General Chat

Evening all,

It's been quite a different day not much in the way of sun and a lit cooler .
Yesterday we went into the garden I did some more weeding anx cut the grass and Colin got the wire brush on the fence but we didn't start any painting .

Ann thats good thd scan was much better than OH thought ,now it's a waiting game for the results which isn't to long to wait , he must be pleased that his eyes are getting better though and he doesn't need to go back .

Anng thats a nuisance having to wait again to get your jobs finished off but they have made a good start by the sound of things .
I bet there's a lot of people in the same boat as Cynths friends ,so are they staying the whole weekend with her now or is it just a stop over for the night .


Vera thats good news about your eyes and good job you spoke up or you'd have sat there for ages which uou did ,you'd have thought she would have seen you sitting there all that time as she called others in before you .

Your all getting your tom seeds planted I must get mine sorted ,I did buy the tumbling toms and have Mels tom seeds she sent but I need to get some of the little yellow sun gold seeds .

It was haircut day today and after lunch I sat to watch ths news and went sound yo sleep must have had an hour but I didn't have a very good night last night ,I was still awake at gone twelve .

Football on tonight no Emmerdale or Corrie and red nose comic relief on bbc1, I have recorded the new Bergerac but I think Colin will watch ths football.

There was a beautiful sunrise this morning and it has been a sunny day but with quite a gusty cold wind. At the moment the computer is telling me it’s 13 degrees but feels like 8. Now the sun has disappeared I think it feels even colder.

I’m pleased that OH’s scan was less of a problem and more comfortable than he expected Annx. At least he should get the results in a few days. It’s good that he doesn’t need to go back for his eyes. That’s one thing fewer to worry about.

You all seem to have been very busy. You always have lots to do on your land Mel; I don’t know how you keep up with it. Did you get your fence painted Mandy? I need to have a good sort out of wardrobes and drawers as the two Anns have been doing. My excuse is I have been putting all my energy into cleaning the conservatory. I have got round most of it at last. There’s really just the skirting board and floor to wash but I’ll probably leave the floor until the overwintering plants finally go outside.

We’ve both been doing a bit of gardening today. OH has been going round the garden clearing lots of moss from the beds. As he was going round he noticed a low branch from a viburnam had touched the ground and rooted. He dug it out and it had such a good root he has potted it up and it can go to one of the local plant sales. As he was digging it out a couple of large toads appeared. One quickly disappeared but the other went and hid in a corner by the back gate. I’ll have to send you the photo I took. It was awkward to get a shot of him as he was right up in a corner but I managed to get something. I tidied up a couple of troughs of geraniums and got some seeds planted. I’ve planted the seeds from Mel’s big tomato, some Moneymaker toms and some Gardeners’ Delight cherry toms. Both these were from old packets of seeds so I hope they germinate. I’ve also sown some dwarf antirrhinum seeds, again from an old packet. I have a very old electric propagator so I’ve got trays of seeds in that in the conservatory. The room gets cold overnight but the low level heat in the propagator keeps the seeds warm enough.

There was a ring at the doorbell a short while ago and it was our glazier to say he’d finished a local job he was doing and wondered if it would be convenient to fit the new double glazed pane in our kitchen. It didn’t take him long and it’s so nice not to have to chase a tradesman up all the time as we had to do with the plumbers.

It’s a nuisance Jake couldn’t do your work AnnG and now has to come back on Monday. It’s probably not his fault but irritating for you as it means another day messed up. I hope Cynth was pleased to get her unexpected visitors but disappointing for them not to get to Salzburg. It must be heartbreaking for anyone flying off to get married abroad or to visit a sick relative. I am wondering how much flights from other airports will be affected as a lot of planes will now be in the wrong place. 11 of our close family members are flying to America tomorrow but on 4 different flights, 3 from Gatwick and 1 from Manchester. I hope they all manage to get there and meet up at the house son has hired for a week or so.

