General Chat

You'd think I'd won the lottery the way I've been spending money this morning. £45 plus tip for my hair, she has done it nice, we will see how I manage it, not sure it was really worth almost triple what I normally pay. Then I bought a pair of boots and saw another pair I liked so I bought those too :-D.

Hope OH's operation goes well Mel and that you are able to bring him home today.

I won't pack until the weekend but I have an idea of what I am taking in my head, it's a bit tricky as we will be at the airport at 5.00 am and it will be cold so jeans and boots but then it could be really warm when we arrive, Will just have to change in the loo :-0.

Sounds like you've had a gastronomic weekend Frank, good job I wasn't there, I would have been pinching all the chocolates from the kids

Must see if I can finish those curtains after I've had lunch.

Afternoon all,

Just a quickie, haven't been connected to the www all morning (fault) off to hospital in 10 minutes.

Ros has done both the lawns this morning, they look great considering it's her first time.

Her flowers arrived at 10.00 am this morning. Better late than never. There were enough to fill three big vases, so she well pleased.

See you a bit later. with good news I hope. !!!

Morning/Evening All

Just a quick call in now as I need to pick up a couple of things from the cleaners and then get over to Geddington (that is Nigels little Salon) for my haircut.

Mel I know you have gone now but hope OH's OP goes fine and that you manage to drive home safety in his car.I'm sure you will :-D

I couldn't get on here last night as I had no connection to internet.

Hi Shirl if you are peeking in. <3

Frank did you play on the bouncy castle ;-).I bet it was quite a noisy party with all the little children lol.

Right must fly .BB this afternoon

Morning Everyone, Evening Kim

Well I'm first on this morning :-D, Cloudy day here but quite mild.
It's time to get the fire guard out of the loft, because Matteo is on the move, he was crawling all over the carpet yesterday and heading towards the fireplace, we don't need the guard to stop him burning himself YET but we have brass looking knob's on our fire and they are shiney and they were attracting him,
he was very pale looking yesterday , keeps coughing which is exhausting him it's because of his teeth , you can here him wheezing :-|

OH busy working today, arranging his flight for tomorrow off to Barcelona , I told him to watch his wallet this time he won't be back till Thursday night.

Hi all, I'M home.

We set off this morning to pick up Julia, Harvey and Lewis had already gone to football.

The "PUB" where the party was, was very old, and dismal. We had a back room with a bar and a door to the patio with tables and benches.

Because there were so many young Mums with children, they had done it out like a play room. Ball pit, slide soft matting and lots of soft toys.

As the day was so nice we managed to find a bench and seats outside. My biggest troubler was, the toilet was through the bar, up SEVEN steps across another bar and through a door and down SEVEN steps. Good job I left plenty of time before wanting a Pee. After that episode, I used the LADIES on the ground floor. ROS stood on guard, after making sure no one was in there. :-D :-D :-D :-D. The food was all finger bits, pork pies, crisps, onion ring things, loads of chocolate bits for the children.

I noticed in the bar a chap sitting there with a HUGH bowl of Vegetables in front of him, and then a plate full of ROAST BEEF and Yorkshires arrived with Roast pots and Parsnips. There was enough to feed a family. He tucked into it, and I had to ask, "What price that lot" £9.95. It appears the locals tell the landlady during the week that they will be in for Sunday DINNER, and she prepares it. We thought of ordering dinner for FIVE when the party was over. But she couldn't accommodate us Good job really, as I could never have managed it. !!!!

We left about 4.30 pm, got home, had a doze, and that was my day.

Ros has just bought in a Jacket potato. which we will eat while Downton is on.

Ann he only told me yesterday. We have to go in his car as he finds it difficult to get in mine now!!

Downtons on!!!



May not get on in the morning as we have an hours journey and his appointment is 10.30am. Only there for the day hopefully.

Night night.

Mel, you should have driven it around a bit this week to get used to it. My OH's car is long and wide too, it's parking it that I find tricky.......just take your time in it. Best wishes to Steve for tomorrow......will he be staying in more than the day?

