General Chat

That should have bee £15,00. Fancy spending that on two fireplaces?Its going to be worth a mint when its done.

Ha ha ha yes my gongalongs. I only wore them once last year as it was'nt hot enough but they are so ovely and cool on a really hot day.

Its now down to 3 degrees here and the winds really bitter but the suns shining so I suppose we can't have everything. It does make you feel better when the usn shine.

Last night I watched Drew Pritchard on Quest. He has bought a house in Bath and is restoring it. It mus tbe nice to have money to do a project like that. He went to Ireland to see a fireplace of the period but it was too small. He fell in love with one which was £18,000 they also had a metal filler for it and a small fireplace for one of the bedrooms. In the end he bought the three things for !5.000. He has replaced all the sash windows with the right ones which match the rest of the houses. Its going to be an awful lot of work. He also had a chap make a dummy of the railing outside as some were broken and he made such a good job of it they cst it and the man who made it said they would be able to sell some to other householders who had broken one. The more you have cast the price comes down.

Morning All,

It looks a bit brighter here today and is 4 degrees now but the forecast suggests it will be a frost in the morning. Little chance of rain though so that's something.

I hope Vera had a better night last night. I was hoping to catch up on some sleep, but OH woke me at 2.30 am. I just couldn't get back to sleep at all afterwards so am a bit of a zombie today. I've put washing on the airer, done some admin and have hoovered and flashmopped the kitchen. Later the shredder can get busy again. :-).

Yes, some areas of the NHS aren't so good are they. I think a lot of people need a double appointment but don't like asking for one or are worried they might be told one wasn't necessary. Doctors are then diagnosing without a full picture of all the symptoms. OH managed toast this morning by eating on the other side of his mouth.

That's a lot of chairs AnnG and I would have to use most of the garden ones. It sounds like it will be interesting. I watch a couple of soaps, Emmerdale and Corrie and have done for decades. They've changed a lot over the years and have got better I think. There's no swearing in the two I watch and some of the storylines are good and can be informative. It was nice and familiar knowing I'd have them to watch when I lived on my own.

Mel after my mopping and hoovering my back and knee were achey and ready to stop, so I was wondering how you did all that sweeping and pushing the wheelbarrow........then you said about your hip playing up, so I decided you were just the same! I'm glad you mentioned the gongalongs, as I was trying to remember what you called them the other day. :-D

I'd better sort lunch next.

Morning Anng and all,

Sorry Anng andanyone else who has a dreary day but at the mo I have beautiful sunshine which woke me up so I had a lie in and watched the rainbows round trhe room from the crystal hanging in the window.

Pc is telling me its 4 degrees but feels like -5. Funny how I get nice weather and Anng dos'nt as we are not really that far away from each other.

Yesterday evening early after I fed the girls thier corn I swept up all the moss off the road in front of the bungalow as I don't want it getting run over by the cars that come in as it gets into the tarmac and then grows weeds. Well I swept up a whole barrow load used my scraper to pick it all up and swept a bit of the middle of the road and took the barrow over the orchard and dumped it on the wild side bit. This morning when I got up I could hardly walk and my right hip is so painful it must have been the bend to pick the stuff up and the pushing of the barrow across softish grass plus the actual sweeping that always plays the hips up. Anyway I am hoping it eases off as I have to drive to Stu's tonight.

Hope Vera had a better night last night and that others slept well.

Had a Jackie Lawson card from my cousin in Ohio this morning and could'nt resist opening it. It played the tune of an engish country garden and painted all the flowers and there was a little lady in gongalongs with a hat on just like the one on the card Annx sent me last year. I'm saving my other for tomorrow.

good morning all. 3 degrees and (guess what?) it is dismal and dark, low cloud no hint of sun and, last night no sign of the full moon.

I have the meeting this afternoon, gardening interests (photography is held in the local church hall, too many for my room. twelve expected, the absolute maximum number of seats I can get into my lounge and that is using one of the garden chairs and two chairs from the conservatory. It will be lively and interesting as one of the 12 is the daughter of one member who is visiting from where she lives in Canada.
Ann I was wondering if the 3 young actor's parents were actors as well. I suppose they were all sent to drama school but all have been in the soaps since they were really young.
Why on earth didn't they send your other half for further tests re the body inflamation. I think this is a knock on effect from always seeing different doctors but it should still have been highlighted.

Mel there are quite a few people who don't watch the soaps or who only watch one or two of them. I watch three and I have to say during the past 4 years, particularly at first, I have been so grateful for the soaps that kept me 'company' in the evenings. I know some people look down on them as if they are rubbish. Well sometimes the plots are over the top but, I have to say, mostly the acting is really good. And if they are rubbish, they were what I needed at the time. Even now they fill some evenings for me.

