General Chat

Good morning all only 4 degrees here, too dark still to see if there was a frost but it was not forecast. Looks like another dark day. I do hate those days when lights are needed indoors most of the day.

A relief that the banging was innocent then Vera (but not as exciting as skipping would be).

Meeting today here, tea and mince pies instead of biscuits otherwise just as normal. seems like there will be nine of us to seat. Just the kitchen to tidy and chairs to arrange.

The thumping about was quite innocent. OH had got out the box with a Christmas tree and found a second smaller prelit one in the same box so was setting them up (noisily). I had forgotten the small one but I remember at one time having it on a little round table in the hall so we might put it there again.

Oh Vera I didn't see your post till after I'd posted mine and it did make me laugh about your OH's cousin's Xmas card. Bless him, it was so kind and well meant by him but it was so amusing too! You got a lot done today as AnnG has said so be careful not to overdo things and set your back off. Mine's a bit twangy, but it's because I've saved OH doing some bending down things! I hope your OH wasn't moving furniture??

It's good your eyes cleared Mel and yes, tell us what the surpise meal was later. As long as it is nice it will be good not to have to get it yourself and be able to have a chat.

Yes Ann more or less under control now. Just the lounge floors to do in the morning.

Vera for somebody who was tired after only three hours sleep you got a lot done
Thinking of the bumps you could hear I had a mental vision of your OH weilding a skipping rope for some reason.

Pleased the eye dazzles went Mel. Enjoy your meal and chat.

I did'nt go to bed in the end as I lost the dazzles. Must have been cos I took some paracetamol as soon as I realised what was going to happen. I am out tonight at Stu's so hope everything will be ok and if not I am only 3 mins away from home. I hav'nt seen anyone down here lately I even missed the postman this morning to talk to so could do with a bit of chat. It may buck me up a bit.

Not done what I wanted to do today but there's always tomorrow.

I too hope Mandy's cough is getting better. She sounded so rough when I spole to her on the phone.

Vera take care of that back and enjoy that nice dinner you have cooked. Goodness knows what I am getting tonight but something out of the oven as when I spoke to Stu he was getting it ready for the oven.

BBL and tell you what I got!! bet its the same as the last two times iv'e been there but that is nice.

Afternoon All,

It seems to have been warmer here today than where you are Mel, but the wind has dropped now for us and that makes a big difference. It does sound like you have a migraine so a good idea to have tablets and lie down.

As we can't get my door wreath out of the loft I noticed I have some rings like I used to make the rag wreath for Sandra a few years ago and thought I might make one with evergreen foliage from the garden till I remembered the sucker to hold it on the door with is in the loft as well! :-S OH's back pain seems to have improved a bit today and he wasn't taking tablets and seems more like his usual, cheerful self. He's gone off to a meeting tonight and did plan to carry on to a match afterwards, but has decided to give the match a miss rather than stand in the cold, which is sensible as he won't be wearing his warm footie clothes.

On my way to the shop I passed a lot of the children from the secondary school in the village. There seemed to be a trend among some of the girls who were wearing black tights with white socks pulled over them and black trainers. I remember there was a fad for girls who wore berets as part of their school uniform wearing them vertical held on with grips on the backs of their heads. It didn't last long at my school though as Our sailor style hats couldn't be held on very well with hairgrips.

I t's nice to come back to a clean house when you go away AnnG and all you need to do is the holiday washing! It sounds like you are well organized and almost ready now which is good. Is it a garden group meeting tomorrow?

I hope Mandy is managing to rest and sleep with the cough and bad throat. A friend recently had to cancel an operation due to a nasty bug and stayed mostly in bed for five days.

I hope the paracetamol and rest will clear your migraine Mel. I hope that Mandy is feeling a bit better now as well.

You are doing a good job with clearing up the leaves AnnG. Our garden is covered in leaves but first we couldn’t get out there because it was too wet, now we have a couple of dry days my back is too bad and OH is busy with other things.

