General Chat

Yes Ann I usually print back to back, as you say less to file. Yes a nuisance not being able to get. Friday slot. To me the odd thing was that every single slot was for ‘collect’

It was too hot for me to do any gardening today too, over 20 degrees and no wind. I did sit down I. My happy place in the shade of a tree, reading.

Thanks for the photos Vera pots are very pretty. That lovely daff. And I do like white tulips.

Pleased that you seem to have solved your plant mystery.


Oh yes, the number of times I have to rush downstairs to get my phone for the special security number. I never carry my phone round the house.

Mel the pond takes a lot of looking after doesn’t it?

You do keep busy Mel with all your land and ponds. Where do you get your energy from? Could you send a bit my way please. It's a shame not many of your seeds germinated. I've not sown any tomatoes this year but I'm hoping daughter might have a plant or two to spare. Thank you for your suggestion of antirrhinum for my mystery plant. I agree the leaves do look like one but I think it is too woody and shrub like for that. I might have found the answer myself. A few years ago we had two ball shaped box plants in different parts of the garden and they got box blight so had to come out. To replace them OH bought two slow growing Japanese holly plants. They never grew well and always looked a bit tatty so a couple of years ago they came out. I now think that maybe a piece of root was left in and has taken off. It could have been growing all last year but hidden by other plants. Anyway we are going to leave it in for now and see if it produces any flowers this summer.

I laughed at you leaving your card in the card reader and then hunting for it Annx, as that's just the sort of thing I do. Whenever I do online banking I always forget that they will send a one time code to my phone and I never have my phone with me at the computer so it's a panic to go downstairs, hunt for the phone, get back upstairs and enter the number online before I get timed out.

I'm going to post this as I've done what I keep telling Mel not to do. I've typed in straight into the Genes reply box and I don't want to risk losing it. I'll be back with a bit more in another post.

Done my parcel up and renewed my library books by ringing the library.

Can't get the pump to work that brings the water up from the well to both ponds. Shall have to clean the plug I think cos it did give a spurt then went off again. It nnoying because the lead on the actual pump is'nt very long and dos'nt reach the patio it has to stay on the side of the pond decking.

I have just come in from the garden been doing the big pond filter and I have mended the long handled net by putting a much smaller one on it and got lots of leaves out of the bottom of the big pond. That takes a lot out of me lugging the net out full of leaves but it has'nt been done all winter cos the BIG net broke.

I had some breakfast, just cereal and now I am peckish again and need to take some pills so thats what I shall do next.

Then I need to do up a parcel of two lots to the same lady and see if I can get that down the shop and post it.

Afternoon All,

Lovely sunny day, but too hot for me to do anything in the garden till later. Yesterday the man came and cut the bottom hedge lower again and cut the brambles back that had crept under and over the fence and cut down two tall shrubs that were past their best. He unearthed our old wheelbarrow which is only fit for the tip now and now we have the garden bin, we doubt we will need one again. We have a trolley thing in the garage and sack barrow that was FIL's we can wheel compost bags on, but we just get small bags now as OH shouldn't really do any heavy lifting. OH has managed to shorten the branches on one he cut down and put them in the garden bin. He'd already shortened them last year, but they soon put on lot of growth. We called and had coffee and an egg and spinach bap this morning, called for OH's meds and needed milk and orange juice, so got those too. I've ordered some ink for the printer and added printer paper to the food order as I forgot to put it on last time. Now I need to order a battery for my alarm clock, ring the surgery and see if they can do my HBa1c jab near the time of my covid one to save two visits. More financial stuff to sort and update as it's the new tax year, so plenty to do!

It's a shame more of your seeds haven't germinated Mel, but that's how it is with gardening isn't it. Fingers crossed the latest sowing will be quick to show some leaf now it's a bit warmer. We have a tall pot that had a nice grass in it, but was wedged tight by last year and very whispy so I dug it out which took a few inches of soil with it. Now it has yellow Violas in it that have never been planted there! I bet BIL was glad to get rid of the branches that were in his way when he was mowing.

Good luck getting your greenhouse up Mandy. It's certainly been very productive with all you grow. I didn't get chance to watch the Chapel prog last night but it's recorded and I want to watch it tonight. They are a great couple together and I'm looking forward to seeing what else they've got done.

