General Chat

Morning All,

Grey and dull here this morning so far pc says rain coming starting soon and 10 degrees. So I shall do some ironing today and maybe a little crft to see if I can finish it.

Good evening all

It’s not been a very pleasant day here but as we’ve all been saying the gardens will benefit. The weather app tells me it’s about 14 degrees but it feels quite cold and it’s been raining since about 11 am. I don’t remember a year when there have been such extremes of spring weather, particularly at night. 2 or 3 nights ago it dropped to 3 degrees, then we had 2 nights when the temperature was 13 or 14 degrees, and tonight it is supposed to drop down to 5 again.

I see you’ve been buying at the Garden Centre again AnnG. The trouble is plants are too tempting. It’s impossible to go into a garden centre and come out without a plant or two. I do like nemesias. The label on my new one says it “might” survive a mild winter in a sheltered spot. I’ve got 2 in a pot that have survived several winters without any protection, although they are beginning to look a bit past their best now. Waking with that choking feeling is horrid. Does it happen often or do you think it might be an after effect of the Covid? It only happens to me occasionally and from the burning feeling in my throat I think that in my case it might be acid reflux.

It's lovely that your grandchildren help without being asked Mandy. Are they as good at home? They will all enjoy playing with the kittens. What are they called?

I’m glad you are both feeling better Ann. It’s a shame you couldn’t get everything you wanted when you were out but at least you have had your hair cut. Now you won’t have to worry about having “lockdown locks”.

What a shame you knocked the shelf off your craft work Mel. I hope you can stick it back OK. I’m looking forward to seeing what you are making this time.

May is certainly turning out to be my month for meals out. Way back in the 1970s and early 80s we were friendly with our next door neighbours. They moved away around 1984 and we moved in 1986 but we have always met up once a year for lunch and a catch up. We found the perfect pub which is half way between us. Because of Covid we haven’t met in person for 3 years but today we did. It was great to meet up and talk. The pub is open all day so no-one was going to throw us out but when we looked around we were the only table still occupied in the dining area. All the others had been cleared, wiped down and relaid for the evening! We had been sitting there for nearly 4 hours. Our friends are now thinking of moving back to our old village and found that their old house happens to be on the market for £900,000! They were telling us that there are very few houses up for sale in the village and the price for most of them is now over a million. I’m beginning to think we should have kept our house there. I could be a millionaire now, lol.

I think I’d better now go and tackle the rest of the ironing so I feel I’ve done something useful today instead of just enjoying myself. Enjoy the rest of your day and sleep well tonight everyone.

Frustrating not to get the brushes you need Ann, hope the glue brushes work.

I have just been to the local garden centre with Cynth. She didn't get round to growing her basket plants from plugs with all the upset over Phil so has just bought them ready grown, cost her a bit more but worth it for her to have her normal baskets. I actually didn't need many plants but did get a couple of nemesia and a couple of herbs that need replacing as they are old. mint and parsley. I also bought another strawberry as one of the ones I bought two weeks ago died, can't see why but I hope this one will grow. and I needed pot feet so got two sets of those.

Ann after covid did you have any after effects. Can't remember if I have already said but daughter and I both have tacky dry throats, not sore but uncomfortable, I think that is why I woke up choking this morning.

Good you got your hair done, I bet that feels better.

Afternoon All,

A good sleep last night and, as were both back to normal, we went to the garden centre for few more plants to fill spaces in the pots. It was raining quite hard so we didn't go outside to look for a replacment golden Choisya, but I did get some sunflower seeds for a shorter variety for the bottom border and some mixed lettuce leaves seeds. We looked in the Works there, but OH was told they aren't stocking the academic year diaries anymore. As it is out in the sticks they got few sales of them during the lockdown as there aren't enough students in the area. I couldn't find any of the bigger round acrylic paintbrushes I wanted either, so will test out some glue brushes I have at home instead. We got some cards and also a small humper for weeding as our old one is split down the side. When I got home there was a phone message to say the hairdresser had a cancellation today so could I make it? I put my coat back on and off I went!! It is less than a 10 minute car ride away so I was soon there.

I look forward to seeing a pic of the kitties if they keep still long enough for you to take one Mandy! The children will have so much fun playing with them. It's good the children do things without even being asked as it is good for them to feel they are helping and good to have their help too.

