General Chat

It's not that special Mel, just a few automatic fancy stitches but I'm thinking of free motion where you drop the feed dogs and move the fabric yourself. I'm not sure how my hands will respond though :-( I just want to be doing something.

Yes Anng she has a special sewing machine that does all sorts.

Do you have a sewing machine that does embroidery Island. If you do why not just have a play?

Ann, I didn't feel a thing with the first needle, anaesthesia, because they use powerful numbing eye drops beforehand. I asked how they could tell if my eye was fully numbed (surely only I could tell?) The nurse said 'follow my hand' which I did, left right up down, 'right eye not moving, yep, you're ready'. That must have looked so funny, very Marty Feldman LOL
I'd love some of those eye drops for the rest of me.

You're tough Mel, having all those outdoor jobs to do in the cold and damp. I keep thinking I'd love to do some sewing but other things crop up and knock my slowly returning enthusiasm back. I'm not into clothes making any more but fancy doing some machine embroidery and applique just for my own amusement - and sanity :-0 I really miss sitting outside sketching.

Lost it on ebay. I was the only bidder up until the last few seconds and nearly put in a higher bid but someone else pipped me to the post.

Its 5 degrees here now and I have done the pond filter late morning but the air is so cold it nearly froze my hands off and I did'nt even have them in water.

Had a nice bubble and squeak with bacon and a couple of eggs for lunch so I won't want much tonight, perhaps just a bowl of fruit and custard or rice.

That was bad of them not to put enough blocker in you so you could'nt see the op Island and with a bad result too. Have you done any sewing lately?

I had one of my shelves in the kitchen diner down this morning as I want to get my strings up for my cards once they start arriving. Now I am going to do the other one. I also swept down all the cobwebs off the wall behind the plates and off the Christmas lights on the ceiling. Then I shall be happy with what I have done today.

I am also bidding on something on ebay and it comes up very soon.

I wonder why that is more painful Island, more nerves there or no padding? Hope I don't have to find out.
At least you were able to stay calm with your eye. some people maybe me included might freak out at the experience. It was bad enough hearing, after a minor op on my abdomen under a general, that they were worried they might have left a small piece of equipment inside me. Well they sent me home eventually and didn't say if they had found it and I have had no problems and it was about 20 years ago now.

Dismal here again.

Ermm..... I had not choice over watching my eye op LOL It was because I hadn't been given enough 'blocker'! By the time the tool kit went in it was too late. I didn't know I could be spared that but it was actually quite fascinating. End result hasn't worked out well unfortunately.

Have to say, I'd rather have a needle in my eye than one in the palm of my hand (carpal) that, I hear, is very painful which is why I never say anything to the RA nurse about having occasional 'claw hand'.

Mel only 3 degrees here.

Vera I was going to say have you checked the freezer, fridge, washing basket, down the back of chair or settee, rubbish bins?

I always look at the photo of the inside of my eye at the opticians but I don't think I could watch a live op on me or anyone else. Not even too keen on TV.

Morning everyone

You’re not wrong Mel, it is cold. IPad is telling me it’s 5 degrees but feels like 2 and that’s apparently the warmest it’s going to get.

AnnG we used to print our labels, then we got a new printer. It was quite a while ago now and was only an updated version of our old one, but we’ve never got the labels to work properly. I can print one at a time and set it all up again between each label but it’s quicker to write the addresses. I don’t ask OH to write any as his handwriting is atrocious. Even he can’t read it. When my writing gets iffy I try and make sure the house number and postcode are clear.

Rant away Island. It is annoying when you try to do someone a good turn and all they do is complain. I won’t know until March/April whether my eye treatment is going to be successful as I have to have more injections and then more tests before I will know. I think lots of people would be too squeamish to watch an op as you did. I wouldn’t have been able to see anything going on with my eye as the position of my head and the clamps holding the eye open only allowed me to see a large hand in front of me and, because of all the drops, even that was blurred. However, I have watched two internal procedures done under local anaesthetic and found it interesting to see what my insides looked like and what the docs were doing.

Yesterday I was a bit chilly sitting still indoors so put a silk scarf round my neck. I took it off during the evening and it has completely disappeared :-S. I’ve hunted everywhere and OH has looked but there’s not a sign of it. I’ve got plenty of other scarves so I don’t need it but I am baffled. I’ve probably had yet another senior moment and put it somewhere stupid like in the freezer. Several weeks after losing them and after paying a lot of money for new ones a friend found her glasses in the freezer so I’m not the only idiot :-)

Morning Anng and all,

Its blimmin cold today but dry and cloudy and only 5 degrees.

