General Chat

All of a sudden there are a lot of birds in the garden, starlings, blackbird, sparrow, great tuts but they are all pecking the grass and plants, there must be midges or some sort of bugs.

three loads of washing done and dried in the drier including both beds, now both re-made, and all the extra towels.

Taken one of the fuchsias out of a basket and put it into a pot instead and tidied up the other three baskets and left them in the greenhouse.
Cut back a large holly that was growing towards the greenhouse window and I don't want too much shade there. nearly got a garden bin full again now.

Anng I have got one oil painting in the little loo. That one is a special one as it was the first time mum tried to do some pallet knife painting on some of it and also I was sitting behind mum in her chair when she sketched it out. I don't really like it but I was only 3 or four and can remember her starting it doing a light brown wash for the main parts of the painting. I have a pastel picture in the spare bedroom and there's one she did in watercolour of a cows head which I think is good. Also a chalk and charcole of an old mans head. This is framed so she must have thought it good but it was done while she was much younger. The one in the little loo is signed and dated which is how I know how old I was. Its dated 1952 so I was three.

Lots of her pictures were done when she had lost the sight in one eye.

There are so many vine weevils in my strawberries I think I hsall have to repot the lot. Not good as when I ordered from Mole valley they did'nt have the compost I wanted. Not really got enough to do them all left out of the 100 litres as I have used most of it.

Had lunch and the suns still shining but I am watching the race at the moment.

You will find a home for them when you are ready Mel. Is ther one special one you could have framed and have as a permanent memory on your wall?

Morning Anng and all,

Bright morning here again today with misty blue sky at the moment with light cloud.

You have quite a bit of washing to do now anng as the daughter is going home today. You'll miss their help about but they have done a nice lot for you to get you cleared out. I should really get rid of all mums paintings. I could give those to the charity shop but when I get them out I can picture her sitting by the lounge window painting them.

I want to get the strawberries finished today and clean down their barrow and get them back on there. I am going to use some Jeyes on the wood under the the soak tray and see if that keeps the weevils away. Last year I put slug pellets under the trays but I still got slugs and little stripey snails in the pots.

Good morning, early start today as daughter wants to be away by 0830 as they need to be there for a shopping delivery this afternoon. So a long day ahead f me. I have beds to change and another wash to do so will be well occupied I think.

Gill, in the circumstances I am sure Sandra's social worker could help her acquire the white goods. do you have a Heart foundation furniture shop or any other reconditioned white goods shops in Sandra's area (google it maybe?) We have a furniture recycling and a Heart foundation shop here.

Your OH does need to eat nutritional meals to help him recover. have you looked at these?

https://www.cookfood.net › menu › special › microwav...
Remarkable frozen ready meals, prepared by our own chefs and delivered to your door via our nationwide delivery service. Or discover your local COOK shop

wiltshire farm foods

Oakhouse foods

I haven't checked the prices but it may help with food shopping.

OH's slept most of today and I fell asleep this afternoon to, not surprising as neither of us had much sleep last night.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about shopping, but luckily we bought a few things yesterday before OH hurt his shoulder again and ended up in hospital. Neither of us eat that much and I don't have a working cooker so we're used to smaller amounts of food now.

I'm just watching the end of an 80's music programme I recorded as OH was asleep, but he's just woken up so I'm going to make him a cuppa and a fresh hot water bottle as he's been using that to get a bit of heat on his shoulder. The floor cushion I've got has been a god send as it's nice and soft and is comfy enough for him to lean on so he's not completely on his back, he said it hurts to lay down and it makes him cough which in turn hurts his shoulder more, so the cushion is helping him sleep. He's been sleeping on and off all day as the strong painkillers he's on makes him tired, at least he's more relaxed when he's sleeping so that will help with his injury.

He won't be doing anything for weeks, so I'm going to make a list of everything I can do and try to get through them as best I can. I'm hoping Sandra's social worker can help her move as OH won't be able to help her now, I've spoken with her social worker and she's very helpful so I'm sure she won't mind taking her to pick her key up. I can sort a van and setting up her bills as that only requires phone calls, so I'm sure between us Sandra will have the help she needs. I just need to work out how to help her buy the furniture she needs now. We're giving her a sofa, bed and wardrobe but she'll need all her white goods and curtains etc.. so a bit of working out to do. It's a pity my mum can't drive at the moment with her having mini strokes and we don't know anyone else with a car who can help.

Going to sort OH out now and help him settle down again. I'll try and catch up with the posts tomorrow.

Yes you could be right about my weather station as it is under the perspex roof to the north. I 'll have to get oh to move it down a bit to the post but we did'nt want it to get wet.

