General Chat

In your younger days Frank you certainly got around.

Its stopped raining here at the moment and the sky is brightening a bit.

I have loads of ironing to do so think I will take a leaf out of Ros's book and go and do some of mine till I get fed up.

Have sent you all (I hope) a pic of Cas in her coat!! It certainly helped to keep the mud off her so was worth all the hassle!!
Frank! You can't be going down with another cold!! Perhaps you are re infecting yourselves. I remember doing that one winter, and I had one cold after another, finally shaking it off when the warmer weather came.
Years ago OH and I were out and about much more than we are these days. We used to think nothing of sailing to France or the Channel Islands. I can remember one summer flying to Malta and then sailing in the Mediterranean! We had some lovely holidays like this, but then we were young with plenty of energy, which is sadly lacking these days!
Would you believe it I have a couple of shirts to iron! they got left in the washing machine by mistake and are VERY creased! Nothing else though!!
OH is sorting out our new recording arrangements as it is totally different to sky. It's taking a bit of working out, but we shall get there!!

Thanks for the Photo Liz, I m sure it will help in keeping Cas a bit warmer and Cleaner !!! Even though I expect she needs/loves a hot bath after her days work.

Not ever having holidays as a child, I promised myself that my children wouldn't go without. Over the years, we went to Scotland, Wales North and South. a few times, I.O. White, New Forest, and many seaside resorts. Mostly B & B or Caravan. But at least they went. In 1972/3 I drove them to just south of Barcelona for a MONTH Camping. We had a great time, and they got to know a bit of Spanish. I have also taken them to Holland on two occasions. Since marrying Ros 1978. Harvey and Conrad have been to Tunisia, Tennerife, and a lot of places in the U.K. With Conrad now living in Spain most of the year, we can go there when ever we want. Not that I am not keen on the FIVE HOURS it takes from Door to Door. That's why we didn't go last year. This year we will try to make the effort.

Also Mel, being Chairman of our local DEEP SEA FISHING CLUB yes in the middle of the Country (KETTERING) I travel to most of the fishing ports from Scotland to South West England with 50 like minded men, every few weeks throughout the years. I wouldn't like to guess how many mils I traveled in that time.

We have both been enjoying A Whale programme on Eden. What beautiful and friendly the GREY WHALE is. Coming up to the little boas o be stroked and fussed.

Shin of beef is in the oven for tonight with Mash, cabbage, carrots and boiled Parsnips. Ros is out tonight, so I can watch what I want on TELE.

So Ros is going to chior tonight then Frank. Is her throat better now?

I have a very dry mouth and a bit of a sore throat today. It roar rather than sore. It might be the dust from the loft. I don't know.

Ecko is playing up and won't turn the table light on so I am typing in the dark.

We had some lovely sunshine this morning but the weather has got worse since then. O just looked out the window and its raining just as I need to go and do the chickens. :-(

Afternoon All

Oh Liz what a smart coat Cas has. She looks like she feels the bees knees :-D :-DI love the colour .It will be far easier to clean the coat rather than a very mucky and muddy girl :-D

FRank, I think Liz is right and you and Ros are passing the bugs back to each other.I hope it is not going to turn out to be another really bad dose.
My hair appointment was cancelled this afternoon as Nigel has now gone down with the flu or some lurgy :-S. So I have a new appointment for the 14th

My Physio went ok this morning and I have yet another exercise added to the other ones. She said that to keep doing them and when I have my appointment with the Rheumatologist on March 1st to let her know what he says and to make another appointment if its recommended. She thinks it is likely that I will have a scan done.

Your poor girls Mel more rain and mud for them !!. It cant be very nice for them plodding around in that wet ground. They will be wanting your new boots :-D

FRank that was an unfortunate BURP . Part dissolved tablets are awful,and take an age to clear from the mouth. Hopefully the mint has done the trick.

It is absolutly freezing now.The temperature seems to have tumbled.There is a bit of light drizzle too now . But the woodburner is doing its job and it is all nice and toasty here.

Anne, what fun you will have at the Boston Terrier Meet at the weekend :-D. Ruby will be so excited to see so many'new freinds' :-D. I hope you will be able to get some pics
Do you have any idea how many dogs will be there?
I am really sorry to hear of your Niece's diagnosis :-( She is very young still. I had no idea that people with Downs Syndrome are more susceptible to this.

James said the trip and meeting went very well yesterday . He was worn out by the time he got in .Had an early night and was up and off to work before 8 this morning. He says he might have another meeting to go to in Stuttgart at some point .
That was a trip you had then Frank . How long ago what that? It is amazing when you think that these days you can almost get anywhere in Europe just for a day and back home again the same day. I remember a year or so ago we were at an airport in Italy waiting to board the plane and I got chatting to a chap next to me in the line. He had just been for the day for a meeting and said he often did this a couple of times a week !!.

