General Chat

good morning Mel and Vera and alll. Sunny here 3 degrees and no wind so far. It is the wind that makes it so unpleasant so I hope that stays away today. Still got some gardening jobs to do. Still sleeping in that stupd sleep, wake, sleep wake pattern. Bed at 1045, awake just after 12, then awake for the loo at around 3 and 5, up at 0715. Might walk down to Irenes with a few books I have read. and I suppose I shoul reluctantly weild a duster a bit.

Morning all,

Nice bright morning the wind seems to have dropped and its shopping day, just having a cuppa and then we're off should be fun and games as I've just read the temporary traffic lights are off so it's a free for all .

Pond mans been and when he turned the uv on it came on but then it went out again. He had a ring to someone and came back to me and said that the bulbs had run out of gas and to buy new bulbs. If I want him to fit them he will come back. He did'nt charge me anything which was good. He was only here 10 mins at the most.

Another lovely bright morning here and it feels warmer without yesterday's strong wind. It seems much gentler today.
We are a lot aren't we with our erratic sleep patterns.
I was awake for the loo about 1.15, but didn't get back to sleep until gone 3.
As I don't drive, I don't let it bother me if I'm a little tired the following day, but a full night's sleep would be good......

Ann you do keep Irene supplied with regular books. It's really good that she is within walking distance for you to do that.

Lovely that the coffee mornings are still going strong Vera. I think it's great that your little group meets regularly. Have a good chat.

Mel, How is your foot now? Is it more comfortable and stronger yet?

Annx It seems that you are always busy with planning ahead for various projects. It's all gradually getting sorted though, so that's good. Does OH have more meetings scheduled in the summer term.? I go back to school next Tuesday. They had OFSTED visiting recently, so I wonder what were the findings.

Good luck shopping Mandy. I hope the traffic is not too bad. My girls bought some really nice vegetables yesterday in Aldi and I think Lidl. Some of it was only 8p and looks really fresh. Our nearest Aldi has a good turn over, so I have always found their veg. to be good quality.

We have voting locally today.I'm not sure if there is much to choose between the candidates, but I will have another read of their leaflets and go round to the polling station later. I don't bother about particular parties, rather who seems to be best suited to tackle local issues.
Must go out shopping and find some yellow and white flowers to help decorate the local church for Easter. Most of the right colour garden flowers are dead or passed their best. If I buy daffodils in tight bud, they will have chance to open at home before I need them.

Gwyn the books I take to Irene have mainly come from her in the first place. Once a month she and her husband have a large book 'exchange' stall set out under a tent put up on her drive. Usually three large tables full of books which are taken by people and mostly returned. It is not compulsory to take them back as people are also giving her other books. She always syas to take five or six books which I usually do. They started this, which also includes jigsaws, during Covid and found it so popilar that they have continued.

What a great idea Ann.
It's obviously something which local people enjoy.

the other day when I was there when they were setting up, I asked them if the time would come when it became too much for them. they said, as long as they were able to do it and as long as people continued to want it, they would continue. The are Salvationists and collect loads of different things for all sorts of charities (Including the Butterfly Garden I mentioned yesterday.)

I have faffed about all morning and then had lunch did a bit of weeding round the rockery bit and the ivy under the box hedge has come onto the little garden bit so I was pulling that out. I have to dig some more little bits of ground elder out too as thats spread again. I must go to a garden centre and get one of those touch weeder things as its all inbetween my plants.

Thank you Gwyn my foot is much better now and I would say it is completely healed now.

I have cleaned the kitchen windowsills and now I need to do the windows and then some ironing .

Did the ironing not the windows as I had backache. Have done some family search this afternoon.

Em called in and brought me Lindt Gourmet eggs, dark choc with a whole hazel nut inside. Had a look in the packet and they smell lovely I think thye may be in a soft choc inside. She had a dozen and a half eggs and I gave her three packs of jelly sweets for the boys.

A couple of weeks ago at our Thursday coffee meet there were only 5 of us there and we were each given a voucher for a seniors special - 10% off the price of our drinks and a free cake each, for use between 10 and 12 today. So that was a nice extra. There were 9 of us there today and a staff member came over to our table to offer a second cake to the five of us who had already had one and to give a cake each to the other four with us who didn't have vouchers, which was nice of them. The coffee shop is above Sainsbury's so we bought fresh veg and salad stuff while we were there.

After a late lunch OH dozed and read but I thought I ought to get on with something useful and, as the sun was shining, I spent an hour or so in the garden. It was mostly weeding and a bit of general tidying up. There's a horrible creeping weed taking over the garden. I remember my Dad always called it Chickweed but I am pretty certain it isn't Chickweed. I know it's quite common but I just can't put a name to it. My tomatoes aren't quite ready to pot up yet but are at last starting to show some proper leaves. All six of the seeds you sent me germinated Mel so I was pleased about that.

Today would have been my brother's birthday. It's also the birthday of a lady who used to be very much a part of our local social group but over a few years became very forgetful and sometimes quite strange till eventually she had severe dementia and had to go into a care home. Now she is forgetting how to do anything for herself to the extent that she is now incontinent and has to be totally cared for by the staff. It's such a cruel disease and devastating for the family as well as the sufferer.

That's not a very cheerful topic to end on so I'll leave you with a smile :-D. Sleep well everyone.

