General Chat

Morning Mel, morning all

<3 <3 <3 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MUM'S ON HERE <3 <3 <3

Hope you all have a lovely day with lots of nice presents and cards.

I got a lovely card off Sandra, I've just text her to say thank you, but her phone is off. I tried ringing mum but there was no answer there either. I hope everything is okay with Sandra as she never turns her phone off and as for mum, she's just had another eye operation and was telling me yesterday that she couldn't drive for a while, she also told me the Church was closed, so I don't know why Sandra and mum haven't answered their phones.......very strange.

I was busy yesterday so I didn't have the chance to come on here, I'll go and catch up with all the post now. BBL

Morning all,

Sunshine and blue sky with a few white clouds this morning but its not as windy.

Now Iwonder if I can get the big girls cleaned out today? and a bit of garden tidying? At least over the past couple of day the chicken run has dried out a lot but it only needs a shower to turn it back into a mire.

Did you all sleep well? I do hope so. I went to bed at 11.50pm last night as tired as anything and don't remember much after I layed down.

A beautiful day here today, a bit cold but sunny and dry. This morning we wrapped up warmly and drove to the country park only a mile or so from here, then had a bit of a walk. We only met two or three dog walkers and it was easy to keep our distance and it was a real treat to get some fresh air and exercise. It’s not a huge area but very pleasant to walk in and never very busy. I understand that we can go out for exercise as long as we avoid any close contact so, weather permitting, we’re going to try to do that every day.

OH did some gardening jobs when we got back. I checked on two fuschia plants that were overwintering in the conservatory. I’ve thought for a while they didn’t look good but today I decided they had popped their clogs. The annoying thing is every year I take cuttings and give them away. Last year I didn’t take any cuttings so now I can’t replace my plants unless I buy some.

I also seem to have been on the phone for a good part of the day. I think everyone is suddenly missing social interaction so phoning all their friends. I also spoke to my brother and my daughter. Daughter was a bit fed up. Firstly, she is in school generally from about 8 am till about 6 pm so by the time she can shop in the evening the shelves are empty. She managed to get a few bits and pieces this morning. Then she has had a couple of days of dealing with difficult parents. The school she is currently working in takes pupils from some quite deprived areas and, sadly, some of the parents are quite feckless and don’t seem to think their kids are their responsibility. They have been claiming that their children should stay in school because they are vulnerable and get quite abusive when she explains their children don’t meet the criteria. Mostly they are stroppy teens whose parents don’t want them around every day. In addition she and other staff are trying to reorganise the curriculum to teach those in school and provide online lessons for those who aren’t, sort out the free school meals and the million and one other necessary changes. She has 21 staff off school because of self isolation. They almost certainly have coughs and colds picked up from the pupils but can’t take any chances. And people think teachers work from 9-3 and are always on holiday!!!

Ann, that’s great news about your council tax refund. Enjoy your turkey tomorrow. How big is it? You may be enjoying it for several days.

AnnG it’s good to hear that someone has got back from Florida. Virgin Atlantic are supposed to be getting dil home but can’t seem to tell her when it will be. I am just terrified that there will be a general stop on travel and she will be stuck there for months on end. That would be such a strain on her, my son and the rest of their family.

I love the idea of a Toad Patrol, Jane. It sounds like something out of Disney. Good luck with the cross stitch. I’m glad you have plenty of books. My kindle died on me about 4 months ago. I didn’t replace it as I thought OH would get me one for Christmas. I dropped enough hints. Then I thought he might buy it for my birthday but it didn’t materialise so I still haven’t got one. I’ve got Libby, the library app, on my iPad so I’m mostly using that at the moment.

Hope you all have a good night tonight and a nice day tomorrow

AnnG it is Checkout Amend you have to click on when you add things and you can just cross the page out to get out of it.

Loved the poem Frank and yes it took me back through the years. We also used to say:-

Manners, pianas, threepeny bits and tanners if we burped. Anyone remember that?

I have had a little paint this afternoon.

We did try to get into Morrisons click and collect but could'nt find it. We have registered with Morrisons incase they extend their range for delivery. On Asda sight it says they are 10.something miles from us. Don't know how far Morrisons come out but if they know who I am I usually spend nearly £200 a week in their store.

Good job you mentioned it is 48hrs for Morrisons now Mel as we are adding to Hannah's list for us until we get our first delivery from Tesco on the 5th April. Must add the last few bits to Hannahs now as her delivery is on Tuesday.

What a chilly day it has been even though quite bright.The wind s quite biting.
F&Cs for us to night with Cauliflower Cheese.James is having a Curry.

I had ot laugh at a message from my Sister...Larry is on Toad Patrol every Friday evening for the next few weeks. He has to pick up hundreds of toads trying to go over the bypass and take them back to the Nature Reserve.It must be breeding season as there are so many and they will get squished by tthe traffic :-( I said I hope Larry has a Lollypop that says TOADS CROSSING :-D :-D

Oh Vera what a day you had yesterday. No wonder you were grumpy.I hope today has been a much better one for you and that you will get a better nights sleep tonight.I could tell by your post last night that you werent quite tip top.