I watched all the funeral this afternoon and did'nt get outside till quite late after doing the chickens then i cleaned the strawberry plants up. Still got one tripple pot to do and a single. They have vine weevil again and I lost a few big pots of them this year. Even the old terracotta pot broke and shed its rim and its never done that before and its been out there for years. Two other pots also shed there rims and they were younger pots. I have used a lot of the victorian pots that were here when we moved in and I don't like to lose those.

Nice win Verait makes it worth while when that happens and a nice little bit to spend on yourself. Some new plants maybe?

Feel all sticky so think I will go in the shower now as it may ease my back a bit and my hip is still playing up.

Yes we have got a lot of jobs done this week and a lot of them I needed SiL’s height for. And ability to carry heavy stuff. Daughter did well as well sorting the garage, still a bit to do but getting there, and the trip to the dump was a great help.

Sadly Vera they go home tomorrow early morning. So it is going to be a long day getting used to being on my own.

Your poor OH Gill. That sounds very painful. I hope he can get plenty of rest and let it recover properly.

I expect your OH is feeling a bit sore as well after his fall Ann. Thank goodness it wasn’t any worse.

How long is your daughter staying AnnG? You seem to be getting plenty done between you

It’s been a beautiful day here though I’ve haven’t had much time to spend outdoors. I did manage to pot up some tomatoes which were in seed trays and looking very leggy. Otherwise I’ve spent the day doing odd jobs that have been waiting around for far too long.

I had a nice surprise a couple of days ago. The postman bought me a cheque for £30 :-). I pay £12 each year to the old girls’ association from my old school and get entered in a prize draw 3 times a year. My number didn’t get drawn the first few years I was in it but last year I got £50 and now I have £30.

I am quite headachy tonight so might be trying to get an early night and hope to sleep a bit better.

You've got a lot done between you this week AnnG. They say many hands make light work don't they.

That's good the painkillers are working for your OH Gill. Some warmth on it may help too, especially if it stiffens up after sitting.

Mel he said the laundry basket shot forwards across the gravel out of his hands. Luckily it didn't tip over and empty the wet washing out. Landing on small pebble gravel isn't as bad as it sounds. For one thing it is level and gives as it moves, but he was saying how his side and back were wrenched this morning and I told him it would be the fall that wrenched it. Fancy that cheeky fox not moving as your OH went by several times. He needs a bigger hint that he's not welcome doesn't he!

I need to find a home for my beading trays that are stacked on top of the current printer before I can connect the new one up as it says you mustn't put anything heavier than 2 kilos on top or it can damage the scanner. :-S I think the answer may be a shelf or stand to put it on so I can use the space under it. This little room is packed to the gills with stuff as it is, with the spare loo rolls, food cupboard overspill and my expanding craft stuff and empty 'Amazon boxes' that 'might' come in handy.

I thought the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral was all the better for being understated and his wishes and character. The Queen did look 'all alone' and a bit unsteady walking in I thought, but it wasn't surprising. A beautiful day for it meaning the film record of it would be good too.

I was going to ask Mel something similar. I wondered if her weather station had the sun direct on it. We have a wall clock that also shows temperature and humidity but it has the sun on it for much of the day and our garden is also fairly sheltered. At 11.30 am the temperature was showing as 15 when it was probably nearer 11 or 12, I looked again at 4.30 pm when I went in the garden and it was registering 40 degrees! I’ve just looked again out of interest and it’s showing 25 although my weather app is telling me it’s 9 and feels like 7 degrees.

My body tells me when it’s time to take a jumper off or put one on :-)

Dinner needs attention. Might be back later.

Mel is your weather station in a sheltered area. It often seemed to be much higher than our temperature and higher than the forecasts. Ours is showing 23 at the moment but it is in a sheltered spot I don’t think it is that high, although it has been a beautiful day here and I git loads of gardening done.ndaughter gave me a hand and cut back some honeysuckle that was covering a window of my greenhouse that I couldn’t reach.

Ann did he land on the washing basket? It could have broken his fall if he did. Poor G hope he dos'nt have any bruises of aches and pains.

Its a beautiful day here today and much warmer out than it is in. Weather station says its 25 out there and 18 in here. Big difference.

Gill I hope G is more comfortable now the pain killers are kicking in and he has a better sleep tonight. don't let him do anythig silly to put his healing back.

Just watched the qualifying on the telly. Won't say whose got poll as I knw Gill and G watch it.

