General Chat

Oh dear David, more setbacks for you.......2 steps forward and one back. I was beginning to wonder if you had perhaps fallen or something. You must have been in a lot of pain if all that fluid needed draining off. I hope it feels easier now. I bet neither you nor Ellen will forget this year in a hurry!! I hope you are soon able to go home again, you must be sick of that place by now. :-) <3

Fiona, that is good Katharine being offered a couple of hours a week to help out. It will give her a bit of purpose and sense of usefulness as you say. It will be more experience to go on her CV too. ;-) When I used to interview people for jobs, some of those that hadn't worked for a while got the shock of their lives when I asked them to describe what they did in a typical day, and what skills they were gaining while not working ;-) The things she is doing may not seem much, but they all count.

Mandy........your kitchen nearly finished........ :-D :-D!!! I loved it when mine was finished and I'd got it how I wanted. I bet you can't wait to get all straight and clean up in there. Our neighbours are having their kitchen done and I had to run out yesterday and ask a big Aga lorry that had just pulled up to back up so I could get my car out to go to my class. I bet your sister will be fine after a week or two when she starts enjoying doing things she hadn't time for before. It will be seeing the old folk get upset at the prospect of her not coming anymore that will be hard. When mum retired and her ladies had all moved to new places, after a few weeks one of them packed her suitcase, got on a bus and came back. Mum was shocked to see her, but she said she liked it better at mum's so had decided to come back!! lol. Mum had a devil of a job convincing her that she had now retired!!!!

Well, when I went to P*World to ask them for new ink cartridges for the new printer because of all the ink it used just getting it to work, they tried to fob me off saying they would only be able to give me a discount on some new ones. I'd taken my camera and showed them a picture I'd taken to show the nearly empty levels, but this young girl then tried a different tack and said the manufacturers sent them out without full cartridges anyway, so they could still only give a discount on the price of replacement!! I asked her how that was possible, when the customer opens and puts the cartridges in themselves.......and could she show me where it said that in the literature. She beat a redfaced, hasty retreat then to speak to someone else and then came back to say we could have free replacements. Do people think you are simple when you get older? I shall turn into Victor Meldrew at this rate!!

Well, the railings on the traffic island down the road that they repaired after about 9 months battering and twisting with cars are flat again......we knew it wouldn't be long before it happened!

Yes, I'm still here Jane and Mel.Some sort of inflamatory infection amid the broken bones :-0

David how long do you have to stay there this time? I hope they get you sorted as you must be in so much pain, poor fellow.

Now we need to find out how William and Carmel are and it would be nice to know how Shirl is getting on and her son.

O h David ,are you still there?(in hosp) Hopefully the pain will have lessened now with all that fluid being taken off.You have had a rough old time haven't you :-(

Mandy it is boarded .I have been a clever girl and kept it going all afternoon :-D.I think by the time Xmas is here we will have got the hang of it.I can't wait now to get the room decorated,and the sides and back wall of the fire.It is going to be a real upheaval though.Hopefully the decorator will be ready to do it all sometime in October.I quite fancy being away again when it is done lol and leave James in charge.
Don't mention the flooded garage !!!!!! i still feel sick when I remember that lol.But yes that was a definite Aqua Alta :-S.That is 10 months ago now.
It will be hard for your Sister to do her last night tonight,and yes I'm sure there will be tears.But the time is right now for her like it is with Chris to say enough now ,and time to spend on themselves.Chris has to go back in on Monday to drop keys and other bits and bobs back.That will feel weird for him .I bet your Sister will pop into the home now and again :-D
I am sweating like mad now.It's that blooming fire and the Curry :-S :-S.I think i need to go and sit outside again.

Hello,I've problems with this wrecked left leg of mine.I've been back ln theRVI as an in patient since Tuesday.Had several needles lnserted to remove fluids :-(

I think the look on my face must have been a picture when i saw the rabbits out :-D
I'll have to get a photo of the little perishers :-D

Jane you had Aqua Alta when the garage flooded !! i seem to remember Chris having his trousers rolled up high then :-D :-D
I meant to ask you about the wood burner ,hubby wanted to know what you have at the sides of the burner ,was it plastered out or boarded ?
That's his next project the wood burner ,the kitchen is nearly finished :-D

Off to see sister in a while ,it's her last night at work tonight , i know she will be quite teary in the morning having to leave ,i know how much she has enjoyed looking after the elderly people in the home all these years , but i think she's looking forward to some free time to do what she wants now.

