General Chat

I'm sure you are right about the shelves filling up again Gwyn! That's ok as long as he parts with some from time to time so we aren't overun. He says just the same as you as most of his are non fiction, things like THe History of the Post Office as well as lots of other history books and he likes to check things and refer back to them. It sounds like a really nice walk with your daughter along by the sea.

It's amazing just how much room papers take up when you bag them up. We have a car load of bags of shredded paper to take to the smallholding, but last time OH was going to drop a bag off they'd taken their signs down requesting it. We are hoping they may just have been away.

Evening everyone.

Annx, I don't think OH is going to have spaces on his shelves for long, at that rate :-)

I really ought to think about thinning our book collection, but a lot of them are non fiction and I sometimes want to refer back to them. Daughter mentioned today about doing a project on weather and I immediately thought of a book we have here somewhere about whether or not there is any truth in the tales about ' red sky at night ' etc.... Will have to see if I can find it on a shelf ...or is it perhaps somewhere 'safe' in a cardboard box :-S

I hope Vera has had a good day. I thought of her this afternoon, because I was unexpectedly less than 20 miles from her, when elder daughter and I went to Deal. It was really warm in the sunshine and there was just a very gentle breeze as we walked along the seafront looking across the very calm sea.
I hope it was good further round the Kent coast too.

Pouring here now and has been raining all afternoon that fine stuff at first but I can hear it now so its harder. I don't mind really but I need to take the recykloing up the top.

Been on the phone to two SIL's today.

For the last hour and a bit I have been going through a big box of papers in oh's study. I now have a nice big black sack full of waste paper for the bin men on Thursday.

I forgot the library AGAIN this week and was reminded but a while ago so by the time Thursday came I must have been doing something else at the time and only remembered yesterday two days late. I do get a double bash at it if I miss the morning one here it goes to Shebbear in the afternoon after lunch and I do that sometimes.

He certainly has a wide range of taste AnnG! He's passed 2 Noel Fitzgerald books he had to me to read. I think he actually got them for me but decided to read them himself. I haven't done much today either, mostly planning what to do tomorrow! :-D lol. One thing I want to buy is some more Alliums for the garden. I have a few, but want to dot some more between the shrubs to add a bit of colour. I will looknat some sedums too. I can't face another summer with so much watering to do!

It's good your shed will be nice and dry now. Ours needs replacing as it's pulling apart because the base has cracked and moved, but we can't decide what size we need till we've sorted the garage which we can think about starting now it's become cooler.

that sounds like two books that couldn't be more different Ann.

I don't seem to have done a lot today but I am tired. I did strip the bed and was the bedding and re-make it. Then put away the Tesco order. Sorted out some stuff that needed putting away from when Andy was working. I could do with cutting a bit more down but there is absolutely no room in the garden bin. I thought we were going to get some rain as the sky came over really black but no, no rain. Fed up with watering now.
I did go down and look at the shed now Andy has made it waterproof, it does need clearing out but I need to start that when I have plenty of energy early in the day. So I shut the door and came inside.

Afternoon All,

71F and cloudy here and I can hear the planes at the airshow. Also gunfire again with the re-enactment. I'm tempted to go out with my camera as OH is glued to footie on tv now.

That's nice the little girl calls them nanny and grandad Mel and she sounds like a sweet little tot. It's a shame the mower has conked out and I expect you have already tried to find instructions online. Could the trailer be towed with the digger or all of you push it to where you want to empty it for now?

Mandy do any of the girls do any knitting now? The book of animal patterns sounds nice. The children here were back at school last Tuesday.

I think I've only been to Kent a couple of times and remember it being an awkward journey from here. One of the occasions was because there was a match OH wanted to see and on both occasions we stayed at the Benendon Hospital Hotel which we got members rates at. I remember going to some gardens (Sissinghurst?) and Hever Castle.

Just from what Fitz has told me his house must be a treasure trove of his family's history and connections and must be full of interesting things. From time to time I have emailed him some of the paintings I have done, but I didn't know till recently that he had them all printed and has saved them. I don't know how many books he has read, but he lives in a very long house from what I remember (something like a barn conversion?) and he said he had measured a shelf of his books and worked out that end to end they were 3 times the length of his house.

