General Chat

How lovely Mel, I love anything to do with the Victorian era I'd love to see a photo of the Victorian sewing machine, even if it is all rusty.

Do you make clothes? If you do got any hints that might help? I'm looking at making simple dresses tops and skirts to start with, I think jackets and pants might be just a bit out of my expertise right now, since I haven't got a clue about anything at the moment. But you have to start somewhere.

I made pencil skirts when I was younger but have forgotten everything I learnt, so I'm hoping a bit of research might help me to remember things again. I do remember it being just three pieces of material with a waistband and a zip and button at the back, but that's as far as I can remember. I think there was some waist band interfacing that folded in half that you just ironed onto the material but not sure if they still make that anymore :-S

I like short dresses just above the knee with a bit of a flair on the skirt, but apart from that I've got no ideas in mind of what might suit me as I wear jeans quite a lot. It would be nice to look a bit girly for a change LOL :-D :-D. Can anyone out there design, the only thing I can draw is a stick man :-D :-D.

No help from me Gill. I wouldn't know one pair of scissors from a sewing needle lol

I would think the best thing you can do is go to a dress material outlet. They would know where you can get tuition and advise on a machine. I know Ros is very good with her sewing machine, but doesn't make cloths. They seem to be cheaper to buy from Tesc# and similar outlets. Have you thought of KNITTING. Now that should be easier for you.

After the very heavy rain last night, it has been that fine drizzle all day.

Ros has been sewing the children's blankets all day, I think she has made two or three. I know the machine has been driving me mad. :-P :-P :-P

My right should and neck is very achy today. I have had the HOT wheat bag on it for most of the afternoon, but it makes me so HOT.

I have sent you all a Photo of myself circa 1986. I was young ONCE !!!!

Pork spare Ribs tonight in a Chinese Sticky sauce, chips and baked beans. I can't be bothered to prepare a full roast.

Tony is taking me to our other pub tonight to see a match. So it will make a change from the local, which can get very noisy of Friday nights. The "WORKMEN" seem to congregate in there for a few pints after work. Us old 'uns aren't use to all the noise :-0 :-0 :-0

See you later.

Afternoon All
What a miserable day.The rain in the night was quite something !!!!.It is now starting again .Its heavy light rain if that makes sense .I hope it doesn't get bad as James is driving down to Jess tonight .

I have taken Thomas to the Vet this afternoon for his second injection so that is done now until this time next year.He wasn't so easy to get in the carrier this time :-S

Sewing machines !!!.I do not have one and never have.Well I did .It was an old electric one of Mums but I never used it and Janice ended up with it.I have no idea how I came to have it as I don't sew LOL..Just the odd button or loose hem.That is all I am capable of.I have dreadful memories of needlework at school.My 96 year old teacher still remembers a skirt I made :-S..it must have had an impact on her :-S :-S

Liz it sounds like you had a smashing time with your Son and his partner .Lots of good food ,drink and laughs.Just perfect :-D

Mel I'm glad you have all 10 Bantams..Lock them up tonight :-D :-D.Do you want us to remind you ;-)
Would it not be best to have a bigger leccy box Mel .hen you might not keep having all this trouble with it going off.I have to say it would drive me nuts if mine kept cuttoing out like yours does.We had a new one about 3 years ago.

I wonder if the torrential rain has caused any problems at pats new place.I have a feeling it was really bad down that way.Fingers crossed it hasn't slowed things down again.
Huh ! Thomas just came in all wet ,I dried him off ,he had a few bites of food and has now gone out again !!!.I don't think I am in his best books right now after our little trip.

I wonder how things are today with Ann's MIL.I hope she approves of new nighties Ann has got :-D

Well we haven't heard anything from Maureen at all now for blooming ages.I wonder what she is up to.Maybe has her builders hat on again :-D


Just had a break from typing this post as the phone rang and it was Larry (janices's OH).Ringing to tell me that Rachel,Will Finn and Amelia were just all set to go off to Turkey (flying at 7 this evening) and Will was getting their 2 dogs into the car to take them to kennels.He got them in but then Bo made an escape and jumped out ,ran into the road and has been killed :-( :-( :-(.....How terribly sad.The children were in a terrible state screaming.What an awful start to their holiday.