The rain is very welcome here too AnnG as the ground has been so hard. There is about an inch in the trays under the plants that are hardening off so quite a lot has fallen. It's horrid when you choke like that. It must be our saliva that goes down the wrong way sometimes. I try not to think it's a spider that's crawled in my mouth during the night! :-0 You are right that the old tills are social contact for a lot of people who don't get to see anyone. We always said the same for MIL and FIL as they treated all assistants as their friends and seemed to know a lot more than just their names!! It could be frustrating when you queued behind them and needed to get back to work after your lunch hour, but often it was because the checkout operator stopped and didn't keep scanning while they chatted.

Mel I hope the shelf sticks back on ok. It will be nice to see your latest make when you have finished it. :-) I suppose the chickens would like the leftover rice as it is a grain after all, so a little bonus for them! It's sunny but a bit breezy here now and a narrow top trellis panel has come out of the bottom fence. Thank goodness it fell into the garden or OH would have needed a machete to get to it in the field as it must be 5 foot wide of brambles taller than me the other side of the fence.

stopped raining about lunch time and pc says 1 dergrees ans partly sunny.

I keep meaning to say the May Bugs are back here. over the last four nights I have had one out by the lamp that shines down the garden from the patio. Last night there was one on the post on the patio and then I looked down as something moved and it was another one on my grass by my. Went out a bit later and the one from the grass had made its way up the post and then I looked at the netting with my solar lights on and there was another one so three in all last night and they all went up the post. They bash their brains out on the windows usually and it can get very annoying but I don't mind them up the post towards the outside light.

Morning Girls and boys if any are looking in.

Woke for the loo when it was just starting to get light and it was raining as I could hear it on the bedroom windy with it being windy too. Went back to bed and oh woke me at 10 to 11am so just drinking my morning coffee and taking some pills.

When I looked out the window this morning all the trees are gowned in a beautiful spring green and gentley swaying in the wind, thye looked os lovely I just had to stand and watch them for a minuet or two. so fresh and green and clean but I hope the wind is'nt too strong as it rips the leaves off when they're young. Its only the Ash trees out the back with no leaves yet.

sticking some thing on my project yesterday I knocked a shelf off so that needs to be stuck back on today.

Must get on as the morning is going to pass very quickly with getting up late.

Hope you all slept well. I went out like a log again. we had chinese last night and it was rather large as oh ordered it and the subbed our battered chicken sweet and sour with the whole dinner ones so we got four lots of rice but the chickens don't mind as it means theres plenty left for them.

It has not stopped raining all morning so far. Pleased for the garden but once started it never knows when to stop. and I suddenly realised that I need to go to post a birthday card. Why couldn't I have remembered when it was dry?

So far I have done a load of washing - in the drier now, and dusted downstairs. Will leave the floors until tomorrow when I have the garden interests meeting here. Although there are only going to be four of us as there is a U3a coach trip and the remainder of our members are on that.

Morning Anng, morning all,

Very cloudy here this morning the ground is wet so we have had a little rain but there's no puddles so we haven't had that much.

I have stripped the bed but don't think I will be doing any hanging out today ,I also need to hoover through upstairs and have a dust ,coffee first then I'll get going .

Hope your both OK now Ann and your aches and pains have eased Mel.

Anng thats horrible when you wake choking I do that sometimes and you wonder if your going to get your breath .
Your right about those tills as you say for some people talking to an assistant is probably the only time they have a conversation with anyone .

good morning all, up early because I must have caught my breath in my sleep and woke up coughing/choking. was wide awake by then so thought I may as well get up. Not washed or dressed yet though. pleased to see it is raining although not heavily at the moment. Still any rain at all is very welcome in the garden. Everything is so dry.

Vera yes it was a pleasant read. I enjoyed travelling with him especially round Paris and Florence visiting places I had been to.

Mandy I expect you enjoyed having the two grandchildren, it is great that you see so much of them.
Yes I have no problem using the machines but I do prefer the personal touch. It occurred to me that some people would miss having the contact with a person it may be the only person they speak to all day.

Evening all,

It's been a lovely day bit cloudy first thing and then the sun came out ,we've had Katie and Lewis here from school ,Lacey had gone to a friends party so we just had the two of them as son and dil are now going to be looking after children in the school dinner hour and had to do a training session , they are both doing one to one child and I think son said his little one is quite a handful so they have now had two training sessions.
The two children were so good they both cleared the table without even asking and Lewis put things away in the fridge for me .
The kittens are so sweet and I will get a photo next time I go but they are so lively it might be I have to get one when they sleep.

