General Chat

Thanks for sending the pics Jane......you look as if you were concentrating hard on your golf and it looked like Hannah had a blow up golf club too. She and the 'willy' filled the gangway on the Tube and brought smiles to a lot of faces didn't she. :-D

Sorry to hear you've had a few trips today, thank goodness you didn't fall over Frank. Hope you're not to achy now. It sounds like you had a lovely time with your family with plenty of BEEF to eat :-) How are you both feeling now, is it a bug you've both caught?

You've got some great photo's there Jane. Poor Hannah, that Willy outfit was huge I'm surprised she could sit down on the tube wearing it. Did you win the crazy golf, it looked like you were really concentrating in the photo?

Did you get to the shops in the end Mel? Has all the frost gone yet? We've had a bit of sun here today but it's still quite chilly out there.

What a shame you missed the lamb Ann, at least you know it's on the menu again next week so can enjoy it then. I know what you mean about flashing Christmas lights, like you said they're pretty but a bit of a nuisance if you're sitting close to them.

So Max is all tired out after his walk Mandy? How is your foot now, all better I hope?

The builders kept added things to the pile of rubbish they had lent on our fence so OH said for me to have a word as they weren't listening to him. So off I toddled, shaking like a leaf and ask them if they could move it all off the fence. They were ever so polite and 4 of them moved everything straight away and propped it up against the skip away from the fence. My only concern now is that they've piled lots of other rubbish to high above the top of the skip and we're due for very high winds so I hope it doesn't blow off the top onto our car and over the garden. One of the builders pointed out that the skip had been put to close to our fence so he's going to keep an eye on it for us when they take it away. To be honest I didn't notice but when I looked he was right and it was only a few inches away. They are all very nice men and have been nothing but helpful and polite. Our neighbour on the other side of the empty bungalow knows them. He was helping us measure up to put the drawer fronts on our kitchen cupboards so told me their names as we were coming back to ours. I called around to ask him for help as I'm not sure how to get the right measurements and his dog was so excited to see me. I haven't seen her for quite some time so it was lots of attention from her, she even brought me her ball to throw for her to chase.....bless her.

Max will get up if i get up Ann he's my shadow :-D when i'm getting any food ready in the kitchen he lays right behind me and i can feel him on the back of my heels ,i swear one of these days i'm going to go over him .
What a shame you missed out the Lamb ,at least you know it's on next week


Oh Jane the photo's are great ,she put smiles on the faces of everyone around her wearing that that's for sure :-D i take it her feet came out the bottom and she didn't have to jump like being in a sack race !!

Gill my foot is ok now thanks ,i'm careful where i walk with Max now .
You need to keep the builders sweet Gill give them a cuppa and they'll be ok ,a cuppa goes a long way with builders :-D

Hope you managed to get to Mole Valley ok Mel why didn't OH want you to go were the roads your way still a bit icey ?
Are you still seeing the Hogs ?

Afternoon All
I have had such a lazy day today. I feel a bit like a Zombie and my hip is so painful. That must be to do with all the walking being on the go for 18hours!!!

After the shock of being bundled into the Willy she was great and it must have taken so much guts to do what she did. It was payback time from the other girls whose Hen does she had organised :-D.

I did well at first and was in the lead for quite some time. But Liz and Rach(Gartehs Mum and Sister) are Hockey players so I reckon they had quite an advantage.I would love to do that again. Janice says they have opened up a similar indoor crazy golf in Cheltenham.In the pic of me playing it looks like no-one else is there but it was packed.

I am out again at 6.30 although I could really do with just staying in. It is my neighbours 80th birthday and we are invited to a bit of a get together. We had our main meal at lunch time as there are sandwiches and other finger food .I doubt we will stay long maybe just an hour or so. Tomorrow morning I am out for brunch with an old friend at 10.30. Its all go at the moment.

I am so glad your meal at Simon and Sallys was a huge success Frank and meeting up with your Nephews after soooooo many years must have been the icing on the cake. That Rib of Beef sounded delicious :-D :-D
Thank goodness you didnt hurt yourself today with more trips.You must pick your feet up higher :-D. I hope Ros can manage to get an appointment tomorrow .Its so difficult these days .There are just not enough appointments available these days.

