General Chat

Morning all,

We have sunshine this morning so have you it too? I have a boil wash to put on the line then I think I shall strip the bed.

Iv'e got the library this morning so I must'nt forget.

Morning Mel and all, Evening Kim,

Isn't it nice to wake up to sunshine ?? Just a few white clouds floating about. !!

Yes Ann, you were so lucky as I said yesterday. Ros thinks she's going "do lallie" as she keeps forgetting things and putting things down and can't remember where she puts things. I shouted at her last night "DON'T BE SO SILLY" We all forget things from time to time. (except me, because I am perfect LOL LOL)

When is Hannah due back from her holiday Jane, I bet they have been hot out there, did you see how hot iy has been 42/45 degrees in some places.

Did anyone watch 24 hours in A & E last night ?? I thought they gave far to much time to that GAY couple with his bad back, which turned out to be nothing !!!

I've made the stuffing for the chicken already this morning. It's easier to stuff when it's cooled down. If you get it on your fingers when it's hot it sticks and burns my delicate hands LOL LOL.

Ros is showering and washing her hair. I am under strict instructions not to go near the Veg patch till she's out. I want to pick more beans and get a root of potatoes for dinner tonight. I will rub the chicken in a Garlic and Herb rub. before it goes in the oven, it leaves a nice flavour on the crispy skin. (naughty but nice)

Hope you didn't forget your Library this morning Mel. !!

I see the neighbour washing is still on th line, it might get dried today. !!!

What are you all up to today. After getting dinner ready later, I might take a stroll round the village. I haven't been out this week, so a bit of sun and fresh air will do me good.

I wonder if Gill will be back this week, and trust her Mum is getting on alright and of course her BIL.

Our friend Sue, has had her operation to remove the Cancer from her Liver, and she is progressing well, just got to go through the Chemo now. Poor girl. xx

Thanks for the reminder Frank. I read your post and when I read about the library it did remind me as I was just going to do other things.

I have just come back after having a natter to Anna next door but one sort of. She does cut flowers and she is willing to take a lot f the small nerine bulbs so thats nice to know.

Afternoon All,

Yes it's sunny here too Mel, a really nice day. :-) That was good you found a new home for the Nerines! I hate throwing plants away and it's always good if you can find someone who would like them.

We have eaten where the touchy feely member of staff is today, but there were quite a few people in so she was kept busy!! Then we went to a garden centre that was taken over earlier this year and where they are spending a lot to do it up. They have a good selection of plants, but no shrubs or alpines that I fancied. I need to pop to the bank next and OH says he'll take me to save me trying to find parking nearby.

I watched the A&E prog Frank and thought that chap made a fuss. I thought the old lady with her grandaughter was lovely.

I hope Gill is ok and that her OH's BIL is coping with the chemo. Such an upsetting time for them all.

Its Gill's oh's brother I think Ann and my thoughts and prayers are with the whole family. <3

Thanks Mel, silly me, that's what I thought I'd put!! Yes, you feel so helpless in those situations when you can't make things alright for someone.

Afternoon all,

I opened another bag of SPUDS, and got enough for three pays, I picked enough beans for tonight and dug some carrots. They were a bit stumpy and split. I have peeled and cut them up so they should be alright. Have done board beans for her indoors. ;-) ;-) Stuffed the chicken and that sits in the oven ready to go on later.

Ros and Carolyn bought some toys for the Canal Festival stall. She has just taken them up to one of the organisers, we don't want them sitting around indoors. If the weather is fine will will pop along for an hour or so, but if it's wet I won't be trying to walk along the canal path (not with my history. LOL LOL)

The lawns need attending too, but I don't feel up to doing them this afternoon, so will see what the weather is like in the morning.

Finished another book this morning, so will start another. I still have SEVEN to read, before I start to look for more books.

Never mind Annx, we all have these senior moments LOL LOL. Yes I hope Gill's BIL is coping with his treatment. It wasn't around for my dad in the 50s,

Have just been on the phone to my SIL FRAN (Bill's Wife) We got talking about my mum, and what a strong hard working woman she was. Having to bring 5 children under SEVEN on her own for most of the war. There was always a good meal to be had, a nice clean bed to sleep in, and cloths on our backs. Oh how I miss my Mum and Dad after all these years. He would be 131 on the 22nd August and mum would be 122 next January. He died in 1958 and Mum in 1980. (SORRY)

Afternoon All
What a difference today. It has been really nice and warm and sunny.Chris got another hedge cut which took him forever . I made him have his mobile in his pocket when I went out as he was up on the mini scaffold just incase he had a fall. He thought I was making a fuss ,but I thought it was a sensible idea.It is not as though he could shout for a neighbour as no-one is in during the day.

