General Chat

Hi Gwyn you popped in as I was typing.

Afternoon all, Nice to be back together ,

Very chilly here even with the sun now and again ,the cold gets right to your bones .
We nipped out to the post box and called into Morrisons ,I don't think we've been in our morrisons for over a year and it doesn't look like we've been missing much .
We were going to Tesco's but the traffic that way was awful ,I think it's all the traffic for the Range that opened last Friday so thats why we went to morrisons .

Oh Mel I hope your foot pain soon eases but if it doesn't go get it checked out there's a lot of tiny bones in your foot you might have snapped one , it's giving you a rest though and a catch up with your miniatures with the sitting about .

Oh my goodness good job I read my post through the word post came up wrong with an I instead of the o , I told you this ipad will get me in trouble :-D

Yes Mel, take Mandy's advice and get the foot checked out if it's not getting better quickly. If you remember when I damaged my foot I didn't get it checked for 3 weeks and when I did I found I had broken 3 metatarsals and they were healing out of alignment. I didn't go any earlier because I didn't even fall so thought I couldn't have done much damage and also it was during lockdown and the hospitals were full of Covid patients so I wanted to keep away. I regret it now as I still get some pain from that foot.

Mel it sounds like you have done some damage if you can't use your foot at all so it may be best to have it checked like the others say. It sounds like you have no choice but to rest it today, so you may as well do your miniatures. It's good that Em is feeding the chickens for you, and at least she has plenty of eggs now. It sounds like she has a busy day today.

Vera I hope your migraine has gone now. These migraines can be so debilitating. OH woke in the night with one recently. He wouldn't take his usual tablets for them as he worries they won't mix with all his other tablets. It's something we need to ask the pharmacy next time we go. Sorry you have had to get plumbers in quickly and I hope the problem has been fixed now.

We popped to the shop and I dropped OH off up the road from our close and he had a 10 minute walk home which is what he needs to start to do now. I carried on to the car wash in the village to give my car a much needed wash. Their standards used to be higher and a few bits were missed, but it was really cold for them today and it looks princely to what it did and cost a bit more than last time at £10, but doesn't everything cost more now!

OH still had no call from the surgery to collect the referral letter he needs, but he happened to log in to his records with the GP and there it was and was put on yesterday, yet no-one told him they would do that. Then an hour ago he had a txt to say to collect it from the surgery, so why didn't they txt him yesterday. He's trying to be seen quickly and the surgery takes 6 days to do a simple referral letter. He's already sent it to the private health people by email, so I hope they don't dilly dally as well.

I've phoned someone to come and cut down the brambles and saplings that are growing in the field and all over the full length of our bottom fence. He did it for a neighbour a couple of years ago. We''ve provisionally arranged for him to come at the end of next week, weather permitting, as OH has a lot of appointments earlier in the week.

I've put a wash on and OH only needs eyedrops 6 times a day from today and can stop the salt water rinses 3 times a day, so that will be a bit less to remember.

Mandy, I think I will give our new Range a wide berth for a couple of weeks. I think although we have another store, the new one is bigger and with better parking so will be more popular.

I hope your foot is easier now you’ve rested it a bit Mel. Hopefully it will let you sleep better tonight.

Gwyn, I hope you have managed to sort out a date and place to meet up with your college friends. It’s good to have these get togethers. I used to meet with a group of school friends and their partners. Although we were scattered round the country a few of us would host everyone in our homes and, if necessary, provide overnight accommodation for those who had travelled furthest. Then a couple were finding long drives difficult so we started meeting in London as everyone could get there by train. Sadly now a couple are in poor health and we are all getting on in years so we are down to letters with Christmas and birthday cards.

You are lucky to have a Range, Mandy and Annx. Our Homebase has closed but the Range owners didn’t want it and no-one else has bought it.

AnnG asked if my migraines were getting more frequent. Just the opposite in fact. I get a lot of bad headaches and they do seem more frequent but migraines are different, though people often call a headache a migraine. I get fewer migraines than I used to and I don’t get violently sick anymore. This one has gone now, thank you Annx. It’s just left me feeling drained but that will improve over the next day or so. Could your doctors prescribe migraine tabs for your OH? They will know what can be taken with his other pills. For years I had triptans as well as a strong co-codamol, though I don’t take them now. What a performance OH has had to get his referral letter. I hope the private health people can see him quickly. All this waiting to get things done can’t be good for his stress levels.

This is getting long and my eyes are feeling very tired again so I will leave telling you the saga of our plumbing till tomorrow and, no, it isn’t fixed.

PS. I’m on the iPad and it’s a good job I read my post through as well or I’d have been in trouble like Mandy. I had triptans had been changed to I had Tristan! I’m covered in blushes.

Good morning all 1 degree here and back to overcast and dull, It was so lovely to see the sun yesterday even if it was very cold. I have dentist check up this afternoon, not too bothered about that, even though I hate goint to the dentist. But I know this usually is followed by two deep clean appointments.

