General Chat

It sounds a lovely place Ann even with its bittersweet memories. Fingers crossed that your cough will have disappeared by Christmas Day.

I hope your chest infection clears up quickly Mandy. Just don't overdo it, you need to conserve your energy a bit till you are properly better. I have made a note to look for that apricot cheesecake recipe after Chistmas. It's ages since I made it and it was an old recipe then but I am sure I will have it somewhere amongst all my recipe folders and files.

Annx, I am sure my OH and yours share some genes. Mine never knows where he has put anything either. Yesterday was an example when I was asked where he would have put the outside lights he was looking at a few days earlier. After looking in all the obvious places I had a think about where they were when I saw them last and remembered seeing them on top of a floor unit in the lounge. Once I remembered that, it didn't take much working out. That day we had an unexpected phone call to tell us visitors were coming in half an hour so I asked OH to clear up some of the rubbish lying around. He had shoved the lights straight in the deep drawer under the surface where they had been sitting. Men!!

Someone asked about our Secret Santa gifts at a club party last Monday. Years ago when we had a bigger membership with more men they took a man type gift, females took something for a lady and we marked which gender they were for. That seems to have gone by the board so anyone might get anything. OH got a parcel with a strange selection - a box of biscuits, a shopping bag that folds into a little square and an "Emergency Christmas Jumper Kit". This contained bobbles, motifs, glittery things and a string of lights to attach to any jumper, so that was a bit of fun. I got a large scented candle in a very nice green glass bowl. I've already got a drawer full of scented candles but I do like the attractive glass bowl.

Time to get on with some more jobs I think. We are invited, with the rest of the Close, to our next door neighbour for nibbles and drinks at 7 pm. Neither of us feel much like it but feel we should make the effort as I know there are at least a couple of people not going. Hopefully we will be able to get away without staying too long.

Hope you enjoy your evening with nibbles Vera and you have some good chatter, I'm sure you will.

I went out in the shed after corning the chickens and when I had had some lunch and BIL had gone and started back on the arrangment I was doing. I had wired all the 5 lots of holly berries and then had to attach them to some holly. I had picked very prickerly holly and on wiring them to the berries and a bit of varigated hollky I got sticky fingers again. I had to come in as I was bleeding over both hands from the holly prickles. I have a very sore left thumbjust above the creaseand pin pricks on other fingers andon my right hand I have prickled the finger I hurt last week and the one next to it. I know I should have worn gloves but its so difficult to wire thing right with gloves on. I don't always use the really prickly holly but boy has it spines this year.

Went down the shop for my paper and a couple of bits. I bought some of their nice granary bread as one of my subs this week was a Kingsmill wholemeal and its just like eating cardboard. It dos'nt make my mouth water to get it down either. The Warburtons is nice and soft and tasty and has no added sugar. Anyway They had sold one of the smaller arrangments so I was pleased about that. I shall finish this one and maybe do a small one and if they don't sell I can put them on mums and oh's graves or take them with me when I go to dinner with Kate and BIL. Still have to do a posy for mums grave though. I took her flowerpot posy off her grave inthe summer and threw it in the back foot well of the car where it stayed till the other day. There were four bit of my yellowish tree I use a lot of still in it as fresh as a daisy. I did wonder if it had rooted which would have been nice as the parent plant oh took the top out of and clipped it flat on the top it is now soooooo very wide and really needs to come out.

Time for a cuppa I think and a cake.

I don’t know whether I will be posting for a few days. It’s with great sorrow that I have to tell you our daughter’s partner died peacefully in the hospice this afternoon. He was 54. RIP dear S.

Oh Vera I'm so sorry my condolences to you all sending you lots of love <3

Oh that's so sad Vera, your poor daughter. My thoughts will be with your family. Love from me too. <3

So sad for your daughter and for you and your OH too Vera.. my condolences and love to you all. Come back when you are ready. <3

So sad to hear your news and am sending you all my condolences and love too. You are all in my prayers.<3

Thank you everyone

Good morning all. Foggy here at the moment and cold as well but Inthink the wind has dropped.

<3 <3 <3 Vera

Ah that is fun. It is snowing :-D

Morning all,

A bit brighter here this morning but the winds still blowing and its 7 degrees with a yellow wind warning. How nice when you have to go out and pick green stuff.

Thinking of our Vera and family today and my cousin Brenda, wife of my 2nd cousin Malcomb who I was informed died in May. He was quite close to me as we were together a lot when young him and I both only children. <3 <3

We now have high wind and lsashing hailstones pounding the windows.

So sorry to read your sad news, Vera <3

Afternoon All,

We have weak sunshine and no rain at the moment, so I hope we don't get Mel's heavy rain and hailstones or AnnG's snow.

Yes there have been a few sad bereavements between us this year. An old schoolfriend and work friend both lost their husbands, then my lovely friend who never recovered from her operation and then we learned of OH's mother's cousin recently. I hope Vera's family manage to start sorting what needs to be done at these times, but it's not easy near a holiday.

Lunch is ready so I'd better get my waitress hat on! BBL.

Afternoon all,

Blue sky and sunshine here today but it's very cold out ,I've only been out to the bin as I'm trying to keep in the warm ,we have a nice fire goings so its nice and cosy .

Yes the will be lots for Vera's family to sort out but as Ann said its not easy before a holiday .
Love to Vera <3

I only learnt about my cousin from his wifes Christmas card. I know just what she's goping through this Christmas but she has their two boys so hope they all get together at this sad time of the year. <3

Sending love to Vera and her oh. <3

I have finished the other larger table dec and done mums posy and one of oh too. Mums will fit in the flower place on her headstone but with this wind I am going to peg oh's down and hope it stays there. <3 <3

Just sent another parcel with a collection and the posty bringing a label.

Arn't I a clever girl and for a samll parcel 2nd signed it is cheaper than the post van. :-D

The snow didn’t lay here but looking out of the window we can see Old man Coniston which is covered in snow. So that looks Christmassy. It was the same ten years ago with snow on the surrounding hill and mountain tops. The sun is shining now.

Just been down to the local pub for a huge roast. Daughter and I both had lamb shank. Loads of veg, potatoes, roast, carrot, swede and parsnip and cauliflower and broccoli in a sauce plus large yorkshires. The potatoes were large roasties, three of the. I had to leave one. I did manage most of the roast and the. Daughter and I shared sticky toffee pudding.

Can’t move now. This was my treat. It was not cheap but well worth the money. Son in law is not keen on roasts so he had fish and chips.

That's good you tried the parcel collection service Mel. It saves you money on the postage, the time and the fuel. It's good your fingers have survived you finishing your table dec and posies or will you make more?

I bet it's cold on top of Old Man Coniston AnnG. Brrrr. It must have stirred memories seeing the snow there. Your lunch sounds lovely, but too much for me as well and I don't think I could have tackled a pud as well. You want want much else to eat today.

Just getting dark here now and I have been up the churchyard and put mums and OH's flowers on their graves. Had a little look in the church and none of the candles have been lit on the advent ring as the last service was canceled because of the wind so I expect they will light all the candles on Christmas day.

I am just about to make myself something to eat now as not had anything yet.

Will send pics of the flowers later as I have downloaded them so just have to send them. :-D