General Chat

Hi David nice to see you back. I also have upgraded to Windows 10, still trying to get use to doing certain things a different way than before.

Mel
OH has bought a PLUM tree, an APPLE tree & a CHERRY tree, so far we only have the cherry tree , and it was planted in the back garden.

Brrr chilly and and damp today, we had a trip down the Clyde Valley to the garden Centre's, had lunch then a bit of a shop around, all the shops are decorated with Christmas decorations etc. looking very pretty,

Just sitting down with a cuppa, ironing all done for now and I have just done a stir fry for lunch.

My husband's eldest sister rang earlier to see how our trip went, that was for over an hour she does love to chat bless her, its her 81st birthday tomorrow and I have never met a nicer person, she has had a hard life compared to a lot of people. She cares for her eldest son who is nearly 60, he was born with Rubensteins Taybi syndrome which is very rare and he is mentally & physically handicapped. She divorced her first husband because of his many affairs. remarried a lot later and is now a widow. Her younger son lives very close to her and she has two adult grandsons..

Jane, my son has a flat in Hastings and is very independent it is his own choice.
He has a lot of A levels etc including A level law but everything has to be black or white and he is unable to cope with change.

It's all very upsetting how it happened, he went for a holiday in Blackpool and didn't arrive home when expected later we had a policeman knocking on our door to tell us Mark was sleeping on Blackpool beach and had no money for his fare home, so we went to our local train station to cover the cost and he was escorted to the train,
however when we went to meet him , no Mark we were so worried but no trace or contact from him. We since found out he had got off the train at Burnley and never did get the full story, Still didn't let us know but one of Peter's brothers a retired policeman was working for the DHS and managed to trace his address for us through a benefit claim, he was then in a hostel in Manchester .I wrote to him and arranged for us to go up there with a lot of his things he didn't want to come home
or even come out for the day with us. We paid off his bank overdraft and really could do no more as he was over 21 at the time His condition was then unrecognised as he had an adult IQ at a very early age but was hyperactive and a very difficult child they told us he was the complete opposite of an Autistic child which we now know wasn't true,as he was a nightmare at primary school, way ahead of the other pupils, the local education authority funded him to attend a Ruddolf Steiner boarding school when he was seven, it didn't bother him at all to be away from home even then. We still haven't found out how he arrived back in Hastings as we lost contact again until Peter's youngest sister saw him and by then he had been living there for 6 months, she let us know and told him to get in touch which he did but even now will never ring us I'm the one who contacts him although he did stay over after his Dad's funeral for one night. He does voluntary work to keep him self busy but is a complete loner and hates to be out of his comfort zone.
He doesn't even want to come home for Christmas.

Thank you Frank for the emails I only got to see them this morning as they don't come up on this laptop. They did make me smile and I have forwarded some on to my friends

Goodness Anne what a worrying time you had with your Son and not knowing if he was safe and well.It is good that he seems to be fine in his flat and coping well.I understand that people with Aspergers find it difficult to to have relationships with anyone and tend to be loners.At least you know that he is fine and managing well on his own.You never know he might change his mind about Christmas.

I had to look up Rubensteins Taybi Syndrome.Your Sister in Law is amazing at her age to still be able to look after her son.I can imagine it must be very hard and also exhausting for her.Does she get any respite for a week or so now and again?I would think she needs to be able to recharge her batteries every now and then.I have so much admiration for Carers.I am not sure how well I would cope should I become one.

Sandra, my eldest daughter is special needs with moderate learning difficulties Anne. I'm her full time carer. My youngest daughter moved out just over a year ago, she said she was going on holiday to her friends but then text me on the day she was suppose to come home to say she wasn't coming back. We've only seen her twice since she left and one of those times was her sister Sandra's 30th birthday and the other time was when she came to pick up her Christmas presents last month. She says she can't get any time off work in November and December, so I don't think we'll ever spend another Christmas with her again. She works in retail and has done from the age of 15 and every retail job she's had has the same rules about holidays in those two months. She doesn't ring me or even text now, so I have to contact her. We talk online occasionally but that seems to be very few and far between now, so I know how you feel.

