General Chat

I wonder if that is some sort of parking light Mel.

The rain was pretty constant this morning but eventually stopped around 12 it was very very windy but we drove in to Torquay and walked down by the marina to have lunch in the Harvester which was very good. Spent about three hours in Torquay, windy and sunny cloudy but not cold. Just a quick detour into Lidls and then back to read.

Because it probably need to be warm and dry to have a scent of pine we have not noticed it yet.

I did'nt kow the smell of pine made you sleepy so Iv'e learn something today.

Washing dried enough to iron out in the blowy day and I have ironed all but two things as my hip was telling me its time to stop.

I went round to do the chickens and noticed one back light on on the car. Checked the light switches nothing put it out and I then noticed a green arrow on the dash board it was the indecater laft on turning left. I shall have to keep my eye on that as it must have been on since I went up the shop.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLIN. I hope you have had a lovely day and been spoilt by the family.

In spite of a bad night I've ploughed on and seem to have got a lot done today, not helped by my beloved OH who seemed to be under my feet all the time. I asked him to do one job and he started but something distracted him half way through and he forgot to finish it. Men! I washed a king size duvet cover thinking it was so blowy that it would dry quickly on the line. I didn't realise I'd have a fight on my hands to get it on the line. The wind was whipping my rotary line round in circles and I was running round with it trying to keep the line still, stop this great big cover from trailing on the ground and put in lots of pegs all at the same time. I managed and came back in but half an hour later I had to run out again and get it back off the line as it was now raining. I said a few choice words under my breath.

I also did a towel wash and they got dried in the dryer. Next I had a good hoover round downstairs including the conservatory and wiped all the window ledges in there.

After lunch I sat at the computer, opened my email programme and things started flashing up and down the screen. When it stopped I discovered that all the important emails in a "To be kept" folder had disappeared and the folder was empty. Help!!! After having a little panic I started looking for them and found they had apparently moved themselves to a trash file. So I then had to carefully move them all back to the correct folder. If I had closed my email programme I would have lost everything.

Since then I've prepared a pork casserole which is in the oven and in a minute I'll put some roasties in the oven too.

It's good that your blinds and rails are fitted now Annx but that was naughty of that chap to use your towel to wipe down. Why on earth didn't he ask you for a cloth? Good luck with your responses to your local planning applications.

I'm pleased you didn't have too much traffic on the way down AnnG but the weather isn't doing you any favours. I do hope it improves quickly for you so you can get out and about a bit. The smell of all those pine needles on the Christmas trees should help you to sleep. Many years ago OH and I stayed at a B & B at a place called Little Snoring. It was well named because the village was backed by a pine forest and I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Time I got those roasties in if we want to eat this side of Christmas. Enjoy what's left of the day.

Afternoon All,

I slept quite well, but woke up having a dream where OH was slicing a cabbage!!! I can't think of anything less likely although he does peel veg. It was windy again and quite chilly when I went out earlier and it's raining now. I had a job to get out of my car as the wind kept trying to close the door on me. Now I can't stop yawning. OH went to physio but decided with the weather to give the walk and footie a miss today and and is tucked up warm watching footie on tv with his newspaper to read.

It's good there wasn't too much traffic for your journey AnnG and that you are settled in now. It sounds nice being on a Christmas Tree Farm. It made me think of the pine smell outside when I was a little girl living near the forest at the Cannock Chase.

<3HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLIN <3. I hope you enjoy the day and no doubt the children will be bringing gifts for you.

Sorry you didn't have a good night Vera. You are right about us not putting our cars in the garage. OH's might squeeze in if it was empty but mine with wide doors wouldn't. Before we came up with the idea of using bricks we already had, we were going to get some thin, aluminium metal strip from B&Q and either stick or screw it to the bottom edge of the door or better still to fasten it to the back of the door frame with self tapping screws. The latter way you can more easily let the strip almost touch the floor before marking and drilling holes. The frame on ours was 'U' shaped so nothing would show on the front. You could use a strip of wood instead as I doubt they could chew it when they squash themselves down to get under.

I have a couple of responses to do as well. one for the latest warehouse application near us and the second for retrospective planning for land that has a caravan on and is next to the nice wildlife park I used to walk round where the old Hall and ice house are. Like you and despite the Localism Act, local communities are still not being listened to and you feel they are just going through the motions of having to invite responses but will take absolutely no notice.

Iv'e had thunder this morning and its very gusty but the suns been out and at the mo its dry.

