15 degrees. what strange temperatures we are getting really cold yesterday and gone right up today so far. No good if it is raining though I still need to get out into the garden to finish off. and now I have 6 violas to plant into a trough.

Bedding is in the wash and the main indoor plan today is to sort away summer clothes to the back (top) of wardrobe. I have two rails and keep stuff not in use on the top rail. I will have back ache by the time I finish that lot. Then I need to continue to write my cards.

Mandy a stoat's a bit bigger than a weazel. I did get a couole of pics but it was through the window and yes the Magpie would'nt actually go near the stoat it just wanted its prey. I think it was a squirrel. I have had a couple of little ones running about the garden lately.

I did a load of hand washing this morning and just spun it in the machine and it worked ok. I think I shall do that in future till I can get down to buy a new one.

I have the BIG breakfast tomorrow morning and BIL is coming so I must let him knowif I am not in I am up the village hall. I forgot to tell him when I rang him today to tell him about the stoat.

Evening all,

It hasn't been a bad day here the suns been shining away for most of the day its been chilly though but my goodness it's cold out there now not far off freezing I think.
I have made two more Christmas puds just two to go now .

Vera I'm sorry to read about your daughters partner being so ill ,I hope things can improve for him ,a worry for you all <3
I need to get the dead leaves off my Hostas but it's been so cold and my back hasn't been to good so they have been left .

Oh Mel shame you couldn't have got a photo of the stoat I haven't seen one for years ,I can't remember now are they the same size as a weasel ,I haven't seen one of those for a while either, we do see magpies about and sometimes a Jay .

You sound as if you've had a nice shopping trip today Anng .the putting shopping away is one thing I hate .

Thanks for all the tips on the out of date tins but I couldn't risk it as many had 2021 on and that is a bit to risky I don't fancy a dicky tummy :-(

With Anne we Went to Tesco Extra first and did a large shop. I forgot the bit where you get home and have to unpack it all. It is waiting for me downstairs.

We than went to Highfield garden centre as Anne wanted some boots which Pavers had in the sale. so I got a sweater in E Wool. and a couple of extra Christmas presents. Then to Dobbies where I bought her lunch and used my free coffees and bought another present. She picked me up at 10 and we got in at 2.45. A really good day out. She also got her shopping in Tesco but didn't want as much as me so she took hers back to the car then helped me with mine. :-D

Better go and unpack the groceries now.

I have 6 violas to put in a trough but that can wait until tomorrow.

Gosh Vera, you did get a lot down.

Mel did the stoat get away from the magpie in the ens with its kill?

Afternoon all

It's a beautiful day with blue skies and sunshine but it is cold out. Making the most of a dry day OH has done some more tidying in the garden. He's cut down the big clumps of helenium and cleared all the hosta pots of dead leaves. There's still more to do outside but we are getting there.

I went to put away our case from our Scottish trip and ended up clearing everything from the cupboard and rearranging it. It's awkward getting everything in and out as it is under the eaves, so the bottom of the cupboard is about chest height and it goes back quite deep but, of course, is under a sloping roof. If you don't pack it right you waste a lot of space. We keep cases and bags in there because we don't need to get them out very often. It's nice and tidy now.

Then I sorted out all our spare bedding. Luckily I have quite a bit. It's difficult not knowing yet if anyone is coming to stay next Friday but I want to be prepared rather than have a last minute panic Once I had sorted out what duvets, pillows etc I had available I made up the twin beds in one room and tidied up a bit in there.

I've also hand washed a couple of OH's really heavy zip fronted cardis and just done a little bit of ironing so I've got quite a lot done this morning. I feel shattered now so I'm going to have a sit -down with a sandwich and a cuppa. Hope you are all having a good day.

Iv'e just had a stoat come out from under the box hedge with I think a baby rabbit. It was followed by a Magpie and lugged this prey right across the garden towards the west wall followed by the Magpie.

Morning all,

Same here pale blue sky and there's a plane flying over and it is all silver with a vapour trail in the sunshine. Hav'nt seen that for a while.

Tomorrow is our BIG breakfast in the village hall so I may not be around in the morning.

Slept well and woke when I heard a noise but I must have been dreaming. I wonder if BIL will come today?

Good morning Brrr! it is chilly here, only 3 degrees. No frost as far as I can tell. going to two garden centres and the large Tesco today, being picked up at 10. Slept well and warm enough indoors, lovely wintry pale blue sky out there. Glad I don't have to go to work I would have been walking there right now.

Goodness Vera the idea about retiring and getting older is we slow down. You seem to hsve been in overdrive this last week. At least you had a few days away but you still couldn’t completely relax I am sorry to hear that your daughter’s partner is I’ll. I hope there will be some improvement but it didn’t sound very hopeful. Life is so sad sometimes.
Anyway it is good to see a post from you, we were stagnating a bit there. Don’t worry about us though, get everything done that you need to and call in when you can.

Gkad you're back safe and sound Vera and yu had a few nice days away with friends.