I bought a nice big bag today to take to the wedding.Just to take an extra pair of shoes , camera ,shawl etc. It is in colours that wouldn't look out of place with my dress . Better than an old plastic carrier bag LOL. It was from Sainsbury and only £20 .

Frank , Hannah and Gareth have another 6 nights away. They have arrived in Kotor today in Montenegro.She says it is feckin' hot !!!!!. They have had a boat trip on a big lake and had a swim in the lake. Lots of mountians all around and it looks lovely. I must look on the map and see exactly where Kotor is. So they are there for 5 nights now and then the last night is back in Croatia at a place called Cavat.They wanted somewhere not too far from Dubrovnik Airport.

Our window cleaners are over a week late. I am thinking they must be on holiday and hope the business hasn't gone bust as they are so good and also very reliable. Every morning for the last week we have been looking out the window before hopping in the shower or bath just to make sure we don't get any surprises LOL.

Little Benjy and Jess are here for the weekend . Chris will have to pick them up from the station tomorrow afternoon as I will be at the foot clinic getting my toenails sorted.
They really need doing and are begiining to look like talons :-S. I only have them done by someone else because they are so hard and some very thick.

Just heard again from Hannah saying the Lake water was 28 degs !!!!.

Your mum died a year after my lovely dad Frank.

Frank I think you will be ok to have a wander to the Canal Festival. The weather looks like it might be ok :-D.
You have done well with your Spuds this year. We didn't do any . Your Carrots sound a bit like ours were. I will be picking a load of Runners tomorrow :-D :-D

My neighbour rang to see if we wanted any Plums . They have a real glut this year . But I had to turn her down as we had loads from another neighbour.

Not a cloud in the sky here now. It is a beautiful evening :-D :-D

Thinking of Gill and family <3

Our runners are about 6 inches long now so we should be picking soon too. :-) I always have my mobile with me when OH is out Jane and he takes his in the garden if I am out. Getting stuck in the loft that time made me change my ways! You just never know what might happen do you and Chris should really keep his with him especially with climbing up the tower.

Frank I think I am gradually losing the plot!! lol. :-) The big birthday I had must have done it!! I sometimes wonder how my grandma did all she did with having 9 children to bring up. Six were boys and all became miners like grandad so you can imagine the water to heat for the daily baths and all the washing and ironing with their mucky work clothes. The pits didn't have showers till later. Mum said they never went hungry or were cold. I think a gentle walk to the Festival would be good and get you out and about for a 'chinwag'. It sounds like it is one of those events that gets bigger each year.

Its been a great day here. Sun all day and warm with it but not too over the top.

I have been on bramble duty this afternoon and then worked my way all up the side of the orchard to the top where the big ash tree was hanging right down and oh could'nt mow under it so I cut al that back and then had a bit of the fig tree by the top arch.

We saw the fox a little while ago come out of the top arch by the fig tree and walk across by my border. Oh took a shot but knew it would'nt hit it.

Just had three hogs in the feeding ring.

Morning all,

Another wet day here after yesterdays lovely sunshine. Its really miserable.

Is anyone else having trouble getting on the site??

I got indigestion again last night and think I still have it this morning. I have just taking a pill which is supposed to stop it but it dos'nt seem to be working.

Morning Mel, and all, Evening Kim,

Nice summer morning here Mel. I was up with the lark, put on my garden joggers and Tee shirt and cut both lawns. The back one is very wet from all the rain for two days, so I raised the blade and took the top off. Will try to do another cut tomorrow.

Jane it looks like H & G are having a nice holiday. That's a good temp. for the water in a lake. Did they both end up Starkers on the nudest beech. I remember when we went on holiday with my brother Ted and his wife. Ten and I decided to have a walk down this beech. Unbeknown to us it went into a nudest area. Were we surprised, and quickly turned around and made our way back LOL LOL.

I am totally whacked out now. My right arm and hip are giving me gip. So will have a nice hot shower when I finish here.

Ros has gone to get her nails done this morning, and will pop into Tesco for my beer. Essential shopping !!!

Well it looks like the weather might hold for the Festival. with all the work they goes into it, they deserve good weather.

