General Chat

Morning all,

Very wet and windy last night and still wet this morning. Really dull out there and there is still a wind but not as strong as it was last night.

Nothing to report from down here except we had three deer in the orchard yesterday who just looked at me when I went down Prickly Hollow to feed the hedgehogs. Again when I came back to go the other way to shut the big girls in.

Mandy not the most comfortable seat then with Max behind you. Lovely boy. we hav'nt had a pic of him lately.

Morning all

Cold and damp here today, it's forecast to rain so we're staying in and catching up with some programmes I recorded last night as we didn't get home until 10.30. Sandra did some more shopping yesterday she has bought a few more things for her dad. She said she wants to buy me one or two more things so her dad and I have the same amount but I said it was okay, she'll probably buy more knowing her. She loves Christmas shopping and wished she'd took her camera yesterday as there were lots of trees and other things lit up around the outlet village, so if we go again she'll take her camera next time.

I bought some lovely things for Sandra, so her Christmas presents are finished now and I bought OH a new coat for Christmas, but because it was so cold yesterday I gave it to him early so he could change into it. He said it was lovely and warm, It's very big and heavy, I said it's like wearing a sleeping bag. I just need to buy him a few more things then we've all finished our present shopping. I'll then do some more food shopping. I've already made a start on buying the chocolates and OH found my cocktail onions I like the other day so bought them for me. I chop them up and mix them in Philly Cheese, it's lovely on Ritz crackers. My mum made that dip when I was child. Funny how things carry on through the generations isn't it?

I've not read the posts yet, so hope everyone is okay. I'll catch up with them later as Sandra wants to watch the soaps I recorded last night. I need to clear some of the planner as the F1 is on tonight so I'll be recording Strictly and X Factor for her.

So our Sandra is all ready for Christmas then present wise.

I got all the things out for the boys stockings this morning and laid them on the bed in the spare room. I think I may do those up today after going to the shop and delivering Em's eggs. That will be one thing out of the way.

I had just sat down on the computer, when the 11.00 chimes of Big Ben started. So there I was in my under pants, standing to attention in front of the Tele. Good job no one saw me LOL LOL

I will be stuck in front of the box tonight with the ceremony coming from the Albert Hall. I have never missed it in my life that I can remember. Also tomorrow morning ay the Cenotaph. I am always tempted to go to the local Church, but the March pass, by all the old soldiers is so moving, I just can't miss it.Plus I can have my little cry in private.

Ros took me to the pub last night. Greetings came from and and sundry even hugs from a couple of the women. I settled down to watch the match when Michael (my minder) as he calls himself come and sat with me. He is such a nice BIG chap, and treats me like a Father figure. He stayed with me throughout the match, and didn't stop talking as were the group sitting the other side off me. So not being rude, I was looking at Michael and replying and commenting that I didn't see the football.As it turned out I don't think it was much of a match, from the report I read this morning.I rang Ros as soon as it finished and went home.

I was in bed soon after 10.30, and still awake at 1.00. So up I got, and sat in the lounge reading until 4.30. Then slept till 9,00. I forgot it was Saturday, so nudged Ros as I got up. Which pleased her, as she meets Martine at 10.30 for their shopping trip.

Gill, I haven't seen one X factor this year, and to be honest I haven't missed it. We do like Strictly and of course we will be at he ALBERT HALL in thought tonight, I would love to get tickets to see that LIVE.But I ca'r see that happening now in life.

I looked in our "rubbish draw" last night for something and found FOURTEEN pairs of Scissors, that without how many Ros has on the go with her sewing I just turned and looked on the Table and there are FOUR pairs there. LOL LOL also a hammer. Gawd knows what she has been doing with a hammer. (Making my COFFIN on the quiet)
LOL

Jane, how didJames and company get on last night ?? I did see an advert somewhere saying there was one coming to Northampton. I will have to ask around, to see if anyone else has seen it.

NICKO that's the name, thanks Mandy. So it might be he is in permanent accommodation now. Do you think he is working ?? or is he still looking unkept ??

