General Chat

Hi to Gill. glad you are getting on with the garden now and are begining to see a difference.

Been meaning to say has anyone seen the new program on the railways on Thursdays, Full Steam Ahead? It has the usual people from Victoria Farm etc, Ruth Peter and Alex. Alos anyone see The Inspecter Calls on a Su day night? Not sure what to make of that but I like Toby Jones as an actor. He always plays a good part well.

Must go up the shop and get the paper then lunch as oh is watching the qualifying fo0r tomorrows GP.

Phew so hot out there now ,when i went to the farm shop for some toms we called into the garden centre next door and i bought a tray of Verbina plants ,i wanted some thing to go into some pots i have hanging on the trellis ,i cut a lot of dead Honeysuckle off the trellis i think maybe Max had a hand in killing it off ,he likes jumping up on the little wall and having a chew on the stalk .

Sounds as if you have had a good week in the garden Gill , yes the Cana will have lots of little shoot like bits coming up ,they all die done in the winter and then shoot up again the next year .
No flowers on mine yet but i have had to move it to the front of the house out of Max's way and it doesn't get a lot of sun out there ,when it was in the back garden it had full sun all day .

I hope the girls all soon settle together Mel, the old ones are trying to rule the roost .

Frank i hope your pain soon settles must be awful to have that sharp pain that makes you shout out like that, yes you would have thought that if you had a stone it would shown up on the x ray you had, you must go back to the docs if its no better over the weekend.

Talk about few Mandy its like that here too.Tied all my tom plants up again and fed themand the short beans in the pots. Tied the pea up again as its now talled than me. The next tie will be up the gazebo.

Oh is having 40 winks and I am now going back out in the garden.

Must check on the girls first though.

Frank you've had a busy morning.

Afternoon All
I don't know what to do with myself.I'm wilting :-S.I just wish the humidity would drop so it wasn't so sticky.
Those plants will look pretty in your pots on the trellis Mandy :-D. I wish we had a nice farm shop nearby.That is what I liked when we stayed in Suffolk.There were lots.I would probably have to a fair way to find one here.

Frank,I hope this pain disappears .One more day to go and then you should get back to see the Dr again.

I have got Hannahs room ready for her.I kept putting it off as it was so hot but I wanted it done before the morning.It will be odd having her here for a week.Not that she will be very communicative as she will have her head down doing her dissertation.

Gill I bet you are pleased with all the work you have both managed to get done in the garden.You must have been sweltering !!.
Chris started the Petrol Mower rigjht next to where I was sitting with Thomas...Poor Cat must have jumped 6 foot in the air and did a bit of a flip.The harness came right off !!!.He ran into the middle of the lawn and I really thought he was going to be off.But I just kept gently talking to him and crept up slowly and managed to pick him up and carry him in.He was totally freaked out :-(....I won't repeat what I called Chris :-D

I haven't decided what to do for dinner yet.James is sorted .He will cook his own.
I think we will have either Cold Chicken ,Salad and New Potatoes OR Basa Fillets in a herby crumb with New Potatoes and various veg.I just can't think lol

Mel Chris thought The Inspector Calls was a bit boring and was quite disappointed.
Haven't seen the Railway programme.
Tonight I will be watching the Live Mrs Browns Boys :-D :-D. I know some of you hate Mrs Brown but I think it is hilarious (even with the swearing etc.) it will be good to have a good old laugh for once ,what with all the dreadful news these days.

I know that people say the heat helps with achy joints.But it seems to make all mine much worse :-S.I have been walking around like and old crock today :-S
Better go and take over from Chris who is on Cat Duty in the garden.He wants to start the watering.

Yes Mel, we're watching the programme on the railways! It's very good. Not sure about The Inspector Calls! We shall watch this Sundays and see how we feel.
Lovely day here, lots of jobs done, so lazy day tomorrow!
No Mrs Brown's not for us Jane!! We're watching a film on Sky.