Ann I hope your both feeling better today after your tummy upset sounds as if it might have been your Sunday lunch as you both came down with it .

Anng I hate it when they try and guide you to using those serve yourself tills I always say no I'll wait use the other till ,more often then not they have to go over and help the people that are using them .

Vera your going to be busy planting up now with all your plants and I'm sure your friend will be very pleased with the plant with her granddaughters name .

Mel it sounds as if you've now got a very fiddly bit to do with your crafting ,looking forward to seeing what you've been making .

Gwyn I hope its not to long until your ear appointment it must be a struggle when your ears are so blocked and it must seem deafening once they are done .

Looks like we might get a little rain tomorrow the gardens will be pleased and so will I as I need to have a tidy up in the front garden but it's been so dry and hard to dig .

Thanks for that AnnG. I’m always happy to get book recommendations. As it happens I picked that one up in a National Trust second hand bookshop 3 or 4 years ago, read it and passed it on to a local charity shop. As I remember it was a pleasant, easy read and I enjoyed it.

I meant to say Vera I have just read a book that I enjoyed because it was a bit different. It was written by Alan Titchmarsh and has sat on my shelf a while because I tend to steer clear off celebrity writers . It is called Mr Gandy’s Grand tour..

I have just finished the wipe down. It came not long before lunch so I did asll the freezer stuff and fridge stuff and left the rest till afterward. I did go in the craft room and had a little play before doing the rest and now I am hoping to get back in there and do a bit more. I am trying to make soemthing very very fiddley in clay and I keep sqashing it out of shape.

We have sunshine and it still 12 degrees but feels quite nice out there. I did get my toms in the little greenhouse and get their sticks in but I must water them as I was doing those when the shopping arrived.

Ann I do hope this dickie tum goes for you both soon. There's nothing more uncomfortable than that. You just dare not go anywhere.

Lovely the swans have three sygnets Gwyn and sorry to hear about your ears. What a bind having to have them done every 3 months. Once you have had them done everything will sound soooo very loud for a while I expect.

Good afternoon

Gosh, it was a hot night. It was supposed to be about 13 degrees which is very mild but it felt a lot hotter. The trouble is our house is a chalet bungalow type with quite a steep slope to the roof and no loft space so as the heat rises it all ends up in the upstairs of the house. OH is currently sleeping downstairs and he is in the coolest room in the house. I am upstairs in what is probably the hottest. I didn't get much sleep!

Today we woke up to grey skies and rain. The rain stopped by about 10 am but the sky is still grey. We left a bit of extra time to get to the hospital but with the rain, the rush hour and two lots of roadworks with traffic light control we only just made it in time. OH was in and out so quickly that we were there just on 20 minutes which is the amount of time allowed for free parking which was good.

We then went to Dobbies and had a coffee there but it was such a long wait for someone to come to the table to take our order and a wait for the coffee to appear and then another long wait to pay that we wished we hadn't bothered. However I did manage to buy a few bits and pieces. I wanted plants with a bit of colour to fill some troughs and pots and the odd bare spot in the garden. I've got geraniums at home plus some argyranthemum cuttings I took in the autumn which are now about 12" high plus about 20 dwarf antirrhinums I've grown from seed, so I got 2 packs of 20 of the little begonias, one with green leaves and one with bronze, and a pack of 20 verbena. I also bought a pot of a small flowered purple campanula and a couple of pots of a pretty nemesia called Amelie. One pot is for a friend who has a great granddaughter that she looks after quite a lot and she is called Amelie. Friend has her 75th birthday this month so I'll give her the plant and a bottle of wine. All in all we have had a good morning.

Gwyn, what a nuisance having to have your ears cleared so frequently and what a pain with the sub-titles. Very occasionally there will be a slip up on our local news and instead of Look East we'll get a London programme.

I'm sorry to hear you are both still unwell Ann. Take it easy and, if you are able, stay at home for a couple of days. I hope everyone else's aches and pains are OK today.

AnnG, I hate all those self-service tills and avoid using them unless I have to. I seldom shop in M & S as a lot of their clothes don't fit me very well, though I have managed to get the occasional top or jumper there, so I don't know if the Marks & Sparks round here are using them or not.

