General Chat

Yes she was so young and with children too. Wish the sun was trying to come out here as its still dull and grey here.

The bunnies are running around the garden and the heron flew over when I did my toast maiden duty this morning.

That's TWO POSTINGS I HAVE LOST so giving up for a while.

Have been sending emails for sometime with no trouble, so thought I would try posting again.

Good Afternoon all,

Murky sort of day here. The forecast is rain, so I won't be able to get the lawns done again today. I tested the grass but it's far to wet.

My kindle has all the whistles and bells, but I haven't set it up, I just use it for my books 1,500 of them that Conrad loaded last year. It's great because I can start a book and if I can't get into it, I start another. !!!

Glad you have yours all sorted Liz, I wil have to send mine down to you, for Iain to sort out :-D :-D

It's the concert in the church tonight, so I am walking down with Carolyn about 7.00 pm. It starts at 7.30 pm, and is expected to be well supported, so we need to be there early.

I have managed to book Sunday lunch at a very nice pub for 1.30 pm. It will be nice for me not to cook on Father's Day. any excuse !!! Have any of you got plans for your OHs ??

I see from our calander it is my Grandsons 21 Birthday next week, but not knowing where he lives will be unable to send him a card. Ros brings their birthdays forward year on year. So I can keep check how old they are. Who knows, one day they might try to find their Grand Father. You can but live in hope. <3 <3 <3

My Nephew John sent my a photo of his new Grandson, born while we were away. He will be named "JACK" after my 2nd eldest brother who died in 1963. Aged only 47 from a heart attack.

Well I had better get my A##e into gear, and get showered and dressed.

See you later.

Afternoon all

Just to let you know Mel, the Tawny Owl video didn't come through, it was just a blank screen. How's your knee and hip today, hope it's feeling better <3

Pleased to hear your kindle is all set up for you now Liz, it sounds like a big job. I don't have one, which is good as I'm useless at setting things up and OH is just as bad LOL.

Sorry to hear you lost two postings, at least you got there in the end. Did you watch the England Match yesterday Frank? I heard next door cheering when they scored. OH was out all day so missed the match. I found the highlights on TV later in the evening so he watched that instead. If he'd have told me it was on in the afternoon I'd of recorded it for him. Never mind he's seen it now, although I went to bed and left him to it as I was so tired, I watched it this morning off the recording. Did you see the Welsh man crying because his team didn't win......a bit over the top I think.
Enjoy the concern tonight, hope the weather isn't to bad for you Frank.
congratulations on your Nephew's grandson. My granddad was known as Jack, his name was John. I hope your grandson does contact you in the future.
How nice to go out to lunch on Sunday. Sandra and I are going to make a meal for OH, hopefully all the frame work will be finished by then so he can just sit and relax, otherwise he'll want to finish that job before he's back in work, especially if the weather is nice.

It's sunny here today but it did go a bit cloudy before, thankfully no rain as our grass needs cutting so I'm hoping it stays dry today then OH can cut it tomorrow if he gets the time. I would cut it but I suffer really badly with cut grass so have to stay indoors when OH cuts it, or my eyes end up really sore, even if I've taken an antihistamine, I was the same with the hedge, so I'm glad that's now gone.

I've put everything back in the greenhouse this morning so that's another job out of the way. At least we won't need to move the greenhouse again until the area it's finally going in is finished. It's on our patio right outside our living room window (at the back) and it made Sandra jump this morning as she forgot it was there......bless her.

I'm hoping the weather is nice tomorrow so OH and I can finish the frame off for the screening we're hoping to put around the boundaries. The screening will go into the hidden garden to, so that won't be cheap. Not sure how much we'll need yet as I haven't measured it, but I know it's going to be a lot and take forever to put up. That'll be my job, although Sandra and OH do help if I get stuck. Some of the frame has been done but there's still another 30 odd foot left to do. I'll cover it all with a plastic membrane to act as a wind break and protect the wood, then I'll add the screening to that. Hopefully it'll all look nice when it's finished. Then I'll put the new patio down so we can put the greenhouse where it's going to stay......finally LOL.

