General Chat

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.

Afternoon All,

We both slept like logs again and I seem to be dropping off to sleep more quickly now as well. OH's cough is less too. Now I have a small abscess near a tooth that took ages to settle after it was filled a year or so ago, but it isn't painful and seems to almost disappear at times so unless it gets painful I shan't go to the dentist in the circs, and it will be getting salt washes instead.

I love to watch Hunted too Gill. What a shame they didn't give more detail in the prog about stress. I did say to look on-line though and it is worth trying some things and Jane's mention of CBT and looking for support groups are good ideas. Maybe you need a 'Thomas', as stroking a pet is supposed to lower your blood pressure and reduce stress! It's good you have some loo rolls now. I hate it when the smoke alarm goes off as my OH is usually out when it happens. You did well to reach it to get it to stop. Maybe I should get a few more batteries? Have you heard from Sandra lately? I suppose you won't be seeing her on Mother's Day now.

Oh Mel, I worry about taking things the wrong way round too as it's so easy to do. My panic is having a 100mg and a 25mg thyroxine tablet to make up the 125mg when they keep changing the sizes. I seem to have a lot of baby long legged spiders now and they are rebuilding their webs days after I get rid of them.

That's good you were so quick at the hospital Jane. I think it's a good reminder to people to see masks and gloves, as there are too many not taking things seriously enough. The banana loaf is something OH would love.

A few ready meals are a good standby anyway Frank . I have a few in the freezer. It's good folk are checking up on you to see you are alright. We are half a mile out of the village so we don't exist to people in the village!

Gosh your son has a few family worries doesn't he Vera. Still, it's good he doesn't have to worry about you and your OH as well.

Two things cheered me up today. One was that the free Turkey in the garage freezer is still in date, so that's Sunday lunch sorted and using it will make more room in there. Then we got a call from the Valuation Agency after chasing up what was happening about our council tax band appeal last year and not hearing anything since. They have agreed to drop our council tax band from Band E to Band D, which will save us £400 this year and will refund us back to 2015 when the new houses were built, so we should get about £1,500! It was a good job we appealed against their first refusal!

Sorry you had another bad night Frank lets hope tonight will be ok and you get some good zzzz's in.

Hav'nt even thought about tonights dinner yet!! I have been claying playing.... Having great fun. Its like painting with coloured clay. I am making another pendant but a bigger one this time. It has everything on it.

Washing is nearly dry so I may bring it in now before the damp comes down with dark.

Jane its good your appointment and drop off only took a few minuets this morning. Are you making soup with your chicken stock? A nice big pot of soup woud be nice with this cold easterly wind blowing. I have just turned the heating back on as its got quite chilly in here.

Oh mowed this morning in two lots. The first time he came in with freezing hands and put them on my face!! The second time he cut the west lawn and now it all looks like someone has cut it for silage. I hope the worms take a ot of it down.

Where's our AnnG today? Hope they are both ok.

Gill I think they have got quite a lot of episodes already filmed of Eastenders so to make them last they have dropped down to twice a week, I think it is Mondays and Wednesdays but not sure and of course the programme magazines are still showing the original times. I am sure, if this goes on we will lose all the soaps and programmes like Holby and Casualty. I just hope they don't use it as an excuse to do away with them all altogether.

Well done for getting the toilet rolls, surely 18 will last the two of you quite a while.

Mel, taking the pills in the wrong order once would probably do no harm but you are right to put them in different places so that you can't do it too often.

Frank, good to see you, Ros seems to be doing ok with the shopping, I don't know her age but as you are self isolating shouldn't she now be doing the same to protect you?

Jane I guess I will be making a banana loaf at some stage as we sseem to have a lot of bananas.
I don't hear the smoke alarm battery bleep in the night as I don't have my hearing aid in. Yes I know! I might just hear it if it went off for real as that is louder.

We did go to the hairdresser this morning. They were very busy but I stayed in the car while OH had his cut, then he did the same while I had mine done. In fact as we were parked right outside I stayed until my hairdresser called me. she told OH to ask me to stay their while she disinfected her 'station. Apparently they do it thoroughly between each customer.

