General Chat

Evening All,

What a chilly day with lashings of rain after such a warm day yesterday.

Well done finding the glue Mel. Was it in that last place you thought of? The brooch is very pretty and the beads on the edge just set it off. The little purse is sweet too. Your stitches are so neat.

I bet Ros is pleased her neck is easier Frank. I wonder if lying in that position in the scanner a long time allowed her back joints to ease into position better so they didn't pinch the sciatic nerve? It'd good it's better anyway whatever did it.

Gill, you are a busy bee, like a little whirlwind getting on with all your jobs. While I'm thinking of getting something done, you do 6 jobs! lol. :-) I wish I didn't procrastinate so much these days. Having had a new place I don't think I would like an old place again either, although in general I think the older places have far more character.. We only paid £723 for gas and electric for the last year (they send us a notification now). We usually switch the central heating off after 15 minutes as gets too hot and the gas fire has hardly ever been switched on. Modern insulation means you don't lose much heat overnight either. It was still 22 degrees inside first thing this morning with no heat on. It was a revelation to me when we moved here that it could be both warmer and cheaper. Mind you, new places come with higher council tax and also water meters these days which can be expensive for watering the garden. They make us pay one way or another don't they.;-) :-S

Jane how strange it will seem after having a house full at Christmas. I like the idea of going out and have done a few times in the past. Someone recommended a place near here they went to last year but I'm blowed if I can remember it. I hate a lot of noise though, but I think OH hates the idea of no leftovers the next day more! lol.

OH is off to Oakham tomorrow and I would have gone with him to potter round the shops while he goes to his meeting, but no chance as I think I must have overdone the knee exercises last night! I think we may pop out for breakfast instead as he will be out at lunchtime.

Sorry to hear your knee is still playing you up Ann, it must be getting you down now, I hope it feels better soon for you.

Yes, I am a busy bee, I don't like sitting around doing nothing, I get bored to easily, so I'm always looking for things to do. I'm trying to find some things Sandra and I can make together for Christmas, maybe some paper baubles for the Christmas tree or a nice table runner. I do have the odd day off if I've done a lot on the run, just to recharge my batteries before starting again on something else LOL.

Our council tax is pretty high already because of where we live and there was also a water meter here when we moved in, so it seems we're paying highly for everything. The heat wave didn't help with having to water all our pots, as you know we have quite a few of them so our water bill, along with a few other bills, have now gone up quite considerably. Hopefully if we do ever buy an insulated property all our future bills will be a lot lower. I wouldn't mind paying what you pay, you're very lucky.

The one thing that does help is some silver backing on the walls behind all the radiators which I assume reflects the heat back into the room, but all our windows are very big which counteracts it by letting the heat back out again. We can't win can we?

Our property does have character though. Like you said older properties do, whereas new ones are more like little boxes with no character at all, plus we have quite a large garden which new builds don't seem to have. So there are some good points. I'd still like an insulated property if I had the choice though.

Morning all

Cold and damp here today, so we're going to wrap up warm to go to the shops.

Just heading off to get the insulation then we've decided to make a day of it and do a bit of Christmas shopping and visit MIL to give her, her birthday present and card. She's out on her birthday and the day before and after so there's only today to see her. Not sure if I'll be back on here today as we normally get back late once we get into the shopping.

Sandra's looking forward to going around the outlet village....not so much B&Q though LOL ;-) :-D

Morning all,

Have a nice time shopping Gill. I am sure B & Q may have some Christmas things already to keep Sandra occupied while you get the paper.

Dull and dreary here this morning so it sounds the same as Gill in Cheshire.

Forgot to say when I went out to the bin the other day there was a Heron on the back lawn by Prickly Bottom. It can't get at my pond anymore cos oh has put a net right over it as well as up the sides so my littleies are quite safe from the Kingfisher too.

Good morning Gill and all,

Horrible wet day here today, so we won't be going anywhere.