OMG Jane, how terrible!! What an awful start to their hols! It reminds me of the saga we had last year with Ruby (daughter's cat). Dear oh dear!
Gill, I used to be a natty knitter in another life. I made all sorts of things, jumpers, cardigans and even woollen leggings for all of us. Now, though everything is so cheap at various well known stores, I don't bother any more. I'm the same now with clothes, it's just less hassle to buy, even though I used to dressmake years ago, again for all of us.
The rain has finally stopped although it is very dull here.

I'm so sorry to hear about Bo Jane, how old are the children? Things like that can stay with them for a long time afterwards. Are they still going away? A holiday might help, but I don't suppose they're in the mood now :-(

No Frank, I daren't start knitting again, I used to knit everything when I was younger and took in knitting orders to make ends meet when the children were little, it drove OH mad with all the clicking of the needles......I think a divorce would be on the cards if I ever did it again LOL.
Thanks for the pics, it's nice to put a face to the name. I couldn't see you and Ros very well on the little pic on here. I liked the one of you in uniform........very smart.
I hope your neck and shoulder are feeling a bit better now?

You're right Jane we haven't heard from Maureen for ages, hope she is ok.

I hope Pat's new place hasn't been put on hold again, does anyone know if the roof has been put on yet, if it's water tight then the weather hopefully won't effect the rest of the jobs.

Off to start dinner now

So you used to dress make Liz, it's not that I can't afford the clothes it's just that they don't fit me properly, which is why I was looking into altering things that way they'll fit me just right and another thing is some of the clothes I like don't always come in a size 8 which is what I am now. I was thinking of buying some clothes from the Charity shop to have a practice on first until I become more confident. I have sewn skirts before but nothing else, so fancy learning something new.

Liz I remember what happened to poor Ruby :-( :-(
Gill the children are 4 and 9.Yes they have gone .Should be leaving Birmingham Airport in a couple of hours.I am just hoping once they get to the hotel in Turkey there will be lots to keep them occupied and that they will be able to enjoy the holiday.
My Sister has taken the other dog now for the week as her daughter didn't want to send him off to the kennels without Bo.So Janice now has 4 dogs !!!!!.Bo was one of these dogs that look like a crinkly hippo( I can't think of the name of the breed right now)
I was just talking to my neighbour on the phone and she said "where is your cat" she has 6 rabbits in her garden !!!!..I just said he was fast asleep in the summerhouse LOL and I am not going to tell him about the bunnies :-D
I think the rain has stopped here now too.I did manage to pick another load of beans today :-DStill waiting for the Runners to be big enough to pick.

Oh Gill, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't afford to buy clothes, I wouldn't be so rude, I was just saying that I couldn't be bothered to dressmake any more. Our Oxfam shop has size 8 on its rails, I was in there the other day and bought a very pretty pink and blue blouse, not a size 8!!!!! so I'm sure you'll find something you like in yours.

It's very hard to pin things in the right place if your doing it yourself. If you get Sandra to do it you may get a few stabs!!

I made trousers and shirts, ties and bow ties for my son when he was young without a pattern. Just looked at a little pair of trousers I had bought for him and made them the same as those in brown deniem for the trousers and brown gingham for the shirt and ties in both. The only time I have made anything to a pattern is at school I made myself a long sleeved shirt. When I lived in the cottage in suffolk I made myself a pair of shorts from a pattern and thye turned out great. We made our aprons and caps in needlework at school for our cookery lessons with our names embrodered on the front bib bit. Thats when I wished my name was Ann Day and not Melanie Hannabuss.

Jane what a terrible thing to happen just before going away. Poor Bo. So sad for all concerned. Janice will be busy with 4 of them now. It will be good for the dog to have the company of Janice's while they are away but it is going to miss it's friend when it goes home.

Hope Ann had a good day with her beading friends but I expect we shall hear from heer soon.

Very sad news Jane. Lets hope they can enjoy their holiday.

Off to the pub now, so see you later alligator In a while Crocodile WHO REMEMBERS THAT !!!

I do!!!!

Oh no Liz I didn't mean it like that, I know you wouldn't of implied that I couldn't afford clothes, what I was trying to say is that even if I find a size 8 the fit isn't quite right for me and still needs altering. You're right though, clothes are a lot cheaper nowadays, but I wouldn't want to ruin anything brand new, which is why I'm thinking of practising on something from the charity shop first. Thanks for letting me know they have size 8's. Sorry for any confusions caused.

