General Chat

Oh that will be lovely Liz :-D..Hope the weather will be good for you. Cas will have a whale of a time :-D
I can't wait to get away again. We haven't yet decided on anything definite yet.But it might be Lyon ,France in the spring.I just can't get Chris interested in anything at the moment :-S

Thanks Jane, we both feel that we need break especially by the sea! I hope you manage to motivate Chris!!! OH can be pretty stubborn sometimes too! He soon realises the error of his ways!!!! ;-)

A break away sounds nice for you three Liz after your busy month. Good old Cas doing what she's been taught. I can't believe she's 2 years old this year.Love to all including Merlin.xxxx

Well I went up the High St and no there are no decorations up yet Jane. I got a couple of bits for oh and some bird food for the wildies. They do a pack of three of those fat cakes in Poundstretcher for £1.69 and they are usually 99p each and the birds love them just the same so I made sure I was stocked up with those and some fat stick bits I mix in with the sunflower hearts which are only 69p in there too.

Gill I am sure you will find something else to do for decorations elsewhere with the things you have over. It will give Sandra something else to look forward to.

Jane you must be dreaming about places abroad thinking of the meals your going to get the next day. I must admit I have been having some strange dreams lately too but I can't always remember what they were about. Do you dream in colour, I do. They say some people don't but I don't think I have ever met anyone who dos'nt.

Remembered to take my coupons into Morrisons today and last weeks to get my point put on my card. I forgot last week but the lady on customer services said to bring it in with the receipt and she could put them on. They give you 30 days actually to bring them in with the till receipt.

Bought some more wool too for more pom poms and something else I want to try. Another new thing. When oh downloads my camera for me again I shall send pics.

Mandy any news please on the hog yet?

I'm pleased you heard from Maureen Jane as I wondered what she has been up to.

So you're off to Portland Liz, hope the weather is okay for you. Cas will love it, by the sounds of it.

You'll have to start working on Chris Jane, you have a few months before the spring so plenty of time for him to see things your way LOL.
It sounds like Maureen had a nice birthday and a new baby in the family too, how lovely. How annoying not being able to find your cards, made worse by Chris finding them, I've had that happen to me in the pass. You'll laugh about it later.

Sandra's got me making an apple pie as she fancies some tonight, I thought I was going to make it tomorrow but I guess not, it's in the oven now. At least it will save me a job tomorrow as it'll already be done. I might bake a cake tomorrow now I have a bit of spare time and Sandra wants to make some little sponge cakes, so it looks like it'll be a baking day tomorrow. She does keep us busy...bless her.

I've been trying to find some stick on diamonds I had in silver and pink to stick on some heart baubles Sandra has in her room and can I find them ??? not a chance. I know I put them in a safe place but it's that safe I can't find them. I did find a pink pen with my name on it someone has bought me (can't remember who though) so that'll come in handy as my pen ran out before, so I needed a new one to write all the Christmas cards out.

Sandra is writing all her Christmas cards out now, she's so organised.

I've taken a photo of Sandra's Christmas tree and the picture I made for her wall, so as soon as I can figure out how to get them onto my laptop and then into an email, I'll send them to everyone. I'm not very good at these types of things so it might be next Christmas by the time I figure it out :-S :-) ;-)

I'd better go and check on the apple pie

I've just seen the moon and it's so bright tonight with there being no clouds about, you can see quite a bit of detail too.

The pie should be ready soon but unfortunately it'll be to hot to eat before we go to bed, so she'll have a piece tomorrow instead now. It should be ready in about 5 minutes, then I can watch Emmerdale I recorded earlier. Shall be going to bed after that so I'll say goodnight and see you all in the morning.
Night Night

Morning all

Dry but windy here and not as warm as yesterday, the sun is in and out as there's quite a bit of cloud around.

Well, today is baking day with Sandra, we're planning on making some cakes and might make a cheesecake too, that should keep us out of trouble for a few hours :-D

What is everyone else up to today?