You asked about Christmas films Jane. Sk* have got a Christmas movie channel just started with nothing but Christmas films on it all day. Sandra thinks it's great. We spotted it yesterday now all she wants to do is watch all the films. Yes she loves the home alone films, I think the second one is called "Home alone, lost in New York" or something like that. I think she likes the snow and the Christmas lights the most. So long as she's happy, that's the main thing, I must admit I don't mind them myself and it's nice to watch them together.

We called into a garden centre the other day Fiona which was full of Christmas trees all lit up, Sandra loved it. Your trees sound nice. I have a plum, cherry and two apple trees in my back garden, although we have to be quick with the plum and cherry ones to get the fruit before the birds and squirrels get to them first. I even noticed one squirrel this year actually sitting in the trees helping himself. He didn't even bother to take the fruit away, just sat there eating until he was full LOL

Off to start dinner now
BBL

Jane, My sister in law now has carers coming in to help her get him up and put him to bed, he is unable to stand up now and his arms can't help support him anymore, He has a hoist to take him to the loo and wet room but if he needs to go to the loo she has to cope. We have all tried to advise her to take respite care for him but she won't hear of it, he is also very cantankerous and tells the carers he only wants his mum to help him.

My husband's family is quite sad from this generation as his next brother down from him, first daughter has Downs syndrome and apart from my Mark my youngest son Richard had a childhood cancer of the eye which had to be removed when he was just three years old as we had 3 sons in under 4 years it wasn't easy around then. Richard fortunately recovered very quickly and being so young didn't really understand what was happening , It did cause a few smiles the first time I had to remove the artificial eye to clean it as his brother who is only a year older thought Mummy had gone mad as the eye came out and shot across the room before I could catch it, I was so nervous but the hospital said the flesh inside the eye was the same as in the mouth. They couldn't show me how because the eye was fitted after he was discharged from Windsor and we had to go to London to get a match they even match the veins up, a whole lot of eyes were tipped on the table and I hadn't realised there were so many shades of blue.

Well I must give the cats their tea they were so pleased to see us home and all yesterday evening I had one or the other of them on my lap.

Evening all,

Nice to see you back Anne, glad you enjoyed your week away.

I didn't eat after my shower this morning, so started drinking on an empty stomach, which was not the best idea. After the football Tony bought me home, and I sat in the chair and had a doze. Ros came in about 4.00pm, and made tea with a piece of cake. I expect I will eat tonight, but not sure what I fancy.

The day here never really got started, dark and dreary all day.

Fiona, that sounds a nice selection of fruit trees. We have the massive cherry tree as you know from the photo's of the blossom, and a cooking apple tree at the bottom of the garden.

Next door but one has gone on the market today. £225,000.00 A young couple with a baby view this afternoon. How can they afford a home of that price ??? poor kids.!! When you think my first house was £1,685.00. and we struggled to pay the mortgage then, with a tiny baby. That's why we moved to Barton Seagrave in 1964.

We don't have SK# films or sport. I don't think I would be able to watch a lot of films, but with Sandra I can understand how she must like them. xx

Time I sorted out a Takeaway, what do we have tonight. I think an Indian would be nice.

LOL Anne thatmade me laugh about the eye !!!.....I have had a couple of experiences with false eyes.The first time was when I was a Nurse and had to care for a man who was unconscious .I did the bed bath and then opened the bedside drawer to get his comb to do his hair.....There in the drawer was an Eye looking at me.What a shock that was I can tell you.
The next time was when I was chatting to a patient who was blind.I asked him if he could see any light or shadows etc..His reply was "No dear I can't see a thing....I have 2 false eyes"....I felt so embarrassed .The thing was that his eyes looked so real :-) It made him laugh which then put me at ease.I just thought it was brilliant that I had no idea .This was back in 1979/80..

What pity your SIL refuses to have respite.She surely must need it.