Gently does it with the garden Vera. I'm trying to do some every day, but short stints and OH is the same. We don't get any more done sticking at it when we then have to spend a few days recovering!

That was a nuisance not being able to get a Friday slot AnnG. I was thinking of changing our regular slot to Fridays as it would be cheaper than Sundays but hadn't thought of it being so popular. So you will soon be packing for your trip to your son's. At least you have got a lot of your garden jobs done beforehand so that's good. Yes after realising there was so much to print of the rules, I did download and save the other things. I always print both sides, it takes less space to store things like beading patterns, but OH prefers single sides printed which he finds easier to use at meetings, but he forgets to change the printer back sometimes.

After thinking I'd lost my car key I had a similar experience yesterday! My bank has changed their website layout, which I hate, as they have removed columns and headings and rows are just floating on the page as if in a white cloud now! I was trying to make a payment and I've made it before but the name appeared to have disappeared from the list and wording had changed, so I ended up phoning the bank and following their instructions. Well I had to use my cardreader (which I have hardly ever needed to use ) and don't like it. There's a pin, I keep wondering if it has a battery that will fail, whether the main site will log me out any minute, you know how it is! Anyway, all went well without mishap and I finished what I was doing and started to put the papers etc away. I noticed the card reader and couldn't see my bank card anywhere, so checked my purse in case I'd already put it away.....no! I searched on my desk and under it and was getting papers out again in case it had slipped between the pages....no. I decided I might as well put the card reader away in it's box and suddenly saw my card was just visible in the end of it, so I hadn't actually removed it !! I told OH I must be losing the plot and that if I start dribbling he'll have to book me into a home! :-S

Tempus fugit so I'd better get on now.

Ah must just be I am late trying to book a slot. I have had Friday deliveries before but usually book earlier in the week. It is not a problem I have a Saturay slot, I was just puzzled as there is not one delivery at all, all collect. on Friday.
I didn't sleep at all well last night and when asleep was dreaming so feel very weary today, not helped by being 20 degrees. I have washed bedding and changed the bed, vacuumed downstairs and the conservatory and done some admin. I think that is my lot for today.
Vera don'y overdo it in the sun out there.

AnnG, I don't usually have a Tesco Friday delivery as I know it is the most popular day for deliveries. I have occasionally had a Saturday delivery but normally it's Tuesday or Wednesday. However I just logged in to see what it's like round here and it is the same. All the home delivery slots are filled but you can book a slot to go and collect your goods. I know a couple of people who do that, one always has a 12-1 pm slot on a Thursday and goes after meeting the gang for coffee. No good if you haven't got a car or can't drive.

I've just come in from the garden and feel shattered now but we've got to make the most of the good weather. OH is just making us a sandwich - oh, he's just called out it's ready.

I thought with being away next week I would have a Tesco delivery at the end of this week with stuff that will keep and other stuff I need like printer paper. I have never had this happen before, I decided on a Friday delivery, when I looked there is not one slot available, all Friday slots have been marked 'collect'. I can't believe that all those people want to collect a delivery on Friday. Vera, I know you have Tescos delivery, has that happened to you? I did manage to book for Saturday when every slot was free.

Morning girls,

Sunny and bright but pc says temps to drop but at the mo its 14 degrees. I had a lie in this morning.

Yes it was quiet on here yesterday and here BIL arrived. He wanted to cut down the branches stickingf out from the fig tree that catch him when he's mowing and the rose round the back. So he did tha\t and I really don't know where the rest of the day.

As I said in yesterdays post I had that nose bleed in the morning so did'nt want to do much bending down yesterday I had a look at the seeds I sowed on the 18 of March and lots of the Gardeners Delight toms hav'nt germinated just one has come up out of eight seeds sown. The Sungold has spaces too just three out of eight of those came up but the beefsteak toms ( Burlesque) Only one failed. None of the 16 sweet peas have come up and neither have to cues but I did have those in the shed but the runers are showing signs of shooting.

Think that may be a job for today to sow some more seeds.

On the patio in a old cast iron trough I have a whole bunch of seeds come up but for the life of me I don't know what they are. They look a bit like Marigold seedss leaves and I hav'nt sown those for years as with all the snails and slugs they don't stand a chance in this garden. I must take a pic as its obviously a seed pod been put in there by a mouse. It will be interesting to see what they are like.