I didn't cook last night. Ros was feeling sick, and the neck started up again. As it was such a filthy evening, I couldn't be bothered to go out. Later, Ros fancied Beans on toast with bacon. I had a BIG SLICE of HAM ON THE BONE with cheese and pickle in a sarnie. So all being well it will be a roast tonight.

Talk about one good night and one bad, Last night was horrendous. I was in bed before 10.00 pm and slept straight away. I think Ros must have disturbed me when she came in, so I was in and out of sleep until 5.00 am. I did drop off for another hour and got up about 8.00.

Madam decided to change the bedding this morning, why pick a day like this I will never know, It will have to dry in the T/D which is in the garage, so I will be the one getting wet. :-P :-P

Got your pics this morning Mel. What a clever girl you are. xxx

Derby and Joan,for Christmas then Jane. There ar some excellent restaurants who do Christmas Dinners, without CHILDREN. I know Tony and Val. next door go out every Christmas for their dinner.

Gill, I think there are DAMP PROOFING companies, who drill and inject the bottom row of bricks on the outside wall, which helps stop the damp rising. Might be worth a phone call for an estimate.

Anne I think you are doing the right thing, and resting your knee. There is always another day to go mooching around the shops, and better weather. lol lol


Well after running the hoover round, I have nothing to do, so a nice quiet day (I HOPE) !!!

Put washing on the line and hoovered the bedroom hall his study and the kitchen.

Just having a coffee and then I am going to get lunch. I forgot to give oh his baked beans with his breakfast yestereday so I am going to have them for my lunch on toast.

Afternoon All,

What a dreary day here too and it was drizzling with rain earlier. OH has just rung me to say he has been left in an empty room for now, they even had to get him a chair, as the meeting can't go ahead just yet. They've left him on his own, no phone or anything and the security doors either side means he can't even get out to go to the toilet! He's there on an unpaid voluntary basis as well. :-S

I phoned the garage for the 3rd time in the last week to see if they'd heard from the manufacturer about agreeing my warranty claim for the roof strips. It seems the garage who they sent me to to get an estimate 3 weeks ago hasn't sent them one yet. :-S

Then I rang to book the assessment for my knees. The earliest were Feb/March next year in the city, but they do twice as many knee ops than the hospital at Nuneaton so I'd rather wait! I thought the assessment centre was for the whole area, but no, wherever your assessment appointment is is where your treatment will be.

I bet the Heron was disappointed to see your netting Mel! :-( It's good to know that your little babies are safe from him.

Frank, you aren't turning into a vampire are you with all this night activity? I sometimes wonder if I am with the sleepless nights, but you seem to have far more than me. :-D

We have had the Heron in the garden a few times lately Ann.

It is getting darker and darker here but its not raining yet.

I must fill up the bird feeders.

That seems a bit funny leaving G in a locked room, suppose he does need the loo? Can't G ring someone from the building ?

He could if he has their number in his phone Mel, which I doubt. I bet he rang me to check he could get a signal. He should have their number in his filofax in his briefcase though. He said to me 'what if there's a fire!' Hopefully he'll be in the meeting now, but it does seem to be a silly thing for them to do and he didn't find out he was locked in till after they left him. :-0

The Heron's still hopeful then. It must be like finding a lock on the fridge for him!

So OH was in lock down Ann !!!!!. That is pretty bad. I hope he didnt have to wait too long for the meeting to begin and that he went to the loo before he got locked in :-D

What a miserable day it is. Just that horrible wet drizzle and very dark. Even Thomas isnt venturing out. He poked his nose out the back door just now but decided it wasnt for him so is back on his bed. Chris is in th Summerhouse doing something . He was working on his speech for the wedding earlier but I think needed to do something different now .Probably a bit of painting.

