General Chat

Evening All,

It's been cold again here and dull but no rain. I slept quite well again last night and we went to the surgery again for OH's annual review this time. I put my trapper hat on today as it was so cold. His repeat blood test was back and normal this time and he didn't need to have the other blood tests she normally did, as he'd already had those recently! He managed to book an appointment to see a doctor this afternoon as no-one has called him to discuss the results they have regarding his pain. He got the last appointment left so we were back again this afternoon. The doctor he saw was good and she said she would refer him to a Rheumatologist, as all his blood tests going back to last summer showed body inflammation. (so why didn't they do that before now?). As there could be quite a wait, he is going to see if he can use the tiny insurance we pay to at least see someone privately to get a diagnosis quickly first. We called in and got further meds at the pharmacy, but need to go back tomorrow for some. He's getting no pain at all from the tooth extractions and I baked cod portions with no batter or crumb for lunch with mushy peas, mashed potato and swede and carrot mash with hollandaise sauce that was easy to eat and he ate it all and enjoyed it.

It does sound like your neighbours may have been in the office today AnnG. You will have to see how things are when they are working from home again. I saw that April and the other two were brother and sisters in the soaps too, but hadn't realised that Hope and Joseph were twins. It's interesting they all wanted to be actors but I don't know whether their parents had acting careers. You were brave outside in the cold emptying some pots, but it didn't take too long. I must empty my pot that's broken. At least it should be easy to get the black grass plant out of it now (begins with 'E' but I can never remember the name. Why is it always a favourite pot that breaks? I must have had it more than 10 years though. Is it the garden group meeting tomorrow? It's a big group isn't it. At least this dull weather doesn't show the dust up so much.

I had 3 new tops from Bon Marche delivered today, so must unpack them. It was free delivery too so that was good. I have a few tops that need throwing out now, so must get round to sorting those drawers and wardrobes. Tomorrow I should be able to do more shredding first. My knee will benefit from a bit of rest. OH's car may be better for getting in for OH but I can barely touch the ground getting out and my leg that's left behind gets stuck getting my foot over the sill. I must try twisting round and swinging both legs to the side together and slithering to the ground over the hump at the side of the seat!

Let's hope Stu does something with pasta for you to eat if he makes something this week Mel. :-)

don't watch any soaps.

Clouded over a bit here now after a nice sunny morning and its still bitterly cold. The wild birds are feeding like crazy.

For soap watchers, the things you learn from Facebook. Hope and Joseph (in Corrie) are twin brother and sister in real life surname Flanagan. April in Emmerdale is their sister in real life.

Its 6 degrees here now but there is a little very bitter wind so your hands get so cold when out there. The birds have turfed out more moss off the roof and that needs sweeping up badly.

although it is only 5 degrees out there, it is not too cold as there is no wind so I spent about 30 minutes sorting out the compost bin and emptying some pots into it which were showing no signs of life. the bin is almost full so I need it to rot down a bit more and hope it is making some good compost for my pots in the summer. I also added a small back of shreddings as that helps break it up.

Morning all,

A nice bright morning for a change here today. its 4 degrees and pc is saying feels cold outside more like -3 but I did'nt see any frost.

Have to find out if its dustbin day tomorrow or not as I don't always put it out as there's not enough in it to bother so I lose what is bin day as it com es once a fortnight.

Still having trouble eating so if I go to Stu's this week I hope its something soft.

Well I was on my way to bed in that last post. Slept, except for one loo trip until 0515 then, after another loo trip slept off and on until 0815.
Good morning all, no need to say what the weather is like, we are trapped in this very low cloud dark weather.
I am holding my breath because, fingers crossed, so far I have been able to get onto the internet.
Nothing planned for today except to continue with the shredding and get the house tidy for the meeting tomorrow. Not that they can see a lot of the room with 12 of us in it.

Interesting that the Wifi has been very good for the half hour since I got up and looking out of the window, two of the cars that I assume belong to people who work from home are missing. Maybe it is 'visit office' day.

I think we can put shredding in small quantities wrapped in newspaper in recycling but at one time we’re told too much clogs up the machinery. I am afraid some of mine will be going in general waste but small amounts in my compost.

It's in our deeds that we mustn't cause nuisance, so bonfires don't happen here.

