General Chat

No sun here all day. We had heavy rain all yesterday evening and during the night, in spite of the forecast saying a few light showers. Today there hasn't been much rain but it has been grey and a bit chilly all day.

As I said in my email Ann your pots of violas are really pretty, a nice splash of colour. It's good you have had your dental appointment now. I would just leave the tooth with the lump for now. If you are not in pain with it and it's not damaging any other tooth, why go through root canal treatment or an extraction? What a shame your woolfelting class didn't go as well as you hoped.

It's good that you are getting your washing machine fixed Mandy. I'm going to have a look at Blinds2go as we need to get some new blinds. We have vertical ones in our bedroom and lounge and want to replace them as the lounge ones are damaged now. We have 3 windows in our bedroom and a window at the front and big patio doors at the back in the lounge. My OH would have loved to share your crab. The poor man hardly ever gets shellfish because I am allergic to it.

I know it's not funny Mel but I did laugh at OH getting his jab and giving blood at the same time. I hope he doesn't suffer any after effects. I see you potted up your million bells. I couldn't get any this year and am really disappointed as they were so good last year and gave me a couple of troughs full of colour all summer.

It's all happening at your house now Gill. You must be relieved to have found a builder to do the job at last. Your poor OH, even with ear plugs it must be impossible to sleep with building work going on around you. It's very difficult for night workers.

I'm sorry you didn't sleep too well AnnG and you seem to have had quite a busy day.

My day seems to have been quite hectic but I don't seem to have achieved very much. Last week at the hospital one of my problems was that my bp was dangerously high. Eventually it dropped to just being high but I was told to speak to my GP about it, particularly as I have never had high bp before, though I haven't been tested for 2 years. Today I thought it might be the reason my headaches have been so bad lately and I had better do something about it. Since Covid the easiest way to get to our doctors is via an online form. It's a one size fits all form so I had to fill in reams of stuff that was totally irrelevant but I sent it off at about 11 am and got an acknowledgement that I would hear from the surgery by 6.30 pm Monday at the latest.

Just as I submitted the form Sainsbury's arrived. Nothing missing and no subs so that was pleasing but wiping down seemed to take me ages today. Did that and got us a bit of lunch and just as we finished eating just before 2 pm the doctor rang. He wanted to see me and said he could fit me in if I could get to the surgery for 2.30. The result was that my bp is too high so I have more tabs on my script and he wants me to get a monitor so I can send them readings periodically. If I can't do that I will need to go regularly to the surgery to have it tested.

There has been loads on TV and in the papers recently about people unable to even get a telephone chat with their doctor so we are really lucky with our surgery. Between 11 am and 2.30 pm I had submitted an online form, had a telephone chat with the doctor and a face to face appointment. I call that good service.

I've also had an emailed letter from the hospital after last week's scan saying the consultant is going to phone me on 9th June. As that's nearly 4 weeks away I can't think he has found anything that needs urgent treatment.

As we like to eat about 7 pm I'd better go and start preparing something. We're having a veggie quiche tonight but I am not sure whether to do salad with it or something else. I'll have to go and investigate the fridge.

I hope everyone has a good night tonight.

Well my sunshine lasted for all of five minuets then it went cloudy again. There was one little spot of blue sky but that soon blew away. I was at the fish pond looking at my fish. I have a load of small black ones and at least two pinky ones.

That was a bad price for the washing machine Mandy just as well it could be fixed or you would have had a much bigger bill if you had to buy another one. More Expense as Frank would say.

Yes could'nt go without fresh undies everyday. The old joggers are getting a bit thin now and all seem to have knee marks in them but I don't often kneel dowon!!!!!! Oh says its because I don't have proper knees just points in the middle of my legs. Cheek. :-|

When oh went to Florida he had a bucket of oysters and lots of seafood but he likes it all mostly anyway. He has mussles in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.

I have taken two of my 4 tom plants down the shed and taken tiny side shoots off them. I thought it best to take two at a time so they could get there safely. I have taken a lot of lavender cuttings but not sure if they will take as I cut down a lavender I want to repot. At 4.25pm it fell out of the sky and I was stuck in the shed till it eased off and went and corned the big girls, I'd done the bantams. Then I cam ein and we had a coffe and a bit of chocolate cake and watched Tipping Point.

Boris on soon with an announcement worrying!

Afternoon All,

That's good you seem to have got the ball rolling at last Gill and have some changes to see now. It will be good today to see the size of the garden without the rubbish!