I have tried to make a start this afternoon on the Cross stitch.Not the Giraffe one but a small one of 2 Blue Tits that Hannah bought me.I have done 3 small rows so far and am no cross eyed !!I think `i shall have ot get one of those magnifying lamps.I watched a thing on You Tube on how to begin the Cross stitch which was very helpful.

Next doors new roof is coming along (the bungalw that caught fire ) It s been months now since the fire.It must have been back in October.
I see John Lewis are now closing all their stores !!.There won't be anything left open soon other than the Take Away places.
Had a lovely delivery today of Tulips and Daffs from Hannah and James.I have filled 3 vases !!.

Vera I am sorry your Grandaughter has no job now and will have to go home to her Dad.What with Uni closing and her disertation she must be feeling pretty low right now.
I worry about how some families will cope with children not being able to go to school.Especially those with single parents who have to work .I just hope we dont satrt to hear of neglect :-(

Frank loved your email of back in the days of Tanners and Bobs :-D :-D Hope you have plenty of books to read on your Kindle.I keep buying books and must have getting on for 20 now all lined up ready.I tend to get the ones for 99pence .Mainly Psychological Thrillers and Crime.

Mandy I hope Max has not been able to get hold of any more of your loo rolls :-D
How are you feeling now ?

No Ann so far today.I wonder if she has been busy in the garden.
Have we heard from Gill today?
I fancy a Sherry now :-D

OK thanks Mel

AnnG oh has just told me to look and see when you can add to your order as it used to be up until midnight the day before delivery but Morrisons have now made it 48 hours before your delivery.

You have to say you will pay for it by clicking on the checkout thing and also if you add things to it. Thats what I did'nt do and why only half of what I ordered came.

When I went to Em's this morning with the eggs I asked them if they would be my Buddies (as the surgery called them) to pick up our scripts for us if we do really get shut in. Em's Ed works in Shebbear and goes to the shop so he will be able to get me anything I want, scripts, bread or the paper. I forgot to get oh some yoghurts!!

Got my paper from the shop and managed to buy 4 nice bread rolls. The only things that seem to be missing are toilet rolls and kitchen rolls and they have most other things. I forgot to get oh some yoghurts!!

Thanks Mel so do I have to log out or just shut it down? I know, I know, daft question staying indoors brain fog!!

AnnG yes it will still be there but keep looking for slots.

Good afternoon to you all,

I see you have all been careful, only going out for the essentials . Like Ros, she went to Tesco at 9.00 am yesterday and filled up with fresh veg. Neither of us will be going out until it is urgent to get more food etc. I have considered going on line, but the slots are well into APRIL and who knows what I will want then.

Harvey rang this morning to say A parcel/Mothers day Present will be delivered tomorrow. He is staying well clear of us, as he has been mixing with a few people at work.

Jonathan and Maureen across the road, have both offered to get anything we need, which is kind of them.

Ros is busy once again in the garden. I am staying indoors, out of the way, with my book and T.V.

I have left a message with BARRY to come and cut the lawns, when he is available, they seem to be growing quickly as the weather warms up.

I hope you are all staying Well and being careful when you go out. KEEP SAFE.xxxx

Thanks Mandy for the good advice. Will tell OH.

Now, those who on line shop I have just gone through and added quite a few items to an online Tesco shop, no problem setting it up as already have a Tesco card. However, there are no slots available as far as I can see at the moment. Do I have to do anything to hold the orders I have put on there or do I just shut it down? i.e. if I shut it down will it all be there when I ipen up again.

Thats some good advice for AnnG that she can get the cement off the wasll and steps Mandy. I wondered if vinegar would remove some of it.

Morning all ,

Lovely bright morning here the washings blowing away in fact i should think it now dry it was out early .

AnnG i asked Colin about the cement powder on the steps and he said you need Brick Acid remover or Mortar remover both should get it off ,pity you weren't nearer he's got a gallon of it in the shed that he used for his work.

Oh Vera what a day you had yesterday ,today can only be better .

Gill i thought of you last night when i watched Gardeners World ,the lady on there had over a thousand pots in her garden ,i think you've got a bit of catching up to do to keep up to her :-D

Oh and i see a new lot of The Sewing Bee is soon back on

Good morning all, sunny here with a cold wind 7 degrees outside so not very warm,

OH has just filled the hanging baskets with compost and left them in the greenhouse to warm up. I just walked down the garden and back but it is too cold to linger. I am a bit cross because when he was doing something out there with cement he got some of the cement powder on the steps up to the lawn and the wall of the bed outside the conservatory and, I guess he didn't clean it up and now the steps and wall are stained with a white mess that he can't get off. It looks really messy now.

Goodness that was an irritating day you had yesterday, I hope today will be better for you. Good to have Granddaughter not too far away so she can help if necessary. But frustrating for your DiL to be stuck in USA. I have just seen one person on facebook who was having trouble getting back from Florida as her BA flight was cancelled, she has got a flight with American Airlines.

