General Chat

Evening all,

Hope Thomas's op went ok today Jane and you've heard that he is ok ,poor little boy must wonder what heck is going on , lets hope after all this it stops his wandering and he keeps home a bit more.

Mel i hope you can finally get your teeth sorted with the dentist after all they have had your money and you have ended up with teeth you carn't wear !!

So cake and squash today at the bead house Ann :-D i suppose it means you will
have to go back again to get the seashells to make the ear rings :-D


Another nice sunny day but not qiute as hot as yesterday , now it's clouded up and feels a little chilly so i have closed all the bedroom windows as it was really blowing through the house , it was hair cut day today so we have had a lazy afternoon.

Hope your enjoying catching up with your cousin Liz .

Bet our Frank is getting a lovely tan .

Evening All
Well I feel ready for my bed.It has been a rather stressful and exhausting day.
Thomas's op went fine.I picked him up from Northampton and brought him back to another vets where he is staying oven night. I didn't get to see the vet in Northampton as he was doing an emergency op.So need to ring tomorrow to see what this physio I have to do with Thomas.I didn't get home unti lafter 6.I got Fitz to stay for a bit of dinner.I was so pleased he came with me to get Thomas.He sat in the back of the car with Thomas(who was really sleepy and well away with the fairies).The traffic was horrendous coming back as it was bang in the middle of rush hour.Got to the vets and I think because Thomas was due more pain control we were put ahead of everyone else in the waiting room. So I will ring soon to make sure he is ok and then I' m just going to drop into bed :-D His poor leg looks just like a plucked Turkey leg :-(..Stitches are not the dissolvable ones so he might come back with a 'lampshade'. :-S
Not looking forward to getting all the medication into him !!!!.I think I might to wear Chris's garden gauntlet type gloves !!!!

Mel how did you get on today? I am off now.Hopefully tomorrow morning I will wake feeling a lot less stressed :-D

No news from Jane about Thomas? I do hope he's ok and that she could bring him home.

I could do that couldn't I Mandy. ;-) It's seemed much hotter here today and the garden could do with a good soak of rain now. I must put my plants in tomorrow so will see if I can get up early to do it before it warms up. Dreaded HW then and I must mark up my birdbox slates ready to take for my friend's hubby to cut on Friday.

I'm glad Thomas got through his op ok Jane sounds as if it's been a long day for you all, a good nights sleep and you'll be ready to get the young Thomas home tomorrow and then it will be fun and games trying to do the physio with him i think you'll need a good pair of gloves because he won't like being pulled about will he .

Ann our garden could do with a nice soak too, i have watered my tomatoes in the baskets and i see today i have one tiny tomato just forming and lots of flowers coming .
The sky does look funny out now quite grey so i don't think the rain is far away.

Back had a nice drink and they are better at the moment but I hav'nt eaten anything yet so we will see how that goes as I am just about to get lunch.

Well blow me down. I wrote the above before lunch and did'nt post it and went out in the garden after.

How's Thomas? xxx

Pleased to hear all went well with Thomas Jane, hope you have a good nights sleep now. Good luck with the physio, the gloves are a good idea.

Off to bed now, see you all tomorrow
Night Night

I have to admit immediately & warn you that the content of this piece is Irish orientated. So, if I occasionally throw in a pinch of unusual or deceptively descriptive Irish words (Begorrah! or Arrah, for example) - well tough!

'Closing Time' is a uniquely Irish concept – because like many of the Irish most familiar well-worn phrases, it rarely means what it says on the tin. Closing Time –and we're talking in the context of pubs, just in case you didn’t guess – would suggest the time that a bar closes. But that's far too simple an explanation of how things are done in the old country.

At the very least, closing time is the approximate time the barman stops pulling pints because of his sheer exhaustion. The boozy regulars then have anywhere between 30 minutes & an hour to sup-up before leaving the premises. That's standard practice. But, there are no hard & fast rules at Christmas time. Rules are made-up on the hoof.

Interpreted in its most liberal way – and here we're talking for the most part about rural Ireland – it's an indication of the time you should set out to the local for a few pints. For example, if closing time is half eleven, it's time enough heading out around half ten because no one in their right mind would be bothering with an earlier start than that - especially if you're going to survive to the actual time the bar closes which could be any time from midnight to the time a few other people might associate with going to work early. Gosh! That's a long comment! Sorry! Rewrite it yourself if you feel the need! I have better things to do.

