General Chat

Happy Easter everyone.

I had a text from daughter late last night to say she had forgotten to give me my Easter egg which she had brought to yesterday’s event with her so I shall get that next time I see her. OH doesn’t “do” things like Valentine’s cards or Easter eggs. I have to be careful with chocolate anyway as it can be a migraine trigger so I will probably let him eat more than half the egg daughter has bought me. It’s a shame for Inara that she doesn’t get chocolate but her parents know her best and she’ll still have her pressies when her friends’ eggs are all gone.

It's a good job you found all the mini eggs Mandy. You can’t be too careful with Max around. I still shudder at the Christmas Day spent at the emergency vets with daughter whose dog had managed to get hold of some chocolate.

Your toms have germinated quickly Island. In fact you all seem to be doing quite well with your veg. I used old tomato seed and none of the larger tomatoes came through but I have 5 cherry toms that have taken their time but are at last beginning to show some proper tomato leaves instead of just the seed leaves. That will be enough for us.

It is another lovely day here. It’s 15 degrees and there is a bit of a breeze but I’m not complaining. It looks lovely and bright and it’s not raining – that’s good enough for me.

Well, yesterday was perfect. We had a very good drive down, though there had been an horrific accident on the opposite carriageway of the A12 and traffic on that side was tailed back for miles. It took us an hour and a quarter and we have never done it any quicker than that. The venue staff had everything set up ready for us but we got there half an hour early to put flowers on the tables and put out some photos to jog memories and get people talking.

The venue couldn’t have been better. It is a sort of complex with different areas for hire. The suite that had been booked for us had its own entrance which went into a large room with lovely tables and chairs and a private bar but that led into an enormous room that had been set out with 8 or 9 large round tables. The rooms had high ceilings and were very light and airy and the one with the tables led out through large glass doors to a small private garden. With the good weather we were able to leave the doors to the garden wide open all the time which helped with the air circulation. There were about 90 people there and it didn’t feel crowded or uncomfortable at all and, although there were other events going on at this complex, we were completely private and didn’t see anyone other than our own guests or staff.

Considering the long distances some people had to travel and the fact that it was a holiday weekend it was a comfort to see how many people made the effort and I think reflects the esteem in which my brother was held. One chap even flew in from his home in Spain specially to be there.

The first 60-90 minutes were spent with people arriving at different times, getting themselves drinks from the bar or tea and coffee which was available to us all the time, and then chatting and looking at the photos. Then brother’s partner said a few words of welcome and one or two other things which did get a little emotional but was well received. Then the staff brought in the buffet. Although we had seen the menu in advance when we saw it all laid out we realized how superb it was; such a variety of foods and plenty of it and beautifully presented. While people were eating and chatting we had a number of my brother’s favourite songs and pieces of music playing in the background.

People started to leave between 6.30 and 8 pm and as they went they were given a packet of wildflower seeds. The front was printed with a heart shaped picture of wildflowers and underneath that were my brother’s name and dates and above the heart it said “Scatter these seeds and grow happy memories”. We were the last to leave, of course, and as we went I was given half of the flowers that had been on the tables, the other half being given to brother’s partner’s sister. I now have my two biggest vases full of roses and tulips. Wasn’t that a nice gesture?

I am sure I have given you far more detail than you wanted to hear but you know me. If I put pen to paper, or rather finger to keyboard, I don’t know when to stop.

Enjoy what’s left of the day and sleep well tonight everyone.

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It does sound like a lot of eggs but they are tiny little ones not much bigger than your finger nail they had fun finding them and at the end we had two missing so all out to hunt for the last two which dil found .

My runners are coming along lots through and I only planted them last Sunday ,tomatoes are growing well and cucumbers have a good six leaves now ,not sure when I should start feeding those as I can see a little bit that looks like a flower coming .