Max will lovely and toasty now by the fire :-D. It is really cold here too Mandy. Much colder than I had expected.

Gill the builders sound very nice men .If it is going to be really windy I would hope thay might put a tarpaulin ot net over the top of the skip with it being so close to you.

I must dash. I need to get changed. Not doing makeup or any glam . Just a touch of perfume .I got a couple of bottles of Collins favourite Red Wines.They didnt want presents but I felt we could not go empty handed.

Just seen the news headlines about Climate change and how hot this country will get to around 2050 !!!!!!!. ll I can say I am blooming glad I wont be around then.
Just thinking about it makes me feel hot LOL Right I need to get moving(or hobbling)
2 Nurofen tabs are on the side ready to take.
I may be be back later .If not it will be tomorrow afternoon.

Have a nice evening Jane.

Those pics of Hannah!! She is a gutsey girl to get on a packed train in that outfit. She did'nt look to comfey sitting down in it. How long did she keep it on Jane?

Yes got to Mole Valley and the chickens food but they had the main road closed off so I thought I will go round the back way to the town and drove out and promptly turned right as usual when I should have gone left!!! Daft or what? I went sort of on the way home and then doubled back and came out the other side of the town so I got there in the end as I wanted some ribbons from Sharon's card shop. Got those and another brown felt rectangle and came home. I hade corned the girls before going out so only had to shut them in when I got back.

Shame you missed the lamb but good they have it on next Sunday too so you can have it then. I like lamb. We had lamb chops the other night. I only buy them when they are on special as they are so expensive for what you get.

Mandy its cold here again tonight after a sunny day all day but the frost is out there now so its going to be another white morning tomorrow I think. Oh had to defrost the car to take the recykleing bin up this morning. It was full to the brim so I put a nice heavy bag of papers on the top.

I have done the big cone I can find and now I am going to have a go at some small ones I glittered yesterday.

18 hours was a very long time Jane, no wonder you're feeling the effects today. Maybe an early night might help, it sounds like you've got a lot going on at the moment.

Pleased to hear your foot is better now Mandy. Max sounds like Jez one of the cats we had, she used to follow OH everywhere. We offered the workmen a cuppa but they said they had flasks with them. I think the skip is going tomorrow and another one being delivered. With all the jobs lined up I should imagine they're going to go through a few of them before they're finished. They said the whole place is being gutted.

Seems we are getting the D/washer tomorrow, not today.

Morning David and All,

Is it your first d/washer David? If so your kitchen is going to look so much tidier.

Another day that's going to be dreary I think. After lunch we are going further afield along the A5 to close to Tamworth to the garden centre where my car wouldn't start that time! I was quite looking forward to a browse on my own, but OH wants to come so we'll go in his car. It's easier to park and he will drop me at the door to save my knees.

I hope Frank is feeling better today and that Ros managed to get an appiontment at the Drs.

Max obviously dotes on you Mandy and likes to be close! He sounds such a lovely boy! :-) Will Santa be bringing him a present?

It sounds like the builders will be more careful with your fence now
Gill. I expect once the builders are done the garden will get the next attention.

I bet Jane wasn't an early bird this morning.

Morning all,

I see you seem to have just about the same weather as us this morning. It is dull but also windy and lashing with rain, just what I need on Donkey Day.

So David you have circummed to a dish washer. Its something I have never had or really wanted.

Its so dark here I have tohave the light on its that bad.

Good morning all, What dark, Cold horrible day it is here. I went to bring the bins in in just joggers and T shirt. Then went to the garage for meat from the freezer. I am just getting warm again.

Ros has just returned from the doctors. She won't let her stop taking the Statins. They are needed to help her, as all the other tablets are. Poor Ros is now taking 16 table a day, and the doctor has said this must continue, as she will need at least 6 to 12 months to get over the Heart attack. She is so short of breath, and sweating from the face continuously. It looks like it's something we are going to have to live with. The Dr also said she must rest as much as she can. So it looks like I am going to have to do more around the house. Not that I don't already.

