General Chat

Well it's blue skies here at the moment but the wind is really picking up now.James's shirts are blowing nicely on the line.He got home about 11.45 just as I was about to leave.

Ann and I had a lovely time with Fitz.The restaurant was very busy as usual .It's a very popular place for lunch.Ann and I had the same starter.It was Lemon and Dill Rosti with Goats cheese...I had to give my cheese to Fitz as it was far too strong for me and I don't really like Goats Cheese.Oh yes there was a Poached egg too :-D
I think Fitz had a Potato and Chorizo salad.
Then for the main course,I had Wild Mushroom and Walnut Gnocchi .(It was very filling)
Ann had Chicken but I can't remember what came with it.I am sure she will tell you.

For Dessert both Ann and Fitz 3 balls of very rich ice-cream.I think Anne had Cherry and Almond.Fitz had the selection of the Cherry and Almond,Baileys and a Mango and Passion Fruit. I was too full for any pud so just had a little taste of the ones Fitz had.
I think we must have almost been the last customers to leave.It was all very nice.

Then it was just a few steps to the car park..Ann's new car is amazing !!!!.The moulded roof just so stylish and styled so the rain water run down through the middle on the back ..no back wiper !!!..All very clever.Fitz couldn't believe how clean it was LOL
You should see the state of his !!! (the inside that is).

So no food for me tonight Chris and James have a ready meal. James is getting sorted for going back to work tomorrow .He has had a whole week off.Loved Stockholm and says he thinks it would be a beautiful place in the summer.BUT SO EXPENSIVE.More so than London.They did have to go over budget.

Jess will be here tomorrow night until Sunday,and Janice and Larry are coming on Sunday for the day ,so a full house :-DI musr remember to take out the leg of Lamb from the freezer at some point..How long will that take to defrost? Any help welcome please :-D..I have never cooked a whole leg of Lamb before :-S

Frank the Menu had changed so no Leg of Rabbit on the menu !!!!!!..There was though a Rabbit and Chicken Terrine..I have a feeling that you know who has had his fill of Rabbit for today.He is fast asleep in the summer house with a tale tale red streak at the side of his mouth!!!..He obviously didn't wipe it properly :-S

I hope it has all gone smoothly today for Gill and not too much muck.

Only 70 miles since the last MOT !!!!..Crikey.I'm not surprised it needed nothing doing Mel.I am sure we really could get by easily with just one car now that Chris is retired.But I have to admit it is handy having the 2.My Sister and BIL have had to go down to one car.It is difficult when you have been used to 2 ,but it was going to cost Larry £2000 to fix his and because it had so much milage it just wasn't worth it. They manage though with good planning :-D

I just dashed out to get those shirts in as we have just had the first of the rain.It didn't last long and it is blue sky again..But it's not going to last .My hair now looks like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards with the wind :-S.....I'm having it cut tomorrow afternoon.It's grown so much in the last 5 weeks :-0

There is a dead Badger in the road just up from us :-(..Fitz and I nearly came to blows about whether Badgers should be culled or not.He was for and me against.
It is the first time in years now that a Badger has been killed on this road.

Evening all, Thought I would surprise you.

Glad you had a nice lunch Jane/Ann. it did sound very nice. Is it vry expensive ?? It might be nice to meet up with Alan Beddows and his wife there for lunch one day. We keep promising will will meet up !!

Mel. I thought we did low mileage doing around 4,000 a year. I agree with Liz regarding one car family. In my fit days I would walk further than 70 miles a year ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

We have just finished our Shin of Beef in a nice beef gravy. Ros always has a mug full to drink after her dinner. We had Mashed, Runners brussels, carrots and peas. I stewed some plumbs today, so Ros will have some of those as afters.

Ros went into see Val next door with a bunch of flowers. When she fell she banged her face on the road. Her lips are like"MICK JAGGERS" (Val's words) she is grazed around the eye. Ros had a go at Tony for allowing her out by herself. We can see she's not a well woman, but he thinks there is nothing wrong with her. !!!

It's"Stitchery do" tomorrow, so I will be on my own again. 9.00 am to 4.00 pm.