Lunch is done, eaten and OH has washed the pans and watered the back garden. Now I can't decide whether to do something that needs doing or something I fancy doing! Maybe I should look at some Anniverary cards while OH is occupied first. He's started replacing books already.........2 arrived this morning, one on football grounds and one on Dickens.

Mel you got it right, she is actually a great niece but they have chosen to be nanny and Granddad. Which is lovely for them and for her.

No I got that wrong, she is the child of Sil's niece who lost her mum so has'nt got a nanny so SIL is nanny. I think thats right. So BIL and SIL are nanny and grandad.

Mel so her sister's granddaughter and your SiL's great niece.
Lovely to see little ones around. And nice that she calls her nanny

Morning Anng and all,

Quite bright here this morning much lighter than yesterday. Pc says 17 degrees and a cloud with a red dot on it and the local one says 18 and a cloud with rain drops on it.

The little girl is SIL's niece really, child of her sister who is dead and child of her child so calls SIL nanny, if that makes sense.

Good morning all a bit grey here so far but quite clear and dry and 17 degrees so not cold.
Sounds like you had a lovely time with Fitz Ann and good to hear that Jane's family is ok.

Vera we only ever visited Kent once we lived in Bedfordshire. I would have liked to go back but it is quite an awkward journey from here. Hope you manage to get around to all the places you want to see.

Mel is the little girl BiL's granddaughter (or great granddaughter)? I am sure she had a lovely time.

Tesco due today, I did walk round to local Tesco yesterday just to see what is still on the shelves and to buy a few bits but no way could I manage a full shop walking so I am still sticking to the online shop.

I forgot to say earlier that we are at Broadstairs. We had a slightly fraught journey because of road closures, volume of traffic etc but it was mostly our side of the Dartford Crossing. Once we got on the M2 it was fine. We’re staying in a fairly modern 3 bed semi so not exactly picturesque but it’s reasonably spacious and well equipped.

I think it’s going to be a hot night. The bedrooms were hot so I tried to open the windows but they have limiters and only open a couple of inches. It’s a sensible safety feature when you’re letting to guests who might have small children but I would like more air in the room. I’m going to miss my big fan.

We had a cuppa when we arrived and then went straight out to get some fresh air while the weather was nice. i spent a lot of time on the Kent coast as a child and teenager but I had forgotten that it can be quite hilly. It was a shock after flat old Suffolk. I am pleased that my back stood up to it quite well though I did have to stop and rest a couple of times. When we got back I unpacked while OH prepared the meal I had brought with us. We haven’t made any plans for tomorrow yet.

It sounds as though you had a very pleasant few hours with Fitz, Ann. 10,000 books! Do you think he has read them all?

Mel, your little visitor sounds a sweetie. I hope your Bil can get the mower repaired soon

I’m going to post this quickly before it disappears. The wi-fi seems a bit dodgy here.

Does'nt that always happen Ann. The nearest actual bank to us now is either Bude or Lauceston but I can use the post office van if I can get up there early enough.

I have cleaned the kitchen window this afternoon after BIL and co went. The little girl is lovely and so good. She went down the field with SIL and played on the digger. Later she was wanting to go in the car and tripped over and fell so we had a few tears but only for a little while and I came in and got the fluffy hog I was going to give her anyway and she loved it. Cuddled it and lay her head on it when she sat at the table on SIL's lap while they ahd a sandwich. She loved the fish and the chikcens and even tried to say Melanie and it was good attempts.

It was BIL who broke the mower and he still could'nt get it to start today. I can't find a manual to that one but I thought we had one but it was second hand when he bought it and I think he used to look it up on the net. He had modified it to sit himself but what bugs me is its the mower that pulls the trailer and thats full now so needs emptying.

It rained again this afternoon just as I was going out to wash out a plastic box.

Mandy she does know thst you have to tickle their winkies to make them go or they will die. Mum cat usually licks them to make them go.

Aftenoon All,

I hope your back is ok with the car ride Vera and that it doesn't stop you enjoying your break.

That's quite a job your BIL is doing Mel and I hope your neighbour can fix the mower.

That was annoying about the tap AnnG. Pity it couldn't have been watering the garden! We are as dry as a bone here again so I hope we get more rain soon......it seems to keep missing us.

