General Chat

What a great neighbour I am (BIG HEAD) I decided to make a cottage pie for today, and thought of Val next door eating corn flakes lol. So I made enough for them as well. I trust the have some vegetables in the fridge that he can put with the pie.

We heard from the other Val yesterday that next door Val has PARKINSON'S She went to the doctors this week, and this is what she has been told. I don't know how the symptoms will affect her everyday life. I will have to Google it.

Washing Machine just finished so I have passed the basket to Ros for her to hang out. She in in the beds weeding and sorting out. She is certainly keeping up her TAN from Spain. She looks a picture of health, even though I know she doesn't feel it <3 <3.

I am showered, but yet to find time to shave, A MAN'S WORK IS NEVER DONE. !!!

Bit better sky out there now, and the yellow thing has appeared. The starlings are having a wonderful time in the cherry tree, even though they are not ripe enought to eat. You should hear the racket they are kicking up.

Going to watch a bit of Andy for a while. then get shaved. !!!!

Poor Val having Parkinsons does sound as if its very well progressed with being a bit muddled like she is ,it was very thoughtfull of you cooking them some thing for their meal tonight Frank ,i bet its the first nice meal she will have had for a while as it doesn't sound as if he does any cooking if he eats at the pub.

We have blue sky here now and bright sun shine , i have my feet in a bowl giving them a good old soak before i do my nails .

Scotch egg ,salad and new potatoes for us tonight nice and easy.

Frank ,You are good neighbours to Val and it does sound as she will need help from outside the home soon. One of Richard's friends has Parkinsons and at the moment it isn't causing him any noticiable problems.

Mandy, I hope little Lewis is feeling o.k. after his accident.

Jane how is your head today? One of Peter's sisters suffers with migraine with symptoms similar to yours, I only get the flashing lights followed by a headache which doesn't last long if I take Migraleve at the start.

It would have been my lovely Dad's 99th birthday today, we lost him 28 years ago and I still miss him. It was just after his and Mum's golden wedding anniversary as we lived a fair distance away it was the last time I saw him. When I heard the sad news I had just come home from work when I got the phone call from my uncle.

What a shame your Cana seeds didn't take Mel. I planted 3 of the 6 Mandy sent to me and only one took. I found that nothing happened until the weather went really hot, I had them on the kitchen window sill which faces West and gets really hot late afternoon into the evening, plus with the cooker and the dryer I think that's probably helped too. Did you plant yours outside from the start, if you did, then maybe the ground wasn't warm enough for the seeds to germinate? All the rain we've had might be the reason the seeds rotted.
I'm glad your hip is feeling a little better today :-)

How kind of you to cook for Val Frank, she will be so grateful. What a shame she has Parkinson's, especially with a husband like hers, she'll need quite a bit of help as it progresses and from what you've been telling us I doubt he'll be of any use to her. Hope you like the mattress and don't have to try and put it back in the box. If you do, don't forget the pictures LOL.

How are you feeling today Jane? Did the plumber turn up in the end?

Try and remember your dad with a smile Anne. It's 28 years in September since my granddad passed away so I know how you feel. Keep your chin up, he wouldn't want you to be sad <3

Poor Lacey Mandy, not being able to have her sports day, will it be on another day? If it is I hope the weather is better for her. Glad to hear Lewis is okay now and not touching the Steri strips, he was very lucky it wasn't any worse. Has the new sofa turned up yet? I assume it goes in front of the fish tank so Lewis won't be able to run into the fish tank again?

Afternoon All
Just a quickie now as I am watching Tennis.I just had a quick shufty through todays posts so haven't really read them completley.

Mandy I am glad little Lewis is ok after that nasty gash on his head.He is being a good little boy and not fiddling with the steri strips. What a shame Sports day was cancelled.Have they got another date planned?

Anne ,I know how you feel missing your lovely Dad.It is 29 years now since I lost mine.I loved him to bits .I am sad that he never got to see Hannah and James grow up.James can't remember him at all and Hannah can ,but just a little.

Frank,I had a feeling it was Parkinsons that Val has.The way you described her walking was what really made me think that. I bet she will love that Cottage Pie you have made :-DIt seems to me that she really isn't getting any help at all .That husband of hers needs to get his act into gear.He sounds like he is in denial which won't to either of them any good.They will both need support from the right people.As her Parkinsons progresses he is going to have to really care for her.But somehow I can't picture this happening,so she may well end up having ot go into care at some point in the not so distant future.How old are they both?

My tingly lip and weird dizziness has disappeared at last..Still got a slighty blurry eye but that could be to do with the start of the darned cataract . I never get a headache Anne with this Ocular Migraine.
As for the Plumber !!! Don't ask :-S :-S No sign of him.

I need to crack on with dinner in between watching the tennis..I didn't realise it has gone 6 already !!!!

I'am not sure if they will be able to get another sports day in ,they seem to do so much with the children and it's not long till the end of school now only about a week and a half .

Yes the sofa turned up and now the fish tank is up for sale !! The fish tank is in the corner of the room with a two seater sofa one side of it and the new three seater the other side.
Lewis hasn't touched his head at all and son and DIL said they haven't mentioned it as he might then put his fingers on them and pull them off.