Lights and heating on here. Ros is going to Tesco with Carolyn shortly, I have told her to take it easy, AND REST IF SHE NEEDS TOO.

I have had loads of old photo's sent ,from my Nephew Trevor. Some of which I have never seen.

Haven't read the posts yet, will try to catch up later. STAY WARM. xxx

Morning all

Dull and cold here the wind is starting to pick up to but no rain so far.

So you're getting a dish washer David, that'll save you having to wash the dishes by hand. Our kitchen is to small for one so we have to do all our dishes the old fashion way.

It sounds like you're having another nice day out Ann. At least there is one good thing coming out of your OH going with you, he can drop you off at the door and he'll be doing the driving, so not all bad. I bet it'll look lovely at the garden centre with all the Christmas things around. Ours is full of light up things, a village and Christmas trees decorated everywhere, Sandra loves it.

Hope the weather improves for you Mel, there's nothing worse than shopping in the rain.

I've just had to have words with the builders again, they took the digger down the bottom of the garden and I thought they were going to take the hedge out, we attached the wooden frame to it so we could put the screening up. I couldn't get to the man in the digger as the skip was being taken away but finally I managed to go down the garden to ask him not to touch the hedge. Luckily they were just taking some of the grass away to make way for a base for a shed that's going there, but in that moment I was in a right state having visions of all my screening being ripped down. I've explained things to them and now hopefully they'll leave all the boundary alone.

I was very sick in the night, I think it's all the stress of next door and when I was talking with the builders I ended up in tears. I think it's all just getting to me now and both OH and I will be glad when the digger goes. We'll probably have to explain it all again to anyone who is doing the garden but for now, hopefully, they'll leave all the boundary alone and we can relax for a while.

Going to have another go at my family tree today, I've still got loads of people to add. With a bit of luck it'll all be finished soon then I can concentrate on finishing the kitchen off and sorting out Christmas.

It's not the first Annx, we had several since the 80's. I put an end to who was going to do the dishes by buying the first one by surprise. Was a "luxury" then, now we wouldn't be without one. In reality in the time it takes to fill D/washer and put the tablet in and switch it on, we could have washed them in the sink ;-)
It's a Hotpoint Aquarius.

Good on you David. Like you, there is only the two of us. So I tend to wash up as I go along. The D/W only gets used when we have company, and all the extra pots and pans.

Still a horrible wet day here, it's HISSING with rain at t. got cold and wet.

Gill you must try not to get yourself in a state. You only upset yourself. Just try to ignore whats going on next door. They won't be allowed to touch anything thats on your property. If they damage anything that will have to repair/replace it.

Have made a small Shepherds pie for tonight, with a Bread and Butter pudding for Ros. She likes something sweet after her meal. (That doesn't include me) lol lol

Got out quite early and it had stopped raining when I went. The roads were terriblw with lots of water on the road and one place I went through quite slowly the water shot up so high and past the windows on the car and its a tall car. It was like the parting of the waves!!!!

I only did Morrisons as I wanted to get home before dark for the chickens as when I let them out this morning there were no eggs so I thought when I shut them in I would collect them then. No chance there was only one in the nest boxes with a thin shell and it had been broken so I was quite cross.

When I came out of the shop there was a little watery sun behind the cloud but it was the brightest it had been all day.

Evening all,

No sign of the sun here today although it has stayed dry until about half an hour ago ,now it tipping it down .

You must have had a good bit of rain your way Mel if he roads were bad like that ,glad you got home safe and sound

So the doctor didn't mention to Ros when the hospital would be having her in to do the next lot of Stents then Frank ? with all this shortness of breath it sounds as if she could well do with having it done sooner rather than later

Sorry to hear you were sick Gill ,try not to worry to much about all the work going on next door i'm sure they won't do any damage to your property .