I haven't been to the pub for over a week now. I was thinking of going down tonight as there is a match on T.V. (SKY) but I don't think I will bother. Master Chef is on tonight, which I like.

Hope everyone is well, we haven't seen Fiona. Jane is she allright ??

Frank it sounds like Tony is in denial about Val's health.She sounds like she had a really nasty fall :-(
The lunch at Ascoughs is not expensive.The food is quite exceptional and the service is great.I think for 2 courses it is £11.95 and for 3 courses £13.95.If you just google Ascoughs ,Market Harborough it will show you the different menus for Lunch and Dinner.I think you would really like it.They don't have a car park,but there are 2 very nearby.The Menu changes every month.

Haven't heard or seen anything from Fiona .Hopefully she is still improving with the 'head trouble'.

Still blue sky here.I can't even see one cloud now !!!

Evening All,

Well we had a lovely lunch together and a good old chinwag and plenty of Family History talk ! Jane's new car is smashing, so big and roomy and it's a lovely blue colour. I think I would need a step to climb in! lol

This is what I had Mel.......
Lemon & Dill Rosti, Spring Greens, Goats Cheese, Poached Free Range Egg, Sauce Hollandaise then Breast of Chicken, Polenta Chips, Crushed Peas, a sauce, veggies and twice cooked chips, then cherry and almond homemade ice cream in a basket with a fancy melted sugar decoration.

Fitz had something with a crispy pig's ear in for his starter! I'm afraid I'm not that adventurous with food. :-S

Only 70 miles in a year Mel! They are expensive miles when you consider depreciation, but I can understand you wanting a second car to fall back on in case yours has to be in the garage. We couldn't manage very well with 1 car yet, I've done over 3000 miles in mine since December and OH does much more travel than me!! Maybe one day when we both slow down a bit, but even then you both need to keep driving, even with 1 car.

What a disappointment with your teeth, you will just have to keep on at them until they get them right for you. At this rate you would have been just as well off with teeth that hadn't been made for you!!

What a heartless man Frank. You would think he would want to see for himself how his wife was. It was nice of Ros to take some flowers.

Anne, I'm sure it is helping David being able to talk to you about his mum. It must be a huge thing for him to have lost both his mum and his home.

I bet Gill will be glad if the loft is now done. :-) There's always a bit of mess with any job though.

I have had more contact about 2 other working groups to go to at the hospital. One is for people who have had any heart incident/angina etc at least a year ago. I fit the criteria for that one so shall go along I think.

Oh's car is not very comfortable thas why we use mine if we go out. I don't like driving it but it is insured for me to drive just incase. We could'nt really so without two cars living in the sticks cos if I break down oh can come and get me. We keep thinking about joining the AA but never seem to get around to it. Also our little man who does both our cars will usually come out and get us. His is only really used for his fishing and he has'nt been all last year with the weather like it was it would have been no pleasure sitting in the rain hoping for a bite. He says he is getting to old to do that now.

Poor Val seems to have really had a nasty fall with all the injuries she has. I hope she soon heals but I bet she will have an uncomfortable night with the grazes on her face. Bless her. Tony wants to get his act together and look after her a bit more. He needs to realize he will be worse off without her.

Sounds like you both or should I say all had a wonderful lunch once again and both you girls like each others new cars. Oh had his eye on a Nissan down Stewart's today. It is'nt practical to have a new car around here with our roads. He asked me if it was too big for me to drive. I don't like strong goats cheese but like the sound of the lemon and dill rosti with spring greens. Would also have like the rest you had Ann.

We belong to the RAC, which we do through the NFU. It was a life saver when Ian was ill, and the car played up. They were so good and kind, and very helpful. I'd thoroughly recommend them.
Cold here , Dr's appointment first thing, then we're out for the day to see the family.

Morning all,

My dad was with the RAC Liz. I remember when he got his badge for the front of the car and how when we passed an RAC man whilst on the road he would salute you.

Bright morning here with sunshine and clouds and a very cold wind. We had hail showers yesterday evening on and off all evening.

Have'nt seen a hog for days but the food is going so I am not looking at the right times.

