General Chat

Oh dear Mel, your bil does seem to have a problem with the mowers. Is he a bit heavy handed? Still, he’s very good to come so often to help and it’s handy that he’s driving you to Holsworthy. You did well to drive to get your feet done but that’s probably enough for one day.

Plumber has just gone, he was only here about 20 minutes. He went up in the loft and took some photos to show OH. It wasn’t OH’s repair from 10 years ago after all. That’s still intact. It was something to do with a pipe from the shower and was easily fixed. Now we just have to wait for the bill from the emergency plumbing service we used. Goodness knows how much it will be. The chap who came has now given us his direct number so if we want him again we can go direct to him. It’s been a faff having to get the loft boarded and constantly waiting in for workman to come but it’s reassuring to find out what was wrong and get it fixed without OH trying to do it himself.

We’re getting there. Next thing is for the glazier to come back next week with the new window for the kitchen. I’m certainly feeling more cheerful and optimistic than I did a couple of weeks ago.

Afternoon All,

Another nice sunny day. We had a good night and were up early and went to Costa for a decaf skinny latte and egg and mushroom small cobs. OH picked up a book he'd got a good discount on from Waterstones opposite and then we called in Sainsbury's. We can't get Mullerice on the Asda orders anymore and he likes those, so we got those and some crispbreads he fancied. We picked up a few other bits and bobs and then called in the usual shop for me to pick up an Amazon delivery. It is some A-Z pages for my notebook so I can get it organised better.

I called the curtain rail fitter I'd found and heard a disconnected sound so it looks like he isn't trading anymore. Not to be beaten I rang a large curtain warehouse to see if they knew of a rail fitter and they did and gave me his details. I rang him and he told me he was out of action for a month following an operation, so I wished him well and said I would phone again in 5 weeks to see how things were. At least I'm not in a rush for it to be done.

A lovely bouquet of flowers arrived this afternoon from one of the multi academy school trusts OH does work for, which was a nice surprise.

I'm looking forward to meeting up with Fitz next week. He will be having his hip operation in April so I imagine will be out of action for a little while after that.

That's good BIL took you to get provisions for the chickens Mel. They need feeding up with producing all the eggs for you now. :-) What a cost for a part for the new mower though! Everything is shooting up in price.

Thank you Mandy. I hope OH doesn't have to wait long for the scan too. At least it should be quicker than the NHS. I remember those little outfits with the caps too. Could Lewis already ride a two wheeler bike or did he have to learn on his new bike he had for Christmas? I was aged 7 when I had a two wheeler that was too big for me and dad had to screw wooden blocks on the pedals.

I'm glad the plumber arrived Vera and that the pipe will soon be sorted. What a game though with the two of you moving the cases of wine with bad backs. It does sound like a sitcom sketch, so I hope you haven't both made things worse!

Not much frost this morning and it’s another bright sunny day. I haven’t seen much of the sun as I’ve been having a h/w day

I think OH may have overdone the gardening over the last couple of days as his back is bad as well now. So that’s 2 of us hobbling about and groaning. Just before lunch we had a delivery of wine - 3 cases of it. The driver put it in the garage for us for OH to unpack and put in racks out there. Then we realised it was in the way of the ladders the plumber would need so we had to move it. Lunch was ready and we didn’t know when the plumber would come so we didn’t really have time to unpack it all. We just had to get 3 large, heavy boxes out of the way. You should have seen us. Talk about comic cuts. First we had to manoeuvre a box onto an old sack barrow whose handle wouldn’t stay up. Then I had to bend double with the sack barrow horizontal to the floor and stagger backwards while OH bent double to stop the box falling off and shuffled forwards, all the while trying not to bump into the car, the freezer, the work bench and all the junk piled up waiting to go to the tip. We had to go through this process 3 times. It would have made a good sketch for The Two Ronnies :-D. Methinks our next purchase will be a nice strong sack barrow.

Hooray, plumber has just arrived in his car. His van which broke down on the way to us last time is still out of action which is why we are providing the ladders. I think I’ll stay well out of the way. Keep your fingers crossed that it can all be fixed this time.

BIL came not long after I was back from having my toenails done at the surgery. I managed to get my proper shoe on ok and drove there myself which was ok. BIL came not long after I was back and went up the top to do something to the new mower and then came down a little while later and he said he would drive me to Holsworthy as I needed chicken corn, pellets and a bale of wood shavings. He's now gone back up to Em's dads up the top where he keeps the new mower. He managed to bend the lifting bar for the grass box to empty it and had to buy a new one so he can take the one he bent on the tree branch, back to work with him to get it straightened out so he will then have a spare if he should manage to do it again. The new one was £90.!!

I walked down to Irene's then had a little tidy up down the side of the house until disturbed by a very cross robin. I do hope he or she is not nesting down ther as Jake and co will be working down there next week. Once before they built a nest down there but never used it.

Been to the foot doctor to have my nails cut so now I m all comfortable. Went in my shoes and my foot is a lot better today.