Hope you managed to get to the garden centre with no trouble this time Ann .
Yes i think Santa will get Max a present ,i have to watch what i buy as he has a strong jaw and lots of things he just chews up ,i carn't buy those twisted ropes as they don't last him five minutes so they have to be those tough hard rubber toys .

I really need to get some more Christmas presents this week ,i've got a few things but still need quite a few more .

Evening All
My brain is not working today LOL I am all partied out now what with the Hen do and Colins 80th last night. I didnt get home last night until well after 11 !!. I tottered back with a torch and a plate of food. Chris left before me and I realised later I didnt have a key so had to ring home and get him to leave the front door unlocked for me. I could have slept all morning but had to be up and out to pick this friend up at 10.30 . We went down to the Old Forge in Cranford for a brunch but it was full of cyclists and there were no spare tables so we ended up going to a Garden Centre(Bosworths Burton Latimer).I was blooming starving by then . I had a lovely Toastie with Ham and Gruyere Cheese and side salad. Brenda had a Quiche and Salad. Then we had a look around all the Xmas displays and decorations . I feel so knackered It has been a very hectic few days for me and I am just not used to it these days. No more social things now until the Wedding.

I have only glanced through todays posts . Frank I hope Ros does make sure she has plenty of rest as she has been told to do . The breathlesness must be worrying and it does sound heart related to me.

Gill ,if you are still feeling anxious about what is happening next door with the digger and your border it might be worth trying Rescue Remedy .It does help.Hopefully all the digging work right next to you will be finished very soon.

Got to go now .I have 2 men waiting for food !!!!!

We had our first small one in the 80s too David and wouldn't be without now either. We load as we go but it is only on a few times a week, so it isn't a daily job. Because it gets hot enough to kill all the bugs, I put the oven racks in, the gas hob covers and racks, pan scrubbers, soap dishes, tea bag caddy etc, put haven't fancied putting the sink plugs in yet!!

Sorry to hear you got in a state and upset about the builders and was sick Gill. I know how it can get to you though, as every time we heard our tree branches being snapped off with the builder's deliveries and them reversing up our drive close to our cars I got stressed. They seem to be taking notice of you and must know they would have to pay for any damage they cause, so try to keep calm and not worry too much. Good idea to get on with your FH today, it will keep your mind busy!

It does sound as if Ros needs those stents doing Frank and she must try to rest more at least till they are done. She is so used to being on the go with different things it can't be easy for her though.

It sounds like Santa will need to bring Max a 'heavy duty' toy Mandy! lol. :-D They can be so gentle with their mouths you don't realise how strong their jaws are.

Well I never got to the garden centre..........OH pointed out it is tomorrow when we are going as we will be halfway there with our appointment at the solicitors. :-S So we popped to M&S and W H Smith down the road instead, but I didn't get anything. Then there was a lot of information the solicitor wants so I have been digging that out too. Good news on the saucepan front..........the lady asked if I had any more so I sent photos of another 6 and of 2 casseroles and she wants the lot!! They are bargains though as some cost over £50 each new. As OH said, it will give me some more money for beads :-D. Now I need to look in the shops for more cardboard boxes to send them in.

I was surprised our D/washer fail in a relatively short time (5 years) thought it would only be a blocked filter of something minor, but no, it's finished. If all goes to plan we should have a new one in by midday and the other taken away (I wonder if they strip them for spare parts ?)

Not a childhood memory, something far more recent. My widowed Aunt May lived alone.She took my Mother's dog Toby when Mother died 1990.
After Mother's funeral May couldn't even come into Mother's house to take anything she wanted, a memento of her sister.The reason ? the house was full of cigarette smokers and May was asthmatic,sad that.May died 1997

Morning all,

Extremly windy and wet here today. I have seen 11 cock pheasents and two hens out the back when I got up this morning and looked out of the window. I saw the boys first 6 of them and then the others emerged from the wood.

The blue tits are having trouble hanging on the feeders which are also blowing int he wind.

I am only glad I am not doing the shopping today and thats for sure.

I shall be working on cones today and finishing off the hog bookmarks as I still have some of those to stick on the paper clips.