General Chat

Well, it is still dry but it is only 6 degrees so quite cold outside. I have done a load of washing. spent half an hour battling with the phone to sort out my EE contract, removing T's phone from it. Very helpful young chap and very patient as well but difficult to understand as he talked very fast and had a strong accent (Darlington, I asked him). It was like talking to somebody from Cumbria on speed!! Still that is done now I hope. The conversation was not helped by hearing aids not delivering clarity on the phone.
Anyway, after that I spent half an hour sorting out pots in which to pot on my plugs. then found and washed the long trays they have to sit on in the conservatory. Next I tidied up and cut back the fuchsias I have in the greenhouse and got rid of the dried leaves. will have another look at them at the end of the month.
Next job will be to pot on the plugs, maybe this afternoon or tomorrow. Back is aching a bit so I will rest it for a while then see.

Good morning AnnG, Mel and all

It started raining late yesterday afternoon and it’s still raining. I’m thinking of ordering in some wood to build an ark. It’s not very warm either. The IPad says it’s 6 degrees and feels like 2 degrees. That sounds about right.

Another post lost Mel; you must be feeling so frustrated. You’ll have to get used to typing your post in another programme and then doing a c & p.

My back wasn’t too bad yesterday but it is not good this morning so I think it will be another day of not doing much. I’ve just got rid of my beautiful colourful lilies as they have started dropping petals now. They have lasted 9 full days and everyone who has seen them has remarked on the colours. I’ve also just taken my birthday cards down so it’s suddenly looking a bit bare.

I’m now going to see what useful thing I can find to do while sitting on an upright, high backed chair.

Just lost a post again!

Morning Anng and all.

Nice bright sunny morning here and 6 degrees and pc says mostly sunny so I am hoping to get on with my project after the shop and I have a dozen eggs for Em this morning which will please her.

I too cleaned the loo in my jim jams this mroning.

Good morning all, bright here this morning 3 degrees so a bit chilly. Hoping it stays dry so I can get out in the garden. Slept well last night still dreaming a lot though, must go to bed with a busy brain!! Not dressed yet but just cleaned the bathroom (except the floor,) in my PJs. they are going in the wash when I have dressed anyway.

Vera yes it was the words on the back of the ladybird that really sold it to me.

Pleased your tea went well it sounds really lovely and plenty of it.

I had a chuckle at your thoughts on the hard hats, if there were that many gulls we would need jmbrellas as well.

Well done on getting a face to face appointment. Do hope answers can be found for you.

It’s been a dry day here so far but very grey and overcast and it’s due to rain on and off for the rest of the day.

You had a good trip into town AnnG and got several things done. Your little ladybird sounds pretty and I like the words on it.

Gwyn, it’s uplifting to see everything coming into bud and to hear the birds singing for a mate. However, I am not a fan of seagulls. When we lived in a rural spot backing on to farmland I could never understand where the gulls came from as soon as the farmer started ploughing. A great flock would appear from nowhere.

I had a giggle at the protective hard hats. I’ve probably got an odd sense of humour but I had a vision of a crowded beach on a hot day with everyone sunbathing in skimpy swimwear and a Dad’s Army type tin hat. I suppose it’s a step up from a knotted hanky.

I hope your electrician turns up on Sunday Ann. I sympathise with you about your water lilies as we are currently waging war on the pigeons that have turned the area under a hawthorn tree into a mud bath. Originally we had lavender around the base of the tree but lavender just doesn’t like our garden so we dug it up and planted campanula expecting it to casually spread around and have pretty blooms. Well it did till the pigeons trampled all over it. So today OH has ordered some low growing berberis and we’ll try that.

Today I decided I had put up with this back for too long now and I needed to do something about it. Right at the beginning of the Covid problem I found the best way to get medical help was by filling in the online form. It can be a bit of a pain filling in all the details and you are told the practice will respond by the end of the next working day, though I’ve never waited more than a few hours. I sent the form off at 11.20 am and got an automated email saying I would hear by 6.30 pm Monday. In fact one of the doctors rang me within 40 minutes offering me a face to face appointment for Monday. When I hear the stories of people having difficulty even getting hold of anyone at their surgeries, let alone getting an appointment, I think we’re very lucky. I can’t fault our practice.

Well, our tea yesterday was a great success. The food was beautiful and there was so much of it. I followed the instructions on how to store it till we were ready to eat and it was all perfect. We all agreed the scones were the best we’d ever had. I sent our friends home with 3 large cakes. OH and I had a tennis ball sized Scotch egg each for our lunch today with half a long sausage roll, half a scone and half a large cake each. That’s finished the main food but I still have 2 little pots of jam and 2 cartons of clotted cream in the fridge.

I suppose it’s time to think about dinner tonight. I took some smoked haddock from the freezer earlier but need to sort out some veg to go with it.

Perhaps he should find that he has another appointment when/if they phone. Manners seem to have gone out of the window these days. and in a similar vein although not remotely the same. Manners and thoughtfulness when driving. sitting on the top deck of the bus looking down. several times when the bus wanted to pull away cars kept coming through. One even nearly caused an accident and got blasted with somebody's hooter, it went past the bus as it had started to pull out with a car coming the other was on a not very wide two way road. T always used to stop and let buses out knowing they have a schedule to keep.

