General Chat

Good excuse Mandy :-)

Mel after you have planted out the million bells watch for frost warnings as they would need protection if there was a frost. Which can happen even in May.

I have found and planted my begonias in a pot, planted a few nasturtiums and finished clearing out behind and under the arbour but can't do much about that area as the arbour is one thing that needs painting. Came in fir coffee as I don't seem to have as much energy today even though I slept well.

Morning everyone

It’s another beautiful day; 17 degrees and sunny though still a bit breezy. I ought to get in the garden but OH is weeding and I haven’t yet bought any annual bedders. It’s at that inbetween stage where the daff and anemone leaves and such like haven’t died down and summer plants are only just showing.

Oh, being called to the door. Will have to bbl.

Morning all,

I am about Mel just trying to get going ,we went shopping yesterday and that makes me tired .
I have hoovered through and hung some washing out so now I'm just having a sit down before doing something else ,I really need to get my tom seed and cucumber seed in this weekend I think I'm all behind getting them in the pots this year .

Ann what a huge place that hospital was there must have been a lot of people work there over the years, it really makes you think when you see the plan where it says padded room ,the poor souls that needed that and the treatments that they were given does make you think .
One of Colins aunts worked in a mental ward she would come home bruised at times it wasn't an easy job.

Right I'd better look willing Colin's pressure washing right by the back door so I can't get out into the garden just yet or I'll get wet lol

nd he has to fix the mower


BLAST BLAST BLAST lost the lot.

Morning all another promissing morning here as its nice a nd bright and the suns out and pc says 12 degrees and partly sunny so I am hoping for another nice day like yesterday.

BIL comes today and I am hoping he is going to fix the mower and get it out of the way cos its in front of the garage and in my way when I go round to the girls. Also need to hoover and have a tidy up as I did'nt do anything much yesterday with being at the dentist and going round Lidl.

Love to Mandy and I hope she is feeling a bit better as we hav'nt heard form her for a day or two. sending wishes and love <3

Hope you all slept well or got enough to get you through the day.

I should do my Million Bells today but not sure what to put them in yet as I would like them on the patio.

Good morning all. A bit misty this morning already 9 degrees so hopefully it will be a nice day. Plenty of jobs to do in the garden anyway so that will keep me occupied.

Mel, you reminded me, I bought a couple of begonia corms. I wonder where I put them. Better search them out today.

Vera, I have been reasonably lucky since T died with plumbers and white goods repairers making appointments and arriving on time. The problem seems to be with outside trades people;- gardeners, window cleaners, general work people etc who when here spend a lot of time checking their phones but when you try and contact them when they are not here they don't answer phones or emails. I have had three different lots for garden jobs and they are fine if they make an appointment and the weather is good so they come (more or less) on time. But if they are rained off it is really frustrating how long it takes them to re-arrange. I think it is because they look for more lucrative jobs. At the moment it is my own stupid fault. The jobs needing doing (both painting, do need a dry day and won't take long. And, most importantly they were part of a a larger contract and I stupidly paid it off when they finished the main bit. I don't suppose they have many customers who settle their bills as quickly as I do but I did it because they had paid out for stuff for me (wood etc). I now have to wait at their convenience for the job that is already paid for to be done. However, I have a long memory.

Not sure if I mentioned I bought three begonis corms too. They are called Wummi Cream and are nice soft colours. I will take a pic of the packet as they are hard to describe they're in pink and yellowy orange with darker edges. I have potted those and not sure where I am going to put the other 6 MB's, two dark pink 2 mauve and one white and one yellow.

Vera whats the Club called now and what are the names that are going in the hat??? You hav'nt told us.

BIL just came for a flying visit to pick up the petrol cans and then he is coming tomorrow. He has been over the Somerset levels today and said it was a lovely day he started off in a fleece jacket and by the time he got to the hide he was sweating buckets. He did'nt say what pictures he took but will probably tell me tomorrow.

Good afternoon

I hope you are back from the dentist now Mel and not feeling too sore. Did the car behave itself and have you got your emails back yet?

AnnG, it is annoying when you are never sure when workmen are going to turn up as you don't know whether you can go out or whether you should wait in. I understand they are dependent on the weather but it would be helpful if they could just phone to say whether they are coming or not.

I enjoyed seeing the photos Annx. It must have been quite worrying living even a few miles away at the time of the Pitchfork murders. You always think these horrific events happen "elsewhere" and never expect them to take place where you are living.

I hope you are feeling better Mandy.

Yesterday afternoon I finished sorting out all the wardrobes, drawers, cupboards etc in the bedroom. That took me most of the afternoon. They have sliding glass doors, some mirrored, some opaque and I still have all the glass to clean. Of course if I do that I might as well clean the windows (3 in the bedroom, 1 in the en-suite). Then I might as well wash the paintwork down and before you know it, the whole room has been spring-cleaned. Funny how one job leads to another.

There were 7 of us at coffee yesterday morning and lots of chat but why is it that talk always turns to ailments and what drugs we are all taking? I'm sure we all talked of other things when we were younger. We do occasionally get onto politics but that can get a bit heated at times.

It might get a bit heated at our Club on Monday night. The club was named when it started nearly 50 years ago but it has changed direction since then and the name isn't really appropriate anymore. Periodically someone suggests changing the name and then it gets forgotten again but this time a couple of people are really pushing for it so there is going to be a formal vote and some people at least aren't going to be happy.

Today I went into town which was packed, with it being a Friday shopping day and good weather. I managed to carry one of my heavy bags of cast-offs to a charity shop, then went to the bank and hairdressers to get my hair cut and finished up doing some shopping for fresh veg and bits I am running low on. I seemed to be carrying heavy bags backwards and forwards all morning and my back knows it now. Still, it could have been worse, at least it was dry and sunny most of the time.
.