Good morning all. Had a good sleep last night so didn't go back to sleep after getting up for the loo at 0545. 9 degrees here apparently, no rain though. Maybe we will get a shower today.
Good Friday brings back lots of memories of my young teenage years. Early years all free church Sunday School children would meet in one of the free churches for a morning service then as we left church we were given a hot cross bun each. Remember this would be 1950 to about 1954 when treats were still few and far between post war. As older teenagers aged 14-16 we would go to church, for once dressed in trousers, (maybe jeans if we had the money to get them, (I was not allowed jeans they were 'common' according to my Mum). We would then set off for the youth club (church) cycle ride into the Meon valley. No traffic to speak of in 1954-7.
In those days Good Friday was like Sunday no shops were open.
These days it is more of a gardening day I think. And probably Garden Centres do well as people prepare for Easter sunday when they are not open.

Morning Anng and all,

Raining here this morning and dull and dreary its 9 degrees and pc says rain all day.

I am not going to the B B Q today as I have an upset tummy and don't want to give a bug to anyone there or stray too far from the loo. I was so looking forward to it as well.

Was adding to my tree yesterday something I hav,nt done for a long while.

I can remember having hot cross buns on good Friday for breakfast when young. Its never a good day for me anyway as my dad died on Good Friday. I never had an Easter Egg hunt as a child but did get a few eggs from people like mum and dad and nans and grandads but the thing is I did'nt eat chocolate or even sweets when I was young. Em told me yesterday that Sam get £10 and he goes up the local shop and spends the lot!!! I can remember wehn my pocket money was sixpence and then it went up to 1/- but I did'nt spend it it would go straight in my moneybox.

Hope you can get rid of that bug soon Mel. Can't imagine where you caught that though as you don't really go anywhere. Any ideas?

I did have Stu over this week and he kept wiping his nose. I seem to have a bit of a headache now and no energy and I'm cold. Got the heating n and pc says heavier rain soon and 9 degrees still.

Sounds like a cold affecting your stomach then Mel, hope it goes away as quickly as it has appeared. Stay in the warm and take it easy.

Vera, that was nice of the cafe to give you vouchers. they must appreciate your regular custom.Sorry to hear that your poor friend has deteriorated. sometimes getting old and having friends in the smae age group is a blessing, and sometimes it is just sad.

Drizzle here now so no gardening today I think. and I really, really don't feel like H/W. I have had a flick through the small wardrobe that has mainly summer tops and the few dresses I own in it, pulled out a few I am not going to wear but it really needs going through a bit more thoroughly. the hardest thing is locating carrier bags to put things in these days.

Afternoon all,

Nice and sunny here , the wood delivery came its all barrowed round and all stacked away.

Mel I hope you soon feel better but just keep an eye on how you feel as it could be related to having that tic , the nurse said if you have any flu like symptoms to go back ,

Nearly lunch time already where has the morning gone

That is true mandy, well done for remembering. See how you feel Mel and consider if you need to contact somebody. Maybe a pharmacy that is open.

Mandy it is supposedly 12 degrees here but it has drizzled so is wet underfoot and when I went out into the garden it was really cold.

Mel, I hope you soon feel more comfortable and more settled. It certainly might be worth getting some further medical advice.
You brought back memories talking about pocket money.
For a long time, I had 2d per birthday for pocket money given Friday or Saturday.This meant that even at 15 years old, I had half a crown, but soon I was able to add to that with a weekly Wednesday evening baby-sitting job looking after 2 little girls, who were usually in bed, but not asleep, when I arrived. I was paid 5/- for this and thought that was great.
We soon learned to make money go round.

AnnG,
For just carrying things to a charity shop, I use tear-off pedal bin liners with tie tops. They are large enough to get quite a few clothes etc. in and then hopefully can still be used for their intended purpose.

Good idea Gwyn. I do urilise the bags that new toilet rolls are delivered in but I actually have some bin bags that don't fir my bin so that will be useful. Thanks for that.

Afternoon All,

Warmer and less windy today, but still no rain.

Yes don't leave it long Mel and as Mandy said it could be related to the tick bite and also having the tick attached so long. Did the nurse check you over, ears etc? With Devon having above the England average for tick infections you need long sleeves and something like Deet on in the garden as they are most active now. You were lucky as I only ever had just one easter egg. OH, whose grandmother lived with them, said they had several they all shared, so he didn't have his own.

Gwyn we use charity bags that are pushed through the door that we don't use at the time to carry clothes etc to the charity shop, as they have handles to tie as well. It makes the job easier doesn't it. Like you I can remember having sixpence a week pocket money that rose to half a crown by the time I left school. I remember at age 15 I would get an extra half crown by washing dad's car and the little van on Sunday mornings. I can remember me and my friend taking ages in the little shop near where we lived deciding which flavour penny chews we would buy. We would save enough to go to the swimming baths at age 11 though and then when older I would save mine for a fortnightly riding lesson. We would supplement our pocket money by collecting any pop bottles we saw lying around and taking them to the shop to get thruppence back on them.

It sounds like you are well stocked up with wood now Mandy and all stacked away by your helpers.

AnnG I was thinking once I got part way through some of my sorting that I should have ditched more things. Maybe next time! Behind the bed is a 9 inch wide shelf across between the built in wardrobes that lifts up to reveal storage I thought would be handy for spare pillows or duvet. Yesterday I found it was mostly full of more tops to sort, some of which I'm ashamed to say came with me from my previous house 25 years ago! I said to OH that I have far too much stuff to take with me if I went into a care home. We took yet another two bags to the charity shop yesterday, so it is gradually reducing. I've found some dinner plates to take next time as well. They haven't really been used but are much too large for us.

How lovely that you got those vouchers at your Thursday meet up Vera and seconds of cake as well! It's a shame about the friend with dementia. FIL became incontinent the last few months too and it is horrid to see the deterioration. He liked the home, but some were really anxious and stressed. One man would follow me around asking If I'd come to take him home. It was so sad. Your creeping weed doesn't have little yellow flowers does it? We have one that came from nextdoor's lawn when they had one and I've battled it every year since. We have some chickweed too.