We will look duckies if we have to wear hard hats on our seaside holidays in future AnnG! Better than getting pecked by their huge bills though. I have seen how fast they swoop and grab icecream and F&C off people. You had a good trip today and got a few outstanding things done so must feel pleased with what you have achieved.

Well 3 minutes after I put my advert for an electrician on that site, one just a few miles away phoned me. He was just back from a holiday and is coming on Sunday to see what size motor we need. Fingers crossed he turns up, but I think he will as they won't have anyone on the site that lets people down.

Hubby made arrangements to be back home for a phone call from someone needing his advice in connection with some of his voluntary work. Never bothered to ring did they! No doubt they will expect him to drop everything when they do decide to ring. What is the matter with people and good manners these days?

A lot of chat going on in my absence. Nice to see the spring buds coming through Gwyn.
It is actually warm in my conservatory so all the plugs are happy until re-potting tomoroow.

Ann segulls can be very vicious and not afrain of humans. On Walney Island near Barrow there is a big seagull breeding area. If you visit in the breeding season you have to wear a hard hat as they will attack you.

Caught the bus into Gloucester this morning. Only about 10 of us upstairs, all wearing masks, not too many people in the shops and the majority actually in the shops wearing masks, including most of the sales staff except M&S.  Had a coffee but not in M&S as they were crowded in Boswells in the Market Mall no queue and tables well spaced. Bought just a top in M&S, fairly thin, the ones I can wear on its own or under a sweater. And a half roast chicken that is heated either in the oven or microwave.
Anyway my main purpose was threefold. Draw cash, did that.  Go to Pandora and spend the gift card which I did. I got a lovely little lady bird, rose gold body and silver wings and on the back it says hope has wings! I thought that was rather apt. I also bought another separator ring to centre the two charms. (might get another charm later now I have seen all the ones they do.  I had to pay an extra £30 so I am very pleased about that. Had a lovely girl serve me and she put the charms on the chain for me. She asked if I had any other Pandora and I told her that I had the bracelet but found it too heavy. She asked then if I had the separators but I couldn't remember. Anyway I told her I might go back another day with the bracelet.

Next I went into EE to get T taken off our joint contract. (I have kept him on it until now as his phone was still in use)., young man started by saying that if I contact them on line they will send a form to complete. After chatting a while he said 'unless you have the death certificate with you' Which I did. so he then did it all on line for me and now I just have to wait up to 5 working days for them to contact me and if they don't to go back in and see him again. So that is done.

Feel quite pleased that I went in and felt perfectly safe (although who knows these days) And I achieved everything I wanted to.

Yes I'm not doing too much today Mel. There seem to be more cobwebs than ever these days and where does all the dust come from I wonder!

That was a good idea to cover the cut out blocks Mandy. I had some in a wall at my last house. The trellis, plants and pots do a good job of keeping your privacy.

I'd better get lunch served, some fish in batter with various veg, mash for OH and a hollandaise sauce.

Morning all,

7 degrees here and cloudy ,we've been out in the garden Colin is painting his new bits of wood ready to replace the old bits we have up on the wall and I've taken down the trellis on the front of the old wood ,we put the wood and trellis put to cover the screen blocks that Colin put in the wall years ago when he built it ,when we first had the wall built there was hardly anyone walking past now since the new houses have been built there's more people walking through and they would look in the garden through the screen blocks so the wood and trellis covers then up and I have brackets on the trellis and pots too.

Just having a coffee then we'll get on outside again while it's still dry .

Gwyn I didn't realise seagulls were quite so defensive! I know they have become much more bold and a nuisance in seaside resorts. We have noticed the Magpies carrying twigs for nest building the last week or two, They used to build their dome shaped nests in the field tall Hawthorne just at the back of us, but since we started getting the flocks of Jackdaws and umpteen pigeons, they have gone elsewhere to build. The scores of pigeons we get now are our biggest nuisance. They crush my waterlily flowers using the water feature pot I have them in as a bath and they trample and uproot young plants and are so greedy. We get a few collared doves and I don't mind them as they do little damage.

Still steady rain here. I sorted some of the drawer, throwing some things out, organised it better, found some things we should eat up including a chicken tagine kit, so we can have that next week. :-) I stopped then as OH should be back soon.

Morning all,

We have a little sunshine today which is a nice change and not much breeze but a bit. 9 degrees here this morning but when I came out i was 10 degrees.

Slept in late this mroning so need to get going as I want to do more while I have sunlight. Must put some wahsing in and have a dust of the bedroom as the sun shows all the dust up and the cobwebs.

Its good you got a walk in yesterday Ann but take it easy today as you don't want to hurt those knees to much with gardening coming up.

