General Chat

I just went online and ordered a lateral flow test kit and had no problems at all. In fact I have never had a problem. I wonder if I have just been lucky. I started ordering online after I traipsed round every chemist in town and one or two other places like the library and nowhere had any.

Can't get LFTs online in what wat way Ann? I tried a couple of days ago and got the 'no slots available' note but not actually refused.

Vera,
What a nuisance. I distinctly remember you questioning whether you were eligible.

Is that the boxes of lateral flow tests Ann?

I picked some up in the small pharmacy in town this morning.
No questions asked and not pre-ordered.

It's where we collect medications for repeat prescriptions and we have collected them there in the past.

It seems from a news strip I read that I'm not the only one who can't get the free tests on line. :-S

The two Anns have been busy with walks and gardening. You’ll both sleep well tonight with all the fresh air and exercise. Yet again all I have managed is to walk around town a bit and tidy up some indoor plants. OH has cut the two hydrangeas back now.

My trip to town was a waste of time. When one of the doctors’ receptionists rang to ask if I’d like an appointment for a shingles jab and offering me 17th March I said I thought I wouldn’t be eligible as I would be 80 by then. Her reply was “You are on my eligible list so it must be OK”. You can guess what happened can’t you? I got to the surgery, saw the nurse who was very apologetic but said she wasn’t allowed to give me the jab as I was over 80. Poor girl was very embarrassed and said she had double checked with the doctor and checked my records to see if she could offer me a jab for anything else so my journey wasn’t wasted but I am up-to-date with everything.

That Sahara sand is everywhere. OH wiped down the outside window ledges but the windows are filthy and the garden furniture is all covered in it as was the car. We keep the car garaged so it can only have got in that state when it was parked while I was at the hairdressers. My dearly beloved also had to go into town this afternoon for another appointment at the opticians so he also put the car through the car wash while he was out.

It was interesting to read about your wedding and early married life AnnG, and also to hear about Mel’s. I could really relate to it as I was also a 1960s bride and mother (married in 63 and children born 65 and 66). I’ve just wasted some time looking for the bill for catering for my wedding. We found it when going through my Dad’s stuff after he died in 2004 and I know I kept it but I’ve been through every likely file and can’t find it. I’ve a vague recollection that it was 3/11d a head for the wedding breakfast of soup, ham salad and trifle (did we all have that?) and 1/6d a head for an evening buffet.

I hope you don’t have too much of a problem tomorrow when your leccy is off Mel. As I’ve got an electric oven and gas hob I can usually rustle up something to eat and drink. If one is off the other is usually working. You’ve got me wondering where our old camping gas stove is. I think it was last used after the 1987 storm when our leccy was off for 5 or 6 days and there was no gas in the village we lived in then.

Sun seems to have disappeared now so I had better bring some plants back into the conservatory, close down the greenhouse and cover the agapanthus again as it is still getting very cold at night.

I hope you all enjoy your evening and sleep well tonight.

Well you should sleep tonight Ann. I hope to get out in the garden tomorrow after the PC man has finished and Saturday looks as though it should be OK too. Yes it did feel longer than a mile. Nice looking at the gardens with all the spring flowers, even one lot of bluebells out. And on a small ornamental tree in one garden there were loys of yellow and blue bows tied.

Your walk sounds more like a mile and a half AnnG so you did well going there and then coming back as well. It's good Cynth is visiting her brother. A change of scene can help.

Well I was right! As soon as OH spotted me outside with a humper, he came out and got himself one too and we we spent about 20 minutes weeding and starting to cut back an Acer that has outgrown the space.

I did the veg for tomorrow's lunch then and dusted the lounge.

That was a good walk, 25 minutes and, I might be old but I am quite a fast walker. I would think it is over a mile but don't have my Vivofit any more to check. Good to see my friend and have a good natter. Our OHs used to play golf together until hers died 10 years ago. We then used to take her out for coffee every 2-3 weeks until Covid.

Cynth is getting on OK Ann, she is in Morecombe at the moment with her brother. He brings her back tomorrow. I am looking after her house.

Let's hope the electric is not off all that time then Mel but lucky you have the camping stove (which you knew would come in handy one day. I have a barbecue but not sure if I would know how to light it etc (gas).

