General Chat

It was Hubba Bubba bubblegum. Lynda and I used to get it from a machine on the sweetshop wall alongside the Cabury's chocolate despensing machine.

I have been melting here with the heat..............I am going in the shower in a min. Oh has already been in as he was mowing and was covered in dust sitting on the mower.

Washed my hair to try and cool myself down this afternoon.

I don't know we complain when its cold and wet and we complain when its hot and dry.

We don't!!! (not when it's hot and dry!) Gorgeous morning here, so we're having breakfast on our veranda, and will be outside all day! Cas has a trough of water to splash about in, so she'll be happy. Merlin, will probably stay in the barn to escape the flies!! We spray him with citronella, but they still bother him! Time for a shower as OH has started breakfast! I've never heard of that bubblegum!!

It's happened again this morning ALL GONE, with so much said. I only tapped the space key.

The Devon sun is scorching my bald head as I sit outside thinking about cooler times.

At the beginning of December each year, I take it upon myself to do research into mince pies. Long and painful though the journey may be, someone has to find the pick of the crop; so selflessly I systematically work my way through various supermarkets’ basic ranges, as well as their luxury all-butter whiskey-imbued efforts.

Inevitably then onto M&S, for a boozy fruity hit. More often than not, I finally end up plumping for the home-made creations dusted in a little icing sugar and a whole lot of love that come from the farmhouse down the road.

Sadly last year, my annual project was brought to a screeching halt by my doctor, who was giving out about my blood pressure and telling me to lose weight.

Doctors are human beings and mine is an excellent bloke who was, on this particular occasion, having a bad day. He made no response when I told him that I’d lost a stone and a half in the last year. He didn’t twitch an eyelash when I pleaded that perhaps December wasn’t the best time to expect me to shed sugar as a way of life.

It’s bad enough when one side of a conversation is having an off day, but sadly I too was feeling rough and ready for bed. For the last three months I’ve been battling a series of infections following a viral bug (yum, have I ever sounded sexier or more attractive?), so my mood was as low as my doctor’s temper threshold.

Struggling to process thought, I unwisely decided to try to think out loud, working out what else I could cut from my diet to help me lose more weight. My list of edibles has shrunk dramatically in the last few years, since I found out that my gut reacts badly to all citrus fruits, apples, onions, garlic and leeks, tomatoes and a host of other lovely things.

I used to fill up on fruit every day (which may have been my undoing in itself!) and miss it more than I can say. Still safe with bananas, pineapple and berries, I find it harder not to snack on bad things, now that most fruit is forbidden.

So there I was in the doctor’s surgery, muttering out loud as I tried to find dodgy fatty sugary snacks that I could cut out of my diet. “…well, there’s those Cuisine de France maple pecan thingies from the garage, they’re pretty evil, so they can go, and then there’s the mince pies and – ”

At the mention of pastry products, he lost his temper. “What’s that about pies?” “Oh, that’s my Mince Pie Research Project!” I let slip unadvisedly, “I’ll knock that on the head straight off! Gone. No mincers. None.”

“And what other pies?” I hadn’t mentioned any other pies, but now felt duty-bound to confess that once or twice a month, me and herself dine on M&S chicken pies, served with three vegetables. Hardly the gastronomic equivalent of a nuclear holocaust, you’d think, but enough that day to tip my GP over the edge.

I must send him a ‘get well’ card soon.

Nice one Dermot,!!! Good morning to you, and all,good evening to our Kim,

Well I will try again while sitting in the cool of the dining room. Before venturing out into to sunshine.

It's my Son Simon's 51st birthday today. I have left wishes on FB as I don't know where he is.

Liz that's a great idea. I will put a bowl in the garden for JJ he might like to cool of in it. He is used to a run on the beech and a paddle in the sea most days, but he's very content with Ros and I, who try to please him, with anything he wants. <3 <3 <3

I am roasting a chicken today. I think I will have in cold tonight with new potato's and a fresh salad.I will see what Madam thinks !!

Mel, I see it could get up to 35 degrees in the South West and across Southern England. Get into those shorts if you are in the garden today, and DON'T FORGET THE SUN CREAM that goes for all of you. I don't want anybody complaining later. "I'VE GOT SUN BURNT " ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

We need to go to the other side of Northampton to pick up two walking sticks for me to take to hospital. I will leave it until it gets cooler later in the week.

It's time I got showered, so will see you all later.

Morning All,

Sadly it comes to us all Dermot! I hate it now when the ever younger doctors at our surgery start a sentence with, 'well at your age....blah blah'. It's like saying something dodgy on an old car won't matter because it'll be completely clapped out in another few years!! What age?? Would he say the same if he couldn't see my date of birth written down? lol.

I don't usually moan about the cold Mel!! I much prefer it and will be staying firmly inside today or be out in the car with aircon turned up. I won't be outside like Liz!! I often tell OH I should have been born an Inuit so I could wear jumpers and furry clothes. (not real fur though) I slept like a log last night though which is good.

