General Chat

They're back and Cas has done really well, and what's more she's worn out! I've managed to get lots of jobs done today! amazing what you can do without interruption!
Must go and get supper.

Evening All

What an afternoon we have had LOL Fitz drove up the lane fine. He is doing well.
I went to the chemist this morning to pick up his new stockings and a plastic thingamy to get them on. It would have made a great Youtube clip. I first cut his toenails then he had to strip off trousers and between Chris and I we got the new support stockings on )Right up to the thighs .It was like a comedy sketch !!!!! We got there in the end.
What we do for friends !!!!!!!!! :-D :-D

That's it BLAME US MEN to get the brunt of you women who can't get your jobs done.If you OHs are like me I just ignore any comments. ;-) ;-) ;-)

Mel, How long had the old girl that passed away ?? I suppose being that you adore your hens, you would feel the same as us when driving his car.
Not done much today, been sitting around all afternoon. I cooked tea at 6.00 pm. Ros had Scampi and I had Fish. Made a nice change from Meat.

Liz the thing Ros has bought Julia is a PONCHO that's in a colour she likes so there shouldn't be a problem.

I have bought the White gold Bracelet. It should be here by the 22nd

Jane that was a bit naughty of Fitz, driving his car. Who knows what he could have ended up doing.

Soaps just starting to Halo EBAY.

It sounds like you and Chris had fun Jane helping Fitz. Should he be driving so soon after his op though?

How lovely that Cas had a good day Liz, all that training seems to be paying off now doesn't it? I'm the same as you I tend to get through a lot more when OH is at work.

Sandra and I have finished all the cakes, she made 27 fairy cakes in the end and they look lovely. OH will be pleased when he gets in later. We were going to make a cheesecake as well but with the large cake and apple pie plus Sandra's cakes we thought that might be enough for now.
That's a good idea Mandy, I might buy her a ginger bread house kit, she'd enjoy that.

I have got a trifle mix in the cupboard so Sandra wants to make that once everything we've already made is eaten.....there's no stopping her now :-D

I think we're going to have a day off tomorrow, Sandra's wearing me out LOL I'm not as young as I used to be, I'm the big 50 in a week :-D :-D
My sister is visiting mum tomorrow, so we might go there and see them.

Just catching up with Masterchef before it's back on again tonight, Sandra and I like that programme. Then I'm going to ring my mum as it would of been her mum's, (my nan's) birthday today, she would of been 93 years old. I do miss her :-(

I have just seen two tiny hogs in the garden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

Morning all

Dry but cold here today

How lovely to see the hogs Mel, it's very late in the year for them to be around. Mind you it's still quite mild most days isn't it?

My mum and sister are calling round later so I've decided to wrap up Sandra's Christmas presents while she's still asleep and before our visitors arrive. I can catch up with a few programmes I've recorded at the same time, then when Sandra wakes up if there's still time we can watch Masterchef from last night. We ended up watching "This time next year" as OH likes that and he's not to keen on Masterchef.
Does anyone else watch This time next year, it's really good?

What is everyone else up to today?

That's the Christmas presents all wrapped up, I just need to buy a few more bits and bobs and wrap them up, then I'm all done :-D

Off to get a cuppa now.

Morning all,

Windy and raining here with a cloudy sky. Had another quite bad night. Could'nt go to sleep but must have sropped off in the end but I don'nt know what time it was. Like Frank my mind would'nt shut down and I kept thinking of different things.

It is still quite mild down here even though its raining and those little hogs need a good feed up before the winter really sets in. The big one still comes too. I am thinking its mum and babes because the big one will eat at the bowl with the little one and usually there is pushing and shoving going on. They seem to get on ok so I am pretty sure its a family. I did have one earlier who looked extremly fat and was hopeing it was a pregnat female so perhaps I was right. I wonder if this was her first time or whether she has had more than one litter. They usually have their hoglets in June but some do have them as late as October and I think this has happened here yet again. Remember I had four hoglets last year or the year before. I think the mum knows there's good food in this garden and knows there will be till no more is taken on a few nights in a row.

Horrible day here, very wet and windy. We've done our Waitrose shop his morning, got a new battery for my watch, went to the Garden Centre and bought Xmas presents to take with us tomorrow! Will wrap them this afternoon including son's birthday gift. The others all get money as they are at that age when it's difficult to know what they want so it's best to let them choose themselves.
No Gill, We haven't come across that programme. We seem to watch wild life channels on Sky or documentaries most of the time.