Ann your homework sounds interesting and a bit different :-D
Oh I can just see OH in your Bermudas lol .I must admit the thought of falling in a fishpond doesn't sound much fun :-S.Mandy I wish you had got a pic of the cat in the rabbit run and the rabbits munching away in the flowerpot lol
I was watching the Alsation next door this morning as he was running around the Chickens Triangular wooden hutch thing.He barks his head of and tries to bite the wire netting .Anyway I noticed that when the owner got there with the food he chucks in.He must given the a go ahead to the dog, as it pulled with its teeth the wooden sliding door that lets the hens out into the run bit.I did notice it has big chunks out of the top ,so he must have been doing this for some time :-S

Frank I hope you all have a great evening out tonight .Don't stuff yourself to much ,you don't want to be visiting your white friend in the night ;-)

Mel I bet those Pasties were tasty :-D Is OH just in as a day case for his op? It is a nuisance having to buy dressing gown and slippers just for that .But then they can be put away in case they are needed again at some time in the future

Hannah wanted to see the Wood burner lit.Now it is absolutely boiling in here :-S
I keep having to go outside...and its warm out there too.Plus I have the Curry cooking
in the oven !!.Just the smell of curry makes my face sweat and my throat goes all claggy to.I have the whole shebang ,Onion Bhajis,(sp) Veg Samosas,Aloo Gobi ,
Naans and Poppadoms and of course the rice.I feel full up already just thinking about it all.
It is turning out to be a lovely evening now.So bright I have had to pull the curtains.So it now like the black hole of Calcutta .

Fiona that is nice of the lady to give Katherine a few hours work :-D.Your cupboard sounds like it almost done.I would love to have one like that.

Been checking the weather again for Venice and it now looks like we might get a bit of rain :-S :-S.So little brolly will have to be packed.I wonder if we will get what is called the Aqua Alta (It means high water) when it's High Tide.St Marks Square can get flooded and they have to put up raised walkways when that happens.Wellie boots are always on sale then lol.We got caught out one year when we were there and had to paddle with trouser legs rolled up as high as possible.I thought it was great fun.You don't get that happen anywhere else like that .We also had a meal out one evening sitting out at a restaurant on one of the waterways.The waiters and waitresses were working in wellies and we had to try and just keep our feet raised up on the bars under the table to keep them dry.

Must go and stir the Curry now :-D

Ann that sounds a good type of homework!! You will enjoy tht nd we want to see a pic of it when you have done it.

Fiona good that Katherine has somethng to do at the weekend even if it os only a couple of hours. Has she been for anymore interviews?

Your homework sounds interesting and fun Ann, I have a friend who has a craft shop down in Hamilton, , every christmas I go there especially for little gifts like tree ornaments for my coffee friends. Gerry who I used to work with at the nursery opened her craft business a couple of years ago and all her arty crafty friends making things and she sells them,
for the last few years she has run craft clubs for youngsters on a Saturday afternoon, and a lot of them are kids who we knew from nursery and go to school now, she has kindly given Katherine a couple of hours each weekend to help out at these classes and she's paying her too, this is great it's helping Katherine keep up with her design work and making her feel useful.

Well been sorting out my clothes for the 90th birthday party I am going to tonight, I don't expect to be there for more than an hour or so, I have to take my pills at 7 so will need to phone OH to come and get me when I start to feel sleepy. I went to bed last night at 8.30 just couldn't keep my eyes open.

Afternoon All,

Well you all seem very busy! Mandy those bunnies can't half twist and turn when you want to catch them!! :-) Fancy the cat going in their run. lol. Still at least you caught them in the end.......don't want them loose at night when Mr Fox might be about.

Oh, Jane will find changes she hadn't even imagined from now on with Chris under her feet a lot of the time!! Some things are good.....but she'll soon see what I mean!! :-) It sounds like Chris got a good send off from work and I'm sure they'll all miss him.

Frank, years ago I left OH to clean out the weed in the pond at my old house and when I got back he was wearing some old 'bermudas' of mine!! Then I noticed his socks, pants and jeans hanging on the line to dry!!! :-D He'd managed to fall in and he hates mucky water, you wouldn't even get him paddling in a stream barefoot!! lol I hope you have a nice meal out later.