Not done the shop yet and the washing machine has just finished so I better get that on the line and hope it drys in the blow.

Good morning all. It was a very wet journey but not bad traffic wise.this is a very compact lodge, I think with four adults it would be quite cramped but ok for the three of us. My room is quite small although ok for me for a week. Annoying as all clothes have to be folded into drawers, no wardrobe or hanging Raul.
We are on a fairly large Christmas tree farm so are surrounded by trees of all shapes and sizes. There is a gap left at the end of our terrace through which we have a nice view. A view that has just been obscured by the latest shower. It is very gusty. And some of the Christmas trees are quite tall.

Glad that you have had the blinds fitted Ann. Surely it would be normal for a fitter to carry a cloth, or at least ask for one. That will be brick dust if he had to drill into the wall and the grit might be embedded into the towel.

Vera I have heard of Haberdashers schools but thought they only had private ones.

That is a nuisance if the mice are back, hope you can get rid of it or them.

Mandy, as they usually check your birth date at the Vacc clinics I am sure they will pick up if you are. It eligible.

Morning girls,

<3 <3 <3 Happy Birthday Colin <3 <3 <3 Have a lovely day whatever you do. x

Enjoy your lazy day.

Still windy here 10degrees and to expect 3 rainy days ahead starting today. It was quite bright when I woke up and I just lay for a while and then it came over rather grey.

Just the shop to do this morning and the rest of the day is mine to do what I want to.

Slept well but sorry you did'nt Vera.

Morning Vera ,morning all,

Bright and breezy here this morning, nice to see the sun after the dreary day yesterday
Son and family coming for coffee this morning as its Colin's birthday ,not sure what we'll do for the rest of the day probably be a lazy day.

Good morning all

I didn’t sleep much at all last night and got up at 6 am. It was too much to hope for 2 good nights in a row. OH is still in bed and I don’t want to wake him by making any noise so I’m twiddling my thumbs a bit.

I don’t have any plans today but I don’t think it will include gardening. It’s not supposed to rain again till this afternoon but it is very windy. IPAD says it is 11 degrees but the wind is making it feel like 3. Hope it’s not too stormy where you are.

I can understand how wood and bricks would block the gap under the doors but surely you would have to move them every time you wanted to put your car in or out. Ah, it has just registered with me; you probably don't garage your car. Our car is always garaged. We have quite a large double garage with two up and over doors. The car goes in one side and the other half operates as a shed cum storage area. Although there is also a small side door which we use a lot of the time we do need access to both the up and over doors to get bigger stuff in and out. I'll remember about the peanut butter Annx. Thanks for mentioning it. I know the little beggars like chocolate as well. So far we have managed just with good old Cheddar.

As to the school name Annx: there were 4 schools founded by Robert Aske, a member of the Guild of Haberdashers. Sometimes Hatcham was added after Aske's to distinguish which school was being spoken about. Hatcham was an area of S.E.London and there was a boys' and a girls' school there. They became state schools in 1948 but the other 2 are private schools and quite well known. The reason I said that I didn't go to the private school is I have sometimes received rather snide remarks about being born with a silver spoon in my mouth, because they have heard the name of the school I went to and jumped to the wrong conclusion. I know no-one on here would be so nasty. In fact I'm quite proud that as a kid from a working class family I got accepted into a good school and received an excellent education. Needless to say, the school has been through lots of changes and doesn't even have the same name anymore.

Handy those scourers for stopping up access holes aren't they! Talk of your tasty stew is making my mouth water Mel. Because of the man coming I had to make do today with a quick to get jacket potato with tinned chicken in a white sauce (Asda's own brand and quite nice for a quick meal) and frozen peas. OH had his with tinned salmon and salad.....healthier than mine! I hope your trees will be ok in the wind. It sounds quite gusty which is when it causes damage. I'm late tonight so off to bed now and to see if my curtain rail shuts more light out in the morning.

I meant to say it is a shame Patricia Routledge has passed away aged 96. I loved her as Hyacinth Bucket with Onslow and the others. We are losing a lot of people we grew up seeing on tv. I remember when I was young thinking my age now was a good age to live to, but as you get closer to it yourself, it seems much too soon!

Very windy here too now and the trees are taking a bashing The stew was just as nice tonight and I have one to put in the freezer for next week.

Annx I have one of those metal scourers in the old pipe which used to do the shower before oh put the new one in. I also have one in the little loo where a pipe used to come in right in the corner.

