General Chat

Afternoon all

It's been raining all day here today with plenty more to come by the looks of the clouds.

Apart from a headache I'm feeling much better today. I've had a go at some sorting and managed to fill 11 boxes so OH will pop some of them in the loft for me later.

How wonderful to have baby Robin's Frank, you are right though Ros shouldn't touch them, but at least you know they are there now. Enjoy you lunch out later.

So you've eaten some of your egg last night Jane, like Mandy said that'll be more miles on the bike for you now :-D :-D

The children sound like they've had a great time hunting for the eggs and bunnies Mandy and it's sounds like you've had fun too.

Going to check on the roast now then settle down and watch the F1 race while we all eat our Easter eggs.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of Easter <3

I am eating my easter chocs at the moment. I have a nice big box of Black Magic same as oh who has just opened his.

Our sunshine has gone and the breeze is very cold. I was going up the border but too cold to be out there now.

Good you're feeling better Gill and hope you all enjoy your eggs.

Black Magic. I haven't had those Mel for yonks.They are the Dark Chocolate aren't they? Or am I wrong there.
Yes more miles on the bike LOL I will no doubt finish the other half of that egg tonight.
The trouble is it is very difficult not to stop eating it once started. But then once they are gone they are gone :-D

Glad the children had a great Easter Egg Hunt Mandy.They have gone home happy children :-D

Gill ,you have just emptied yout loft and now putting 11 more boxes up there !!!!!!!
Hope you don't think of moving again too soon LOL .You do sound a lot better now which is great.
I hope Frank and Ros have had a lovely lunch out at Greens today. No cooking for him tonight :-D
J&J have gone out with Benjy.Home for them tomorrow night.Thomas will be relieved.He had a go at Benjy last night :-S and then behaved badly by sratching the new settee and trying to climb the curtain :-S :-S.I think he want's his own space back now.

Will send a couple of pics of Hannah and Gareth on their horse ride this morning . Somewhere called Ogmore near Bridgend in Wales. They were very lucky that it was dry. Few spits and spots starting here now.

I imagine that William Carmel and Harry have had a wonderful lunch today together at L Grange. So lovely for Carmel to be able to have some special time with her Brother.
I am loving Williams tales each day. What a great story teller :-D

Good afternoon all

Nice Sunny day at the moment it was a bit cloudy earlier,but no rain so far. Richard has been helping me in the garden, mostly clearing the grass and weeds from between the paving slabs and digging out some really persistent ornamental grass which had self seeded, I had it in an arrangement from the Garden centre a couple of years ago and there were several clumps of it in the raised bed where I have the rose bushes so that's all cleared now, it was in very deep and he had to use a spade. I want to get some sand or similar to put between the slabs but not sure which is the best thing to get, any ideas please?

We have just finished eating, Turkey breast today and the usual veg. It was only Paul today as the girls have been grounded, Sue isn't doing herself any favours as it means she cant go off on her own with Neil, she has taken Abbie's phone off her and told Paul to stop interfering it seems with her what ever he does is wrong ,Last week she was insisting she went to live with him and now she has stopped any of us seeing her and Becky, apparently Abbie has started smoking because of all the stress, I find this really upsetting as none of us smoke and never have done, but as she doesn't have all that much money to spend so hopefully she will realise it's a complete waste to spend it on them. I was going to give her money for Easter because she doesn't. like chocolate but will have to think of something else now

Mandy your grandchildren must have really enjoyed looking for their Easter Eggs in the garden and I expect you enjoyed hiding them as well lucky it was a sunny day, Max didn't discover any I hope.

So you are being good using your bike to exercise on Jane, safer than using the road, I noticed David next door's son going out on his this morning, he rides over the road to Swinley forest where they have proper bike trails for those that have bought a pass but I suspect not everyone has.
So young Thomas is not impressed by Benji visiting again our two still haven't accepted Ruby.

Pleased to hear you are feeling better Gill but try and take it easy for a while, has Sandra eaten her Easter eggs yet?

I hope you and Ros enjoy your meal out Frank. It must be such a pleasure have to the Robin family nesting in you garage, I have never seen a baby robin.

Mel I hope you are enjoying your Black Magic Chocolates. I haven't had them for years but I do prefer plain chocolate mostly the Lindlt "Touch of Salt one" but being diabetic I try to have just 2 squares a day , not easy sometimes

Glad your feeling better today Gill ,don't eat to much chocolate so you don't enjoy your roast ,is Sandra cooking today ?

