General Chat

Morning everyone.
Well what a wet & wild night we had yet again last night, not much sleep due to the noise of the wind, we've had some horrible stormy weather these past few days & really hoping we get some respite soon.

It's dry at the moment & the wind has died down a little.
My heating system has been playing up this week which was a worry as it's been soo cold I didn't want to have no heat in the house.
I have had it looked at & a new zone thing was needed,fingers crossed all will be well again.

Florence, I hope your ferries will be back running soon, must be a worry when they stop.

Joan.

Morning all from the wild west!

Oh my its a gale and getting worse so whilst I have power thought id pop on here for a minute or 2.

No Ferries again yesterday, today and maybe tomorrow so the shelves will be empty in the shops no doubt.
I googled the artfone too and yes as long as your phone is charged Joan, it will last for a while with the batteries or as long as the nearest mobile mast is working, same as here.

I think I may fill a flask in a minute as the wind it says is going up over 60mph so the electric may well go.

Hope everyone stays safe especially those in the SW of England where it is worse.

Florence in the hebrides

Joan <3

Thanks, Joan - I'll investigate Artfone!


ADDED:
Hmmm! Artfone seem to only make mobile phones, according to Google.

But I may get a basic Artfone mobile to replace my beloved old basic Nokia when 2G is finally turned off. A charge lasts a good long time, as you say.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

ADDED MORE:
A bit more Googling shows that some landline cordless phones do work for a while when there's a power cut, if their bases have backup batteries, as well as the usual batteries in the handset.
The backup batteries only provide power for 3-4 hours - but at least one could report an outage .

Hi Argyllgran.
Now re the phone, the only thing I can tell you about is that the name on the back of it says ...artfone...

My son got it for me when he was sorting out a new internet contract with plusnet (giff gaff) I have always been with plusnet & on renewal with them we thought it best to change the phone situation from the landline as it would have to be changed iat some point due to landlines being removed.

The phone is very smart to look at & has several functions including a camera, though I won't ever use it for anything other than making phone calls.
Problem is I am soo nervous of it, it scares me silly, when I pick it up I worry about pressing buttons I shouldn't press.

I have written down what I have to do to make a call, & also how to use the button that gets me straight through to my daughter without entering the whole of her mobile number, however I got that bit wrong the other day & I panicked when I couldn't get through to her, hence another lesson on how to fo it !.

it worked well today when the power went off, & I received alls from daughter no bother, she was working this morning but she checked to see I was ok & to let me know my grandson was coming over.
She also had no power at her house as she is on the same spur as me !

Apparently a telegraph pole was on fire !

Joan.

Wow, Joan!
I must look into getting a phone like that - that sounds amazing!
I had been wondering how you managed to phone when the power was off, which you've mentioned a couple of times.
What make is your phone?

I have a cordless landline phone, but if the power's off the cordless phone doesn't work at all, even if it still has some charge.

During Storm Amy, when the power was off for several days, we also had no mobile signal here.
Luckily, for the moment, I still have a "proper" old landline phone, so was at least able to contact SSEN - but couldn't phone anyone who was already on the new phone system, as they had no power.
They had no way to get in touch with anyone in an emergency, neither by mobile nor landline.

We discovered later that there had been "warm spaces" set up here and there, with hot food offered - but there was no way to find out that they existed!

Hi to all.
Another wet day here, the wind has subsided but not for long I understand !
Our power went off this morning at 8-30, back on this afternoon at about 2-30, I was starting to feel cold even with a throw around my shoulders & a duvet over me.

The L room became cold very quickly as the radiator became stone cold.
My lovely grandson (17) is on study leave this week & he gave up his time to come over & sit with me, it was lovely having him here.

The phone looks like a mobile but it's only a cordless type, when the power goes off I can still use the phone as it's charged up when not in use, apparently it holds 200 hours of charge.
I am not good with it & the other day I was making an error when trying to use it, I have once again had lessons in how to make a call, I'm am with it now but still dislike using it.

Joan.

Afternoon all

Sunny & bright but windy and cold.

Quiet weekend but we took several boxes etc to the charity shop so that has cleared some space. I have today filled a box with books that I have had over 20 years!!! So def time to let them go and make way for new books I received last xmas.

Linda, i remember doing phonics with P1 kids many years ago and like you i did all the class reading in groups P1-4. Loved listening to their interpretation of what they understood of the story.

"The shark who had no teeth" apparently was because he went to the dentist lol Nothing to do with the crab he had bitten on which broke his teeth!