I need to find some time to empty the front room so the new wardrobe can be put in there, when it's delivered on Wednesday. It's a flat pack which OH will probably do for me on Thursday when he's off work. At least I'll be able to empty my boxes then as the weather has been so wet I've not been able to do much in the garden lately and I get bored if I sit around doing nothing for to long. I like to have an indoor job and an outdoor job on the go at the same time, so if it's to wet to go outside I have something to do indoors instead ;-) ;-)

Off to watch the sewing bee now, I recorded it and have two to watch. Sandra is waiting so I'd better go.
See you all later <3

No Frank, I don't think Ian would want to set up another kindle! If you can connect it to your server then the rest is fairly easy. You can go onto the Help line, and they're pretty 'helpful'!! I've managed to add all the catchup channels I want and I've now just got to add all the pdf's and I'm completely sorted!!
I'm sitting outside in the sun and it's really warm, washing's dried well so just needs folding and putting as way.

Well I managed to get the front lawn cut a little while ago. It looks much better, I hate to see grass that's long and unkept. We have sunshine at the moment, so all being well (fingers crossed) I will get the back lawn done tomorrow whilre Ros is shopping with Martine.

You are "going to town" on your garden Gill. I am sure from all your and OHs hard work, you will have time to sit back and enjoy it. Mind you with the weather we have been having the summer will be over before we know it.

I was only joking Liz ;-) ;-) I may try to do as you say, but if I fail I will get Conrad to set it all up when he is home in August. Like Gill, I am not technical minded. How's Cas coming alone ?? She must be getting quite a big girl by now. Is she still under a "Training Programme" has she learnt as much as she needs for shooting ??

How's young Thomas today Jane ?? How long will his recovery take ?? He is very good taking to a harness, seeing how independent the little devils are :-D :-D :-D Give him a stroke from me.

Ratatouille with new potato's and pork chop for dinner tonight. I will get it a bit earlier tonight as we both have to be out by 6.45.

I can't believe we have more sunshine than cloud at the moment, So much for the weather forecast. :-P :-P :-P

Haven't looked at my emails since this morning, so will check what's been sent this afternoon.

Ros has got all the washing dried and ironed and put away. She's also polished through the lounge. I did the hovering. ;-) ;-)

Have a nice evening all.

Afternoon All
What a lovely day it has turned out to be :-D.Lots of sun and very warm.I took Thomas onto the grass earlier.He only pottered a few steps but just enjoyed lying in the sunshine a nd having a bit of a roll :-D. He has a lucky escape today.I was getting a bit concerned that he wasn't pooing so asked the Vet if I could have some more Lactulose for him.But I was told it was better I took him in to just let the Vet have a feel of his tummy.So that was booked for 1.30.......12pm he did one :-D :-D,so no need for the appointment. Frank it is a couple of months before he will be allowed total freedom :-S
That will seem forever !!.But he is being very good.He does sleep a lot.

This morning I went off to Geddington for get my hair cut.It had been changed from Thursday in Kettering.I got there at 11 on the dot only to discover my appointment is actually on MONDAY :-S :-S.So that was a wasted journey.I came home and decided that I had better go to Spec Savers and choose some new frames.I should have done it weeks ago.It is still buy one get one free on the frames,but with the varifocal lenses and one pair having the reactalight(wrong spelling there)the price was £315.Chris had to pay nearly £500 for his new pair last week !!!..Bread and dripping for the rest of the month LOL

Thanks Liz for the pics of your garden.It does look great.Lupins fantastic and all that veg.It looks like there is enough growing to feed an army !!!!

Gill,your Greenhouse must be the most travelled greenhouse in the world lol.How many times have you had to move it so far?.So Sandra got a shock seeing it on the Patio.I thin ki would have too even if I 'knew ' it was there the night before lol.

Frank do you take a comfy cushion to sit on for the Concert? I seem to remember last year you mentioned something about maybe taking one with you.
That was lucky you managed to book lunch for Sunday.Everywhere will be full.
We are going back to the Falcon in Fotheringhay for Fathers Day.Hannah is home tomorrow and Jess will be arriving tonight. I could only book for 12 o clock and they need the table again for 1.30.It will actually work perfectly for us as Hannah has to get to Northampton for a train at 5pm to go back to London. I just hope the roads aren't going to be too difficult then as the Ladies Cycle Race is Sunday .Last leg from Northampton to Kettering.We will have to check the route.