Afternoon All,

Sunny and nice after such a gloomy day yesterday. I went for my walk round the park a bit later today and there were a few dogs there today including 'Darcy', a grey miniature Schnauzer who rushed up and put a paw halfway up my calf to see if there was any fuss going. I had a chat at distance with her owner who had recently had a hip replacement and said he couldn't keep up with the dog at the moment.

Had a shower and hair wash when I got back and we had soup for lunch so quick and easy and now I can't decide what to do next. I think while the sun is out I will go in the garden and do a bit. OH is doing notes and I hope he will be tempted to come and help as 'work' seems to be his excuse not to help elsewhere lately. Still neither of us are 100% fit yet and get tired quickly so most things can wait until we are. At least a small garden can soon be licked into shape.

My metallic paint has arrived so I might try it out over the next few days. I have to decide on a subject first.

Is everyone else getting inundated with charity requests for the Ukraine? Two more letters in the post today.

Hope you won't need the leccy for your project Mel. I wonder what they are doing with it and whether it will be more reliable for you afterwards.

It's a nice day for the walk to your friend AnnG and I hope you have a nice chat. How is Cynth doing now?

We've got out the camping gas cook like the ones the cooks on telly use when they are outside and we have the gas cylinders that go in it. Bought it ages ago and never used it so its brand new and oh has tested it.

Yes already thought that and maybe it will be intermitant if we are lucky.

that is off for a long time tomorrow then Mel. Are you all electric/ If so don't forget to fill up a flask with hot water so you can have a drink. Or maybe a flask of soup for lunch.

Morning Anng Vera and all,

We have beautiful sunshine this morning and pc says 4 degrees and sunny. Oh told me we were in for a nice few days and so did the weather man.

I hoovered yesterday so don't have that to do today so will see if I can get on with the project today but if its not too windy out I have to clean the big girls out as I did'nt do it before when I said. What an exciting life I lead shoveling all this muck.

Its library day today too and tomorrow they are turning our leccy off between 9am and 4pm.

Good morning AnnG and all

It’s funny that as soon as I type the G of Good my iPad brings up the above phrase word by word. I’m going to confuse the machine one day by putting in something totally different ;-)

The forecast is for lots of sunshine for the next three days so that will cheer us all up. At the moment the weather app is telling me it’s 5 degrees but only feels like 2.

I was so tired last night that I went to bed early. I fell asleep quickly but slept for less than an hour and it was turned 4 before I dozed off again, so not a very good night. I feel a bit sluggish but must get myself moving to shower, dress, have breakfast and get into town. I’ve got an appointment for a shingles jab and it’s at one of the town surgeries instead of our local one.

Probably bbl

good morning all, bright sunshine here 1 degree and a quite hard frost. Haven't gone down to look in the conservatory yet so hope the little plants are OK.

All being well, walking to my friends for coffee this morning, about a mile to walk, I haven't done it for a long time, thinking I might take my stick!!

I had a reg wedding but no guests. Mum and dad took us for a meal in Abridge at a very posh timber beamed resturant. I had strawberries for desert and they came up in a huge bowl the sie of a mixing bowl all piled up and the waiter served me from that big bowl and as he put the third on in my dish one or two fell off the top and rolled down onto the table and then the floor. Well I could not contain myself and had a fit of laughter. The waiter must have felt awful but it was so funny and it seemed to happen in slow motion. I shall never forget that day. We did'nt have a honeymoon but had the flat to live in done up by my dad and my nan bought me a fridge, twin tub washing machine and an electric airer thing mum and dad bought us a lovely lounge carpet in green. My paternal grandfather gave us £100 and we bought our bed in a sale and we bought two double wardrobe fronts and one end and dad put them up and made all the insides and I had a handmade set of draws at home which fitted nicely into the wardrobes. Mum and dad owned the house and I had the bottom flat and a friends of theirs son had the top flat.

Afternoon All,

What a miserble, gloomy, rainy day here! It's only 8 degrees here now and has been chilly enough to want heating on quite often.

I tried to order our F&C only to find the usual place has changed the online menu so you can only get a fish supper with all sorts added like sausage yuk and curry sauce yuk. I then tried another delivery company and couldn't pay and I suspect they haven't made the changes to payment online brought in last Monday. So I went back to the first one and ordered them from another place. They were ok but we both feel so full we don't want any tea!

