General Chat

Good evening

I hope you have all had a good day.

You are really working hard outside Mel. I don’t know how you keep going. You must ache by the end of the day. I think I’ve done well if I manage an hour in the garden! Well done you for keeping going. It sounds as though you are getting a good deal on your car insurance. I think we pay well over £400 though that does cover both of us. Everything seems to go up once you’re over 80 but we get a bit of a discount because we have our house insurance with the same company.

That’s a shame about the chap near you having a heart attack Mandy. I hope he makes a good recovery.

I hope your meeting this afternoon went well AnnG. Was it the garden group or the photography people?

You don’t seem to have had a good day on Tuesday Annx, what with problems with the car park barrier and your car insurance and then hearing of the loss of another friend’s husband. I hope things have been going better since then and that you and OH are both okay.

We had a lovely afternoon. At a guess there were between 40 and 50 people there and 19 of them were our group that our friend V had gathered together. As we all pay £10 a ticket and we all buy quite a few raffle tickets he probably made between £250 and £300 for the funds. The organizers put together 4 large tables for our group. When we were all there V produced a load of picnic glasses (plastic) and 3 large bottles of Bucks Fizz to thank us all for our support. Wasn’t that a nice gesture.

The food was plentiful as usual though I was quite restrained. I had 3 small sandwiches, a scone with jam and cream and a bowl of strawberries and cream. For the entertainment there was a chap on guitar and his wife singing and a friend had come with them and was on the drums. They were very good and didn’t charge for their time. They kept going for about 2 hours non-stop, mostly music of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The husband and wife had both had heart problems and both had pacemakers fitted so joked that they had changed their “stage” name to The New Pacemakers.

With the raffle, there are so many prizes that it would take forever for numbers to be called and people to go and choose their prize, so someone draws all the numbers and then a number is attached to each prize and we all go and look to see if our numbers are attached to any of the prizes. We did find one of our numbers attached to a very nice dahlia plant in a pot so that has come home with me. We did have a laugh at our poor friend Joan. She won 3 prizes – a box of chocolates, a bottle of sherry and a microwave wheat bag. She suffers from severe migraine and chocolate is a trigger for her so she can’t eat chocolate, she doesn’t drink and she hasn’t got a microwave, so she gave all her prizes away!

Time is getting on and I still need to prepare tomorrow’s meal so I can spend all my time with granddaughter. I still haven’t told you about Knole but I will do, probably over the weekend now. There’s a couple of things that we saw that I think you might be interested in. Unfortunately we didn’t take any photos.

Have a good night everyone

Afternoon All,

I thought I had posted yesterday, but see I hadn't. I was quite busy though. I have a little pile of cards waiting to open now. We don't seem to get daily post now, just a bunch of envelopes every few days. It's been one of those horrid drizzly days all day that gets you wet in no time and covers your glasses. The Yarn Bomb opened yesterday, but there were only a few brave souls looking when I went to the shop. It did mean the car park had plenty of space for me though.

I've had trouble standing on the bed, but used to move it to reach the lampshade. The new mattress makes it much heavier to shift so I use a dustpan brush I keep clean to dust the shade. I have cupboards above the top of the bed too, but they have long handles and I can just about reach across with one foot on steps and one foot on the bed and a hand holding onto the door handles. I'm sure as I get older it won't be an option though and agree that low cupboard shelves are hard when you can't kneel, bend far or squat esily. When we did the kitchen in about 2008 I had a wide unit with just two big drawers and they are really good as you don't need to bend and can see everything in them. I also had a pull out corner unit with wire baskets like Vera, but there is still an awkward cupboard under the sink and ones in the utility. I started using cardboard boxes in them to pull out, but need more, so it's a reminder to measure them as the factory shop has some cheap plastic weave effect boxes with lids that rest on top so you can stack them. Wardrobes with drawers at the bottom are esier but we don't have any! Well the built in ones do, but I kept the original wardrobe that's built across an alcove and ended up using shallow boxes with wheels in the bottom of those. One of the expensive makers of bedroom furniture makes top shelves that have a handle to pull them forwards and lower them within reach which would be nice when we win the lottery!! :-) lol.