Gill I do hope the Michelle doesn't have to get rid of her internet .That would be a terrible shame for you.I'll keep everything crossed she keeps it. <3

The kitchen is calling :-S

Afraid we don't make anything of fathers day, never have!! I didn't even know it was this Sunday till I read it on here!! Just an ordinary Sunday in this house!
It's raining! would you believe it after such a lovely day, still saves watering!! Yes Jane, we don't reckon to buy any veg including potatoes from now till well after Xmas! neither of us are very keen on shop veg even from the Farm Shop where we usually get it. OH has just come in with a jugful of strawberries. I think the chap who looks after Merlin is having some, if it goes on like this I shall have to make some jam!

Jane, I loved the photo of Thomas taking a walk he looked very determined stepping out in his harness, he is being a very good boy especially as he was a real fan of out doors.

We have also had a sunny day, I hope you managed to do a few more of your jobs Gill you make me feel tired just thinking about all the things you have achieved in such a short time.

I hope you enjoy the concert this evening Frank.

Liz I was thinking of having a Kindle but still have so many books to read, I have made myself stop going into book shops for the time being.

The inlaw family members should be in Disney land now there were actually 17 of them going I miscounted. Naomi is having her 30th birthday themed party at Disney land and her Mum & Dad offered to pay for it instead of buying her a present, got a shock when they found out the cost was £500.00 . At least they won't have to repeat it as she is the youngest of their 3 girls, Now she has 2 little girls of her own.

Just been watching the Discovery History Channel showing Vic Reeves rogues gallery, He was talking about George Ransley a Kent smuggler who I have on my tree, he married into the Bailey family although not in my direct line his wife would have been a cousin back then.

Evening All,

It's been a nice day here too with plenty of sunshine.

Liz, my family never bothered with Father's Day either, nor did my first OH's family. Current OH's mother always celebrated everything so naturally Father's Day was included! I must say it has been nice not to have to wrack our brains this year for suitable presents as the occasion seemed to get bigger every year! On the other hand it does seem strange and sad at times that FIL isn't here any more.

This morning we were at the hospital for OH's results of his bone scan. It's 3 years since his previous one and the consultant says his hips are a bit worse, but still on the cusp of osteoporosis. He told OH he is used to seeing people who have lost weight and are bent over with a stoop but said OH looks disgustingly healthy!! He is doing more blood tests to check a few things including testosterone, but said looking at OH's head (bald!) and his thick beard growth, he doubts there is much wrong with that! Then he'll discuss the results and decide what to do if anything yet. We couldn't believe how little traffic there was this morning and got there so early we went and got brekkie in the restaurant first. :-)

Next he has an MRI scan and nerve conduction tests for the numbness in his thighs. He said when we got home today that his 'medical correspondence pile' is growing!

This afternoon (while OH was watching the footie) I went to Sainsbury's down the road. I'd nearly finished shopping when I heard a voice say 'Is that Mrs G I can see?' It was the electrician who has done numerous jobs for us including digging up those buried walls in our garden to put the wiring in for the waterfall. He's the one who likes a chat!! Well, the poor man has had to retire altogether now as he has had his 3rd heart attack over the bank holiday. He's had some stents done, but needs an operation soon to have a blocked artery cleared. His wife was with him and we chatted and had a bit of banter for ages. As I left I told him I'd be ringing him in the future for the name of a good electrician!! lol.

Jane I have a hair appointment next week. Ours send an email reminder the week before, then a text the day before so they must have a lot of people forget or get the wrong day.......I know I have in the past! :-S I think you will find 12 o clock a good time for your meal. It won't be quite as busy and noisy then and you should get served quickly.

Hope you enjoy your meal Frank. :-) You have done well getting the lawn mowed so quickly after getting back home. Thanks for the emails.......I've missed them while you were away. :-)

Off to watch some recorded telly now. See you all tomorrow,

I think fathers day is quite a recent innovation! It certainly didn't exist when I was a child or when my two were children. ! We've always recognised mothers day but not for dads, so we've never really thought about it and still don't!
OH is bottling up some marmalade! We do it in January but freeze half of the mixture to boil up and bottle later. Cas is needing her bed time wee, then we shall be making tracks for bed!

Off to bed now. I've finally caught up with all my recorded programmes.

I'm going to be busy in the garden tomorrow so might not make it on here, so I hope everyone has a nice day.

Night Night

The Travellers.

