General Chat

Afternoon All,

Early start as it is window day, but then he didn't turn up! The wind has gone but it's very dull again and 7 degrees. OH has been out and trimmed some lower parts of the potentilla that was hanging over the gravel and I am starting on sorting the kitchen drawers once he has finished in the kitchen. I need to move the kitchen implements I rarely use into the drawer in the uti and move the useful things from there into the kitchen. Some things can go to the charity shop as well as I don't think I will be using a butter curler or the slicer that does crinkled chips anymore or the rabbit jelly mould.......remember those!

So sorry to hear your sad news Vera and like the others say, I hope they can be kept free of any pain.

Mandy, Colin's brother is very clever to have made a chain in wood! My first OH's trade was wood and he had a big garage full of woodworking equipment including a lathe, but I never saw him make a chain! He made lots of things, the first for me was a fancy rolling pin when we got married and he made models of the lorries for the firm he worked for as well as furniture for us and a greenhouse. Colin's brother mush have carved it by hand which can't have been easy at all!

I hate having impressions done too AnnG. I know what you mean about those drips and your dentist was good warning you and telling you to lean forward. Having them made OH sick once due to the trickling down his throat. Tomorrow will soon be over and you will have your nice new choppers!

OH's parents nor my mum would have managed computers and the internet. To be honest they didn't want to, and resisted even using a bank card as long as they could. None of them had mobiles either. OH's parents still only used the 4 channels on their tv that they were used to as well, even though they would have loved the replays of old series on GOLD. We showed them how easy it was but I think they were afraid of not being able to get back to the usual channels.

Your OH's laser cutter sounds good Mel. I bet it was lovely to see the crocuses and yes, it is strange that roses and crocus were flowering together! I must see if my Aconites are ready to flower as they always cheer me up.

Better finish my gloves next and then the draws!

Mandy I don't think there is any way you could make a chain on a lathe so he must have carved it and its a very long prosess. Good on him for attempting it. He could make welsh spoons and sell them.

Morning All,


Suns out at the moment and I don't know if there was a frost as I got up late.

Vera such sad news when a family member get that awful disease my thoughts are with you.

I hate having impressions taken but that part is now over so the next is to have the rest of the tooth out. I m sure it will be ok and we are all thinking of you.

I have three yellow crocus out in the orchard such sunny little flowers and a welcome site on dreary days. I also had three pale pink roses up on the wall!!!!! a week ago. I could'nt believe it when I drove up there to go out. The seasons are really changing.

today was just an impression, time was for 0900 and I was home (walking) by 0915. Not painful at all of course, just a mouthful of pink stuff like playdoh which had to be held in place for about five minutes. He is very kind and explained it could tend to drip down my throat so to lean forward, he is meanwhile holding it in place so when it oozed out as he pressed it in place he just said lean forward and it was fine.

Tomorrow is the worst appointment, today was because I need the new front denture as I broke the adjacent tooth last week so one has to be added to a denture and I needed a new one anyway. tomorrow I have to have the remains of the existing tooth extracted, it is only mainly the 'post' to which the tooth, which was a rebuilt one, was attached so I don't know what to expect. I guess I will be a nervous wreck again tomorrow. Cynth drove me round as she was going anyway to see the funeral people but I walked home.

Morning all

Another frosty morning but the Suns bright so it's soon disappearing.

Vera thats very sad news for your family as Anng said I hope they are comfortable and pain free .

Mel it would be nice to see what OH has been making ,Colins brother has a lathe and when he use to come for coffee he would bring all sorts of things he'd been making the last time he came was before covid he had made a wooden chain ,how he made that you'll never know there was no joins in the links all carved out somehow ,he's also made lots of bits of fruit apples,pears,bananas etc and fruit bowls.

Anng hope the dentist appointment goes well today.

Right the washing machine has now finished so I better get that sorted and find the next job to do probably a hoover round .