Hope William has enjoyed his lunch with Carmel and her brother today ,i think it's lovely they can all have a lunch together, i love Williams story telling too he has a way with his words ,i don't do Face book so i miss some of it .

No Anne i make sure Max doesn't get the chocolate ,i count all the eggs i put out and count them all again when they have collected them ,this year i stuck some cotton on the eggs and hung them about in the honeysuckle on the fence and and any where i could find to hook them really, they then share them out .

Just finished our Roast Beef ,it was nice and tender not that i eat much meat ,there's some nice gravy left so i've sliced some Beef and poured the rest of the gravy over it ready for tomorrow .

Oh Black Magic chocolates i haven't had them for years ,mum always had a box at christmas .
I keep meaning to ask if the little hog is about that your OH found Mel?

Oh dear poor Thomas have a set to with Benjy , he doesn't like his space invaded and he's telling you by being naughty :-(
Whats this Hannah on a horse :-0 :-D has she ridden before Jane ?
I use to listen to music when i went on my bike ,started off listening to a few songs then gradually increased it ,i use to do five miles in the morning and another five in the evening .

Jake lost his phone yesterday when he was out with his friends ,son tracked it and found it was in Commercial road here in the town .....what is in Commercial road ....the police station !!! some kind person had handed it in so son rang but the police station is closed until Tuesday ,there must be someone in the station as half an hour later there was a knock at the door and there stood a policeman with the phone ,he said he didn't think they would want to wait until Tuesday to get it
back ...how nice was that .

Anne,maybe a voucher for a clothes shop that she likes might be a good idea for Abbie.It sounds as though things are very strained for the girls at home at the moment.Is it 6 of one and half of the other ?
Hopefully Abbie will realise the cost of cigarettes and decide they are not for her.She is at a very awkward age right now.Hormones and all that :-S. I remember those days .Running away from home once and not knowing where to go ,Ending up back at a friends house and Dad finding me there LOL .He then took me for a little drive around the village trying to make me understand that it was Mum's time of the month and that was why she was so crabby and not understanding as to what I was kicking off about .I can't even remember now what it was all about.No doubt it was something stupid.
Teenage years are so hard for the Teens and Parents. But most come out the other side fine :-D :-D.As I have said before thank heavens she has you there <3

So the cats are still not too keen on Ruby ! Maybe once she calms down after her puppy antics she will be accepted.
Thomas has come in and eaten a WHOLE POUCH of food :-D. I put fresh down for him as he turned his nose up at what was in his dish. (probably had the scent of Benjy ). I can see mayhem happening again here tonight LOL.

Morning all,

Not a very nice day here today. We have grey sky and it is very quiet if you know what I mean. There are birds singing but no breeze yet but its not very warm.

Fine high jinks at yours then Jane with Benjy and Thomas. Thomas must wonder why he has to come at the weekend and has to keep his eye on him incase he gets more attention from his mum.

A good junt then Mandy. The children must really look forward to it each year. How nice for the policeman to bring Jake's phone back to him. He must know they are lost without their phones nowadays.

Having a hot cross bun and hot chocolate.

Good morning all, evening Kim,

I turn my back for a few hours and everything happens. Jane loosing weight !!, lost phone, punch up between cat and dog, fall out with parents. I can't leave you lot alone for five minutes <3 <3 <3 <3

miserable sort of morning here too. damping in the air, and very still. Not sure what to expect.

Jonathan is suppose to be bringing my rotavator back this morning. He borrowed it last weekend. I have ask him to rotavate my bit behind the greenhouse so we can get some veg in. The trouble with him is he is so unreliable you never know when he will come.

We had an excellent lunch out yesterday. The service, staff and food was brilliant. My only complaint was that the beer prices were £4.95 a pint, whereas in my local for the same pint is £3.45. There was no rush to serve us, in fact after the starter I asked the waitress to give us 20 minutes before she bought the main course which was Roast beef and all the trimmings. Neither of us could clear our plates. We arrived home about 4.45 pm and sat around for the rest of the day.

I offered to take Ros out somewhere today, but the way the weather looks, we will be better off staying at home.

Trust you all have a pleasant Easter Monday, see you later.


I did break into my Easter Egg last night, and ate the buttons, and a small bit of shell.

Afternoon all

It's been raining here today but we've still had to water a couple of the big plants we have in pots as there are so many branches on them the rain can't get into the pots and the leaves were starting to droop. They are Red Robins and about 9 feet tall so lots of leaves fighting for the water.