Mel, what is the matter with your OH's wrist? Yes going in hospital means buying things like bedwear and slippers. We wear slippers around the house but occasionally nip outside in them too which doesn't help keep them looking nice. I have kept my dressing gown from when I was in hospital in the loft in a polythene box........it's red tartan, but at least it's a decent one and fits if I need it.

We were all given homework at class yesterday. They want to promote the different adult classes and have asked the teacher to do a length of bunting!! She has given us all a paper triangle of the bunting to do something with beads on and write phrases of what the class does for us!!

Fiona I have boxes in a lot of cupboards to store things in. It really does help with finding things. Even my shoes in the porch cupboard are in plastic boxes and I re-use plastic and little cardboard boxes in drawers for makeup and pens, flashsticks, stamps etc in the study.

Here I am :-D :-D :-D.
Well I think Chris had a great evening.He was collected by Sue ,one of the Nurses and then when they go to the restaurant everyone was there so when Chris walked through the door it was all cheers and claps (plus red carpet) which was actually a big red towel LOL.Cake with iced stethoscope and big sparklers :-D
He got in about 11.15 and took ages before he came to bed .I think he was just winding down and feeling a bit strange with all the hoo ho .
We did have a long lie in this morning and I know he slept like a log .Probably the best sleep he has had in a while.

No more party here.Just a big lunch all together tomorrow.I will open a bottle of Champers sometime before we actually sit down to eat.The request from Chris Hannah and James was for a Roast :-D.That suits me nicely.

Tonight we are having Curry. Chris is cutting the lawn now as it has cleared up a bit.
Hannah and I are sitting having a natter and watching rubbish on TV.

OMG Mandy...I bet you will be pleased when the owners of the Rabbits and Cats get home.How much longer are they away?
We has a rabbit called Tufty and he used to burrow under the back lawn ,and make parts of the lawn quite unsafe to walk on :-S :-S.My dear dad was not impressed lol

I think it is cup of tea time now.Hopefully I will get back later.

I really hope all is ok with William and David.It is too long now since we heard from them <3

Still no Jane?????? I wonder if they are having a party now Hannah is home?

Fiona you will be so tidy with your new boxes you won't know which one to look in for things you want. I always find it hard finding things if I have a tidy up and rearrange things.

My you are getting sorted Fiona, What will you find for him to do next. ???Mandy, I can just imagine you with the rabbits, "come on my little darlings" and when the didn't come YOU little " QTREUTOPGS" at least it keep you busy for a while and got you fitter !!!

Ros stayed with me while I showered, and helped me out. Helped dry my back and feet, where I couldn't reach. Just popped on some shorts and T shirt. Will change into my shirt and suit before we leave,.

It has been decided that Conrad will drive me over to our house at about 5.30 to 6.00 pm to empty our car in daylight. Then we will drive to the restaurant from there, and Jan and Ros, from here. Then we can just go home from the restaurant and not have the bother to unpack to night. We can sort that in the morning. Harvey Julia and Lewis will make their way up the M 1. I hope they won't be too late arriving !!! Not the best time keepers in the world !!!

Is Chris having a rest after his hectic night out. Had they arranged a TAXI for him, or did James or you go to collect him.??? Are you all going out this evening now that Hannah is here, to celebrate his retirement..

Have copied a couple of menu's from Saturday Kitchen. "LORRAINE PASCALE'S HEARTY PAELLA WITH CHORIZO" and James Martin's "GARLIC AND CHILLI KING CRAB WITH STEAMED RICE>" They sound so nice, I think I might try them when I am on my feet again. She also did individual BEEF WELLINGTONS which I didn't print, but looked so easy to do. It would just be the cost of the fillet steaks ;-) ;-) ;-)

Ros is still weed clearing, Jan has gone for a rest and Conrad and I are relaxed in the conservatory He with his I Pad, and me with a beer. !!!

Afternoon all,

Nice and sunny here ,have got the back door open to let some air in .

I wonder how Chris is this morning ,i wonder after a night out if he might be nursing a bad head !!
Love the banner and balloons on his door Jane ,it's going to be strange for you having him home all the time .

Well what a time i had this morning ,went to feed the cats and rabbits ....there in the rabbits run was one of the cats and out of the run was both the rabbits !! ,they were sitting on one of the flower pots having a good old nibble at some petunias !!

