General Chat

Hi all

I wasn't feeling very well yesterday with a sore throat, ear ache and a headache so thought it best not to be around a screen. Thankfully I feel a bit better today.

We got our bank statement today (paper statement) and when I read it I noticed that a shop had taken the payment for some nets out twice, so I rang them. The lady looked into it and rang me back a couple of hours later. Apparently the money had gone into their bank account twice, but only showed up on their till once. We went back to the shop and they refunded the second payment, which was almost £200 and told us they're having their till checked as this had never happened before.

The lady was very apologetic, but like I said these things happen and not to worry about it. I also said I hope she gets her till sorted soon. As luck would have it, it was the lady who served me in the first place and she even asked after OH as she knows he has Cancer which I thought was nice. It's only a small shop and very friendly.

OH went for his MRI yesterday and now has back ache as he had to keep still for an hour which he said was very uncomfortable. He managed to book in a blood test for this morning and then went to his mates and took the car for it's MOT. While he was at the garage the phone rang it was the woman from the hospital wanting to speak with OH. Luckily OH came back in time to ring her back before she went home from work and his blood test number has gone up from 3 to 30 so he's got to have another blood test on Thursday. She asked if he had an infection and he said no, but I mentioned that he's got a sore throat so maybe he has an infection after all. The hospital were very quick ringing him about his blood test as it was only 7 hours later. They haven't got his MRI results yet but will ring him as soon as they have it.

We did manage to order a carpet for the living room today as the shop happens to be around the corner from the shop we had to go to for the refund. They wanted to fit it on Friday but we're off to a Funeral and the fitter doesn't work on a weekend so it's being fitting next Monday. OH has his first physio appointment for his back on Monday, so I'll see to the carpet man when he gets here. I've got to wall paper the chimney breast before then, then the room will be fully decorated.

You were lucky your phone was okay being outside overnight Mel. Good idea not to go and get it in the dark especially if you think you've had an intruder. I also think you should report the goings on in your potting shed to the police, you never know this person could of stolen things elsewhere too and you might be lucky enough to have your stolen items returned.

How lovely to see your family and little grandson AnnG, it's so nice when family get together.

You've been busy today Vera, your top sounds lovely. I like lace patterns.

The weather is suppose to warm up over the next few days Mandy so maybe it'll be warm enough for the fence painting to be done.

The small keyboard sounds handy Ann. I didn't realise keyboards were molded to the rest of the laptop though. I had trouble getting onto my laptop just now. Not sure what the problem was but it seems okay at the moment. I'm hoping it stays that way.

Going to have a cuppa with OH now before he sets off to work.

Did Jake manage to do some jobs for you AnnG? It's not been a bad day for doing outside jobs here, but has been a little chilly.

That's good your phone was still there Mel. Your tray cake sounds different with ginger and cherries with some icing too. I bet Stu will enjoy it. I don't think I've ever seen a white Pheasant, but imagine it would look beautiful with it's tail feathers spread out. (edit, just remembered you said it was a female.) OH's scan is on Thursday.

It's always a relief when you have an outfit sorted for a do isn't it Vera. There's always that fear you won't be able to find something to go with the rest you plan to wear.

I was wondering what colour you were going to paint the fence too Mandy. We need to paint the trellis on top of the bottom fence now it's uncovered and once it is dry enough.

I sorted another drawer, but only one top went in the charity shop bag. There were other odds and ends in there and I shredded some old store cards and vaccination cards for covid that were in an old purse. I also chucked out an old handbag and found my old mobile phone which I had wondered where it was the other day. When I saw how small it was, I was wishing my new one was the same.

We were supposed to be taking OH's car to the garage for 8.15am tomorrow for the update, but he has cancelled it and will book it for a better time. The thought of the inevitable nose to tail shuffle to where the garage is in the city and the amount of dipping the clutch that will make my knee ache has made us decide to book things for mid morning in future and avoid the rush hour if we can. It doubles the time of any journey into the city now.

It’s good you found your phone and it seems to be OK, Mel. Hope your cake turns out well. I’m sure Stu will enjoy a piece.