I also tried last night and this morning to order more tests online and it just keeps saying there are no delivery slots left and to try later. I suspect they may not issue any more online. I'm testing negative now which is good as I have a hair appointment next week. They are still taking the same precautions too. I always have my hair washed before cutting, but sometimes it gets sprayed with water as it dries as well. I still have a morning cough and the sniffles, but am glad it's been no worse. We were both very tired this afternoon and had a lie down but I think that was lunch!!

That was very interesting about your early married life AnnG and rang a few bells with me. My mum had all 3 of us at home (in different houses) between 1947 and 1962. We were all breast fed the first few weeks and my sister and brother both had terry nappies with a muslin lining at first when they were tiny. I remember changing their nappies and being told to be careful how I fastened the big curved safety pins so they didn't stick in. The prams were beautiful then weren't they! I used to be sent out with my sister in her pram (she cried a lot!) to give mum a break. She had a coachbuilt pram in a mushroom colour with big curved springs and chrome wheels which were bigger at the back. It had dark coachlines painted on it and I think it was a Silver Cross pram and it was secondhand, and had a lovely fringed canopy. In the summer babies looked so comfortable in them and could see out and move about freely. I would have loved to have bedding and shirts washed and ironed for me when I was first married as I didn't get a washing machine for the first 6 months. We saved up so I could get a cheap Indesit automatic with the porthole door instead. We saved all our money for 3 years before we got married so we could put a deposit on what we eventually bought, which was a new detached 2 bedroom bungalow. My parents in the 60s thought parents paying for weddings was outdated, so we (also my sister) paid for our own, so mine was very low key at a register office with a handful of guests. I was so shy (even at age 22) I was glad when it was over and didn't enjoy it at all. My parents did buy us a bed and my then MIL bought us a fridge. MIL said we could use her caravan at Ingoldmells for a honeymoon, but it was only for 4 days as I had to be back at work then. I hope your mouth is less sore now.

I had big plans for what I would get done today but haven't really done anything. Maybe tomorrow will be better!

Being bored I was just reading through parts of my Life Story that I wrote early 2000s. I thought the following was a good bit of Social history. don't read it, if it bores you. Or if it is too long.

As I said in the previous chapter, we were married at Fareham Baptist Church on 27 August 1960. My dress was made by a friend of Mum’s, it was oyster coloured brocade, a sort of gold colour as white was too pale for me. I had an ecru coloured veil with pearls on and I carried a bouquet of pink carnations; Tony looked very smart in his Naval uniform. The two older bridesmaids wore pale blue short dresses and Christine wore pink. The hymns were Love Divine All Loves Excelling and Oh Perfect Love. I distinctly remember one part of the talk given by Rev Watson when he warned us that marriage was not going to be ‘all moonlight and roses’. When I left the bungalow with Dad to drive to the church in the taxi the neighbours were all lined up in the street, and they were there with many friends after the service to see us leave the church. I was not at all nervous, in fact I enjoyed every minute.

We had a reception for eighty guests at the Fareham Assembly Hall. The meal was ham salad and fruit trifle and a three tier cake, the only alcohol served was a glass of sherry for the toast, the cost was approximately £80 for 80 guests. The reception was done by a firm of caterers from Waterlooville (Broadlands Catering). My ‘going away’ outfit was a straight fitted navy blue dress with a short bolero style navy and white dog tooth check jacket, a white ‘boater’ hat and white shoes, gloves and bag. I felt very smart. We had a taxi to Eastleigh where we caught our flight to St Helier, Jersey. We flew British European Airways and the tickets cost us £8.18.0 each (see Appendix 1). We stayed at the Norfolk Hotel in St Helier, in a room with a view of the kitchens. We thought we were very up market as we had en suite facilities (toilet and shower in a sort of cupboard and a sink in our room.) We had a lovely week going on all sorts of coach trips around the island and just enjoying being together. When we returned we caught a coach to the station from the airport, train to Fareham and bus to Gosport to 4 Peel Road, our first home.

Our first home together was at Peel Road Gosport in a flat over a doctor’s surgery – Iva, my Father’s cousin was receptionist there, although we didn’t know that at the time we took out the lease. It gave us a lot of pleasure to put out all our wedding presents. The flat was furnished of course. It was the usual procedure in those days to rent furnished accommodation. Mum and Dad had given us a beautiful lilac eiderdown and candlewick bedspread. The bedspread had a lovely floral design and the bedroom looked very luxurious when it was on the bed, we were very proud of it. Tony’s Father gave us a dinner service, white with a thin red line round the edge of the plates and a small leaping stag design. We lived here for about four months enjoying our first Christmas together. We then moved to a flat in Linden Grove Gosport which was next door to the flat that Jan (John) and Sally Tucker lived in.