We managed to get one of the few parking spaces at the surgery so no cost for parking today and OH was really quick. We are back there again tomorrow for him to have this annual review. We then called at the big Co-op and bought a few bits and have to agree with Vera about how cold it was. It was cold in the shop as well and we were glad to get home in the warm afterwards. His mouth feels a lot less painful already Vera, probably helped by the painkillers he is already on. He's eaten a bit more again today and wondered if the tablets were affecting his appetite.

The lady who did his blood sample said if it was ok he wouldn't hear from them, but he is going to make an appointment to see a doctor once the result is on his record as he needs a proper diagnosis and some treatment or a referral now. The pain has been dragging on since last summer. The eye clinic haven't notified the surgery of their findings yet either.

I've just checked to make sure, but if we didn't take our shredded paper to the smallholding, we can put it in the recycling bin, well if we could get it in there as it is always full! They will only take what is in the bin, so we couldn't leave it next to the bin.

AnnG I think all shredders overheat, just like us, if we do a lot of work.

I can understand that Anng but living out in the middle of knowhere I can and those who have woodburner would probably do it too.

Had another brown egg today so she is well into laying now but it will be a short period of laying as she is now about 7 or 8 years old.

I’m pleased you are having a good birthday Mandy and have nice cards and pressies. Will someone cook you a nice meal or make or buy you a birthday cake?

Mel, I agree with AnnG. You have enough land to light a bonfire well away from anyone else but most of us live too close to our neighbours to make burning papers acceptable. Even in our last house when we only had farmland behind us we never burnt stuff in the garden but we did have an open log fire in our lounge so we could burn some papers up in the grate there. As soon as we moved here we bought a shredder. Our problem is getting rid of the shredded paper. We can’t put it in our recycling bin and there is nowhere local to take it so it has to go to the tip. At the moment we store all our stuff for the tip in the garage till we can fill our car and then take everything in one go. I don’t know what will happen when we can no longer drive. Two of our neighbours have recently given up their cars but they both have family nearby to help them out with this sort of job.

OH will be more comfortable without those teeth Annx. It’s bound to be sore for a day or two and the stitches might feel a bit strange at first but at least the pain from the mouth should ease now and he may feel like eating a little more. I hope you can park OK and don’t have any waiting around for the blood test.

It’s been another miserable, cold, grey, drizzly day. I am having a delivery from Sainsbury on Thursday afternoon and have 12 pints of milk coming but I misjudged the amount I’d got left and I was down to about half a pint so I had to go and get some more. I decided to walk to the Co-op as it’s not too far and I’m not getting enough exercise. By the time I got back bits of me were frozen. My body wasn’t too bad but my face and hands were icy. I was wearing thick Heat Holder mittens but the cold seemed to be coming right through them.

I started this post quite a while ago but a friend called about a lunch she is sorting out for her 80th birthday which is coming up soon. She has booked a table for 12 – all ladies – on 21st February at a nice, reliable pub not too far away. She has invited a few extra people, our normal “birthday group” numbering 7 ladies, so we thought as it was her 80th we ought to organize something for her. Therefore we are taking her for afternoon tea at the town’s only proper hotel. It can’t be till 12th March for various reasons but the birthday girl has been told to keep that afternoon free although she doesn’t know why.

Time now for a cuppa and maybe a chocolate biccy today. Make sure you all stay snug and warm.

EDIT I forgot to say I've got 2 Irish coffee glasses as well. Mine are quite small. By the time you've got the whisky in there's not too much space left for coffee and cream. OH finds that, filled half way, they make good port glasses so they are still getting used.

It would not be acceptable Mel to burn things in the garden, I wouldn't like it if neighbours did it and I am sure they wouldn't like it either. Shredded stuff is safe enough I am sure nobody is going to piece together thousands of little bits of paper.

I always have trouble finding things in a new handbag Mandy. Sometimes it's a surprise to find something I thought I'd lost when I empty an old bag to throw away. :-S Your red jumper sounds nice and cosy and it's great that it's a good fit.

Ha ha so your shredder is going to be at work AnnG. I want to do the other file box later, but there is more still of mine that needs shredding. I need to get my FH stuff in better order and go through the beading patterns I have printed as I don't tend to make the simpler things I used to do at first anymore and don't need a pattern to do those anyway.