The Heron must be pretty miffed Mel with not being able to get at your lovely little fish.
I know when my neighbours had their pond the Heron would manage to get his long beak through the grill .. (mind you the holes were quite big).
Just let me know when you post the card and I will give you a ring for instructions :-D

I hope Ros is feeling up to eating a tasty roast tonight Frank and that her neck is not too painful again. I don't fancy going out to one of these Pubs for a proper Xmas Dinner where they have crackers etc but just a nice meal of the A la Carte Menu. Chris would hate a Turkey and Tinsel meal out. I must ring the Pheasant.
Tonights dinner is something a bit different for me. I squeezed sausages out of their skins and made meatballs,fried them until brown and then to the pan I have added sliced garlic, dried Oregano ,sliced Mushrooms,Olives,tin of chopped tomatoes and beef stock. I have also done a big pan of lovely creamy mashed potato .There is a bag of spring greens needing using so we can have them with it. I hope it tastes ok.

A Faux Fur jacket arrived today but it will be going back. 1 there is no lining ,2 I think bits would get stuck on my dress and 3 I feel like a big Polar Bear in it :-S It is nice but just not for me. I shall keep the first cape/coat I got and will see about getting the back lined. I have found someone who does dressmaking on line so will give her a ring . I can't remember if I sent a pic of it.

Janice sent me a pic last night of Larry pressing apples. He took all of their eating apples from just the one apple tree that they had in pot to a local farm where you can press your own apples. (what a brilliant thing). He got 4 litres of juice! . Most they will freeze for Xmas. Janice said it tasted lush :-D :-D

Well he eventually came home and wasn't a happy bunny, even though there had been profuse apologies when they realised he'd been locked in! They'd already been sloppy not sending him the papers he needed to see beforehand. He said the roads were quite bad and slippery with all the fallen leaves and rain and there were lots of little unworldly Pheasants already mown down by vehicles.

That sounds a better idea Jane. I've already turned down an invite for lunch a week before Christmas as it will be all office parties, raucous and noisy by then with the obligatory crackers as you say and service between courses can take forever, plus it gets boiling hot! I wondered before whether you could get the jacket you like lined. It's worth asking someone. If it didn't spoil the look I would be tempted to take some of the beads off the back of the dress or put smaller ones on. It would be nice to see a pic of it. :-)

Gill I bet Sandra was really keen to get to the retail park, although B&Q should have some decorations as Mel said. I should have said before that there only being just 2 of us we can mostly cook in the little combi oven in the microwave which is cheaper to run than the big oven, we've no hot water tank and the heating is never needed overnight or while we are out, as it heats up so quickly when we come back. I think that's why we don't pay a lot.

I've stopped doing the new exercise I found for my knee as it's making it worse!

Morning all

Another dull day here but no rain, I've noticed it's started getting colder with quite a nip in the air in the mornings now.

Well, we had a great day yesterday and I managed to get ALL MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING done, so I'm really pleased. I will need to buy a selection box for Sandra as the ones I saw weren't very good, but apart from that I'm all finished. Sandra and OH want to get me a few more bits then they've finished too. I just need to wrap it all up now, but that can wait until after the insulation has been done. I'm going to do the outside wall in Sandra's bedroom as well and I think I might have enough insulation to do the whole of the spare bedroom, not just behind the bed, so plenty to keep me busy for a while ;-) Sandra will probably wrap her presents up straight away to and OH will probably do his on Christmas Eve, he's never in a rush lol.

We had the damp proof course done Frank, so no rising damp. I think the damp and mould problems we have are because our property is single brick built, the walls are very cold so when we have the heating on it causes condensation which in turn causes the mould. The insulation is made up of polystyrene with a lining paper on the front so you can paint or wall paper it. It's quite tricky to put up but keeps the walls from going cold on the inside which in turn stops the condensation. It's not cheap but really works and the rooms feel a lot warmer to as the heat doesn't go through the walls so much .