Pleased to hear your lunch went well yesterday Frank, the beer sounds expensive though. How are the little Robin's getting on?

How nice of the policeman to bring Jakes phone back Mandy. Good idea to check all the eggs are out of the garden you wouldn't want Max to eat any of them.

I like Black Magic too Mel, as I'm like you and prefer dark chocolate. Sandra and OH have eaten their eggs I still have half of mine left so will finish that off later. My throat is a bit sore today so I don't fancy it right now.

I'm trying to empty some of the wardrobes Jane, we put Christmas stuff in there last year when we emptied the loft for the new insulation so now that's done they can go back up in the loft, I've also boxed up some of my material as that filled a whole wardrobe, so now I just have half of that wardrobe with some material in now. I went through all my CD's and DVD's the other day as they were all over the bungalow in different places, I'm hoping to get them into the wardrobe now as the cupboard in the living room is full. Sandra couldn't get over how many CD's I had and I noticed that a lot of the DVD's haven't even been opened so we've going to watch them when we have some free time. I've got a lot of stuff under beds and because we don't have an insulated bungalow they are starting to smell a bit musty so I might boxed that up for the loft too before anything is ruined. So plenty to keep me busy for a while yet. I also boxed up a few quilts, I'd popped them under the valance sheet on the spare bed and now the loft insulation is done I thought I'd boxed them up too. You'll be surprised where you can put things if you need to empty the loft, but now a few things need to go back up there.
Sorry to hear Thomas is playing up, it sounds like he'll be glad when Benjy goes home. Cat's are very territorial animals which might explain why he's scratching and climbing up your curtains. Hope he settled down for you soon. How did Hannah and Gareth get on with the horse ride, it looked like they were having fun on the pictures you sent?

Rosie has just turned up for her lunch, she is such a character sometime. I fed her the other week and a pigeon tried to take some so she jumped on him as if to say keep off, he got the message and left her alone. Once she'd finished he then came back and ate her leftovers. I now call him hoover LOL :-D :-D We had two hedgehogs in the garden the other night, they can't half move quickly can't they?

It sounds like a right job trying to get the ornamental grass out Anne, at least it's all done now, that's the thing will self seeding plants they tend to take over. My mum had some pretty yellow flowers that did that in her raised boarder, it took OH and I ages to get it out. She gave me some but I kept it in some pots so we can enjoy them each year without them taking over the garden. Sorry to hear about Abbie, the voucher sounds like a good idea of Jane's that way she can buy herself something nice to wear instead of cigarettes. I'm a smoker so can't really say much, but if I had my time again I wouldn't of done it. I have stopped a few times but always start again if I'm under a lot of stress. Hopefully she'll stop soon and realise it's not worth it. I hope all the upset didn't ruin the girls Easter.

Oh Gill, How can you afford to smoke, with all the expense you have had I would have thought that was the last thing you need to do. It's the UNCLE FRANK in me. SORRY.xx We both smoked upto 20 odd years ago, and thank goodness we both packed up within a few months of each other. Not that we can say we have saved that money, but it gets used up in our general expenses. It's certainly an expense we don't need.

Our neighbour Val has loads of celandines growing in her garden/lawn. they creep under the fence into our garden. Ros. is forever digging them out, they spread like wild fire.

I have just realised why DOS comes up when I type ROS. The spell check shows DOS as it doesn't recognise ROS. I'm glad I sussed that out as it was bothering me. !!!

Turned a lot colder out there now. Jonathan came about 12.30. He DUG the ground over roughly before rotavating .(sp) He's made a good job of it. A bottle of RED will be on it's way as a thank you. I have moved the runner bean plants into the shed, and closed the greenhouse door, as there is a talk of frost tonight. Tomorrow night they say it could get down to MINUS 7. So if you have any delicate plants out. GET THEM UNDER COVER. You have been warned

We were going to have our loft re done with insulation, but we have so much stuff up there, we could never find anywhere to put it. The Company did say we wouldn't be able to put it back afterwards because it would flatten the insulation, and wouldn't get the full benefit from the work done. So we have left it as it is. It will be a Job and half for Conrad and Harvey at a latter date. A lot of the stuff is Conrad's anyway. ;-) ;-)

Roast beef again tonight. Ros bought a piece on Saturday, as it was on offer. So that is ready to go in the oven later. We will have that with Jersey Royals, roast Parsnips, Brussels, Cauli, Broad Beans, and carrots and peas. I have also made a Bread and butter pudding with CREAM and sultana's with a sprinkling of sugar.