Evening All,

Sorry I forgot to send you a pic of the card Mel, I don't seem to be able to set up groups since they changed my emails, but hopefully won't forget you now. Yes, I don't know how OH manages to find me these cards either! Those naughty hens of yours are being quite mean to the new girls aren't they? It's a good job you didn't have just 1 new one or it would get no peace! I expect they'll soon give up though.

Well it's another hot one isn't it? I've had enough now and found it hard to sleep last night. We've stayed in today apart from popping to a local shop to get some bits. OH has had all his paperwork out on the dining table and had a good sort out and throw out and I have been painting, tieing up the tomatoes and picking them and putting ant killer down.

Frank, I don;t know where you get your energy from, doing all those jobs. Yes, you get off to the docs on Monday if you are no better!!

I bought some french bean plants a while ago, but they must be the climbing variety as they are trailing over the edge of the raised beds!! I've picked a few of them so know they are french beans. The plant among them that I thought may be a courgette has cucumbers coming on it, so that will be a bonus!

We watched the 2nd episode of The Investigator we'd recorded last night and the mystery is getting deeper. What an awful, unfeeling man moving his mistress into their home with his wife and daughter and sidelining his wife at parties they held. etc. :-S

Gill, I admire you and your OH for getting any work done in the garden in this heat! It sounds like it is going well though which is good. I think you'll find most gardeners are very busy this time of the year, what with doing work and going to give people quotes so I shouldn't worry if he seems a bit slow in sending yours....he probably hasn't had time to work it out for you yet.

It's good you've been reconnected Anne and good too that your eye prescription hasn't changed. That saves a tidy sum these days!! :-0

I have some Verbena too Mandy and they will look good in your pots on the trellis. They come in such a good range of colours don't they and trail nicely as well.

Liz .I knew you wouldn't be watching Mrs Brown :-D..William and I seem to be the only ones who like it.
A lazy day tomorrow sounds a great idea. I will just give the main bathroom a bit of a blitz and that will be all.

Good job we don't have any hosepipe bans these days.Chris has been watering the garden for an hour now and no where near done yet !!!.
I asked him what time he wants to eat..No time soon was the answer.So I think we are looking at about 8.30.

We've recorded the railways prog Liz. No Mrs Brown here either Jane!! lol. I know what you mean though as some progs we like, others hate. I find I love gogglesprogs, which I didn't expect to, but the things the children think of and say tickle me pink!

Be glad you aren't on a water meter Jane. Our water butts have kept us going up to now, but the ground dries out so fast in this heat.

OH has found another open garden for us tomorrow so I hope it is a bit cooler.

Off to do some watering and brush soil the ants have fetched out on the waterfall. Then I can put ant killer down.

Thanks for letting me know about the Cana lily Mandy.

Yes the man did say he was busy Ann, but also said he could do the job next week. I'm sure he'll get back to us soon, if not then we'll do the job ourselves. It's been great having OH off for a week and a half as the framework was taking ages. We started it in March but with OH working and the weather being so bad for so long, we could only do the odd day here and there which is why it's taken 4 months to do. I just hope the nice weather stays with us long enough to finish it with the screening now.

We did have some good luck the other day. We have a new neighbour who moved in a week ago and she was having her trees cut down. We had cut some of our trees down the day before so I politely asked the men who were doing the work if they could shred our tree trunks and they said yes, so I carried them down the road to them. It was the hottest day of the year so I was glad we only had a few. OH was down the bottom of the garden so didn't know about it until he came back up and all the rubbish had gone. So that saved us a job of having to get rid of them ourselves.

I'm just watch the qualifying with OH but it keeps stopping because of the weather, I've got a feeling the programme will end before we have a chance to see it all as it's a recording from earlier in the day so may of stopped recording before the end if it run over. Good job they tell us everything on race day. I've had to record it on the set top box as I had no room on Sky, so I can't see the names of the drivers on the list, only their times so I haven't got a clue who is where. There's a few crashes which is stopping it too :-( Sandra wants to watch Big Brother at 9pm so I hope it's finished by then. It looks like it's starting again so I'd better go and watch it. Sandra and I have one more programme to watch then we have finally watched them all. I still haven't had a chance to catch up with all the posts yet.