Yes it's better getting at least some food delivered isn't it Mel. No more piling things into the the trolley, then the car boot as well as into the cupboards at home.

Thjats one thing I have never had, a shredder. I just burn everything then I know its safe. I have lots of oh's papers to burn.

Mandy I have two irish coffee glasses and I think I bought them in Lidl years ago cos oh liked an irish coffee. Bought about Christmas time with the coffee for them I think.

Shredder has stopped for now, guess it was getting overheated. It is an old one, was T's, mine packed up 4 years ago. I have been looking to buy one on Amazon but there are so many I am confused so given up for now. Lunch time.

They use to have those scratch and sniff patches in the Avon books and birthday cards with those pop out flowers in use to have a perfume smell.

I've got two of those Irish whisky glasses in the cupboard ,they have a handle on the side ,goodness knows why I've kept them .

Anng that wil be another good job done all the shredding especially as it's cold out and not gardening weather .

Ann thats good OH has had the teeth taken out ,I know no one wants to loose teeth but at least that will ease one lot pain for him , I hope you can park easily again this afternoon when he has his blood test appointment.

yes Mel you can still get Irish coffee in restaurants. I used to have Irish whisky glasses, I wonder where they are.

Ann, yes i remember those sniff patches. And rarely did the perfume smell the same as if you bought it.

I am not sure who to blame but I now have a cardboard box full of shredding to do. Stuff that I should have got rid of a year ago. So that is the sfternoon spoken for.

Glad that you are having a good day Mandy <3

Great you're having a good time Mandy. You'll soon get used to all the pockets and where you put things in your new bag.

Yes I remember those scratch patches in magazines but the thing was perfume smells different on different people and some of them were horrid anyway.

I was thinking about something you don't see on menu's now just now when I put some mugs away in the cupboard. I spied something to throw out!! Two Irish coffee glasses. Do you see that on any menu's now? Must have been way back in the 70's when I had my first one. It funny how these little memories come to you when you least expect them and what actually triggers them off. :-D

Morning all,

Thank you everyone for all your birthday wishes and all the pretty cards ,I have had some lovely presents, my sister bought me a nice red jumper from Edinburgh wool it fits a treat , I've changed my handbag over Ann there's lots of pockets in this new bag so I can see me having to hunt for things in there now .

It's another dull day so no sun for me today Gwyn but it won't spoil my day .

<3 :-D HAPPY BIRTHDAY MANDY :-D <3

I hope you have a nice day today, probably best indoors though if it's like here and cold outside and dull again. You'll be able to sort where to put things in your new handbag and enjoy your other presents. :-)

AnnG we collect about 4 big bags (unused big charity bags that have been pushed through the door usually), then when OH goes to a match in the same direction he drops them off at a smallholding on the way that puts a sign out asking for shredded paper.

We had an early start this morning and were up at 6.00am so we could work through the tablet and eyedrop regime and OH could shower before his dentist appointment at 8.15am. He has to wait half an hour after one tablet before he can take the rest and have something to eat before the last one, so it takes a while. His dentist is only about 4 miles away, but we allowed 45 minutes in case of being held up with traffic queuing to get on the motorway. It's a good job we did as traffic was snarled up and people were driving across after the traffic lights had changed and were blocking everyone from moving. Later we discovered there had been an accident on the slip road to the motorway and there were traffic queues over 4 miles long in some directions. We got there in good time though and I was lucky again to find a space along the road to park and wait. His dentist took both of the loose teeth out and cleaned away all the infection so he doesn't think he will need antibiotics. He also put stitches in and he has to go back in a fortnight for them to be removed. He is feeling quite relieved to be rid of them now, so it's cool food and scrambled egg with a bit of cheese for lunch. Then we are at the surgery again later for the blood test.

While I sat in the car waiting all the schoolchildren were on their way to school and so many mums were using the tiny scooters to pull their children along on rather than them walk. I thought children weren't getting enough exercise? At 5 years old I used to walk 2 miles each way to school till I was 7 and learned to ride my bike.

I thought of something that I don't see anymore when I was awake last night. Remember in magazines how you would have those scratch and sniff patches to see what new perfumes smelled like?