General Chat

Frank, according to the consultant yesterday, he said if Carmel's results were good the injections could be given three times a year. Today she says she feels a little blurred and woozy but her headache isn't so severe. We have to do a report form and keep a diary for a month then send it back for monitoring. The procedure is called a Greater Occipital Nerve block, four injections just behind the ear into the head, two up, two down. The injection contains a mix of steroid and lignocaine. So we shall just see how things go.

Our daughter and her husband are considering buyer a newer car - the reason as well as updating - it will save having to move the grandchildren's car seats from one vehicle to another. That prompted a chat between Carmel and myself. We said when we were taking their children about in our car (that is OUR grandchildren) there was no such thing as children's car seats and we managed just fine. I'm all for health and safety and realise there are more cars on the road than ever, but I'm sure that some good money has been made on the strength of these things along the way.
We then got on to the subject of prams and buggies. I said when my daughter was born she had a coach built Silver Cross pram, Lord knows how we paid for it! Carmel said she had a similar thing over in Dublin and we both admitted they were our pride and joy. We now see young mothers with buggies that look like all terrain vehicles built to carry everything but the kitchen sink. It looks more like they are going on an expedition than taking their offspring out. And why do Mum's go out in pairs and block up the aisles with not one, but two buggies abreast?

There, I've had my senior moan for todays. I'll feel better when I've had another dose of Frank's emails.

Ann, I had to laugh about you oh's episode with the car. Some people just forget their car keys, your hubby seems to doing better than that. However, I recall going to Leicester once and parking in a big multi storey car park. It was one of those carousel type things near Granby Halls and I forget to make a note of the parking level. When we came to get the car we went up to the top floor. I found a deserted shopping trolley and rolled on it down the floors until I found our car. I then drove back up and collected Carmel to go home.

Going to watch The Ice Cream Girls tonight, see if I can find out what it's all about.
C Y A L

Evening All,

Sounds like an interesting exhibition Jane........big willies eh!!!! ;-) lol. How clever to set it out in rooms like that. How long did it take to walk around it all?

Frank, I was just telling OH yesterday how my heel seemed a lot better and I must have pulled that muscle in my side again lugging the watering can about. It seems as soon as one bit gets better another part of the body gives you jip!!!! :-S I hope a bit of rest helps your knee and that the swelling goes down quickly. I hope you are doing your exercises!! ;-) :-D

I bet you are glad the dentist has done that last filling Fiona.......you feel you are walking on air as you leave the dentist after it's all done!! Most of my fillings have needed injections. :-S We had an awful hailstorm at about 11.00am this morning while we were in class. Huge hailstones were bouncing a foot off the ground. People were worried they might dent their cars, but it didn't last long.

We tried a new carvery today, as the place we usually go on Fridays has started to slosh loads of melted butter all over the veg.....it's half an inch deep in the bottoms of the pans.......too much fat and salt for us. This place was a bit further to go to but it belongs to the Diamond Club which I joined free a few years ago (special food deals for the over 50s including the carvery). It turned out to be pretty good, good choice of veg, 2 courses for £6.95 and the rhubarb and apple crumble was delicious. :-) It has a gardening club garden centre nearby too. :-)

Yes, 'hammer and tongs' is a good description of what happens here at times Mel. I agree about the mess too!! :-S Mind you, he did well while I was out at class this morning. We've been without the loo seat lid in the bathroom for ages as the screws had pulled out because the hinge bit one side had been wrongly manufactured and was fixed a bit on the skew. While I was out he redrilled the holes in the right place and fixed it back on to surprise me!! lol

Maureen, I haven't heard of anyone growing celery in a greenhouse, but maybe you can. My first FIL grew them in trenches outside that were awash with water as they are thirsty plants. He always said they needed a bit of frost to improve the taste too. He used to put cardboard sleeves on them to keep the stems white.The other things you mention would be fine and I find lettuce grows really fast. The cut and come again kinds are best as the plants don't bolt and go to seed. You can grow them in a largish pot too.

Shirl, it sounds like you are still in a bit of chaos at your place, I can whiff the varnish from here!! It will soon be finished though and be all worth it. Your monsters are doing well at school aren't they.

OH has left for a match at Melton Mowbray tonight and got caught up in gridlock on the ring road. There's been an accident and he's not sure he will get there in time now. He wants me to go to Guiseley with him tomorrow, but I will see how my side is......also I need to see what there is for me to do around there.

