General Chat

That's a coincidence AnnG as our painting this week is about more abstract effect. I confess I don't really like abstract because I don't really understand it I suppose. We have been asked to reduce detail or emphasise eg the lighting. Your talk next month sounds interesting. There's no need for appointments at our tip now and I suppose it does get very busy at times and liable to jam up, even with 3 lanes around the outside of the bays.

Well I managed a 1 lap walk and the ducks were pleased to see me. The Moorhens were there and also 4 tiny chicks today. Leave us out at night with just a pond and we wouldn't last long but these tiny black pompoms thrive! Their parents were more attentive than the duck parents though and I had to throw hard to make sure they got some of the bread. The parents were taking the bread straight to their chicks and letting them peck it from around their beaks. Typical I didn't take my camera with me as I wanted to use the camera case to put my mobile and house keys in. When I got back to my car there was an identical one parked next to me which was a surprise as my car isn't very common now as they stopped making it about 10 years ago. It was even the same colour. It's a wonder I didn't try to unlock the wrong one! lol.

OH has gone to a meeting in the city. He will soon have to find a different route as they are closing roads and all sorts soon to build lots of cycleways and pedestrian only bits. I don't think they want cars in the city at all and have reduced the traffic lanes and removed a flyover. It will be interesting to see how things pan out as without cars to carry shopping in, some, like us, will shop elsewhere and since the pandemic more shop online than before. If the city loses it's shops, it will be space for all the houses needed I suppose and will be better than losing so much of our lovely green countryside.

Back to some paperwork now. OH has done everything he needs to ready to collect his car, so he can have a clearout of his car boot before Monday as he carries too much in there. I have been carrying a pile of magazines in my boot for ages that are for a friend's hubby, so I ought to get those to her rather than keep them in my boot and using more fuel.

Better see if the washing's dry now.

good to see you Mandy pleased that you were just busy.

It sounds as if your tip is getting organised now. Have they had a change around since Covid when they were appointment only. Maybe they are just stopping you to tell you where to go to save vehicles not getting to the right containers and causing jams. Ours is, I think still by appointment.

the subject this month is not one I enjoy. Abstract. Not easy and I am still not sure I have got it right. I will let you know when I come back this afternoon. We have a subject most months but we have got one of our members doing a talk on composition next month, He is the oldest in the group and a very profficient photographer, member of Gloucester camera club so should be interesting. Only problem is he has a very soft voice so I might have trouble even with my aids.

What a performance it is at the tip now. You can't even go in without a man stopping you to ask exactly what you are bringing. We had to go to number 20 and 22 for our two things and there were a lot more bays with higher numbers but I didn't notice if some were repeated. Goodness knows what we will do once we can't lift things up and over the edge of them.

There you are Mandy and of course we missed you! Yes our gardens do need a lot doing just now and it does make you tired as you say. I can remember once when we bought our cars together each getting a bouquet as you say. They would put them on the back parcel shelf. It was a nice gesture, but I doubt there will be one now. I'm glad Colin liked the bricks on my painting, especially with him having done building work......! It certainly was a different kind of painting and thinking about it, it is good that artists in the past recorded mundane, everyday scenes or we wouldn't have known about them now would we. Not one for the wall though like AnnG says, but thought provoking like Vera says.

I had a chuckle at your OH's mystery card Vera. Just make sure when you use it you don't send it back to his sister!!

What is the subject for your photography group this afternoon AnnG or is there not one every time?

Mel I have just asked Dr G what his tennis elbow pain is like and it doesn't sound like your pain. He says his elbow has a deep ache, just in the elbow and it doesn't shoot anywhere like his sciatica does. It also has swelling come up on the outside. It was a good idea of Mandy's though. Is your arm/wrist swollen at all? It sounds like you may have to see the doc if it doesn't get better soon. I find things do take longer to get better now though. Speaking of which I am going to see if I can do a 1 lap walk next and feed the ducks again. My knee seemed much better going to the tip and up the garden this morning. I've put the washer on too so I hope it doesn't rain.

Morning all,

Nice to be missed ,we've just been busy in the garden and by the evening we've nothing been so tired so I haven't turn the tablet on .

Belated birthday wishes to your OH and dil Vera sounds as if the roast went down well

We're off to get a bit of shopping ,need some dog food from Mole Valley and then I need to get some ironing done .