Good morning all
It certainly was quiet on the boards yesterday. People were probably gardening or taking the opportunity to go out while it was sunny. I can’t post much now as other jobs are calling but hope to bbl. Have a good day whatever you are doing.

Good morning everyone.
I hope you get the greenhouse sorted, Mandy.
With it being so cold and windy lately, I expect like you say, many people will have been busy in their gardens, now that the weather is brighter and warmer.
I went out early, before 8 o'clock to get a bit more in the garden bin, before they came yesterday. It was about 3 quarters full, by the time they came, so it earned it's keep ;-)
It sounds as if you were busy too AnnG.

Another busy day today.
I have daughter's coat in the wash, while the weather is good. She wears it often, but working from home mostly and not needing it this week, it is in the wash with hat , scarf and gloves, which she seldom wears, so they will be put away during the warmer months.
Elder daughter is off work until the new term starts, so she will come this afternoon, after her dog-sitting duties and then go back to walk him again early evening.

Right, must get some breakfast...

Good morning all good morning Mandy. yes wasn't it quiet on here? I kept peeping in and nobody arrived. I did a bit of pot clearing on the patio and even had to water my Geums in pots, they are starting to look sad and last week they looked really good. Geums hate being dry, hence the watering. I don't actually remember what I did yesterday, the day passed quickly but I think I just enjoyed the sun wandering round the garden. Although I did do some admin jobs. today I have stripped the bed and that is in the washing machine. it is forecast to get0ver 20 degrees so warm again but tomorrow it is going to drop and rain and tomorrow is the meeting here.
Anyway hope all is well with Ann, Vera and Gwyn. I am assuming the gardens called.

Morning all,

Another sunny day and we're hoping to get the greenhouse up .
Very quiet on here yesterday, hope everyone's OK and just busy perhaps in the garden .

Morning all,

The suns tryng to stay out but the sky is grey to the north and better to the south.Its 12 degrees and pc says mostly cloudy.

Shopping day and 3 subs I ordered 4 lots of spring greens as the price was so low and the girls love them but they have sent Cavolo Nero instead and I don't think you get as much of that as you do the spring greens so that could go back they sent a different broccoli but thats ok . They sent two pint bottles of milk so thats ok.

I suppose its because of Easter and the children being off school.

I can't believe we are a week into April already, this year seems to be flying by before we know it it will be Christmas again.

I slept very well last night had a little lie in and watched the cloudys then came out heremade my coffee but did'nt heat it in the microwave my nose started to run but it was'nt it was a nose bleed. Had to find the nasal cream.

I'm posting this as I have lost the first few lines once.

Morning Anng ,morning all,

Nice and sunny again so I hope to get in the garden and repot the plant I was going to do the other day ,soon be time to get the greenhouse up too so plenty to do ,I did strip the bed and that's all in ths machine ,should get dry on the line .

Ann Terry can play the piano ,the girls were really good and had all the moves .
Welsh Chapel dream tonight .

Better have my tea and get the washing out .

Good morning all 7 degrees here but sunny and dry.
Not such a good night as a couple of times waking with leg pain. It has gone off now I am up. I got up just before 7am. And, of course I am not dressed yet.

That was a busy day Ann. I had a chuckle at the 'lost' car key. that is so easy to do.

And, 30 pages!!! almost writing a book. did you really need it all printed? Maybe you could have kept it copied on line somewhere. All that ink and paper (do you print both sides of the paper?)

I hope you have a more relaxing day today :-)

I can see those young girl entertainers would be great for going into care homes to sing. But somebody is backing them as the costumes were not cheap looking, very well made. And they were weell trained in presentation.

Evening All,

It’s been a lovely sunny day, makes you feel good. We both managed to add to the garden bin which is out ready for tomorrow’s collection.

It sounds like you had a nice meal and time with the family yesterday Gwyn. Thankfully no ‘shouts’ to attend!

Yes it was the cheerfulness and confident personalities of the girls enjoying their singing that I loved. I know they were singing together last year so only 12 years old and one aged 14 then! I would never have had such confidence at that age. They also sang Chattanooga Choo Choo and Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree with Terry and There’s a video of them singing for the birthday of someone in a care home.

Happy Birthday to your SIL Mandy. It seems a shame the boys’ father doesn’t want to know, but every circumstance is different and at least they are still with close family they know, although it won’t be easy for your niece either as AnnG says.

