General Chat

After all the build-up, Storm Dave passed us by in this area.
Thank goodness!
We've had a completely calm night, although with lots of rain, and snow to quite a low level on the hills.

At the moment, it's cold but not raining, and there's quite a lot of blue sky .

I had already decided not to go to the 8.30am Easter service (just a short one) down at the shore, but for those who are there, it's an unexpectedly nice morning for it, after all!

Happy Easter to everyone!

I hope that everyone survived the storm. On my news feed, I saw a photo of snow on Skye . It was really wild here overnight, the noise of the wind woke me up several times, but it is very clam here this morning.

I hope that the storm won’t be too bad for you. It looks like it isn’t going to affect us.
I am absolutely shattered as I am just back from Lightwater Valley for the first time this season. Esme was in her wheelchair lol dy and she is getting heavy to push now. Some days she walks a lot, but not today. I think that she is tired as she has had a busy week. On Wednesday night she stayed in a hotel in Manchester with her mum because they were going to see the Wiggles at 10am. Last year when she saw them they were at York, but this year the nearest place was Manchester, she absolutely loved it

Afternoon all

Thought I would post incase like ArgyyGran we dont have power tomorrow either.

Yep Storm Dave is due with very strong winds of pos 80-90 mph and....20 cm of snow as well. God aren't we the lucky ones...I think not!!

So we hot footed it over to town and got quite a bit of shopping to tie us over into next week and then on Wed I have a Tesco slot booked anyway.

The coop was very busy and even the manager was on the checkout lol. Never seen that before but it was lunchtime and staff were on their breaks, good on him for doing his bit.

So back home and so glad for that as the sky keeps darkening, the showers are heavy and its already very windy...we call that "the pre-gale" up here.

So batten down the hatches, make sure the pots outside are all secure including the bins, batteries and phoes all charged as well.

Joan, not sure if you will get the storm but make sure you have your torches handy so you dont get stuck on the stairs or elsewhere. Fill a couple of flasks tomorrow as well after lunch.

Apart from all that, fairly quiet here really. Saw some baby lambs in the next villages today and hope they survive the cold weather.

Right off to be busy with me chores.

Take care all

Florence in the hebrides

Aaagh! The tick season has started!
While showering this morning, I found two on me, which I must have picked up yesterday in the garden.
I had only wandered round the garden picking daffodils which had been blown flat - a large bunch.

This year I'm going to try using bog myrtle soap, which is supposed to be a natural repellent against ticks, midges, etc. Also treating all my usual gardening clothes with BushWear No Tick Wash . Anything's worth a try to avoid Lyme disease - and the 3-week course of strong antibiotics!

We're bracing ourselves here for Storm Dave on Saturday, into Sunday.
I do hope it doesn't result in a lengthy power cut.
Storm Amy cut us off for 3 days, both electricity and mobile phone signal.

Today it's calm and fairly sunny, though cold. Hard to believe a storm's on its way.

I bought my swimming costume from a local independent shop Florence, I looked and the brand is Fantasie, they specialise in fuller bust swimwear There are some good offers on the website Fantasie.com. My problem is that I need long body length ones and they are hard to find in store, I need to try things on rather than order on line, but I know that you don’t have that option Just after I bought it , I found one in the M&S outlet store for a really good price, a size too large really, but it is fine for the local swimming pool where the chemicals fade the colours.

We got the bus to Harrogate this morning as OH wanted to buy some new underpants and socks - from M&S of course. We had lunch out in our favourite cafe while we were there

Morning all

Well after a wet morning, the sun is out and its drying up for a change.

Home alone after OH had to take car for a service and daughter had appointments as well. So have sorted the laundry, done all the ironing and now having a break.

Linda can you tell me the shop where you bought a decent swimsuit please?

I have been looking for months and still cant find a decent one with underwire, large cup size and good support. I did buy one last year in haste but its not really what i wanted but did me in jersey.

I prefer block bottom colour and patterned top half. So any suggestions other than usual M & S , Evans, Klass etc...

Hope everyone else looking in is having a good day so far.

Florence in the hebrides

I haven’t been in the hot tub, but Esme was in for an hour this afternoon. She Facetimo me while she was in it. She was lovely and warm, but her mum was bundled up in her coat, working outside on the picnic table next to her.

Your roses will be lovely once they are established, but it will take them a couple of years to climb up.

Afternoon everyone.

Well the gales have subsided but its still cold and showery. So apart from watering all the plants and veg in the tunnel, Im staying put where it is warmer.

Roads are fairly quiet with traffic too as school kids on holiday so less cars back and forth.

I ordered 2 lovely climbing roses which are a lovely purple colour which will grace either side of the front door against the trellis. Not sure how quick they will grow from the bare root plant or if they will flower this year but when they do, they will look amazing.

Hope the hot tub is being well used Linda and you dont all catch a cold!

Florence in the hebrides

Another awful day!

had to go over to town to the ferry office to book a trip in August as online kept crashing. It was very wild and snow showers too brrrrr was freezing.

There are 7 ferries out of action on the whole fleet so smaller islands have had their timetable depleted much to the annoyance of visitors and islanders. Businesses are suffering terribly as people are being put off that if they do manage to get somewhere, they may not get back!

We are on the main route and ok for now but....if for any reason our big ship goes wrong, then we will all be up the creek without a paddle!!

Yep Joan likewise the flowers are getting a right old bashing but thankfully the tulips are not quite out yet and the daffies are nearly done.