We saw the Kestrel again yesterday, there were 2 this time and 2 youngsters as well. Since the farmer who leased the field at the back of us passed away, the field has been left as a meadow like it used to be and it looks like there are plenty of mice again now.

It sounds like you are all sorted for the wedding clotheswise now you have found a pretty top for the evening AnnG. It will be a nice stay with your daughter with a wedding to look forward to and enjoy as well as meeting up with other relatives..

That was sad your 'over the wall' neighbour from the flats had a heart attack Mandy but at least you know now why you hadn't seen him for a while. Gosh those geraniums were a bargain so I hope there were still some left! Were they in flower so you could see the colours?

That poor Hare Mel, I bet he didn't think he would escape! Hopefully he might avoid the road now. That is cheap insurance for your car and although they say it's cheaper to shop around I would stay with them too at that price if it's no more than £200! Mine is £276 till it goes up in a fortnight when they add this year's increase on and the increase for OH's claim. It does cover him driving it, a courtesy car, protected no claims discount and legal protection though. It's an 8 year old sports coupe, but with the less mileage I do now, other than servicing it has only cost me one new tyre in all that time. I think tyres and brakes were mentioned at the last service though, so next time I could be saying 'more expense' like our friend Frank! lol.

Glad you had a good time at Knole Vera. Strangely in WW this week there was an advert for it saying how big the estate is. I must look it up. A nuisance your back played up though, but good it has recovered and is much better now. It sounds like a great afternoon today with some lovely food in the buffet! I hope the tickets turned up, but it sounds like you will be let in anyway.

Well I think we are both getting mixed up about OH's scans now! It is the bone scan results that he was waiting for, not the head scan, as that one had come back and he had discussed it with the doc over the phone when they prescribed medication. This morning's phone appointment was supposed to be to discuss the bone scan results, but when yet another doctor rang him this morning she started discussing his head scan!! It seems she thought that was what the phone appointment was for and apparently she couldn't see any record of the bone scan results coming back yet so she will chase it up. OH noticed in the leaflet with the statins about one of his other medications and the need to discuss it with his GP and the need for liver tests while taking them. Nothing was mentioned about this to him previously so she will find out and let him know. What struck me as odd was that today's doctor obviously hadn't seen any record of anyone discussing his headscan on his notes?

Well I'd better be off to bed. Early shower and start tomorrow with my blood test appointment at 8.17am! Then I can relax and open my cards etc. I think I fancy the italian place with the sagging seats for lunch as the food is lovely. Dare I take a cushion in a carrier bag? :-D

Oo good hope you enjoy your afternoon tea save a cream scone for me please Vera.

I was feeding Robby meal worms on the patio this morning and down flew my lovely spotted Thrush it looked around and I went to get the meal worm box off the little shelf and got one out and threw it to her but she flew away. I have never in all the years I have lived here (31) ever seen a Thrush on the patio. Robby was sunbathing again thie morning on the dead grass in a tough I have on the edge of the patio but when I got the camera out he moved to the decking so I took a pic there but its not clear as the sun was in front of me.

Yesterday I had a letter from my car insurance place saying I was'nt insured as it ran out on the 7th July. I knew I had paid it three days before the due date so ignored the letter and today the insurance came in the post so I wish thye would get there act together and not send out these letters till they have checked. The lady I spoke to on the phone said she had worked for them for 15 years and had never seen anyone with a 25 year old policy, yes I have been with the same one all that time since I was 50. She also said she has'nt seen one as cheap as mine in all her 15 years so I must be getting a good deal, she said they were all now well over £200.

Machines stopped better this wash on the line.

Good afternoon everyone

I'm in a rush again so another shortish post for now.

It's quite warm but very cloudy and keeps looking like rain. I've made a load of soup, some for us tonight and some for the freezer, and done some other household jobs. We are supposed to be out by 1.30 as we are going to a strawberry tea, at least we are if they let us in as OH has managed to mislay the tickets. We go every year and get our tickets from someone who is very involved so I think they will let us in. It shouldn't be called a tea as it's a 2 course buffet meal. First they put out loads of sandwiches, quiches, sausage rolls etc., then they are cleared away and out come gateaux, trifles, bowls of strawberries and cream, scones with strawberry jam and cream and so on.