So far the Wifi seems OK. a couple of the work from home neighbours are not in but the others are. :-)

Same old, same old weather today; dark, dreary and cold. We also had some light rain on and off although there was none forecast. Getting up to this miserable weather didn't cheer me up at all after I had another dreadful night. I think my sleep gene has left home :-( Consequently I've had a stonking headache all day. I decided there was no use blobbing about hoping it would go away so I got on with various jobs I've been meaning to do. I did a bit more washing (where does it all come from?), gave the hob a thorough clean and finished off the bathrooms. OH had offered to clean them for me and he did make a good job of cleaning and disinfecting 4 toilets and 4 wash basins so I was pleased about that. But, bless him, as far as he is concerned that's the cleaning done. He never thinks to dust the rungs of the tall radiators or sweep the floors, empty and wipe round the little waste bins or check there are spare toilet rolls in the rooms. Oh, he does clean the mirrors. I'm glad he's prepared to help as my neighbour's OH refuses point blank to do anything in the house.

I hope your wi-fi is still working OK AnnG and I hope your meeting goes well tomorrow. Is it the garden group or the photography group?

I'm sorry your mouth is still sore Mel. If it doesn't ease soon I would give your dentist a call just in case there's a slight infection there. If you've been to Stu's for dinner I hope he did soft food that didn't need much chewing. EDIT I see you're going tomorrow

It's good that OH is no longer in pain with his teeth Annx. It sounds as though he is beginning to enjoy his food a bit more now. It's good, too, that his blood test was normal and that he is being referred to a rheumatologist about the signs of inflammation, but you'd think someone would have referred him before now.

I've got a Sainsbury's order tomorrow afternoon and I want to add a couple of bits so I'd better get on and do that now. Sleep well everyone (me included I hope).

I hope so Ann I am going tomorrow as he cold'nt do tonight.

Iv'e got a meal for one tonight beef stew and dumplings which is easy to eata and I have carrots and brocc to go with it.

I did'nt know blood test could show body inflammation!!

Evening All,

It's been cold again here and dull but no rain. I slept quite well again last night and we went to the surgery again for OH's annual review this time. I put my trapper hat on today as it was so cold. His repeat blood test was back and normal this time and he didn't need to have the other blood tests she normally did, as he'd already had those recently! He managed to book an appointment to see a doctor this afternoon as no-one has called him to discuss the results they have regarding his pain. He got the last appointment left so we were back again this afternoon. The doctor he saw was good and she said she would refer him to a Rheumatologist, as all his blood tests going back to last summer showed body inflammation. (so why didn't they do that before now?). As there could be quite a wait, he is going to see if he can use the tiny insurance we pay to at least see someone privately to get a diagnosis quickly first. We called in and got further meds at the pharmacy, but need to go back tomorrow for some. He's getting no pain at all from the tooth extractions and I baked cod portions with no batter or crumb for lunch with mushy peas, mashed potato and swede and carrot mash with hollandaise sauce that was easy to eat and he ate it all and enjoyed it.

It does sound like your neighbours may have been in the office today AnnG. You will have to see how things are when they are working from home again. I saw that April and the other two were brother and sisters in the soaps too, but hadn't realised that Hope and Joseph were twins. It's interesting they all wanted to be actors but I don't know whether their parents had acting careers. You were brave outside in the cold emptying some pots, but it didn't take too long. I must empty my pot that's broken. At least it should be easy to get the black grass plant out of it now (begins with 'E' but I can never remember the name. Why is it always a favourite pot that breaks? I must have had it more than 10 years though. Is it the garden group meeting tomorrow? It's a big group isn't it. At least this dull weather doesn't show the dust up so much.

I had 3 new tops from Bon Marche delivered today, so must unpack them. It was free delivery too so that was good. I have a few tops that need throwing out now, so must get round to sorting those drawers and wardrobes. Tomorrow I should be able to do more shredding first. My knee will benefit from a bit of rest. OH's car may be better for getting in for OH but I can barely touch the ground getting out and my leg that's left behind gets stuck getting my foot over the sill. I must try twisting round and swinging both legs to the side together and slithering to the ground over the hump at the side of the seat!

Let's hope Stu does something with pasta for you to eat if he makes something this week Mel. :-)

don't watch any soaps.

Clouded over a bit here now after a nice sunny morning and its still bitterly cold. The wild birds are feeding like crazy.

For soap watchers, the things you learn from Facebook. Hope and Joseph (in Corrie) are twin brother and sister in real life surname Flanagan. April in Emmerdale is their sister in real life.

Its 6 degrees here now but there is a little very bitter wind so your hands get so cold when out there. The birds have turfed out more moss off the roof and that needs sweeping up badly.

although it is only 5 degrees out there, it is not too cold as there is no wind so I spent about 30 minutes sorting out the compost bin and emptying some pots into it which were showing no signs of life. the bin is almost full so I need it to rot down a bit more and hope it is making some good compost for my pots in the summer. I also added a small back of shreddings as that helps break it up.

Morning all,

A nice bright morning for a change here today. its 4 degrees and pc is saying feels cold outside more like -3 but I did'nt see any frost.

Have to find out if its dustbin day tomorrow or not as I don't always put it out as there's not enough in it to bother so I lose what is bin day as it com es once a fortnight.

Still having trouble eating so if I go to Stu's this week I hope its something soft.