The visit to the hospital was a real pain yesterday but the result was good. On the way to the hospital a huge estate is going up (on good productive farm land), and a new large roundabout is being constructed. There are long delays there but no other easy route round so we left loads of extra time. We joined the queue about 400 yards from the works but the traffic lights must have turned green just as we got on the queue and they stay like that for quite a while to give time for a lot of traffic to get round the narrow driving lane winding round the edge of what will be the new roundabout. The upshot was we arrived at the hospital about half an hour before my appointment time. I hoped we might get seen early but no such luck, though I was called in exactly at my appointment time.

I know the routine well by now. First room it’s vision tests with and without pinhole lenses and pressure tests, dilation drops and anaesthetic drops. Then it’s waiting in another area for scans. I’ve never waited more than a few minutes for the scans but I sat there and sat there. People were coming to the waiting area and getting called in while I still sat there. After 40 minutes I had had enough and when the nurse put her head out to call someone else in I interrupted and asked if I had been forgotten. She said she calls people in as their notes arrive with her. Mine had never arrived! She dealt with the chap she had just called in and then went to find out about me. Apparently, some dozy nurse had taken my notes to the wrong place. If I hadn’t spoken up I’d probably still be sitting there. As I knew the procedure the scans only took 5 minutes and then I had to go and wait to see the doctor. By now it was almost 1 pm and the morning clinics had almost finished so I got called in quickly. Everything seems to have stabilized and stayed stable and the swelling has gone right down so they are now willing to deal with the cataract in the bad eye. I don’t know how long I will have to wait but I am definitely on the list. The doctor said they would see me in 6 months whether I’ve had the cataract surgery by then or not. I had barely arrived home before my appointment for next September was texted to me.

The journey back was a bit slower and we didn’t get any lunch till 2.30 pm. My eyes were blurry and very sore and I had to wear dark glasses for the rest of the day so couldn’t post yesterday. My bad eye is still a little sore but otherwise I’m fine today. I should think you all have sore eyes now f you have read through all this lot. I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep tonight and hope it’s the same for you.

I think we have gone back into winter again. It is really cold and dark and I have all the lights on.

Its only 12 degrees here and cloudy with a very cold wind. Where is all this cold wind coming from? It was beautiful yesterday as Anng said. I have half stripped the bed and got back ache so gave up and had lunch. Now I don't seem to have any get up and go but must do the bed and then I want to wash my hair and have a shower. I wonder if I will get it all done?

Iv'e not been up to check on the mole traps yet either.

My neighbours who have been away since before Christmas are due back on Sunday but they are coming back to a very dirty and untidy garden. The builder told me yesterday that it should be better by Sunday. All the plastering is done inside and all the electics and they have a working loo so that should be ok. I bet they are all lovely and brown as I know they were in Morroco at Christmas when they sent me a card and Spain when they sent me a birthday card. They really gutted the bungalow and live in their camper van. They've had a new sewage system put in, a new roof and had the conservatory taken down and a bigger one will be going up making the lounge bigger as its a lounge cum kitchen.

O well back to the bed changing............ :-S

Well I spent all morning doing practically nothing, except for a wash load and a check through the small wardrobe of jackets and coats. just couldn't get enthusiastic about anything So after luch I decided I really ought to look for the pots to plant begonias in. Went out in the garden spent five minutes looking round for pots, located them and came back in because it is really cold with a cold wind out there It is supposed to be 16 degrees. my hands are freezing!! And it was so warm yesterday.

Cynth's friends were going to Saltzberg for the weekend so they were staying in a hotel overnight at Heathrow. Oops.
so cynth gets a phone call saying, are you doing anything? we are all packed for a weekend away that is not going to happen now. so they are at cynths. I told her if they are running round the garden singing Doh Ray me I am not joining them!!

I have sorted the wardrobe that holds all the jackets and coats etc and found several things I can get rid of. there is a large waterproof very heavy weight coat of tony's in there but I have to find a bag large enough to carry it in. Meanwhile I have found a couple of light weight waterproof jackets that were Tony's hardly worn and they do fit me so I am keeping those. One is M&S autograph.

Phew, that's 2 more loads for the garden bin and OH came out and carefully trimmed down a Fuschia as well so the bin is full now. We have the large one so it holds quite a lot. I feel as if there's a bit of progress being made!