Very upsetting for them to lose their mum though and no dad wanting to be around.
Glad you are catching up with your ‘things to do’ Vera and can slow down a little. I’d love to have seen your OH in his ‘Euphorbia proof’ outfit! There’s a clump of self set bright lime green ones in the field hedge up the close, but apart from the sap I don’t like the smell of them.

I hope your tomatoes soon start taking off AnnG. They always seem so tender and fragile when they are tiny. Let’s hope you have another good sleep tonight.

I’ve had a funny old day. After calling at the shop I opened the car boot and put my shopping in and then couldn’t find my car key, searched the boot and my shopping, pockets and handbag……nothing. I started looking on the ground when I noticed it was in the hand holding my handbag all the time! I’m losing the plot!
After OH went to a match, I started sorting a money transfer to a new account. I thought it was going well, then I had to print some rules of the account etc, which turned out to be 30 pages and one of the printer inks ran out and by the time I had swapped that I was timed out and had been logged off! I logged on again and had to start over again and managed to finish, or so I thought. A message came up then with an error code, so I thought I’d better phone to report it. I use the landline at home as the sound is clearer and I can never remember with my mobile how to bring the keyboard up while you are on a call and thought they would be bound to want me to type something in. Well blow me there was no dialling tone on the landline! It did come back this evening after it was too late to phone, but now there’s no dialling tone again. I have had an email just now to say the transfer has gone through so something has worked! I was saying to OH that when there is only one of us we will need two phones because if one goes wrong, once our landlines are sitched off you need the other to phone someone with.

Your eyes must be nearly shut reading all this, so I’m off to bed late for me and OH is taking me for a breakfast bap in the morning so it’s an early start, although I don’t think it will be busy.

Pleased that you have caught up with yourself Vera I bet that felt good.
Strange about the euphorbia, something dropped by a bird maybe.. pity you could not get a photo of that strange intruder in your garden. :-D

Happy birthday to your dil Mandy. That is so sad about those poor little boys and it must be so difficult for your niece to take care of them and their needs while grieving for her daughter. My heart goes out to you all.

That sounds a lovely Easter Sunday Gwyn. A good meal and some family time – what could be better? I agree with you about preferring hot cross buns to be traditional, I’m not keen on all these fancy flavours either.

That was a nice surprise dinner you had Mel, and an Easter egg from Em as well. Your neighbours all sound like nice people.

The 3 girls in the YouTube clip you sent us Annx are talented young ladies and should go far if they choose a career in that field. They had nice voices but I was really impressed with their personalities. They know how to smile and draw their audience in which is half the battle.

Your tomato seedlings will probably be OK AnnG. It’s a bit of a balancing act between them drying out or getting waterlogged but if you can just keep them a bit damp they should survive.

I finished all the real priority jobs yesterday. I have a few emails to write still but none that are urgent and only one that I ought to do today so things have now calmed down considerably and I’ve concentrated on some household chores. As the weather is so good today I did loads of washing and for the first time this year hung it all outside. Then just before lunch I wandered round the garden, caught site of something yellow in a corner behind a bench so went to have a look and it was a euphorbia plant in bloom with two smaller ones growing nearby. Where the heck have they come from? The one in bloom looked well established but neither of us have seen it before. We won’t have them in the garden after OH’s mishap with euphorbia a few years ago so he decided to get them out straightaway and to make sure he was well covered while he did so.

First it was “I can’t find my goggles”. After I hunted everywhere in the half of our garage that acts as our shed I got “I’ve just remembered they were damaged so I binned them”. Grrr! But, still smiling, I suggested a large pair of sunglasses that he bought for protection when his cataracts were done. Ten minutes later “I can’t find my sunglasses”. Double grrr! Eventually he was ready but I then suggested a mask to protect the lower half of his face so that had to be found. He eventually got into the garden and he was a sight to behold with his long sleeved jumper, gauntlets, woolly hat, face mask and sunglasses. I’d have liked a photo but didn’t think he was in the mood for that. Anyway, euphorbia is removed and hopefully OH got all the root out but we’ll keep an eye on that area to make sure no more pops up there.

I can’t believe it is 3.45 pm already. I’d better go and check the washing. A couple of heavy jumpers might still be damp but all the lighter stuff is probably dry now. I hope you have all got sunshine too. Enjoy it while it’s here.