Speaking of OH, after he left his handbrake too slack and his car rolled across the carpark the other week, he's been very careful to pull it on properly since. But, at the footie match on Saturday, after the match had started, he decided he wanted his hat from the car. When he had walked back to it in the car park he found he'd not only forgotten to lock it, he'd left the driver's door wide open as well!!!! :-0 What is he like!! he said his dad had distracted him with faffing about!! lol I'm just glad it wasn't me that did it. lol

Hi Shirl.
It sounds like your work is coming along nicely even if you are in a tip lol.Hopefully it won't be too long before you are all straight again .
That's great the Monsters are doing well at school :-D :-D

When's Bank Holiday Maureen?..Not having kids at school or Uni now I lose track lol

Ann I just took a photo of my little Violas in the window box.I too thought they wouldn't have survived all that snow and minus temps.
Maureen I had one celery plant last year and seem to remember it took ages to grow.I think I had a few stalks off to though.

Frank thanks for the Mrs Brown email .I have seen that one before but it still gave me a good laugh this morning when I saw it :-D :-D
Chris has been to Northampton this afternoon to sign all the papers for his new car.He will pick it up on Tuesday.Just in time for him to drive to Suffolk on Wednesday.He is going off on his own for a night to Aldeburgh.I think he should have arranged it so that he went for more than just one night.But he said he has to be back on the Friday for work.

Spag Bol here tonight.Nice and easy
:-D

Hello everyone,

I peep at your thread sometimes - you are all such good friends. Frank's talk of gardening brings back wonderful memories of home.

Dad had an allotment, as well as the back garden, and he grew enough veg. for our family of 9. I remember him, pushing his wheelbarrow with his gardening tools in it, off to the allotments. I sometimes went with him, especially when he had to plant potatoes. He would mark out the row with his line, and then make the holes with the dibble, or dibber I think he called it, and then I would drop the taters in and he'd cover them. The old dog would lay on the path in the sun. When it came time to dig the taters up, we kids helped by cleaning off the dirt, and then, when they were dry, dad brought them home on his wheelbarrow, one sack at a time. They were stored in the cupboard under the stairs which had an access door to the kitchen.

Carrots were stored in a big wooden box in the shed, between layers of dirt, and onions hung from the shed roof. Something was stored outside, in a mound, but I can't remember whether it was hard cabbages or swedes. I just remember that straw was involved and a twist at the top, like a chimney.

Such a lovely simple time. Hard work for dad though!

Happy gardening to you all,
Ruby.

My you did have a good time Jane, hope you behaved in my London. You will soon be classed as a Londoner, the way you are up and down there.!! How's Hannah and John ??

The weather has been up and down today, Full sun then showers, and now nice warm sunny afternoon.

Maureen my Ex's Aunt has a Paper shop in Finchley High Street ."PACEYS" I don't know if you knew it. It was about 40 years ago. Don't worry about being behind with anything. We are all behind like "Lambs Tails" the weather hasn't been good. If you are putting most things in the greenhouse they will soon come on. My cue plants are going mad. I must put them in the greenhouse to slow them down or they will be like bean stalks. :-D :-D :-D

Glad you got away without an injection Fiona, the numbness seems to last all day. and leaves a horrible taste, from what I remember. It's been a long time since I was there. !!

Steak and Kidney Pie tonight, with a selection of veg. That will be a good blow out. Might put me off going to the club to see the lads, and having a few pints, but there again I might have digested it by 8.00 pm. ;-) ;-) ;-)

OOP'S LOST THE POST :-D

HI ALL --HAVE YOU MISSED ME???

HOUSE LIKE A TIP--BATHROOM JUST PAINTED AND HAVE HAD THE FRONT INSIDE STAIRES CAPPED WITH WOOD --STAINED AND NOW TO VARNISH THEM---STILL HAVEN'T MY BEDROOM IN ORDER-- :-S :-D

WILLIAM LOVELY PIC OF THE GARDENS--AND ANN I DO LOVE THE COLOUR OF THESES VIOLETS--GOOD JOKES FRANKIE BOY ;-)

EYE INJECTION YESTERDAY AND MORE BLOOD WORK :-D

MONSTERS DOING WELL AT SCHOOL REPORT CARDS BACK THEY ARE IN 80'S& 90'S MARKS SO DOING GOOD

I CAN SEE MY LAWN NOW SUN OUT BUT STILL CHILLY WINDS

HAVE I MISSED A LOT ?? I KNOW ABOUT LIZ

Glad to see you had a good time in London Jane, the exhibition sounds really interesting.

