General Chat

Afternoon All,

I slept well and feel more awake today. It's a bit warmer but very dull again. We had an early lunch and I used my new mandoline to shred the cabbage for lunch and it was so quick and easy! We had leeks with the cabbage, peas and carrots, some mash for OH and with haddock and a white sauce.

I have booked a carry on improvers course to do more landscapes and also a beginner's pastels course with the same teacher both starting after the ones I am still doing. I also booked a one session course to make a woolfelted Beach Mouse. I realised I can still do the courses if we manage to go on holiday with them being online.......... if I remember to pack my clobber! :-D I asked OH if he minded that I would be doing them for 2 hours on 2 days of our holiday and 'of course not' was his reply.

It's good when the wipe down is done isn't it Mel. I'm glad we don't have your cold wind here!

I expect bending to wash the bins won't have helped your back Frank, so mind you don't set it back. How is the rail they fitted in the garden for you? Is it a help?

OH has a meeting soon and I need to finish some bits on tomorrow's painting before we carry on with it. It's a 2 week painting of a nice bridge.

Here I am Mel, Good afternoon all.

Not a good nights sleep, back was playing up. After shower and getting dressed, I sat and read for a while.

The Blue and Green bins were emptied today, and Ros said they could do with a good wash INSIDE. So after she had gone out with Carolyn,I got going with the HOSE. Like an IDIOT I put the hose in the blue bin, then turned on the water. The pressure spun the hose out of the bin and SOAKED me, but as I was wet I decided to carry on. We have the drain just outside our bungalow. So, Scrubbed the bin with the broom, and emptied the water down the drain in the road. I did the green bin also. So I hope MADAM will be pleased with her clean bins.

I have changed, and now feel totally "knackered " So I am going to sit in the conservatory for a read and relax.

I trust you are all well. !!! Please take care and stay safe. xxxx

All wiped down and the sun has come out but there's also a bitter wind. Proper Brass Monkey one as Frank would say.

So where are you all?

Morning all,

Misty a bit here with grey sky and oh says its cold out there. I hav'nt been out yet.

Do you remember I sid I had a bite on my knee? Well in fact I have two and they came up like pimples with a bit of a head on them. They itch and hurt at the same time and while I was in the garden the other day I felt something bite me like a pin prick so I am not sure what it was but they don't seem to be getting any better.

Hope you all had a decent sleep last night.

Safe journey to Ann and family will be thinking of you today.

Your letter will probably turn up at your daughter’s once you are back home AnnG, but it is annoying for you. It’s good your daughter can go home with you for a couple of days. It’ll ease you back into your routine and you have a couple of nice things to look forward to in April and May. Have a safe journey tomorrow.

What a shame about your picture and the masking Ann. I should think you were quite frustrated. Like yours, our garden bin is overflowing as our council suspended brown bin collections after Christmas. Apparently they are starting again next week. The council say that they will adjust next year’s invoice to allow for the collections we’ve missed.

What are you reading at the moment Frank? I’m reading a freebie book on my Kindle that’s making so little impression on me that I can't even remember what it’s called. I do most of my reading in the middle of the night and I’d be lost without books. They keep me sane when I can’t sleep.

How was your shepherd’s pie Mel? I did a big beef casserole, plenty for two days. As it was in the oven I did roasties but tomorrow I’ll reheat it on the hob and throw in some dumplings. OH remarked on how tasty it was. I’ve never owned up to how much of his red wine goes into my stews and casseroles ;-).

It’s been quite a grey day here but at least it has stayed dry. This morning I changed the bedding on two beds and had my regular wrestling match with the duvet covers. I think we ought to move to the German or Scandinavian system of having individual single duvets - much easier to change than our blooming great king size ones. I got three loads of washing done and several other jobs before lunch, then tossed up between going for a walk or gardening. Gardening won and I spent an hour outside tidying some pots and troughs and giving them a feed and a topping of fresh compost before my back started to ache. Tomorrow’s forecast is for similar weather so I might try to do a bit more in the garden then.

That’s the boring story of my day so I’ll wish you all goodnight and sweet dreams.

Thats very annoying Anng. I wonder where its gone and if it will turn up.

I have a sheep sh*t pie in the oven with some nice spring greens. Carrot and onions in with the mince and its smelling good.

Yes I don't want an explosion of bunnies Ann. My rabbit trap is still brocken too and I must have a go at mending it. I shall need a good set of plyers as I caught a fox in it last tiem and its dislodged some of the workings.

I loved the water pots and the seed pots on yesterdays program but I missed last weeks when they made water features so I may watch that tonight on catch up. I did watch whatsit and Dodds last night on catchup and watched the first one again thinking to myself this is'nt new!! Then I found the new one so watched a bit of that and I have the rest to watch tonight.

Well I wonder where my letter has gone, it certainly has not arrived here. Unbelievable over a week tomorrow and stamped by the post office and put in the post by them too.
Going to have to phone fir a replacement tomorrow I think.

Well today's painting was a disaster Mandy! lol. It was supposed to be a 'loose' painting of just a few Hollyhocks. I don't really do 'loose' very well as I always want to tidy things up but that wasn't the problem. We had to sketch and mask out 2 flowers before the class and I just put the masking (rubbery stuff you paint on where you don't want paint to overlap at first). just on the flower edges, but when class started the teacher had drawn the stalks as well and put masking over the whole of the flowers, so I was playing catch up from the start. When we had to rub the masking off mine was so thick it ripped the surface of the paper off leaving it rough with bits sticking up. I might have another try with it. It's gone much colder here now.