OH is calling that he has made us a sandwich so I had better go. Have a good afternoon people.

Good Morrow Friends,

It's 15 degrees here and glorious sunshine with a slight, perfect breeze. We both slept quite well but OH still has the tummy problem which has eased a bit but we'll leave popping to the pharmacy for my last item for now. Fingers crossed I have been ok today but tired. We did go in the garden and do a bit for half an hour. OH weeded and I watered and planted out my 3 courgettes. I've made a bigger shallow bowl in the soil to plant them in this year as the water still tended to run away from the plants last year. I might do a bit more later.

Gwyn that sounds horrid with your ears and it's a shame they don't do them more often for you. Fancy them putting up the wrong subtitles on the programme too!! It's good to hear the 3 cygnets are still doing well. I suppose the last of the eggs could have been pinched by a predator or might just have been infertile.

Vera, I dread having to give up driving too, but maybe by that time the self driving cars will be on the roads for us!! :-) I suppose everyone that doesn't drive now could be on the roads then though! FIL and MIL managed well when FIL gave his car up at age 92. He was still a good driver then but someone pulled out of a garage into him as he was driving down a road and I think all the stress of making his first ever claim on the insurance put him off driving, even though it wasn't his fault. They didn't have much income but seemed to have a taxi to do their shopping or go for haircuts and to the doctor's most days. They still operated the same as they had in the 50s and shopped every day and went to places to pay bills. Twenty miles is a long way to have to go for your OH's blood tests, so it's good to tie it in with a trip to Dobbies afterwards. I hope you find some nice things there!

AnnG are those the same as the tills we have here in M&S food area? There are some usual tills there with assistants but about half are those self service ones and they have been there for years. I haven't been in since the pandemic, but I wonder if they have changed the other tills where the clothes are as well now? They were good with the counter tops as the assistants had space to fold the clothes quickly and neatly. I suppose for the customer it is better than prices going up.

We could do with some more rain Mel...........could you send some up here please? Your new Geranium sounds pretty. Hope you don't get many subs today and it's good to have a couple of days' meals sorted......more time for craft or the garden! :-)

Good morning everyone.
What a mild night, but today is overcast and more breezy.Sun is breaking through though.

I am living in a very quiet world at the moment.
Soon I have an appointment for micro suction of my ears at hospital. This happens every 3 months and the week or two prior to my appontment can be a struggle... sometimes I don't even hear the phone ring let alone be able to hold a conversation there.
This morning, I thought I'd watch the local news report on BBC Breakfast, because I can use subtitles to help me, Well that was the aim. The newsdesk from the south east came on at the usual time,showing local topics but the subtitles were for the London newsdesk with mention of what was happening on the Tube lines :-S

All will be so much better, when I've been to ENT.
I don't know how I'd manage without them.

I hope today finds you all feeling better from your various aches and pains and Ann and her OH recovered from their upsets.

AnnG. I would be disappointed to see all those checkouts too. I don't often go to M &S as our nearest now is in Canterbury, but certainly when we went a couple of weeks ago, they still had friendly assistants to serve us.
I hope that's not a national trend to replace with machines. :-|

Haven't been to see the swans since last week, but they are often nowhere near the nest, so it is easy to miss them. No idea what happened to the last of the eggs, but the adults are busy rearing 3 young ones, who seem to be doing well.

Lovely to hear of your planting and garden achievements. Daughter is having a go at some simple veg. so we will see how she gets on with her first attempts.

wee had rain in the night.

PC now saying 13 degrees so temp has dropped a bit it also looks windy and is very cloudy. I do wish we could have some rain.

I meant to say when talking about shopping in M&S. I was very disappointed to find at the check out, not a row of waiting smiling assistants but two rows of self check out consoles. They must be new as there was one assistant showing people how to use them, even down to showing us how to remove hangers etc and where to put them in a special slot. How sad that it looks like the default way to pay so doing away with the need to employ more staff. This means of course, nobody folding your purchases carefully but having to (probably) hurriedly ram them into a bag ourselves because of the queue behind us waiting for machines to be free. It reduces M&S shopping experience to that of Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda etc.

Just lost a post again.

Morning all,

Its quite a bright morning here and pc says 12 degrees and clear whatever that means.

Shopping comes today and oh has ordered chinese so we won't have my pie tonight but maybe tomorrow instead of F & C.

Can't remember what else I wrote so am posting this before I lose it again.