Annx, I didn’t think about the awkwardness of carrying crates in some houses. Stupid of me. I’m too used to my house where there are no steps to the front door, a wide hallway and wide doors to the kitchen.

I had a bad night. Surprisingly it wasn’t back pain troubling me but I just could not sleep and had less than 3 hours so I can’t stop yawning today. I had a much needed haircut booked but knew my back would be agony if I tried to lean back in the chair for all the shampooing and rinsing etc, so I washed it in the shower before I went. I wasn’t sure how happy my hairdresser would be about this but she was fine. I just leant forward over the basin for a few seconds while she made my hair wet again for cutting.
OH said I looked so pale and shaky that he insisted on driving me which was kind of him but I had planned to pop into one of the shops near the car park to buy part of his Christmas present so I still haven’t got it. It’s not all bad though. I gave him some errands to do while my hair was being done so he took a load of stuff to the charity shop, bought some stationery I needed and did some banking so a few more jobs out of the way.

Since lunch I have changed the beds and washed the bedding, split 3 big packs of meat into 2 portion packs for the freezer and prepared a large beef casserole that will do for 2 days. That’s in cooking now so I just need to pop some potatoes in the oven later on. I’ve also had a general tidy up and wipe round in the kitchen. By 3.30 pm my back couldn’t take any more so I had a drink and took a painkiller and I have been on the bed with pillows propped behind me and a hot water bottle and a wheat bag I agree with your Mum Mel; I don’t like getting old.

That’s reminded me of a card we had yesterday. I suppose some people might have been upset but it made me laugh. OH has a cousin a lot younger than him. This cousin had meningitis as a toddler and was left with some brain damage and because of this sometimes says things that are a bit inappropriate. We had his Xmas card yesterday and he had written a few lines which started “Now we are all getting on a bit….” He’s not yet 60! He then continued with “I hope you live a bit longer”. So do I, cousin D! he wrote several lines in this fashion but didn’t mention Happy Xmas or New Year wishes. It was difficult to read as, bless him, he doesn’t write well and the words scrawl higgledy piggledy across the page. I think the post people deserve medals for getting it to us.as the address on the envelope was not fully correct anyway, took up the whole of the front of the envelope and the stamp was stuck in the middle of the bottom so it covered half the name of the town and most of the postcode.

Time is getting on and I’d better go and check the casserole. I’d better check on OH as well. There have been a few thumps and bangs from downstairs. What do you think he’s up to now?

Hopefully that will zap it Mel.

I went down the garden and picked up the remainder of the leaves that have fallen off the tree down there. They are now bagged up in a black bag, hopefully will be good to add to the compost next year.

I deleted all my emails in my 'bin', I try to keep on top of that.

Fed the birds.
I also did a load of washing, packed most of my stuff and got together some cards for the people coming to the meeting tomorrow. Not a lot more I can do today so off downstairs to see what is on TV.

Mandy hope that your cold and cough is improving.

I think I may be getting my first migraine for years. I have a tiny blind spot and zigzaggy bright lines in my left eye. Think I will go and have a lie down, Iv'e taken some paracetamol and will probably fall asleep.

Could you not make your arrangements i the kitchen Mel to keep warm? I went down the garden to pick up the rest of the leaves that had fallen and it was not too cold. I actually didn't have a coat on. Have to say I didn't stay out there for too long though.

Thank you for your card Mandy arrived just now with one from an old friend and one from Aunty Joy.

Still cold and cloudy and windy. The weather on the pc says by 4pm its going to feel like -4. Something to look forward to I don't think.

Gosh its really bitter out there today. I have been to the post van with more cards and a parceland fed the wild birds and the chickens. I just don't want to have to go out there again today. I should be picking stuf for some Christmas arrangments but who wants to stand outside in a very cold shed making them?

