General Chat

You're going to miss JJ when he's gone Frank.

I have claned the banties out and managed to catch a few of them and get the muck off their feet and cut their nails. Then I did the big breakfast and have caught up with your posts. Oh is out mowing.

I forgot to say we went to Hatherleigh this morning for petrol for the mower so thats something else we have done today. I always find it surprising when the sun shines and you can get on with so much more than when you have rain or drizzle and wind and grey skies.

Frank I need the plant Fairy down here please? I did buy a pot of sweet peas yesterday at the hsop so I may just put those in the tub in the front of the bungalow. I do like a little vase of those in the kitchen as they are one of the smells I can take.

I think I shall clean out the big girls now and then pick myself a bunch of daffs for the kitchen as I have some of those that smell good too.

I also have a parcel to do up so its ready to post so I shall be pleased if I manage all those things today.

The mowers stopped so perhaps someone wants a coffee and I shall have a hot water and milk.

You love little JJ don't you Frank :-D.It will seem very quiet when he goes home.
My Chester used to go crazy when I got the hoover out.He would try and bite the front of it. The same with the lawn mower. Some dogs are just very noise sensitive.Next doors German Shepherd is the same .He runs along side the mower barking and trying to 'get it'.
James and Jess have just taken Benjy down to the Hills and Dales (Cranford).Hopefully he will be worn out after that. He has a long long journey home tonight. Train from here to St Pancras ,then a tube and another train from another London Station down to Chislehurst...He hates having his harness put on and ran all the way down the garden when he knew he was going out LOL.

Yikes Frank,that must have made you wince cutting through your nail :-S. I have had plasters on my fingers again today but after peeling the spuds and doing the veg they have come off now..I must be keeping Elastoplast going with all these finger strips I am buying.They are on offer at the moment so I bought another 2 packs yesterday.

With all my skin scalp ,nails ,stiff hips and back etc It is looking pretty sure I have Psoriatic Arthritis :-S. I should be getting an appointment through this month to see the Rheumatologist again.
My Niece Rachel (Janice's daughter has been diagnosed with Osteoporosis in her back.Two discs have fused.But the Consultant doesn't want to operate as it might make things worse further up her spine.She is only 38/9 :-(....I think Janice said Osteoporosis and not Osteoarthritis .

Joint of Beef cooked and a Chicken Breast Joint. It is smelling very nice here :-D
I will just slice the meats later and reheat in Gravy.So it is just the Roast Potatoes and veg to actually cook.

I was up at 6 this morning. Chris nudged me to say I was snoring !!!. Told me to turn over ,which I did and THEN he started bl***y snoring. He also had a whistling nose which I kept thinking was the cat Meowing downstairs .So in the end I thought s*d it I might as well get up.So came downstairs ,made a cuppa and watched Border Control :-D Thomas was still well in the land of nod and just gave me a dirty look.He didn't come to until about 8am..
The birds are singing there little heads off here now.It is so nice to hear them with no building works noise going on.It will be different tomorrow when it all starts up again :-S

A whistleing nosse if you don't mind. Oh has a wheezy throat with his snoring and I keep thinking I can hear someone talking.

I have a bit of a stiff neck and right shoulder today and last night my thumbs hurt too.

I take one Joint Ace a day and I swear they help. I had forgotten to take them for a couple of days.

Must get my scripts in the morning as I seem to have run out of my coated asprin and had to take one of oh's today.

Afternoon All,

Well I wish I had some of Benjy's energy! lol I see Thomas is maintaining a dignified aloofness!! :-) It looks like they will get on ok now. Thomas doesn't seem scared as long as he has a 'safe' place to get out of his way and the pup is full of play.

Jane.......how could you think of putting that nearly new elliptic trainer in a skip!! Why not ask 'Johnny's Happy Place if they would like it? Exercise is supposed to be good for the mind and release endorphins. Or just put a card in your Post Office.....'free for collection'. I would have had it if I hadn't already got one.

Mel, I have a nail that's split across from the side and have had to cut the side of the nail away to stop it catching. I find beading doesn't help and doing wirework is even worse for your nails. Are the girls enjoying their freedom again now they can be let out? I was looking at some sweet pea plants yesterday to put in a pot with canes. They have a lovely smell as you say.

Those classes will be good for Ruby, I had to smile at her being worn out after. They say dogs will wee anyway if they are a bit anxious at something new. It's a form of showing their submission. Is she getting braver on her walks now?

Good to hear Carmel is doing so well and also enjoying the hospital grub! Will will have to up his game in the kitchen when she gets home!! ;-)

Frank I see you and the door are both having a 'joint' problem!! You are lucky to have family who are able to mend it for you. It's good your knee is improving on the whole though.....onward and upward.