How is Sandra ? Fingers crossed she is not going be as ill as bothe you and OH were Gill. I know I am tempting fate by saying this but I cant believe Chris and I never went down with it after James . Just a fluke I think.

I am glad that you and OH Mandy seem to be well on the mend now. Just in time for your Birthday :-D

I just realised I have been sat in the dark so need to get some lamps on,and then start dinner.Chicken Schnitzel and my Potato,Fartichokes,Olive,Lemon, Sage and Tomato thing and Stringless Beans.

Evening all,

Well we've had a little sun today and the snow has just about gone in the garden ,i'm glad it has as Max keeps bringing in big lumps of it little devil :-D he comes haring in with this big lump of snow which he then dumps on the kitchen floor and it smashes into hundreds of bits because it's gone all icy .
He comes to the door with it in his mouth and i say your not coming in with that ,he drops it and by the time i've opened the door he's picked it up again and he's in :-D

Yes i think we're now really on the mend now ,we were talking to a friend this morning and she had had it just like me with the sickness and diarrhea and bad head .
I had another birthday card this morning so that's two on the shelf now ,i've posted yours today Mel.

I don't know if i've said but Colin's sister is in hospital she has been really poorly ,she went in with a perforated bowel ,had an emergency op and then her organs started to all shut down they didn't think she would last the weekend ,she has been on dialysis as her kidneys stopped working ,she has been in intensive care and is now in high dependency ward and her kidneys are now working again so should be moving to a ward next week all being well.

Also my nephew Neil ,the one who had the big heart op last year is in hospital too , he thought he had the flu as he ached so much he went to the docs and good job he did ,the doc sent him straight to hospital and they found he has a very bad infection in his heart so he's on a antibiotic drip ,i must ring my sister to find out the latest news on him .

Anne have fun at the Boston Terrier Meet this weekend ,Ruby will be so excited meeting all the other Terriers ,i'd love to see some photo's .
That's sad news about your niece .

So you have another exercise to do now Jane is this one an easier one to do as you've had trouble doing the others ?
That was a long day for James yesterday you'd have thought they would have let him go in a bit later today after all that travelling .
What are these Fartichokes then :-0 :-D :-D :-D don't think i'll be letting Colin try them he's windy enough !!! :-D

Oh Frank there's nothing worse than tablets coming up into your throat ,they leave such a bitter taste that lasts for ages ,hope the after taste has gone now after having the mint .

Mel your poor girls with all the rain again ,do they still lay when it's so wet ?
Hope your sore throat doesn't come to anything and it's just the dust making it sore,you'll have to keep drinking plenty to keep it moist .

No Gill today , although it sounds as if Sandra's coming down with this flu bug now so that's the three of them poorly .

Cas looks really smart in her new coat ,no more muddy tummies .

Jane you said "added to the other ones" does that mean you have them both to do now? If you could'nt manage the first ones how does she think you are going to do them now plus more? Stupid woman. :-P

Mandy I can just imagine Max with the snow. When I lived in Suffolk and had three dogs they would bring snow in and put it on the lounge carpet!! I was always sweeping it up. I had an Alsatian and two Jack Russels. They also used to rush around in it all excited and chase the cats.

I hope Colin's sister is recovering now after that nasty shock in getting a perforated bowl. Was it that that caused the organs to shut down?

Let us know how Neil gets on. He went through a lot last year with that op and now this. Its just as well he went to the doc and did'nt leave it. Wishing them both a speedy recovery.

James's job sounds very interesting Jane. He must love it to do all those hours. I can remember you saying you wish he would get a job!! Whenever you send a picture of him and chris I can never get over the likeness between them. You must be very proud of both your children. <3

Well it did'nt rain much this morning and then the sun appeared for quite a while. Now thopugh it is pouring and the chicken run was just atarting to dry out nicely. I actually did'nt sink up to my ankles in mud today and thats the first time for weeks.

I bought oh a litle gift for Christmas of four kinds of gin (its the present I lost) the tonics in the set were a Meditarian tonic and indian tonic something else and a elderflower tonic. I had a taste of them all but the elderflower was my favorite and it reminded me of something other than elderflower. I got it in the end it tastes like grapefruit. That was my very favorite fruit and drink but now I am taking a statin I can't have gratefruit. I miss it so much as thats the only squash I would drink and I loved the red gratefruit too. So I bought a bottle of the elderflower tonic water in Morrisons this week and I am having a tiny glass of that while oh has gin in his.

Yes Anne we will want to see lots of pictures of Ruby's ew friends lease?

How's Ros's throat today Frank? Was she ok at chior practice?

Sending love and wishes to Gill, Glynn and Sandra. Heres hoping Sandra has'nt got the bug now.