We are not going to the London Dungeon this weekend after all but will go up to daughters in N.Finchley on Sunday anyway, think she's got the in-laws over too then we are going bank holiday weekend down to Kent where her in-laws have a cottage.

Thanks for showing me that greenhouse Mandy ..... I have bought one ....... now I've got to work out where to put it :-0. I'm going to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and celery, all the things I normally put in my salad, I'm not too late to get things started am I, I've been reading that some of you have already got things going.

Fiona we had hail this morning but nothing like yours by the sound of it.It is nice and sunny this afternoon and I have been out and started to weed the gravel :-S What a job that is going to be.
You must have had a shallow filling if you didn't have a local.I haver never been lucky enough to have an injection free filling.

Yes it is great to be able to get to London so easily from here.It is just 1 hour on the train.And now Hannah lives there it means we do go more often.I love it as there is always so much to see.I would be quite happy to just sit for a few hours somewhere and people watch :-D It is fascinating.
I have just been looking through a huge book we bought at the Museum.It has everything in it about the History of Pompeii and Herculanium and has pics of all the artefacts etc at the exhibition.If I can I will see if I can take a couple of photos of the things I liked and send on.It was a pity no cameras were allowed in.
The prices of train tickets from here to London range from the ridiculous price of about £6 to £80 something .If you know a long time in advance it's a bargain .

How's that knee this afternoon Frank?

OMG we have had a real downpour of hailstones, really bouncing off the extension roof :-S when will spring ever come to Scotland. :-(

Going out to get some compost so I can start sowing.

Hi I'm back

Sounds really interesting what you saw at the exhibition yesterday Jane, It's really handy that you can just pop into London for the day.

Dentist went fine and she managed the filling without giving me an injection :-D :-D and that's me finished till November , What a relief :-)

My knee is fine this morning, Frank, I won't be walking down that street for a while, at least while the weather is still wet, I was wearing flat shoes but realised yesterday they have no grip on the bottom,they never had the soles are very smooth, watched where I put my feet today and walked in the dry areas where I could find them.

Time for my lunch great I can eat!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D

Here I am .Not Zzzzzing Frank lol but I feel like I could.I must say I did sleep like a log
.My calf's don't half ache this morning.
The Exhibition really was special.It was all set up as though you were walking through a house in Pompeii room by room.Each room would have different items ,utensils etc used in that particular room.
Lots of Willies on show lol Rather big ones too sometimes.It was not 'sexual' though .I think it was just their way of humour :-D.

Dormice were a delicacy and they would be kept in clay pots with little runs and be fattened up.Then they would be stuffed ,rolled in honey and seeds and cooked......Yum Yum !.

Some of the Mosaic portraits were wonderful made of such tiny pieces.The Frescoes too were amazing and to still see all the colours.

Sometimes the toilet would be in the Kitchen,and so Human and kitchen waste would go down it. Can you imagine that!!!!

I have to pop out now but will BBL

Morning all/Evening Kim.

I bet Jane is still in zzzzzz land. after her tiring day, poor old sole !!

David, great to hear from you, hope you continue to progress and it won't be too long before you get that frame off.

Fiona, Take more water with it. !!! and stay away from cobbled streets.!!!

Glad Carmel's appointments went well Will. How often does she have the injection in the head ??

Everybody seems busy with their little greenhouses, I have seen them on Ebay, and one of our neighbours has one outside their back door. with little shelves in, she brings on her plants for the allotment.

I over did it yesterday, with all the standing and raking. My knee has blown up to the size of a Jaffa Orange. and by gawd does it ache. I have put a knee support on it, and have been using my stick to get around the bungalow. Then to crown in off, I was getting cramp in my right leg during the night. I feel like I have been through the mangle this morning.

I have had to remove my wedding ring this morning, I have a rash on my finger under where the ring goes. and it itches like mad

Ros has just gone to pick up the scripts from the doctors, then on to Tesc# for the weekend Veg. She will get meats at Morriso## tomorrow. They seem to have better meat that anywhere else.

We had a lot of rain last night. This morning the wind was blowing a gale and the rain followed. Still looks iffy out there, but that won't bother me. I am staying put today.

It's a pity, you were unable to mark Hogwart Mel, Perhaps he will remember you, as you have cared for him all this time. I don't know the workings of Hedgehogs, but other animals remember kindness.