Thank you AnnG. I hope all goes well at the dentist. It was impressions today wasn’t it?

Good morning all, off to dentist soon so BBL.

Vera I am so sorry to see you have had more sad family news. what an awful disease that is. I hope the person is comfortable and kept pain free. <3

Good morning all

It’s dry and sunny here for a change but very cold. The weather app is telling me it’s 2 degrees but feels like -2.

I haven’t got any plans today apart from doing the washing. How can 2 people produce so much washing in one week?

Last night we received the devastating news that another family member has just been diagnosed with an incurable cancer. This is a more distant rellie but we are a close knit family so we are finding it very upsetting.

Afternoon All,

Much the same here today, a bit of sun earlier but dull since and a shower of rain.

Vera it sounds like the birthday celebration has taken off a little! It sounds like it will be quite a big do now. If you all wrap up warm you could then open some windows that would help. You could need some of these fingerless gloves we are knitting! :-D At least the 'headache' could be brought into play if needs be and you still don't feel comfortable nearer the time.

AnnG I have taken my walking poles with me to Cornwall the last few times and they make me feel younger than sticks would, like I am training for some sporting event! lol. They are good for walking along rocky paths and cliff tops and going up and down steps that have no handrails. I hope your ankle feels better again soon. We seem to get these setbacks more as we get older.

It sounds like you had a lovely time Mandy and we would have loved the food where you can pick what you want from tasty things! It was a lovely surprise your sister got to see her youngest son and his partner too. The cake sounded huge and I like the little diamond shaped containers with chocolates.

Mel it would be nice to see those things your OH has made.

Mandy he is just making the one I think well I hope really as they are such dust collecters. So far I have a big ant in the bedroom, a butterfly on the windowsill in the dining area a witch on a pumpkin which I love and there is also a lot of tiny dolls house furniture and a box that opens. I'll send a pic when I can. The witch would make a smahing card. He bought himself a laser cutter and loads of wood.

Sun and showers here and very windy. I nipped out after a very light shower and cut three long branches off the rambling rose down to put in the garden bin. I also took a bit more off the large hardy fuchsia bush leaving a bit to protect from frost. Two weeks time it will be time to cut down the buddleias further, a tough job as that means cutting the thicker branches.

As we were sort of talking about age earlier I was sitting thinking about my Mum, she died when she was 85 and had been digging in the flower beds (July) the previous day. She knew she had an aortic aneurism and had chosen not to get it treated (she was terrified of hospitals). anyway she loved her garden and her church but that is all she did. I wonder what she would think of me in my 82nd year being at home on the internet and on social media. She had trouble understanding a video recorder. My Dad was the same age as her when she died but lived on until he was 93. However, he went into residential care when he was 87/8 and, although he knew about computers and could actually type, I am not sure if he would have ever grasped the internet. And I think there are still people those ages who are no different to my parents. I have a friend in her 80s married to her OH in his 90s and he has always refused to have a computer or smart phone in the house.

Afternoon all,

Very blowy here today and it was so gusty in the night it woke me several times .

We had a nice afternoon yesterday, sister and bil were told they were being taken out for afternoon tea but had no idea that we would all be there too ,sister got a bit tearful especially when her youngest son turned up with his partner, they live in Brighton so they don't see them very often ,I think there was nearly forty of us including a few little ones .
The tea was nice ,there was mini sausage rolls, cheese straws ,tiny sandwiches with cheese and pickle ,ham,egg and cress and salmon and cream cheese , two different scones with butter ,jam and cream in separate little dishes and lots of other little cakes ,pots of tea on the table and coffee for those who don't like tea .
There was a big cake for them to cut but it wasn't cut in the end as everyone was so full so they took it home .
The cake was round about twelve inches high with a round mirror laid on the top with lots of diamonds laid on the top of that so they sparkled it was so pretty .
On the tables we all had a large diamond shaped container with six little chocolates in.

Mel what is OH making the Minions for .