As for heating, I have had to keep it on a bit longer as normally at this time of year we start not having it on as much.

Can you not just heat your living room in the eve joan?Rather than use all the radiators or turn down the thermostat. What temp have you got it on just now?

Grace is on ITV at 8pm tonight so been waiting ages for the next 4 books. Its 2 hour specials every Sunday for the next 4 weeks.

Amazingly the sun is out mow lol but dark skies in the distance and gusty winds still.

Florence in the hebrides

I am glad that your brother came to no harm AG

It is very windy and cold here. It says ten degrees, but feels much colder. We all went out for a carvery lunch then back to my daughter’s house. On Thursday my daughter is taking Esme to see The Wiggles in Manchester, they saw them last year in York, so couldn’t miss them again on their return to the UK . I have made a Tree of Wisdom costume ( a Wiggles character) for Katie which is Esme’s newborn doll. It turned out rather well, they are going to take the doll to the concert.
My daughter got a hot tub for her birthday, it is for Esme really as she has several hot baths a day to help her muscles. They had finished setting it up today, so Esme and my daughter tried it out this afternoon. We were standing there freezing in our coats while they were in the hot water My daughter bought them Rash tops, which are the long sleeved tops surfers wear to keep them lovely and warm. The problem is that Esme will want to sit in it all day long.

It is 8 degrees here and a bit grey but no rain. Feel cold because we had those few days of warmer weather.

Another horrible, horrible day here again, lots of rain & constant wind, soo cold, & soo depressing.
The Daffies are getting a terrible battering.
Trying to eke out the H oil is not easy with this cold windy weather.

Joan.

Fortunately, I didn't know about my brother's "escape" until after he was safely returned, but my s-i-l and the home were certainly panicking.
He has a lovely one-to-one carer for much of every day, and usually follows him around everywhere, but that day he'd seemed settled in his room, so the carer left him there for a while. Perhaps he went looking for the carer, and somehow managed to go outside.
Anyway, it ended well, thank goodness.

Today's a repeat of yesterday weather-wise - frequent swift changes from blue sky and sunshine to dark clouds and heavy hail showers.

Is Calmac's current lack of operational ferries affecting your island, Florence?

Morning all

Hope you all remembered to put your clocks forward an hour last night!

ArgyllGran, so sorry to hear what happened to your brother but so very glad he was found safe.

So hope the home will improve the security so it cant happen to anyone else. Must of been a huge worry for you and the family when he went missing.

Still being buffeted by gales here and had torrential rain at 7am which woke me. just seems continuous and no let up.

Happy Sunday everyone

Florence in the hebrides

AG Oh dear that sound awful that your brother managed to walk all that way. Walking is not a regular occurrence in LA, especially along and across busy roads. The traffic is horrendous there. Hopefully the improved security at the home will stop any future 'escapes'. Pleased he was found safe.

I'm not surprised the cheesecake was all eaten, Florence - it sounded delicious!

Extremely changeable weather here today, too. Black clouds and hail one minute, then bright sunshine the next.

My daughter and gr-daughter enjoyed their trip to Glasgow on Tuesday - up to a point. As expected, the jeans gr-daughter wanted were out of stock, but she found a different style she liked. They went to an Italian restaurant for lunch, then caught an earlier bus home than intended, as they were fed up with the city!
They were lucky to get seats on that bus, as they hadn't booked.

As church treasurer, I've had to order heating oil for one of our church buildings this week. 148.50 per litre, plus VAT!

My brother, who has dementia, went walkabout from his care home in LA this week.
He was eventually found at a small supermarket about a mile away, having somehow managed to cross a busy road, walk quite a distance along the pavement beside that road, then cross a large and busy shopping centre carpark, all without incident.
Somebody at the supermarket noticed him looking lost, and phoned the police, as the care home and my s-i-l had also done.
S-i-l says she's relieved that friendly deputies answered the call, and not ICE agents who might have shot him as a "domestic terrorist". I'm not sure if she's joking or not!
From now on, he'll wear a GPS bracelet, and the care home will improve their alarm system on exit doors.

Afternoon all

My oh my what a day!! Hailstones, sleety snow, gales and some sun. 4 seasons in one day here but the wind!!! So strong when we were parked in the car a gust came and I felt the car move eeek was quite scary.

Finally sold the tumble dryer to a local person 10 mins up the rd so very happy its gone as was clogging up space.

So indoor day now and just general chores, some dusting washing etc. making chicken sweet & sour, rice and naan bread for tea later on.

Hope everyone else is ok today

Florence in the hebrides

PS Cheesecake all eaten :-D :-D

I am glad that your daughter got back safely Florence.
The break I booked isn’t until May, so hopefully it will be warm by then.

Today is my daughter’s birthday but we can’t go out for a meal tonight as Eve has her climbing activity for her D of E. We are all going to the house and will have take away pizzas about 8.15pm when Eve is back. Tomorrow is the opening day for Lightwater Valley, but my daughter is taking Esme instead. That is because her wheelchair bound friend is going. It takes two people to lift hare onto the rides and it is too much for me. I will be back in harness from the following week. We are all going out for a carvery on Sunday to celebrate

Hi Ginny.
The sun is shining for us but a chilly wind is spoiling things.
We had some snow on Tuesday & hailstones yesterday, then rain after that, just been outside but only to pick up 2 of the bird tables, again.

Joan.