I must get on with dinner now.Rib Eye Steaks,Mushrooms ,Tomotoes ,Chunky Chips and Peas :-D.....I am ready for that as I had no lunch.

Evening all,

What a dreary day it's been ,we have been in the garden most of the day but about half three the drizzle started so we came in ,we have got the new trellis up and i have cut lots of the honeysuckle ,it was so twisted together so i have really thinned it out ,there was so much dead stuff underneath too.

Nice to see you back Anne and glad to hear you enjoyed your time away
Your SIL sounds amazing , for her to be that age and to look after her son like she does i think that's true dedication .

More christmas films Gill :-D has Sandra seen the one with Danny Devito where he covers his house in christmas lights so it can be seen from space ?,i carn't think of the name of it now .
You asked about the Hog ,the wool he's knitted in is called Tinsel wool so that's what makes him look all prickly .

My tummy has been a bit gripey this evening i wondered if it might be the pears i bought ,i had one yesterday and another at lunch time :-S

It's lovely and cosy here we have the wood burner lit , the lights off and with just the flickering of the flame of the fire while we're watch the dancing .

Evening All,

The Servants series are repeats from 3 years ago Jane. I thought you watched it then too?...........but maybe not? lol. I remember they were very interesting.

Frank that distance for a footie match was nothing to OH. At the time he had offices in Wales and Liverpool he would visit in a day too so it was no different than a workday travelwise. Before he retired he would travel to Workington and back in a day for a match (about 460 miles) twice as far as Ellesmere Port from here. I went with him to Workington once..........never again!!! I was exhausted by the time we got home!! Thankfully, now he doesn't follow a club he mostly stays within 80 miles of home.

He went to a match at Solihull last week with his pal, who, (unlike OH) uses his satnav. Well, OH was really late getting home and when he showed me the map I had to laugh. They only needed to go onto the M6 and then M69 to get home, really straightforward and quick, but the satnav had taken them off the motorway to travel through Coventry (a bad place to get through at the best of times!) and then they'd got held up with roadworks for ages as well. OH wasn't a happy bunny!!

I went to a big garden centre near Nottingham today, but didn't get anything. They've revamped it so there are about 150 disabled and parent and toddler spaces in the narrow space in front of it so you have to walk a long way from your car now. Once you are inside it's like walking around Ik*a. You can't walk directly to what you want to look at and have to wind your way around everything. Even worse it means going up and down steps now to get round the end of the barriers of merchandise they've blocked the main routes with and which my knees don't like :-S When I came out and got in my car I waited a few minutes before setting off. I was parked next to a row of Beech trees on some grass and a lot of them had dropped their prickly cases of nuts and I noticed Pigeons were eating them which I never knew they did. They weren't daft either, they were looking at those in the parking spaces where cars had driven over them and broken them open for them!! A Squirrel was busy carrying them off to hide, but having a nibble of a few too.......a bit like me picking blackberries!.

I said to OH today that no sooner would we be finished clearing the house, making room here for things and selling them than we'd have to be getting all the Christmas things out and putting them up!! Knowing how he loves Christmas I was amazed and delighted when he said he dreaded the thought himself, that there would be no room to put our empty boxes for the decorations in the conservatory or garage this year and that he'd be happy with doing the minimum or nothing this time and just having a rest!! So it looks like it will just be my little icicle tree I made last year and some sprigs holly off our Holly tree at the moment. :-) lol

I am waiting a while longer before changing Windows 10 (download is free till 29/7 next year) I always think there might be teething troubles and see they are already apologising for an update bug today. I've also only just got used to Windows 8.1. :-S

It's good you are sorting more of your family tree Gill. It sounds like I would find the Outlet Village much changed now as it must be about 5 years since I've been. I'm glad you enjoyed the Alan Titchmarsh prog about Capability Brown too. It was a huge project wasn't it and made you realise what they had to do years ago without diggers and chainsaws and just wheelbarrows and hand tools. I rather hope Alan's gt gt grandfather worked for him too! I must go and see it like I said and take my camera! I pass the castle whenever I go to the retail park at Grantham.