Annx well done getting the council tax reduced, a bit more in the bank for you. And a bonus to find the turkey ok for Sunday lunch (and probably several more afterwards.

I am going to try and get this on line shopping started off, even if it is going nowhere at the moment.

:-D :-D :-D

Morning all,

What a day you had yesterday Vera. I could'nnt have got any worse could it?

Its extremly windy here today and the sky is grey but with some brighter patches but its still very cold in the wind.

I am going up the shop as usual for my paper and delivering Em's eggs and then I am in for the rest of the day.

How was your nights sleep? I slept like a log and did'nt get up early either. I think this will be the last Saturday we have a steak night as I like to pick my meat and I have a piece of rump in the freezer.

I am feeling so tired tonight. I can’t stop yawning so I might be in bed very soon. I have just read all today’s posts so I’m keeping up with all your news.

It seems to have been a bit of a hectic day today. Yesterday I was printing something when the black ink ran out. Checked in the cupboard, no spares so I went online, found the company with the best deal for genuine Epson inks, checked carefully 3 times that I was ordering the right ones for our machine and placed the order for the complete set of colours and an extra spare black. It was great service as they arrived this afternoon. OH went upstairs to change the black ink and came downstairs very grumpy as I had apparently ordered the wrong ones! So I went back online and checked again. No, they were the right ones. He showed me a spare colour one from the cupboard which was obviously a different size. I asked what he had done with the ink cartridge he had taken out of the printer. He hadn't taken the old one out to compare that with the new one. Yes, you’ve got it................he was comparing it with one he had found at the back of the cupboard which was for our old printer. Why is such a bright man sometimes so dumb? All this took best part of an hour and left me thoroughly irritable. If I had changed the cartridge myself it would have been a 5 minute job.

Then a neighbour rang and I couldn’t get her off the phone. I didn’t want to be rude so that was another 40 minutes gone.

Next my new dishwasher arrived. I stayed in another room while the men took the old one out and installed the new one but they called me to the kitchen to check I was happy before they left. WRONG DISHWASHER, or at least right model, wrong colour. I ordered white, they delivered a silvery grey. They said they would report it when they got back and the company would ring to arrange to change it but in the meantime I could use it. When they ring I am going to tell them that because of the virus situation I don’t think we should have them coming back again so we will keep the one they have installed. In fact, if I am honest, I think the silver grey works better in the kitchen than white but it was another irritation today. Then I spent a little while going round the door handles and anything they might have touched in the kitchen with antiseptic wipes.

Jane, my dil went to Florida to give some help to her late first husband’s mother. After he died she kept in close touch with his parents as she got on well with them and, of course, they were also her sons’ grandparents. In fact they came over for the wedding when she married my son. Her ex-mil has since been widowed, wants to sort everything out in her large house and move somewhere smaller but was finding it hard on her own. DIL flew out to help her and now can’t get back. I heard from dil this evening. She says she is very concerned but can’t do anything about it so she is carrying on sorting out cupboards and drawers for her ex-mil

Eldest granddaughter rang tonight to check we were OK. Uni is closed, apart from some online tutoring, a practical part of her finals, involving some sort of show, had to be abandoned and will be assessed differently and her final dissertation has to be submitted online. As her part time job was to do with school lettings for clubs and other organisations and the schools have closed, she now has no job. She’s coming home and staying with her Dad (he and my daughter are separated). Dad lives about 15 miles from us and she has offered to drive up from there with shopping etc. if we need anything.

I really am off to bed now. See you all tomorrow.

I'm glad you are sorted in the toilet department now Gill :-D No kitchen roll or newspares needed ;-)

AnnG, I think your hair looks very nice.its the same colour as mine too :-D

What a good job you rang about the Banding Ann.£1,500 .That will be a great pay out for you :-D

Mel I am going to freeze the stock and use it for a couple of my casserole dishes.

We have Sausage and Gnocchi tray bake this evening with mixed peppers ,mushrooms and tomatoes.It looks nice but I have never done Gnocchi this way before.

I see now everything is closing now from midnight Restaurants,cafes ,pubs ,Gyms !!
We will just have t oget used to enjoying the fresh air and good weather when it arrives. At least we have a big garden .Might get the croquet set out :-D :-D.I think it will be ok to have Hannah and Gareth around then as we can stay 6 feet apart :-D

I was looking at the website for where we are going next month and see that they can provide pre cooked meals that can be delivered to the Lodge.I think I shall order some for a couple of evening meals rather than cook for 4 nights :-D It might be a good idea to actually contact the people to see if they are carrying on with having people holidaying in Lodges.

Vera it must be a worry for your Son not knowing when his wife will be able to get back from Florida.Where is she staying.I cant remember if you said she had gone with work or if she was visiting family/friends.

Must go and check on dinner

O Ann thats a great saving on your council tax. OUrs has just gone up £10 and we are on a band E. Bet you miss gong to your friends today don't you? It dos'nt feel like a Friday to me with the shopping coming yesterday. They change the size and colour of our pills because they try to get away with giving us cheaper ones. I always ask for the Teva brand with most of oh's and mine.