Mandy I didn't realise you could get patterned vertical blinds now. I've made a not of that site as we need a new roller blind in the en suite. I daren't pull it down anymore as it won't go back up! That wasn't a bad price for mending your washer as you say. It will be good to have it up and running again. They were bargain cues you got!

I put million bells in the pots afterwards last year AnnG, with Bacopa I think. Not sure what will go in this year yet. We are the same with clothes since the lockdowns AnnG. Clean undies though like Mandy said and I've worn out more of my older clothes too. We tend to keep some things for gardening and don't wash those as often. As Mel says they soon get dirty again.

yes the sun came out here about an hour and a half ago.

I am envious of your crab Mandy, I love it, even like the tinds of crab meat. But I like all fish and seafood except never fancied oysters. Loved it when we were in Florida and could get snow crab legs eat as much as you like.

I did an hour in the garden this morning but it was dull and chilly and everything was very damp. I did plant out into pots the last four petunias and four Osteospernum and tidied up some of the other pots on the patio. The only things left to plant are four tomatoes grown from seed I will put them in pots next week.

I also cleaned the bathroom and walked down to post a couple of cards so I think that is my lot for today. The lawn does need cutting but I daren't lift the mower out of the shed because of my back so it is going to get long with the rain and then sun.

Mandy you'll make Frank jealous if he reads about you having a crab. Mkaes no difference to me as I don't eat crab or any shellfish at all not even fish in the way of smoked salmon or fresh salmon. I will only eat tinned salmon and pilchards or sardines, smoked haddock or fries cod. I have had a couple of whitebate when oh has them them when we were out. I kept thinking of all the little bits I have to pick out when doing pilchards though.

Had lunch. Tidyed plans on the patio before lunch and cleaned up a couple of primroses and washed a ceramic pot.

O GOSH THE SUNS JUST COME OUT SO I AM OFF.

Afternoon all ,

Cloudy here but dry and not so warm today ,the chap rang and said my part for the washer should be here on tuesday so he will ring so we can arrange a time to come and fit it ,the part is £43 and we paid the fixed call out yesterday so all together £90 so not to bad to be up and running again .
I went up Boots to get Colins cream that he has for his knee as they never had it in when i went for the scrip and while i was up town i went on the market and bought two big cue plants they were a pound each so i'll get them in this afternoon .
We then went to get some eggs and i got a nice dressed crab from the fish man that is in where they sell the eggs ,oh it was nice went down a treat for our lunch today .

Gill sounds as if things are moving nicely now ,what fun you can have planning your new kitchen and bathroom ,well all your rooms really it will be like a new build .

Ann the Violas are so pretty as i said in the email just like little faces

So a bit of a disturbed night /morning for you then AnnG
I wear my tops for a couple of days ,trousers for three some times but clean undies every day .

Ouch Mel poor OH having to give blood when not asked for it lol i hope he got a badge for not making a fuss :-D

So do I Anng I don't see the point of putting on fresh clothes and then going in the garden or shed and getting them all dirty again.

Been to the docs for oh's jab and he said she made him bleed!!!!! She said he was due for a blood test anyway!! All in fun....

Must get on as it will be lunchtime before I know it and I want to do somethng this morning.

Those violas are so pretty Annx They go on for ages don't they? what will you put in the pots when the violas go over?

I just walked down to the post box to post a couple of cards and it felt quite cold even though it is supposed to be 8 degrees. It has not rained here this morning but it has that sort of misty feel about it.
I have done a wash load and have some of it in the drier. I suppose if we can get out and about a bit more there will be more washing, I have to admit to throwing on the same clothes for more days than I would have done normally.

Morning Anng and all,

Same weather here Anng dull grey dreary and wet.

Oh has his jab this morning so I shan't be around for a while.

May have a nice surprise for you today if I am aloud.

Sorry you did'nt sleep well Anng and I hope Vera's headache is better today. Love to Frank and Island.

Gill you are at last getting somewhere and I hope the rest of the work is done for you today and you can start to see what the place is going to look like. As Anng asked is the hedge rubbish going today?

Gill sounds like a bit of success with you managing to sort Sky out on your laptop and your chimney almost demolished. At least you can feel that you are getting somewhere now. A long way to go yet but more steps forward than back. and it will be lovely to be able to look out and see what size your garden is. Do you overlook the garden from your kitchen? In a way I wish I did but I look out on the road outside across the front garden. The best view I had from a kitchen was in the 70s when we lived in Lydney Glos, we could see the old Seven bridge in the distance.Good luck with the rest of the chimney then and I think the garden rubbish is going today? Or have I got that wrong?