Just going to have a hoover through and clean the bathroom and perhaps that will warm me up.

good morning all. been up a while but just going to get showered. there is a load of washing in the machine. There never seem enough hours this week before I go away and having the meeting tomorrow doesn't really help. Still at least I will leave the house clean. Have to clean downstairs today (can't dust though because of the Christmas decs around.
6 degrees here this morning sort of grey/white sky and so far dry. It stayed dry yesterday.

Morning all,

Dull and very grey here this morning 5 degrees and pc says it feels like 3.

Ann I passed my driving test in December too on the 13th and it was a Wednesday 1967 so 57 years ago.

I have parcels to post this morning if the vans there and later I have to find out if its Stu's tonight or tomorrow night for dinner but he goes to his meeting today. I also have to find a birthday card to write to a friend.

The driver does carry them up the step and into the porch so we can close the door Vera. He has offered to carry the crates to the kitchen before, but our porch is tiny and it would involve him carrying and holding them so they are narrow to turn into the lounge and he usually carries a stack of 3 at a time and is over 6 foot tall. I imagine lumps knocked off the door frames and new front door and fitted cloak cupboard. It's happened with workmen carrying their kit through before and when furniture like settees have been delivered. You've got me thinking though and I'm going to look at one of those round plant pot trolley/movers with the 4 wheels on as one of those might be just the thing!

Ibuprofen does help OH's back and helps him get to sleep. The doctor has given him something stronger should he need them. I used to find it helped mine too as well as my knees, but like you, once I was put on blood pressure tablets, (in my case not because I had high BP, but to slow my heart rate after it stayed high after a panic attack), I was told not to take Ibuprofen anymore.

I managed to dry some washing today as well. I also found my monthly mobile payment had failed, which I didn't understand as they had gone through fine since I notified them of my new card in September. A tortuous conversation with rapid unclear english that hardly let me get a word in edgeways made no sense as they tried to say I had only ever had one card registered, the card I'd told them was cancelled when I notified the new one with them in September. I think someone there had wrongly tried to take a payment using my old card details but they didn't like to admit it. All is in order again now, hopefully with no more problems.

Evening All,

Today is an anniversary for me.........60 years since the day I passed my driving test first time!! It meant a degree of freedom as I could drive mum to do the shopping and visit my friend's house after work before taking the van home. I still had to pay for the fuel though.

No rain today and less wind, but it's still seemed quite chilly so the heat has been on. The fields were well flooded again when I went to the shop.

OH didn't have a great night again but he hasn't taken painkillers today and apart from ouches, oohs and aaahs when he stands up he has seemed a bit better. I hope Vera's back is a bit better too. I don't think the cold and damp weather helps either. OH can't pinpoint doing anything to cause his bad back either Vera.

I've just read that we are losing our nearest Dobbies, but it suggests it may be another garden centre that takes it over. Dobbies have spent an awful lot extending and improving it as well.

Thank you for your pretty card Mandy and I hope you are no worse and managing to keep cosy and warm and sleeping when you can.

AnnG I don't know anyone that smokes now either that I can think of. Hubby got a message from the surgery today to get his HB1Ac blood test and the earliest date they could give him was the 30th this month. It's not going to be the best result after eating his Christmas goodies is it? I hope you got through today and that your surgery can throw some light on your early blood test. It is a rigmarole booking and getting to doctor's appointments now as you say. Our surgery has gone back to taking 9 parking spaces for the doctors which leaves half as many patients spaces. I think they have stopped using their own car park between them and the pharmacy and maybe rented it to the pharmacy instead. Makes it difficult for patients though, but they don't seem to care. We also get traffic holdups getting there at certain times even though it's less than 2 miles away. Are you almost packed now?

I expect the Narcissus looked and would smell lovely Gwyn. There are so many varieties of them now too.

Yes my sub was for my tabacco and they sent a different brand so it went back. Put the rest of the shopping away which was'nt much this week.

Iv'e done a load of washing this morning and its dried quite a lot on the line as the wind was blowing from the west today. Thats now on the airer infront of the little rad in the hall.