Hi everyone. OH is asleep at the moment as he did't sleep very well last night. At least he's relaxed now. The doctor at the hospital told him not to miss any of his painkiller meds so it's in his body all the time, which I think is finally working and he's able to move around a bit more today. It took me ages last night to help him to the bathroom as every time he tried to get up off the bed it hurt. We got there in the end but it took over half an hour. He's propped up with lots of cushions which is also helping his cough as that was waking him up too.

I'm watching the build up of Prince Philip's funeral at the moment. They are talking about his life, I didn't realise how much he did.

Sorry to hear your OH tripped over the same rock as you Ann, I hope he's okay. Yes, slate can be a bit tricky to break into the shape you want, but even if it doesn't quite look right, it'll be better than tripping over it all the time.

Afternoon All,

It's a lovely sunny day here and quite warm.

Thanks for mentioning those progs Mandy. I look forward to seeing what they do in the jewellery one and I will be glad when we can record again, hopefully a week on Monday. It will be good to watch Call the Midwife tomorrow too. What a shame there was no black zip!

Oh Gill your poor OH! He must have been in so much pain. At least he hadn't dislocated anything, but torn muscles are painful and do take time to heal. He mustn't do much or he could undo them healing. What a nuisance as you have so much you want to get on with in the bungalow and garden and don't need him off work and not earning either. Still, it won't hurt for things to wait while he gets better and there must be lots you can do in the garden in the meantime. Yes, just post the sick note by recorded delivery if a colleague can't collect it for him. Will you be able to get your shopping ok if he can't drive? I don't know how far you are from shops. Sandra seems to be sorted now so you don't need to worry about her at the moment.

OH was carrying a basket of washing to put out yesterday and he managed to do the same as me earlier in the week and tripped over the same rock and went flying full length so I think I need to find the bolster chisel and trim the pointy bit off in situ if I can. It should be easy enough as I trimmed all the rocks here to fit together well. It might split where I don't want it to with it being slate though.

I was doing lots of admin yesterday so still haven't set the printer up so will have a look at the booklet while watching the funeral.

Morning Gill, Anng and all,

Beautiful sunshine again this morning after a frost. Weather thigny says its 21 degrees out there at the mo.

Oh is watching the qualifying for tomorrows race.

Gill it sound like oh has done just what I did bring a bell down once. When I pulled my shoulder it was like rope breaking inside me. Awful pain and yes 6 weeks at least before it was better.

Must go and feed the chickens as I hav'nt let them out yet as the fox has been sleeping on the grass cuttings not far from their run. Oh went past it three times on the mower and it did'nt even move.

Good morning all. 1degree outside but nice sunshine.

Gill, pleased it was not more serious although bad enough for your OH I can imagine how painful that is. He maybe had strained the muscle before when moving all the hedge to the dump and coughing and turning was the final straw. And sounds as if it is going to take a long time to heal, just when you don't need it with the garden to do as well as his work. If somebody can't collect his sick note, it could be posted, if you do that send it first class to be signed for (so they can't say they didn't get it.)
I hope they have given him strong pain killers for the pain. And if so he won't be able to drive anyway.

Thanks Mel and AnnG.

OH is home now, he had an X-ray and three people had to check it as they weren't sure if he'd dislocated his shoulder, but he hasn't. He's torn the muscles in his shoulder and back and the pop he felt earlier was more of the muscle tearing. He's got a bit of a cough (not Covid) and the doctor said if he coughs a lot then the popping feeling would happen again as more of the muscle tears, so he's propped up with pillows and has just fallen asleep. Hopefully he'll sleep well tonight so his body is more relaxed, that's help him more than being tense with the pain.

He's got to ring the doctors on Monday to organise some physio and the doctor at the hospital said he could be off work for six weeks or more, depending on what the physio says. I don't think work are going to be to happy about that as they were relying on him doing some over time to fill in for the staff who have holidays booked. I'm not sure how he's going to get his sick note to work though as he can't drive. He said he'll ask one of his workmates if they can take it in for him, so I hope he says yes.

Anyway that's where he's up to at the moment. I've rang Sandra so she's feeling a little less worried now and I'll ring his friend tomorrow to let him know how he got on at the hospital as it was to late to ring him when OH got home tonight. I'm glad they didn't keep him in and I think he's happier being in his own bed. They've given him a sling to wear during the day which he said is helping and saving him having to hold his arm up with his other hand all the time as that was uncomfortable for him.

Going to try and get some sleep now as it's very late. I'll try and get back on here tomorrow if I can.

Poor OH Gill, I hope they can sort it for him and that it is something simple. I know how you feel of course not being able to go to the hospital but they will look after him, Sandra is with her boyfriend so you look after you and make sure you eat, take any medication you have to take and try and get a decent nights sleep. Let us know how he gets on and wish him all the best from us. <3