Morning all,

No frost this morning but ths suns shining so it's going to be another sunny warm day

Got one lot of washing done another has just gone in the machine so I'll get those out on the line ,want yo make family a cake and a nice trifle I think.

Mel the girls costumes I made quite a few years ago now was for a trip they did to our local museum, I made those mop caps and little white aprons with black skirts.

Ann thats good things now seem to be going in the right direction for OH hope the MRI scan soon comes through .

I did a post last night and lost the lot when it whooshed off to i don't know where .

Morning all,

Its 10 degrees here but cloudy with grey skies and no wind to speak of. Slept very well.

It was only to check how you were as you said you were in pain. But that was on another thread not this one. But it was only six days ago and I was not worried as you often take a while to reply

AnnG I've only just seen your email this evening. I'll reply tomorrow eve, x

It clouded over here just after lunchtime and now there are a few spits and spots of rain I saw on the pond. Its 11 degrees and pc says light rain. So its on its way. I did'nt think the nice weather was going to lst much longer but I just hope when it rains it knows when to stop.

Good to hear all your news Annx. I am surprised you have time to breathe at the moment. Your poor OH has been messed around with his eyes but will feel reassured now he has seen Doctor Sarah again. Although I am sure he is still stressed he does seem to be doing well after his cardiac arrest. Best wishes to him. You are getting on with things around the house as well. Let's hope the new lock means you have no more problems with your front door.

I hope Stu turns up to help you eat your chicken casserole Mel. If he doesn't perhaps you could freeze a portion to have another time.

Mandy, I remember World Book Day well. We always seemed to be in Yorkshire when it came around and would be roped in to think of ideas and help put together costumes for 3 granddaughters. I particularly remember the year only the youngest was left at primary school and it was all planned for her to go as one of the Harry Potter characters. Then she found out that virtually her whole class would be in Harry Potter costumes and refused to be the same as everyone else. Cue a rapid rethink. I came up with Lyra from His Dark Materials as she could wear stuff from her own wardrobe. We rustled up a shoulder bag with a stuffed toy meerkat poking his head out and we told everyone that it was Pantalaimon, Lyra's daemon. The things we do for our grandchildren, lol.

AnnG, our coffee get-together must have been going nearly 20 years, apart from a break during lockdown. It has always been very fluid, people just turning up if they feel like it and, of course, over the years we have lost people to ill-health or death or moving house. There can be any number between 4 and 12. We probably average 7 or 8. There are, however, now only 3 men who come and I knew that the other 2 (and their wives) wouldn't be there this morning because of other commitments so OH decided not to come and be the only man. This morning there were 5 ladies there and it was very pleasant chatting.

I left OH gardening while I went for coffee but was quite nervous about what I would find when I got back. He had cut all the dead helenium down. I would have left it a little bit longer while we are still getting frosts but I don't think the clumps will come to much harm. He had also cut down 3 grasses and they should be OK. I was quite relieved; it could have been a lot worse. On the old gardening thread that some of us used to post on he was known as Mr Crewcut.

Two other good things happened today. The original plumber eventually rang us and is coming in tomorrow afternoon and our doctors' surgery rang to book us in for a spring Covid jab. We are leading such a normal life now that I would probably have forgotten about booking a jab so I'm glad they rang us. It's not till 9th April but it's on the calendar now.

Time to get my lamb casserole in the oven and have an afternoon cuppa. I might even sit outside with it before the temperature starts to drop. I hope you're all enjoying the sunshine too.

I don't think you could have made the post shorter with so much to tell us. Good that G is going to football again, that will make him feel more 'normal'. He has obviously been very lucky being one of the 5%. Hopefully things will start to move more quickly now.

And goodness you have managed to get a lot sorted around the house too. Good that they have at last fitted a new lock to your front door. I have Jake coming next tuesday to start on this years list. I have discovered that they have a waste disposal licence so have asked him to clear a lot of junk that has accumulated down the side of the house.

No I'm not yawning it nice to know you have been able to get some appointments and thing are now starting to move along in the right direction. Love to G. Good too that he did'nt have to wait with all the others and get to see the doctor right away. So more eye drops for now.

Rang a neighbour this morning and they are both down with flu but they said they would like a dozen eggs. Was just bunching up some daffs with a bit of hazel with catkins when Em arrived so we had a chat and she asked how my foot was and I showed her the pics I had taken over the last two and a half weeks. Tomorrow I have had the shoe thing on for two weeks. Anyway she had a dozen and a half eggs so thats two and a half dozen gone today which is good as they are overflowing my egg tray. Iv'e still got three dozen and three. They lay most of their eggs in March so it should slow down a bit now and if my other neighbours come back at the end of March I will have another customer back.

Stu messaged me to say he now has a headache and sore throat so won't be coming tonight so I have chicken stew again tonight and some for the freezer too.

Afternoon All,

Another lovely day again, we are being spoiled, but it does make you feel more like getting on with things.

That sounded like an uplifting walk AnnG seeing the daffs and hearing the birdsong.