Mel, OH will get the results of the MRI scan next Wednesday, so not long to wait. A lady was telling me the other day that her daughter had to wait 8 weeks for the results of a scan to tell her whether her cancer had returned, a much longer wait with the NHS but luckily she was clear.

I've had lunch and will get a COT now before doing a bit more sorting in the bedroom. :-)

Morning All,

It's 12 degrees here too but it seemed colder outside so I wore my fleece jacket to go to the farm shop as they have no heating on in there, but it keeps the food nice and fresh. I stocked up on meat, but the prices seem to shoot up every time and I'm sure we used to get 2 barnesley chops for what it costs for one now. I got some fruit, veg and their nice apple yoghurts and eggs too.

I've also had a reminder and booked my covid booster and the verrucca seems to have come back so I obviously didn't treat it long enough, so I'm treating it again.

That's a nuisance about the van AnnG. You don't seem destined to get the work done as quickly as you'd like, so I hope the weather will be ok on Monday. Your seeds from the big tomatoes could be crossbreeds with any other tomatoes growing nearby that insects carry the pollen from so the tomatoes on each plant you grow could be different and very interesting!

I'm not surprised you are aching Mel after doing all that work. my back ached yesterday after bending to cut a couple of shrubs back from overhanging the gravel the other day. Your rain looks like it's coming my way according to the PC so I'd better nip out and cut another humperful so the garden bin will be almost full and worth putting out.

Morning all,

Pc says rain starting in an hour here and its 11 degrees nd cloudy not the nice bright sunny morning we had yesterday.I ache everywhere today, what with bending and digging holes for the mole traps and walking across the top field a few times during the day to see what BIL was doing. He recons he's go the brambles down but I can't see much difference to what it was before he started the only thing is there not brambles reaching over the lawn that he mows.Then reaching up to the top of the shed windows and rubbing away at the green stuff that was on them. I don't know when I think back I would have done all that and more and not had a ache to show for it.

I'm pleased that the scan did'nt take as long as he thought it wold and he was comfortable throughout even if it was still a bit noisy. I always think the worse bit is the waiting for the results.

Hope Vera got on ok at the eye clinic yesterday and she has had a good nights sleep.

Well it four weeks tomorrow I have worn this ugly booty sandle thing but I must admit I hav'nt worn it to drive to the shop, Iv'e put my wellies on then.

Well that is annoying Jake has trouble with the 'works' van which has gone into the garage (yesterday) and apparently now will not be ready until this afternoon. now coming on Monday.
Apparently it is 12 degrees here but it feels a lot cooler than that. At least I have got a load of washing done with being up early for Jake.

Good morning all. a bit grey but it is early so hopefully it will clear out later. I think there was forecast for rain later but I am hoping it will stay dry for Jake to get most of the remaining jobs done.

I didn't really sleep well, woke for the loo twice before 4am (didn't really need it though!!) Then couldn't really get back to sleep so was up at 6am. Probably knowing Jake was due around 9. Good job I don't need a lot of brain power today.

Yes, Ann it will be interesting to see what the toms are like. I am wondering if these are seeda from the same ones friend gave me last year. No name as they were from N Zealand. Only 3 on the plant but very big, orange not red and a good flavour.
They have got to germinate and then grow first!!

Pleased that G's scan went OK and good that he has got that out of the way. Hopefully it will answer some questions.

Mel, pleased that you had a good evening with Stu and enjoyed the meal and a good chat.

Vera I hope the eye appointment went OK. I noticed that you were not on yesterday so guess there were eye drops involved.

Oh dear Mel, it looks like you are going to be busy with maintenance! Some of our fence panels down the side need replacing and the rest need painting. One arbour has a rotten roof and the shed roof felt has mostly ripped off and it's leaning and we want to replace it. I know what you mean about falling apart!

AnnG it will be interesting to see what the big toms will be like and you have a variety with the different types of seed. They keep digging roads up everywhere we go lately and it does make it difficult for pedestrians too and anyone with a pushchair.