Jane, what colours did you settle on for the lounge? I remember you saying you couldn't decide which of the patches you liked. We had fish smell all over the house last night.......OH's Sardines and my Haddock in parsley sauce!! Not nice this morning either. :-S I'm surprised you haven't started packing as well......I usually start chucking underwear in my case a week before. OH is like yours and does his own packing, usually the morning we go away!! :-0 I'd never dare leave it that late, but I suppose it is a lot easier for men, they don't have the variety of clothes or colours we ladies have.

Evening All,

Well it's been a glorious sunny day here and very warm..........back in my long shorts today!! :-)

OH's toothache has almost gone now thanks Mandy. Just a few more antibiotics to take then another visit to the dentist soon to see whether they do a root canal filling. I'm glad the bunnies are behaving now........hope they keep it up till Friday. :-) I have even managed to wash clothes without putting the soap in........couldn't understand why they weren't clean till the penny dropped!!

The teacher had done flowers with buttons and wire for her bunting triangle. I may do some wire and bead butterflies or some bees for mine......will have to see what other ideas I have.....I want to keep it simple, quick......and not use too many beads!! :-)

Frank, where do you manage to put all this food..........and more today as well!! It sounded very nice though and good to have things to pick at!! Young Lewis has the right idea doesn't he!! ;-) lol.

Sounds like you had a good time at the 90th birthday do Fiona and lasted longer than you thought you would. I bet the gift will give him a lot of pleasure in the future too.

Jane, I have always done most of the decorating......as well as clean the mess up!! Not sure how much more I will do in the future though now I don't climb up steps as easily. OH says just to get someone in, but I have always enjoyed doing it before.

I've just booked up to see Steeleye Span in December. That should be a lively night!!

Looking forward to DOWNTON tonight!!!!! :-D :-D

Good gracious Jane with a sewing needle :-D :-D :-D
You had a good choice of colours for the lounge Jane , i like the ones you have picked .
I for got to take the camera with me to get a photo of the bunnies ,i'll try to remember tomorrow ,there's quite a few holes where they've had a go at burrowing out , i noticed the daughter had laid a few logs of wood in the holes :-D and the hole where they escaped has been covered with a piece of wire mesh !!

Yes i'll be a happy bunny when the kitchens all done ,glossing all done now , we have the kitchen doors off ready for painting and staining so hubby has put chairs and steps in the doorways so Toby doesn't push his way through and get covered in gloss !!
There's new kick boards to go on and the new socket fronts too ,which the electrician said he would come and do last week ,but we're still waiting !!
Then i think that's it ,we just need to buy a couple of tall stools to go under he breakfast bar bit.

Did some weeding and cutting back a bit this afternoon ,it was so hot out there i came in and got in the shower to cool off, fancy dong that in september !!
It looks like it will be a nice all next week too.

Mel ,why carn't you take your own car tomorrow if your worried about
driving OH's ? hope all goes well for his op on his hand tomorrow .

Looking forward to the new series of Downton tonight :-D

I'm glad Fiona managed to stay till 9.30 and enjoyed all the tim eshe had at the party.

Did the chickens ......gosh you should have seen the red mite in there. Frank will know what I mean with it being so hot and dry for a long while they have run rife in there. I had to paint the perches with sunflower oil and especially the ends and the piece of wood which makes the nest boxes darker. Took all the wood shavings in a bag over the side of the orchard and set fire to it so burning them all up..........good. :-D

Maureen I have a set of curtains my sil brought down for the caravan. They all need shortening. Why can't one of the others do it????????? I have already made them when we first had it. Think I may just bung the old ones in the washing machine with a dye and hope they stand it. Tjhe only thing that is wrong with them is they have faded in the sun as the caravan faces south.

Yes I'm with you there Jane, no matter what the weather we'll be on holiday, no cooking, no ironing, no cleaning for a week.

Blow a bit of the sun this way would you it's really dull here.

I don't know where I got the knowledge for sewing, certainly wasn't from school, the sewing teacher didn't like me, well I did use to play up a bit ;-) all she allowed me to do was knit dishcloths on those great fat needles and what looked to me like string.