Ann I am sure you will make a good job of the new pipe for the pebble pool. Men always go at it hammer and tongs and make more mess than us girls. The pics were lovely and I have replied to your email. Thanks for sending them.

Fiona hope the knee is not too sore this morning . Those cobbles can be very slippy in the rain. What kind of shoes did you have on? You will know to be more carefull next time if you wear the same ones.

Mandy I have seen those greenhouses in Mo**isons. Is it the £25 one? I bought one of their sets of shelves for £8 for the tunnel to put some seed trays on. Last year I bought the tomato one you can put grow bags in. I wanted the frame that fits together for my strawberry plants but put the other plastic cover up in the tunnel as extra prtection for other things, on canes with those balls on to make the frame. Left it up over the winter and it has split in one corner.

Make sure you have it in a sheltered spot away from any wind as they blow away or down quite easily.

Nice to hear how David is getting on. Sending love and wishes. You really must have taken a rough tumble over that wall to smash your bones like that! As you say it will teach you to use the gate in future.

William good that everything is as well as can be expected with Carmel's hospital appointments and hope the injection helps with her headaches and the infection soon clears up for her. Please give her my love and wishes too.

Can't wait to hear from Jane about the exhibition............

Morning All and Evening Kim,

We have sunshine today!!!! but still a bit of a cold wind.

Hope Jane was'nt too tired and sore after yesterday.

Morning Everyone, Evening Kim,

OH taking me down into town for my dentist appointment at 11.20, :-| not looking forward to another filling but that's the last and it will be over & done for another 6 months.

Sun is out but we still have that chilly wind, and we had a shower of rain about an hour ago.

must go and tidy myself up, OH is not a happy bunny if I ask him to take me into town at a certain time, and I am not ready to go. ;-)

I'm home and straight off to bed.Had a wonderful day but oh my goodness my feet feel ready to drop off lol.
Will read all your posts tomorrow .Night Night xx

Your greenhouse is big enough to protect the plants Mandy so you should find they grow well. It might be useful to overwinter any geraniums in too. What a good idea of your son's to get one for the children, they will be so proud when they show you their seedlings. Yes, OH pulled a face when I said we'd need to lay a bigger pipe and the penny dropped what it would involve. It will be me that does it though as he would go at it with a big spade and disturb twice as much stuff. :-0 I'd better get on with it quickly......... he is itching to finish things off and get the shed and fences painted. Yes, fancy digging it up before we've finished!!! lol :-S Glad the dentist gave you both the 'all clear'. It's always a tense moment while they poke and prod.....and frown!!

Heck David, what an awful fall to smash your bones like that.....you must be full of metal now. I hope you go along ok and it soon mends for you. I'm sure it will be a big step forward when you can get rid of the contraption, be easier to move around your home for a start. Thanks for letting us know you are ok and just dip in on here when you are able, I can see that it must be difficult for you at the moment.

It's a small world isn't it William, Higham is a nice little place. I might be a woollyback now, (haven't heard that for a while!! lol) but I was born in Staffordshire!! It's been quite a day for you both, but I'm glad it's all been good news for Carmen, apart from the water infection, that is.

Well, OH says the rest of the bear programme is on now and has recorded it, so I'd better go and watch it.

Night, night folks......sleep tight xx

Oh no Ann, i thought you were getting the garden just right and now your digging it up again :-S :-D
My Violas were looking a bit dead too ,but they have really come on with this lovely warm sun we've had .
Oh that's a lovely necklace and what a pretty church i love the windows !!


David good to hear from you , some thing tells me you will be using the gate next time !!

What a medical day we've had! We were at our surgery at 9am for Carmel's diabetic check up. It was half an hour late so in total we were there an hour! Longest time ever for that so far!! Anyway, all was all in order so that's to be thankful for except she has another 'water' infection'.
Then this afternoon we were at Coventry Uni hospital neuro dept. for her to have the injection in her head for the persistent acute headaches she gets. Fiona will know about this. Apart from another wait for the consultant, it wasn't so bad as she expected so we will have to wait and see if they do any good. Dr Thomas said the % rate of success is 75 - 80 so let's hope it works for her. No more appointments on the horizon for now.

Yes Ann, I know Higham on the Hill, my late cousin Rose and her husband Stan kept the Hearty Goodfellow pub there at one time. A far cry from her East End roots just like myself. Prior to that they kept the Red Lion in Atherstone. Anyway, what were you doing straying from woolyback country? LOL