It sounds like you were very busy with your sewing machine Mel, when your son was young, I hope I can make things, I can but try I suppose.

The children are quite young then Jane, hopefully the holiday will help them. That was nice of your sister to take the other dog. I think the dog you were describing might be a pug dog, does that sound right? I like those type of dogs, I think it's the big eyes.

Yes I've heard of that expression Frank, my mum used to say it all the time ;-)

I think we all probably remember that one Frank. :-D :-D
I said something yesterday when Fitz was here and he said he hadn't heard that for a long while.It was Bugge* Lugs :-D.I wonder where that saying comes from? Just think it trips off the tongue quite nicley lol.I think I was talking about Thomas and just called him that :-D

Gill , Bo was a Shar Pei .
I hope that once they get over the shock of what happeed that they will be able to enjoy their holiday .
James is just about ready to set off to Jess now.Once he has gone I will be off to bed.Chris has already gone.Cat is in and asleep on the chair under the dining table.I will go back to 'my' bed tonight and all being well Thomas just goes and sleeps on Hannah's bed :-D

No news from Ann yet today.

Oh, that's fine Gill, I wouldn't have wanted to have offended you!! I can well see that you don't want to practise on new clothes. My blouse only cost £3 99p, and it was virtually new, so you really can get some good bargains.
Time for Ripper Street, then bed!!!!

Evening all

What weather. Still heavy rain
I was at my sons near Dover yesterday. The weather was bad there we had a lovely storm about 5 pm

Jane you are right. My daughter Clare has been having bad weather her way
The roof still hasent had any more done to it but the floor inside has be started
Once that is finished the stud work can go up. I have spoken to Clare the wood for that has been ordered for next week

Because the insulation and other bits for the roof is inside everything has to keep being moved lol
Our solicitor or convayenser has been onto us about. 4 times in the last 3 weeks talk about the left hand not knowing what the right has been doing. They keep asking where the Boudry ends and what fences are ours. We have the deeds to,our house and they have the same info as us. The plot is just marked On it. We have no info in writing on Who's fence is whose. There is none on the orginal deeds.

They wanted us to get something started off in writing for the future with the solicitor. Costing about. £ 160. We said we are not buying the property and asking for the info.

Let the buyers sort this out with theirs. Iffpush comes to shove we offered to pay half. But we haven't heard anything back

I am so tired this end I haven't read the posts so will catch up with those tomorrow. goodnight for now

That was a bargain Liz, I managed to find a pair of jeans for the same price in our charity shop the other day, but again the waist is to big, my waist is only 26 inches and I think the jeans were about 27-28 inches so I'm going to have to try and take them in a bit which won't be easy as I haven't got a sewing machine, so will have to do it by hand. The jeans will be great for when I'm gardening. I was lucky they had them as there isn't usually much in the way of size 8's where I live, I might have to go further a field to find the right size in future.

I did buy 2 new pairs of jeans but they were size 13 years from the children's section as nothing in the adult range would fit me as they were far to long and far to big in the waist, so much so, that I couldn't of taken them in without them being very uncomfortable. So the children's ones were almost right for me. The material is slightly thinner so taking the waist in shouldn't be to much trouble.....I hope, as yet again the waist is still a bit to big.

It was my OH who found the children's jeans while I was trying on the adult ones. I've washed them today so I'm hoping they haven't shrunk as the length only just fit. I haven't tried them on since they've been washed, so fingers crossed they'll be ok. I always wash things before I wear them or try to alter them just incase they shrink a bit in the wash and to freshen them up of cause.

Off to watch Eastenders now, I recorded it earlier.

It's suppose to be nice weather over the weekend Pat so maybe something will be done so they don't have to keep moving things around inside.

What a palaver with the boundaries, I don't blame you for not paying £160, if they want to pay that's up to them, but you shouldn't have to pay anything. Like you said you're not buying the property, they are.

I think I've heard somewhere that the fence to the left is your responsibility and that applies all down the road so everyone has one fence to maintain front and back, but I can't remember if that is looking at the property from the road or looking out of the property. I'm sure your solicitor should know though. I bet you'll be glad when it's all over and you have sold your place and moved into your new one? I hope things improve for you soon <3