Oh its now raining think I'll get the kettle on for a cuppa .

Very wet, windy and grey here as well. During the night one of the feeders for bird seed blew off the tree and broke. It has stopped raining for the moment but it looks as though there is more to come.

AnnG, I am bearing a strategic headache in mind. The house we are going back to is quite large. It’s set a good way back from the road and has a large lounge and a good sized dining room and both have doors to the outside that could be opened if needed. As for the funeral, our late friend would say “go for it and enjoy yourself” but we’ve been worried about his wife. She is very much part of our group and wouldn’t normally be left out but we didn’t feel right asking her to join us. However our problem is solved as after the funeral one of her friends from another town is taking wife back with her for a few days so she won’t be here anyway.

Just noticed the time - I’d better turn the roasties over and get some veg on.

Morning Anng and all,

Very wet and very windy here this morningand its dull and grey and miserable.
Not a nice day at all and the wind howled all night. Glad I shut the big girls in last night so they were nice and warm without the wind blowing in their pop hole.

Oh is still putting together pieces of wood and I thought the latest one was an owl but its not, then it came to me its a Minion.

Good morning from a drizzly Glos although it doesn't feel cold at the moment.
Vera, how nice of your friends to want to celebrate both birthdays. I am sure it will be good to all be together and hopefully if you are in a fairly big space you can spread out. Maybe there is a window that can be opened. Not so sure about all 18 going back to someone's house, unless it is particularly large. Maybe if you are concerned a strategic headache excuse could be used, although I can see that would be difficult.
I obviously didn't know your friend whose funeral it will be but most of us at our age I think would say 'go ahead and celebrate while you still can'.

Yes, they say 'age is only a number' and they are right, it is. However the body does sometimes know differently to that. I know that I feel older than I did pre-covid (and my big number birthday). However, that also coincides with being left on my own to cope with everything so it could be more that. I do think the staying home and only going for short walks has made me feel much more unfit so that when I walk further I feel my age. Pavements rounf here are very uneven which makes me feel unsafe sometimes, I am considering using my walking pole (stick) when I go out but then that will only serve to make me feel older. Can't win.

Ann it sounds like you are doing the right thing with little exercise and often. my ankle has started playing up again. I wore a ankle 'bandage' yesterday to support it which helped but it is annoying. Maybe a short walk every other day would help. Don't overdo it though.

Yes AnnG, i’m not far behind you in age. Sometimes when my back’s bad or tum’s playing up I feel about 110 but my brain still thinks I’m 30 and I’m definitely not ready to be put out to grass yet.

While it’s nice to celebrate I had said I really didn’t want a big fuss. A couple of ladies from the club we belong to said “our little group” would have lunch out the Sunday before my birthday and I thought it was going to be 6-8 of us ladies who, before the pandemic, used to have a meal out whenever one of us had a birthday. I thought it was odd going on a Sunday but told OH that he’d have to sort his own lunch that day. There is another lady in the group just 1 day older than me so it was a lunch for both of us. I have just learnt that OH is included and 18 people from the club have been invited and an area of the pub where we are eating has been set aside for us. Apparently we are having a starter and a main at the pub and then going back to the other birthday girl’s house for coffee and cakes. It’s kind of the ladies that have arranged it and I do appreciate it but I’m not 100% comfortable with so many people. Having said I would go when I thought it was just half a dozen close friends I feel I can’t refuse now everything has been booked. At least they are all people I know well and hopefully they will do a test before coming. The other thing is that it’s the day after our friend’s funeral and it feels wrong to be having a big celebration that weekend.

On my actual birthday our friends M & V are taking us to lunch and I am having a belated time with my kids and their partners in a few weeks when we can find a date we are all free.

OH is now watching another noisy film that seems to involve a lot of car chases and shooting so I think I’ll go and read in bed or watch something on iPlayer. Sleep well everyone.