Good morning all, another grey day here with rain forecast, as it is all over the weekend. It is getting difficult to find indoor jobs to do. I didn't sleep very well last night was looking in on here around 0430, did drop off around 0530 and woke at 8 in the end so a few hours but disjointed.

Your getting there Gill. It sounds like you have finally found someone who wants the work. Now you can start putting your plans into action and now you can see the whole garden it must look huge after the hedge has gone.

Well, I'm finally on here, what a job I've had trying to get rid of Sky off my laptop, I put it on to watch a programme on catch up but when it was finished and I wanted to close it down there was no x to click on, I couldn't find anywhere to click to get rid of it and I couldn't find a way to minimise the screen either. After a while I forced my laptop to shut down, on the first attempt Sky showed again but after going through settings and signing out of Sky then forcing the shut down again it worked. I'm sure there's an easier way of doing it but I couldn't find it, so after quite some time I could finally get onto Genes.

Poor OH has fell asleep fully clothed on top of the bed, he only got three hours sleep after his night shift last night with the builder being here knocking and banging on the chimney, so I'm not surprised he's fell asleep. He's been asleep for over an hour I said to get ready for bed but he said he wanted to watch a programme I've recorded for him. I guess he won't be watching it tonight.

Half the chimney is out level with the kitchen ceiling and the roof tiles are on so that's water tight now, thankfully the rain kept away when there was a big hole in the roof. I had to laugh as OH asked the builder if he'd like the loft light on when he was looking in the loft and he replied there's enough light coming through the massive hole in the roof thanks lol ;-) ;-)

The builder will be back in the morning to take the rest of the chimney down and hopefully make a start on the removal of the coal fire in the living room, then once the horrible manky cupboards are taken out of the kitchen he's going to plaster the wall and the whole ceiling. He's been in touch with one of his friends about the staircase we want putting in the living room to the loft so he's coming Saturday afternoon to give us a quote, once that's done and the new living room door put in we're going to have the bathroom wall knocked down and moved to extend the bathroom enough to add a double walk in shower, then all the structural work inside will be done and we can finally have the boiler and central heating installed and the new gas fire.

I can't wait for all those jobs to be done then we can decorate and buy the carpets. If we have enough money over we can then have a new bathroom and kitchen put in and have the outside jobs done. So plenty yet to do but at least the work has started now and tomorrow we'll be able to see the full garden for the first time once all the rubbish has gone.

Love the pics you sent AnnG it sound like it was a lovely surprise finding them.

Well, I'd better go as it's getting late, i was going to watch a couple of programmes I've recorded for myself but I'm getting tired and we've got another early start tomorrow, so I'm off to bed now.

I thought the same about the romper suits. They were really fun were'nt they? the macs too and the reversable one was great. Having not done a reversable anything before he really did well.

Talking about tom plants I hav'nt looked at mine today. Better see if they need a drink.

Oh what a shame you couldn't get on with the felting class Ann sounds as if she hadn't done it before .
My blinds are the vertical ones in cream with a pattern on ,I sent for lots of samples and quite liked them all, I also sent for some samples for a new roller blind for the downstairs bathroom too they have some lovely ones ,its Blinds2go

Its my cherry toms that have the flowers on ,all the seed came up that I planted so I have more plants than I want really but I thought I would put some outside when they begin to take over the greenhouse.

Those little romper suits were lovely weren't they and the ittle rain coats too .

Cystitis seems to have more or less cleared now so hope the wound soon does the same.

I have flowers on my tumbler tomatoes.

Evening All,

Another good sleep but I'm waking very early now with the lighter mornings. Sunshine but a few showers today.

Yes it was tragic that poor Jane didn't make it a few more weeks and have chance to see her baby grandson as you say Vera. Hannah must miss her being around to ask things with having her first baby too. I'm glad your headache has eased today. I bet your Hebes look nice and neat now they are in place. I bought a few dwarf ones when we last went to the garden centre. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed the cats don't take to spraying them and killing them like they did the green globe ones we had before.

Oh I bet you will be glad when your washer is working again Mandy. It's good you got someone to look at it and hopefully will fix it. We rely so much on our washng machines. What colour blinds have you chosen and are they roller, horizontal or vertical ones? Our now old ones are vertical but they can flap about a bit with the door open. Your toms are doing well.....flowers already?