There is a superb raffle, usually a quiz and often a singer or musician to entertain and it is a really good afternoon. This is all in aid of a local charity that helps patients with heart problems, Once a week they run an exercise class, and patients can socialise, get weighed and get advice and reassurance as there is always a fully qualified nurse in attendance. They have helped our friend V a great deal and he goes most weeks. However, they receive no funding so have to rely on fundraising events and donations.

Must go and change. I might get back later but this evening I want to completely prepare tomorrow's meals so I can spend time with my granddaughter instead of being stuck in the kitchen

EDIT Back is much easier, thank you.

Morning girls,

Nice morning here and there's sun and blue sky and white clouds but also grey ones and its 16 degrees and pc says partly sunny.

I ache a bit from yesterdays work in the garden but it has to be done and BIL dos'nt seem to want to help me.

Hope you get your ivy geraniums Mandy.

Vera hows the back this morning?

Morning Anng, morning all,

Very grey here ,looks more like rain is coming but it should stay dry .
Off shopping later and I want to go and get a few more of the ivy Geraniums from the garden centre they were only 99p each .

Vera it's sounds like you had a long tiring day yesterday looking forward to hearing all about it ,I did have a Google and it looks a big house with lots of roomx I hope your back is feeling better with a rest overnight ,take it easy today .

Good morning all 12 degrees and sunny so far. tidy up and clean this morning, meeting here this afternoon. only 7 of us this time so not too bad.

Hope you had a good sleep Vera after your tiring day out.

wonder what Ann was up to yesterday, I don't think we saw her on here.

Sounds as if you have had a good day Vera. Hope your back improves over night.

I just realised 3 weeks time I will be in the Lake District. Daughter just asked what I want to do up there on my birthday. It doesn’t seem possible that another year on my own has passed.

Evening all

We’ve had a very good day at Knole, but tbh I’m too exhausted to talk about it right now. We left home at 8 am and got back at 7 pm and since then I’ve sorted out our bits and pieces and we’ve had a sandwich and a cuppa. At the moment my back, which hasn’t been bad lately, is letting me know it’s not happy. I’ve spent a lot of time moving slowly around Knole house or just standing and that’s the worst thing for my back. I’m going to get into bed with pillows propped behind me.and try and get some rest.

We have another busy day tomorrow but I’ll try to find time to come online and tell you what we did today. In the meantime I hope you all sleep well tonight.

I washed my hands when I came in and I have the stings on both thumbs and index fingers. Why do they tingle more when your hands are wet?

Did a short stint in the garden but was mainly doing admin jobs indoors. Finally did the end of June accounts so that is out of the way. It was very windy here all day so not pleasant to work out there.

Yes Mel we've been out in the garden ,there was a few spits of rain but not enough to wet the ground .
Poor old Hare I should think he died from shock after going down the road like the clappers .
Oh no nettle stings, the times I have had them when little and out would come the vinegar bottle
We heard yesterday that a chap from the flats who use to have a chat over the wall if we were out in the garden had a heart attack in town a couple of weeks ago ,we thought it strange that he hadn't been about and thought that he'd gone on one of his holidays ,apparently he had been in intensive care in Addenbrookes .

Been in the garden nearly all day. Scraped a bit more of the road round the bend and pulled up more nettles nearly as tall as me then moved on to some I had pulled before and they were only a foot high and they stung me through my gloves. Now I have a prickerly left hand.

Have you all been in the garden? as nobody seems to have posted.

Morning girls,

Its quite bright here this morning with sun and big white clouds pc is saying 16 degrees and partly sunny so I hope it stays that way.

Its bin day tomorrow so I need to get my bags up there today as thye come so early in the morning.

I can't stand on the bed either and I definately could'nt look up to clean the light and its one of those with about 8 swirly arms with a light on each end. I do put the cobweb brush up there and the hoover pipe but they are a devil to dust and it seems to cling to them and not just wipe off.

