General Chat

Replied to your PM Mel.

Love all the photo's you've sent, you have a really good camera. Are the fish in OH's pond, is that the one that lost some of it's water? They're lovely fish, very colourful.

Good morning to you all,

Yes gill it's a bit cooler this morning. I have been watering this morning also. The new flower bed looks a treat now. It's been a few years since we were able to use it as such, with all this ornamental grass everywhere.

We didn't get out to eat last night we were both to tired to bother. I ordered a takeaway, which we both enjoyed. Then or cause I had the privilege of watching SOAPS from 7.00 pm till 9.30, then I went to bed.

Ros was in and out all night, almost on the hour. It's always at night that she needs the loo, and hardly goes during the day. It might be that her bladder is more relaxed at night.

Ros will take our car when she goes with Carolyn to Tesco. She can then go to the TIP and get rid of the rubbish .

You know I have had trouble with my "T" now my "E" key has broken in half and my "N" key dosen't look far behind it, it is cracked. Might be my heavy handiness. loll

Will try to catch up later. xxx

So Frank NET is out then but we do still understand your posts. Bless <3

We ordered the other paint yesterday as it was showing in for home delivery and it has just arrived. Not a bad service from B & Q.

Thanks for the over head views of my front and back gardens Mel, I can't believe how much it's changed since 2016, no garage, no hedges and lots more space, even some new borders in the back. Pity they don't have one from this year though. They looked very overgrown didn't they?

I'm just running OH a cool bath to lay in, he's been digging the front garden all day and although it's cooler today with the front garden being South facing he's very hot. He'll just have time to have a soak and something to eat before the F1 starts, then he can relax for the afternoon. He didn't take much persuading when I suggested he stopped and came in and agreed straight away so it must be harder to dig the hard ground than I thought.

So you're having more problems with your keys now. Maybe it's time for a new laptop Frank. I hope Ros asks for help when she's at the tip, it sounds like she might be over doing things at the moment, it's not long since her op. Mind you from what you've told us about her I didn't think she'd sit down for long ;-)

Going to check the bath now, then go thorough lots of emails I've just received from Australia to do with my family tree. Apparently this family originated from Denmark. Someone in the family has made a book with lots of information and photo's in and the lady has just sent me the first half, she's hoping she can get hold of the second half this weekend so she can send me the rest. She also told me that familysearch have just put on lots of new records for Denmark today so I shall take a look at those once I have gone through the 32 pages she has sent me on the book. I still have more to go through from someone else that has sent me information a while back, so plenty to be getting on with.

See you all later.

Afternoon Everyone

I love all your pics Mel especially the aerial one of the gardens.The fish all look good there in the pond an the Woodpeckers are so cute. I get one of the Lesser Spotted on the window feeder sometimes ,and yesterday there was a young Green Woodpecker on the lawn.

Oh a cool bath sounds just the ticket Gill.I could have done with one just now after I got home from Morrisons.Boy it was hot in here . I went for some steaks that we may have tomorrow.I got 2 Rib Eye for Chris and me and a Sirloin for James.

Frank I am sure we will all be able to work out what you are saying :-D You must be really wacking the letters hard especially if you have managed to break one in half LOL . I think you are probably right about Ros's bladder being more relaxed at night and is why she is up and down .Lets hope it will all settle down .

We have the sprinkler on the lawn now .I just hope we arent in for any hosepipe bans. I think our reservoirs are a good 90% full (or so Chris heard on the radio),so hopefully we will be ok. But you never know if this weather carries on like it is we may well end up with a ban. Thomas has been somewhere where there are lots of sticky burrs . Chris said he looked like a small moving hedge coming up the garden :-D :-D.I have tried to give him a bit of a brush but he didnt want to know and has gone back in the study where it is cooler. Best place for him I think.

Lunch time I think .

Fantastic day here!! OH has been getting on with the roof, while I've been pickling!
We heard at lunch on the main news that people are being asked not to use hosepipes and sprinklers! There is a ban in NI which they're trying to avoid here. Tbh, for me, one of the bonuses of this hot weather is not having to mow!! so the browner the lawn the better!! We had a bore hole put in when we first came here so we're not on the mains for water or sewage (big saving) but even so, we don't want green lawns till it rains! (don't really want them then!!)
Bit breezy here today dried the washing a treat!