OMG I am so hot.(sorry Maureen but the sun is shining and it's boiling).My Bird feeder that is stuck on the window just dropped off.I think the heat has made the suckers lose the suck .All the Fat sticks scattered everywhere.I had to sweep them up as I don't want the mice and Rats after it.The Patio thermometer is showing 40 .I know it is in a bit of a sun trap but that doesn't sound quite right to me.
Maureen it does look like we will be getting just the same kind of weather.But then Chris looked up on one site and he said it looks dry !.So who knows .Just wait and see I think. :-DI don't care what it's like...I will be on holiday :-D :-D

All you people who sew!!!!! I'm just about to try and sew a button on a shirt :-S .Have to find the eye of the needle first :-| :-|

Poor you David, I hope now the fluid has drained you will be feeling a lot more comfortable, I guess the older we get the longer things take to heal.

Phew Frank, you must be bursting at the seams with all that lovely food, glad you are having a good time, lots of cake today at the party.

So you've got all the sunshine Mandy, I wondered where it had gone, it was supposed to be sunny here today. Your hubby is so good, doing all that work, my friend's husband is a builder and she says their house is always at the bottom of the list.

Please keep sending me photos and e.mails, I can't see them at the moment but I will get this hotmail sorted eventually, and would love to see the bunting Ann when it's finished.

Katherine must be feeling happier Fiona even though it's just a few hours a week it will give her a bit of structure to her week and help in future job interviews. To think when we were her age we could walk into practically any job, although my mum always instilled in me you never leave one job until you have another but there weren't any shortages of jobs around.

I have the sewing machine out, I bought some material at the boot sale yesterday and am making curtains for the art room and some different material for the spare bedroom, all for a few quid.

The long range forecast is doing the same with Granada Jane, at first it was showing 26/27 for beginning October now it's gone down to 22/23 and possible rain somedays, don't know why I'm bothering to look :-0 Oh well we can always do some sightseeing on the rainy days.

oh oh dopey Mandy lol.I don't think I have done that before.I know I have forgotten to turn the machine on a few times,and then wondered why they felt so dry when I went to take the clothes out.
Have you blocked up the holes the bunnies dug? They might be busy burrowing away again :-S :-S.Friday is still a long way off before the owners get home.Fingers crossed all will be fine until then :-D

I have a hungry hoard here champing at the bit for food.But as i say every time .It will be ready when it is ready :-D.It takes longer with Hannah here as she doesn't eat Beef ,so I have a small Turkey Breast for her but it is cooked at a different temp .They will just have to be patient. Chris is going to drive her back to St Albans later to save her getting the train to London and then another to St Alb.

Mandy you be as happy as Larry when you finally get your kitchen finished.I'm sure it is going to look great.Will you be happy as a Pig in Muck ? as the saying goes :-D
I am really not looking forward to all the mess again with our decorating.Just seem to get straight and then it all kicks off again .

I must start sorting clothes tomorrow .I need to make a list :-D.Hannah is surprised I haven't already started.She said I used to start packing a week or so before ,but as I said that was when I was packing for her and James too(years ago).I never have anything to do with Chris's packing.He does his own.

I think food is just about ready now :-D

Afternoon All,

Been busy this morning and am just going to clean out the chickens.

I have to drive oh's car back from the hosp tomorrow and I am not looking forward to it as I have never driven it before and it's huge compared to mine.

Afternoon all,

It's just like a summers day here ,lovely warm sunshine.

All present and correct on the rabbit front this morning !! no more holes dug thank goodness , think i'll have to send Toby round to keep guard !! LOL ,they come home on friday so not to long to go .

Frank what a spread !! shouldn't think you'll be wanting much to eat today :-D :-D have a good time at the party .

We wondered where you had got too David ,dear oh dear not another hospital stay, i hope they can get you sorted out, you really have had a time of it haven't you !!

Ann, i'am looking forward to seeing the bunting , it will be interesting to see what each person comes up with :-)
How is OH's tooth ache now ?