It's a shame Inara can't have easter eggs but if she's very hyper already chocolate won't help and I'm sure she was happy with a pressie instead ,we use to have to watch the E numbers in things when son was little as we found lots of things that would send him hyper one was a certain make of orange squash, Iuse to have a book with makes of things that were E number free .

Still nice and sunny here, I bet the coast is busy today but a bit on the chilly side as its always cooler on the coast and there's a bit of a breeze at times here which feels chilly when your in the shade.

Afternoon All,

HAPPY EASTER everyone. :-)

That's a lot of eggs as you say Mandy so I hope you get ypur sums right counting them all. I bet the children love looking for them all and collecting them, especially if you have the same nice sunny day for it we have had here.

AnnG OH wore a mask in the lounge and kitchen and we had the windows open too even though it was cold then. The incubation period for covid can be between 2-14 days, but shorter for the Omicron and you are most infectious before you get symptoms. The boosters have no effect on catching it, they just make it less likely to be serious and need hospital. Latex gloves stop medical staff from spreading it between patients, but they won't stop a person with covid who touches their mouth/nose from spreading it to surfaces from the gloves. Surfaces are less risk, but not free of risk. It's spreading fast now as 1 in 3 of us are asymptomatic and don't know we have it so go around mixing as normal. With restrictions all off people are going to work with it as well. Fingers crossed you and daughter will manage to not get it.

It's a shame Inara didn't get an easter egg, and I suppose it is the caffeine in the chocolate that makes her hyper. I have to avoid having much caffeine, so I had a Thorntons white chocolate egg as there is no caffeine in white chocolate. Maybe they like to limit the sugar she has as well though. They have to live with Miss Hyper all the time. :-)

OH has managed to do some weeding on the front so that looks better and has demolished some rotten trellis in the back garden and broken it up to go in the bin. I repotted my 3 strawberry plants, planted more climbing beans and pricked out half the African Marigolds. I have 4 tom seeds through now so that is plenty for us. I then started weeding the thickets in my pots with different mints, but had to stop when my back told me.

It's 18 degrees here and sunny so I might do a bit more weeding of the island beds soon and start to tidy up what has sprawled everywhere so I can add some of my new plants.

Gosh Mandy that is a lot of Easter Eggs. No hunt here of course but at home Inara had a hunt and she had to find pebbles decorated as eggs. Parents won’t let her have a lot of chocolate so she has presents instead. They say sweets make her hyper. Well she is hyper anyway so I think they should let her have one egg. Just my opinion of course and I didn’t buy her choc or sweets.

Island well done with the tomatoes, as you say that was quick. If it has been warm where you are the seeds should start moving now. Today is the first day it has been warm enough to have the bifold doors open.
At least you know the extra tests were not a mistake. Good that you got them anyway.

Yes I think the virus is infectious airborne or close contact so we are doing everything right to avoid it and we didn’t go inside the cafe in case we are incubating it. Not sure on incubation period.

We are just back from a walk just under two miles round the harbour at Maryport. We did stop for coffee and scone sitting outside looking over the harbour. We left Joe in bed asleep and he is still asleep now.

I've just noticed my tom seeds have germinated, they were quick :-0
I'd best check how the outdoor(indoor) sowings are doing.

No easter bunny here Mandy. I expect your little visitors enjoy theirs.

Morning all,

Happy Easter hope the Easter Bunny has left you all some chocolate eggs ,the children will be here later for the egg hunt so we have the job of hiding all the eggs I think there's just over a hundred it sounds a lot but most of them are the tiniest little ones that we get from the chocolate factory so I put two together, have to count them out and in to make sure Max doesn't find them and then they share them all out .

Nice and bright here the Suns shining and church bells are ringing so all in all a nice morning .

Buy him a box of latex gloves if you are worried about surfaces Ann but I think you are more likely to get the virus through airborne particles.
I'm hearing of more people testing positive now than at the beginning of the pandemic, thankfully they had little more than a cold and sore throat.
We have Boris to blame for the increase in infections.
I received a letter from the NHS which made clear why I got that second box of LFTs. Sort of reassuring but I refuse to be neurotic.