A walking hedge!! I can just imagine that. Poor Thomas and they are a devil to get out of a cat fur too. It was bad enough with the horses with them in their manes and tails but I remember when I had long haired cats and they came home with them stuck to them so good luck trying to get them out for Thomas.

I have just come in from the orchard where I have been cutting around the apple tree trunks but had to stop after doing 5 trees as I had a horse fly round me. I then had another ittle go at the gropund elder and pulled some pineapple weeds out of the tarmac. I also fed my fish so I think I have earned a rest now.

Mel ,I got quite a few burrs out and I think he has licked his fur a lot too .I have a really good cat brush which grabs things like the burrs so he is clear of them now(I think) :-D

Liz this is the first time we have had the sprinkler on.I think we are fine here to use it at the moment ,but I do know that other parts of the country are getting short of water.I'm not sure how much good the sprinkler will do as the ground os so dry.it will just tickle the top .
Chris has gone down the garden to sit on an old wooden bench with his book .It is shady there .James has come in as his legs were beginnning to burn. Thomas has got a big patch of shade at the side of the patio and I have come in to sit by the fan :-D
When I was a young girl I would have been down on the beach with Mum,Dad and Janice. Mum would have made up a big picnic and we would be there for the whole day dipping in and out of the sea ,making sand castles and rooting around in the rock pools and pestering for icecreams from the beach cafe :-D What wonderful days they were.

We would have been on the river as our house went down to the river at Abingdon. We had a punt that we used for picnics, swimming and even camping. When I was older I had small rowing boat that I used to go either on my own or with the dog and/or friends up and down the backwaters in. My Granny moved from Oxford to Sutton Courtney after she was widowed, and her house was right on the river too. In fact, I learnt to swim there!
As you say Jane, extremely happy days. My two remember happy summer days round my parents swimming pool, and sausages in rolls! I expect your Grandchildren will remember the same Mandy?!
The swallow family should be about to hatch - more excitement!! ;-)

One year when the swallows nested in oh's garage he took pictures of them and put them on a CD. I am not sure but I think he gave it to his sister who was a teacher at the time and the children in her class followed the swallows bringing up their chics. Now he has his big lathe in there he has put things up where they nested and when we have seen them going in there we have shut the doors as they would mess the lathe up and its so heavy neither of us could move it now. They even went in his filter shed again this year and he shut the door of that too. Old meany............but the wren had built that nest on top of the swallow nest from last year and then the wrens did'nt pick that nest. I think she must have picked one somewhere up the orchard side hedge as thats where I keep hearing her chattering away. She has only been here once for worms and then only took two away.

Oh is mowing and I am about to go and give the chickens and bantams some corn.

I hope my two will remember happy childhood .I think they will. I forget some of the things we did but am sure they will remember.(hopefully all good :-D )
Liz you really did have good times with your little boat . It was a bit of freedom then when us young kids could go off and do our own thing. I don't think it happens now which is such a shame. Chidren these days must miss out on a lot of things which are all so important in the part of growing up ,being allowed to just go off and explore the woods,countryside,or wherever on their own.Even going to the local shop .We had the freedom that the children now don't seem to have. :-(

Evening all,

Another beautiful day ,we have been giving the pool a good clean as i expect they will want a swim tomorrow .

Thomas looks all chilled out in the shade Jane ,our cat use to get lots of those old sticky buds in it's coat mum would spend ages trying to get them out of the cats coat .
Your washing up bowl sounds a good idea ,i hate it when you turn the bowl over and it's all greasy on the bottom and the handles on the side are a good idea too i have to get hold of the bowl on the corner to turn the water out .

Lots of lovely photo's from Mel ,hedge hogs having a good feed ,did you see on the news Fatty Arbuckle the hedge hog that weighed five pounds !! poor thing could hardly walk ,he's now on a strict diet :-D

I used to play in the river near our house ,on with the wellies and out with the fishing net and a jam jar to put the Stickle Backs in once i'd caught them .
The children love getting the fishing net out to try and catch a butterfly, mostly Cabbage Whites they never do as they are too quick for them and fly off.