Hop ethe doc's apponitment goes well Liz and you enjoy your day with the family.

Morning Liz and all, Evening Kim,

We use our Tesco vouchers to pay for the RAC. We have the full "MONTY" and the vouchers are valued at 4 times their face value. i.e £10.00 voucher worth £40.00 in RAC cost. Very usefull and it's not HARD CASH going out.!!!

Last night 7.15 pm I could hear next door neighbour moving around (VAL) when I looked out his car had gone. So he went to the pub and left her on her own. I heard his car come home after 10..00 pm. So not a lot of care going on there. :-( :-( :-(


I suppose I was lucky regarding cars. A new one every THREE MONTHS, as part of my job, so I kept Ros in a Part Exchange that didn't cost a fortune. Just as her runabout. My car was fully insured for her to drive by the Company as well.

Jane I have been looking at the Hasslebank Potato's. I think I will have to try them, they look quite nice. Do they work with most types of potato ??

Not very nice here this morning, I put my nose outside and it's windy and cold. So I know where I will be.!!! There's a few spots of rain in the air now.

Stay dry, see you later.

Didn't see you there MEL, GOOD MORNING TO YOU !!!

Yes I am here Frank.

I just went out to feed the birds and on the way back I opened my top door of the shed, peeped inside for a couple of solar light holders and inside one was a great big bumble bee. It was still alive so I got it out with a stick which it held on to and put it on the window sill where I thought it may warm up better. I put a blob of water near it thinking it may be thirsty but it took no notice. Then I went and picked it a daff flower head and placed it by it. It walked straight into the flower and had a feel around and c ame back out and over the top of the trumpet. Then it stuck its Proboscis out and started licking the top of the trumpet which was wet and then it went back inside the trumpet. I also put a flower down near it that I had opened out the trumpet incase it could'nt reach inside as it is fatter than the trumpet.

At least I have done all i could for it and it is out of the bitter wind in my shed.

You are a little hero Mel,I often find a bumble in the conservatory. They must come in when one of us goes out the door. I like you put them on a stick and let them out.

Still a very drab day here, I have just been to the bin and the drizzle is horrible.

Afternoon all

Well, the loft has new insulation now, the men turned up an hour and a half late and then took another hour and a half to do the job. I slept all afternoon yesterday after the men had gone. I must of needed it with not having much sleep all week as I slept for 5 hours.

It sounds like you had a lovely lunch Ann and Jane, hope the weather was okay for you both? It was terrible here yesterday, very windy, heavy rain and hail which started late afternoon and carried on into the night. We had some heavy rain early in the day but thankfully it cleared up by the time the men arrived, so in a way, I was grateful they were late, had they been on time all the insulation bags would of got wet as they brought them in.

Sorry to hear about Val, Frank, her husband doesn't sound very nice does he? How are you after your fall, hope you are feeling better now? At least you have the date for your appointment about your knee now, so not to long to wait, then you'll know what needs doing and when. Ros is keeping herself busy by the sounds of it, does she ever stop? I thought I was bad, but she puts me to shame with everything she does.

Have you had your teeth sorted yet Mel, it sounds quite a palaver all this back and forth to the dentist and still not getting anywhere?

It's nice that David feels comfortable talking to you about his mum Anne, it must be hard for him at the moment.

Hope your doctors appointment went okay for you Liz and you've had a good day out.

So you were nearly painted as well as the fences then Mandy? Is there much more to do or are the fence panels up now?

I bought an ottoman the other day from a charity shop for Sandra to put some of her things in, so I'm going to sand it down and give it a lick of paint for her tomorrow. Hopefully it'll be big enough for her. It was only a fiver which I thought was a good price and we already have the paint in so it should look good as new for her soon. I also found lots of bits for a light up arrangement she wants me to make for her, all I need now is some twigs to attach the lights to then she can put it in her room. She has decided to stay in the smaller room as she can get more storage in there, rather than moving to the bigger room with a bigger bed and less storage. To be honest I'm glad she's decided to stay in the smaller room, it's much warmer in there for her in the winter.