Been pouring with rain here and a lashing wind and now the suns out but I don't know for how long.

Good you have your presents sorted Liz now you have to do them up ready for the off.
What did you get for his birthday?

We got him a jigsaw power tool for his birthday, and a soft toy reindeer that lights up and dances when you switch it on!! For Christmas we've bought them a flowering bush and some other bits and bobs for the garden. I've put the receipt for the jigsaw in an envelope just in case he wants to change it. Well you never can be quite sure!!!
OH is cleaning the log burner! We have to do it about every six weeks as its our only form of heating. We get through a lot of timber! lucky we don't have to pay for it!!

You are really lucky with your wood supply Liz. Not something to be sneezed at is it? Cas did great the other day and even I am proud of her!! Have you been out with Merlin in the trap lately? I bet he is really appreciated in the village at Christmastime.

I have just rounded up all my Christmas cards I have been saving up but do you think I can find the ones I bought a week or so ago......no.....but I have plenty of others so will start with those.

Afternoon All

Wet and windy here too today. Chris took himself off to Wicken Fen today .He has just arrived home with rather muddy trousers !
I took Fitz to the surgery this afternoon to have his stitches out. He drove his car up to me again. He is fine doing that but not quite ready for driving much further just yet.I think he still has a bit of numbness in his foot and leg but it is getting less now.
After the surgery he wanted to pop into Majestic Wines to stock up lol..

Oh Mel baby Hoglets !!!.. Do you think they will fatten up enough before they hibernate?Or will you hang on to them like you did before?

Liz ,I'm sure your son will be very happy with his birthday presents :-D.
Our next lot of logs are being delivered tomorrow morning so I have just moved my car so they can be tipped out as near to the wood shed as possible. Have a lovely time when you go tomorrow.

Gill you are way ahead of me on the present front... I have just ordered James a multi pack of longer length boxers(that was on his xmas list lol )not the most exciting of presents but if that is what he needs :-)
Chris is still waiting for suggestions for me..I can't really think of anything really.
Hannah emailed me some ideas for her this morning.Most can only be ordered on line so I am going to get Chris to help me with that.
It is all clothes.She forgot to say what size though so I can't do anything until I know that.

I have had a day of washing.Just like Widow Twanky lol The tumble drier has been going non stop.I keep making sure I empty the filter after each lot .Just seeing all those fires caused by tumble driers has made me really careful (even though my machine is not one of the dodgy ones) Better to be safe than sorry :-D
I dug out the feather and down duvet for our bed.I think it smells.So hung it out on the line to air off but then the rain came .I managed ot get it in pretty swiftly and it is spread right across the big settee. I got Chris to have a sniff and he said he can't smell anything..But his sense of smell is dreadful. It weighs a blooming ton too :-S
I would like to get rid of it really .Chris wants it on the bed... Battle of wits coming up I think :-D

When I was in the car with Fitz earlier I said the expression 2 shakes of a Lambs Tail.
He had never heard that before . It is the right expression isn't it?

The presents sound nice Liz. Not having to buy the logs must save you a fortune, you are lucky aren't you? The programme I mentioned earlier is about people achieving goals over a period of a year. Davina McCall hosts it. It's on ITV Wednesday as 8pm. It's well worth watching.

So you've mis-placed your Christmas cards then Mel, isn't that a nuisance when that happens? I bet you find them once you written all your cards out, you'll have to keep them safe for next year then ;-)

It's been raining here and we had a tiny bit of snow, but it was so fine it didn't stick. Sandra didn't even notice until I mentioned it to her, but she wasn't impressed, I think she'd prefer lots more. I hope it does snow this year for her, after all she's been waiting long enough hasn't she?

Yes Jane that is the right expression! How strange not to know it!!!
Thanks Mel. Yes, we're really proud of little Cas too. OH said she put up a couple of partridge this evening on her walk but came straight back to sit by his side immediately he whistled her! Very different from a year ago!! We will be taking Merlin down to the village on Christmas Eve. We did it last year and have been asked if we're doing it again -so we will!!
Jane, our son is, like his dad, into DIY, so he always likes tools, but it can be difficult remembering what he already has! He can always change any double ups if he needs to!!