Mel I hope your foot feels easier, but if not you really ought to get it checked out. I know that is awkward as you probably will need somebody to take you but do try and get it sorted. Is your foot swollen?

Vera hope the migraine has cleared. I am pleased that the migrains are not getting more frequent

Morning girls,

I slept like a log last night just up once in the night while it was still dark and went back to bed and must have gone straight off again. I must admit it does feel better this morning but still not right. I shall carry on with the paracetamol today and as Em has to go to Bideford today I'll ask her to get me some more. I have ordered them from the docs but as you all know its a 5 days wait for your scripts and I need them now.

Its 8 degrees and pc says to expect rain showers by Friday. The sky outside is very blue grey and looks well like rain today to me but I think the wind may have dropped which was so very cold yesterday.

Its a funny thing I have just realised that the usual way I get into GR in my bookmarks was'nt there yesterday when we could'nt get in but this morning it was there again.

The sun is battling to make an appearance, but it's still very cold.

I've just been to the postbox, which is a short walk away, but was glad that I'd bothered to put on my hat, gloves and scarf in addition to my coat.

Good to hear that you had a good sleep Mel. I hope the pain eases for you.
Not sure that our doctor would prescribe paracetamol. They have really cut back on the drugs which are cheaper to buy over the counter.
Actually, it's difficult to even see a doctor. We usually get passed to one of the nurses, so I haven't had a face to face appointment with a doctor at our surgery for years.

Ann, I hope the visit to the dentist goes OK. They do seem keen on the deep clean routine there :-|

Strange, I just had to sign in and when I just clicked on what was altrady in the box (as I have always done when having to sign in, it siad invalid so I put the same in as usual and it accepted it. since having this new PC which came with AVG I do seem to have stronger security. Which is, at the same time, comforting but annoying.

Mel I was wondering about paracetamols on prescription too, we would not get that here. I thought nation wide we have been told to buy stuff that is cheaper for us to buy over the counter than for the surgery to provide.

Morning all,

Cloudy and still very cold ,tomorrow is suppose to be a but milder but then we might have rain .

Been making some cakes for family this morning ,another Old School cake as they loved that a dozen cheese scones and half a dozen sausage rolls for us ,well Colin really as the pastry always gives me indegestion.

That's good you had a good night Mel ,can you walk ok today on your foot .
I don't think we can get paracetamol on prescription here either ,some things were taken off prescriptions a few years ago because of the cost, anything that was cheaper to buy was taken off .

Just having a coffee while the bathroom floor is drying after having a mop ,I opened the window so I must remember to close it .

I always make a few Easter cards for family and just checked the date. I had no idea that Easter is so late this year. Easter Sunday is 20 April.

Good afternoon

Another cold day but it’s bright and sunny so much nicer than cold and grey.

I hope you get on OK at the dentist AnnG. Perhaps you won’t need a deep clean this time. Your dentist does seem keen on them but I’m sure he/she has a good reason. I don’t know anyone else who has ever had one.

I’m glad your foot is easier this morning Mel. Don’t try to do too much too soon. Just rest it for a few days. Like Gwyn, I don’t think our doctors would prescribe paracetamol as it is cheap and easily available to buy. A few years ago my vitamin D level was found to be alarmingly low and I was prescribed a massive dose for 2 weeks and then told to take 2000 units a day. I was asked if I would buy them myself “to save the NHS money”. I’m still buying them.

I see you’ve been busy cooking again this morning Mandy. Your family are lucky to get all these lovely cakes from you. I really should do more cooking but I always seem to be short of time.

Now to our plumbing story. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin (do you all remember Daphne Oxenford and Listen With Mother?).

The builder who constructed our house and 4 bungalows in our Close used the cheapest sub contractors he could find and was always in trouble with the Council for not complying with regulations but he built our house for himself so it was probably the best of them. He didn’t live here for long before selling it on and we bought from the next owners. We also had a proper survey done. We weren’t told of any problems. We moved in.

One day a short while later we noticed a horrible smell in an upstairs bedroom and en-suite. After a few hours it disappeared. Over the course of a month or so this happened 3 or 4 times so OH went into the loft to check on pipework. Our loft is just a very narrow space under the eaves so trying to move up there is very difficult. What OH found was 2 pieces of pipe (stench pipe?) weren’t joined together. There was a 1” gap between them. OH managed to go into the loft headfirst on his back and fix a join between the pipes. At that stage he was just on the rafters as there was no insulation which he put in himself shortly after. We have had no smell problems since then.

Fast forward 10 years. Yesterday the smell was back with a vengeance and at one stage permeated the whole house. OH thinks his 10 year old repair had slipped or just worn out. I forbad him going up there. He’s 10 years older and if his back gave way I wouldn’t be able to get him out. He rang emergency plumbers and one was coming about 5 pm. I decided to have our main meal lunch time and had just put the oven on to heat up when OH got a text to say the plumber was on the way. So it was turn the oven off and put the food in the fridge. We waited and waited and he turned up at 2.30 in an ordinary car. His van had broken down on the way to us! After spending some time here he said that for health and safety reasons he would not do the job until the loft is boarded and boarding could go directly on top of the insulation.