We sneaked to have a look at the partly built bungalow and the house the builder is building. We were surprised how much smaller than ours they were and I don't like this new idea these days of having the kitchen in a corner of the lounge. It does look odd and must be noisy cooking and washing things while trying to watch tv. Imagine fish smell everywhere! :-S There is also a steepish slope down to the bottom bungalow, so we think the rain will flood the drive of the bungalow at the bottom.

The place where we have started to eat on Sundays was packed out today. Even the staff said they were run of their feet and hadn't ever seen it so busy. We were there for 11.30am and still got the table we like in an alcove away from most of the noise. We can see the carvery from our seats so were first to be served.

Tomorrow we are off first thing to the newish retail park at Rugby as they have a Home Sense there. I want to see if they have any tall vases for my two small sideboards. I have red, green and purple striped pots with tall mother in law's tongue plants in at the moment, but since OH has been doing notes on the dining table and has the blinds shut to hide his laptop when we are out, it is too dark for them to thrive. I think tall vases with dried grasses might be better. :-)

I have just sorted another two drawers in the bedroom and have made room for everything to be put away now which is good. There is still another drawer under the bed to do and another wardrobe so I might even end up with some spare space!

Ann.BRILLIANT IDEA !!!!! James is going to get in touch with Johnny's Mum about the Cross Trainer/Cycle.Why didn't I think of that !! :-S

Dinner ready :-D

I keep all sorts in my wardrobe. Things like eletrical plugs and fitting and extention leads because I know where they are when oh asks me for anything in that department. They both need sorting out though as I still have two huge files of mums paintings in mine and a box of them under the side draws.

I seem to have a dosy fly in here which keeps settling on me and I don't like it. It dos'nt take any notice of me when I tell it to "BUZZ OFF". You get a Nice day and leave the door open and in they come putting their dirty feet overf everything so I have to keep rushing round with the dettol spray. Can't abide flies.

Sounds like you are getting a Gill Bug Ann with all this sorting of cupboards, draws and wardrobes.

Yes the splits in my nails start with a chip and then they go across the pink bit so I have to wait for ages for them to grow up before I can cut it, and thats if I can cut it as they are sooooo hard even oh has a job to do them. I can't cut the ones on my right hand but am not too bad with the left, being right handed.

Cleaned the big girls out this afternoon. Tehy are so nosy you'd have thought they would be pleased to be outside again but no they have to come and get in the way as usual. Have a lovely backache now....... so may have a little crafting as its only cheese and biccies tonight.

Just had a hot cross bun and a mug of chocolate.

That's good Jane.....worth a try if they have a space for it and would like it.

Mel I keep a plain screwdriver and a phillips one in my drawer in the bedroom!! It's so I can always find one especially if OH is out!! I also have a tiny set for my specs that I keep out of OH's reach in my drawers. lol. :-)

The Turkey prog is on tonight and we really enjoyed the first one last week. More than I can say for the Galapagos prog. Why do these young presenters try to make it a prog about themselves and treat us as if we know as little as they do about places! The scientists were going to their onboard laboratory to inspect the specimens they had brought up from the deep ocean and she was blabbing on how 'we' are going to do blah blah now. WE.......I don't think so!!!! They think because they can present one programme it makes them experts in presenting anything else. They have the most wonderful, self deprecating role model anyone could wish for in David Attenborough but don't learn from him. :-D Sorry, it is a pet irritation!! :-)

I agree Ann and the other thing thats gets me is if you are watching an archaeological
program you get someone talking about a thing then when they show you it is about 2 seconds when I would rather cast my eyes over the object longer and not hav ethe face of the presenter on there. We can listen to what they are saying whilst looking at the thing that has been found.

Report from Side room 3, Victoria Ward, G E Nuneaton.
Carmel continues to progress but not such a good night last night. The physios have given permission that she can also take a small walk accompanied by myself when she feels like it but only to cover the ground that they do.
I took in a portable CD player today and managed to buy two small speakers from the charity stall in the hospital shop. Amazing how a bit of music cheers things up.
I visited the care home where she will be sent for rehab today. It is well appointed and has every facility and staff I met there were friendly and helpful. They showed me around and I was able to see a typical room that she would be allocated which has an adjoined wet room, she is longing to have a shower. Unfortunately, I can't tell what that date will be yet but I believe Carmel is on the short list to go there.
Several of you have asked about distance. From the Grange home to our place is 14 and a half miles, compared to 5 miles to the hospital. However, I'm going to the hospital twice a day and having to pay for parking. Visiting at the Grange is open and parking free so I shall just make one good visit there daily so it should average out. As there are things going on there and more facilities her time will be occupied and seem to go faster for her. How long she will be there depends on several factors but it will be a step in the right direction.