Sunny here in case anyone wanted to know.

Good morning all. Looks like it is brighter out there today. So far I am the only one up, but that is usual for me here. SiL is confined to his bedroom and the office upstairs until lunch time when we move to the lounge and he comes into the kitchen/diner. He is not supposed to touch anything but can’t be watched all the time. We will either catch it or not. I am hoping that the booster will have some effect so wait and see. So far I have no symptoms and up until we went to bed neither did daughter. I am thinking of all the potting on I will need to do when I eventually get home.

Vera hope the day went well.

Annx daughter even had to open the bottle of bubbly last night so she has learnt a new skill now. SoL was standing at the end of the room giving instructions.

Morning all,

How are you all today? Hope your still clear Anng and that Joe is not too bad.

Happy Easter Sunday hope you all had nice big eggs.

Lovely sunny morning here and pc says 10 degrees and Haze but the suns out out the back.

Men :-0 Careful Annx, you'll have people talking :-0

I had the same trouble as your daughter AnnG with the following around with a cloth and sanitiser spray. Men just don't realise how much they touch like switches, keys, handles, the edges of doors, the bin handles, washer door, fridge door, tin opener, kettle, taps, tv remote and so it goes on!! I seemed to do nothing else and insisted he stay in the bedroom when I was in the kitchen or lounge. Once I knew I'd caught it there was no need of course. They don't seem to think of wiping these things themselves either. OH used the second bedroom and bathroom and I used the ensuite. I think he'd already passed it onto me by the time we knew he had it though, even though I didn't test positive for 3 days.

Yes it was really quite hot here and even OH went to the match in his shirtsleeves, I think it is supposed to start cooling down after tomorrow though.

You have been busy with your plants Mel. I must pot on the strawberry plants I bought and put my climbing bean seeds in now they have arrived. I like those tricolour geraniums, but I just have a green and pale cream one, the rest are just green. I need some million bell plants next and an oblelisk for the sweet peas.

Off to bed now.......it's late for me!

Been in the garden all afternoon. Potted on my toms and sowed two cues.Took three cuttings off my nice dark leafed Geranium and they are in the shed. I took a cutting off my nice colured leaf one thats been in the lounge for about three years on a table in there. Hardly watered it at all but it has nice pink flowers and the leaves are green yellow and red and I stuck it in water in one of my little old bottles abiout a week or so ago and it has nice long roots now so I masy pot that up tomorrow.

Tidid up some mre strawberry plants and potted some up and had a nice time in the shed till I got too hot and had to come in.

Now its time to get the dinner but I am just having a little sit down first.

Done no craft today at all.

A couple of good bargains there Mel. I use the guillotines I have a lot. I have three in different sizes. Poor chap saying he will have to move but did he say why? Was he in some sort of tied house?

Annx you are certainly having some nice weather there, more than I can say for here where it has been cloudy and about ten or eleven degrees, there is just about weak sun now. Daughter and I drove out to a local nursery for compost they also have a nice coffee shop so we had a coffee sitting outside where it was sheltered from the cold wind. Back then to read.

Joe stayed upstairs all morning coming down after lunch when we moved from dining room/kitchen to the lounge. But men are so forgetful, daughter has to follow him round with the disinfectant because he touches door handles etc. It will be a miracle if neither of us catches it.

Oh I left my post for ages and missed you there Mel. It sounds like you got some bargains from the chap and a guillotine is very handy for crafts and card making. What a shame he might have to move now he is on his own. It's bad enough losing your partner but then having to move soon would mean more upset and upheaval and I think I would want the familiarity of my home for at least a year first. You will have to keep an eye open as he might sort some more things to sell.

Afternoon All,

Slept well but slept in as I was tired! It's 19 degrees here and I should think it is nice weather for Vera and the Celebration of her brother's life.