The Travellers, as they are known in Ireland & occasionally are called by the derogatory term - ‘Tinkers‘, are a minority community who have existed on the margins of Irish society for many generations. Legend has it that their ancestors were thrown off their land by merciless landlords & remain landless ever since.

As the name implies, they created a living for themselves on the highways & byways of the countryside. They used to come to our area probably twice a year, usually under the cover of darkness.

In the morning, you would find them firmly encamped on the roadside nearby. Their canvas tents would be erected & their motley group of animals would be busily feeding on the grass verges. That was known as ‘grazing the long acre’.

Children of all ages could be seen & heard running to & fro, dogs barking & babies crying. Some of the women would be busy with their chores, cooking on open fires outside their tents with upturned wooden boxes serving as chairs. They were wise enough to camp near a stream or river which provided adequate water for washing & other purposes.

The hedgerows acted as clothes lines with an array of garments drying under the open sunny skies. Other women would visit each house in the area begging for food stuffs. In general, the generosity of the local people meant that the Travellers would have enough food for a week or so before they upped sticks & moved on elsewhere.

The men were usually tin-smiths & were masters of their craft. In the pre-disposable age, many items were fixed by these chaps such as holes in buckets. They could renovate pots, pans & the like for a small fee.

My mum was always generous to them & she would explain to us youngsters that the Travellers had no roof over their heads while they slept by the wayside & no place to call home. There were no state benefits at the time like we take for granted now.

Morning all and evening Kim,

Not a bad morning here as its bright and dry.

I forgot to put the washing machine on again. I put all the clothes in and thats as far as I got and I have only just remembered.

Dermot we used to get the travellers around when I lived in Essex as a child, Frank remembers them too. Mum would always buy pegs from them or flowers made out of wood. Sometimes in the spring they would come with little baskets made out of twigs and planted with a primrose. I loved these and mum would buy two, one for her and one for me.

Morning all,

We have drizzle this morning ,it does keep brightening up but there is so much cloud i don't think we will see much sun today.

Liz we keep Max on the lead as i find it easier to pull him away from bits that have been dropped ,he will pick any thing up at the moment but he does walk so well on the lead no pulling so we're pleased about that.

Jane it's good Thomas is being good with his harness ,i wonder what was wrong with him the other day ,has he been ok since?
He has been one lucky cat ,thank goodness he came to settle with you ,if he had been with another family he might not have had the treatment that he has been able to have.

Nice to see you back home Frank , how did the concert go ?

Gill you have been busy again ,sounds as if the greenhouse has had quite a journey round the garden :-D
The secret garden will be a nice quiet little corner to tuck yourself away from everything ,it will look nice with some lights , comy seating and pretty plants in some pots.

Oh it's now stopped drizzling and i can nearly see the sun.

Afternoon All,

Well we are dry here but it's very overcast so a bit of rain later wouldn't surprise me.

I can just imagine Max with nose to the ground, trying out everything he finds on the pavement Mandy. You must have to watch him all the time while he's at this stage. Is he leaving the log basket alone now?

I've just been reading about a moth or was it butterfly that's been brought in from South Africa, probably on plants. Something else to munch our plants, our Geraniums this time.

That was interesting Dermot as my gt gt grandfather was a travelling brazier according to my paternal gt grandfather's baptism cert. There is some muddle on that bit of my family tree, as the surname is a Romany name, yet when I had a DNA test done, I have none of the Indian DNA, which you would expect from Romany ancestry. The test did show I have about half Irish DNA though, which I had no idea of but ties in well with my paternal grandmother's side of the family. So Irish one side and possible Irish tinkers the other in dad's family! :-) I never knew of the 'traveller' aspect of my FH till recent years either. The only clues I heard were that grandad had horses and carts and sold logs at market from trees that were felled at big country houses and that dad's granny mended umbrellas from the big houses. Also that mum said once or twice that were gipsies way back in dad's family but which I never seriously believed! That's the trouble when you grow up with no connection with grandparents, uncles, aunts or cousins!