Morning all

Lovely and sunny here today but rain forecast later and tomorrow.

Sorry to hear Carmel had a bad nights sleep William, hope she had a better one last night. Hopefully it won't be long before she's in the care home, it sounds like a nice place so that should help her recovery. She'll be home with you before you know it.

So JJ is going home today Frank, you'll miss him. Have you got a picture I'd love to see it if you have? I keep all my ivy in pots, I do like ivy but not in the ground as it takes over and can spoil other plants. Like you said Ros has worked hard so it would be a shame if the ivy ruined it all and it's not like you haven't asked them nicely to remove it away from your boundary.

My knee is a lot better today Jane, I remember how I hurt it now. I was coming into the living room the other morning, still half asleep and banged my leg just above the knee on the arm of the sofa so it must be the bruising coming out. At least I can bend it better today so it should be back to normal soon.
I loved the video of Benjy trying to get Thomas's attention. Thomas wasn't having a bar of it was he? It made Sandra OH and I laugh :-) Hope you had a better nights sleep last night.

It sounds like you're getting there Ann with your sorting, I still have a bit more to do as I have lots of things I don't use much but still want to keep, so at some point I will pop them in a box and put them in the loft out of the way.
I like the saying Mel used "Gill Bug" LOL :-D :-D

How are your nails today Mel, hope they aren't as sore or catching on everything.

I have my own tool box with everything I need in there, if OH had hold of them they would either be lost or ruined, this way I know where everything is when we need it and it goes back in my tool box when we've finished. He has so many tools but can never find the one he needs, it's so much quicker for me as everything is kept together in one place and above all else kept in good condition.

Morning all,

Sunny here again today with white and greyish clouds in the sky. Still a bit f a cold breeze though as oh just came in from the garage where he is putting new barings on another part of the mower and got his fleece jacket as he said the wind blows through the holes in the jumper he has on. Its one his mum knitted for him years ago and has grown with him if you know what I mean. Its a very loose knit but he says he can move in it.

Slept late again this morning and got up at 10am and I went to bed earlier last night as I was very tired after doing all the chickens.

I too have my own tool box which oh bought for me years ago. I keep it inthe uti room but over the years he has borrowed things and not given them back. If I find something thats mine in the garage I take it back. I have lost some screwdrivers and plyers that mum bought me. I find it handy having my own tools if I hav to operate on the hoover or screw up a door handle that gets loose.

Think I may clear some more of the patio today as if oh finishes the mower and the grass is still too wet to mow then he may pressure wash the patio so I can put all my plants back again.

Sorry Carmel had a bad night even though in her own room. Was she in pain?

Good morning my sweeties, Evening Kim.

Clear blue sky's here, doors and windows open. JJ's been in and out as he wishes. When I let him out at 7.00 am there was frost on the back lawn. But the sun soon cleared that.

I am cleaning the OVEN this morning. I have sprayed "Mr Mussle" on the warm oven and will wipe it off when i'm finished on here. Then it will be the wire shelfs in the sink with the scourer. Must find some rubber gloves, for my poor little dandies <3 <3 <3

Ros is at the hospital at 12.40 Carolyne is taking her. So I will be here if they come to collect JJ BO HO !!!

Glad you like the look of the GRANGE Will, it will work out well for you i am sure. One long visit instead of two at the hospital, give her my regards.

Gill, I have a photo of ELLA with JJ but wouldn't know how to put it on the computer, to send it to you. I will ask Harvey when he comes up one evening this week.

Mel, I had TWO hot cross buns with loads of butter for my breakfast yesterday. Went down a treat with a COT. Glad the girls are able to be out now.

Ros must be a very lucky girl, as when she wants anything done (tool wise) I always do it for her. But that's the sort of person I am ;-) ;-) ;-) <3 <3 <3 <3

Jane it seems Benji will be missed when he goes home tonight. (NOT BY THOMAS) !!! He will be tired out after his walks today. He is such a little dog.

Well Mr Mussle must be ready by now, so will see you later.

I forgot to mention on my report. Carmel says the tea in the hospital is dreadful, so yesterday evening I took in a flask of Irish tea plus some Cadbury's chocolate Swiss rolls.
It was a nice treat especially with a bit of music in the background.