You’ll soon get that fence painted Mandy. It’s supposed to get warmer from Wednesday on so perhaps you’ll be able to do it then. Are you having a traditional brown stain or have you gone for a colour?

That’s a shame about your keyboard Annx but the one you have bought sounds as though it will do the job for now. It seems as though G’s weight has stabilised now which is good.

How lovely to see your grandson and his partner and baby AnnG. They do grow so quickly, don’t they. Our little great granddaughter is 19 months old already. She wouldn’t know us as we’ve not been able to see her much at all but her mum sends us photos from time to time. I think our two grandsons are alike as they’ve both taken to fatherhood and are very hands-on and have both got themselves a nice little house.

It’s been a bit of a hectic day for us. I got the beds changed and 1 lot of washing done before I had to go to the opticians with OH. As he was going to be in there quite a while I went to do some shopping. I got a bit of foodstuff, a couple of raffle prizes for one of the clubs, some more of my eyedrops and a nice top to wear to a diamond wedding meal on Saturday. It’s a long sleeve jumper but in a sort of lacy pattern and looks quite “posh”. It’s in a sort of creamy colour and I think will look fine with a black skirt and a cream jacket that I’ve got so that’s me sorted.

When I got back to the opticians OH still wasn’t ready but eventually I drove him home. We had lunch and I did more washing and lots of little odd jobs. Now I need to sort us some dinner.

In theory it has been 9 degrees today but there’s been a really bitter north-east wind so it has felt really cold. I hope it’s a bit warmer tomorrow.

Been on the phone to neighbour and they have a pure white female pheasent come in their garden. I get 5 females down here but hav'nt seen the white one. Hope she does come down BIL would love a photo.

What a nuisance abpouut your keyboard Ann. Good that you got a spare if its ever needed again though. OH seems to be getting back into aa routine slowly which is good. When has heto go for his MRI scan I jnbow you told us but it goes in one ear and out of the other with me!!

Its good you now have your paint for the fence Mandy so that job can be done when its dry enough or a little warmer outside.

This morning I went up the top and collected my phone off the top of the leccy meter box and went outside the gate to look and see if the recycling had been and they had and took the big box of punnets too so that was good I shall have to do that again next week now and clear a bit more of the bench in the potting shed.

After that and feeling better about having my phone with me I decided it was time I made the cake I have been wanting to do for ages. Its a tray bake of sponge and when its cool I am going to put cherries and stem ginger onthe top with a drizzle of icing over it. I'll let you know how it turns out. Many years ago when mum and I used to go to Chigwell there was a lovely cake shop there that used to make this cake and we bought some each time we went until they stopped doing it anymore. I have only made two since then and one was for oh. I thought Stu may like a bit when he comes this week.

Afternoon All,

So much for getting my keyboard fixed, they couldn't do it! It seems that the whole top of the laptop would have to be replaced as the keyboard is fixed in manufacture by melting plastic lugs to hold it. I was about to ask which makes of laptop didn't fix the keyboard this way, when I was told they are all doing it now!! Two of the staff there confirmed this was the case. Until I got the new keyboard and looked at the back of it they couldn't tell. So for now I have bought a £20 mini plug in keyboard from them while I decide what to do. I might see if Curry's could replace the whole top (unlikely as I couldn't even get a brand new keyboard part of it) or whether to get a new laptop as the one I have is 5 years old now and it would be just my luck for something else to go wrong with it if I did manage to get it repaired. I was bothered about losing space on my desk using the seperate keyboard (when I have my painting board out) but have found it sits nicely on top of the laptop keyboard without sliding or affecting the laptop keys underneath, so will be fine for the time being. I thought for the price it was a handy thing to have for either of us to use if we get keyboard problems.

I didn't get far at the bathroom place yesterday either. They can't get the flooring I wanted now and it is in short supply everywhere and they wouldn't be able to come and do the work till the autumn. They gave me business cards for two companies who could do the fitting sooner and said to mention their name if I ring them. I am suspicious that they have cut back their number of fitters due to the extra costs this govt are causing and are contracting the fitting work out instead. That way they won't be paying fitters wages when trade is slack either.