The large cake is in the oven and now I'm about the make the next lot of cake mix for Sandra to put in her cake cases then she can make them into fairy cakes later. She's got her Christmas hat on and we are listening to Christmas carols. I said this was a practice run for Christmas and she laughed saying can we have lots of practice runs please, she's so funny :-D :-D

Morning all,

I bet you will be getting lots of practice runs too Gill. Its good there's something she likes doing with a nice result at the end. YOu'll have to get her to do some mince pies for the freezer.

Weather here is dry this morning after last nights light steady rain and the suns peeps out now and then too.

Not up to much today as I need a rest after yesterdays shoping trip. Wears me out now I'm getting older.

I've just suggested that Sandra makes the next cake mix, she said she doesn't know what she's doing so I said I'll talk her through it, I've already measured everything out so she doesn't need to worry about that part this time. I said she'd never learn if I did all the time. She's just finishing off writing her Christmas cards so by the time she's finished that the large cake should be cooked then the oven will be empty ready for her. She looks a bit nervous but she was like this when I taught her how to make a roast chicken and now she's okay with that.
When she's finished the cakes and decorated them I know she'll be pleased and will want to tell her dad when he gets in from work.

Morning Mel, didn't see you there, yes I'm sure they'll be plenty of practice runs :-D :-D
The weather has changed here and it's raining now :-( I think a restful day will do you good.

Going to get the cake out of the oven now

Iv'e had a fatality! One of my OLD hens has passed away.....boo hoo. It was one I have had for years and years and she was going through a very bad moult and I had an idea she was on the out. :-( :-( :-(

Good morning all

Sorry to hear about your old lady hen Mel at least she had a lovely life with you and her freedom

Just got back from the local shops as I had to pick up the prescriptions, I then popped into Aldi's they have a really good selection as usual for Christmas goodies just got a couple of bits but I will need Paul to take me If I need to buy anything on a bigger scale.

It still seems strange not having Amy to greet me when I get home, I am also missing our walks together and of course her it doesn't seem to get much better at the moment.

.How did Sandra's cake making go Gill? I expect there will be no stopping her once she gets more confidence, she must be good company for you during the day.

I've still got this wretched cold although the sore throat has eased off.

Liz I hope you have an enjoyable break in Portland, I haven't been that way for years. Abbie visits Dorset a lot now as Aiden lives in Dorchester, Paul usually takes her there

Ann glad to hear your Radio talk went well, you must have been relieved to get there in good time.

The sky around here hasn't been clear enough to get a proper view of the moon but thank you for the photo Jane.

I am cooking chicken Kievs with cauliflower cheese, runner beans and new potatoes for the evening meal, I agree with you Jane it is difficult deciding what to have some days, a lot of my problem is too much choice now, when I lived at home you could tell what day of the week it was by what we ate :-) :-)

Morning my lovelies, Evening Kim,

The morning started off with blue sky's now the cloud has come in, and the wind is getting up. They say it's going to get colder over the next few days. As for dreaming of holidays it must be that time of the year when you want to book something.. Why don't you BOOK a Holiday, and then tell Chris where he is GOING !!!

Ros has been on QVC this morning buying things for Julia and herself for Christmas. CLOTHS as usual..She should have let Conrad know what she wants and he could have bought it, as he has asked me what she wants, and I say I DON'T KNOW. !!

Haven't had any breakfast again this morning, so will have an early lunch soon.

Off for a walk round the block before lunch, then a rest in the armchair.

Oh Mel, I'm so sorry to hear about your hen especially as you weren't expecting it, it must of been a shock. Hope you are okay, like Anne said at least she had her freedom with you and was happy. Thinking of you <3 <3

We're having a honey roast gammon for dinner Anne, like you said there is so much choice nowadays. I find we eat what Sandra fancies. She takes a look in the freezer and then takes it from there, she's even found us something to eat for the next few days, although she might change her mind if she finds something else.