Very dank sort of day here. We had rain last night, this morning lots of clouds so I expect we will get more wind and rain later. I'm not out today, so it can do what it likes !!!

Hows the Egg production going Mel, ?? Still getting plenty !!!

How nice that privet hedge being covered in poppies, Michael said last night that he went to the Primary School for their remembrance service, as his Nephew was playing the LAST POST. The hall was packed to the doors with the parents and children. How nice that would have been to see.




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Morning All,

Dull and damp here. We popped out first thing and OH filled up with fuel ready for his trip to the match (es?) later. We got home just in time for the 2 min silence. I always think of gt grandma losing her brother and 2 sons in WW1 and how difficult it would have been to hear of each loss and know they were never coming home. I expect she would be horrified at how little respect some have nowadays for what those men in her family gave up their lives for. Most of us have things so easy nowadays compared with then and thanks to them and others like them.

I'm glad Nicko looked as is he was ok Mandy. It would be nice to see a pic of Max again now he is bigger. It sounds like he knows all the comfy places!! lol.

Mel, what little gifts do you get for the boys' stockings?

They are running a scheme here where you wrap a gift for an elderly person in hospital over Christmas. You download a label and put a Christmas wish on it and whether for a man or woman. I think I will do one as anything to cheer you up in hospital, especially at Christmas, seems a lovely idea. :-)

Better get my skates on now to go and look at the little art exhibition. I expect there will be home made cakes too!!

I did giggle when you said Ros was using the hammer to make your coffin Frank. You are funny :-D :-D How are you feeling now, after your fall yesterday, not to bruised I hope?

It sounds like Max has found his favourite place to sleep Mandy. It would be nice to see a pic of him. Like Mel said we haven't seen him for a while. It's nice to know Nicko has somewhere warm to live now, it couldn't of been very nice sleeping rough in the winter.

I missed the 2 minutes silence, when I checked the clock it was 11.15 :-( I've never missed it before and feel bad now.

Did James have a nice time Jane, let's hope he didn't get to drunk. Did Thomas wake you up early this morning or did he give you a lay in?

The Scheme for wrapping a Christmas gift for the elderly sounds a really good idea Ann. Are you doing one for a man or a woman, or both? That will really cheer someone up, as like you said, it's not very nice being in hospital, but Christmas must be really horrible for them.

Well, I'd better go Sandra is waiting to watch some more programmes and has the next one on pause.

Afternoon All

LOL Frank,at least there were no planks of wood with Ros's hammer :-D :-D.
At least you had your modesty covered for the 2 minutes silence :-D. I waited for that and then went to get a few bits and bobs from Tesco. It was really busy.
I got home to find Chris all in a fluster. He said where was I when he needed me.
The Cat had been sick and then he heard a rustling sound in the lounge and a little Wren was in behind the curtains. So he had just managed to get it out through the patio doors. He was all of a hooha!.

It is today James and friends have gone to the Gin Fest in Leicester. They will no doubt be doing all the tasting right now :-D.I expect him to come back with an unusual or different Gin. He has had some very interesting ones over the years from Iceland, and various other places he has visited.

Mandy it does sound as though Nikko might be settled somewhere now,which is great.Especially with the weather turning a lot colder now. Another winter in the Churchyard would be miserable for him.

Thomas did get on the bed around 4am Gill and had a fuss and settled for a bit and then it was 6.30 when we was sat beside the bed miaowing at me. So an hour later than usual :-D

I have woken to find a big patch of very dry and scaly skin on my elbow and side of my arm :-| :-| and very itchy and inflammed bottom eyelids. The skin problem on my arm is new :-(. So I have slapped a lot of the Steroid Cream on . I hpe this is not something that will last. My hands and fingers are so much better now and almost back to normal.
Bl**** Psoriasis :-P

Chris lit the fire,which is unusal so he must be feeling cold.

I wish I was as organised as you and Sandra Gill with Christmas shopping.I used to be but seem to be slacking these last few years. I need to pull my finger out and get cracking. OH's coat sounds cosy :-D.