It is tipping down, absolutely pouring! Cas went for a wee about 930, OH put her out again about 15 minutes ago, just to make sure, but she just poked her head out and came straight back in and shot into her bedroom!!!!
We're in bed, best place on such a horrid evening! :-)

Good morning SNOWDROPS. xx

Hope you are all well and warm. What a horrible evening it was last night. ?? This morning is very windy and they promise Wintery Showers, so that will be nice. (NOT)

Not good news then Mandy, your poor relatives having to go through all this again. I do hope they improve soon.

Anne I can see RUBY, either having a time of her life, or being frightened by all the other dogs. Lets hope it all goes well and you enjoy the experience of a dog show.

Jane I think the Rover 200 series came out in 1999/2000 so a few years ago. Pleased that you nd Chris are free of this horrible flu/bug. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

We are both coughing and sneezing, using loads of tissues. Neither of us want to do anything energetic. So will have a nice quite day in doors. Ros went to the choir last night as she takes two other girls, and didn't want to let them down. She got on O.K. and I left her watching her "SOAPS" when I went to bed. I didn't feel her come in.

Mel, couldn't OH get some pallets to put down in the chickens run. ?? that would cure the water/mud problem. They can be taken out when everywhere dry's out

Just watched a chap go by with his DOG boy wearing HIGH VIZ jackets. The old dog just plods along, without looking or sniffing around. Poor Eric (the chap) got knocked over last year. Hence the high viz jacket.

Roa bought a big bottle (five litres) of WET AND FORGET from QVC. It's for the roof, patio or stonework/brickwork, I will try is on the moss and lichen when the weather improves. It looks such a mess out there. You can attach it to the hose, so can spray onto the roof without leaving the ground. So no chance of me falling off the steps. BUT I must get up the steps to clear the gutters, as they are full of moss from the roof. The birds dislodge it when they are pecking around.
Just missed the bathroom. !!! Roa has gone to wash her hair and have a shower, so I will be late going ready. Never mind, nothing to do anyway. xx

Morning all,

We have sunshine this morning but it rained very hard last night. Now we have the covering over the patio of the plastic corregated it make an awful row especially when we get hail. Its very windy today too.

Well now Frank you be careful spraying that wet and forget because if it blows onto Ros's plants in any way it will kill them. It great stuff for the patio and will keep it clear all year but it has to go on a dry surface on a day when it will dry on otherwise it dos'nt work.

Goodness it did rain last evening! This morning we were late up (8.30) so after breakfast OH walked Cas, put out Merlin, and then scuttled off to Waitrose to try and grab a bargain!! I've defrosted the upright freezer, chucked out things that have been there for too long! given it a good clean and now it's ready for action so to speak! I've also given the carpet a good hovering, and now I'm k###d!!
It snowed quite hard earlier on, but hasn't settled; now it's bright, but colder than first thing.
Apart from finishing the marmalade, and OH splitting some logs, we've not got much on today. Like you Gill, this winter seems to be never ending!!
:-( Take care all you poorly people, better days are just round the corner!!!? Here's for hoping!! <3

Chicken run is flooded yet again. The wind is enough to cut right through you today. It nearly blew me over when I went round the back.

Another card arrived this mroning so I have three in the pile now. How's your pile doing Mandy?

Afternoon all,

Raining first thing but it's eased off now ,the wind seems to have got up a bit, no sign of the sun .

Three cards here too Mel ,one with a pink envelope arrived this morning :-)

We nipped to get a sack of potatoes and the fruit and veg from the veg warehouse this morning ,called and dropped the fruit and a sack of potatoes off at sons ,fruit is for the little ones and only Chelsea had gone to school the others are all off sick ,i hope it's only a bug they have and not the flu bug poor things , still it's only one day they will lose as it's half term next week , we didn't go in as we don't want another bug .

So your both fighting over the tissues then Frank , i hope you soon both feel better .

Just watched the opening of the Winter Olympics ,we're looking forward to watching that for the next two weeks , i love the bob sleigh and skating . Colin likes the Curling .

No sign of any snow or rain here YET.

hanks for that advise Mel. I did read to keep it away from plants. So I will have to choose my day carefully. If I sprayed her PLANTS, my life would' be worth living. ;-) ;-) ;-)

Just had an Ox tail sarnie with C.O.Soup Filled a gap till tonight.

Jan just rang to say she has been to Yorkshire to visit her Uncle, and is on her way back to Kerry's for the weekend. She will come here on Monday about 10.30 am to go shopping with Madam.

That blooming wind is still blowing, not an afternoon ro be outside.

I started reading my book again this morning. Makes a change from Papers and T .V.


What are you all up to this afternoon, anything like me, and you will be idle. !!!

