General Chat

The day started quite damp and dreary again but it brightened up mid-morning and has been lovely since then. It's cooling down quite quickly now. The garden hasn't had the attention it needs because it's been so wet but it is showing quite a lot of colour now so it's beginning to feel quite spring like. Added to the winter aconites and snowdrops my February Gold daffodils are all starting to come into bloom as well.

You're getting through your jobs AnnG. If your To Do list is anything like mine 3 jobs get added for every 2 that get crossed off. Well done on starting to listen to your CDs with the memories they bring back. It's another little step forward and all these baby steps add up to the enormous strides you have taken in the last 4 years.

If it weren't for the lovely cards and gifts I have received from family and kind friends, my birthday this year would be a bit of a non-event. Even today's lunch was OKish but nothing more. We went to a very large pub with rooms that we have been to before. There are several eating areas including a large conservatory and, as we came in the back door from the car park we had to walk right through. It was virtually empty so it was definitely lacking in atmosphere. We chose our meals and went up to the bar to order drinks. OH wanted bitter and they had 4 handpulls on. Would you believe not one was connected to the pumps so he had to have lager. I didn't have a starter. The only one I fancied was haddock and spring onion fishcakes and I thought that would fill me up too much before my main course. OH had 5 big chunks of deep fried brie with cranberry sauce. He had belly of pork for his main course and I chose Stifado. Now don't get me wrong - it was very nice and the meat was very tender but it wasn't Stifado as I know it. I would have called it beef stewed with onions. So that was a bit of a disappointment. We decided to look at the dessert menu. Well, we waited so long for someone to clear our plates and bring us the menu that in the end we decided not to bother and just went to the bar and paid. So, my lovely birthday lunch consisted of just a main course and that wasn't what it purported to be. For my dessert I had a Sainsbury's choc ice from the freezer when I got home

OH has said that he'll book a table at The Barn for our anniversary at the end of March. This is a rather special restaurant 10 or 12 miles from us that we have used for special occasion meals before. I'm looking forward to that.

Vera it was almost as though it was inevitable that it would just about be ok was n’t it. And maybe you just were not in the mood.

Never mind onwards and upwards get the plumbing over and start again looking forward to your anniversary.

Oh Vera what a shame you didn't have a good meal out today ,never mind you'll have to have a double celebration in March at the nice restaurant you like ,so disappointing when you've been looking forward to it .

Ann I hope OH got on ok having his stitches out and you could park ok at the hospital.

Colin had his eye test and needs new glasses , so he's picked two pairs and can pick them up next Wednesday so not to long to wait but more expense as our Frank would say .

I have my yearly blood pressure, kidney check and diabetes check tomorrow at 9.15 so we mustn't be late up

How is your foot today Mel .

Good morning

There was a frost last night and it’s just 3 degrees this morning with rain expected later. Just when you think spring has arrived back comes winter.

I didn’t sleep much last night but I have no plans for today so don’t have to rush around. The chap boarding the loft confirmed last night that he is coming today but I have no idea what time. I suppose it might be afternoon if he has to collect the boarding first.

good morning all. 5 degrees here and raining so, yes looks like Spring has decided she is not ready to visit us yet Vera. Such a miserable morning and I had a strange night with keep dreaming and waking and then taking ages to get back to sleep all night.

I do actually have a coffee visit planned so I had better get myself out of the doldrums and get going. Being collected at 10.30 by the friend's daughter who fell last year and injured her shoulder.That was last July and it is still not properly healed, she still can't drive very far without pain.I have not actually seen my friend now for seven months, she doesn't live far (five minutes by car) But she is older than me (some are!!) and the weather has been either too hot or toowet when we could have (either of us) walked.

We do chat via email but it will be nice to have a proper catch up.

Enjoy your visit to your friend AnnG. A good old natter will probably do you both good.

Loft man has just arrived. He is quite large and the space is very limited. I hope he doesn’t get stuck up there, lol.

Morning all,

Woke to a dark and dreary morning so lay for a while its 8 degrees here and the sun has just put in an appearance.

Vera so sorry your meal out was a disarster and was'nt what you were expecting. It certainly flattens you when that happens. I do hope the anniversary one at the Barn is much better and you are more relaxed so can enjoy it.

I don't know what happened to yesterday I seemed to be busy all day. I did a wash and put it out on the line and it dried well in the sun and breeze so it came in and I ironed it all. So that was a good job done and out of the way. What else happened I could'nt tell you but somehow the day passed very quickly and I forgot to come back on here and read the posts.