I've just been reading through the thread, The problems some of you have

makes my problem (caused by my foolishness) pale into insignificance.

Evening all. I haven't read the threads yet so will read them later. Watching strictly at the moment

We have all the kitchen units in boxes around us. But they are going to be fitted starting Thursday. We are away Monday until Friday so I hope they don't let us down. My daughter will have the keys. The bathroom heated towel rail was fitted yesterday and the walls marked out for the kitchen units. So the electrician will know where the sockets will go. It will be half term next and my son hopes to come down from Kent. Also we hope to get the new settee. Delivered then I will sort some photos out when finished.

That's good Pat, you should soon be settled in properly.....enjoy your break.

Can I see the hedgehog too please Mandy. :-)

Yes Ann I loved the Alan Titchmarch programme. The machine they used to dig up and re-plant those trees was amazing wasn't it? I've never seen one before. It was funny though when the Duchess asked if she could move the tops of the overhanging trees out of the way when they were trying to drive under them, especially when the man said pretty much "It's more than his job's worth". I'd love to have seen her try to move them out of the way, how was she planning on doing it......fly up there LOL.
I liked the way they showed what it could look like over the years to come, pity none of us will be around to see it fully grown, but lovely for the next generations to look at. If ever you see it and take some photo's I'd love to see them please.

So your nearly there then Pat, not long now, hope the kitchen is installed for when you get back. Looking forward to seeing the pictures. Have a lovely time away.

The movie channel we watch on sk* Frank is a free one, they have a few of them so you don't have to subscribe to the whole movie channels. It's normally called True Movies but they have changed the name to True Christmas, it'll be changed back again after Christmas, but it's a great little channel all year round. I believe you can get it on freeview boxes too.
I miss read the price of your first house you mentioned and thought you'd said £1.65 MILLION, I think it's because you put pence in the price which I'm not used to seeing.......silly me LOL.

Oh Jane how funny those stories were with the false eyes :-D :-D :-D

I don't blame Gordon for not wanting to put up lots of Christmas decorations with all the sorting you've both done this year. It would be good for you both to rest and just put up what you feel you want to, nearer the time.

Did you get all the dates on your tree David. Wasn't that lovely of Mel to help you. She's ever so nice isn't she?

Well, I'm going to watch Casualty now with Sandra and OH, they are both waiting for me to finish this post, so I'd better not keep them waiting any longer.

Forgot to answer your question earlier Mandy about the Danny Devito Christmas film. Yes Sandra has watched it. It was called" Deck the Halls" and she thought it was brilliant.

Have you ever seen The Christmas Shoes? It's such a heart warming story, she's watched that one a few times and even has the DVD.

You also asked if Sandra was using her CD player now, no she isn't, she wanted one for Christmas she asked for one when I asked her what she wanted and is now made up that we managed to get her the pink one she wanted. To be honest I didn't think we'd find a pink one, but OH saw it in A*da when we were out the other day so I'm pleased about that, as we hate to let her down.

Hope your tummy is feeling a bit better now, maybe you had one to many pears earlier.

OH is watching the F1 show. I'm taking another look at my family tree until his programme's finished, then we'll be off to bed. So I'll say goodnight now and see you all again in the morning
Night Night

Morning all

I can't believe what time is it and I've not long woken up........lazy me :-D :-D :-D

Nothing much planned for today, just a bit of cleaning and the usual washing. Sandra wants to make the roast again now I've got her some oven gloves, she's looking forward to using them......I could get used to this LOL

I made a mistake yesterday Frank when I said that True Movies/Christmas was on free view boxes, it's "True Entertainment" but they do have the occasional film on there too, sometimes Christmas ones. Sandra finds all these channels and often tells me about them. She'll probably have us watching more Christmas films later LOL She likes the animal programmes too but I don't subscribe to NAT GEO like you do, so have to look around for alternative channels for her.