I forgot to tell you coming back from Holsworthy the other day coming up from Dipper Mill up the twisty bit there was a young hare running towards me in the road and behind that was a huge arctic lorry I managed to stop and it ran past me and when I looked in the mirror it was still running in the raod with the lorry following it but the driver was being careful. The poor thing must have been so frightened it was just zig zagging across the road from side to side and could'nt seem to find a way into the fields either side. YOu could see the black tips to his ears as he ran past.

Morning all,

Very cloudy when we got up about half seven but now we have a bit of blue sky and sunshine shine .

Anng the new top sounds pretty with the flowers and butterflies on it .
I know what you mean about trying to stand on the bed I use to do that to dust the shade on the light above the bed but now I have to try to get the hoover on it and hope for the best .

We hope to get the new plants in today and cut the grass which didn't get done .

good morning all. slept well but couldn't get back to sleep at 0615 so was up early 15 degrees here now at 0720. Light cloud glimmer of sun.

Mel, that is the trouble with kitchen cupboard (or any other room cupboards. as we get older some are too low and some are too high (and gone are the days of leaping on a chair to reach the high ones. I have a large cupboard which runs across above the width of the spare bed , part of built in wardrobes. I have stored various bags in there and was fine at getting to them until yesterday. I have not tried to get up to it for a couple of years as not needed anything in there. Yesterday no way could I stand up on the bed, like getting up from sitting/kneeling on the floor, added to the mattress being 'bouncy', I just couldn't do it.

Ann, It seems all wrong to me that people should be made to pay for somebody else's bad driving. Why should the person who has suffered the error of somebody else have to lose money on their own insurance. All the cost should be on the person who caused the problem.

Vera, I had a friend (no longer with us), who couldn't iron striped shirts and her OH was banned from buying striped shirts.
Hope that you have a lovely trip out today. Is it far to go?

Evening All,

Rainy here early this morning when I went to the hairdesser and it was busy in the shared carpark with the gym so I had to park at the bottom to get an end spot so I could open my door enough to get out. Tia was showing me an app she has where you can photograph any plant and it will tell you what it is, which I thought very handy when looking around other gardens and see something you like and might want to get, but don't know what it is. She was telling me how nice the different salads are in Lidl too so I must go and look as it's nice to have a change from the usual. There is a code to punch in to get the carpark barrier to lift to get out of the carpark and they change it several times a day, but not for the first time it didn't work and cars behind me had to reverse so I could back up and stop blocking the queue. I wasn't going to park all the way down the bottom again and have to walk all the way back to reception, so I parked outside the entrance where the delivery drivers drop things off and nipped inside. The girll said to just drive back to the barrier and she would operate it from inside. She took a while and I was just about to reverse back again when up the barrier went! Hurrah!

AnnG you have been snipped and coiffed today like me. The different girl today sounds like she made a good job of doing your hair and took extra care. It's good when they take notice and do it how you like. It's good you had a better night with your leg.

That was a good idea and sounded like a nice place to pull off and eat your sandwich yesterday Mel. It's the sort of thing I do to enjoy the change of scene and relax a few minutes.

I had an early birthday card today and most unusual for me or OH, he said I should open it now instead of saving it. It was from an old work friend that I hadn't met up with for a few years, although we exchange Christmas and Birthday cards. Some sad news that her husband passed away at home a few weeks ago. This year alone that is 2 work friends whose husbands have passed away plus a achoolfriend whose husband has passed away and recently the lovely friend I used to bead with. It's sad we lose so many friends and relatives as we get older.

Vera, it's a pity I didn't live nearer and could have taken those files off your hands! lol. I asked OH about stripes and checks and he says he doesn't think they affect him but he doesn't like jazzy checks anyway. He pulled out a book from his packed bookshelves, (wouldn't you just know it!) called Migraine and showed me some artist's paintings in it of the visual effects he gets. He starts with a bright flickering in part of both eyes that grows slowly into a zigzag arc that flickers and grows and then slowly fades away to the sides of his eyes. It isn't known yet whether these new headaches at one side of his head are connected with the visual migraines. When he spoke to his doctor she still hadn't had the results back from his headscan, but she has now and he has made another telephone appointment with her to discuss the results, so she may be able to tell him whether they are connected or not. He doesn't get the visual disturbances when he has the headache. I meant to say before that we are still 'blue' as well.