I hav'nt even thought about dinner for tonight so I better dive down the freezer and have a look to see what I can have. I was going to get some chicken thighs out this morning but forgot. Have any of you cooked those in the air fryer??? I had a look online and one lady did them and they looked great with a nice crispy skin but mine don't have skin on them.

I'm back - well, sort of back. I may be popping in and out for a while as life is still somewhat hectic.

I am still trying to help OH sort out a problem he has at the moment which mostly involves me writing letters and emails for him to check and sign. Also, without going into further details, my daughter's partner became very seriously ill and things are not looking good at the moment so we are trying to offer what little support we can there. We are also trying to help a couple of good friends who have some problems. Mostly it's just keeping an eye on them, offering a listening ear and OH occasionally acting as chauffeur. There are also things going on in our family which aren't causing any worry as such but the situation keeps changing so we don't know what is happening from day to day. We're a bit in limbo. I may have various grandchildren, some of their partners and the baby staying the weekend after next - or I may not. It makes it very difficult to plan anything ahead.

We were also booked with a group of friends on a coach trip to Scotland for a few days. I hadn't said anything as we thought we would probably have to cancel but at the last minute we decided to go. So we left at 5.30 Saturday morning and got back about 8 pm last night. It was relaxing up to a point because we had the company of our group of friends (11 of us) and lots of laughter but we were texting and phoning a good bit to keep in touch with what was happening in the family. The weather was good for the first 2 days, cold but bright and sunny. The other 3 days were a bit warmer but very, very wet.

I didn't take my iPad away as it is losing its charge very quickly and I can really only use it plugged in. I am going to take it in to the scruffy little phone shop in town as the owner is very knowledgeable but really only deals with phones. If he says he can't do it I will have to take it to the Apple shop in Bury St Edmunds and I haven't got time to do that at the moment.

I have caught up with all the posts.

Mandy, I agree with the other posters. If your tins aren't damaged and look and smell OK they are almost certainly fine to use. The "best before" date doesn't mean there is any danger from them but that they may have just lost a bit of perfection. For example crisp biscuits may soften slightly. I worked with a spice company for many years. Our products had to have a best before date of 18 months ahead. Spices kept dry don't go off but after a couple of years they may get a little less potent. I have just finished using a huge container of ground ginger that must be 10 years old at least. It just got slightly less gingery. Having said all that I think it's best if you feel comfortable so if it will worry you to use the tins then just dump them.

Better go and sort out something for dinner tonight. Have a good evening and stay warm. I might be back tomorrow.

i DON'T WASTE OUT OF BEST BEFORE THINGS AS THE CHICKENS WILL EAT MOST THINGS SO IF i DON'T FANCY IT I cook it up for them.

Thats a job I need to do the food stock cupboard. One thing I did open once and did'nt fancy as the coour had gone was a tin of cherry pie filling.

Sorry did'nt mean to shout I had been naming files and like them in capitals.

Been making some new moulds today and I have cast a few bits. I am wanting to make more Tudor pottery and I need to make some more of my little Tudor onion bottles.

Nice to see both Mandy and Gwyn posting thanks girls. :-D :-D :-D

Mandy, I have no problem eating food from tins, which are past their best before date. I am very fussy about fresh stuff, especially meat products being in date, but tins are used to preserve food, so they are still fine to eat.
That is my choice though and I wouldn't prepare food for other people and expect them to have the same views.
It is after all, 'best before' rather than 'use by'. I always check for dents and broken seams and we have always been fine.

I am pretty certain that some tins are fine out of date Mandy but. as you say better safe than sorry. It has been dry here all day but sort of misty and very cold. I did spend 20 minutes out in the garden getting a few more bits cut back but it was very cold. Now writing or starting to write Christmas cards.

Afternoon all,

Raining here now ,its been a dry morning and we got our shopping done before the rain came .
I just had a sort out in my tin cupboard and I'm ashamed to say I had at least a dozen out of date tins and a few jars too , I usually have a sort out ready to stock up for the winter but was all behind doing it ,I do hate throwing stuff out but once the dates up I don't risk eating anything .
I bought a tin of chocolate biscuits and a tin of biscuits for cheese to put away for Christmas, I also got a couple of frozen desserts and a box of crackers so I've made a start on food bits .

Morning all,

Dull and dire here this morning and they forcast rain so thats something to look forward to for a change and its 7 degrees.

Arm is hurting a bit this morning must have been the window cleaning yesterday but you can't just sit and do nothing can you while the dust piles up.

Got up twice in the night and then slept till 9am so I should get on.

Good morning all, slept quite well but woke up early around 0515, then dozes. Dry but only 4 degrees. No frost though.

Nothing planned for today so I think I will start to write my Christmas cards. That will take a while.

I have put a load of washing in so there is that to sort out as well. And before that is dried I need to sort the airing cupboard. So I was wrong when I said nothing planned!! :-D

No still got water probems Gwyn but they are going to send the team that fixed it in the first place to take out the stopcock thye put in and see if that helps. There's pressure up the top at my potting sheds and the new stop was fitted just around the corner in front of my two old stables. but thats a long way from the house.