I think it might be a good idea to stop those exercises Ann if it's not helping your knee, you can't have them worse. B&Q didn't have any Christmas things out, it looked like they were just about to start as the shelves were empty and there were a lot of bits and bobs around, but nothing for Sandra to see. We weren't in there that long and she was so excited about going Christmas shopping she wasn't to bothered. I was thinking it was silly locking your OH in the room as like he said what if they'd of been a fire. I hope he didn't need the loo. The roads sounded pretty bad, but at least he got home safe and sound in the end.

I haven't seen a pic of your jacket either Jane, good idea to have it lined, I'm sure it'll work and look beautiful, better than looking like a polar bear lol ;-) ;-) How is your OH getting on with his speech for the wedding, is he nervous?

So the Heron is having a nosey peak around then Mel, he'll be so disappointed he can't get to your fish with the netting over the pond. OH saw one on our roof the other day and thinks it was after our neighbours fish.

Morning Gill and all,

So you all had a great time yesterday on your day out shopping then Gill. I bet Sandra was so excited.

Its dull and dreary here this morning and a bit on the chilly side with it. When I got up this morning and looked out of the bedroom window there was a squirrel rooting around the edge of the chicken run and then it came towards me and I spotted a movement out of the corner of my eye on the weeds by the dumper. On closer inspection it was a Wren and then another and then another. So three Wrens in all feeding around and under the old dumper and the weeds growing there. You don't often see three together only if its mum and the youngster after they leave the nest and then she is shouting at them all the time. I shall have to take my camera in with me when I go to bed but if I do I suppose nothing will happen out there. There are usually two or three crows having their breakfast in the chickens run eating up what the girls have left the night before.

Well must press on as its Donkey Day.

Well, the outside wall in Sandra's bedroom is completely stripped of all the wall paper now, so I'm just going to prep the wall and start on the insulation. I'm hoping to have it finished today so she can sleep in there tonight, so long as it's dry of course.

Yes, Sandra was very excited yesterday Mel and can't wait to do it again as she still has a few more things to buy. How lovely to see all those Wren's together, pity you didn't have your camera on you. Good idea to keep it close to hand though, but like you said the chances of it happening again are pretty slim, but then again you never know. Better to be ready just in case.

Just having a cuppa then I'll get back to Sandra's room. I'm thinking of moving the furniture around it there if there's enough room to move her bed to the other wall. I've got a feeling I might have tried it once before and the bed didn't fit, but I'll have a look and see anyway, just in case. It'll take her bed away from the outside wall where it might be a bit warmer for her. If not then it'll have to stay the way it is. Hopefully the insulation will make that wall a bit warmer for her and her radiators there to, so she won't be to cold. I've suggested she moves into the bigger spare bedroom, but she doesn't want to do that as she likes the way we did her room last year, which is fair enough it's her choice. So long as she's happy that's the main thing.

It's very quiet on here today.

I still haven't started the insulation. The wall needed a bit of filler so I've had to wait for that to dry. I've just sanded it down so now I can finally make a start.

My sister and mum called round so we were chatting for a while, but Sandra will be okay in the spare room for one night if needs be and I'll finish her room tomorrow if I run out of time today.

Sandra and her dad are making a bird table, she wants to encourage the birds in the winter, but we've noticed a cat mulling around so we don't want to put any food on the floor.

She's just come in, they have finished it and she wants to show it to me before they paint it. She's so excited. OH had her using a screwdriver for the first time, she was very nervous but managed to do a bit then her dad tightened the screws up for her. She's had a great time with him this afternoon and it left me to get on with her wall. I bet she'll have me putting the nuts we've got on it later when the paint dries.....bless her. I will have to explain to her that it might be a while before the birds eat the nuts as I've been told it doesn't happen straight away. I hope they don't take to long as I'm sure she'll be looking out every day now.

Well, I'd better go she's waiting to show me her handy work.

Well, what can I say.

THEY CHEATED.

Sandra got chatting with the daughter of our elderly neighbour and was telling her that she's making a bird table with her dad. Well, apparently she had a bird table down the bottom of her garden she was getting rid of and passed it to Sandra. All they did was put it on the stand they had made.