Ann the painting was different, Colin said your brickwork was good :-D
So not long now before you get the new dar ,I love the smell of a new car ,years ago they would give you a bouquet when you picked the car up don't suppose they do that now .

12 degrees here and there is quite a gusty wind .

Mel its not tennis elbow you have is it ,that's painful ,hope it soon feels better .

Right Colin has his shoes on so I'd better get moving .

Morning anng and all,

Bright sunny morning so far and blue sky as far as theeye can see and 11 degrees and pc says mostly sunny.

My new wheelbarrow was supposed to come today which is why we went out yesterday but it arrived yesterday inthe afternoon. Its not a patch on the old one that has fallen apart. The nuts are a lot thinner and the wheel axel is thinner and the whole metal bit is thinner but I think it will last me out if I am lucky. Oh said he may see if he can fit the old barrows tyre on the new one as it dos'nt wobble about on the axel like the new one does and its a metal wheel and the new one is plastic and not very accessable to pump the tyre up.

Arm still niggling. Its like tennis elbow right down my arm to my wrist like sciatica in your leg and starts to hurt when I type and use the mouse.

Hope Mandy is ok and sending love. <3

Morning Everyone,

The sun's through and it's 12 degrees so should warm up soon. The car is packed and we are set for the tip. It is only 5 mins by car so will go soon.

Vera, you tease!! The sound of the lamb is making my mouth water now and I'm really fancying some. I must look in the freezer to see what we have.

Oops OH is calling so better go! BBL.

Good morning all. Out this afternoon to photography group so may get a bit of gardening done this morning.

Mel That was strange about the petrol cans. The latest info I could find was from 2021 as follows.
The rules vary based on the type of jerry can you may be using.

For example, a metal jerry can will hold 10 litres, and motorists are allowed two metal cans in total; a combined 20 litres of petrol.

You are legally prevented to store 20 litres in just one container, meaning you must have two if you wish to carry 20 litres.

Plastic cans however only hold five litres, limiting you to just 10 litres if you only have two plastic jerry cans.

Again, the same principal applies in that you can only have five litres per can.

If you want to combine both plastic and metal, then you can store 30 litres maximum, and it must be a combination of: 2 x 10 litre metal cans & 2 x 5 litre plastic cans.

Every can you use must have a sign or writing on them that states the liquid being carried is highly flammable.


Maybe the garage has its own rules. Was it your usual garage?

Ann as I said in the email as usual your painting was excellent but I did find the subject gloomy and not for my wall. But, as Vera says intriguing picture.
So many of these small garden centres have been taken over which reduces our choice. We are fortunate in that in this area we have three that are not part of large chains, our closest one, five minutes by car on a good day, started as a nursery along the road from where it is now and now does have three branches one here, one in south Gloucestershire and one just over the border in Wales at Chepstow. At least you got the Choisya that you wanted.

Vera now you are making it worse because that lamb sounds delicious. Pleased that it all went well for OH's birthday meal and that you were well enough to enjoy it.
How lovely for your granddaughter to be helping the turtles, they need a lot of help to protect their eggs.

Hopefully Mandy is just busy in the garden but unusual for her to be missing for more than one day.

No Mandy again?? Hope she's ok and just busy with the garden.

Don’t put yourself down Ann. There’s nothing dreary about your latest painting. You have a real talent for shading and tone; look how well the different greys on the wall blend. While it may not be to everyone’s taste we need plenty of variety in art. I think this picture draws you in and makes you want to know where it is and just what is behind that emergency door. I’ll be really interested to see what you come up with next week.

You sound as though you have been busy Mel. I wonder why the garage rationed you to 2 x 2.5 litre cans. Hope your arm and shoulder aches and pains are easier tomorrow.

Well, I wish you could all have come to lunch today. I’d asked OH whether he wanted his birthday roast at lunchtime or in the evening and he suggested we have it at around 2 pm as we usually do on Sundays. It was perfect. The lamb was a really lean shoulder with hardly any fat on it and I’d studded it with garlic slivers and rosemary and it was so tender and tasty. We had roast pots, roast parsnips, carrots and broccoli, gravy and mint sauce, followed by the lemon cheesecake. It was all yummy.