I recorded the Viking programme the other day so might watch that this afternoon. I've hurt my neck lifting all the heavy boxes so need to rest it now so I can go through the boxes to sort them out. I've got two rooms full and a garage to go through, so I need my neck to stop hurting so I can get on with it.

Going to get a cuppa now, see you all later <3

Good day Everyone

Pleased to hear your loft insulation has been successful Gill without any problems.
You had a bargain with the ottoman for Sandra, I expect she is looking forward to putting her treasures in it.

Ann and Jane your meal sounds really nice, glad you enjoyed having a good chat did you originally meet up through Genes? I don't think I live near to anyone on here. When one of Peter's brothers was an RSPCA inspector he was very into the Badger population and took men to court several times over Badger baiting.

Frank, I do feel sorry for Val having such an uncaring selfish husband. It's a good job she has you & Ros as such good neighbours.

David has booked his next visit to Chile so he is there for a month over the Christmas period, when he booked there were only 7 seats left on the airline. He will arrange to have the things he has in storage to arrive when he is over there.

Mel I hope the bumble bee survives with your help. It does sound as if you should change dentist, you shouldn't have to be in discomfort for so long. Is your old lady chicken still enjoying her new lease of life? One of my great nephews who lives in Leominster has a weekend job collecting eggs for the market, there are a lot of chickens which are free range but also have large barns for shelter where they are fed, a couple of weeks ago he asked Bo his grandma how many chickens she thought would have chosen to go outside, bearing in mind there are about 6,000 of them she guessed about a third, Kieren said there were 16 !

It's pouring hard here at the moment as it has been on and off all day. I went through my freezer this morning and threw out a lot of stuff to make room for the Sainsbury delivery. I have just heard a very loud clap of thunder which has upset the cats. :-( :-(

All done then Gill, that's another job you don't have to worry about. Try to take things slowly, Rome wasn't built in a day !!!!

Jane I thought you were going to the Beckworth not Mk. Harborough. It was the Beckworth I would be meeting Alan Beddows at.

It's all happening here, I said Ros took Carolyn for a blood test yesterday. The doctor rang her this morning and told her to get to the hospital A.S.A.P. Sally another friend took her. When Ros came home from Stitchery Do. She rang to see how she got on. She is still in hospital. She has kidney problems also trouble with blood pressure. She is very dehydrated also. She is still on a drip, and might be allowed out later. Sally is still with her. If she comes home tonight, Ros has to take her for another appointment tomorrow. Regarding next door. Ros rang to she if Val was allright after her hospital visit this morning. They kept her in for an operation on her wrist. It appears the break is worse than first thought. Tony will have to go and collect her when she is ready for discharge, NO ACCIDENTS HERE. ;-) ;-) ;-) well not yet :-D :-D

Jane I am doing your Hasselbank potato's tonight, with a side of ribs and sweet corn. If they don't turn out right I will BLAME YOU. !!!

I have started wearing one of the neck things, it helps support my shoulders and neck. My knee and hip are still playing me up. :-( :-( :-(

I see Pat has sent some nice photo's on F.B. I have been winding her up lol lol But she seems to give as good as she takes.

Afternoon Everyone

Frank the best potatoes for doing Hasslebacks are the waxy kind ,like the Charlotte.After I cut the slits I then brush them really well with Olive Oil with dried mixed herbs.They are yummy.

Anne,yes it was only through GR that Ann and I met.The first couple of times we also met up with Maureen when she was staying with her family in Bedford.We would meet up at a big Garden Centre just outside Bedford. Then Ann helped with the looking up of all sorts for Fitz.She did so much ,that Fitz took us both to Luton Hoo for lunch where we met the Historian .Fitz's ancestors had owned Luton Hoo(it was their weekend retreat !!!!!! )..Have you seen the size of Luton Hoo????..Ann has continued searching etc for Fitz and so this is why we all get together once a year.He is so grateful to her for all the hard work she has put in to help him piece together all sorts.

Fancy the flight to Chile in December being almost full already !!! Good job David managed to get a seat.