So, OH has been in touch with a boarding company whose man has just been. He said that the company won’t compromise the insulation. There would have to be a gap between it and the boarding and then there won’t be enough room for the men to work so they can’t do the job. He suggested getting someone to put temporary boarding direct on the insulation and then removing it when the job is done so we have to find out if that will be acceptable to the plumbers. OH is now up a tall step ladder doing some measuring. I don’t know where we go from here but I am thoroughly fed up with it all.

Well, I should think you are all ready for a coffee after reading through this screed. I know I am after writing it.

O my goodness that could have been a dreadfull smell that came from the stench pipe.
I hope you can get someone to come and fix everything. Oh did our loft insulation and he bought these leg things to fix the boards to. He never finished the end of the bungalow over his study but just piles all the stuff that was in the loft over there. That bit was an extension so was boarded over. I do hope you can get someone soon to get it put right. In the meantime I would go and get some soda crystals and bleach and mix it with ot water and put that down that drain that should give it a good clean out and prevent smells. I need to do mine too. I can fill the bath with very hot water a whole pack of soda and a whole bottle of bleach. Thats the way we have cleared drains in the past.

I have been up the orchard to have a word with Ade who is taking the logs away today and when I was on the way down back to the house I saw a conker on the grass. Now there is not a conker tree anywhere near where I live but only way over the back in the big houses field or in the churchyard. So that means a squirrel must have brought it a very long way. It actually has a little root sticking out so I may grow it.

Time for a pill and some lunch I think.

Oh gosh Vera, that is horribly worrying and not very nice if you are having to meanwhile contend with the smell. I think your house insurance should cover this so don't forget to check, just in case the job gets bigger than it currently seems. I hope they accept the temporary work.

I have heard of other people having a deep clean, It is really just an extension of whay you would have as a normal hygenist appointment but I can't cope with it without injections as it ventures down near the nerves and my teeth are very sensitive.

Afternoon All,

It's 4 degrees here now but feels much colder. We have had a blink of sunshine, but it's dull again and rain expected later.

What a saga Vera! They keep changing regulations, but most of us live in older houses that don't comply with them. Two electricians (different contractors) had to go in our loft when we altered a bedroom 2 years ago to move the consumer unit and put a new socket for the changed position of a tv. We only have a pathway of boarding down the middle of our loft.They both managed with the rafters/joists and a plank they laid across them to work from. It seems like a lot of work in order to do the job and you'd expect plumbers would carry some boarded squares they could use to lay over joists themselves with most homes not having fully boarded lofts.

It's good your foot is a bit better Mel, but be careful with it. We were both shocked you can get paracetamol on prescription. It was 2018 when GPs stopped prescribing a lot of meds. Some were costing the NHS more than we could buy them for. Our surgery certainly wouldn't prescribe paracetamol. I need to take them for pain from my knees and an autoimmune condition I have and OH has been told to take them daily for pain now, but they don't prescribe them for either of us. We have to buy our own.

I hope the dentist didn't find any work to do AnnG. Like you I used to have frequent deep cleans with a previous dentist when my gums used to bleed then. He carried on with them after they stopped bleeding too. They aren't pleasant, but are a thorough clean below the gum line that helps keep your gums and teeth healthy. I think I had some numbing gel when mine were done.

It's the same here Gwyn and we are usually given nurse appointments too. I rarely see a doctor now.

Well my appointment was for 2pm amd I had walked home by 2.30. £45. for an inspection, although he does dig done into the gum and calls out various things to the nurse. And does a thorough inspection in and around my mouth and tongue. (that is private pricing.)
He agreed to not do a deep clean this time, said it should be done at least once a year so would leave it until September. I think if my gums had receded more than previously he would insist on the deep clean. I am pleased that you have had it in the past ann anyway, now I know I (or my dentist) am not odd.

So, nect appointment is 3 September. First date they put down was 27 august which would have been my 65 wedding anniversary. I asked them to change it.

It always seems strange to me how you can get appointments offered on certain dates that are connected to you. It happens with me too and things seem to run out on special days too. Have any of you found that?

Ann I am still in a lot of pain with my foot and whilst washing this morning I noticed I have a graze on my right elbow where I hit the corner of my desk in my fall and a socking great bruise there too. Had I been in the shower I would'nt have noticed it but did in front of the mirror over the hand basin. The doc gave me a huge box of Paracetamol when I had that awful pain in my back the other year and I usually get 200 at a time because of hip and knee pain too.

I also hve gastro resistant Asprin which you can buy in the shops but I get those on prescription too. Perhaps it cos I live out in the middle of knowhere and its a long way to the shops.

I have fed the chickens and done a wash today and popped it on the line but now its come over cloudy so I think I will bring it in. at the moment its 11 degrees here and it says rain starting in about an hour and a half.

Meant to say glad your apponitment went off ok Anng and you did'nt have to have the deep clean yet but now have t o wait till September.