They had burrowed their way out of the run ....then the fun and games started ,do you think i could catch them !! i tried tempting them with their food and carrots , they weren't having any of it , so i had to ring her mother and she came with the other daughter and her boy friend ,so there were four of us trying to catch them !! and boy can they run !!!
Luckily they had burrowed under the fence at the bottom of their run and not at the side or they would have been in the neighbours garden .

ceilings up in the cupboard, OH fiddling with electrics, then he will have to get the fan heater out of the loft so we can dry the plaster out(it is just holes where the old shelves were. ,
we went to HOM*B**E this morning for a new plug and socket, while I was there i noticed the plastic storage boxes were in the sale, so I got 6 clear boxes for things like pan scrubbers, bin liners all the odd bits and pieces that were in the old set of Kitchen drawers, which is going into OH gardening shed, will do good to keep his tools in.

That's all very well Mel, but how do I get to bed, and go up to wash and change before going out in the car. I haven't been for a shower and shave yet.!! NO I'M NOT SMELLY

After breakfast this morning I have been sitting around like an old man !! I did get up once to look at the RED KITE again drifting over the sky.

The sky here is starting to clear and I can see some blue sky and sunshine.

Ros is out at the pond, clearing the weed. She loves doing it when she's here, she finds it relaxing. and with the noise from the water fall. She now needs a longer cane so she can get further into the pond. I've told her if she falls in, she gets herself out.!!!!

Good old Ros has left the conservatory doors open, I now have two wasps bombarding me. I will get the electric swatter and get the little Bugge##.
One down one to go. Conrad has just got the other with a rolled up paper.

Kettle on for a cuppa, and will try to watch the match, if Conrad has BT SPORT. If not it will be 5 live.

Do you think Chris is having a lie in this morning with Jane????????

No Jane yet.................................. ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

Morning All and Evening Kim,

Dull this morning and I think we had rain in the night or early hours.

It was dry and warm yesterday but dull with it . We had to go and get oh a new robe and slippers!!!!!!! which he never really wears, the slippers I mean, for his visit to hospital on Monday, op on his wrist. So from Holsworthy we went on to Bude. I had bought pasties and sausage rolls in Hols. so we ate them in the car by the canal. Then we had a lovely walk across from the car park towards the beach and it was market day so had a mosy around the stalls and a lovely long chat with a girl who makes jewelry from sea glass. I have always collected se glass for a child with my dad. He used to tell me it was treasure, precious jewels that came from pirates ships. She made the most amazing things with silver wire and plated. I should have taken a pic but forgot my camera. Then we had an ice cream and walked back to the car park and up the canal. Spoke to a fisherman for a while and then came back as the parking was running out.

Just as we got to Bude the sun came out and it was really quite hot. I was pleased as I had'nt taken a coat and was dressed in jeans a t shirt and a shirt. A pleasent day out I would say and very tired when we arrived home only to find that somebody had left me 4 carrier bags of egg boxes mostly with my writing on. I had no idea I had sold that many eggs to one person!!!!! Also had to fill the table and cupboard up and then it was time to cook dinner so I did'nt get back on here yesterday. Sorry........ :-D

Well Jane today is the first day of the rest of your life with Chris home all the time. Hope he had a pleasent evening out last night and managed a speech!!

Frank I don't think you should be climbing stairs with that knee. It sounds like you have aggrevated it somehow. You should be resting it not useing it.

Morning all/Evening Kim

Sitting in an armchair trying to type this, the table is being laid for breakfast. Eggs, Bacon Sausage, Tomato, Mushroom Toast and Marmalade. That will see us through till tonight's FEAST

Breakfast over, Conrad is now washing up. Ros will get the packing done. Then she will have to sit in the bathroom while I shower. Their shower is raised up from the floor, and has no safety handles, like we do at home.. I* would hate to go a cropper in there.!!! how would they manage to get me out ???

How's the retired Senior Person this morning. ??? Don't tell him I called him that !!!
Did he have a nice evening and enjoyed himself ???

What are you going to do with him now Jane to keep him fro m under your feet ???

Jan has given Ros a beautiful indoor plant, she says it needs a lot of water and YOU MUST keep the shoots trimmed back or it will take over the house "QUATERMASS" me thinks :-D :-D :-D It has very dark leaves. Don't know what they call it. I will have to take a photo for you to look at and advise.

Red Kites have been swirling overhead this morning, they are such beautiful birds, and just seem to glide everywhere, no effort at all.

Very overcast again this morning,. What's the forecast? I haven't looked this morning.
Have a good day, whatever you are doing, and DAVID and WILL just let us know you are O.K.