I have been quite busy. I did an online woolfelting class this afternoon. The teacher was quite a bit older than me I think, but she wasn't very au fait with Zoom, didn't speak for ages after my video came up and didn't seem to be able to explain what she was doing very well. On top of that she kept covering what she was doing with her hands or holding what she was doing out of the range of the screen so you couldn't see. She did manage to explain that she was putting the video on youtube too and gave us the link. A few of us soon decided to just watch and look at the youtube video later. The finished example mouse she showed us, she said she wasn't very pleased with and people were having to keep asking her whether she was doing the arms or the legs etc so it was a bit hopeless! We stopped for a break halfway through and I decided as I needed to be at the dentist as soon as the session finished I would use that as an excuse to leave at that point!!

I rang the dentist from the carpark and they said to come straight in. Sanitise and temp taken at the door and I placed my handbag in a plastic box they put the lid on and carried to my seat where it stayed till I left. The nurse collected me and I was shocked how out of breath I was after hauling myself up their steep stairs. (must at least do some upper body exercise every day now to get me a bit out of puff, I'm so unfit! :-0) The dentist took an x-ray where the lump is to see where it arose and it may be due to a residual infection under a tooth he gave a short life a few years ago. My options are to leave it as there is no pain and to use a salt rinse like I was doing at the start of the pandemic (he confirmed again that this is better than mouthwash). Otherwise I could have root canal treatment to remove the nerve which may be tricky with the root sloping or have the tooth out. He said to have a think about it, but I'm leaving it for now. A bit of filling has come out of the other tooth but is small and not affecting the main part so can be left. :-)

That's a shame your wound isn't quite healed AnnG. You mentioned possible cystitis too so maybe with all the stress and worry you are a bit run down and prone to these things at the moment.

Weren't those little romper suits and rain macs cute on The Great Sewing Bee! :-D

Too wet to even think about going out into the garden here. Plates on the computer, read the local paper, watched tipping point and pointless.

Vera yes frustrating that it still has a small infection in it, Especially as on Monday the sister said it was much better

Pleased your headache is better today, you do have a rough time with those headaches don’t you?

I suppose I could be run down but I am eating normally, maybe not eating as much veg as I should But eating quite a lot of salad. Veg is difficult when cooking for one. Not eating as much fruit either, mainly the fruit I eat are berries that is because shopping on line I don’t trust the fruit they send. I like to see fruit before .i buy it. Hopefully the holiday will sort it.
21st Vera.
Hope you get the scripts ok tomorrow Mel.yes daughter says she will change the dressing.

Mandy good that you found somebody to look at the washing machine and hope that finally cures it.

Potted up my million bells and my nemesia into big pots and they are now on the patio. Still raining and watching Tipping Point at the mo.

What a shame you still need the dressing on your back AnnG. I hope it clears up soon. You just go away and have a relaxing time. As Mandy says you have had a lot to deal with recently and you’ve probably got run down. When is it you actually go? You’re wise to drink plenty of water if you feel you might have a touch of cystitis.

Thank you for passing on the news of Jane’s family Ann. I expect Chris is pleased that H & G are staying in the area . I bet his little grandson is the apple of his eye. It’s so tragic that Jane never got to see him.

Sorry to hear that your washing machine is still poorly Mandy but it sounds as though the engineer has got it well in hand now and you’ll have it back working in a few days. You’ve been busy with your hanging baskets; they’ll look pretty. I can’t believe you’ve got flowers on your toms already. Mine are only a few inches high and are not doing very well at all.

It sounds as though it’s all starting to come together at your house Gill. Have fun planning your kitchen. It sounds a decent size so you’ll be able to play with the arrangement a bit and get it how you want it.

My head got worse and worse yesterday so I went to bed at 9 pm. The pain was still there a bit this morning but has almost gone now. I spent about an hour and a half in the garden and got a few more jobs done and OH planted the 20 hebes that we bought to replace the lavender. It’s starting to look a lot better now. How can such a small garden require so much work?

It’s quite warm, about 14 degrees, and we have only had a few spits and spots of rain but it’s a very grey day. We haven’t seen the sun at all.

Mr Sainsbury is delivering in the morning so I must quickly add a couple of bits to my order before I forget. Than I need to move a button over on a pair of trousers for me and OH wants a pair of his shortened so I’d better get on.