I'm being given a lesson on the whys and wherefores of the new remotes!! It's quite like Sky, so shouldn't prove to be too puzzling!! We had a sad letter from Sky telling us how mortified they are at our departure, and how they valued our custom etc!! Also that we owe them a final payment which they want asap!! We have a standing order for a particular day and they'll get it then and not before!! After that we shall instruct the bank to cancel our payment, just to be on the safe side!!
Sunny this pm, but cold! Ultra sound on Monday! Something more to look forward to !!

It's snowing :-D

Afternoon All
Quite right Liz... make them wait for the day your payment is due and not before :-D Cheeky beggars.

Is it BIG snow Mandy? Nothing here other than it just being really really cold in the wind. The sky is so clear,its going to be a real cold one tonight.

I am sorry that Colins Sister is so ill and your Nephew too ! Perforated Bowel is not a good thing. I take it she is not on Dialysis any longer. I was a Dialysis Nurse when I met Chris.I hope that both your Nephew and Colins Sister do well and recover well.

Two cards went in the post today :-)
Mel your girls will need water wings at this rate !!!!! I feel very sorry for them. :-(
Not speaking to Thomas as he has eaten a little bird :-S Left the tail feathers and bits on the back door mat :-S He hasnt had a bird for a long time.

Frank I must ask Chris if we still have any of our Wet and Forget. I hadnt realised you could do your roof with it too !! Not that we could do ours.

I went to M&S this morning and bought 2 gorgeous little outfits for our friends new baby. But now I think I should have bought 3-6months rather than the 0-3 months. Baby is a little girl called Emily Aviva sister for Freya. I might pop back tomorrow and get the bigger size.

I cant remember if I mentioned but there is now a night shelter opened here in Kettering for rough sleepers. I thought about Steve and wrote down all the details on a bit of paper .I took it with me to the Co-op where he sits but he wasnt there )only his belongings ) so I tucked the bit of paper in the top of one of his bags . I am hoping that he will use this night shelter especially now as it is so cold again.

I have managed ALL my exercises today Mel :-D I can feel it now though LOL

I forgot it was half term next week Mandy. I hope all the grandchildren arent going to be ill :-S I just wish all these nasty bugs wouldl just BUG off. They have been around now for far too long.

James is off to Jess tonight and then tomorrow they are meeting up with Hannah and Gareth for this indoor Crazy Golf and lunch for James's birthday(Hannah's present)

What a good girl you are Jane doing all your exercises today. Bet you ache all over now!! :-( :-(

Oh has just told me we had about half an inch of hailstones this morning. We heard there was a bad accident on the M4 I think it was and he said he wondered if it was a hail shower that caused that.

I wonder who that pink envelope can be from Mandy?????? Its a shame the children have a bug just as the half term holiday starts. I hope they can still enjoy their time off school. I always think its sad when children are ill in their holidays. I had chicken pox just before my Christmas holiday when I was 11 so missed all the Christmas stuff at school at the end of term and felt quite hard done by. We came down here for Christmas and stayed with Aunty Joy in Bideford. Mum was hoping I would lose my spots by the time we came down and I just about had.

Oh told me this afternoon that he has all the lagging down up the end so he is going to have two days off. I don't blame him as he has been working under the eves and been all creased up to reach. He said his back is playing up now. He's just gone in the shower so I am sitting here typing this so I don't turn the taps on and make the shower cold!!!!! I am good at that.......... :-0

Hope James has a safe journey to Jess and they enjoy the weekend all together. I have never heard of indoor Crazy Golf but what a good idea with the weather being like it is. Hannah finds some really good things for present for all of you dos'nt she?

O I forgot to say you can use that Wet and Forget on wood or bricks that have moss growing on them. I am going to do mums grave marker as its got some dark moss on the little Robin ingraved on it. It will keep it nice and clean for a while. You an do fencing or anything really just as long as its not your plants and the fine spray travels a fair way as I found out when oh did the patio last time.

No not huge flakes Jane just normal snow ,it turn a bit sleety and it's stopped now but i think we might be in for more snow tomorrow .

Jane i would change the baby outfits, 0-3 months is very small and they grow so quickly ,she probably has lots in the smaller size so the next size up will be ready when she needs them .

Yes Janice Colin's sister is off the Dialysis machine now ,they were putting her on it and taking her off i suppose it was to see if the kidneys would start up again on their own and they do seem to be working again now so thats a relief ,until this bowel problem she was fine .

I opened an envelope today with a card in as i could see it was from Yorkshire Tea Company ,it had a Tea Bag in the card for my birthday :-D :-D :-D

Poor OH Mel ,he needs a couple of days off i should think after being bent up in the loft for the last couple of weeks ,how much more is there to do ?

We've had bad accidents this way on the A47 ,also lots of traffic hold ups as a manhole cover had come off ,it was taking a couple of hours to get to Norwich which normaly takes about twenty minutes .