Frank, you said about ALL those scissors . My friend Margaret says she has 42 mini tubes of toothpaste LOL .Freebies that she has collected from the Dentist !!!!!!!!. I know she has had a lot of visits lately but 42 !!!!!!. It is a whole drawer full :-D

Going to get into my comfy clothes now and kick my boots off.

Getting dark here now.
I know we have gone through all the expressions like Black as your hat, Black over Wills Mothers way etc. But have you ever heard of this one.
Dark as a Cows Guts???? My friend Margaret who is 'proper cornish' told me this one the other day. She said her Mother always used to say it. I have never heard of it.But looked it up on Google and there it was.That is a new one for me LOL.

I just opened a cupboard in the kitchen and the door fell off :-S Luckily it was not an overhead cupboard!!!. I could have been knocked senseless ....(no comment FRANK :-D ) Chris is sorting it now.

Fish ,Chips and Cauli Cheese tonight. I was going to do Lamb Shanks but Chris fancies the F&Cs .Suits me :-D I don't know if James is in to eat or not but there is a cottage pie in the fridge if he fancies.
I never remember having Cauliflower Cheese when I was little. When did it become popular?

Well that conjured up a picture Frank.........you doing the 2 minutes silence in your underpants!! lol. :-) It's great you got such a good welcome at the pub and that Michael was keeping an eye on you. They obviously miss you! <3

What a disappointment to find a new patch of skin affected Jane. How does that work I wonder.......you'd think if your fingers were getting better, it would all be getting better, not get it flare up in a new spot. Hopefully the cream will get a grip of it and improve things quickly. I was never a fan of Gin, but I know you like it so it will be interesting to see what James brings home for you.

Did you go back for some more jeans Gill? I tend to stock up on something if it fits nicely now. lol. I bet your OH was glad of his new warm coat. :-)

I was just leaving earlier when Hello Kitty came up the drive miaowing at me, so I stopped to talk to him and tickle his chin. I think he was probably a bit lonely as each time I tried to get in the car there was more miaowing. He plodded off up the close eventually. The little exhibition was good with a few paintings of local scenes that I recognised. I thought I had sneaked in (there was no charge anyway) but a chap soon saw me and brought me a voting slip (you write the number of your favourite painting on it and put it in a sealed box as you leave) and started asking me if I paint etc. He ended up asking me to join their club and gave me his phone number ( I can't remember when a man last gave me his number. lol) As I left he walked out with me and said I wasn't to worry about the paintings being good if I wanted to join. He said they were the very best paintings from the best members and most members were not that good. They meet on Monday afternoons where the exhibition was in the Village Hall and it costs £3 a week and you only pay for the weeks you attend and they have guest artists a few times a year. It's something to think about, but I'm not sure I could perform with people watching me, at least not yet anyway!

As usual I am way behind some of you with present buying. I have got OH some of his favourite cologne which arrived while I was out and was left at a neighbours. It was at Albert's who is in his 80s and keeps his front garden beautifully set out with bedding plants each year. I noticed as I walked up his drive how pristine the block paving was and freshly washed the garage door and front door were. He puts us to shame!

Ann, maybe you should give it a thought joining the painting club. You might really enjoy that. I bet you would be a lot better than some of the other members :-D
Ah! little Hello Kitty sounded like it wanted a bit of fuss and attention. Does it ever ty and get in the car with you? . I had neighbours cat once that would be in the car in a flash and I would have to physically carry it home and then run back to my car before it came back again !!

I don't understand why I have come up with a new patch of dry and kind of bumpy skin especially as my fingers are the best they have been now for ages . The Dermatologist did say though that the tablets I am taking are not a cure and that it is possible for outbreaks to happen . But in a new place I do not need :-S A couple of other places have been a bit affected too ( bit delicate to go into) .But strange it is happening all at the same time. I have no idea how the Auto Immune system works .It is all a mystery to me....as is the awful stink from my washing machine :-S. I have done the self clean thing, plus the Dettol Washing Machine Cleanser and lots of calgon .It still pongs :-S :-S.. I don't know what else to do .It's just gross. Any other ideas anyone? I cleaned all around the rubber door seal which was really gungy,cleaned the drawer where the conditioner goes.