Afterward we nipped to McColls which is a small shop and only usually has two or three customers in at once, we got a few bits, a small tin of ham, jar of marmalade, bananas, crisps, newspaper. Then on the way back to the car OH went into the bakers and bought a loaf and a large snail bun which we had between us with our coffee at home. when we got home our neighbour popped out of her door with 6 eggs for us, she had been to the big Tesco Extra which sounds as if it was well stocked.

OH is, at the moment, trying out the Wii, we have had it a long time but it has not been used for quite a few years. It seems to be working ok, anyway that is keeping him occupied as it is too cold to go out in the garden.

Pleased to see you and Ros are okay Frank, like you said it's best to stay in as much as you can. Good idea to buy ready meals especially with you feeling so tired. I hope you have a better nights sleep tonight.

I checked the Coronavirus map earlier and we have 8 people with the virus, I don't think anyone has died of it around here though. Let's hope it stays that way. That was nice of Jonathan and Simon to ring you Frank, it's nice to know people are looking out for each other isn't it?

The sun is still out but there are a lot of really black clouds coming our way, so I think we might be in for some rain soon.

Just watched "Hunted" with OH what a brilliant end to the programme, all four of the remaining fugitives got away and each have a share of the prize money of £100,000 pounds. It's the most exciting one we've seen and we're looking forward to the next one in 2021

Afternoon all,

Ros took Carolyne to Tesco at 9.00 am to get bits and bobs. Everything seemed to be available except for LOO ROLLS. She got those from where we got them on Monday.

I see on the Local Papers web page, that there are pubs and restaurants offering free delivery to older people, and those who are self (whatever it is). My brain has gone to sleep. lol lol

Everyone in the village are keeping a look out for us oldies. Jonathan rang last night to see if we were alright. Simon phoned this morning to check up on us.

Ros bought quite a few ready meals, to save me standing, doing veg, and cooking.

Another BAD NIGHT last night. I am feeling SO TIRED, but don't want to sleep during the day.

I see the total Coronavirus in Northants has got to 15. I think there has been 5 deaths. What better news, to make you want to stay in and be safe.

Take care everyone, and stay SAFE. xxxx

I've just seen on TV that Ant and Dec are doing their Saturday Night Takeaway show without an audience this Saturday. Martin Lewis did his show last night without an audience to. It's going to be very strange to watch. I wonder what will happen with the plane tickets Ant and Dec are giving away for the last show in Florida now.

Thanks for your advice Jane, I'll take a look online. I've put ITV on but missed Paul McKenna, so I'm recording it on ITV+1 so I can watch it later.

It sounds like you've been very busy today, I've just finished OH's washing, so that's drying now. Yes I didn't realise what the noise was at first as it normally just beeps when the batteries need changing, but this time it was one continued beep with a red flashing light. I just assumed it meant the battery needed changing, which is why OH did it before he went to bed this morning. So far it hasn't made anymore noise, so that's good or it would wake him up. It was a shock though especially with my bedroom door shut, I didn't know what to expect when I opened it, but thankfully there wasn't a fire.

Enjoy your sit down and coffee, you've earned it. :-) I bet it smells lovely at your place with the banana cake and now the chicken stock being done.

Morning All
Vera I thought the wedding dress and Christening Gown were so beautiful :-D :-D.You certainly have a talent .Your Daughter looked beautiful and the baby a happy little thing.

Gill I always find our smoke alarm batteries run out in the middle of the night and it is a shock to be woken up with the alarm. At least you have a new one in now and there was no emergency.

I have been busy this morning. Took my bottle of LIQUID GOLD to the hospital and had my bloods taken.I was in and out in just a matter of minutes.I did wear the mask and my gloves and felt a bit daft but needs must . Then when I got home I made a Banana Loaf and have now got some stock simmering with the chicken carcass from last night. Think I will have a sit down now and have a coffee.

The sun keeps coming out but then it clouds over.At least it is dry.