Morning all,

Not a cloud in the sky today just blue as far as you can see. They say it is going to be hotter today than yesterday so i am going shopping as it will be nice and cool in the shop.

Well I must get on to get out a little earlier.

Ann you popped in as I was writing.

I have at last got flowers and pods on my purple podded peas. I noticed Monty Donn mentuioned them on Gardeners World on Wednesday night. Don't like it on a Wednesday so save it for the right night Friday.

Happily none of the doctors or nurses in our surgery ever allude to our age!! They'd get short shrift if they did!!! To be honest I've never met that and thought those sort of ageist comments went out years ago!
Cleaned some Windows on the outside and now just about to mow the grass, then a bit of weeding (!!) OH is going to pressure wash the veranda and sort out the hay barn.

Busy, Busy, Busy Liz. ;-) ;-) Like your doctors, no mention of age is ever discussed. If it was I would say YOU WILL GET OLD ONE DAY !!!!

Ros has just put a magnetic fly screen across the conservatory door, to keep the pesky flies out. But with all the bungalow windows open they can still get in.

Chicken in the oven and potato's all scrapped. I expect Ros will go to Tesco for fresh salad and other bits we need.

Ros has changed the bed (yet again) and all bedding on the line in a light breeze.

Poor old JJ doesn't know where to go to get cool. He has the fan blowing on him at the moment.

Time for a drink.

Make sure the little garden birds have plenty of water to drink.

We have a stone bird bath that is in permanent use so our birds are well catered for!!

After working all yesterday afternoon and this morning repairing the Hedge Trimmer. It still won't work, I can only assume there is a transformer or something that got burnt out when Val next door cut through the wire. So that can go in the bin. I will either buy a new one on line or B & Q.

Jan just skyped from Spain. It's ONLY 32 degrees there today. cooler than us. !!!

Yes Liz, we have three in the garden, and you can see the birds having a smash around to cool themselves off. The blackbirds then perch on the fence to dry off

Ros BLAMED me for the doorbell not working. Saying it's the cheap rubbish I buy on Ebay. She bought this one from B & Q, and it's only the batteries that need replacing. So it proves she's not always RIGHT.
;-) ;-) ;-)


I'm getting a lot of pain, that makes me scream, coming from my KIDNEY AREA. I only had a blood test a couple of weeks ago to check my kidneys, and it came back CLEAR. So further investigation required ME THINKS. ;-) ;-) ;-)

I think you misunderstood or I probably put it badly! Doctors have only said it when they are making the point that due to the age I am at now, a problem that is slight now is unlikely to progress at a rate that will cause me any problem in the future and which may well not be the case with a much younger person with the same problem. I've never considered it to be ageist at all, just realistic. The trouble is that I just don't like being reminded of how old I am when I still feel young at heart, like a bit of fun and laughter and am hopefully still engaged with the world. :-) :-) I mistakenly still think I am younger than I am!! lol :-S

I couldn't face cleaning or cooking in this heat. Either would have to be done first thing in the morning or not done. I'm in shorts and strappy top doing paperwork at the moment, which has raised an interesting point. I have recently changed my car insurer which I do most years, as new customers usually get a better deal. I was speaking to my previous insurer to cancel and asked them to confirm their NCD was a maximum of 9 years as was shown on the renewal notice and which I needed to send to my new insurer as evidence of what I was due. He confirmed 9 years was the maximum they give.....HOWEVER, he said they had evidence of me having over 12 years NCD and that he would send me a letter to that effect as apparently some insurers give discount on up to 12 years. Just sending my renewal notice as they suggested would only give me the benefit of 9 years. I didn't know that.

Mel, I always record gardener's world too. I'm not sure whether I have grown the purple podded peas before as I may have been thinking of the red flowered asparagus peas, which I have grown! How are you doing with the Cucemon plants now? The courgette I planted is doing really well with all this hot weather and some are ready to pick now.

Liz the water trough is ideal for Cas in this weather, plus Spaniels and water go together don't they. The flies torture ponies in this weather. I can remember doing lots of face and body sponging when I had mine. One of my friend's New Forest ponies gets that sweet itch from the midge bites and has to wear rugs and neck and head cover in the summer. The brook that crosses her field harbours them and last time we spoke she was seriously looking to loan the little mare out to someone where there aren't midges!

OH has now been told there will be a briefing before his meeting tonight so he needs to be there an hour earlier. He also thinks it could be a very long one! It's brought back memories of working life for me and sitting in hot, stifling rooms for hours on end in uncomfortable 'work' clothes! How great it is to be retired now! :-D

That pain sounds awful Frank! Might it be something like a kidney stone? What a shame about the trimmer.

I wonder how Gill's garden is coming along?