A little snow Gill!..I do wonder if we are going to get a harsh winter this year.Yes Sandra has waited so long for a good lot of snow.It would make her Christmas wouldn't it :-D
Remember our Snowmen Mel :-D :-D..That was some years ago now.I would love to have some snow this year just as long as I don't have to drive anywhere :-)

So missing Xmas cards .Just like mine the other day.(then Chris found them).I still have them sat on the coffee table .Good intentions to make a start on them,but so far I have done none.A few years ago I would have had them all written by now. I need a bit of oomph :-)

I need oomph too Jane if you find any can you send me some please?

I have written six cards and thats all. Oh turned a film on just as I came back from the shop and I am watching that. Its on the horrow channel and its a Christmassy one. I went up for some of their nice sausages for dinner because I forgot to get the crown out of the freezer. Going to do a toad.

Hav'nt found those cards yet.

Evening All,

It's been quite sunny here but quite windy too, so I doubt there will be many leaves on the trees tomorrow. The water people are back in the close and have again dug up one of the holes they made before and had neatly tarmaced. It is just at the top of our narrow bit of road so we are all having to squeeze by again. They only came back yesterday to remove a pile of their plastic barriers that we were still having to squeeze by. :-S

Do you dress Merlin and the trap up to look Christmassy Liz........or just Ian?? :-) My first boyfriend used to dress up as Santa and drive his dad's red pickup truck around the local villages and collect for charity each year. That was over 50 years ago now, but I was surprised to see that at a parish council meeting recently he had been given an award for doing it so he must have continued to do it all these years! :-)

Mel, surely those little hoglets are too young to survive the winter. Will you try and catch them and keep them indoors till Spring? I remember your hog and his 'parties' from before! lol.

How long will Fitz have to wear the stockings Jane? Will he manage to get them off and back on when he showers? It must be a right palaver for him. I expect he will feel more comfortable once those staples are out. I had a chuckle about the wine........sounds like he's used up the bottles that are within his reach? :-)

Well you are ALL ahead of me with present buying and writing cards this year. Mind you it will seem strange this year with neither MIL or FIL to buy for. But I must find some of that ooomph too and get stuck in. I did go and collect a free Bernard Matthews Turkey from Tesco and a free Intensely fruity Xmas pudding from M&S today, courtesy of the Mail this afternoon though.

Gill I have been watching that programme and it is good as you say. That boy with the dreadful stammer brought tears to my eyes when he went back to his old school and did that presentation to tell them how he had felt at school and to inspire others to deal with difficulties.

We think we are going to have to stop going to the hotel where we have a carvery on Thursdays. There's this older woman member of staff there (younger than me! :-)) who is becoming a bit of a pain, although I'm sure she means well!! She refers to everyone as 'my lovelies' all the time and is so touchy feely and leans over far too close for comfort. Out of the blue she keeps coming to check everything is ok, but the first you know of it is a hand on your arm or around your shoulder and when you turn towards her she is inches from your face!!!!

Good evening all

It's been blowing a gale here most of the day so much that the recycle bin got blown over fortunately I noticed it before it's contents went everyway.

Sainsbury delivery today it took quite a while to put away, then washing and ironing.

Gill you put me to shame with all your presents wrapped up. I haven't bought many yet, All the big presents will be money again but we all buy lots of small things for each other. I have bought Luke and Zoe's presents next door's children.
I must write some cards soon but can't seem to get motivated.

Cas is doing really well Liz no wonder you are proud of her but it's also down to your training and patience as well.

Jane, Fitz is doing well, will he still have to wear the stockings now the stiches are out, he had the right idea going into the wine shop.

We are watching the Big Build at the moment.

Yes, Ann I was tearful when they showed the boy with the stammer, what did you think about the young lad who couldn't speak? It's such a shame his voice only lasted 10 days, lets hope there's something that can be done in the future for him. I was so willing the op to be a success for him, at least he can whisper now which is better than before.
That woman at the hotel sounds a right one, how uncomfortable you both must feel, I don't blame you for wanting to find somewhere new.
So things are no better in your close, I bet you'll be glad when it's all over, although I should imagine that's going to be quite some time. How many properties are they building, have they said how long it's all going to take?

I need to make a start on my Christmas cards soon Mel, I've written my mum's and sister's cards but no ones else's yet.

Yes, a bit of snow Jane for Sandra would be wonderful just enough for her to build the snowman she's been wanting to do for years. I've got a feeling we might strike lucky this year........fingers crossed ;-)
Boxers are okay if that's what he needs. I'll be buying a few clothes for OH this year as his are starting to look a bit tatty now and he needs a new pair of trainers too.

Is anyone watching children in need tomorrow?