Partying Mandy! lol. I got a stiff back just from sitting. :-D :-D

Been quite busy what with eating out a couple of days and running errands. It was good to see Fitz and I thought I'd be late as I got stuck on a narrow lane behind a funeral procession, then I couldn't get by a tractor cutting a hedge, then roadworks and a traffic bottleneck in another place. It was about 22 miles away but I still arrived first, which was good, so waited on one of their sofas that had a view of the door! He'd booked a table overlooking the garden which was nice and shady in places. We had a drink outside after our meal so I had a wander around the garden. He said the Rose family are all ok, James works mostly from home I think. He told me that the car his son has can be reversed out of a narrow space without being in it! How marvellous is that when someone parks too close to you! We were there eating and chatting outside for 4 hours and didn't realise all but one of the staff had gone home!! They were very obliging though and not fussed. I had heritage tomatoes for a starter which were very nice and Fitz had a prawn dish but was not so taken with the fact the prawns still had their legs! He had beef medallions for his main course and I had a chorizo gnochi with chicken that was quite, well very, filling. I finished with a raspberry souffle with icecream and he had Eton Mess. I could only see 2 other tables with people dining so it was nice and quiet. I was telling him OH is sorting through his books and he told me he has about 10,000! I told him I wouldn't mention that to OH or he'd be thinking he hadn't got enough yet! It was the first time I'd driven out of the county since before the pandemic so it did me good.

It's quite noisy here today and will be tomorrow as it is the 2 day air show and re-enactment in the next village. It's at the farm where we used to buy our Christmas turkeys. When I drove to the shop this morning, all past where I lived as a teenager for about half a mile they have coned the roadsides off so people can't park and have a free watch. Just 3 houses past where I lived is a long farm drive where a former council chairman lives (the one who chose my photo for his Christmas Card a few years ago). His long garden goes down to the field with the runway for the planes that fly in to the event. They must have fantastic views from there. Most years people climb high up to look from the quarry and I would if I could still get up there.

Yesterday we went to the carvery near the factory shop and used our 30% off voucher so that was good. Again only a few people trickling in as we left. I have made a handy discovery in the same area. Someone has set up a place to bring any craft materials you no longer want eg something you have tried but decided it's not for you. Anyone can take away anything they want to use or to try free of charge and needn't bring something to give if they haven't anything at the time. I think it's a great idea and I've already spotted some watercolour pencils. :-)

Remember I switched my bank to a convenient one not far away last year............well they are closing the branch now. :-S

Morning all,

Really muggy here but it's now clouded over with a nice bit of a breeze .

Oh she'll love looking at the chickens and the fish Mel ,have you got any bubbles that would keep her amused ,I've used fairy liquid and a little bit of wire twisted round when the children were younger .

Your right Ann it doesn't take long to get to forty pound now with your shopping ,prices were going up by just a few pence now its twenty or thirty pence a time .

Safe journey Vera ,enjoy your time away and I hope your back is easier .

I don't think Ann's been on for a couple of days so I hope they are both ok.

We've been to sons this morning to see some little kittens that dil is looking after while her friend has a few days away ,they are only two or three weeks old and the mother cat didn't want to feed them so they are being hand fed several times a day .
There was six but they lost two there is one ginger and white, one grey and white and two black and browny colour .

She 2 years old Anng but SIL says she's no trouble whatever that means.

Pc now says rain coming which is'nt good if BIL wants to try and mend the mower he broke.

Safe journey Vera and hope you have a lkovely break and the back dos'nt hold you back from doing things you want to do.

Good morning Mel and all 12 degrees here, PC says 15 and sunny. Well it is clear so dry and bright not sunny yet though.
Your BiL is being a good help Mel which is good. Be nice for you to see a young one around the house If he or she is very young they will love the chickens.

Mandy in answer to your question, if the order is less than £40 we have to pay £4 delivery charge. I bet it won't be long before that goes up to £50 as it is fairly easy to hit 40 now everything has gone up.

Vera Safe journey wherever you are going and I hope your back doesn't spoil this break, have a lovely time.

Ann, hope you are ok you were absent yesterday.

Island, has the frog taken up permanent residence do you think?

Morning all,

Looks extremly wet out thereso it must have rained inthe night.

BIL is coming again today with wife and a sort of grandchild. She is two.

Pc says 16 and mostly cloudy and the local one says 18 and a cloud with rain drops on.

The interesting meal sounds nice and tasty Vera

Ahh now I know where your off too your going to be bopping away at the Sun Down Festival on the Norfolk Show Ground .lol :-D