We wondered whether they would offer OH a sedative for the scan but thought probably not so soon after the heart trouble. The journey there and back meant we missed the traffic as they had brought his appointment forward by 50 minutes so we had a leisurely drive there and parked easily and he went in early. He made me jump out of my skin in the car as he was back in 3 quarters of an hour instead of an hour and a half!! He said he was absolutely fine and didn't even have any pain with his back, although he'd taken painkillers before we left home. He said they used pillows to raise his legs which helped and he had earplugs as well as headphones but it was still noisy. Best of all though he said the scanner had a mirror in front of your eyes and if you looked in that you could see outside the scanner and see the person who was talking to you. He said being able to see outside the scanner meant it wasn't claustrophobic at all. I don't know if the NHS scanners have mirrors now or whether being a private hospital they had one with whistles and bells on! He's chuffed it's done now though. He should get the results next Wednesday when he sees the rheumatologist again.

I've finished sorting the clothes in the bed drawers now, but there are some handbags in there that need to go in the wall cupboards above the bed when I sort those out. I don't know why I have more than one handbag really, as I always use the same one and can't be bothered to move the contents to another bag and I don't seem to go to weddings these days and need to have a matching handbag.

I hope Vera got on ok at the eye appointment today.

Just come in from the garden at 6.20pm I have checked the mole traps out the front field and washed down my shed windows on the outside and the cream paintwork as that was all green and round the top of the stable doors cream paint. I really needs to be painted again this year and I am not sure that oh did the cream last time he painted it. The back window that looks up the orchard is badly in need of paint as most of that has come off.

The hose sprinkler has broken so I need a new one of those. So things are falling apart as well as me !

Took my three begonias out of their pots from last year and only one has survived the winter in the shed but that one has three little buds in the top. Did a bit of weeding in my pot of Fritillaria seedlings sand I need to sort out the plants in pots outside my shed as a lot of them have died or got a mass of goats willow small trees in them. I was going to sow my tom seeds but did'nt get round to it as I need to shift a large new bale of compost and I did'nt think I was up to it wiith all Iv'e done today. Theres always tomorrow.

How did the scan go Ann Was he able to stay in for that very long time or did he opt out? I hope he got on ok.

Its been really hot out there today and its still 11 degrees now just as its getting dark.

I have just seen a little Comma in the garden. I didn’t see any at all last year s maybe this will be a better year for butterflies.

Went in to town as planned. Chaotic everywhere with footpaths and roads all being dug up and resurfaced, very dangerous and frustrating for pedestrians to get easily and safely from the bus station into and out of town back. Still it was lovely and warm and I had a good walk round as my appointment was not until 12. Couldn't see anything I liked in M&S and they had changed the stuff all round and put swinwear etc right by the door where sweaters always used to be. Saw people looking for sweaters and nobody buying swinwear. I just bought a sort of fleece slip over (no jacket) in Bonmarche

I was home by 1245 as I just caught a bus so that was good and, after lunch I planted my tomatoe seeds. (ten Sungold and four from a very large tomato that my friend had last year, no idea what it is called.. So they are all on this office windowsill. just added 4 alicante as I had 4 empty cells and I found some seeds from last year.

I had the Chilli last night at Stu's and it was very nice not too hot and he added chopped up broccoli and leak and we had three houlmi (SP) breaded cheese things which he did in the air fryer. Not had those before and they were very nice too dipped in the chilli.

Just after I posted this morning I went to the loo and BIL turned up. He wanted to go up the top and see if he could stim some of the bramble on the edge of the field. I said i would come up and have a look and ended up putting out five mole traps on the field. Will have to check them later this afternoon. He could'nt cut the blimmin sloe bushes down with the strimmer as they were too thick so I shall have to go up with the leccy loppers and do those but my neighbours are haveing a new fence put along there today so we left the builder to it.

Then we both came down the house and I picked up the sticks off the orchard and BIL mowed it. Then he took the old ggreenhouse up for me so I can clear that bit of the decking for him to put the new one up for me he bought me for Christmas. So I did'nt get the bed changed or my hair washed as planned for the day and now I am hungry and hav'nt taken any pills yet.

Morning All,

Glorious sunshine again and I saw 2 butterflies this morning including a yellow Brimstone one.

Thank you for your good wishes for OH. He seems calmer about the scan now it will soon be over so that's good. I'm taking plenty to read with me.