Million bells now calibrocoa or something.
Glad you have got the impressions out of the way, horrible isn’t it?

I did stop at the Hockings ice cream van and treated myself to the most lovely ice cream in the world and sat in the car watching the children play in the playground. There were also a load of bykers parked in the carpark with some lovely bykes. O how they have changed since my younger years when I too was a byker.

I.m back. Had impressions done three lots, one with my bottom teeth in and one with my old top teeth in and one without my top teeth in. I thought it was never going to end sitting there with this great thing in my mouth and I wanted to swallow. Did'nt have my loose tooth ot but he said it may come out with the impression but it did'nt as its not that loose. Still can't get into my emails I have to come into this site and then go to Ebay. It just won't let me login to BT. Just as well I have this site starred.

Then I went to Lidl again and bought more stuff and some plants what I used to call Million Bells but they have changed the name.

I can't get into my emails at the moment it keeps saying I am locked out and try in 20 mins. I got on here ok through my bookmarks and I can get to ebay but not my mail.

Morning all,

A bright morning so far pc says mostly sunny and 11 degrees and there's not much of a breeze but the wind could come up later.

Have to prepare for the dentist this afternoon now so I will get my clothes ready and have a nice shower, feed the girls first and then wait . I must start the car too to make sure its going to work.

good morning all. 8 degrees here quite windy again which is annoying but, so far, bright. Not sure what I am doing. I might go in to town. No idea when Jake is coming which is annoying me now. They are such good workers but not good on the admin side of the business. Typical of many manual firms I find.

I slept well but woke early again. I suppose that is better than not sleeping.

thanks Ann. what an interesting site. Looking through the list and clicking on those I recognise there are some beautiful buildings but not places we would wish to be incarcerated in. even though I never actually saw Knowle hospital in Fareham there was always a certain fear attached to the knowledge of it. And the same of the two gloucester ones. (wonder why there were two and not very far apart as well.

That Pitchfork episode must have been frightening when you lived so close.

The chapel building in the colour photos is a pretty building so it is a shame it is deteriorating. I suppose it would have bad memories for some families. But to some people mental hospitals were not frightening they were a place of safety.

One of my Aunts, My Mum's sister was a nurse in Epsom (London) mental health hospital. It is on the list. She was lovely but a very no nonsense person.

Sorry AnnG, I'm losing the plot as I see I had only sent them to Mel for some strange reason! I've sent them to you now and included Vera and Mandy as well this time!

Do you mean you have sent out more photos Ann. I have not received any more.

No I think all that part was knocked down with the main building which is a shame. I can only see one on the photos but It did have two tall chimneys (probably from the boiler house) that you could see from a long way away years ago, but it looks like there was just one I can see on some photos so maybe the other was added later. I'd be interested to just see what buildings are left now and the other end of one of the footpaths is near the senior school in the village. The police get complaints about antisocial behaviour near there so that's a no go for me, even with OH! I think I've worked out that the main building is where the head office block for Santander is now and that is on high ground. The building with my hairdresser that's opposite has great views, so the hospital must have had great views from upstairs too. It's a pity I'm not still in touch with the neighbour that taught craft there. She's about 93 now.

Gosh there are a lot of photos of it and a few of the Chapel. Lovely red bricks. Do you think the tower is still there as I see it had a bell and a lovely weathervane.

Afternoon All,

Rain's due here but it's been 18 degrees and no wind. We are back to the problem of the chap reversing uphill on our drive and behind my car with a radio blaring when he delivers the local paper. I have his reg no and want to see if I can video him on my phone before we tackle him so he won't be able to deny it, or can show his boss if needs be. Because my car was further down the drive than usual after us leaving space in front of it to get something out of the garage, he was revving away to get really close up to my bumper and off the road.

I'm glad you found the old chapel and hospital interesting. I'm emailing another site that is full of photos including some that show the whole site and some aerial ones if you scroll right down to the bottom that have some of the chapel but no closeups.. There are also some of the building of the hospital and show the rail track around the site. I hadn't realised that the houses built on the road outside the site were the workers homes and my dentist now occupies an end one not seen on the photo!

I hope you have been a bit better again today Mandy as those feelings put you off doing things. The tablets should start to make a difference in a while too. I hope your new kettle's arrived ok. Our kettle is getting a bit old. I never pay much for kettles here as the hard water makes it hard to keep them looking nice!

Vera, that phrase had my brain whirring too and it's not even easy to say is it, let alone try and guess what it means! lol. You obviously did some complicated topics! I have hung onto things I should chuck out really. I've kept all my old work reports and I even have my school Biology work folder for my O level in the loft somewhere. All I can remember from that is a big diagram of a housefly! I think looking back is a reminder of what complicated things we did before we retired as it is easy to forget, although some aspects are happily forgotten!

Well you are busy clearing out wardrobes, another overdue job here! I see we all have trouble with clothes shrinkage as well! :-D

Is your car ok now Mel? You will have to go for a little sightseeing, joy ride or visit someone now and again like I do, as I don't usually do much mileage with travelling in OH's car more nowadays. My battery is nearly 9 years old now and it's the longest I've ever had a battery, so I've started to take notice how easily it starts the car. I was wondering how many chickens you have left now.

It's a shame Jake has missed another good painting day AnnG. It will get done soon I hope. I'm glad you mentioned teabags as I need to put them on my order.

An early start for us tomorrow as I need to be up, showered and at the surgery by 8.10am in the morning for my blood tests. Now they've taken half the parking spaces for all the part time staff, I'm hoping there will be a space free that early.