OH had quite a few cards including one that was a bit of a riddle. It was a very nice card of a hare in a field of green but when he opened it the inside was completely blank. I looked at the envelope to see which area it had come from but the stamp hadn’t been franked so no clue there. After a bit of studying of the handwriting on the envelope I decided it was from one of his two sisters and guessed at which one. He rang her and I was right and they both had a good laugh over it and, as OH told her, we’ve now gained a card we can send to someone else.

This evening one of our granddaughters facetimed us to sing Happy Birthday to OH and have a long chat with us. She is just finishing at drama school for the year and on Tuesday she is off to Greece where she is volunteering with a turtle charity. She’s out there for 7 weeks monitoring and guarding the turtle eggs on the beach and I am not sure what else. I know it’s all very basic – accommodation is in tents etc – but she is a very self-sufficient and confident young lady and I am sure will take it in her stride. My son has bought her a solar charger so hopefully she can keep her phone charged and she has said she will take photos and send them to us.

I am so much better today but a bad migraine can leave you quite drained for several days and I am feeling tired now so I am going to go to bed with a book. I hope you all have a good night.

Afternoon All,

Sun's been a bit weak today and breezy and a bit chilly earlier and has darkened the leaves on my African Marigolds so I hope it hasn't set them back.

Oh Vera I'll be round too for the roast lamb and the cheesecake........yummy! Sorry to hear you have had a bad few days with the migraine and I hope you are over the worst now, although they are very tiring so don't do too much. Glad you enjoyed Swan Lake, although the sound is much too loud at these venues these days. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your OH and DIL.

I suppose they may have taken the opportunity to do an NHS check on OH if one was due AnnG. Again I have only ever been given one of those. We aren't seen for medication reviews either. The doctor just checks our records I think and extends the dates for another period. We have had to wait nearly 6 months for this car AnnG so I'm not surprised it is now 12 months for your SIL.

That's good you found a barrow like your old one Mel. Like you say, having the 2 will be handy and very useful anyway. I wonder why your OH couldn't get more fuel? Is there a shortage or is it a new safety rule? It's annoying after you have used fuel to travel there as well.

We went to the village garden centre first thing this morning and I found the golden Choisya I wanted so that was good. It used to be a great garden centre where you could buy pots of seedlings in spring and everything was really cheap, but got taken over by another big garden centre when the owners retired. Now prices have gone up and they have turned it into one of those stores where you have to walk and wind through everytjhing on sale to where you want to be like at IKEA, which is not great for bad knees.

We are off to the tip in the morning at last so OH's car is reversed up to the garage ready to load up. His appointment is through to assess his hernia and like my eye assessment is fairly local at a private company and is in less than a fortnight.

Happy birthday Mr. Vera and DIL hope you enjoy your roast and I'm coming too. I love a roast dinner.

Well so far I have been to Holsworthy with oh for some layers pellets and woodshavings and oh wanted to top up with mower petrol and some diesel for the turf track. Got to the garage and he got the cans out and I went in to pay for the petrol first and then the diesel. I could see him talking to one of the workers from the garage and when I paid for the petrol it was only £37 pound odd. I looked out and he was putting the cans back in the boot. Went out and apparantly you can only have two 2.5ltr cans and our cans are huge. So he was'nt aloud to get any diesel. I had'nt put any in the car as I did'nt need it yet. Oh asked if they sold the 2.5litre cans and she said no!!!!

Anyway got back and hoovered right through the kitchen diner and part of the hall and swept out the back porch and when I lifted up the door mat there were 19 mealworms under it. I had expected a couple as we often drop a few when getting them out of the box. I wonder how long it is since I had that mat out??????? I know the one in the front of it was full of grit from the road but that can fill up in a matter of days with oh walking back and forth as he dos'nt always wipe his feet.

Did lunch and now I am having a sit for a little while.

Arms still aching a bit.

Vera glad you had a better night and don't overdo it today cooking that nice big roast.

Roast lamb and lemon cheese cake Vera! I am on my way, my favourites Mmm!! Pleased that you are felling better don't overdo it now.

and Many Happy Returns to your OH and you DiL. :-) :-) :-)

Good morning AnnG and all

I’m still feeling a bit drained but I’m on the mend again now. It’s sunshine and cloud today and supposed to be 17 degrees though it doesn’t feel that warm.

It’s OH’s birthday today and our dil’s as well. OH likes his roast dinner and, as we didn’t have a roast last Sunday and we won’t this coming Sunday, I’m going to cook him roast lamb with all the trimmings. There’s a homemade lemon cheesecake in the freezer so that’ll be our pud.