We have had a busy week or so with 7 more medical appointments, so little change there. OH was let down again with no further appointment arriving for his eyes. He was phoning every day and eventually got someone who gave him 3 phone numbers and an email to try. The phone numbers all made an 'out of order' sound so he did an email. A few days later someone picked it up and told him to go to eye casualty (again) at 9.00am the next morning, to go straight to the reception desk and ask for Sarah (the doctor) who would check his eye and give him more Maxidex drops if needs be. So off we went the next morning and I dropped him off after nose to tail stop start traffic getting there. He said eye casualty was heaving with people standing as well as sitting and went to the reception desk to be seen by an unpleasant asian man who didn't listen and assumed OH was pushing in and hadn't an appointment. Luckily Sarah appeared and took him to one of the rooms. The eye is good but he has another 4 weeks of reducing eyedrops to do but the doctor booked him his next appointment herself which will save him a lot of stress. His teeth are fine now which is good and last night we saw the private Rheumatologist and OH will have an MRI scan next. He already has an ECG booked and appointment with the cardiologist. He has started cardio rehab today as the test he attended last week has passed him as ok to do it. They had him wired up and had him walking the corridor but he didn't get breathless which is good. The Rheumatologist repeated something the cardiologist had told him in hospital. Apparently if someone has a cardiac arrest (not heart attack) outside hospital only 5% survive and he told OH he was very, very lucky. Many have PTSD after too. At least he seems less anxious this week and has eaten more. He's lost over 3 stones now, but it's slowed down since he's been eating more. He's been to a footie match about 2 miles away and he's going to another local one on Saturday with a friend.

In between driving him here, there and everywhere I've sorted some things and we got the man to cut the overhanging stuff from the field right down and can see the field grass again. After my strident phone call to Anglian, they came on Monday and fitted a new lock barrel to the front door (which I had told them I thought was the problem all along). This is a different make of lock and already seems a lot smoother in operation, so fingers crossed!! A swivel tv bracket was swapped for the fixed one in the main bedroom and is much better now we can angle it and pull it away from the wall to get behind it to clean etc. I've done a drawing and measurements and a young chap is making a new cover for the new boiler pipework. OH's car is booked in for one of those manufacturer updates to be done and I'm still trying to find someone to supply and fit a ceiling curtain rail in the bedoom with a bay window instead of the poles which let too much light in above them, but I have a number for someone to try tonight. I've also managed to re-order the refurbished keyboard for my laptop now the lady who was on holiday is back and has reposted the quote for me to access. I'd given up as no-one else seemed able to understand or help and I had started looking for a replacement laptop, so it will save me a lot of hassle with all my photos etc I would need to back up. The man in the village will fit it for me.

Mandy we saw a big van on the retail park last year that was shouting the same message. The driver was standing next to it and couldn't stop it and was trying to get someone out to fix it! It was startling quite a few people.

I'm off to order some plain stretch jeans with a stretch waist that have my length that I like from Damart now as they are half price at the moment. I've also started going through my wardrobe and nearly have a bagful for the charity shop.

Time for a COT now.

I'll try and keep posts shorter or you will all be yawning!

It was too nice to stay in all day so I have just been for a walk, probably just over a mile if that but it was very pleasant walking down through our estate and across the park and through the little copse. Out into the next estate and folloed the back alleys to their houses until I came back to the road. quite a few daffs in flower among the trees in the alleys which brightens the day. And the birds in the trees singing were many although I couldn;t see them. Back through the estate that adjoins ours and home via the short stretch of main road..

Morning girl;s,

Another frost here this morning as well. Its 8 degrees here at the mo but pc is telling me temps to drop.

Well I cooked the chicken casserole yesterday and Stu did'nt come back to me so I hope he does today or I shall be living off the chicken dish for the next few days.

Enjoy your coffee meet if you go Vera. It would be good to see friends.

Mndy was it a book day when you had to dress the girls up in Victorian dress all those years ago?

Vera enjoy your coffee meet if you go, is it wearing off a bit if others are also not going?
I am still in contact with Dee, when she left GR we occasionally used to write snail mail, but these days it is by GR messages. I like to keep in touch with friends if I can. I have said before I am grateful to GR for the friends I still have on here now. The chat on here and emails from other friends helps to make me feel I am not so alone after all.

Mandy, have a good shop. I bet it is great seeing the little ones all dressed up.

Morning ,
Suns up and shining away but we too had z frost again .

Shopping day and I need to call at tescos and go to the hole in the wall as Colin calls it, we like to have a little cash in the house so l need to get some out .

World book day today so I expect we'll see some children go through to school all dressed up ,there's usually lots of Harry Potters .

Good morning AnnG and all

A cold night and quite a frost again this morning but the sun is out so it should clear soon. Then it promises to be a warm day.

I’m glad your trip went well yesterday and you don’t ache today Ann. I remember Dee well from the book thread we used to post on. She and I had similar tastes in books and she also introduced me to Libby, the libraries app, which was a boon during lockdown and I still use it all the time.

I’ve no plans for the day. I might meet our friends for coffee as usual on Thursdays but OH isn’t coming today and I know a couple of others won’t be there. I’ll see what I feel like after I’ve showered.