Sandra is giggling her head off at the moment, she thinks it's very funny. I must admit after saying what a brilliant job they had done, and they told me what had happened I found it funny too. It just needs painting now then it's finished.

She's so funny and makes me laugh all the time. At least they made the stand for it to go on. To top it all off I poured myself a vodka and coke before and she wanted one. I said she couldn't have one until she'd finished using the screwdriver as it was dangerous and I didn't want her to have an accident. When I went out to see the bird table I took my drink with me, while she was laughing she grabbed my drink and said "Thank you I'll have a dink now you said I could have one when we'd finished". Not only is she funny, she's cheeky with it LOL
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

Afternoon Everyone
Another dark and dreary day here :-S. Our drive way is covered in wet leaves from the big Mountain Ash and outside the front door there is a mountain of leaves. I will get them moved tomorrow .Its a mucky old job.

So you have got an awful lot done today Gill !!. Sandrs has had a couple of lovely days with getting her Christmas shopping and today spending time with her Dad making the Bird Table :-D. I bet she felt quite proud of herself using the screwdriver. Hopefully the birds will soon suss out the nuts and will come flocking ot the table. As you say it might not happen overnight .

Mel how lovely to see so many little Wrens together like that. They are such sweet little things. We have one or two about but not together. Our Squirrel has been busy trying to find places to bury food.It is quite a big Squirrel and very healthy looking. I am sure it is that one that is eating the sunflower seeds I put out for the birds :-S.
I spotted a huge rabbit down the garden earlier. Thomas was fast asleep in hte summerhouse !!I am glad he didnt see it really as I couldnt be doing with a chase and kill .

Chris has been out for lunch today with Sue so he wont need feeding tonight. I got 2 ready meals for James and Me . I nipped to the garden centre this morning to get some Pansies and Violas and half of the indoor part was all shut off as they are getting the Christmas Display ready.I could just see the top of it over the plastic sheeting they had hung up.It was chaos and the staff were looking rather fraught . So much work for them to get done . So I didn't hang around .
Fitz popped in this afternoon on his way home from seeing a film . He is going to Derbyshire (for the day!!!! ) tomorrow to see a cousin .He is not really looking forward to it as she talks for England and he can hardly get a word in edgeways.

It is so warm . Unseasonaly warm as they say.I am just in a thin short sleeved top.It feels strange to still be wearing summer clothes .I wonder what our Winter has in store for us??
The tumble drier has been going for ages today. I have just turned it off now .At least the laundry basket is empty :-D. Time for a cuppa ,I feel parched. No Frank today?

Oh cheeky minx :-D :-D :-D. Sandra had one over you there then Gill. Did you have to make another Vodka and Coke? :-D :-D. Enjoy :-D I might just pour myself a glass of wine . Cheers!

Yes Jane, she said she only had 2 sips. I said to OH they were big sips. She did leave me a little bit at the bottom of the glass, which was nice of her :-D She's just said she's had a great day, it's been ages since she spent time with her dad making something. OH is painting it now so Sandra can put the nuts on it tomorrow. I'm going to buy other things to, some mealworms and a fat ball. One of the screws is sticking out a bit on one side of the roof so we can hang a feeder or something off it to. I can't tell you how excited Sandra is, she's like a kid in a sweet shop with a beaming smile on her face.

I didn't get around to starting the insulation as it got to late with having visitors, so I will do that tomorrow. Because her room isn't damp with wall paper paste she can sleep in there tonight which has pleased her. Otherwise we would of had to find her somewhere else to sleep for the night.

The bird table is looking good now OH is painting it, he's used some of the green paint we had for the fences in the front. Sandra's watching him. I was wondering what we were going to put in that space as we had an Acer there that needed moving for the winter, now we have a bird table and it's right where Sandra can see it from the living room window, but far enough down the garden so we don't disturb the birds. It's also far enough away from anything the cat can jump from. We have one of the neighbours cats mulling around and we don't want it to get to the birds.