General Chat

Anng thanks for reminding me about the dolls house thred. I had to look through quite few to find it. Stu's been and gone full up to the brim and bursting. Rata was good and so was the crumble with a little cream.

save me a nice cheese scone Mandy please? I should make some really perhaps another day as I like a cheese scone. I like any scone really but I think cheese is my favorite.

The Holly is about 8ft high Mandy, but hadn't been pruned for a couple of years. I like to keep the shrubs at about a height I can reach to prune without needing steps now as it's safer for me. Gone are the days when i would get on the garage roof of my old house!! You have been busy baking and I bet your kitchen smelled lovely. I like biscoff and get the little biscuits with my coffee at the hairdresser's. I like the biscoff cheesecakes as well but they would be a shared rare treat now as too much saturated fat for OH and it's better for me. I like cheese scones too. The family will be pleased to have your home made cakes. Did Colin get his hearing sorted? The Sewing Bee has some people who are good and do neat work this year. Some different kinds of challenges too.

The painter let me know the plasterer won't be here till 10.30am tomorrow now. I think he has to finish off another job in the morning first. I'm quite glad as we can lie in a bit longer in the morning. With the plaster needing to dry, the painter thinks he will be able to come towards the end of next week to do the painting and, as it's a small job, will fit us round his other work.

How are those bites now AnnG? I hope they've stopped itching. I keep putting off doing the bedding with all the dust that's going to be about. Hopefully I should be able to do it this weekend.

Anng I hd forgotten all about them but have been back today after your prompting.

Suns shining, its a lovely evening , I've made two jam sponges this afternoon and a doz Biscoff and banana muffins ,one sponge is for us the other one and muffins are for the family , tomorrow I think I'll make them some scones ,cheese and some fruit ones.

Ann I think there's fourteen plants ,I have crammed them in a bit but all the seed came up and I hadn't the heart to throw them out I really must put less seed in then I suppose I'd only have a couple come through , also they were seed from last year so thats why I put extra in .
You did well lopping off the Holly it sounds as if it was quite tall.

Sausages for us tonight with beans and New potatoes nice and easy as I feel weary today after gardening yesterday and I didn't sleep very well last night I was still awake at one o'clock.

Afternoon All,

Dry and warm here, but a bit of breeze is making it pleasant. We both lay in this morning knowing tomorrow will have to be a 7.00am start. I nipped to the chemist for my meds and to the shop. OH got a load of cardboard boxes out on the drive by the time I got home and he'd packed some of his programmes in some. We sorted which can go to the tip and OH will take those tomorrow after flattening them. I need to remove our name and address labels off some first. The painter's here now and is removing the light fitting ready for the plasterer.

That's a fantastic number of cucumbers Mandy! How many plants do you have? Yes a plum crumble would be very nice. :-D

I used to enjoy the ratatouille they had as a veg option at one of the carveries we used to go to, but OH didn't like it with a carvery.

Together and with the big loppers we managed to cut back all the variegated Holly that was starting to hang over our neighbour's fence and now need to lower it by a couple of feet to the fence height and cut the part away at the back that's reverted to plain green. We want to cut it away from the fence at the back anyway like it used to be. It's a pity it isn't Christmas as I could have made a wreath with one of my copper rings.

Mel just checking out the hobbies thread and I noticed that you asked a question about dolls houses. there are several answers on there but sadly you didn't return to acknowledge them. Did you see them?

Rains stopped and suns shining, I've been out in the greenhouse cutting off a lot of the big leaves and it's let so much more light in ,cut 8 more cucumbers and there's loads more coming ,that's 38 I've cut now .
We've had a few toms ,the sun gold and all the others are getting really big but they need to start turning .

I haven't made a ratatouille for years but we use to like it ,enjoy yours tonight Mel with your chicken and then save me some plum crumble please .

Missed you there Mandy.

Still that fine drizzle here but there are sunny spells inbetween and its 19 degrees now but feels warmer.

Morning all,

Dull grey and very fine rain here this morning and its 18 degrees. Slept well and was awake early and just lay for a long while and got up at 8.44am.

Stu comes tonight for dinner and I really wanted to get some gardening done today but if it stays like this the fine rain gets everywhere.

Yes you guessed right I have made a ratatouille with chicken for tonight. Its got my first Courgette in it. I don't like Aubergine so none of that.

Morning all,

17 degrees here and I could see the ground was damp when we got up but now we have a steady rain ,looks like it's an indoor day of jobs ,I do have some ironing to do so thats a start .

Good luck in the doctors queue Vera ,I think I read where our doctors are now using Eastcall I think it was called they would triarge you and then at 1 o'clock any telephone calls would go back to the receptionist at the doctors so more change ,I wonder if we'll ever see a doctor again so much is now put onto the nurse practitioner and other nurses .

good morning all. 18 degrees and grey here this morning. slept well last night. Nothing planned for todat. We are on a yellow storm warning, wonder if we will actually get any rain? I have stripped the bed and the washing machine is running. Probably use an indoor day to clean through downstairs.

If you are looking in DeTective many thanks for the message. Perhaps you would also pass on my thanks AnnG in case Det. doesn't see this.

17 degrees with some light rain expected later. At the moment it's quite overcast.

I haven't really got any plans for the day. In a moment I am going to join the 8 am telephone queue at the doctors as they are no longer using their very handy e-consult form. Then later we'll join the usual Thursday crowd for coffee.