As it's Soaps and Broadchurch tonight, I might go and watch the football down the pub and have a couple of CHEAP PINTS.

Just a quicky now as each time I have tried to start a post something or someone has called me away.
James is going to be driving Jess and Benjy home tonight rather than them getting the train as Jess still feels a bit crook.He will have a quick turn around and come straight home.But I have a feeling the roads are going to be terribly busy :-S.So it might not be a straightforward journey. Luckily James is off work tomorrow .

Thomas has just come up the garden with a baby bunny in his mouth and has gone under the hedge with it. !!!. He better not do what he did last night and sick it all up in the lounge :-S :-S.. I was just enjoying the last of my Easter Egg when it all came up.
Needless to say I couldn't finish that after clearing up and gagging. :-|
He will be very relieved tonight to see the back of Benjy :-D Benjy got out on to the road today :-0 :-0. Jess had just opened the side gate to put the poo bag in the bin and he sneaked through. All I can say is thank heavens he wasn't squished.
Thomas might have been quite pleased LOL

Have to go as dinner is needing attention. Glad you had a lovely meal yesterday Frank despite the price of the beer.

Last of Broadchurch tonight :-D :-D.Can't wait for this one.

My back is killing me. I have been digging out more blackberry plants that have self seeded from over the fence in the field next door. Also cutting down the ivy growing on the wall and what did I do? cut right through a large stem from the clematis. I knew I was going to do it at some point. It is just coming into flower and is very straggerly so when it is done I shall cut it right back. The biggest stem in about just over an inch across but that goes right up the big beech tree.

Frank I keep getting calls about having the loft insulated but like you we have sooooo much up there and would'nt be able to put the stuff back up there. I just tell them now that we had done it ourselves with that thick paper stuff a few years ago.

Morning folks, just me today, Harry is back at daughter Dorothy's overnight so that Harry, Vera and Brian can be taken straight to Birmingham airport for their flight back to Dublin later this morning.
Harry and I have had such chats here which passed the hours far too quickly between going over to see Carmel at Linden Lodge ( L G now !),.He is very frail now but was no trouble at all to look after and I shall miss him - at least till Carmel get's back home.
It seems my Facebook posts have grown into a cult (I use the word very loosely).following and I got complains because I didn't post one the other evening! No accounting for tastes LOL. Anyway, those that have looked saw that you got a double dose last night and now I've got to keep it going.
The OT is calling here this morning between 9 and 10 am to assess the place for Carmel's eventual return and to see what needs adding, if at all, to adapt the place for her immediate needs. I think it will be mostly a second stair rail, we don't have a bannister but a partition wall up the stairs. It shouldn't be a big problem, just when it will be done for me to be here. A lot of equipment she already has in place here from a previous assessment. At her end at L G, the physio will see her this morning and assess her progress. Sadly, because she developed a lot of pain in her leg, she has actually found the last two days harder to get around, but she is still very determined and perseveres to to do the best she can.
Must get on, the morning will fly by. More news soon, thank you all for your support, even Harry knows about you all now.

Morning William and all,

It 's nice to know Harry knows about us mad lot. Sorry to hear Carmel has pain in her leg. Is it the legs that was injured? Wishing her better soon William and send her my love when you next go.

We have beautiful sunshine this morning and oh is washing down some wooden sheep hurdles Graham gave him when he cleaned out a big barn. Oh is going to cut off the bottoms of them and put them up as a fence on our little wall in the back garen so he can tie up my rambling rose. It only flowers once a year but the smell it gives off is to die for.

Broadchurch was good last night. I really enjoyed it. Another winner but I wish Danny's parents had got back together instead of him driving off into the unknown.

O well better pop up the shop for some milk and then I shall go to Bideford today shopping.

Made our appointments for further blood tests this morning and had two messages from Di saying she has not been well and they were sent on the 12.4.17 thats five days ago!! First she was going to call in and then had a coughing fit so did'nt. I have made her a string and jar lantern so she has something to take home with her when she does get here.

Wrote this and did'nt post it!!!!

Morning Friends, Evening Kim,

The weather maps were all wrong yesterday. It showed that Tuesday night the whole of Central England was going be be covered in 7 degrees of FROST. Where as last night's map showed it to be in Scotland, We are going to be about minus ONE.

That was nice of Thomas, to bring up his feast in the lounge just as you were eating your Easter Egg. :-0 :-0 :-0 Little beggar !!!