I love the photo of Gilly Jane, such a cute dog and the card your OH gave you Ann was so funny :-D

Haven't done much today as it's far too hot. I watered the garden a short while ago and did some cleaning first thing but not much else.

Gill you have done well with your garden and you certainly deserve a break now.

Mel I hope your girls start to get along with each other very soon

Jane we also enjoy watching Mrs Brown's Boys and it's being recorded as Richard is in London for the day and probably won't be back in time to watch it, we've recorded the railway programme as well.

Frank I hope your pain is easing up now, you have been busy today doing all the veg for tomorrow.

Amy is laying flat out in front of one of the fans trying to keep cool at the moment.

Morning all,

Started raining last night very lightly here and enough to wet the ground but this morning it has been a little heavier. Not raining now but things are wet.

When I fed the big girls this morning one of them was eating an egg on the floor of the house when I opened the pop hole and when I went round to the back to the nest boxes there was a chicken in one also eating an egg so thats two I have lost today but there were three in the other nest so I have those for our big breakfast.

Did everyone sleep well last night? Hope Frank has'nt had anymore pain. <3

Morning to you all, Evening Kim,

Still in pain here, I only need to move to get into a different position and the "KNIVES" go into my back. I let out a scream, but Ros is getting use to it now. I will be on the phone at 8.00 am tomorrow for an appointment at the doctors.

The shower is playing up when you turn it on it shows "LOW PRESSURE" so will ring my plumber tomorrow and see when he can call to look at it.

I walked to the pub at lunchtime yesterday for a pint or two. When I rang Ros to pick me up, I got in the car and she said "What are you doing with your SLIPPERS on" ??
I had got a pair of canvas shoes out to wear with my shorts, and forgot to put them on !! SENILE or What !!!

We have changed to water in the veg. twice yesterday and again this morning. All seem O.K.

We had our Chinese last night, then I watered the back and front gardens, it took me a fair while as everywhere was so dry.

Ros has washed her hain in the kitchen sink this morning (That takes me back a long time)

Much better morning here the temp. is well down from yesterdays. It's also looking cloudy, so we might get some rain.

Enjoy you day. What ever you are up to

Afternoon All

Just popping in to say hello quickly now as Hannah will be here in a couple of minutes.James has just gont to pick her up.
I thought it was going to be less humis today but it is still really sticky.I have a big glass of iced water and the fan right next to me.

Frank,I take it no-one noticed at the pub you had slippers on !!!!. Or maybe they didn't like to say LOL. Lets hope you can get an early appointment tomorrow at the Drs.You need to get to the bottom of your pain.

Right I must go now.I'll BBL today

They have gone somewhere for a coffee together .So I am still waiting.it is nice that they can do this .A bit of Brother and Sister time.Hannah always moans she never gets to see James on his own.
I have done a load of deli bite size things with various pots of different salad type things.So the hot food is keeping warm now.

Mel is it very common for the hens to eat their own eggs? Couls it be because they aren't settled properly yet? At least you had enough eggs for your B B :-D

I wasn't sure how good Mrs Brown LIVE was really.It was funny but I think it might have been better not knowing it was live.There didn't seem to be too much of the bad language either.It must have been hard for Mrs B to hold back at times lol.
I love Winnie .She is a hoot.

Dark clouds are looming.I don't know if rain is forecast.It would be so nice to have some ,but not until after lunch as we are going to be eating outside.Nothing worse than having to suddenly rush back in carrying all the food and plates etc.

Right then.They are definitely on their way now :-D

Yes Jane it must be nice for brother and sister to spend time together. I never had that pleasure. Let's hope they appreciate these times. My twin was married at 18 and my elder sister had a child at 21 which didn't go down well the the parents. I stuck by her until I went into National Service, but drifted apart after I got married. My eldest sister was 16 years older than me and married with two girls.