Fiona you did well to stay till 9-30 you must have been enjoying your self ,fancy him remembering all the names of the children .

Hubby is painting , nearly done now , gloss going on !! :-D then i can have one good clean up and get things back in place .

Well i did a daft thing this morning , i put the washing powder and comfort in the drawer ,turned the machine on and i thought the washer was making a real sloshing sound :-S ........... i then realised why ......i hadn't put the clothes in :-S :-S :-D :-D

Parties all round at the moment lol
Ah bless him Fiona.He is going to remember that special party :-D.Good that you managed to stay longer than you thought you would too.He must have been very touched to have been given such a lovely gift.

Frank you will soon be worn out with all your galavanting .It sounded like a smashing evening ..Lewis and the Jam making kit made me chuckle lol
It's a lovely day now for another party.Hope you all have a nice time :-D

I have had to get the fan out again and put on one of my tops I had all ready for Venice.It was hot in bed last night too.(not in the naughty sense either) Just had the sheet on top and the duvet was turfed right off.

Mandy I hope your Sister's last night at work wasn't too emotional .She will be feeling like Chris now .I suppose it is just a bit of time adjusting to a different way of life.

I'm worried now that we haven't heard anything from William for so long :-(.It's not like him to be away for so long.

afternoon all

Sunny here, and mild,

Well I had a lovely time at the 90th birthday party last night and even surprised my self that I managed to keep going till 9.30pm and then phoned OH to come and get me. Mr Thompson (nursery Caretaker ) was delighted with his photo frame and childrens pictures, he rattled of the kids names as so it was only yesterday,
He recognised us all by name and loved all the hugs we gave, But his body is slowing right down and where once he was a very agile (?) man is now bent and slow in moving, though he did do a turn around the floor with his daughter, he was always dancing with the children, and liked to show us his Scottish dancing at our ST Andrew's Day Parties, (brings tears to my eye's when I think how fast life goes) but he has done very well to be here at 90 <3 <3

Morning all/Evening Kim,

You lot don't half natter when I'm not around :-D :-D

Can't remember all that's been said, Could be I'm a bit hazy.

We had a great evening, our table was ready when Conrad and I arrived, we ordered our drinks, as Harvey Julia and Lewis arrived. They had just ordered their drinks when Jan and Ros arrived.

We went for the" eat as much as you like "Menu. I thought they had gone mad with all the starters they ordered, You couldn't find a spot on the table with all the dishes. But they all got EATEN

Then we started on the Crispy duck as the second course. Must have been TWO DUCKS loads of cue and spring onion, plumb sauce and two box's of pancakes. Conrad had Lettuce wraps with mixed veg, as he can't eat pancakes.

The main courses were huge, many of which were the sizzler's, and the smell was everywhere. Again I was surprised by how much was eaten. But I give the restaurants TOP MARKS for leaving us time between courses, to pick at what was left on the table.

We were left to sit a natter, and didn't leave till 11.00 pm.

Ros had presents to open from Harvey and family when we got home. One was a massive solar light, that changes colour every few minutes. Lewis (little Bugg##) bought (yes he bought) a JAM MAKING KIT. He loves his nan's jam, and thought this presents would be ideal for her to make Jam JUST FOR HIM in his own jars <3 <3

Must away to get dressed, as we are off to another Party, and have to collect Julia by 12.45 pm in Toddington. It's the babies 1st birthday. !!!

Morning/Evening All
from a worn out me.Chris had real trouble sleeping last night which meant I too hardly got a wink :-S.The thought now of cooking a big roast is making me feel a bit queasy .Everything stinks of Curry from last night so it is good that the weather is nice and I can have all the windows and doors open.

David I hope you have had a comfortable night and that there is no more build up of fluid in your leg.I imagine you will be on IV antibiotics .

Hope your evening out was a good one Frank and that everyone had a great time.

Ann I remember you saying about those railings before.I wonder if the will be replaced AGAIN or whether they come up with something different !

Must go and buy some fresh veg and potatoes.The potatoes I have are growing eyes and ears :-S