Lovely bright morning here but quite cold. I just went to get the bins in in my Dressing gown and did I get a shock. So IF and only IF I go into the garden to do anything, I will need a coat on, even though the sun is shining.

Ros is out with the GIRLS tonight at 5.30 pm. They are going for a meal, before going to the theatre. Some show about Elvis I believe. So I will have the freedom to watch what I WANT.

Things seem to be going in the right direction for Carmel them Will. I hope it won't be to long before you have her home with you.

My sister is having rails and grips fitted around her house tomorrow. This is because I made her contact AGE CONCERN. I am sure it will help with her mobility.

Ros has taken Carolyn into town this morning, to get some bits she needs. Her car is in the garage for something to be done.

I'm all showered and dressed this morning, all I have to do now is fed myself. !!!

I'm off shopping in a min so thought I would just pop in before I go.

Hope all are well and had a good nights sleep last night.

Love to Liz and Carmel.

GENERAL ELECTION 8th JUNE That came as a surprise. !!

Haven't been out today, it's rather chilly out there for my old bones. I put on my joggers and old top, with every intention of going in the garden.

Ros is just back, John has to be at Kettering General Hospital for 2.00 pm. Hope everything goes well for him. ;-) ;-)

Just had Eggs on toast for my lunch, Ros is now in the kitchen getting herself something.

No action on here today, so I will go back to my book. See you later.

Would you believe my LUCK. This afternoon Ros decided as she fell asleep during "BROARDCHURCH" last night, she would like to watch it again on Catchup. As I said I have never watched it, and thought as it was the last one yesterday, I wouldn't have to. HOW WRONG CAN I BE ????

Just been outside and it's VERY COLD. So don't envy anyone who has to go out. Halogen heater on in the lounge area. There is plenty of warmth coming in from the conservatory where I am sitting with the door open into it.

Robin seems to be busy in and out of the garage with food. I must keep my eyes on them when they decide to spread their little wings. After they fly, do they come back to the nest at night for security ???

Can't be much longer of broadchurch, then I can go and watch NAT. GEO. ;-) ;-) ;-)

Afternoon Everyone

Sorry to hear that Carmel has that pain in her leg William..Fingers crossed she hasn't developed a DVT. So the family are on their way back to Ireland now.It has been lovely for Carmel and you of course to have seen them all.Hopefully the OT has been now and has sorted out what is needed to help Carmel.

That is good news then for your Sister Frank. Safety things being put in place for her too .Good job you got her to get in touch with age concern :-D :-D

Chilly willy day here even with the sunshine.Chris had to water all the garden this afternoon as everything is bone dry.He came in and put his hands on the back of my neck and they were FREEZING :-S

I too fell asleep just as Broadchurch was getting good.So I have watched it again like Ros.
It was sad to see Danny driving off wasn't it Mel. We will never know now what will happen to him. What a brilliant programme. Just Line of Duty for me to follow now.

I popped in to the Surgery this afternoon on the off chance there might have been a cancellation .The receptionist said "you are having a laugh aren't you " LOL No chance. So the first one she could give me is for the 8th May with a GP I have not heard of . That was fine.But I said if I could just speak to the GP I have been seeing I might get away with actually having to make an appointment.So I just need to ring tomorrow before 12 and ask to be put on his phone call list. Luckily he was the Doc on phone call 'duty' .So at least I know I can speak to the one I want :-D

Thomas is refusing to sleep on either of his beds :-S Benjy has obviously left his blooming scent. I did say to James today that I think 4/5 days is too long to have Benjy here as it isn't fair on Thomas.A couple of nights ok. If we didn't have Thomas I would be quite happy to have Benjy for any amount of time, but seeing how unsettled Thomas is just seems a bit unfair on him.

Meatballs for us 3 tonight. My favourite big ones from Sainsbury with lots of flavours in.

I will be having to stay in tomorrow as James is expecting a new phone. Chris is out in the morning for a while and then off to Northampton for a film in the afternoon. Some film I must not have been interested in seeing. I don't know what it is.

Mandy ,Hannah used to do Horseriding when she was pre teen.The last time she rode a horse before last weekend was a couple of years ago when the 2 of us went down to Plymouth and stayed in that Chalet looking out over the sea. She had an hours ride then when I went to visit my old Primary School teacher Ruth.

Meatballs need to go in the oven I think,so at least they are cooked and I can just bung the m in a pan and pour the sauce over them :-D