The cushion and bears sound like a nice creative idea AnnG and a trip to the garden centre will give you some fresh thoughts/plants for the garden too. :-S I have just remembered I put some seeds in the drawer in here. I've fished them out, Cosmos and Nasturtiums I bought last year. It looks like they can be planted now.

Frank I used to dream of retirement and having time to read books, but I still don't seem to find time! It's good you have a stack to be carrying on with.

Oh Mel, you don't want an explosion of bunnies eating everything as well. I was watching the pottery prog I record last night and loved the big pots and seed pots they were making and decorating. I would still like to have a go. I made a pot on holiday once but can't remember what happened to it.

Afternoon all,

Brrrr it's a lot cooler today ,frosty again first thing but not as foggy as yesterday ,no sign of any sun its too cloudy .

Was going shopping but decided to go tomorrow instead .

Safe journey home tomorrow AnnG it's good you will have your daughter and sil with you for a couple of days it wouldn't have been easy going into the house on your own .I think making the memory cushions is a lovely idea .

Looking forward to seeing the next painting Ann ,I wonder what it is this week :-)

Oh no Mel poor bunnies but if you don't keep them under Control you'll be inundated with them and have no plants left in the garden.

Sounds as if you have a few books to read Frank so that will keep you ocupied, I expect it's much better to read your books since you had your eye done .

Vera hope you had a better nights sleep last night than the one before ,sounds as if you got a few jobs done yesterday though .

Yes no EOS for a couple of weeks now I hope she's ok and Gill and family too .

:-D :-D I am not sure that T being with mr in spirit when I am doing ‘his’ garden would be a good idea Mel? :-D

By the way we have sunshine now but an o so cold wind too. :-(

Just lose yourself in the garden Anng and T will be with you in spirit so you can talk to him . You have some nice things to look forward too as well with the visits and going away for a little break.

Out in the garden this morning in the very cold wind I saw two big bunnies in the orchard followed by two baby bunnies. The next time I went out there was a baby on the patio steps but it ran under oh's mowers and then under the box hedge.

I then filled up the bird feeders and went round to get the chickens food and there was a baby sitting by the old chicken house got the gun and took a shot but missed it. The deer were in the garden again this morning too. These things are sent to try us I suppose but it dos'nt look good for the border this year at all.

I do have lots of plans in my head for the garden and, as daughter is staying two nights so she can visit our quiet little garden centre I will try and get some plants to keep me going until basket time.

I also have two wardrobes full of shirts and trousers and several coats to get to the charity lady. Daughter has sorted out some shirts that she will make into memory bears for the great grandchildren and granddaughter. I might think about making a cushion for the bedroom with a shirt as well, that is if I can get my old sewing machine going again.

I will have a week in April to look forward to when daughter and SiL visit for a week, we will be able to go further afield then and will have ashes to scatter.
And a week end of May when we are going to North Devon for a week self catering.

I think mainly I am apprehensive about initially going into the empty house but there will be the three of us so that is probably unwarranted.

Morning All,

Dull and dreary here with no sun. :-(

I slept really well and didn't get up till 10.00am. OH was the same and I think doing some in the garden and then lifting the food inside and putting things away tired him out.

I have a class this afternoon so we are shortly having a brunch so I can get my picture ready and masked out.

I'm sure once you are home you will soon get used to it again AnnG. Try making some plans for the garden and set yourself some tasks each day so you feel you are achieving things. Before long you should be able to see friends which will help. I still have to smile at my original neighbour across the road when we moved into these bungalows from new. She was in her early 50s like me and 6 months before had tragically lost her husband in a motorbike accident that catapulted him into a field. One thing she did was to buy settees in a leopard print that her husband would have hated!

Brunch is dinging! BBL

Did you sleep well Frank and hows the back today?

Good morning to you all,

No I haven't seen Liz anywhere, I hope she is well. Sending love xxxx

Horrible morning here, I think we must have had a very heavy DEW. as everywhere is wet.

I have put ours, and Tony's bins out this morning. Ros borrowed his green bin yesterday, as ours was full.

I'm all showered and shaved and ready to do NOTHING.

Not got anything planed for today, so I expect it will be back to my book. I have about 5 others to read, when I finish this one. So it will keep me busy.

Take care all and stay safe. xxx

Good morning all, sunny here this morning but a frost over night. Another day of doing nothing, except for packing. Home tomorrow. Mixed feelings about that really. Not sure how I will feel.

I meant to say no Elizabeth of the Seasons again this week and I do hope she is alright and not got this horrid virus. Has anyone seen her on other boards?

Sending love and wishes to you EOS if you look in. <3 <3 <3

Morning All,

Pinch and a punch for the first of the month. Now where did February go? I know its a short month but it just whizzed by thank goodness.

A very grey day here but it is dry which I suppose is good. Must go up and get the bins in incase the wind gets up later on as they don't put them back in a sheltered spot just leave them on the car park and not together either. They fit in together and if they left them upside down they would stand a better chance of staying where they left them instead of blowing into the road.

Nothing planned for today so I may do the ironing. Oh is out fiddleing with his pond so I may have peace and quiet.

You got lots done today Mel. It's satisfying to get some pruning and clearing up done. I see your OH has sorted the mower and has been mowing too.

Our order came early which was good. It was in bags this time, but they still used crates instead of unloading into our baskets and boxes which is a bit annoying as our baskets etc are lighter for OH to lift than the crates and one of our boxes is on wheels which makes life easier. Maybe they find there is less damage to the food this way though. Less subs this time although quite a few things were out of stock. We were all wiped down and packed away in threequarters of an hour. OH has almost filled the garden bin now with weeds and dead stalks so I'd better sort my Clematis tomorrow. It's garden bin day on Tuesday.

Hope everyone sleeps well and we'll see what the weather is like tomorrow. :-)