General Chat

Evening Kim and morning all.

A very damp morning here, woke up about 3 times last night then had a job getting off again.

KIm I glad they manged to find a vein ok eventually..My heel is a lot better now but noticed it yesterday when I went out in a pr of shoes with backs.

Christmas tree is now up ..
Forgot to tell you all we have a fish tank inside now..aquarium... We bought 6 fish last sat that was all the man would sell us .We had the water in the tank for alittle while and Alan tested it with the kit he had for the pond outside. Next week we can go back and buy some more. We have to take a sample of the water too...We want to by some plecos but there has to be enough bacteria ? in the water for them..They keep the water clean..lol.I dont know the name of the fish we will write them down next week when we go back..We have 2 blue ones 2 orange and 2 see though with a red line going though their backs .. watch this space.

Morning All,

Dull and dreary here today.

Oh off ringing.

Fed up.

Morning to one and all

Fiona ,that's good you are feeling better today.
Poor you Mel ,no wonder you are fed up.I take it you haven't heard anything .

Kim what a shame those vandals wrecked your neighbours lights.As you say where is their Christmas Spirit.They probably drank it all :-S :-S

Frank I think that recipe would be just as nice with Chicken instead of Pork and White wine instead of the Cider.I think I will try that next time.

Oops must go .James is dressed and we are now off to get the Tree.
BBL

Pat sounds like they are tropical fish. Fiona's hubby keeps them in a huge new tank. Ones with the red line sound like cardinals. Have the blue ones got white stripes? If so they could be zebras, a little fish that likes to shoal (sp).

Frank....we live in Leagrave Luton which is about 8 miles. from Toddington where your son lives....We live close by the station..

Mel....sorry forgot to mention they are tropical.Has the heater set in there..

The blue ones dont have white lines though them...the see though ones seem to follow each other like a shoal sp correct.. I would be nice to know what we have...find out next week..Be back later going to hop in bath and put wahing machine on lol

B U###R I just lost half hours post.

Frank does it go when the error page shows? I find when that happens if I just press the back arrow twice it will bring me back to the page but won't show my post.But then if I click on post date it will then say post added and there it is.

Well we now have the tree.Lawks what a price they are this year :-S.Chris has lopped off a bit of the trunk and it's now waiting to go in the holder and brought in through the patio doors.James is supposed to be doing that for me .I wonder how long I will have to wait :-| :-|.Have just plugged the lights in with baited breath and (phew) they are still working.

Frank was Warkton Garden Centre open when you lived here?On Warkton Lane.I have a feeling they may have shut.The gates have been shut and padlocked for the last week.They seem to have done a lot of improvements lately and expanded,but I never saw many customers.Maybe they have gone under :-S.I got our tree at Boswor*** in Burton L.Did think about going to Beckworth Emp,but couldn't be ar*** to drive that far today.We always used to go to `Poddingto*.

Well I am shouting up the stairs for James .I can feel the grumps coming on lolol.Once I have the lights on the tree I will be happy.I just hate that part.
I think I can hear James coming down so I will grab him quick :-D

Tree is in and up,but it is on a tilt at the moment.Just waiting for the branches to open out and settle before touching it.A bit of cardboard under the feet of the front of the base I think to even it up.We don't want to start undoing the clamps again.I reckon I will probably end up decorating it properly tomorrow.
Must remember to put WATER in the base!!!!

It has suddenly got quite dark now.I think that rain may not be far away :-S :-S

James and I saw Fitz at the garden Centre.He was after bits of cut off branches as they decorate the brickwork around the fire with those pieces.Their house always looks so nice a Christmas time.It takes Georgette 2 days to decorate the big tree!!She has hundreds of quirky tree decs.

Pat I don't know anything about tropical fish other than they are so relaxing to watch.I have noticed at the hospital in a couple of waiting rooms they have tropical fish tanks.Also in my old Doctors Surgery they had one.Maybe it is a way of stress busting .

Chester is stretched out in front of the fire snoring away :-D :-D.I feel I could join him .

Afternoon All,
Jane, your Normandy Casserole is quite similar to my Somerset Pork one! Mine has pork, mushrooms, onions, mustard and creme fraiche like yours and that gives it a really scrummy basis doesn't it. Mine has a sliced apple, garlic, ginger, a bit of sage and sometimes apricots and a squirt of tomato paste. I think I will try yours too as a change. OH is not mad on celery, but would love the lardons and I bet he would polish it off, celery and all!! It has always been my standby for visitors as you can do it in advance.

It is obvious I don't notice a thing when I have met up with you........didn't even spot the wind farm the first time, now the paintwork!! lol

Kim, glad they managed to get some of your blood and best wishes for Tuesday.....taking a dvd to watch sounds a good idea......will help pass the time. It does make me cross when these mindless people spoil what people do to make things nice. Trouble is, I bet they go home and their parents don't have a clue and wouldn't dream they could do such things.