Gill it might be worth you havng a look on line for help with stress and CBT or even find a forum where you could join in with others who have the same problems as you .They might have some good ideas .Its worth a shot I think .
Paul McKenna is on tv right now talking about how to deal with stress and anxiety.(ITV)

Missed your post there Mel. That's not good taking your pills the wrong way around. At least you have them sorted now. Good luck with your cobweb destroying lol ;-)

Morning all

Lovely and sunny but not very warm

I had a terrible night's sleep, didn't go to bed until around 2am, then woke at 4am then just when I finally dropped off properly I was woken at 6am by the smoke alarm and a red flashing light. The bungalow wasn't on fire, so all I could think it might of been was the battery needed changing. I got a chair from the dining room but being so small I couldn't reach it apart from my finger tips, I managed to move it slightly and thankfully the alarm stopped. When OH came in from his night shift he changed the battery and so far it's been okay.

OH managed to get hold of two packs of 9 toilet rolls this morning, so that's good. He said the shops were quiet with not many people for a change, although he did try to go back into the shop for a further 2 packs of toilet rolls, but said there were none left. He'll try again tomorrow morning. I'd rather have to many at the moment than worry about running out altogether.

Well, the stress programme was rubbish, I thought it might of been some help with my stress levels, but they didn't really give any advice. It was all about OH people changing their life styles and how much their stress had come down. Unfortunately they didn't show exactly what they did to get their stress levels down, so it wasn't very useful in the end. It focused on people who were stressed at work, which doesn't apply to me. Never mind, maybe next weeks programme will be better.

What's everyone up to today? I might do a bit of washing, OH's uniform needs doing. He's on nights again tonight.

Morning all,

We have a brighter looking day out there today. Oh is out fiddling with the mowers so I hav'nt got him under my feet this morning so I may hoover through and do the dusting and get rid of a few cobwebs and spiders. I'd like to know where they all come from. I seem to have really tiny ones this year not the long legged type we usually get.

Hope you all slept well.

I took my pills round the wrong way the day before yesterday. The one I am supposed to take late morning I took the one I take at night. It did'nt seem to make much difference though so thats good. One is much the same looking as the other in the dark reaches of my desk when the weathers grey and I don't turn the light on so I have moved the evening one to another compartment in my box.

What a wonderful dress you made Vera and also the Christening gown, you are very clever, they must of taken ages to make and they look very professional to. I found some books on dressmaking the other day so I might take a look at them when I've finished all the sorting I want to do, plus the housework. If I look at them now I'll probably start trying to make something and the other jobs won't get done. That's the thing at the moment, no one knows exactly what's going to happen over the next few weeks or months where jobs and schools are concerned, it's no wonder your son is a little stressed at the moment. I hope everything works out okay for them all.

As quick as I'm watching the programmes on the planner Jane it's filling up again with other programmes. I need to record a few for OH as he was following them before he started his job. He enjoys "Hunted", it's the last one tonight so I've recorded it for him to watch tomorrow when he wakes up, he's on nights again tonight. I've been following it with him, so will watch the last one tomorrow as well. I've not heard of "The Crown" I hope you enjoy it.

I've never used a Bidet, but what you told us about the one you used has put me right off if it hit the door and flooded the room Mandy, it could do someone a mischief lol. Good job you weren't sitting on it at the time. That's a lot of books you can get from the library, getting them home might be a bit of a problem though.

Good luck sorting out the instructions for your phones tomorrow Ann. Let's hope they're sorted before OH's conference calls. Hope all goes well with your first online shopping order, when you do it.

You've had quite a busy day going back and forth here and there Mel, I bet you'll sleep well tonight. I envy you your eggs, I'm down to half a dozen and I wanted to do some baking. I hope we can buy some tomorrow, when we try again.

I went to watch Eastenders this evening only to find it's not on until Monday, I heard they have stopped filming because of the Coronavirus so have stopped showing it as many times during the week so they can carry on showing it for more weeks to come, until they can start filming again. I think Doctors and a few other BBC programmes have stopped filming for now to.

I recorded a programme called "How to beat Stress" before, I thought it might be something useful after the terrible telephone consultation off the doctor and her saying she can't give me anymore Diazepam. It can't do any harm to see what it's all about. I'm just about to watch it now. I don't go to bed early when OH's on nights, so wait until I can't keep my eyes open anymore, that way I fall asleep straight away.