Sandra is busy putting the cake mix into the cake cases, I showed her how to do it and how much to put in and after a few sticky moments where she couldn't get it even, she's happily getting on with it now. She's even talking about decorating them and they haven't even been put in the oven yet....bless her. She said she wants to make her gran and friend a cake now. What a difference from when I first suggested it earlier and the nervous look on her face.

Afternoon Frank, didn't see you there. Nice to see your post went through this time. Enjoy your walk and rest later on.

Afternoon All

I will be back later but Fitz has arrived.He has driven up the lane !!!!.Chris has gone to help him out of the car. Fitz insisted he was going to drive up.

Oh Mel sorry to see about your old girl :-( :-(

BBL

Sorry about your old hen Mel, it's always a wrench when they go.
OH has taken Cas beating ALL day! :-D. I've been able to get on really well with them both out of the way!,!
Frank, I never buy clothes for anyone as they always seem to be wrong one way or another! We usually give the children money then they can buy what they want.
Good luck with your cakes Gill, they sound delicious!

She had looked a bit down in the dumps for the last few days and had'nt been in the nest box lately either as she had taken to sleeping in there and was always the first one to go to bed at night. The other old one would get in the box with her. After I cleaned them out onSaturday she had'nt been in there.

Afternoon All,

Sorry to hear about your old girl Mel, but as I've said before they all get to have a happy time at your place for their later years.

Crikey Jane, Fitz is a one isn't he!! Fancy him driving down his lane, which I recall was a bit bumpy/potholey in places, after his recent back operation!! Nothing stops him does it and I expect he is champing at the bit to be out and about again. I know I would be. I had a strange dream last night. I was sitting in a cafe that was in a conservatory type place with one end completely open. I seemed to be waiting for OH when an older couple sat at the same table as me and lit up and proceeded to puff clouds of cigarette smoke over me. I was racking my brains as to whether the building would be classed the same as a smoking shelter with one end being open......then I woke up!! This morning we saw something we hadn't seen for years........a man driving along smoking a pipe!! Apparently OH used to smoke a pipe for a short time years ago. He said it was a right faff and to be honest I can't imagine him having much patience with one. He said he gave it up as he kept missing goals at footie matches while he was fiddling with it!! lol.

It sounds like you are really getting into the Christmas spirit at your place with carols playing Gill. Sandra's confidence will be growing with learning how to do different things. I bet she is thrilled to bits with her cakes and will have one ready for her dad when he gets home!

Anne I was glad once I was parked up and ready. I would hate to be rushed and late for something like that. It's why I drove myself. They offered to order a taxi for me, but I didn't want to arrive last minute and biting my nails!! lol. I can understand how it must seem strange with no Amy to greet you when you get home after years of her being there. I plan to go to Aldi soon, I said so to OH this morning. They had some lovely praline logs last year so I hope they are doing them again.

Ian must be building up Cas's stamina Liz with a whole day out. She'll sleep well when she get's home. As you say, can't you fly through some jobs quickly when there isn't a man around!! :-D (SORRY FRANK!!)

Afternoon all,

We had good intentions of getting some jobs done this morning but that didn't happen as son and DIL asked if we would look after Lewis for the morning , then Colins brother rang to see if we were in and he then came for coffee ,so by the time they all went it was lunch time ,i then had some bits of shopping i needed to do post office ,bank and paper shop ,so the day has passed by with no jobs done that we had planned to do.

Mel so sorry to hear you have lost one of your old girls ,must have been quite a shock to find her gone like that.
The box is in the post ,i think this hog might be a little bigger than the one i made you .

You have been having a busy time Gill with the decorations yesterday and baking today , have you thought about buying Sandra one of those kits to make a Gingerbread House ? lots of the supermarkets have them i bet she would love making that .

Your right Anne it does seem so strange coming home and not being greeted you will feel it for a while as its still early days for you and i think its the opening of the door and the nose that use to go into the shopping bags that i missed ,Toby would always want to see if there was any thing for him .

Jane is Fitz suppose to be driving yet ? It isn't that long since his op is it i hope he's ok .

Little Cas will sleep well tonight with her day out beating Liz .