You're so right Jane, my three g.children have never been allowed to do any of the things that I and my two took for granted. Going down to the village shop on their own, off to the swings, by themselves, we just never thought about it. When I was a child in the fifties, I, either on my own or with friends, went anywhere and everywhere without a thought, the park, the river bank (chased by cows!!) wherever!! Even at school, once you were 15 you were allowed to cycle down to Newbury at weekend's in two's! Once you were in the V1th form you could go out on your own whenever you had spare time! These days you'd probably never be seen again! This of course is why parents ferry their children everywhere! The main reason P has a car is that its safer than public transport, walking!! or cycling! As you say it is sad, as youngsters miss out on so much.

Hi all, Just popping in to explain the Gate saga. Harvey found the heads of two screws on the ground. They had rusted through. !!! He has moved the hinges over a bit both top and bottom and refitted the gate. He's also fixed the bathroom mixer tap that was working loose. So all good now. He has just left.

Oh, that's good news Frank that your gate is fixed now plus your mixer tap. That was nice of Harvey to help you. At least you now know what happened to the gate, just old age ;-) ;-) Did Ros manage down the tip, I've been thinking of her and hope she isn't over doing things.

OH is watering the gardens now it's gone cooler and I've just done the greenhouse again. I hope we don't end up with a hose pipe ban or it will take us forever doing it all with a watering can.

Poor Thomas being covered, at least he's clean now Jane. Loved the photo of him laying in the shade, he's not daft is he?

So the swimming pool is all ready for the children's next swim Mandy, you are all lucky, I could hear the neighbour's grandchildren playing in what sounded like a paddling pool this afternoon, giggling and having a great time by the sounds of it.

Yes, I used to go to the park on my own or walk through the woods when I was a child, but it's just not safe nowadays.

I've just been watching 4 little birds flying and jumping around each other on top of our fence in the back garden, they looked so cute playing together, OH thinks they may have not long fledged.

O I agree that children nowadays can't do the things we used to enjoy. Where I grew up was very near the River Roding and i wa salways over there either on my own or with a friend. We used to go blackberrying and make camps and the stables where I kept my pony was not far from the river too. Over the back of the stables there was some waste ground which we called the Humps and Bumps. It was all land fill from houses that were knocked down in manot Park. There was all sort of stuff over there and I still have a lovely two tone brown jug I found with a pewter lid. There was also the lovely york stone door step over there. They would be worth a fortune now.

If I went to my friends Jane Quick's house which was just by the school I went to as an infant and junior, we would go to the bit of waste ground behind the houses in the next road and make camps there too. It had a tiny stream running through it which was always a draw for paddling in the hot weather or making other little streams off it or daming it up and seeing how long the water took to break through the dam. All good days and memories. Laying on the big hill over the river Roding on hot days and reading ghost stories when I was oder. In fact my friend Lynda and I did just that just before we left school and oth had the truant man round. Mum had no idea I was just down the road and not at school. Boy did I get tokld off.

We also had a caravan at St Osyth beach. It was right on the beach and mum dad and I used to go down on a Friday night and spend the weekend there coming home on Sunday evening. Dad had a clinker sailing boat and I spent many a day just rowing up and down the beach or we would all take a picnic to Brightlingsea right around Point Clear. Once we had our picnic on the mud flats there and dad bit into an individual apple pie (remember those?) and bit a wasp in half and it stung him on his bottom lip. Dad always had a bad reaction to wasp stings and we had to sail back to the caravan. My friend Sandra was with us and she told my dad to swill his mouth out with seawater which he did and it helped a lot. We all got back safely and the bite on dads lip was'nt as bad as others had been so we think the seawater helped with that.