Slept like a log last night and was awake at 8am but have fished the leaves out the big pond and I am just going to make myself a coffee.

I think when oh had his eye done he said he could see what they were doing. He had a new lens put in his eye.

good morning all.

I will remember that next year if we have another hot spell Vera!! What a pity we can't bottle the heat.
Pleased that your eye allowed you to write and address your cards. I am so pleased that my addresses for cards are all printed out on labels, nobody would be able to read addresses I hand wrote after the first ten.

OOh Island I would be too sqeamish to watch that even on somebody else.

That's great that you sold lots Mel and fed yourself well :-D

Vera, I saw my own eye being operated on Grown men have blanched when I mention that lol I wasn't supposed to see it but it was a bit 'wow man'. Not so good for a fortnight after when I had to do 'posturing' - face down for 50 minutes of every hour and sleeping on front. Eye was ok but shoulders didn't half hurt.
I hope your eye pain has worn off now and the op a success.

Going back to slow cookers.... my first one didn't have a removable crock so was a pain to wash but it was a boon at the time. Later we bought a larger one - all removable crocks by then. Being veggie we used it for veg stews through the winter - it's great not to have to think what to cook in the evening for two nights because it's there and waiting :-D I now have a smaller one - cookware from Argos - which does me for two meals. Offered our bigger one to bro and wife, was told she'd like it so bro collected it. Reported back that she was disappointed because it was a crock!!! Talk about gift horse and all that. No mention of 'thank you'. As if I'm not struggling enough without that attitude coming my way. :-| :-| :-|
Sorry, had to have a rant

Missed you there Mel. I think you posted as I started typing. Glad your sales at the fair went well.

Not much activity on here today. I expect everyone is busy.

My eye is much better today so I carried on with card writing until my hand got too shaky and addresses were barely legible but I broke the back of it. Several of them required their once a year letter so I got those done as well, but they were typed. It took me longer than expected because in printing one of the letters the paper got jammed and I had to practically dismantle the printer to get it out. We have some birthdays in December too so I’ll probably get everything in the post on Monday or Tuesday.

I got a letter in today’s post giving me a hospital appointment for last Thursday. It was OK for me as the hospital had phoned me about it last week but I wonder how many people are missing appointments because of the postal delays. I’m just waiting for one parcel now. The company say they sent it on Tuesday and it was on the 48 hour service but no sign of it yet.

It has been so cold again today. I’ll never moan again that it’s too hot and too dry. Well, not till next summer anyway ;-). I’ve got a nice warming dinner going in the slow cooker and I’ve taken diced beef from the freezer to do a stew in the slow cooker for the next two days. OH can forgo his Sunday roast for once.

I hope you have managed to do everything you and bIl needed to do today Mel.

It must be the season for phone batteries giving up AnnG. I hope you can get it sorted quickly. Mine died on me completely after a few days but there was an internal connector problem with it as well.

I’ve just had a cup of tea but I think I might get a glass of wine and have a read of my book until it’s time to cook a few potatoes to go with our dinner.

Home again now. I did a Christmas Fair in a nearby village today it started at 9am to get your stuff in and people were still putting their stuff out when I gfot there at about 9.20 ish. I had to do the chiekns and go early to the shop for my paper ham and bread and came back home and thought I would make a sandwich to take with me but did'nt think I had the time so left it thinking there would be stuff there to buy to eat. There was only cakes and coffee and tea so its lucky I took two rice crispy bars and a kit kat and a packet of rich tea. I did have a mince pie and two very small slices of a choc cake and a lemon drizzle so I did'nt go hungry. Was very pleased and sold lots of stuff his wood turning and my things. I did take a pic of the stall this time but after I had sold things and its on my phone and I don't know how to get those pics on the pc.

Anyway I see its been really quiet on here today so I expect you have all been out.

Hope Vera's eye is'nt giving her too much pain today. I know mums was always quite sore after and bloodshot.

I am now going to cook myself two nice homemade eggs and chips.

Good morning all. You are lucky with 6 degrees Mel it is only 3 here at almost 9am. Yes the jacket and boots are sweet Mandy. Photography group is held in a hall not in my house (that is the gardening interests group). So they didn't get to see the cottages. The other group is next Thursday. and it was freezing in the hall as it was a change of day and the caretaker had forgotten to put the heating on.

Vera glad you have got the first injection over, always worse when you don't really know what to expect.
I am beginning to get cross with Amazon as they are not delivering on the day first quoted which leaves parcels at danger on the doorstep, Glad yours was ok, but I assume they would still leave them even id pouring with rain.