Might bbl. In the meantime have a good day.

Morning Anng and all,

Yes I too hope Vera got some well earned rest and sleep last night and that she feels better this morning and the nasty head has gone away.

Dry and brightish here this morning and 15 degrees but mostly cloudy.

Had an email from our dentist to say the new chap, Charlie, who we saw earlyer this year is leaving the practice. I did'nt like him anyway. He was young and full of himself and knew he had a hold over you if you know what I mean. Bring back our lovely Shaun is what I say.

Anyway enjoy whatever you are doing today with or without friends.

Ann the picture is great though I can see why you did'nt like the subjects this week. I emailed you.

good morning all, looking quite bright out there 11 degrees but cloudy. Still it is dry so far. Coffee with friends this morning, was going to be the garden centre but due to a car misfunction it has been changed to the local hub cafe which is nearer for some of the group.

Vera hope that you have recovered now from the bad head etc and hopefully managed a good sleep last night. :-)

Oh dear Vera I hoped it was because you were busy. Sorry to hear you have been unwell those migraines are horrid for you. I hope you feel better tomorrow <3

Sorry I haven’t posted since Saturday. I hadn’t slept much for 3 nights. Then Sunday afternoon we went to our little local theatre for a screening of Swan Lake. It was really good but the music was so loud so, with the noise and the lack of sleep, I developed a full blown migraine. I am just coming out of it and feel completely drained so I am not going to be looking at the screen for long today.

OH had a call from the docs at 9.30 this morning asking him to go for a blood test at 11.30 so we’ll wait to hear the results of that. I hope your OH’s tests show good results Ann.

I’m going to stop as the print on the screen is making my eyes feel fuzzy. Will be back tomorrow.

Good afternoon all. Went in to town at 1040, did a bit of shopping then went to the chiropodist and got home about 2.10.
Sat down in the East Gate street because I was early for my appointment and too tired to walk any further carrying shopping. (If nothing else being on your own develops arm muscles!). A lady sat on the other end of the bench and started to chat. So, I know her car was in for MOT right down the Bristol road and she had caught a number 12 into town. I also found out that she had a new hip and a new knee and couldn't bend down to do up trainers so she had two pairs from Hotters that had zips along the sides with imitation laces as usual and she used a grabber to pull the zip.
then after the chiropodist I went to the bus station and the bus was not in (it never is when I get there) so I sat down and had a lady one side of me and a man the other so we sat and put the world and the bus company to rights. Never spoken to so many strangers in my life.

Ann I don't know if this might be the cause of your OH's blood test.
What is an NHS Health Check?

https://www.nhs.uk › Health A to Z › NHS Health Check
If you're aged between 40 and 74, you're eligible for a free 5-yearly NHS Health Check. Find out what it's like to have an NHS Health Check.
I have to have an annual blood test because of my medication.

Daughter's new (electric) car is mid grey. Son has just ordered a new Range rover, red, it is a year's delivery date.

Yes I saw the queen in her Queen mobile (Gold cart). She looked so happy to be there. Probably she was getting depressed at the thought of not being able to attend these things she enjoys and now she realises she can. She may be Queen but she is no different to the rest of us oldies regretting the passing years. She has worn some lovely colours lately as well.

I hav'nt watched Chelsea yet but its on the list for tonight.

Do you remember I bought a new wheelbarrow some time ago and was'nt very pleased with it? Well today I looked on amazon and the had the same one as my old one so I have bought myself another one. Its always good to have two barrows in this garden as if you want it up the top border and leave it there you usually want one down the house too so the one with the silly little wheel will stay down here as I can get more in the old style one for up the border and cleaning the chickens out.

Frustrating not being able to get on isn't it Mel. I planted the tom I got as the boiling water seems to have got rid of the ants. Hopefully I will be able to comparethe new variety with it now. I also put the Hosta in it's pot, but it was quite cold out there and I was glad to come back inside. The garage has rung now and we will collect the car next Monday so that will be my first trip out of the county for over a year. He ordered a mid metallic grey this time as the colour choices are very limited these days. His last 4 or 5 cars have all been metallic red.

Back to paperwork now and I have started my next food order as I always worry I will forget and they will cancel the delivery slot.

Did you see the Queen visiting Chelsea Flower show using the buggy? I thought how well she looks now and she's wearing some lovely clothes.