In 1961 Tony learnt to drive, he passed his test on the second attempt and we bought our first car off his Father, an Austin Ruby. We kept it for a while, even travelling to Devon in it then we bought a Wolsely.

All this time, I continued to work at Cambridge Barracks, it being easier to commute to Portsmouth from Gosport. After I became pregnant in 1961, we moved to a Naval Hiring flat in The Crescent Alverstoke, an imposing address but it was a basement flat which flooded when it rained. True to form my Mother was not pleased when I became pregnant, she said I was too young, it was too soon, in fact I began to feel I should be ashamed of the fact, almost as though I wasn’t married, but we were thrilled with the news. I left Cambridge Barracks in October 1961 and our first child, Lynda Marie was born on 16 November 1961 at Blackbrook Maternity Home Fareham. In those days you were more likely to go into a nursing home to have your baby, unless there were complications when you would be sent to a hospital. In my case it would have been St Mary’s hospital Portsmouth, few people had their babies at home then. Lynda had a mass of very dark hair which was later to go fair and then brown, and with her blue eyes and sallow skin was the image of her Father. I was in the nursing home for 10 days as was normal then, the babies were kept separately in the nursery and only brought to Mums for feeding. Most of us breast fed our babies for a few months at least. Before we left the nursing home we were taught how to bath the babies and dress them. Lynda was immediately idolised by my parents, and also by Tony’s Father when he saw her. We moved just after Christmas to a house (another hiring) in Queen Street, Gosport. It was old and dark but better than the flat as we could at least get Lynda’s pram in and out of the door, and we had a back garden. The pram was my pride and joy, a tall coach built grey and white Marmet with large wheels and beautifully sprung.

Life as a Naval wife was comfortable, the pay was good and in spring 1962 we bought a two bedroom bungalow in Blackbrook Road Fareham, it cost £2,450. We had to sell our car, the Wolsely, to raise the deposit. In those days we didn’t have fitted carpets but carpet squares on dark brown Marley tiles which had to be dusted and polished. The kitchen was all Marley tiles. We had a fridge but no washing machine or freezer, dishwashers were only heard of in America. We had no central heating or airing cupboard. All the washing was hand washed or boiled in a Baby Burco, It was then dried on the line. That included terry towelling nappies, in the winter the washing would often be frozen stiff, all weird shapes hanging on the line. Mum bought us a spin drier to make up for not paying for the wedding, that made life a little easier, especially in 1963 which was a bad winter with a lot of snow. Sheets and collarless Naval shirts and the loose collars would be collected at the door by a mobile laundry van and would be returned the following week washed, starched and ironed. Milk and bread were paid for by plastic tokens pre paid for from the milkman and baker. Groceries were ordered at the Co-op and delivered free. We always seemed to have enough money, managed to buy another car and didn’t go without anything. As a Naval wife I had an allotment book, so that I could survive financially when or if Tony was away. My allotment was eleven shillings and sixpence (Append 1) a week. From this I was able to buy food and put money by for the gas and electricity, and the rates. I used to have an oblong tin divided into small compartments, each week I would divide my money into these compartments so that we had enough to pay the bills when they came.

In 1962 I learnt to drive in a Morris 1000, taught by Ted Nelson, the Father of my friend Dilys who died when we were thirteen. I distinctly remember my first lesson when I took the wheel for the first time on the old Wickham Road, I was petrified. However, I passed my test on the second attempt.

In 1963 there was an event that shook the world; John F Kennedy President of the United States was shot while in a motor cavalcade in Dallas, he was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald who himself was shot two days later by Jack Ruby.
When Lynda was two years old we decided we would like a brother or sister for her. Sadly nothing happened and we had to wait until the end of 1966 before I got pregnant.

Island :-D What the dust? yes I always have said HW is a waste of time, do it today and it will be the same again tomorrow. But it passed a boring half hour.

I did it in 'paint' Ann, as I've done many times. Perhaps I need to start again...

It'll only come back - mark my words ;-)