There is a young homeless chap who spends time sitting on a bench in the church yard , some one said he is sleeping in the public loos in the town , he also sits in front of the vestry doors and now has a little cooking stove ,i have seen him hang washing ouf on a wooden fence near the church house , goodness knows where he is washing his clothes as theres no laundrette in the town now and they look soaking wet when he hangs them out , he looks quite tidy although he now grown a beard since hes been around .
When i walk the dog he now says hello ,i feel really sorry for him and a couple of times when I've made a cuppa i have wondered if i should take one out to him .
Son says he is talked about on facebook and people have offered him help but he has said no thanks .
These days you do have to be so careful who you talk to but i do wonder how he has come to live like this poor chap.

Mandy ,maybe he washes his clothes out in the public loos.There are many homeless people who don't want help.But many do.The young man here who sits outside the back of M&S is happy for the offer of food.I never give him money but will buy him a couple of Sandwiches or a carton of milk.A few weeks ago he was there when I came out of M&S so I gave him a couple of the Bananas I had bought for us.He is a really pleasant young man .Says he doesn't take drugs.But I am not really believing that which is the reason I won't give money.

So no sports day this year for Lacey.I hadn't realised it is so near the end of term !! I seem to have lost track of school terms these days.

Chris is down the bottom of the garden with Thomas on the harness. This is the last time out today.I did move the cage
this afternoon.Nearer where the mice and birds are.So Thomas was occupied keeping a look out lol.I left him for a good hour or so while I watched the Federa match but then heard him miaowing so got him him in then.

I wonder if James has won anything at Newmarket Races today.He is going straight down to Kent to Jess for the weekend so I will have to text him to find out if he made a fortune lol

I shouldn't think so Jane as they are just the squirty hand wash things ,where you push a button for soap then the water and then it blows hot air out all in the one opening , i wondered if he goes down to the river just down from the church .


Have you heard from James ? Did he win ?
Hubbys brother has a share in a race horse he's always going to the races , i have no idea how the betting goes ,odds evens and so on .

Max is out for the count , he's worn his self out with his toy whinnie bear :-D

Morning all,

Just started to drizzle here but i think it should dry up later so it looks like it will be indoor jobs this morning and out side jobs this afternoon .

I see the chap who sits in the churchyard is fast asleep under a plastic cover this morning ,he's laying in what was an old doorway on the back of the church that has been bricked up so he has a bit of shelter from the rain .

Morning Mandy and all,

Bit windy here today and grey with it so no sun for us but it may brighten later, who knows?

Once again its Saturday and the weeks seem to be passing so quickly to me. It must be an age thing I supose but I am not sure I like it.

We were supposed to be having a chap call yesterday afternoon about our solar panels and the converter. I girl turned up and could she talk. She arrived at just after two after ringing to see where we lived said she was in the village. She had to drive out a bit to get a signal. She explained about the converter we have and how the panels work all on a line like the old fairy lights and if one panel goes they all go etc. The converters only last about 6 years before you need a new one apparently. I did'nt know that. Oh looked them up and they are about £1900 so we let her talk. She worked out that we are doing about 3444 whatever a year and its been quite constant since we had them 5 to 6 years ago. Anyway they have these boxes they put on the back of your panels so they work like the new fairy lights if one bulb goes the rest stay on.She told us how the panels work by taking in different amouts of energy so no two panels take in as much as the others so on our system if one is doing say 325 and the lowest is doing 273 thats what we get and not the higher reading. Anyway to cut a long story short she was just about to go when I said we would have it. She was so surprized I paid the deposit and the work should be done before the end of July when the VAT goes up ont he 1st of August.

So with my car insurance and this I have spent an awful amount of money this month so far!!!!!!

MORE EXPENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Morning my lovelies, Evening Kim,

Very dark morning here. I was up at this morning after a good night sleep on the new mattress. Ready for a sleep now ;-) ;-) ;-) We had a shower about 7.30.

Ros was up by 8.00 and said it's the first morning she has got up without back pain.So it looks like we changed at the right time. !!!

We Skyped Conrad this morning as it's his 47th birthday. He said Jan has a surprise for him Later. I wonder what that will be !!!!

That lad must feel happy with his life, if he is prepared to sleep out in the church yard, and do his washing in the river. Many of moons ago, we had a "TRAMP" in Woodford Bridge. Summer and Winter he always had loads of cloths on his body. I don't think he ever washed, but kept himself to himself and was no bother to anyone.

It's good that Lewis isn't poking around the plaster. He will find it will heal muck quicker. Good boy !!!

You never know Jane, James might have won a fortune, and will treat you when he gets home. Glad that Thomas is behaving himself. No more "GREAT ESCAPES"

:-D :-D :-D

Ros and I spoke about Val, and what should we do. I feel that if we start to help, he will sit back and let us, on the other hand I don't want to see her not being able to cope. We will have to see how things go.

When I took the pie in yesterday, I said to Tony, Have you got some Veg to cook to go with it. I think I have some in the fridge, if not we will make do.!!!!