Good thinking Will, I bet that went down a treat. ;-) ;-)

Well I have a lovely clean oven, I even took the glass out of the door and cleaned and polished that. I have one wire tray cleaned the other is sitting on the washing bowl ready for me to start scrubbing with the wire wool scourer. What a job the first one was so I will tackle the other one soon. I think in future I will get one of these oven cleaning company 's to come and do it. It will be worth the money, not having to do it myself.

Turned chilly out now, the wind has got up a bit, and the clouds seem to be getting thicker.

Bin day tomorrow. I have got the food bin and Blue bin out, just the green bin to do. That sits down the bottom of the garden where Madam left it yesterday.

I have been looking at conservatories on the web. There are some beautiful 2nd hand ones at very reasonable prices, I will ask Harvey's advice when he comes up this week. I can buy a complete Conservatory for the price of some of the DOORS. !!!! and the doors and locks will be included. In some cases they are already dismantled, so would only need loading onto Harvey's truck and assembled this end.

Back to the GRIND STONE. It will all be finished and cleaned down before Ros gets home from the hospital. I HOPE. !!!

William that was a nice treat to enjoy with Carmel in her little room. I bet that did cheer her up and it must have been nice for her to have her favorite tea. I did'nt know you could buy Irish Tea.

Afternoon All,

I didn't know you could buy Irish tea either. It's good you managed to visit the home where Carmel will convalesce Will, but sorry to hear she didn't have a good night. It's good too that you will be able to visit whenever and won't have hassle finding parking spaces. It must seem quiet at home without her at the moment.

Yes, I do have the Gill bug don't I! lol. I feel much better for getting things sorted out though and 'Teddy' has lots of room to sit on the window seat now! :-D I'm glad your knee is getting better Gill as we don't realise how much we need them till they hurt.

Frank you will have to get a little JJ, he seems to fit right in. I was reading today about how the Dogs Trust foster dogs out for a few weeks at a time and thought it was a good way to have a dog without long term commitment and problems when you want to go away.

We went to Rugby this morning, but I didn't find any suitable vases that we both liked! :-S We did have a nice bacon butty though.

I'm off to a garden centre next and OH is catching up with some notes.

I could just do with a bacon butty even after my lunch. I could eat bacon at any time. Mum used to call me her "bacon and biscuit baby".

Must go and get my scripts now and then do some more ironing as the pile is disappearing and it makes you feel good. "And I'm feeling good" De dum de dum.........

Now what made that song jump into my head?

All finished and as clean as a new pin, well almost !!

They have TAKEN HIM AWAY. they arrived about 2.00 pm. He was so pleased to see them, so how could I send the away without him, ??

After saying my goodbyes, I looked at the pots in the front garden and down the drive and boy did they need a drink. So I watered the front and side of the house, and did the patio pots s well. I sprayed down the side beds as far as the hose would reach. Dos will no doubt get the other hose out and do the bottom of the garden and the greenhouse.

Time for a COT and hot X bun.

Thats just what we have had Frank. Well I had chocolate and he had coffee with our hot cross buns.

Clouded over here and the wind is chilly again now.

Been up for the scripts and what a mess again. They had given oh dispersable asprin again when on the script it said Gastro Resistant so they had to go back and they have ordered the other one and I can pick it up on Wednesday. Just as well we have some that he can take.

Forgot to get the chicken fillets out of the freezer so tjhey are now in the micro defrosting. Probable do them with a can of chicken and sweetcorn soup and some carrot and onion and rice for him and a jacket pot for me. I seem to have gone right off chicken at the moment.

Afternoon Everyone.

Frank how do fancy coming over to give my oven a good clean :-D :-D. It is one job here that is desperately needing doing. Who would put up a new conservatory for you?
It seems a good price from what yousay especially if ir is the same as a few new doors !! So your little companion has now gone home.He will have had a lovely holiday with you ,but no doubt be pleased to see his Mum again :-D

Thomas has been quite strange today.I think he has been looking for Benjy !He has been looking under all the settees ,even behind them.I wonder if he is missing him or just checking he wasn't going ot be pounced on LOL.

William, Carmel has certainly had 5 star treatment from you.Music,Tea and Chocolate Cakes too :-D :-D. What a great idea to take in the CD player and to find those little speakers.

Well I managed to get in the the Dr this morning.That was a shock. I managed to have a quick bath and shave my legs.Chris said why on earth was I doing my legs.It was only because I have a new patch of scaly skin on the front of my leg and I couldn't show the Dr that with a forest to look through :-S He was very pleased with how things are improving .Have yet a different pot of goo for my hands at night with my white gloves.

Have had 3 phone calls since I started this post.One form Janice,One from Fitz and a Cold call.I seem to have lost the thread of what I was going to be saying now. So will make a start on dinner
:-D