Gwyn I think you have a fan with those tasty treats for the male swan. Do you know if they use the nest for a while once the cygnets are hatched? Mind you it would be a squeeze if all 8 eggs hatch. Keep us updated please.

Oh what a shame for poor Joe AnnG and just before you are due to go home in a few days as well. Hopefully you won't all get it and at least having had your 2nd booster before you came away should help protect you.

It sounds like you will have fun sorting the greenhouse poles with Lewis Mandy. I bet he is glad the spots are clear and the itching gone now. Just 1 of my runners is showing up to now! Hmmm I think I'll hold back on getting the Eco balls too. :-)

I managed my 2 lap walk at lunchtime but it was so hot I was sweltering by the time I got back in the car. I stuck a hat on as well as the spring sun can give me a headache when it's at the beginning of the summer. I had a nice cool shower when I got back. OH has gone to a match near Nottingham and will feed himself when he gets home. I have had a nice jacket potato with tuna and salad.

Sun did come out here and its a beautiful day.

Enoj your time with the family Vera and there will be lots to catch up on and not too many tears I hope but lots of joy from memories.

When I went to the shop this morning a man further down the village is selling off a lot of stuf and has it all outside his house so I could'nt resist a look. I did'nt have a lot f money with me but I got a brand new crystal cut glass and a guilotine for £4.50. I was tempted by a bowler hat but had raided the parking money as it was. He is giving all the procedes to Ukraine and has done £700 so far. He lost his wife 18 months ago so he dos'nt know how long he is going to be able to stay there now he's on his own. The house is next door but one to the pub in the village.

Afternoon everyone, I'm not long back from visiting the swans.
Mum is sitting settled on the nest and Dad was close by, but he went into the water, when I fed him some duck / swan pellets. They don't want them fed on dry ground, so he soon finished the handful or so that I threw into the shallow water..... I can see I'm going to have to buy more soon !
There are 8 eggs in the nest, so we wait to see how many cygnets they raise this year.

Vera,
I hope today brings special moments and happy memories for you and your family, as you gather to celebrate your brother's life.
I'll be thinking of you.

Mandy
I hope young Lewis is a big help to you today.
Did he ever get to model his Easter hat or was that when he was off school ill?

AnnG I hope you keep well and manage to avoid getting infected.
Locally, I've heard of more people I know catching the virus recently than in all the rest of the time since 1st lockdown. Nobody has been very ill, but several have said they have been left SO tired.

Morning all,

Sunshine here but a bit nippy when I now hung some washing out .

Oh Anng poor Joe I hope he isn't to bad with it and that you and daughter don't catch it ,Lewis was the only one who got it all the others were OK.

Lewis is coming for the day today his spots are all clear now he would like F&C for lunch so nice and easy ,he's coming to help put the greenhouse up so fun and games working out what poles go where .

Vera hope all goes well today for the Celebration of life for your dear brother a day for tears perhaps but they will be happy tears remembering the happy times with him <3

Ann you asked if I had bought an Eco ball ,no I was put off a bit by some of the reviews for them ,no good if they don't clean well and I have to wash things again and use more electric .

Runners are all coming through in their toilet roll pots I might sow the climbing french beans today .

Might be back later after taking Lewis home if I'm not to worn out .

Hope all goes well for the day Vera. Lots of stories, lots of laughter remembering your brother. Have a safe journey.

I am sure this is how we have to live now. This is the part of the country now with the highest infection rate and of course is full of visitors from other areas. Except for Keswick we have not seem Nancy visitors though. We just have to keep our fingers crossed the worry is in only a couple of weeks L and J have a river cruise on the Rhine booked.

My immediate problem is to cancel my Tesco order for Thursday.

Morning all,

O dear Anng not what you wanted while away and poor Joe. I hope you all stay safe and don't catch it but you will have to wait and see.

Another miserable morning here today so far. They said we were having sunshine but I don't know where its gone but it has'nt appeared here.

You had a nice tim e with your family then Vera and it must have been so nice to see them all after all that time.