Enjoy your day whatever you are doing.

..vera. A message from DeTective.

Could you pass a message to SuffolkVera please? She said that her library card had expired. Before she visits a library, suggest she ‘contacts’ them via the Libby ap. I had something similar happen - quick online chat & they were able to allow access again straight away.

Thanks for that AnnG. I’ve got one book by Tim Weaver on order to borrow on the Libby app but the app says there is still about a 6 weeks wait for that. While checking on that I noticed there was another one available to borrow so I clicked on that and up came a message to verify my library card. I’ve never seen that before but I put in the requested details. Up popped a message saying my card had expired and I would have to contact my local library. So I now can’t borrow any books till I can get into the library to sort a new card. I’m really cross as there is no expiry date on the card and no reminders sent.

I ‘m puzzled by Rata as well. Come on Mel, put us out of our misery and tell us what it is. The only thing I could think was that it is an abbreviation for ratatouille.

An ambulance arrived outside my next door neighbour about 3.30 pm and left just a few minutes ago. I couldn’t stand gawping at the window so I don’t know which one has been taken to hospital. I do feel sorry for them as one or the other is always at the hospital. I hope it’s not too serious this time.

Our painters finished and tidied everything up, then they asked OH to walk round the house with them to check that he was satisfied with their work which he was. So just the bill to pay now. That will knock a hole in the bank balance.

I’ve been going to shower since I got up this morning so I’d better do that next. I don’t think I’ve got the energy to wave the hairdryer around so will let my hair dry in its own sweet way.

Afternoon Everyone,

Happy 20th Anniversary to your Son and DIL Mandy. Doesn't the time fly! I want to do a bit of weeding today as they are growing fast.

A bit muggy today but not too hot. We were up early and went to a garden centre and had a bread roll bap each with 3 breakfast fillings. We both had mushrooms, egg and tomato. Then OH found some grey chinos to buy at the EM outlet there. The Works don't seem to stock the cheap pads of Art paper I used to use, so it looks like I will have to try some of the other sort they have in stock when I run out. On the way home we called at the shop and also went inside the Village Hall to look to see if there were any show catalogues with entry forms. There were none on the desk of leaflets and there was no-one around to ask so we crossed to the library the other side of the carpark to see if they had any and they were closed and there were no signs to say when they were open! Customer service seems to be going downhill!

We had chicken stirfry for lunch and the painter rang to say he will drop by tomorrow lunch time to lower the light fitting in the ensuite ready for the plasterer to come at 8.00am on Friday. Your painter sems to be getting on well Vera and it will soon all be done.

I hope it stayed dry for your hairdressing appointment AnnG. I always feel brighter somehow after my hair's been cut. I hope you aren't as itchy now. I sometimes find bites in the morning when I wake up. I had one on my nose this week, but it had two red pinpricks in it that I thought might be a spider's fang marks.

It sounds like you are getting some nice fruit and veg now Mel.

I must admit I prefer Frogs to Toads. I had a Toad hiss at me once and another time I watched one squeeze through a small gap where cement had come out between paving slabs. I couldn't beleive how it squashed itself so small.

Off to get the weedkiller spray and go out now.

I like frogs and toads but wouldn't pick one up.

Sorry Mel, my brain can't cope with working out what the Rata is that you have cooked.
Vera just read a very good book by Tim Weaver called the Black Bird. I found it was one I just had to keep reading to get to the finale.

You have to be careful picking up frog and toads as they squirt out a horrid smelling liquid to put prediters off. I cooked some of my plums for a crumble for when Stu comes too. Just have to pop the mix on top and a few almond slithers and pop it in the oven tomorrow. They are plums for the garden off the old plum tree on the wall, another plum tree the other side behind the caravan and a couple of victorias from out the top field so mine are all English. Yum....

I have cooked the Rata for tomorrows dinner and there maybe enough for me to have a little tonight and then tomorrow with Stu who is coming then. Just wondering what to do for lunch as I hav'nt eaten yet.

Good afternoon Ladies

Warm but very muggy again today. It’s not very comfortable weather at all but at least it’s dry so our painters can get on; there’s not much more to do now. I’m sorry that your painter can’t get on till your ceiling is boarded and plastered Annx. You must feel that you take a step backwards for every step forwards you take.

I hope your mossie bites aren’t itching too much AnnG and you haven’t found any more. Horrid things. I don’t seem to get bitten much thank goodness, though I’ve probably put the kybosh on it now. I expect your hair feels nice now you’ve had it cut.

Happy China anniversary to your son and dil, Mandy. You mentioned plum crumble. I quite often make one in the winter with tinned plums from Sainsbury’s. They are not the same as fresh plums but aren’t bad. I did buy some very big, dark purple fresh plums to put in the fruit salad I made for the party at the weekend. I don’t think they were English, probably from somewhere like Spain. Funny how we are all different as I love Mel’s Mr Toad and would happily have him in my garden but I am not so good with birds. I feed them and love watching the finches and tits on the feeders and in the trees but I couldn’t pick up an injured bird.

OH has just called that lunch is ready so I’d better go. Might bbl.

Did the post van and picked 6 toms, 2 cues a courgette, cooking apples to go with the blackberries (1lb 4oz again) Beauty of Bath eating apples which smell delightful and fed the beans.