That is an unusual name for a school Vera, but living in the area local people would be used to the name. Oh no fancy the mice coming back. I must say with crossed fingers that we haven't had a single one since replacing the up and over garage door with the roll down one. With the up and over we ended up putting a row of bricks along the small gap at the bottom of the door and an impressive half dozen mousetraps behind it. I still chuckle remembering the look on one or two workmen's faces when we lifted the door and told them not to turn up in open toed sandals when they came to do work. :-D Our up and over didn't fit that closely at the sides either and I suspect some smaller youngsters could get in there as they can climb up brickwork. We also stuffed a metal scouring pad in the gap in the mortar outside once we saw they were getting in there. We tried various baits over the years. They loved the grapes but were skillful enough to remove those without setting the traps off. They liked chocolate Nutella, but the very best bait that worked every time for us was peanut butter. I was always worried they'd chew the freezer or lighting cables. Now you've said, I must check nothing has tried to pull the metal scouring pad from the gap in the mortar outside as something seems to try and pull it out at times and we have to wedge it back tight with a screwdriver.

The wind's getting up outside now so I hope AnnG had a good journey.

If you can put your index finger in a hole or under something a mouse can get in. Vera what about buying a length of wood to put along the garage sorr with a brick behind it. That should stop the little blighters getting in and nows the time they start to look for dry and warm places for the winter. I always have to put rat bait down in the garage but I have never known where they get in unless they climb up and through the top where theres no wood. I usually have a bait box down with grain poison in and I buy the tablet blocks from is it nippon at asda. They are cheaper than Mole Valley.

John who cooked the lamb dinner last week is a builder who is gong toplaster the walls so maybe Stu will cook the roast. He went of to Lidl after I fed him last night. He also went off with 4 of my dads dustsheets so John would'nt have to bring those with him. I had them stowed away in the uti room after washing them all the other year. Hope they come back clean and not covered in lumps of plaster.

Well I have not done a thing today except feed the chickens and fish. Now I am going to have another nice stew for dinner and I think there may be some for the freezer too but I shall take all the carrot out.

It's been raining here all day just that heavy drizzle this morning and after lunch, but it seems to have got heavier now and its been quite windy , I should think there will be some flooded roads .

Ann I didn't have the spring covid jab like Colin did but did have the autumn one last year ,I just checked and we both had it on 6th November ,I think last year they started off with it being for the over 75's then dropped it to over 70's.
Why didn't the chap just ask for something to wipe the tops with instead of just grabbing your towel ,men .

Oh Mel I wonder what he will cook this week and if you'll get another doggie bag for the next day.

Oh no Vera not another mouse just as you thought you'd seen the last of them too ,little blighters can flatten themselves and squeeze through anything .
We have a rat box with bait in down by the side of our shed and Colin checked it the other day and the bait had gone, don't know if that is rats or mice taking it ,we use to just put it out over the winter but we've had it out all through the summer .

Hope Anng arrived OK and the rain and traffic wasn't to bad .

You posted while I was typing Annx. I had to smile as my first English lesson at secondary school was learning where to put the apostrophes in the school name, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Girls’ Grammar School. Before anyone asks I didn’t go to a private school. This one was a state school.

I did the ironing this morning and a few other jobs and then had a shouting match with OH. That’s unusual for us but it was soon made up so all is well again :-)

We are not happy bunnies as there was a mouse in the trap in the garage again. We caught 5 several weeks ago but haven’t seen any since then. OH had every cupboard out from the wall and filled every possible gap so we think they have to be coming under the up and over door and there has to be a tiny gap there or it will scrape the ground. Half the garage is effectively our shed and there is a lot of stuff stored there. I pointed out to OH that we never had mice till our last cat died, hoping he might say we will get a cat again but I know he’s not keen.

Anyway I couldn’t go in the garden so after lunch I spent a couple of hours in the garage. When OH moved some units to block some holes up he took a lot of gardening stuff off the shelves and then just shoved it all back again. Stuff we use all the time was at the back and stuff we use once in a blue moon was at the front so I had a good sort out. I got rid of 3 empty spray bottle of things like fungicide and a large box of lawn seed. We haven’t had any grass since 2014! Why did we have 2 half jars of rose and shrub fertiliser? They are now combined in one jar. Having sorted that out I potted up another 3 argyranthemum cuttings that had developed good roots in water. I only took 4 each of yellow and pink bloomed plants. All 4 pink are now potted up and look good. 1 yellow has done nothing, 2 have got weak roots so I’ve left them in the water and 1 is potted up. At least I feel I’ve done something today.