We usually visit any nearby castles when we go away, but I don't think I would be going up the spiral staircases with my knees now! I'm surprised you haven't been to these places with your OH in the past. It will do you good to get out and about more though. We get a discounted membership with the NT because of our ages too. Car parking is free for members at some places as well. I hope you can revive the Orchids. You haven't told us what you chose to eat?

AnnG I hope you manage to plant your tomato seeds. What variety have you chosen this year? I have sent for some mixed single flowered dwarf marigold seeds. I grew them during the pandemic and the pretty tortoiseshell butterflies loved them and were always in the garden. Then the next year I grew the more impressive double flowered ones and we had hardly any butterlies as they couldn't reach the nectar in the double flowers.

I hope you get done what you want to in the garden Mandy. It's lovely to be outside when it's nice like today.

We called at the pharmacy this morning but they won't have OH's eyedrops in till tomorrow now. I thought he had to take them another 6 weeks, but it actually adds up to 8 more weeks! At least it's twice daily and reducing and not every two hours now.

I've sorted another half of one of the big drawers under the bed and am going to see if I can do the other half before we set off for the hospital.

mORNING EVERYONE,

bEAUTIFUL MORNING HERE AND NO FROST BUT WALL TO WALL SUNSHINE.

Sorry about that I had been naming files.

Hope all goes well with the scan today we will all be with him in thought. Sending wishes.

My evening out was really good last night and the meal was great but poor Stu had such a back backache as he has been working on hiis own as his son is taking some of his leave. Stu had to have two little lies on the floor and did'nt finish his meal. Took some pills and when I had finished we sat in the lounge and chatted for ages. He told me he loves castles and showed me pics on his phone of one they visited in 2022. Most beautiful ceilings and grounds now owned by the national trust of which Stu is a member. When he went there and paid to go in he joined the trust and they took the gate money off his payment to join which was good and then he shakes a lot with his left hand (he is left handed) and he said sorry about that and the man asked what was wrong and he told him he has Parkinsons , In that case the man said you get to join for half price. He is going to take out another sub this year and said he would take me out and I could go as his carer! Neither of us have been to see Okehampton castle ruin or Launston so that will be two trip out and we will have lunch out that day too which will be nice so I am looking forward to it. He's like a son to me as I have known him since he was 14. I did'nt get in till 9.41pm and I am usually there about an hour so it was quite a long time to be out but I so enjoyed it. I also came home with two orchids which he has not looked after properly. I thinkj the small one he has drown completely but the larger one still has a bit of green on its leaves and two new flower stems but it is so rooty I can't get it out of the pot holder. It has pleanty of new good looking roots so I am wondering whether to cut it off and pot it again. I shall have to have a look in the shed and see if I still have the orchid bark to plant it in. I have cut off the dead roots but it has an abundance of healthy fresh ones. We'll see as it stand more chance with me than with him. The little one was standing in water when I took it out of the pot holder but I don't thinjkit has one good root on it at all and all the leaves are brown and some dropped off. There is another one on his windowsill in the kitchen so I may get that one too.

Morning Anng ,morning all,

Lovely sunny morning ,no frost but still a bit chilly I've just hung some washing out and my hands are cold now ,we hope to get out in the garden this morning Colins going to wire brush the fence ready to paint anc I'm going to do a bit of weeding and cut the grass later if it's not to wet .

Hope OH's scan goes OK Ann .

Good morning all. another bright morning and I slep very well last night. Woke around 6 and didn't try and get back to sleep. Only up once for the loo. It is 4 degrees here so a bit milder and forecast was for possible 18-20 degrees later.

I have a chiropodist appointment so that means going to town which is a nuisance as if it is going to be warm I could do with being in the garden doing things this morning. Probably be too warm out there when I get home but maybe I can get my tomato seeds planted. I washed out all the seed trays etc yesterday.

Ann that was a long wait for your OH's eye appointment. But good that his eyes are OK.
I have only watched the River Severn one of those programmes but it was very interesting. I muct check if I recorded more.

Vera I hope the eye appointment goes OK.

Mel, did you enjoy your meal with Stu?