How lovely to see your little grandson AnnG. They do grow and change quickly at his age and it was good he was a happy little chap for so long. It's good that dad gets involved with taking care of him too. I was a dabhand at changing nappies at 8 years old, the old terry squares, not the easy modern ones. I remember the curved nappy safety pins and keeping my fingers between the tummy and nappy so I didn't stab my sister. I wasn't motherly, preferred puppies and kittens, but would do it if mum was busy.

Mel I hope your phone was still there when you looked today. It was a good idea to ring it to see if it was still there, but I wouldn't have gone out in the dark either, especially as someone has been in your garden at night recently.

OH is sleeping a bit better now and hadn't lost any more weight when I weighed him at the weekend. He's gone to another council meeting this afternoon, just 15 minutes away. I'm going to sort another bedroom drawer now as I get on quicker when I'm on my own.

Morning all,

Nice and bright now after a dull start and I don't think it's quite as cold.

Oh no Mel I hope its not to wet when you find it ,they say to lay it in rice for a few days to help dry it out .

Not a lot going on here I've just mopped the bathroom floor and going to have a hoover through after my coffee, Roys rang to say our fence paint was in that we ordered so we might nip out and pick that up .

Hope it keeps dry so Jake can get on well with your jobs Anng .

Morning all,

Cloudy and bright here this morning early and its 7 degrees and cloudy now.

I did a silly thing yesterday when I took the recycling up, I took another photo of the leccy meter on my phone and the door to the meter cupboard was torn off in that very high wind we had some time ago so I put my phone on the top of it and went and sorted more stuff in the potting shed. It was till 1.30am I looked for my phone and could'nt find it and rung it and could'nt hear it that I remembered putting it on the leccy box on the outside of the potting shed. I am afraid it had to stay there as I ws'nt going up there in the dark at the dead of night on my own. It was'nt the time I could have asked a neighbour to od it either. So now I am going up there to see if its still there and how wet it is. Wish me luck.......

Good morning all a bit grey out there but dry so far and 4 degrees so hope it stays that way for Jake today. I am up early as he should be here around 9am. I seem to have gone back into the wake at 3-4am and not get back to sleep properly again. I got up at 0630 because I thought I would go back to sleep if I didn't.

Yes Mel they do grow very quickly. I suppose it is more noticeable if we don't see them more frequently. Still it is nice to be able to see him fairly regularly. His Mum is the one who tries to keep him in touch. she is a very good Mum. I suppose it will be different in July when she goes back to work and he goes to nursery. These days they just can't afford to not work. They would very much like to get a slightly bigger house with a garage. The one they are in (and they do appreciate that at least they have a house), has very little storage space and no garage (fairly modern terraced house). But even with two reasonable salaries coming in they can't afford a bigger mortgage.

That was nice to see that lovely gt grandchld with his dad who is quite hands on. Its a lovely age 6 months.They soon grow don't they?

So we will know where you are if we don’t see you on here Ann. I hope it doesn’t take too long
I had a lovely day with Cassian, he is such a good baby, does need a lot of attention but that is because he really want to be on the go and can’t crawl yet. They spent four and a half hours here. It is so good to watch what good parents they are. He is breast fed, on demand, is just six months and they have started him on small amounts of solids which he likes. And grandson changed his nappy without thinking about it more than once and is so gentle doing it talking to him all the time. Grandson is very large (tall) and loud so gentle is a surprise (he is the one who is a Viking re-E actor.) Cassian only got grumpy at the end when he was tired so I expect he slept all the way home.

Our binmen won't take anything that isn't inside the bin except at Christmas, so you are lucky Mel. A friend in the city area gets a few big items a month collected by the council free of charge, but we have to pay for any large items to be collected. It varies so much everywhere.

I may not be on from tomorrow as I'm taking my laptop in for the new keyboard to be fitted. I'm not sure if it will take longer than a day, but probably depends what other work they have on.

I am not sure that its the right one now.

BIL stayed quite a while today and went off about 4.30pm I got the recycling together aand got a lot of the placartons out of the potting shed and put thoses out too. It will be interesting to see if they take them as theres a box full too as well as the recycling box.