Your stew sounded good Mel. I agree with you about frozen carrots. It will be good to have Sunday dinner cooked for you again. I wonder if it will be another roast?

Talking about food has got me thinking what to do with the cod I took from the freezer this morning. I might bake it with some sort of tomato sauce. I'd better go and check what veg I have in the fridge and peel a few potatoes.

Afternoon All,

An early start for me at 7.00am to be showered and ready for the new blind and rails to be fitted. The fitter was due this morning but didn't arrive till this afternoon, so I was twiddling my thumbs all morning. The blind and rails are fitted now, but there are two chips in the paint so it's good it will be redecorated. He also seemed to have wet the handtowel in the ensuite and wiped the tops of the cupboards in the bay window with it, but left them gritty. I've replaced the towel and put it to dry in the conservatory. Men do some odd things! The rails and blind are perfect though and he hung the curtains back up for me as well.

It was dry here most of the morning although the ground was wet, so hopefully AnnG got away ahead of the rain for the start of her journey.

Vera, I know my english has gone downhill a bit since I was at school, but I think we are still better than a lot you see written almost in text speak by young people. I remember with our school name being Alderman Newton's Girls' Grammar School it was our first tester of 'apostrophe position' our English teacher was most particular we got right! It's funny the things you never forget. I'm still unsure about booking the painting course, as I expect the bathroom refit will be being done some of the time and even though the lessons are just a couple of hours, I will be doing the paintings the other days when there will probably be a lot of noise and disruption getting drinks and discussing the work. I have a day or two to think about it and might find out when the bathroom fitter will be free next before I decide as it is usually a few months ahead.

About the jabs, OH is 72 and was refused due to being under age 75. For the same reason he couldn't have the spring booster jab this year either. Can you remember whether you had yours then Mandy?

It's been pouring with rain for a while now and the blocked gutter by the front door means I got soaked locking the door. I must ring someone next week to get the gutters cleaned. I'd thought OH said he was going to ring someone.

I'm not as good on steps now either Mel as my knees don't like them so I use a step stool and hang onto things like walls and furniture! I bet John will cook something nice on Sunday. Let's hope the plastering will last over another Sunday! So are the old and new mowers the same sort?

Well I'd better start looking at more curtains online for in here now there is a rail.

Morning girls,

Very late on parade this morning and I got up twice in the night and the last time was 7.43am and I thought I would have a lie in and fell asleep again till 11.9am. You could say I too had a good sleep last night.

I'm pleased the man can match your wardrobes Annx and it will be much better having them smaller so you can reach the windows better. I have to stand on my step thing to reach the top of my bedroom windows as I can't move the heavy furniture. I'm not too good on the small steps anymore with bad knees and hips too.

Its good you had a good night Vera it makes you want to get on with thing even though its raining as it is here. Shame you can't get in the garden though on one of your good days.

Anng that bus coming along at just the right time saved you a walk back from the hairdressers yesterday. I do hope you have a safe journey tomorrow and enjoy your trip away.

As to the flu and covid jabs Iv'e not heard anything from my docs yet perhaps I should give them a ring to see. I often wonder if they go by surname initials and as I am well down the alpherbet they hav'nt come to me yet. We always used to go in together and have them done at the same time but oh being diabetic always had them even though he was under the 70 years.

Now someone asked me what I did for dinner with Stu last night, I think it was Vera. I did a big beef stew with dumplings. I put carrots, leeks and onion, butterbeans and mushrooms in it and did new pots to go with it. I have enough over for myself for tonight and maybe a bit for the freezer if I take all the carrot out as I don't like frozen cooked carrot as it goes all soggy.

Well I can't stay here chatting all morning as I am now all behind with regular jobs, (feeding the chickens and fish and washing up).

BIL did say he may come over the weekend to sort the mower out. He's sent the new one off now so we have the old one back with its new boots on it and its a bit hard to tall them apart now.

O by the way I have been asked to Stu's for dinner on Sunday again this week as the lads will be there again as John who cooked our lovely lamb roast last week is plastering some walls in Stu's house to make a study for his daughter who is an accountant and is going to take on some private work. I wonder what it will be this week?

Oh yes it does Vera ,well I shall have to ask about that when we go for our flu jab ,it never said anything about it being for the over 75's on the board and the
receptionist never asked my age ,she must have thought I looked over 75. :-S