Spoke to my sister this morning, not very good by the sound of things. She has a job to eat, and keep her food down. Plus she has an ear infection, which she has to go to the Doctor today for treatment. Her son is back from Holiday so he will take her. She tells me her eldest son (my god son) has been to see her. The first time in six years. They had a bg fall out when her husband died, he expected to come not the money, but of course from a working family there wasn't any, He thought it was his entitlement as the eldest son. Bl@@dy cheek.

Mel, do you get any figs off your tree, or is it just for show. ??

Thinking of Gill and family, hope everything is alright with them xxx

When I spoke to my SIl yesterday she told me that my niece Susan (61) was at hospital yesterday as she has a heart condition. I must ring see how she got on.

Well after a little sit down, I will get my shower and changed into trousers and shirt. I can't be sitting around in my scruff all day.

Enjoy the weather, those of you that have got the sunshine. !!

Yes Frank we do get figs some years as it is planted on the south facing wall. Niether oh or I like them really. When we had the veg barrow out the front I used to sell them and then after we stopped that I would take them to the shop and he would sell them.

Why can't you stay in your gardening clothes Frank. Why do you have to put on a shirt and trousers?

I don't know how he expected to get money when he was not the next of kin. She was his wife so she was entitled to it.

When my nan died (dads mum) after my dad my mum thought she was next of kin but she was'nt I was. I think that shook mum a bit as there was a property in South Woodford.

Provided you make a will, you can leave your assets to whoever you please, of course it can be contested, but unless there is a very good reason it will nearly always be left as the person wished. If you don't make will it can cause all sorts of difficulties as next of kin doesn't necessarily inherit everything as other family members i.e. children can make a claim on the estate which depending on its worth will be upheld. I knew someone whose father died intestate and her mother only got 70% of her husband's estate, the other 30% was divided between her and her two sisters. It's the same with power of attorney. A husband and wife can't act for each other if necessary just because they're married. You have to have power of attorney giving both of you legal authority to act on the other ones behalf. We took this out years ago after a friend's husband had a bad stroke and wasn't capable of making a rational decision any more. They needed to move house but couldn't as his wife had no legal authority to act on his behalf. She had to apply to the family court to get that permission. It was such a performance and of course very expensive. Luckily info is on line these days for all these legal pitfalls, and its well worth checking out!
No rain yet and dry washing!

Afternoon All,

Mel, we get our gardening clothes mucky so change when we are done so we don't mucky the furniture. It's usually into other old clothes that are cleaner unless we know we are going out. Some days I change 3/4 times!! lol.

Liz, I thought a spouse was automatically entitled to a certain amount of her husband's estate if there was no will. It used to be a set amount regardless of the size of the estate, with any balance left split between the children, or if there were none, according to a strict hierarchy. It happened when my dad died without a will and mum was chuffed to get a low valuation on her house. It meant she could keep all of his estate without us children being entitled. She didn't know we knew this though, although we didn't expect anything. ;-) There are special situations where a child or adult, if dependent on a parent and left out of a will can be successful in a claim against the will and cause there to be adjustment. With all the common law arrangements there are nowadays it would be madness to not make a will. It sounds like Frank's SIL's son was really harking back to olden times thinking the eldest son would inherit!

OH has been sorting a few things in the garage. He still had a can of petrol from his old mower from when we moved in here!! That has now been given to the garage down the road to dispose of! He's also taken 6 big sacks of garden rubbish to the tip at the next village. We had a nice, fluffy jacket potato at a garden centre at lunchtime. They were some of the best we've ever had, mine a tuna one and OH had bacon, brie and cranberry with his and there must have been 4 rashers of bacon. Then I got me an academic diary from there like OH's so he can note down all his meetings for the year in it for me and I also got some more long grasses for my vases. Now I have bills to pay! :-S

Yes Ann, I think it's the first £250.000 is inherited by a wife/partner anything else is divided as you described including any dependant (for whatever reason) children. Better to make a will then its cut and dried! It was the mutual enduring power of attorney that we woke up to as without it life could potentially be very difficult.
OH has just come in with a stack if runners, lucky we like them cold with french dressing.

Yes we've been tardy and need to sort out POA Liz. I must make an appointment as we realised, dealing with MIL and FIL, how difficult it would have been if they hadn't set these up. I know we had to wait a short time to 'activate' them, but nothing like the delay there would have been otherwise. I like cold runners with tomatoes and onions. I think it was Jane that got me to try them.

I found a huge Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar yesterday. It had fallen onto the patio from the wall pots I think as it was under them and they do have Fuschia plants that the caterpillars like. They are not pretty.....well I don't think so!