Closing time to a younger generation is ‘shot time’, the ten minutes of the evening set aside for several fast rounds of 'After Shock' to help them move seamlessly into that portion of the night when they take on the appearance of passengers on a ferry during a very stormy night on the Irish sea.

The irony here is that they too only surface shortly before closing time, because they've been in someone's house all evening collectively attempting to rescue Russia's GNP through consumption of cheap vodka. So I'm told because I was never like that as a youngster. Lack of funds held me back then & still do now.

More than ever, when you go into an Irish pub at teatime – and this is presuming they're even open at that early hour – you might find a crowd big enough to fit comfortably in a green public phone box - there are a few left, I believe. But return to the same scene around eleven on a Friday night and it's like the last days of the Roman Empire, with pints flowing as though every day was Arthur's Day.

I was out for a few pints with a mate of mine recently – just a few; we're not the spring chickens we used to be – and by 9.30 we both knew we'd had enough to be happy and not enough to be fools. Or was that the other way round? No matter. So we decided to call it a draw and go home – with a lingering feeling that there might be something wrong with us, as we headed in the complete opposite direction to the rest of the entire population of the area.

To save face, we felt the need to tell people who we knew that we were just going on somewhere else, in case they thought we were contravening the age-old Irish code....never leave before you're firmly told you have to by the Police.

“When is closing time?” we ask, as though the end of the period during which it is legal to sell alcohol has to be the yardstick by which we measure our leisure time. But Irish people measure their social drinking capacity by working back in pints from 11.30pm. So if you think the others can drink more than you, it's better to give them a head start just so you can all reach the same level of anaesthetisation when it's time to go home, assuming you can remember where you live.

I knew of an elderly gentleman many moons ago who used to make his way to the pub in his donkey & cart. It wasn't the most comfortable of journeys with steel rims on the cart wheels and sandy potholed meandering narrow lanes with nasty protruding briars. Few fellow stragglers ever thumbed a lift from him.

But, the donkey knew the journey there &, more importantly, the way home so well that he needed no guidance from its owner or, for that matter, the use of a SatNav. So, when the chap assured himself he could not consume any more beer without spilling some of it, a few mates would gingerly throw him into the middle of the cart; give the donkey a little tap of a shillelagh to his posterior & off they both went homeward bound.

“Time gentlemen, please!”

Morning all and evening Kim,

It looks to be another lovely morig out there. I was woken up by the birds singing as the window was open. Forgot to take my last pill of the day yesterday evening and slept right through till this morning without a comfort break in the night to visit the white friend. Can't say I am really refreshed though as I still ache all over. Knuckles, toes, back, shoudlers and knees and some bits I did'nt even know I had.

I have, at some time , to go to Mole Valley to get corn for the chickens. I think its the pheasents fault as they seem to eat more than my bantams (10 of them) and my two chickens put together. They seem forever hungry lately and are always hanging around the back gate off the patio stareing at you the minuet you go out to do anything.

When I got up this morning and looked out the bedroom window there seems to be a pheasent that has hit the dust on the bit of the back field that oh has killed off with weedkiller. I shall have to invvestigate when I go to feed the chickens. I have taken a pic incase something walks off with it before I get round there.

Well I hope our Thomas had a good night and his owner too as I believe she needed a good sleep with all the worry of Thomas going missing and then being found injured and tearing to the vets this way and that. Whats on the adjender today then Jane??? Love and cuddles to Thomas when you pick him up.{ { { hug } } } thats a gentle cuddle hug. <3

You must all be very busy.............

We have baby wrens fledged. Robby looks like a vulcher as he has lost all the feathers from the back of his neck and up the back of his head. Also he dos'nt have many red feathers on his waistcoat. Think he may have mite but there's nothing I can do about it.

It was half a female pheasent left on the ground outside the bedroom window, legs splayed apart and bum in the air with tail feathers still attached pokeing up in the air. All the best bit has been eaten.

Hi Mel
Lovely day here again, I go outside for my morning cuppa but sometimes it's a mistake as I see things that need doing in the garden and then the time just passes me by. This morning I've been dead heading and measuring up for a patio I'd like to put in. The patio will have to wait until OH has taken the last of the hedge stumps out tomorrow when he's off work again. It's forecast to rain tomorrow and Saturday.....hope the weather man has got that wrong otherwise the garden jobs will come to a standstill :-(

Sorry to hear about the pheasant Mel, not a pretty sight first thing in the morning and poor Robby too, hope it's not mites and he's okay soon. Sorry to hear you're in pain today, maybe you could take it easy and have a soak in a bath, that might help <3

Talking of bath's I've just run one for myself as I got a bit hot in the garden, then of course I'll have all the washing to do.