Well I was on my way to bed in that last post. Slept, except for one loo trip until 0515 then, after another loo trip slept off and on until 0815.
Good morning all, no need to say what the weather is like, we are trapped in this very low cloud dark weather.
I am holding my breath because, fingers crossed, so far I have been able to get onto the internet.
Nothing planned for today except to continue with the shredding and get the house tidy for the meeting tomorrow. Not that they can see a lot of the room with 12 of us in it.

Interesting that the Wifi has been very good for the half hour since I got up and looking out of the window, two of the cars that I assume belong to people who work from home are missing. Maybe it is 'visit office' day.

I think we can put shredding in small quantities wrapped in newspaper in recycling but at one time we’re told too much clogs up the machinery. I am afraid some of mine will be going in general waste but small amounts in my compost.

It's in our deeds that we mustn't cause nuisance, so bonfires don't happen here.

We managed to get one of the few parking spaces at the surgery so no cost for parking today and OH was really quick. We are back there again tomorrow for him to have this annual review. We then called at the big Co-op and bought a few bits and have to agree with Vera about how cold it was. It was cold in the shop as well and we were glad to get home in the warm afterwards. His mouth feels a lot less painful already Vera, probably helped by the painkillers he is already on. He's eaten a bit more again today and wondered if the tablets were affecting his appetite.

The lady who did his blood sample said if it was ok he wouldn't hear from them, but he is going to make an appointment to see a doctor once the result is on his record as he needs a proper diagnosis and some treatment or a referral now. The pain has been dragging on since last summer. The eye clinic haven't notified the surgery of their findings yet either.

I've just checked to make sure, but if we didn't take our shredded paper to the smallholding, we can put it in the recycling bin, well if we could get it in there as it is always full! They will only take what is in the bin, so we couldn't leave it next to the bin.

AnnG I think all shredders overheat, just like us, if we do a lot of work.

I can understand that Anng but living out in the middle of knowhere I can and those who have woodburner would probably do it too.

Had another brown egg today so she is well into laying now but it will be a short period of laying as she is now about 7 or 8 years old.

I’m pleased you are having a good birthday Mandy and have nice cards and pressies. Will someone cook you a nice meal or make or buy you a birthday cake?

Mel, I agree with AnnG. You have enough land to light a bonfire well away from anyone else but most of us live too close to our neighbours to make burning papers acceptable. Even in our last house when we only had farmland behind us we never burnt stuff in the garden but we did have an open log fire in our lounge so we could burn some papers up in the grate there. As soon as we moved here we bought a shredder. Our problem is getting rid of the shredded paper. We can’t put it in our recycling bin and there is nowhere local to take it so it has to go to the tip. At the moment we store all our stuff for the tip in the garage till we can fill our car and then take everything in one go. I don’t know what will happen when we can no longer drive. Two of our neighbours have recently given up their cars but they both have family nearby to help them out with this sort of job.

OH will be more comfortable without those teeth Annx. It’s bound to be sore for a day or two and the stitches might feel a bit strange at first but at least the pain from the mouth should ease now and he may feel like eating a little more. I hope you can park OK and don’t have any waiting around for the blood test.

It’s been another miserable, cold, grey, drizzly day. I am having a delivery from Sainsbury on Thursday afternoon and have 12 pints of milk coming but I misjudged the amount I’d got left and I was down to about half a pint so I had to go and get some more. I decided to walk to the Co-op as it’s not too far and I’m not getting enough exercise. By the time I got back bits of me were frozen. My body wasn’t too bad but my face and hands were icy. I was wearing thick Heat Holder mittens but the cold seemed to be coming right through them.

I started this post quite a while ago but a friend called about a lunch she is sorting out for her 80th birthday which is coming up soon. She has booked a table for 12 – all ladies – on 21st February at a nice, reliable pub not too far away. She has invited a few extra people, our normal “birthday group” numbering 7 ladies, so we thought as it was her 80th we ought to organize something for her. Therefore we are taking her for afternoon tea at the town’s only proper hotel. It can’t be till 12th March for various reasons but the birthday girl has been told to keep that afternoon free although she doesn’t know why.

Time now for a cuppa and maybe a chocolate biccy today. Make sure you all stay snug and warm.

EDIT I forgot to say I've got 2 Irish coffee glasses as well. Mine are quite small. By the time you've got the whisky in there's not too much space left for coffee and cream. OH finds that, filled half way, they make good port glasses so they are still getting used.

It would not be acceptable Mel to burn things in the garden, I wouldn't like it if neighbours did it and I am sure they wouldn't like it either. Shredded stuff is safe enough I am sure nobody is going to piece together thousands of little bits of paper.

I always have trouble finding things in a new handbag Mandy. Sometimes it's a surprise to find something I thought I'd lost when I empty an old bag to throw away. :-S Your red jumper sounds nice and cosy and it's great that it's a good fit.

Ha ha so your shredder is going to be at work AnnG. I want to do the other file box later, but there is more still of mine that needs shredding. I need to get my FH stuff in better order and go through the beading patterns I have printed as I don't tend to make the simpler things I used to do at first anymore and don't need a pattern to do those anyway.

Yes it's better getting at least some food delivered isn't it Mel. No more piling things into the the trolley, then the car boot as well as into the cupboards at home.