Yes I learned the hard way not to do too much with my knees as they are AnnG, as I would end up hobbling, sometimes limping for over a week. I started very, very gently with the cross trainer this time and also have lost a little weight and it is all helping, so I am building up slowly like you say. I'm hoping to be able to potter round some open gardens this summer and am really not ready to be old yet!! lol. Oh it is annoying when the date on milk is short.

It sounds like you had a good morning Vera! :-D Bespoke earrings eh.....they will be nice. :-) I'm the same as you in the jewellers we go to when it comes to nearly passing out at the prices! She makes some lovely things but I would never dare go out in them!! She made my eternity ring that I had mislaid till I had the bedroom clearout and found it again. OH asked how muchit had cost and I muttered I couldn't remember.........but I could!! Yes are you going to have a celebration as it's a big birthday? I hope I don't get the wrong number in front of the '0' on your card! :-0 lol. You sound like OH collecting more books.........he often says the same thing, that some are virtually new and probably only been read once and he always has a look when he passes a charity shop.

Gone as far as I can with first glove now until I locate a cable needle can’t find mine anywhere. Hopefully Cynth May have one but it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Enjoy the party Mandy, and yes what did you get them in the end?

Ann short and often is a good idea to get back to walking. It will loosen the joints up a bit.
I had not realised you were making the gloves as well, you have shot ahead of me although I had to wait for the wool and am fitting the knitting in between card making and the jigsaw which is progressing almost piece by piece. It i s a real devil. I have only done about 8 rows of the rib of one glove.

Vera you have had a nice day so far. Wow bespoke earings. Sadly I can 't wear mine any more as the holes closed up mainly during the first lockdown when I didn't put any in., I b=never was a great one for wearing them all the time though Ah a special birthday are you catching me up? Will you be doing anything special?

This morning I walked to the Naafi store which is now actually a cost cutter, which was frustrating because although they had loads of milk (which confusingly is supplied by the Coop), it was all best before either 7th or 9th, too short for me I want it for the 10th. Anyway I got the paper and a magazine. Only a short walk a bit longer than when I go to the post box but along a main road so not that pleasant. Interesting to note that, even in that small shop staff and cutomers were all wearing masks.

We had quite a heavy frost first thing. Most of the morning has been nice and bright but it’s really cold. It’s come as a bit of a shock to the system after the last few milder days. If it was just a little bit warmer it would be a good day to do a bit in the garden but it’s too cold out there for me.

Enjoy the party today Mandy

What a shame the parkland around the ice house has been “tidied up” so much Ann. Places like that are much better just controlled enough to stop nature taking over completely.

We’ve had a good morning. OH asked me what I want for my birthday and I mentioned a couple of “everyday” things but, as it’s a big 0 birthday, he wanted to get me something more special. I do like earrings so suggested that, thinking they are available at all prices so he can choose something in his price range. Last night he told me that we had an appointment at 10 this morning with a bespoke jeweller. This chap now concentrates mainly on rings and necklaces but said he could make something for me. However he had catalogues of earrings he could get in for us but they are made to order rather than being mass produced. We’ve picked out a few and he is going to get prices for us but gave us a rough idea of likely costs. I nearly passed out but OH just said “that’s fine”.

We then went next door to a French owned cafe that is housed in a beautifully restored 14th century building that was owned in the early 1700s by a wealthy clothier who was the uncle of the artist Thomas Gainsborough. Being French the coffee is excellent and if you are having their basic filter coffee they come round with top ups. We also had a freshly baked fruit scone with butter and jam.

Then on the way back we passed the bookstall outside the Sally Army charity shop. Well, I couldn’t resist could I? I got another 3 books, all paperbacks and 2 of them look new. So much for trying to clear some of the bookshelves. I only got rid of 12 books and I’m already buying more :-D. As I don’t know who has been handling the books I’ve put them aside for a few days and gave my hands a really good scrub when we got in.

Time to think about getting some lunch now, just a sandwich as I’m doing a shepherd‘s pie tonight.