Good morning all.
A dull start here, but not particularly cold....Not that I've been further than the front door and have chatted on the phone with 2 friends since then.
A neighbour has a flag pole and what's left of an England flag, after the storms really gave it a battering. There's just enough left to indicate how windy it is and in which direction. Just moving gently today and not from the east, which brings the coldest weather to these parts.
First flower buds opening on the forsythia and a neighbour's magnolia tree has lots of leaf buds, so signs of Spring coming soon.
Lots of cooing heard in the mornings, so I guess the collared doves are pairing up, as well as the foraging robins and magpies seen in recent days.
None of them are a bother, but I can't say the same for the seagulls, which get VERY cross if we venture into what they consider to be their territory.
I only have to go into the back garden and I get screeched at, when they are nesting on the nearby roof :-|

Morning All,

Slept quite well and it's 5 degrees here and has rained quite heavily all morning so I'm glad I managed a 2 lap walk again yesterday now. I must have gone a bit quicker too as my back and knees are just a bit twingey today. OH has gone on 2 errands so I have got the lunch veg ready and put a wash on. I keep trying to find someone to come and sort the bathroom fan, but am having the same trouble as Gill with them not getting back to me. I think the next step is to put a request on mybuilder.com. I've used them before and they only use people they have vetted.

You had a good shop yesterday then AnnG and will be having a potting on weekend. I must sort out and order any seeds I want as time is marching on isn't it.

Your F&C did sound delicious Mel! We were going to the italian restaurant we went to 2 years ago for OH's birthday, but we think we might get F&C instead now from one of the village chippies. I still can't fathom what you are making, but it seems to involve quite a bit of painting!

The blinds are going to be fitted at the end of this month which is sooner than I expected. There are lots of jobs we want to get done this year so it's good to have made a start.

Another of the big drawers to sort in the kitchen next! I won't want to do these jobs once we have lovely spring days with sunshine.

Good morning all, quite bright outside but chilly, only 5 degrees. Trying to make my mind up to go into town to sort out my Pandora gift card that daughter gave me for Christmas. Had a really bad night last night bed just after 10,30, woke at 12.15, back to bed, woke again at 4ish then couldn't get back to sleep at all really, just dozed so feel really tired this morning.

Mel you had a good crafty day yesterday then, well done and glad you enjoyed the F&C. Yes plenty of potting on to do so hope the weekend is dry.

And it was delicous this week too nice soft hot chips and crispy batter on the fish.

Done a bit of fiddley painting this morning then did lunch and went back in the work room and fiddled once again. Now I have to do the wahsing upand go round to Em's with her birthday present as she was'nt in this morning when I rang.

You had a nice time at the garden centre then Anng and more plugs to pot on. You will be way ahead of all of us at this rate. I have lost my tom seeds Sungold which I like to grow each year and wanted one plant of Gardeners Delight as the last pack of seeds I had were small cherry gd's. I love to slice them thinly and put them on toast and pop back under the grill.

Had a good run out to 3 Shires at Newent . Really well stocked with plugs etc, more selection than Dobbies had. (Although Dobbies actually had the plugs I wanted) So bought some more plugs and a couple of tomatoes to get an early start, and now have 20 to pot on over the weekend.

It was dry while we were walking round outside but was raining hard when we drove home although stopped once we got to Churchdown. didn't have lunch out but did share a large piece of coffee & walnut cake.

And..... I got my pepper grinder that I wanted to replace one that broke and which matches the salt grinder, and.... it was reduced from £14.99 to £9,99.

Hope you had a good walk Ann.

Mel that F&C was certainly fast food then.

very dull and drizzly here now

Morning All,

Slept well and we were up early and to the docs for my bloods. I mentioned about the blood sugar test as well and the nurse said they had included it in January's tests the doctor had asked for, so she printed the result off for me. I was chuffed the level has dropped a fraction again and although the the upper level of the 'normal range' standard has been lowered since last year I am still within it.

Enjoy your tea out of your posh china today Vera. I bet M & V are looking forward to it as well.

I hope you find some more nice things at the garden centre AnnG.

I seem to brush against keys that then delete stuff as well Mel. The keys seem too sensitive and you often can't undo things like like we used to be able to.

We've just had poached eggs on toast and rain is forecast here today. It hasn't arrived yet so I am doing another walk like before next and will hopefully stay dry! It's nicer walking round the park listening to the birds rather than along the busy roads round here. OH has urgent work to do so will be doing that before his evening meeting.

Morniing Vera Anng and all,

It happens when I have typed a lot not just a line or two. This keyboard is very small after my last one but it did happen on that one too.

I was saying that oh had been looking at toppers for the bed but did'nt know what I wanted so I would have to go and have a look at them myself.

I got on well with my craft yesterday and was even doing it in the evening although it was chilly in the lounge.

We had F & C's yesterday and I wnet early to go to the hsop first for our scripts as they were,nt there on Tuesday. they were on the counter when I wnet in so picked them up and went onto the van. No one in front of me and she said Melanie I said yes and she put chips in a bag and two boxes off the fryer and I was away and home by 6pm the time it was ordered for. It only took me a quarter of an hour in all.

Glad you slept well Vera and enjoy your afternoon tea with your friends. It will make it nice for them with the best china.

Anng I hope you don't get caught in rain at the garden center and have a good mooch.

I am posting now incase it disappears again.