Sorry Ann, I misread what you said that's why I sounded surprised. Having 're read it, I understand exactly what you're saying - my mistake and again apologies.
It's been quite windy here today which is tiresome, and very hot! Even I've retreated into the shade this afternoon, Cas is in her cage, and Merlin's in his yard/ stable!! The citranella works up to a point, but the flies do bother him dreadfully. We're on corned beef salad tonight so next to no work.

I can see why you misread it Liz, I didn't make it very clear! It's salad here again too and I got some corned beef at the farm shop today so may have that with it like you are doing. All the young cattle in the field at the back of us are under the tall bits of hedge that are left to try and get in some shade.

OH has set off now as he has about 20 miles to go. He gave up on the suit and has gone in a jacket and trousers instead. He reckoned the suit he wanted to wear had 'shrunk'. Mmmm ah-hem, who's he trying to kid!!

O I did laugh at that Ann. Shrunk indeed, these men.........

I am now going to make Jane very jealous..... I have just been sitting here reading your posts eating a HOCKINGS ICECREAM!!!!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

As I went out shopping oh said tome "bring me a Hockings icecream with a flake. I had taken the cool bag with four ice packs in as I needed peas and onion rings so I stopped at the van on the way home and bought 1/2 a litre of their icecream and four cones. Cost me nearly £7 but well worth it.

Glad you sorted out the age thing with the doctors as I read it like Liz at first.

Bought oh a little fan that plugs itno his pc and he was pleased with it. Should have bought two as they were only £3 each but I have a fan somewhere, a small one I can put on my desk but do you think I can remember where I put the blasted thing!!

I renew the water in our bird baths everyday. I have a pheasent who like to paddle in it. She stands preening herself in the water as this one is on the ground. I also have a soak tray on the garden table that I fill as the pigeons like to bathe in that and even lay on their sides in it if its raining haveing a shower? with one wing held up. They do look funny. Then there's one incorporated with its stand round by the box hedge the other side and a nice pottery dish further down the garden and my fairy fountain on the patio so plenty of places for a nice cool drink or a bathe.

Afternoon All
I have just had to run my hands under the tap to be able to type LOL Everything is so sticky in this crazy heat.Not looking forward to going ot bed tonight .I do wish we had air con.We are going to put the fan on the ottoman at the bottom of the bed tonight and see if that is better than having it at he side.

The window cleaners came this morning at 7.40.I just pulled back the curtain at the front of the bedroom and saw the top of a head appearing !!!!!.So I whipped it bak pretty smartish as I had nothing on.Poor Thomas is so frightened of the window cleaners.We couldn't find him anywhere.Eventually when I called him he crept out from under a unit off the kitchen and he looked like he had been in Mrs Havershams house LOL The biggest cobweb covered the whole of the top of his head.It looked like a shawl !!!!!.

So who ate all the pies then DERMOT :-D :-D.I will think of you at Christmas when the Mince Pies come out :-)
I know just what you mean about the gut having adverse reactions to certain foods.I daren't say it but is it age related? ;-)..I have the same problem with Onions/Leeks etc.Never have done in the past.

Gordon will be sweltering Ann.I bet this is the last place he wanted to be today.
I see even Liz has had to retreat to a bit of shade.It is pretty unbearable today.
Poor Merlin and the flies.I see the horses across the road are all in their hoods and blankets.Ears and eyes all covered.

Chris has been out for lunch today so will not need feeding.I have a couple of Microwave meals for James and me.I have a Pea and Mint Risotto and James has a spicy beef and choritzo one.

Fitz popped up just now .He went to Cambridge yesterday and went into Lakeland and bought me a Bug/Spider catcher.It is a battery run thing .He has one and says they are brilliant.It doesn't kill anything but gently sucks them into this tube and then you can just shake them out.There are plenty of spiders hanging around here that will get the surprise of their lives tomorrow :-D

How long is JJ with you Frank?I think you did say. I was going to say the same as Ann and wonder if it might be a Kidney Stone which is causing you so much pain.
It does sound possible.

I have changed the water in the bird bath 3 times today just to try and keep it cool.It must have nearly been at boiling point :-S :-S
I think I must have drunk about 3 litres of water today and hardly gone to the loo.
Fed up with water now so it will be a chilled white wine in a minute :-D

MEL !!!!!! How dare you make me jealous..Hockings Ice Cream!!!!!.. and with a flake too.Isn't is just great ice-cream :-D :-D..Made with clotted cream if I am correct. The last time I had a Hockings Ice Cream was when Janice and I came down for my Aunty Joyces funeral.We bought them at Westward Ho!

Evening all,

Phew it's hot ,much to hot to do any thing ,the fan has been on most of the day and we've done nothing ,i just need to water all my pots later.

I was getting quite worried about the chap in the churchyard ,he was still under his bit of plastic sheeting at twelve o'clock, he must have been sweltering under there ,i have taken him some food today ,i don't do it every day and he's also had two big bottles of ice cold squash .

Jane your sisters new little dog is such a cutie , so tiny ,i can see her getting into a
ll sorts of mischief LOL

We had ice cream tonight ,Kellys vanilla.