Don't know yet if Stu is coming today or tomorrow yet and can't message him till later on as he dos'nt rise early with his Parkinsons.

It will be so nice for you to see your friend Anng and good that her daughter is picking you up. Nothing like a face to face for a good catchup on things that have gone on since you last met. Emails are not quite the same are they?

Vera hope the loft is done today and so you can get on with having the pipe fixed. You will feel better once all the work is done.

I now have blue sky with lots of white fluffy clouds but it did rain in the night and early this morning. Its also gone up one degree now to 9.

Mel, please send your blue sky and fluffy clouds down (or up) to me. It has not stopped raining since I got up and is horrible and dark again out there.

Yes, you are right, face to face is much better. I am so grateful for all my email friends but miss actual people on days like this.

Vera have you got a rope ready in case you have to tie it round his waist and pull him out like a cork. Hope he gets the job done quickly for you anyway. :-)

Morning all,

Sharp frost here first thing and I thought I might have to scrape the windscreen but by the time I had to go for my appointment it had all melted.
First thing she said was I'm cancelling your appointment for next week as it's for second diabetes check and you don't have diabetes.
She weighed me ,I'd lost weight ,did my blood pressure which was up a bit so I have to send in a week's readings ,took three tubes of blood and that was it so out quite quickly.

Just having a coffee and then I've got a few jobs to do ,I keep eyeing up the garden the weeds are beginning to grow but its to cold out there just yet to get on .

Anng it will be nice for uou to get to see your friend for a good chat and a coffee.

Oh Vera I hope he doesn't get stuck up there lol it will be a good job done then your plumber can get it all sorted for you .

Mel can we have a little of your sun please its just started to rain .

Its rained a bit here and I think its showers all day and sun keeps coming out and then in again. Still blue sky with white and grey clouds and they are coming your way Mandy.

It’s pouring here now and feels very cold. App says it is 7 degrees but the wind and rain are making it feel like -1. Brrr

How does the foot feel today Mel?

I’m glad you got your appointment done quickly Mandy. Stay in the warm for the rest of the day. I keep looking at our garden as well. It has been neglected lately but it’s always too cold or too wet to do much out there and, I must admit, I am very cautious as I don’t want the severe back pain to come back. I can cope with the ache and twinges that I’m getting now.

Loft man has just finished without getting stuck, though he did say that in the olden days they would have sent a small boy up there which made me smile. Next job is to get the plumber back and see if he will now go up there or find another one if he won’t.

Good luck with the plumber Vera. Maybe the lft man was thinking of chimneys :-D

Hopefully the plumber will say he can come and do it. It comes to something when they can pick and chose what jobs they doe doesn't it.

It was lovely to sit and chat with friend and her daughter for two hours. They were pleased to have somebody new to talk to. jean has four daughters so has not been lost for company while K had her shoulder injury. But we have a lot in common as well as our two OHs so it is good to see each other. They are going to get in contact later to arrange a garden centre visit. :-) :-)It has really cheered me up and the sun is just peeping through.

I pleased you had a nice time with your friend and her daughter.

I have just had a phone call from my friend Di's hubby to tell me she has passed away.
It was such a shock and Iv'e had a little cry. She and I got on well and she was 6 months younger than me. I don't know why her hubby had'nt told me how bad she was.

Oh I am so sorry to hear of your friend Di passing away. Was she I.l at all. I have a feeling that she was a local friend am I right. It always seems more of a shock when it is sudden like that and not really old. I am sure you will miss her.

Oh Mel I'm so sorry that's sad news for you , you've mentioned your friend Di a lot it must have been a real shock for you to hear that <3

I'm so sorry to hear your news Mel. As Mandy says you have often mentioned her so she must have been a good friend and you will miss her. Sending you a gentle hug <3

Morning girls,

Another lovely morning here and its 5 degrees with sunshine but pc says mostly cloudy so we'll see.

Took a little while to drop off last night even though I was tired but I slept well in the end withtwo comfort breaks.

good morning Mel and all, lovely sunny morning here. Makes me think I should make some sort of plans for the day, maybe go into town while it is not raining. I shall have a think about that. Slept well last night, got up twice. Straight back to sleep.

Morning ,

Can I have some of your sun please as its another cloudy start to the day here ,shopping day for us so just having a cuppa before we think about going .

Hope Ann and OH are OK we haven't heard from her for a couple of days <3

I was thinking that too Mandy.