In St Osyth village was a priory and it wa ssaid that there was a man skin nailed to an outside door. How true this was I never knew. The gardens there were a real picture though. There was a little tea shop in that village on the cross roads that we use dto visit that did those lovely big milkshakes in tall glasses and when we went in there on a Saturday thats what I always had. They also did a mean Knickerbocker Glory in the same glass. Another favorite. I wonder if anyone still does those? Fruit, jelly ,icecream and cream with a cherry on top and a long handled spoon to get down to the bottom of the glass. O happy days.................. :-)

Morning all,

we have some very welcome rain here today in fact I really need the light on to see my keyboard properly. Its quite steady rain and the grass and box hedge will welcome it I know. There is no wind and its coming straight down. I have even had to turn the light on as it seems so dark in here. Ooooo and it will help to fill the pond up and the well.

I think the race is on at 1pm today so I must get breakfast for that time and that will keep him happy for today.

I shall try and finish these bookmarks I have been making. I was goingt o clean the chickens out today but I shall see how the weather goes.

Good morning Mel and all, I see you weren't busy chatting last night. I expect you were all sitting out in the nice evening warmth.

It's a grad day again here. I was awake at 5.00 am. Couldn't get back to sleep so got up. I opened all the doors and windows, and sat with my tea, reading my book. heroes the slightest of breezes here.

Both Ros and I took the rubbish to the tip yesterday morning, as the girls weren't going to Tesco until the afternoon. A very nice lad who works a the tip emptied the car, and took the rubbish up a steep ramp to tip into the containers. There was no way I could have climbed up that ramp, so he was a God send. I was only in shorts and T shirt, so had no money with me, or I would have given him a fiver for his help, even though i'ts his job to help.

I have spoken to my sister this morning. The meeting she had on Monday regarding HELPERS went off well, and they will be getting back to her. They did leave a very powerful magnifying glass, and a talking clock. She only needs to press a button and it tells the time.It must be terrible going BLIND poor thing.

I spoke with Simon (they are on the narrow boat) Sally has decided she is going back to work tomorrow, against Simon's wishes. But she knows what she is doing, being in the job that she does.

No watering here yet today, I will do it tonight while Ros watches POLDARK. I have never seen any of it, so won't miss it.

I see MESSI and RONALDO have gone home after loosing their matches yesterday. Both games were very entertaining to watch, and the better teams WON.

I trust you are all well and enjoying this weather. Will see you all later. xxx

Morning All

Oh crikey it is hotter than ever today. Mel I want some of your rain !!!!. I see thundersrorms are forecast for the south west today. I hope you don't get them.
I loved your descriptions last night of the things you got up to when you were a little girl :-D I havent seen a knickerbocker Glory for ages but imagine they still do them.

That was lucky you had help at the tip yesterday Frank. They don't always help like that. Your Sister will find that big magnifying glass and talking clock a great help.

I am sure Sally will be ok back at work Frank.At leat if she should become unwell again the right people will be on hand.

Well I cant type anymore as my hands are too hot and sticky. haven't seen Thomas since he wandered off about 6 last night. I hope he has found a nice shady place somewhere and comes back soon.

Thats really good you had help at the tip Frank. Some people are nice in this funny old world we live in now. Does your sister have to make her own drinks Frank? as I have this thing mum was given that you put on the edge of your cup or mug and when the water reaches it it tells you. Mum was always filling the cup too much and spilling it all over the worksurface. I will put it in the box with the pom poms when I send them and you can maybe send it to your sister.

The rain has eased off a bit now but the grass is benefitting from it and all the trees look cleaner and greener. No thunder yet but all the plants are looking better for the rain. It dos'nt matter how much you water with a hosepipe a few drops of rain do much more. The only thing that is really suffering here are my two Blueberry bushes. I had been watering them with the hose but they are acid lovers and also the Blackbird started ea\ting the berries before they were ripe so I covered the plants with fleece but the leaves on the top have burnt. They are starting to ripen now so I can soon release them from the confines of the fleece.

Jane somewhere I have some large glasses you used to get milkshakes in years ago and they would do for Knickerbocker Glories. I shall have to see if I can find them and do some!!!

Hope Thomas comes in soon as I know you worry when he stays out for a long while.

Well I better start getting this big breakfast ready as I think the race starts at 1pm.