Mel, in 1891c she is shown as Head of the household and no mention of William. She married him in 1887 at Stonehouse, Devon.

I found one possible child Ann Moor but no date of birth.

In 1911c she was living with her mother.

His father was a John Moor a Wheelwright and Blacksmith. I can't find him on any other census from the 1881 before he was married. Can't find his marriage to an Isobella ?

He left £1076.15s to his wife Isabella on his probate which was a lot of money then. He died in 1927. Can't find her on the census either.

Morning all overslept this morning. I did'nt go to bed till nearly two and the one trip to the loo and then back to sleep.

Its 6 degrees here and there was a frost last night and this morning when I got up for the loo but the suns burnt it all off now. OPc is says expect two rainy days ahead starting Friday so I suppose that will break up the nice sunny days we've been having.

I brought a whole dustbin bag of plastic containers down from the potting shed yesterday to put in the recyckling. We used to get given them to put veg in when we did the barrow. Theres loads of them and they are all slotted in together. It may take me a while to get rid of them all but at least they won't go in landfill.

I also came down with an old bottle oh had dug up and it is embossed with Moors Embro. so I had to look it up and I did find one sold on Etsy for £16 somthing classed as a Very Rare pale blue bottle of Moor Embrocation but the writing was different to the one I have. Intrigued I looked up this W. Moor having got the info from Etsy and sure enough I found him on the census, born abt1855 in St Ann's Calstock Cornwall a purvayer of medicines. I think he was William H Moor but it wes interesting looking him up. Of course there were lots of William Moor's borning caornwall but they were either Ag Labs or Wheelwrights or Copper miners.

BIL is here. Will BBL with more info.

Morning All,

Chilly again but the sun is just breaking through. OH slept well but I have got so used to waking between 4.00am and 6.00am it's become a habit now. Food delivery today, but not a big order so will soon get put away. Thank goodness we don't have to wipe everything like we did a few years ago!

I thought the same as Mandy and that your potting shed was the one with the sunflowers Mel. That's good BIL has put padlocks on the shed and garage now, as it will warn the thieves you know about them, but like the others I would report it too. The Police like to be aware of these things in a neighbourhood as it can help them trace who is doing it. I like Mandy's idea to use your wildlife camera. I wonder how long ago they switched the well pump on and have used the extension you don't think is yours? It sounds like you may owe some electric on that meter. Your poor foot still sounds quite bruised, so how long did they say you need to use the boot? My black toe is now pink again but a third wide of the full nail length is black and the rest is pink, so I'm hoping the black bit will eventually grow out pink.

Better get veg ready for lunch and I might sort another drawer.

Morning everyone,

Very frosty here again cloudy but bright so I'm hoping we'll see the sun at some point .

Oh I see now Mel ,I was thinking it was the shed that OH painted the sunflowers on I thought that was your potting shed , that's a big shed then is that where you do your wreaths.
I would definitely report it as if there's been other thefts and they catch the person they might have all the things they've stolen and the police can return the belongings to the right owners and you might get your box back .
Could you set up your wildlife camera up there and see if it catches anyone poking about .

Lazy day for us ,just having a cuppa and then who knows we'll just see what the day brings

Good morning all, bright again but 0 degrees, Not sure if there was a frost earlier. Yes, you are right Vera, I woke at 0330 and couldn't get back to sleep so got up and wandered around for an hour. did eventually get back to sleep but not as soundly as I would have liked. Have to stay awake today as I have Grandson, wife and baby coming. they will be here a few hours and have a sback lunch (pasties as they enjoyed them last time, shop not home made) Izzy is a veggie but not hard to feed so have salad and coleslaw to go with the pasties. Grandson eats most things as long as he is fed!!

I too understand Mel, that is a huge shed I was thinking a little potting shed. Yes bestter to keep it locked with so many homeless people around.

Mel, Have you told the police about your intruder?
Granted they might not perhaps be able to do anything, but your report might be a piece of evidence if there are other strange happenings locally.

A lovely bright morning with such lovely full-on sunshine. I haven't been out though, so it could be quite chilly like it was yesterday. The wind was bitter even though the sun was shining.