I need to wake Thomas to get him to go out now .He is well away in the land of nod.I think the wood burner is making him a bit too dozy .

Jane use some soda crystals in your machine. It tells you on the pack how to clean your machine I think. I often put a tablespoonfull in with oh's smelly garden washing. It helps soften the water, not that we need that down here but I still put it in.

The boys stockings contain.

Minion bath fizzers

Minion hand wash

Minion sweet dispenser

Minion bath sponges.

Long bubble wand.

Tube of 15 glow sticks.

A shooter thing that fires sponge pellets.

A zipper light which flashes or stays alight with their names on.

A plastic red nosed Reindeer pooper that poops jelly beans when you move it tail.

A small packet of Jelly Tots.

A tub of Farty putty.

Maybe it's coming from the drain where the water goes into Jane. Mel's suggestion with soda crystals should fix that I would think. Hello Kitty doesn't try to get in the car, but is fearless when you drive past him. He likes sitting at the side of the road and doesn't even flinch when you drive by or in and out of the drive. Little Ellie the kitten that stayed at the neighbour over the road did get in the car though, but once she'd been in the bungalow she sped past the car when we came home to sit at he front door with her nose pressed to the corner where it opened.

I have decided I might pop along at the time the art club is next meeting. If I sit in the carpark, which is also for the library opposite and has the park in front where I sometimes watch the dogs and read a magazine, I could maybe see a few of the members turn up and see if they look a friendly bunch. :-D My car's a bit conspicuous though so I would have to park at the far end behind some other cars as I wouldn't want that chap spotting me and coming over to escort me in if I'm not ready!!!!. lol

Mel I think the boys will be thrilled to bits with their stockings, especially when they discover the Farty Putty and Reindeer Pooper!! I think there will be some sniggering when they see those!! lol. :-)

Ann I think they were the last two bits I bought. Exactly what I thought when I bought them.

Its little Sam's birthday on Tuseday and he will be 5. George is 8 so nice ages to really like their pressy's.

Morning all,

Hope you all slept well last night, I did. Some sun this morning but there are grey clouds shifting across the sky too so the suns in and out. Plenty of the blue stuff out the front with big white clouds.

My favorite pen started to run out a couple of days ago so I bought a new in the the shop yesterday it has a leopard skin pattern on it!!

Have you all been blown away?

My new bird feeder has blown over and I think it is safer on the floor than if I stand it up again.

I am just about to try and get some washing on the line if that dos'nt blow away too.

Big breakfast day today and I am looking forward to it.

We had 8 female pheasents in the garden just before I went to feed the girls.

I keep getting this spell check come up with red wiggley lines as it dos'nt like dos'nt pheasents or wiggley.

Afternoon Mel, afternoon all

The boys will love those presents you got them for Christmas Mel and just the right age too.

I've just been watching the TV and did the 2 minutes silence. I had a little cry as I thought of my granddad and nan. Granddad was a prisoner of War but did his bit before he was caught. I do miss my grandparents.

How are you Frank, I know you'd of been thinking of your dad <3

It's sunny here today but with a bit of a nip. We did have one shower of rain and hail earlier, but now have blue skies and sunshine.

Rosie came for her nuts this morning and then Jim joined in. We sat in the greenhouse watching them, I put the nuts near the greenhouse door as there was a pigeon trying to eat them. With us sitting so close to the nuts the bird didn't get any and Rosie and Jim enjoyed them. I did laugh as each time Rosie had finished she came up to the glass as if to say can I have some more please? She is so funny.

Going to check on our roast lamb now. Sandra was fed up of chicken so we're having lamb for a change. I woke her up earlier and said the chicken is doing a good impression of Larry the lamb. She found that quite funny :-)

Afternoon All

It certainly is breezy here Mel, cold wind from the North.But the sun is shining and really warm on the patio .We have just been sitting out there having a natter. The Moon is out too !!!!
Nice selection of things for the boys stockings Mel :-D. I like the sound of the farty putty.Does it fart when squeezed? The boys will be doing that all day LOL Why do we laugh when we hear a fart I wonder. There is an advert for a catoon film on TV when one of the animals or bird farts and it always makes me chuckle.