Very quiet in the house wothout daughter but our wee poochie keeps us on our toes which reminds me she needs a bath! When we are running the water she comes to see and when she realises whats about to happen she runs away and hides in the corner lol, so funny. But once in the bath she is an angel who stands very still and doesnt bat an eyelid whilst we soap her etc.

Hope alls well with everyone.

Joan, your new phone, is it plugged into your internet router ? Because once the landline is discontinued, phones will only work when there is electricity!! Unless you have a mobile phone?
Our region isnt being changed until 2027 because there are no contingency plans for the emergency alarm system that elderly folk use that relies on a landline. The alarm wont work in power cut so they will have to come up with an alternative before they change the system up here.

Right better crack on with me chores for now

Florence in the hebrides

Good morning everyone, I hope that you all had a good weekend.

It is cold and dismal here, only three degrees. This afternoon it is school reading, but they have asked me to make a change. It is a two form entry and I go in twice a week to hear both of the year three classes read. Between me and the teaching assistant we manage to hear every child read each week. Oddly the actual teachers don’t seem to hear them read. Anyway on Monday afternoons, I have been asked to change to the reception class as their volunteer has left. They can’t read yet, but apparently I take a child into the library and they choose a book which I read to them and talk to them about it. I will still be going into the other year three class read on Wednesdays, so at least that TA will have some help.I have been brushing on my phonics in prepare for the little ones as some of them probably can read a little bit.

Have a few practice goes with your phone Joan, so that you can get used to it before you need it for an emergency.
We no longer have our cordless phones plugged in, we just use our mobiles. When we first moved here, we had to have a new number as we were in a different exchange area. Talk Talk made such a mess of our new broadband that it was about seven weeks before the new phone line was actually working, so we just had to use our mobiles. We didn’t give anyone the new number and just continued to use the mobiles. Even though the cordless phones were plugged in, the only time they rang were for spam calls. So in December when we moved to full fibre broadband, we decided not to plug them in. Life is more peaceful without the spam. Technically the phone number still works and we could plug it in to use it if needed, but we would be charged for the calls, so there is no point.

It was a nice day yesterday, quite sunny, so we had a nice day with our visitors. This morning it is drizzly and very dark. They have left now, so I am just washing the bedding and to7which they used, but apart from that, I am just going to have a lazy day.

Hello.
Yet another wet & windy day here, it has been awful for the past 4 days, & to cap it all we have had a power cut today, lasted about 3 hrs.
I am frozen & was thinking I should go to my bed to keep warm, thanfully it is back on now & I can relax !

When it went off just before 2-00pm I tried to phone our daughter to check that it wasn't just me but I couldn't get the phone to work !!
For some reason it didn't respond to daughters speed dial nor when inserting her number, this made me panic as I thought if I can't get hold of her then she woldn't be able to get through to me.

And so I decided to put on my coat & boots & whilst it was still light I set out to go to her house, not an easy thing to do as I need a stick now & though I can see her house it is a long walk, it took me about 50minutes as I am slow, a very unpleasant walk in the rain & wind.

I got to her house in one piece thank goodness & daughter was shocked to see me, she was about to set out herself to see if I was ok as she had phoned me but got no answer !

Anyway she warmed me up before we set off in her car back to my house, she stayed a wee while & checked out my phone which was working perfectly but I had made a mistake when trying to use it.
After another lesson & a practice run I should be ok the next time I need to use it.

When it wasn't working I panicked but now know where I went wrong.
It's a new phone, looks like a mobile but it's just a cordeless & I am a bit nervous of it, I much preferred the old landline phone, it was easier for me to handle, with the new slimline one I keep pressing the various buttons accidently which also sends me into panic mode !.
I will just have to get used to it as the landline ones will soon be no more !

Joan.

Good morning everyone.
My sister and brother in law are staying for a couple of nights, so we are busy entertaining them . Our son came over for a meal last night so that he could see them.
We are going out for a walk soon and will have lunch out. Thankfully it is quite sunny and the threatened rain hasn’t come

I think we will all be glad to see the back of damp and dreary January Joan. And yes it will be good to be able to get out into the garden again. I did manage half an hour one day last week but the soil was so cold I had to come in. I do have 6 daffodils out in the garden and a few Hellebores.

Hi to all.
Another awful day here, High winds for the past 2 days & nights, I have barely slept for 2 nights due to the wind noise.
It's so dark outside that I have had to have the light on throughout the daytime, it's judt so miserable.