I seemed to have spent all afternoon renewing my car insurance. That car backing into OH's when it was parked has cost us over £100 between us on our car insurances, even though OH didn't lose any no claims bonus. Then it took me ages to find where to stop them auto renewing it at the end of the year! The silly chatbot rambled on about everything else but! They don't want you to go elsewhere, so make it hard for you to stop them doing it. It had said proof of No claims bous would be needed, so I printed pages off the renewal, then the acknowledgement said it wouldn't be needed. I've just had a new credit card, but can't activate it till Asda have finished adjusting things that were out of stock etc, so used another card. Now our banks won't release our money without ushaving to use codes they send and I'm sure mine have added more numbers now. Things used to be so much quicker and easier before all of these 'improvements'. Then I reported anoth lot of scam emails.

Off to bed and see if I get more done tomorrow! I hope Vera has a better night tonight.

Been a very grey day here with some rian in the air. Put the shopping awayand then decided to have the bottom cupboard out. Well I was disgusted with myself as I found jams I made in 2003 in the back and a bag of mixed fruit that had been opened and shoved to the back. I really have a job to get down this low to clean the back but I have managed it. There was three tubs of butter icing very old chutney and the tins had made brown rings on the floor so out came the Cij and now it all gone. There was some glace' cherries that had sugar spot on them so they went in the bin and a tin of cherry pie filling from 2013 !! Bin man comes this week so I shall have a full bin for them to take.

I'm glad you were pleased with your hair as when you get someone new it can all go wrong. Two new geraniums too.

No I hav'nt found the pot lid Mandy but forgot to look around the workshop when I went in for chickens food twice!

Janine and Simon came down late afternoon with two pallets for me which they put in the chicken run. They actually went to investigate them and stood on them which is the whole idea if it gets really muddy in the winter.

We hav'nt heard from Ann today.

Must get soemthing to eat as I am really hungry as I have only had a black coffee a glass of water and a bowl of cornflakes so now I am going to have steak in ale with mash and asparagus to use what is edible then a nice slice of pineapple and some grapes and maybe a nectarine too.

Hope the weather is kind to you tomorrow Vera and you have a lovely day out.
Mandy yes I have dusky pink trousers and the new top has a white background and flowers and butterflies over it. It goes well so I am pleased with it.
You are lucky to be able to get compost that is not peat free.

Evening all,

The day started off dry so we went to tesco and to the plantman ,I bought a nice Jasmine a Penstemon a yellow Rebecia and two others that I've forgotten the names of now ,I wanted a Honeysuckle but he didn't have any so we went to a garden centre this afternoon and got one from there they had some ivy Geraniums for 99p so I got one of those too, we got two bags of compost from Roys which is not peat free so shouldn't dry out to quickly like the peat free.
The rain started mid afternoon and when we were eating our meal it absolutely tipped down with such a roar .

Mel did you find your saucepan lid so annoying to lose something you use often ,I was looking at the teaspoons in the draw today and I'm sure there's some gone awol I think they get thrown out with the yogurt pots.

Anng thats good the new girl at the hairdressers did your hair OK sometimes you wonder if it will be cut as you like it .
What colour top did you buy ,did you say you already had a skirt or trousers to change into for the evening that you can wear with the new top .

Oh Ann I hope there wasn't a poor chap stuck in that security van ,it probably locks all doors if there's a problem .
Let's hope these new tablets can help OH's migraines and he doesn't get any side effects from them .

Oh Vera I know what you mean when your ironing the striped things and it affects your eyes ,it affects me so you with your migraines it must be awful for you ,you'll have to hide your OH's stripey shirts or get him to iron them :-)
I hope you enjoy your trip out tomorrow and the weathers good for it ,I've never heard of Knole House and Park so don't know where it is so I'll have to have a Google .