Ann, yes your car is one that will stand out in the car park :-D. I am sure though that they will be a friendly lot if you do decide to join the painting group. You can only give it a go and see what you think :-D

I saw our local 'Nikko' just now .He always sits outside the little Co-op and is a really friendly chap. I did notice he had his sleeping bag with him today and I haven't seen that before . I asked him if he wanted a coffee or some food as I was going in . He said he would love a coffee if the machine was working but if not he was ok. The machine was good so I got him a big latte .He said that was going to warm him up nicely :-D.
He is always so polite and waves goodbye when I drive off. I must ask him his name next time I see him.

I will try Soda Crystals in the washing machine. I do wonder if like Ann said the pong might be from the pipe.It just smells so gross.

Is it tonight Get me out of here starts?.I always like to see who goes in to the jungle.

Frank, I was thinking don't shoot me down.... but would one of those 3 wheeled walkers not be easier for you getting out rather than just your stick. I only say that because you said it is both hips that are a bother and the walker would be far more stabilizing for you. Not so much in the house but to make it easier and safer when you walk up the pub or go for a stroll. I know you will probably poo poo the idea but I think it might be an idea worth thinking about :-D :-D

I have a nice joint of Pork cooking .I can just begin to smell it :-D.It has been a while since we had Roast Pork . I've peeled the potatoes ,carrots and Parsnips,Sprouts are prepared and the Yorkshires made so I can sit back and do nothing for a bit :-D

Chris wants to light the fire but I have persuaded him to hang fire a while as last night it was toooooo hot . We need to make sure to turn the radiators OFF in the lounge when the fire gets going.I was almost passing out with heat stroke LOL. Thomas was almost unconscious :-D :-D.

Late on PARADE, Good afternoon to you all,

Well another year over for remembrance, not that I forget for the rest of the year. I was one of the lucky ones, and didn't loose anyone in the immediate family during the war. But had two brothers who were in the thick of things, and Dad in the PLA in London.

There are some planks of wood down the garden, so I had better check up on them. LOL LOL. and I will hid the spade and fork !!!

We had an excellent Chinese last night. I enjoyed mine to the point, that I ate too much and ended up with indigestion.

Jane with all the will in the world, I can't see me walking along with one of those three wheeled supports. But thanks for thinking of me. Why would I comment on the kitchen cabinet door falling off ?? You didn't get hurt did you. ??

SNAP Gill, I have half a leg of lamb for dinner later. Spuds, Parsnips, Brussels, Cauli, Runners, and peas and carrots. Cheese sauce made and Yorkshire pudding. I am treating Ros to the cheese sauce and pudding, as she shouldn't eat it. But Sunday dinner doesn't seem right without them.

Thats a good array of little presents for the boys Mel, they will be over the moon I am sure. Jan said the weather was very cloudy at Paignton, how is it will you ??

So another painting class eh Ann, I am sure you will settle into that very well, and a lot of things you know, can be passed on the the others and likewise. Go for it. !!!

I had a eMail from Liz regarding Remembrance weekend. They seem fine.

Nearly two o'clock and I am still in my dressing gown. I must pull myself together and get showered and shaved.

I think I will bring dinner forward this week, as I am hungry and it will give a bit of time to read the paper later.

Enjoy the rest of the days Girls xxx

Afternoon all,

Bright and really breezy here today ,we've just had a shower of rain and now the suns out again .

Mel the boys will love all those bits and pieces ,they are just the right things for five and eight year olds ,they'll have lots of fun with them .

Jane have you got a filter on your washing machine ?it might need cleaning out ,it might not be filtering all the water away properly .
I have even put a little bleach in the machine to clean it ,just give it a couple of rinses after .

We're having a lazy day watching christmas films this afternoon in front of the fire .