This rubbish weather is not helping me re motivation, I just can't be bothered to do anything much at all at the moment, just doing the neccessary & that's it,
Sooo looking forward to some better days, lighter nights & warmer, I am so wanting to get out into the garden & tidy it up, it looking really grotty.

Well that's enough of moaning minnie, thank goodness for this thread to keep me sane, lol, I love reading about everyones days.

Joan.

Morning all looking in today.

Not a good day here as yesterday and today we have gale force winds so def not a day for outdoors and of course no ferries for 2 days at least.

I was lucky I got my Tesco order yesterday but the nice Artisan breads were out of stock ! I really love the Cranberry and cashew one, mmmn.

Halfway through the list of long jobs but progress is being made as I tick off. Always satisfying when you have ticked off everything.

Gwyn, yes it hardly seems that long since we met up. I remember the day well as we got lost and Sharon had the map upside down! :-D :-D :-D

I have some bulbs out down in the bottom raised bed but none that I planted in the pots in the tunnel. Hopefully they will peek through very soon.

But.....I have still have 2 geraniums and a hollly hock plant with loads of green leaves. Even the hydrangea has new buds on it??? madness..its January and Winter time.

Well better crack on with more jobs to do.

Hope everyone is doing ok today

Florence in the hebrides

Goodness Florence was it really nearly 8 years ago that we met up with you and Sharron in Sussex ? :-0
How the years have flown.
You are certainly getting about with your new man.
Lovely that your daughter is joining you on your trip south too.

We had a damp start to the day, then the sun switched on and it got brighter by the hour, so was more like a spring day here.
There are several gardens with daffodils and narcissus out, so it doesn't seem so far away now.

We might have some more cold weather to cope with first, but not too extreme, I hope.

A good morning listening to readers today.
It's a bit of a struggle sometimes at the moment, as I'm due my regular ENT nurse micro suction visit, after which I will hear them better. As we are in the library and not in their classroom, there is not much in the way of background noise, so we cope OK.

Morning all

Had a busy few days doing variopus things and daughter went away yesterday so that was a trip to the airport and was nearly tea time before we reached home.

House is quiet but tidy without her lol.

I have a long list of jobs for the week to do so off in a minute to make a start.

We have reorganised our bedroom to accommodate a new bedside cupboard that needs putting together and the wardrobe also needs reorgansing!

It is a beautiful calm, sunny day so if we get on well, maybe a walk on the beach later.

We are off down south end of April for 2 weeks to visit my dad and other family so I have been busy booking flights and 4 hotels!!Plus hiring a car from the airport down south so that in itself took up loads of my time.

All sorted now, a dog sitter organised as daughter will be coming too.

Its over 8 years since I have seen my dad who is 88 so this year we just had to come down to see him.

So on that note Im off to be busy and get through my list.

Hope everyone looking in is keeping ok

Florence in the hebrides

I hope that everyone had a good weekend.
It was OH’s birthday on Saturday, so instead of going out on the evening, we decided to go out at lunchtime. The whole family came and we went to Pizza Express in Harrogate. I had lots of 50%off vouchers, so it seemed to be a good idea. After that Eve had to go and do her volunteering in the Oxfam shop, so the rest of us went to the art gallery. After Eve finished, we all went back to their house for birthday cake.It is difficult to find things to do in January, but the art gallery was a good choice

We had a lazy day yesterday, then it was back to normal and reading in the school this afternoon Quite a few of the children were missing and two were feeling sick, so I hope that I don’t catch whatever they have

While it is nice to have the family Ginnie, I do appreciate a bit of quiet time, not that I get much of that.
I have had a horrible cold this week, probably courtesy of the little children in school. I have been in reading twice this week, just to share the germs :-)
It was also the old folks memory cafe, lots of new people turned up, but I stayed out of the way in the kitchen.

We needed to go and pick up our prescriptions, so we had lunch while we were out. There is a lovely cafe in a posh fur shop which is always absolutely full, the food is always very good.

Hello all, I hope you are all well .
Reading back through the posts it seems like everyone has had some snow and lots of rain or lots of snow in some cases.

Joan I hope you have got on with your new washer I have never had a top loader so don't know much about them. I don't like all the new front loaders as a lot have so many programmes that seem to go on for ages. Our clothes don't get 'dirty ' so most of them get done on a short wash. Towels and bedding on a longer wash as they do need it I think.

My family have gone back home now, they were here for 3 weeks from just before xmas and the house is so quiet now. We had a lovely time mainly playing board games and watching quizzes on the tv and of course shouting out the answers.
So now it is back to normal for us and the dog .