Hope you had a good nights sleep Jane. What time do you pick Thomas up today? Hope he had a good nights sleep too.

What is everyone up to? You're right Mel, it is quiet on here today. Missing Frank, hope he's having a great holiday and Ros is better now <3

We,ve had lunch and watched Doctors and the antiques program. I upset oh when he was listening to something on the telly.

I am now goig out in the garden again to pot up 4 begonias into bigger pots and fill some more bags for growing things in.

It is so hot here again today but they forcast rain for tomorrow so I shall go to Mole Valley for the corn then.

Afternoon All,

How are the teeth today Mel? It looks like a fox got that poor pheasant....not a nice thing to find first thing this morning. Do you still see the little chick or has that gone too now? I bet those tiny Wren babies were cute. :-) How did you manage to upset your OH? Was he trying to listen to the telly?

You will have to take some photos of your garden to show us Gill.....before and after ones if you can! I know what hard work it is from doing ours so I bet you are done in by bedtime, especially with it being so hot. I'm always leaving cuppas in the greenhouse and usually some creepy crawly gets in the cup and that's the end of my cuppa then!

I hope Thomas isn't too sore today. Hopefully, Jane will be able to bring him home.

OH has just asked for a manager to ring him back from the bank dealing with FIL's account. He had problems and delays when they dealt with things after MIL died. It's over a fortnight since he took the probate docs in and the head office say they only received them today! When OH asked if they thought that was good service when there was an estate to be wound up etc, the woman said she couldn't comment!! OH told her he wanted to speak to someone who could comment then and asked her to ask her manager to ring him. He's not a happy bunny!! When he took the probate docs to the building society, he got the cheque the next day. What a difference!!!

Afternoon All
Well poor old Thomas is having a second night at the vets.He is doing fine but it is just for his pain control.We will pick him up tomorrow at 2pm all being well.I am quite happy for him to stay longer as i would be worrying myself sick if I was unable to get the right amount of painkiller down him.I know I will still have to do it .Chris will just have to help :-D

So one of your lovely Pheasants met a sad end Mel :-(.Not a very nice sight for you this morning.......Come on then ,how did you upset OH? :-D

Gill I think there might be some rain forecast for the weekend but don't think it is supposed to be too bad.So hopefully you can get some more of the garden done.
It has been another really hot day.They say even though it will cool down a bit it will still be muggy.
Chris is home now and enjoyed the Art Fair today.

Ann is this the same bank that sent you the hamper when they messed up before?
They sound hopeless.I do hope OH gets a call back from them and reads the riot act!

I must go now as I need to get some food sorted for dinner.Just good old Meatballs and Spaghetti(again).James won't be in until 10.30 as he has gone to London with his boss for some meeting.

Pleased he's making progress Jane. The vet will be able to inject pain killers, where as you and OH will probably have to do it orally

Liz, Thank you the pics of your garden it looks as if you have been working hard the lupins are so pretty and I wish I could have a veggie plot like yours. How did your cousins visit go? I hope you have had the same weather as we have here.

Jane, Pleased to hear that Thomas has come through his op. safely, when Timmy had his leg operated on our vet prescribed liquid pain killers to give him with a little food.

Ann it sounds as if the bank is out of order not passing over any funds due to your OH from the estate when I dealt with Mum's, Lloyds bank were very good and I had a cheque book just for her money right away.

Gill it sounds like you have been very busy again sorting your garden out.it's been so hot hear I haven't felt like doing too much apart from taking Amy out, putting the Sainsbury delivery away and weeding & watering the garden I have had a lazy day..

Mel, how are your teeth now. Not a nice thing discovering the dead pheasant poor thing.

Good idea for Thomas to stay at the vet another night Jane, at least you won't have the worry and can get another good nights sleep before he's home tomorrow.

It's been raining here this afternoon, hope it doesn't rain to much tomorrow as OH needs to remove what's left of the stumps from the old hedge so we can lay the new patio.