I've just looked out in the garden and all the leaves are starting to fall from the fruit trees, they have looked so nice this year, but before we know it they'll be bare again and winter will finally be here.

What is everyone else up to today? I'm going to take another look at my family tree later. The bit I'm on at the moment is almost finished. It's not been easy doing this bit and I doubt I'd have got as far as I have without the help of a 2nd cousin I'm in contact with.

Well I'm running a bath and Sandra has just told me it's done so I'd better go.
See you all later.

Morning all and evening Kim,

Another dull and dreary day here. After all the lovely sunny days we've had it seems so miserable.

Well our Pat is nearly there then. It will be nice for them to come home and have the kitchen all fitted. Hope you have a nice few days away.

Gill I found that movie channel two years ago as I love to watch Chirstmas films around the time of Christmas. I watched one last night I have seen before but just as it got interesting it finished and said to be continued!! I don't even know what it was called. Still they keep repeating them so I expect I shall find the other half in the end.

Mandy I recon two pears could have been a bit much in two days. They have that effect on me sometimes. Were they ripe or just underipe? I like the Willilams pears but still can't put the skin in my mouth and always have to peel them before eating them.

The tale about the glass eye made me laugh Anne. Bless. Jane's story too about the man with two glass eyes. You must have felt a right twit Jane. Also finding one looking at you from the bedside table whilst looking for the comb!!

I had one of Frank's and Ann's awful nights last night. Could'nt go to sleep and got up at 4.15am for a drink of water as I thought I may be a bit dehydrated. Eventually went to sleep but I don't know what time it was. Oh let me sleep till 10am but He did'nt wake me I woke on my own and got up. I did have a dream that the fox had had my chickens because I had forgotten to shut them in but there were dead ducks all over the back field too. mostly drakes. and oh had cut the grass very close to his workshop up the side and it was all nice and green except in reality it is all tall dead weeds. I was so glad when I awoke to find they were shut in safe and sound.

Oooo you popped in before me Gill. Enjoy your bath.

Good morning everyone

It's the usual Sunday here, my 2 granddaughters and Paul their Dad always come for the Sunday roast which is beef today with carrots, peas , broccoli and cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes and Yorkshires . Abigail the eldest will only eat peas and carrots for veg and no gravy[little miss fussy] she used to be called. Becky her sister is the complete opposite.

Their Mum & Dad split up a long time ago but are still friendly. Sue their Mum got married recently and we all went to the wedding. Richard took the official photographs for them. The downside of this is Abbie doesn't get on with Neil and I have to be very diplomatic when she tells me about it, she is 16 in November so a difficult age at the best of times. I am pleased that she feels able to talk to me about her feelings. Two weeks ago the police were involved because of an ex boyfriend she had blocked him on face book but he had contacted her school and asked them to arrange for him to give her a surprise by visiting her there,they immediately phoned the police who spoke to Abbie and now the boy is in a bit of trouble over it all. Fortunately he lives about 10 miles away so that should be the end of it.

Yes I did Gill. And I've thanked her. I'm thinking of padding it out with Aunts

and Uncles and cousins, maybe get it framed :-)

Hi everyone I live just off the A6 near Diamonds football ground.
I've just joined Wellingborough Fishing Club and at the moment just fishing at Ringstead as there is a great deal of water there, I take a couple of my Gransons there.
A childhood memory brought back to me the other day when I saw a downs syndrome lad walking with another child, when I was very young under 10yrs I started working in the market (Roman Road market in the East End of London) I used to fetch tea and sarnnies for the stool holders. There was a lad he had downs syndrome (didn't know that at the time) he showed all the new boys what to do,where to go and who to ask, we relied on this lad a great deal he also made sure we were safe, his name was Tom. In later years he show me where and how to get the barrows out and where they went for each stool hollder. In the very early 60's I started to work for Mr Brown the Green Grocery stool just in front of the pie and mash shop he worked there for years then he just stopped coming and no one could find out why, we youngsters owed a lot to Tom.
I'll tell some more of the market if anyone is interested.
Regards Harry