Put some more coats on my moulds I am making and went and did the wrong one on one of the things I had'nt varnished, by mistake. That mould had a dent in it so the cast came out with a dent in it!! When I took the first coat off it took the paint off her so I had to paint it all over again, find the right one to mould and start again.

Fed the wild birds and the chickens twice and went up the shop for some tabacco,
the right kind but gosh its so dear in the local shop and I only bought a little one.

Iv'e now got my red lights on in the ceiling to make it cosier in here as there's been a areally icy wind today.

Sold three lots on Ebay and been paid for the tudor feast and table so thats parcelled up waiting to go.

Hope the backs are better tomorrow for Vera and Annx hubby. My hips have been giving me gip over the last few days and mostly my right one which is unusual as its usually the left one.

Meal for one Mac cheese tonight and I will put a couple of franfurters sliced up in it and some little vine ripened toms. Makes it a bit more and spices it up a bit.

Grey and cold today and a bit damp, but there has only been a bit of drizzle

Thank you for your card Mandy which came today. I hope that horrid cough is easing a bit and you are getting some rest. Stay in the warm. Have you tried Broncho-Stop cough lozenges. They are herbal, based on Thyme, but I’ve found they work better for me than a lot of the other cough sweets.

I hope your croakiness is getting better as well Gwyn. The honey and lemon should help. I can’t bear honey, even the smell of it makes me nauseous. I buy it for OH who occasionally fancies a bit of bread and honey but he has to prepare and eat it well away from me. You were very good to do the clearing up after the Christingle service and I agree with you about cups stained with tea or coffee .

Have you got your blood test sorted AnnG? It’s strange the surgery have requested another one so soon after the last one. You will be away for quite a while at Christmas won’t you. It’s always good to be able to spend time with family

How is OH’s back now Annx? Is the Ibuprofen helping? Years ago I used to have Naproxen when my back was bad but once I started having blood pressure pills I was told not to take anti-inflammatories with them. Would your food delivery driver not carry the crates in for you? Perhaps you prefer not to have the drivers come in. Tesco and Sainsbury drivers carry our crates into the kitchen for us so we only have to lift the stuff from the crates to the work surface and often they help with that.

Mel, you put me to shame. You are always so busy with your garden and ponds. I don’t know how you manage it. Then you somehow find time to make your miniatures and cook. I’m also intrigued to know what Asda substituted for tobacco, unless it was cigarettes or did you mean they didn’t have your favourite tobacco so substituted it for a different brand.

I’ve been really busy the last couple of days yet when I list what I’ve done it doesn’t really seem that much. Yesterday I did the week’s washing, apart from towels and I also had a big Tesco order that came to nearly £250 but there were no subs and nothing was missing so I was very pleased. I also spent some time researching different presents online. As we won’t be seeing any family and I can’t post parcels all round the country, this year they will either be getting things that can be delivered straight to their homes or vouchers. I got most of that sorted online yesterday

Today I had a very slow start as my back was so painful but eventually got my act together and got out. I needed to go to Waitrose, Sainsbury, the Co-op and Roy’s as each shop had different things that I wanted and I also had to go to the pharmacy and OH wanted to go to a specialist electrical shop. The pharmacy had my tablets at last. I checked while I was there that I’d been given the right ones. It was very odd. All the time I was walking, particularly when I was going a bit faster, my back didn’t hurt much at all yet as soon as I stopped the pain hit again.

I’ve got dinner all prepared so I’ve just got to cook it now. It feels as though it’s getting colder again so keep warm and comfy and have a good night everyone.

:-) Mel, I am so used to being with non smokers, none of my family smoke cigarettes these days, one vapes. It just seemed odd that the sub was tobacco. what did they sub it for?

Morning all,

Woke early for the loo and went back to bed, fatal slept till 9.50am. Just had a message from Asda to say I have one sub and what is it? my tabacco which I don't funtion without and I am right out. So that will be going back and I shall have to go up the shop and get some at an exuberant price.