Pat, I'm envious!! I'm still hoping to get a small aquarium, but want to finish the garden first. I want a shoal of the Cardinals Mel has mentioned. If yours are those, they will have a metallic blue/green stripe above the red or they could be Neons if they are partly silver and red. I kept tropicals in the past for quite a few years and loved to watch them. Your orange ones might be Platys or Swordtails. Fiona's husband has several tanks I think??

Our nearest garden centre just down the road has cleared a huge area at the side either to extend the building or car park. They have just bought another garden centre at Ullesthorpe too. The garden centres around here don't seem to have been noticably affected by the recession.

Well, I'd better get my duster and tickling stick out and start in the conservatory before OH gets back and we get the boxes and tree out of the loft. Kim, I am VERY careful with the loft these days. A few years ago I was hoisting myself in off the top step of the ladder and the ladder lifted upwards and swang forwards away from me leaving me dangling from my elbows that were resting each side of the opening. With a lot of difficulty I managed to hoist myself up with my arms and get my bum over the edge. It was a boiling hot day in July, hotter still in the loft and I was up there for over 2 hours, no drink and no mobile. OH wasn't staying away, thank goodness, but wasn't due home for over 6 hours. I couldn't risk trying to jump down as it was only 3 months since I'd had a hysterectomy!!! What a pickle! In the end I worked away at lifting where the ladder hinged and hanging through the hole headfirst to reach the catches that would release where it slid together and eventually managed to drag the ladder vertical but not further to where it should be. I was so careful getting down as it wasn't in the right position and could have easily swung forward again. Now I usually send OH up there or go up when he is around. :-D

Pouring with rain here now!!

Ann ,I think is funny you say you don't remember the wind farm when you were here as we talked about it when we drove past lolol.I think you were in charge of map reading then though as we went to see Maureen.Don't worry about not noticing the colour of my paint work .It is looking very wishy washy now and tired.It will be covered in muck from the fire too :-| :-|

You must wondered how on earth you were going to get down from the loft!!!!>That would have been a great clip on Youtube ;-) ;-).You must have some strength in your arms to pull yourself up like that.

I think I have got the lights sorted now on the tree.I pressured James into winding them around and have just been fiddling with them for ages.I keep giving them a tweak .Now I need to dig out the baubles and beads,and find the fairy.I have been sniffing to see if I can get the scent of the tree.Nothing :-|.Maybe it needs to warm up a bit.
Not our usual Sunday Meal.......Sausages and tray baked roast veg.New Pots,carrots,parsnips.Then I will do sprouts and mix them in with the left over Lardons from yesterday with a bit of butter(not healthy I know) but tasty.I would like to go and pick some Thyme from the garden but it is raining and very dark ,so will give that a miss.

I bet Frank is looking forward to the final of the XF (NOT).I am .I think it could be Little Mix who win ,but then the young lad (can't think of his name )
is very good too.

My oh thinks Marcus will win. I am not too sure but I bet they all get on in the music world and sometimes it is better not to win and be governed by others.

Made my spicy cakes for oh this afternoon. 27 of them! tHAT SHOULD KEEP HIM QUIET FOR A WHILE. Blast hit the cap lock. Sorry.

Wish my tree was up Jane. OH hates Christmas and he is a proper old humbug.

I love it and the wreathes start it all off for me but they take time and it is either earn a bit or put the deccies up. I earn a bit!!

Ann I was thinkjing of platies for the orange ones. I used to like the black mollies and guppies. Loved to watch as they had their babies and pop themn into a little netted tank so the others did'nt eat them. The guppies have such lovely colours. Has anyone ever seen them in the wild??

Mel ,Chris is a bit of a wet blanket when it comes to Christmas.He can't be doing with all the preparation stuff going on.But then come Christmas day he is fine.
I have the baubles on the tree now ,just need some sparkly things and the mini crackers that I seem to use every year .Need to have another delve into the boxes.
I can't be bothered now tonight ....that is tomorrow morning's job :-
I can hear the rain on the windows now.It sounds quite heavy.

Evening everyone,

Had a busy day ,family came this morning for coffee, it was nearly lunch time when they went , so much for getting our jobs done and having a lazy afternoon !!
Hubby has put the outside Christmas lights up ,we usually have a real tree with lights on out the front ,but they were such a price this year we decided not to have one , i tried all the lights before hubby put them up ,once he had them up some of the bulbs needed replacing !!!!! and there he was up the ladder just as it started to rain !!! but he soon got them sorted .

Kim , hope all goes well for you on Tuesday with your scan, good idea taking a DVD to pass the time away .
What a shame about your neighbors lights ,some people carn't leave any thing alone !!! will they be able to put them back ? or are they damaged ?