Mel, I don't know how these panels work, but assume you and OH must be satisfied with them to go to MORE EXPENSE. to improve on them.

For the first time in almost two weeks, I have put some shoes on. I am thinking of walking down to the pub to see the lads, who will be in there watching the GP practise. Ros will be surprised to see I am out, when she gets back from shopping.

Anne I know it's easier said than done, but try to occupy your mind, to stop you thinking of your Dad. Mine would have been 130 come August, and I still think of him most days. Just be happy that you have all these wonderful memories of him xxx

Afternoon All
What a filthy morning it has been.Lots of rain and so muggy again. But it looks like it is drying up now :-D

So the new mattress is a success then Frank :-)..I know before we got our new bed I woke with back ache every day,but with the new one no more back and neck aches.I did splashout on a couple of really expensive pillows and they have been well worth it.
I bet Val and lazy man enjoyed their pie last night Frank..Yes do be careful not to do to much as he will think he is on a good thing.Maybe you could just make enough for Val to have a meal and let him get his own lol.He must be quite capable .Just lazy and thoughtless.

Mel it will be gruel for you then for the rest of the month :-D.I can't stand it when you get someone like that who just blethers on and on.

Mandy ,how long has the chap been around? Maybe he is one of these people who stay in one place for a time and then moves on.Can you actually see him from your windows?At least it is not winter now and he shouls be able to keep warm at nights.
Paris has so many homeless people.Everywhere we went there would be someone.Many with dogs and even cats.At night some would actually have mattresses and bed down in big doorway.The pets would be in pet carriers.There was one couple who had a double mattress and even a little primus stove.It looked very cosy.I really hate to think of anyone sleeping rough and am sure that the majority would not choose to live this way.But there are others who choose that way of life. Sadly many have Mental Health Issues and have probably slipped through the net.

I just think how lucky we all are to have a good roof over our heads and plenty of food in our tummies.

I think it is going to be a funny old day with this weather.But the tenis is on for the Ladies Finals later so I expect I will watch that.I much prefer the men though.
We had so many new Potatoes dug up yesterday there is no way we will eat them all so I took a bag to my neighbours as I know they haven't grown their own this year.They have had to give up growing most veg now as it was getting too much .I think they have just done Runner Beans and Tomatoes this year.

So what is everyone up to today.Anything exciting/interesting?

So you'll have to pull your horns in now then Mel after all the expense you've had , but as they say you carn't take it with you.

Frank it sounds as if the mattress has helped if you both had a good nights sleep
I hope you can remember the way to the pub ,it's been a while ;-) :-D :-D


Jane the chap must have been about in the churchyard for at least three months now ,yes we can see him from our windows ,he was all covered up with his plastic till about half ten when he packed up and off he went ,ten minutes later he was back so i expect he went to the loo, once the rain stopped he was off again .
I expect your neighbour was pleased with the spuds ,nothing better than freshly dug spuds.

Suns trying to shine now snd the slabs are nearly dry so i might hang my washing out .

Gosh it turned really hot here before lunch while I was muddling around in the garden.

Then I went up the shop and had both car windows open as it was like a furnes in there when I climbed in.

Had a nice lunch and watched the qualifying for tomorrows race.

Frank you will have to be careful with giving Val next door meals. Tony might eat the lot!!

Little Lewis is being good with his steri strips and I hope he heals up quickly. Good jb the fish tank is going.

I wish one of our neighbours would come round with some nice freshly dug new potatoes for us. As you know we used to grow all sorts and sell it out the front on a barrow. They were all pleased to come and buy the stuff and I know some of them grow their own veg now.

Mandy I meant to answer your question.....James won £130 :-D :-D..I have have burst his bubble when I reminded him he hasn't given me his 'keep' money yet LOL
Cruel aren't I :-D
So Tennis has just finished and Serena has won yet again.
Thomas has just woken up and is probably going to want a bit of stretchy legs time in the garden.He has timed that just right :-D

Afternoon all,

I was most surprised that I was the 2nd person in the pub. The landlord shock my hand and asked where I had been, so I was missed. A few more came in later and we watched a bit of GP practice. I think Lewis has pole for tomorrow.

I rang Ros and she collected me. We had a bit of lunch, and I had forty winks. When I woke she was down the garden.

The wind has got up here, but it's very warm, and overcast. So I expect showers later.

I missed the Tennis but see that Serena, has won again. She's 36 now, so don't know how long she will go on.

Just to let you know, Liz has emailed me to say her friend who she has known since she was 14 had passed away with the dreaded CANCER. She won't be around for a while because she is very upset.

My poor Sister has just found Aggie (One of her dogs) dead on the kitchen floor :-( :-(

Jane that must have been a horrible shock for your sister, was Aggie not well before this?

Frank thank you for passing Liz's message on, she has had a lot of bad news just lately and must be feeling very down.

I haven't done much today, Amy got me up at 6.30 so by 9o/c when I had breakfast I had had two loads of washing done, ironing and bathroom and downstairs cloakroom all cleaned,

Frank that's good news about your new mattress it should help to lighten your mood if you carry on having a good nights sleep.

just going to water the garden and then think about getting tea we had our main meal earlier.