Mum called round before with my sister so we all went to the garden centre. I bought some lovely plants called viburnum shrub, but they are only small,not like a shrub at all, I've never heard of them before but they do brighten the place up a bit until I can really get stuck in with all the planting. I'll be glad when all the hard landscaping is finished, it's been going on for over 2 months now and we still have to sort out a new shed so we can have the garage removed and a new fence put in there. I just hope the good weather hasn't gone for this year and the sun comes back soon. At least it's still warm so that's something.

Sorry to hear of the problems your OH is having with the bank and hope the manager rang him and it's all sorted now Ann.

Big brother has just started and Sandra wants me to put it on so I'd better go, then it's an early night for me. I've been getting headaches with the heat and not sleeping very well lately so I'm shattered now.

See you all tomorrow
Night Night

Gill ,it's just the start of June..There will plenty of good weather to come(I'M SURE) for you to get to grips with your garden :-D :-D

Anne I will have the liquid med and also tablets fot Thomas.I think you just have to have the knack for getting mediction orally into cats.
I am off to bed now.It seems weird that am not having to go out to the back garden and whistle for Thomas.A few weeks and I will be doing just that !!!!!!!

Its is good that Thomas can stay another night and so be kept and eye on through the night. It gives you a little time to rest now before he comes home and the work starts again. I'm pleased the op went off ok and he should soon be on the mend now.

I did'nt get the begonias done as oh brought the old barrow down and swapped the wheels on his trailer for two off the old barrow as they are pump up ones and we had the solid ones on the trailer and it made it very bumpy trundlleing along. He put up four posts on it and two bars across so I can put netting over it. I have all my strawberry plants on it and have put an old net on it so the birds don't eat them.

The pheasent who had the one chick left came with it yesterday morning but next door had their field topped by our friend a farmer and when she came in the evening for corn there was no chick. Boo hoo........... and oh thinks the pheaset left in the garden could have been chopped up by the topper too and some thing had brought in in the garden and found there was nothing left on it to eat so left it here. I must admit it did look like it had been cut in half rather than eaten. Oh said if it was sitting it would'nt have left its eggs come what may.

They forcast rain for us tomorrow so maybe it will be cooler and the garden needs a drop of rain.

Off for a nice cooling shower now so see you all in the morning.

Night night.

Jane, I think it may take both you & Chris to get the tablets into Thomas when my Aunt worked for a vet she said one would open the mouth the other pop the tablet in and the other vigorously stroke the neck to make the cat swallow. Good luck when you try, I also think you can buy a little gadget that will shoot the pill in as well.

Big Breakfast.

The darkest demons of my childhood days still centre on the force feeding of cod liver oil on a spoon before being sent out into the wide world with a taste of poison on my tongue.

Of course, with the benefit of hindsight & keeping in mind the awful goings-on being reported in the media at the moment, I should be grateful that the cod liver oil was the greatest & only injustice done to me during my formative years.

The arrival of cod liver oil capsules was up there with the unveiling of the iPad in terms of an event that changed people’s lives for the better. Suddenly, if I swallowed fast enough and rinsed with cold water, I could enjoy an energy boost without the awful aftertaste.

Raw eggs also had their day, beaten to a pulp with a fork in a glass of milk and downed in one because. This too was good for my insides but I would never accidentally sip it in the mistaken belief it was a can of Coke. Edwina Currie's mention of salmonella in 1988 put an end all things to do with raw eggs. And not one of our laying chickens ever complained or demanded redundancy compensation. Extraordinary!

Porridge was the other staple part of the Irish breakfast at a time when cereals stretched no further than Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies. Weetabix, when it arrived, was cutting edge stuff – and as for those sugary things smothered with honey or chocolate, they weren’t even figments of someone’s imagination. Back then, there wasn't a need for a separate shelf in the cupboard for cereals.

The one common denominator, then and now, was that we were always told that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. We have new research which underlines claims that a good breakfast could hold the key to healthiness - if you believe everything in the newspapers & medical journals. I’m sure you do.
Apparently up to two-thirds of us skip the first meal of the day, when it fact we should be eating like kings and taking it easier later on.

Better news still is that chocolate cake is recommended by researchers from Tel Aviv University who found that a 600-calorie breakfast with proteins and carbohydrates, including a sweet treat, controlled cravings for sugary things for the rest of the day and kick started the body's metabolism.

So that’s the diet I’m going on. I’m clinging to the claim that a big fry, followed by chocolate cake, will ensure I’m not very hungry for the rest of the morning at least, and that I will lose weight in the process.

Bring it on! I’ll start tomorrow.