Oh my word Ann, stuck up in the loft !! it reminded me of the film Christmas Vacation ,with Chevy Chase ,he got stuck in the loft and ended up watching some old cine films , a very funny film .

Well i hope you soon hear whats happening about your Solar Panels Mel, i would be getting quite worried by now not hearing any thing !!!
You would have thought they would have at least rung and told you whats going on !!!

I'd like Marcus to win , i think the girls will be ok, according to the papers they might be the next Spice girls !!! so they probably have a record deal already lined up .

Steak tonight and a nice bottle of red.

I'm a little teapot,
Short and stout,
Here's my handle'
Here's my spout,
When the kettles boiling,
Hear me shout,
Tip me over and pour me out...............

Don't know why I thought of that but just had to send it to you lot.

I hope you did the actions too Mel ;-).Just can see you with your hand on your hip and the other arm bent in a very 'camp' way lol

Mandy Love your tree.Mine is no further on than just the baubles :-S
I'm waching the Final now of the XF,and am rooting for LITTLE MIX.But who knows who will win.

Jane, before I went into hospital for my operation I was doing exercises lying on the floor and pushing myself up and down with my arms to get in a sitting position. I thought it would help me sit up after my operation as you can't use your tummy muscles. It did help a lot, but little did I know I'd be needing my 'popeye' muscles in the loft soon after!! I haven't seen that film Mandy. I was so glad OH wasn't away at the time. If he was, I thought I'd have had to cut the felt from under the tiles somehow and try and push a tile or two off. Can you picture it......me with my head poking out the roof shouting 'Heeeelp!!!!' lol. Ever since then I keep my mobile with me when OH is out.

Mel, I used to do that with my baby Mollies. Lovely velvety black fish and they never bothered the other fish. Guppies come in so many varieties of colour don't they. The last time I looked at a tropical fish shop there were so many new varieties I hadn't ever seen. How big are your 'baby' fish now?

Mandy your tree looks very nice with it's frost.....Chelsea obviously loves it too! lol I have never had outdoor lights, but would love to light up a tree outside if only I had a small one.

I will hopefully putting my baubles on the tree tomorrow. OH gets excited every Christmas......was rubbing his hands together today with a big grin on his face!! lol He's not keen on the shopping part if it's busy, but loves the decs all being up and hates it when they have to come down.

Evening All

Been busy on Scotlands People doing some research for Shirl on her ancestors in Dundee, unfortunatly I have tried several times to find them on the 1911 census but to no avail, I have found them in Birth ,marriage certs and death certs but not on the census, very anoying I have changed christian names to nicknames but no they just don't want to be found in 1911 lol

Thanks for the photo's of you & your sister Jane , looks like she had fun with her blow up walking frame,

Nice photo of the Christmas tree & Katie, Mandy.

Evening all,
It's my time on computer, It's the last hour of X factor for another year THANK GOODNESS.
I think I know why I loose my postings. The delete key is just above by backspace and to the right. As I use my dodgy hand to use the backspace key, I must sometimes catch the delete button. Very annoying as it takes me so long to type with my one finger !!!!

I was saying this morning, I had a simmer for my 60th birthday. A girl at work borrowed her Aunts and wrapped it up, and gave it to me. Little sod.

Kim, I think Franks Law should reign in Australia also. I would teach the YOBS, they can't do this sort of thing. Hope all go well on Tuesday. How long do the tests take ??? Quite a while if you can watch a DVD !!!

Ros, bought new lights for the front this year. Put them on last night and a load of them have stopped working. I took them down this morning and she took them back. Haven't anymore like them. So got a credit note, as she couldn't find the receipt. Went all over town before she could find some she liked. They had to go up before the rain came. and didn't it come !!!!

Seemed to have got warmer this evening, I have turned the heating down, and sitting here in my light dressing gown.

Jane, I think Warkton Lane G C had been there back in the 70s. Not very big, as I remember. So like so many, start off with nothing and keep expanding. Didn't know Bosworths was still going, do they still sell ROSE BUSHES. Bought some there when on Barton Road.
Glad the tree is up, and getting sorted. Chris will get in the mood when you get your "MOTHER CHRISTMAS" frock on. and start cooking Christmas dinner.!!!!

Any news today Mel, ??? You enjoy your bottle of RED. I'm having a few "AMBER NECTERS" tonight. They were on offer in Tesc# so Ros treaded me.

Ros had tropical fish for years. Then when Conrad was in Clacton working. He decided he wanted one, and bought no end of fish. When he left the job and the bungalow that went with it. Where did he decide to bring it. YES back to us. It took up the whole top of a sideboard. We kept it a few years, and passed it on to friends.

Ann I can just see you sitting in the loft with your legs dangling through the hatch. You could have shouted throught the tiles, and hoped somwone heard you.

X Factor almost over so will go and watch a bit of tele.

Good night all.