Vera the wedding dress and Christening gown are beautiful and of yourself you have talents, even if you choose to not use them any more.
Gosh 45 library books does seem a bit extreme.

Well done on setting up the phones Ann. Now for the next step.

I dread setting up the on line shop, it sounds easy to make a mistake. Must get around to it though.

Evening everyone

Thank you for your kind comments about the photos I sent. I started sewing when daughter was little out of sheer necessity. We were hard up and a cheap remnant in the market would make her a dress. I don’t think I had any talent but plenty of grit and determination. I could do the big things but could never make a bit of delicate jewellery or a pretty card.

Mel, your OH made me laugh. Tell him my sewing days are over but if anyone else makes him a thobe I’d love to see a picture of him in it.

We went to “oldies’ hour” at Sainsbury’s at 7 am today and I think every elderly person in our town had the same idea. It was manic but quite good natured with everyone laughing about it and people seemed to be buying sensibly. I had made a short list, mainly veg, and I stuck to that, so I got veg, a loaf and a bottle of milk. There didn’t seem to be much meat or milk available but maybe they had more to put out.

Those of you new to online supermarket shopping will soon get used to it. I use Tesco and I can say if I don’t want a product to be substituted or add a note about what I will accept. I should think the other shops have a similar system. Even old hands like me make mistakes. A couple of months ago I did my order but thought the total looked very high so I double checked it. Good job I did as I had ordered 55 packets of loose tea.

I don’t seem to have achieved much today but I did clear out a cupboard under the stairs. Once I’d got everything out I decided I still wanted everything so it all went back again. At least it’s tidy now and I can see what’s there

When I rang son last night we chatted for an hour and a half. He was on good form though a bit frazzled. He’s working from home but concerned whether the company will get through the present crisis. It might be struggling. He had been face-timing his wife who was a bit down as she doesn’t know when she’ll get back from Florida. His middle daughter was stressing about her A-Levels and what would happen with schools closing and the youngest was being a typical teenage grump. His eldest daughter and his stepson were both working but expecting their jobs to come to an end at any moment. I think the atmosphere in their house is a touch tense at present but they are all fit and well so it could be worse.

I am yawning away as I am typing this so I think it’s time to go to bed with my book. Sleep tight everyone, sweet dreams.

No Mel thank goodness i wasn't i could have done my self a bit of damage :-0 :-D :-D
I might not have been able to sit down for a week !! :-D

You were'nt sitting on it then Mandy?? I can remember when I was young and seeing one my mum told me it was to wash your feet in.

Ann if you add things to your exsiting list you must click on the Checkout Amends thats what I did'nt do with things I added.

Ann i hope you can sort out the instructions for the new phone ready the conference call .

My only go at using a Bidet was on holiday when i tried it out i pushed a button and the water sprayed out at such a force it hit the bathroom door and flooded the floor :-D :-D

It's good that surgeries are doing really thorough cleans now Mandy. Ours texted me yesterday to say not to come in to the surgery without ringing first to get an appointment. We'll stand no chance of getting through now as we always had to go to the surgery because the phone was always busy. Gosh, 45 books!!! You would need a big shopping trolley!! lol.

Oh Mel, I shall have to be extra careful when I send my first on-line order in. I can see me messing it up quite easily. Ahhh yes, you have your delicious eggs!! You have had a busy day toing and froing.

I got an email reply from the hospital today after cancelling my appointment and they have agreed to give me an appointment for after the summer as I asked. Hopefully things will be less risky by then.

Vera you have been hiding your light under a bushell!! You are very talented to have made a wedding dress like that and the beautiful christening dress and coat. I couldn't do things like that. Well done!

I must admit I have never been keen on having a bidet either. It's probably silly, but I've always felt they might harbour germs and not be left properly clean by the last person.

The new phones are charging (landline) so we can have a fun time trying out all the instructions tomorrow. OH has already got one conference call booked.

Vera the wedding dress you made is beautiful ,how can you say you have no talent ,i couldn't have made a lovely dress like that i wouldn't now where to start making some thing on that scale ,has she still got the dress ?

Mel has OH had a look at Big Dude Clothing uk ? they have sizes up to 8XL