We may be going to look at more open gardens this afternoon. It does make me a tad cross though when he suddenly starts showing interest and talking about what WE are doing on a Saturday, but only when he has no football matches to go and watch instead! I keep saying 'I don't know what you are doing, but I haven't decided yet! ;-) Then I can see his cogs whirring as he tries to think of something he knows I will want to do!! lol. So it looks like we'll be off soon!! It's no good sticking to your principles if it stops you enjoying yourself is it. :-) If he talks too much on the way I'll just put my foot down a bit in the batmobile. That'll make him sit up!! lol. ;-)

So it's what are we doing if theres no football is it :-D
Now now Ann putting your foot down in the car will only give you more washing to do :-0 :-D :-D
No trouble with the log basket as it's been put away for the summer, one of his toys is now going through it , it did have ears and a nose .......not any more :-D

I had two chuckles there, one from Ann and I know just what you mean...........and the other from Mandy about Max's toy minus its ears and nose!! <3 <3

Still smiling.

Oh was up the top this morning which meant I could get on with some HW at my pace in my time. I was so into sucking up spiders and cobwebs he arrrived back here looking for his lunch which was'nt even started and I had'nt been up the shop and it was 25 to 2 and the shop shuts at 2. Off I rushed and then did lunch. Now he is off up the top again moaning about picking up pots and leaving me with all the washing up before I can start on something I want to do............I don't know ...men....what would we do without them????????

Ha ha Ann.Is there no footie on TV for OH this afternoon !!.A few more visits to open gardens sounds agood idea even if you have to put your foot down on the pedal a few times LOL.Hopefully the weather will stay fine.

Dermot that was an interesting read this morning.
Many years ago when I was probably between the ages of 4 and 9 a man with his "Gypsy' Wagon and Horse would periodically arrive in a field behind our bungalow.I don't ever really remember talking to him much but Mum and Dad would give me bowls of fresh fruit and veg from our garden and I would climb over the back hedge where was a bit of a gap and take them to this 'old man'.He woud sit on the steps to the wagon and whittle and smoke his pipe.He came for several years and then vanished and we never saw him again.Where he came from I have no idea.

Mandy ,Max sounds brilliant on his lead.What a good boy :-D.He may well grow out of trying to pick things up on the pavements.It is all interesting stuff for him at the moment :-D
Hannah is here and has taken Thomas in the garden for his 5 minutes on the harness.
He has finished his painkillers now and i think his leg might be hurting a bit as he didn't look quite so comfortable on his pins.
We have all had a glass of bubbly to celebrate Hannah getting on the Clinical Training Course.Another 3 years of hard work as an Assistant Clinical Phychologist and then finally fledged as the full ticket.She said it has taken her 8 years to get this far !! We are really proud as this is what she has always wanted to be.So instead of the research she has been doing for the last 3 years ,it will be with real patients again.

It is looking a bit gloomy here at the moment.Hopefully no rain as Hannah her girlfriends are off to a Music Night down in Cranford.Don't think James and Jess will be doing much tonight as Jess is full of cold and looking pretty grim :-(.Maybe she will feel better tomorrow for when we all go out for lunch.

I can't believe we are half way through June already !!!!!!!!!!..Christmas things will be appearing soon in the shops LOL

Jane, he's been watching lots of footie on the tv, including today........that's why I was determined to go out! Then I'm sure he thinks he might be missing something better when he knows I'm going out and so wants to come with me. lol. Mandy, I hadn't thought of that and it did make me chuckle. :-) In the end, as it was getting late to get to the gardens at Hoby and there are 8 to look at as well as a painting exhibition in the church, we are going tomorrow. Instead we went to a garden centre I've only been to once before that was holding a craft fair today, but when we arrived it said the craft fair was cancelled due to a flooded field!! Still, we did get some nice Salvias for the wall pots at the back. Three of the four trailing begonias I planted in them seem to have died off at the root which is what happened last year. :-S OH nearly jumped out of his skin when a beautiful silver tabby walked from under the benches behind him and pushed itself across the back of his legs.

Poor monkey monks has had some nasty love bites from Max Mandy!! lol. He does look a bit worse for wear doesn't he.

Well done Hannah.......another step forward for her! She does seem to have more energy for night life than I had at her age.

Mel, you have been in a spin today. I know what you mean about having to do things before you can get on with what you really want to be doing! It's very frustrating at times. :-S It's what started me eating out more.

As they do, OH just happened to mention today that he can only wear one jacket now as the rest ALL have holes in the pockets!!!!! :-S Of course we all know who sews them up. He even manages to rip the edge of the inside pockets too from stuffing his wallet in there.......he never seems to notice these things when it would be a 2 minute repair job.......they are gaping great holes he loses his mobile in before he realises.