The weather is very sultry and I would expect rain sometime today. Can't you eat in the summer house Jane ??

None of that so called comedy in this house. I would rather turn it off than watch it. But thank goodness we aren't all the same.

My pains are coming fast and furious at the moment, so I am going to lay flat out either on the floor or the bed.

Frank the summerhouse is far too hot and not big enough for 4 people to eat in !! Plus it is full of Chris's art stuff.Hannah is in there now doing her work and Thomas is under her chair (tethered)
Do your pains stop Frank when you are lying down? Is it worse when sitting?

Lunch was over quickly.All cleared away now. I think we won't be eating that early tonight.

Still no rain but the sky looks a bit ominous and the breeze seems to be picking up.
I am going to put my feet up and have a read by one of the fans :-).I might put the tv on and have a look at the news.

I hope its not a stomach ulcer you have Frank. What with the worry you have had lately and the upset of the death. My first hubby had a stabbing pain in his back and thats what it was.

Well it has been that horrid mizzle all day today here and evrything is wet but I don't know if it has gone into the ground much.

had four eggs today.

My neighbour who I looked after the chicken for has a bag of corn for me that she did'nt use and its unopened. Don't know if it will be any good now but I am sure the wild birds won't mind it and the pigeons so I thought I would give her some egs for it. She was one of my regular customers before.

Hav'nt done much today just had a look on the find ancestors board and trie dto help Prickles.

Jane iot will be nice to have Hannah for a week. I am sure she will find time to have mum time in between her studies.

Nearly time to let the banties out for their scratch about.

Evening All,

Don't forget Frank........Drs in the morning! It doesn't sound as if the pain is any better. Oh I did laugh at the thought of you going out in your slippers........I was imagining you wearing those joke werewolf ones with the big toenails!! lol :-) I know I nearly went to work in my slippers once. It was only when I went to dip the car clutch and drive off that I realised something didn't feel right.

It's been a relief to be a bit cooler today thank goodness, but we only got a few spots of rain for a few minutes. We went to 2 open gardens at Husbands Bosworth this afternoon. One was an odd shaped garden with bits of land added on that had been bought over the years. Each area was like a separate nook and not visible from the rest of the garden and it was very lush with some beautiful ferns under the trees. Then we went to a newish courtyard development that appeared to be a complex of smart homes for assisted living surrounding a courtyard garden with pond and lots of pots of flowers and roses up the walls. We had a cake and COT there and got talking to a nice scottish old boy. He and OH were chatting about Corby and the Glasgow connection and seemed to have footie and darts in common too to reminisce about as well in connection with Corby! He told us he used to be a policeman and he was staying with his rellies who were doing the cake and teas! He was also talking about his father and where he fought in WW1 which was where OH's grandfather fought too. Afterwards we worked out he was probably in his 90s! He insisted on taking our dirty plates and cups back for us and was so nice and polite. :-)

On the way home we called in a garden centre and I managed to get some pink Scuttellaria rock plants like one I have in the front garden. They make such a tidy mound and flower twice a year so I wanted them to put in front of some shrubs and behind the alpines as they are in between in height.

OH went in the garage and made a start on sorting and shredding more of his mum's papers when we got back and he found another great wad of prescription tear offs they had kept......20 years worth dating from 1976 and other bills from the 1960s!

Mel, isn't it hard to stop 'egg eaters' once they start the habit? I suppose the 'newbys' arrival might have caused a bit of stress in the coop but it's a shame you are losing eggs.

I bet Hannah will like staying with you and being able to shut herself in the summer house to get on with her work Jane. There will be less disturbance I expect and still plenty of time to chat. How much longer will it be before Thomas can go hunting again?

Ann it must be about 2 weeks now and then I think Jnae has to take him back to the vets for his approval.