Gill,I bet you are glad the insulation is finished now..I think you need to rest up a bit for a day or two to rest that neck .That was a bargain ,the Ottoman.Sandra will be so pleased once you have painted it for her.Her room will look very pretty when you have the lights sorted.You say that she doesn't like change.Maybe she will feel happier in her room she has now rather than going into the other one.

You must have one very happy Bumble Bee Mel :-D :-D..The things we do eh? I had one bashing itself against the window yesterday(Outside) It was a whopper.

I have been and had my hiar cut this afternoon..It feels and looks so much better.I took a couple of books and a map of Venice in with me to give to one of the girls who is off to Venice with her boyfriend in May.She was thrilled to bits.I am sure she will love it there.

A letter from Anglian water came today to inform us that work is going to start in the fields at the front(although a bit further down the road).It is the sewerage pipes being laid in preparation for when all the building work begins.So that means there will be lots of lorries etc coming up and down .They apologise for any inconvienece .Oh dear it is all starting now :-(

We have had quite a decent day here.Just one hail shower so far.I was expecting quite a bit of rain.I expect that will come sometime.

I have been a bit lax in putting Thomas out at night.He slept on our bed last night until 4.30..But I blamed Chris then for waking him when he got up for a wee :-).I let Thomas out and he came back in about 7.30 when James let him in.He then came back up to the bedroom and slept on the bed again until 1pm !!!!!..This is a new thing..sleeping on our bed.Mind you he may well sleep somewhere different again tonight.

James is picking Jess up at 9.30 tonight.She will have eaten so I don't need to think about feeding her .I expect tomorrow she will spend the day doing Uni stuff while James is at work..I say the day .It will most likely be just the afternoon as she will sleep all blomming morning :-S

Did no-one see my question about how long I should need to defrost a Leg of Lamb?
I am thinking if I take it out of the freezer tomorrow morning and put it in the fridge would 2 days do the trick? I will be cooking it on Sunday.

How heavy is your leg of lamb Jane? I assume it's a whole leg and not boneless?

You can't go wrong with the potatoes Frank..If they go wrong it is NOT DOWN TO ME :-D :-D 30 minutes in the fan oven at 180

Oh I hope Carolyn is ok.That would have frightened her being told to get to hospital PDQ.
Tony will have to get his a*se into gear now and look after Val.You would think he would want to do all he can to help.

Beckworth will be a good place to meet your friend.They do good lunches there .I don't know if you can book.If you can I would do it because the queues for lunch are very long!!!

I see Pat on FB too.She has a great wicked humour LOL

Blue Sky here :-D.It is a lovely evening.The wind has dropped too.....Thomas came in just now miaowing .Wanting food. No bunnies today ? He has gone again now.

What is this neck thing you are wearing? I hope it helps <3
Do you remember the shop called Mr Rays in Kettering Frank? It is in the Market Square.I see that planning permission has gone in for it to be turned into a Cinema and Restaurant !!.That will be another old fashioned shop to go.

Gill it is a whole leg with bone..2k .300gm

Evening all,

You posted the same time as me Anne, yes you are out of the way of anybody on Genes, but I have only meet Jane once and she's only 20 miles away.

The neck thing is what you see people wear on a plane, I am getting a lot of shoulder and neck pain, I think it's the arthritis, which I know I have got in my hands and knees. nearly said BOMPS A DAISY.II think myself lucky when you think of how some people are.

I did read something about another Cinema and Restaurant on FB. There is a chap from Kettering who posts all the time.I don't think I know that shop either.

Tony's car isn't at home. Either he has gone to pick Val up or he is down the pub. Ros has to pick Carolyn up at 8.30 in the morning to take her back to hospital. Carolyn has been told she MUST drink 2 litres of fluid before she see the doctor in the morning. She told Ros tonight that she will try to eat a biscuit. I won't tell you what Ros said.
;-) ;-) ;-)
She needs to start eating on a regular basis and eat food that is good for her. As John once said "Give her a lettuce and she is in heaven" She should come round here for her meals I would soon have her fighting fit.
:-0 :-0 :-0

Master Chef at 8.00 pm so I will say goodnight to you good folks, see you tomorrow.