And now I have your problem, a degraded phone battery. Ok when first charged up but only holds the charge for about 2 hours. At home it is on charge so doesn't matter but going out it does so I have to switch it off and only switch on when I need it. I have to get into town now to see about a new battery.

Morning all,

Its still dark so I can't tell you what its like outside but pc says 6 degrees and cloudy.

Will be busy today so shan't be around till this evening as I have to sort something out in the garden with BIL.

Evening all

I agree with you Mandy, it has been bitter cold today. We went out for a short while and I was glad to get home. The owls coat and his tiny sneakers are so cute. When they were little my grandchildren would have loved all those soft toys you make.

That’s a shame you missed having your craft stall at the school Mel. You’ll have to have a big calendar on the wall with all these things on it in big red letters.

I hope you didn’t get cold going to and from the hairdressers AnnG and that you enjoyed your photography group this afternoon.

That was very early to get a Christmas card Island. Perhaps the sender was worried about all the strikes so posted extra early, though I think you said you usually get an early card from that person. We always got a card from my cousin on 1st December but sadly she died this year and I missed hearing from her. I did manage to post a couple of cards for Australia today but I can never get myself geared up to send them early enough to go by sea mail and always have to pay out for airmail. I must get a move on and get all my cards written as Royal Mail said today that 12th December is last date for second class mail this year.

I was a little bit cross with a delivery that came today. Two days ago I ordered a present for grandson. Yesterday I got an email to say it would be delivered on Thursday 8th December. Today we came home to find it sitting on the doorstep. We live in a cul-de-sac but it was a large parcel and was in full view of anyone coming up the Close. The delivery driver could have put it round the back out of sight or asked a neighbour to take it in.

It's our son’s birthday today. As he is away he probably hasn’t yet got the card and voucher I sent him but I sent a text wishing him Happy Birthday and got a Thank You back.

I had to pick up my meds from the pharmacy today and they got it wrong. I’m not short of anything – I’ve got too much! When I collect my script I tell them what I want next month and they mark it off on the script for next time. One or two of the staff forget to do it straight away and when they get around to it they have forgotten what I said so they tick everything on my script. I keep getting yet another box of 100 strong co-codamol. I told the girl quite clearly today that I don’t want them next month.

We then went and bought a small artificial pre-lit Christmas tree. We don’t put it up till a few days before Christmas but OH tried it out to make sure the lights were working. I HATE IT. We always have a large real tree and pay quite a bit for the ones that don’t drop their needles much. It didn’t seem worth paying out this year as we are going to be away for a few days at son’s house. I’m so used to a lovely tree with lots of lights and usually all decorated in red and gold, and there’s a lovely piney smell when you go in the room. The thing we’ve bought looks pathetic in comparison.

Well, yesterday I had the first injection in my eye. It wasn’t my idea of a fun way to spend a morning but wasn’t as bad as I anticipated. At least not the injection itself but the pain later in the day was awful. Thankfully, I was warned it might be painful at first or I would have been worried. Yesterday I wore sunglasses all day and just gritted my teeth and put up with it though I was told I could take painkillers. Today it is just sore and hopefully by tomorrow the soreness will have gone too. What I hadn’t bargained on was not being able to get soap or even water in my eye for 3 days so no shower or hairwashing. Next time I’ll know to wash my hair before I go. Anyway I survived the ordeal and won’t be so apprehensive next time

This post is getting very long and my eye is aching from peering at the screen so I’d better finish. Stay warm and sleep well.

Evening all,

My goodness it's been so cold today ,we went shopping and stocked up as we got ths car back yesterday, the lock had had it so it's all sorted now although I must admit after we locked it I did try the door handles .
Tomorrow we hope to get the outside lights and tree up out the front ,son got the tree last weekend from Mole as they were on offer.

Oh Mel what a shame you missed the school sale ,when is the other one we'll have to try and remind you .
Yes I'm knitting Louis ths Owl next ,I've started on his clothes first ,I had knitted his little sneakers when I made Maisie's shoes as I wanted to see what they were like .
I've finished his little hooded jacket with toggles on and I'm now knitting his trousers with cable pattern down the side of the leg ,then it's a cream sweater with cable pattern.

Ann thats good you've got your alarm sorted and that you got some spare fuses for it now hopefully you won't have to use them but if it happens again you'll know what to do .

Anng are you all shorn now ,it always feels chilly round the neck i think after a trim ,you'll be OK over Christmas now ,did the photography group like your cottage display.