General Chat

She''s got Lacey staying I think AnnG. She'll be tired after havin gtwo of them this week.

Still no Mandy. Hope she is ok.

Evening All,

Breezy and Chilly here with a bit of rain but not much.

Vera I hope your tum is ok now. Nothing worse than when your 'white friend' is also your 'best friend!' You had a bad day and now you have some sad days too. Roll on March eh! I wonder if the filter might be a bit blocked and have caused the dishwasher to flood? Not a nice job clearing all the mess up though. I would hate to be without mine now.

Mel that sounds a good idea to reduce some of the work by selling the field and some of your land before it becomes too hard to look after it all. You will still have your lovely garden plus a bit of extra dosh which is always handy and you can stay where you are. :-) I hope your 'baking' has turned out ok.

AnnG we have an old arbour in the corner at the top of the garden and that stands on slate chippings, but the roof slats are barely hanging on now so it needs replacing with another of some sort really. It is the shadiest spot of the garden on a hot day so a good place for it. The one on the slate slabs is just close to the patio and has a dome top and is handy to sit and have a cuppa.

I've never been to Southend as we hardly went anywhere when I was a child, just one holiday and a few local daytrips that I can remember. The first time I was amazed by lights was when I went with my first husband to Blackpool to see the lights. We went on a coach trip to avoid crawling in the traffic and it rained a bit, which wasn't ideal, but I had never seen anything like it before.

Gill thanks for reminding me that I need to change the bed tomorrow. It comes round so quickly. I need to put the washer on too for another load.

We were going to see 'Emma' at the cinema tomorrow, which is the discount day, but it isn't on till the afternoon which clashes with something else OH is doing, so we are hoping to go on Wednesday instead as there is a showing at about 11.00am which will suit us better. I need to be up early tomorrow anyway as it is window cleaner day.

OH checked our lottery ticket today and we'd won £30!! It's the most we've ever won so was a nice surprise.

Frank you are not winning me over to seafood are you!! :-0 I hope the carvery has been good. I thought you weren't going to the 70th birthday bash as well. It will be good if you get to do a bit of visiting at the same time though.

I hope you have a good sleep Jane with your cosy hot water bottle.....I love them! A trip to Rushden Lakes for some shopping tomorrow sounds good. They are all getting in new ranges of clothes now. Lovely pic of you with Hannah at Lunch!

I had a good sleep again last night so think I will have an early night again. :-)

Lovely pic of you and Hannah Jane and you do look well and happy as AnnG said. <3

This should interest some of you .

Back in time to the corner shop BBC 2 8pm Tuesday.

I have enjoyed some of those back in time programs.

Vera awe so sorry you have all the bad memories in one week. Made worse by the weather as well. The only way is up so have a drink and have a think to bring back all the good times. <3

Jane loved the photo you looked well and happy. Pleased you were able to enjoy a lovely meal with the family.

Mel hope the cooking if going well.

I,m Glad you had a good day today Jane and enjoyed your roast beef dinner. Can you take me with you on Mothers Day please as I would love a roast beef dinner and can't remember the last time I had one. Enjoy your browse tomorrow and I hope you find a nice nightie. <3

Evening All
Oh Vera I am sorry you are having such a rotten time at the moment and feeling sad and low. <3
I have not read other posts yet.Sorry.
Today has been a good day.I felt well enough to go with the family for a very nice lunch at a country pub.I had Roast Beef and have to say it was one of the best pub roasts .Everyone else agreed too.We have booked to go again on Mothering Sunday.
Tomorrow Chris and I are going to pop over to Rushden Lakes to M&S.It will be so good to have a nice browse.I May get myself another nightie.
Now I feel tired so am going to fill a hot water bottle and pop it in my bed .I just love the smell of a hot water bottle.I could sniff it for ages :-D
Not that I have a rubber fetish LOL.
Will be back tomorrow

Don't think we had squirrels at Southend but it would add to the magic for children. They can have our quirrels any time they like. They ate all our hazel nuts this year and made a mess with the shells all over the path down by the bantams.

I am going to shut the chickens in and then have a look and see if there are any disarters in the oven as I have put hanging eyes in these.

I don’t remember being taken to see the lights as a child, though if we had gone it would have been to Southend but the posts have brought to mind another memory. I was taken to see Margaret Lockwood in Peter Pan. I guess I was about 7. When it came to the finale the stage was covered in twinkling lights and I thought I was in Fairyland. I’ve loved theatre ever since :-D

I said in my early post that I was just going to mooch about but instead I did loads of jobs and have overdone it a bit so it’s back to a heat pad. We never learn do we.

It’s not really a good few days for me. Today is the anniversary of my Mum’s death. It was 46 years ago but it still seems like yesterday. A few years later I had to go to the funeral of a favourite aunt on this day and the anniversary of my Dad’s death 14 years ago is this coming week as well. Each year I say I’m not going to let it affect me but I always feel very down during the last week in February.

Iv'e just done a bake of more clay things.

Nice to know someone else remembers it Gwyn, yes I had forgotten the squirrels.

Oh, I thought it was magical too, Ann.

If we had our relatives from Wales staying with us in the August holidays, the children were encouraged to take a nap in the afternoon, so that we could go out later, when it was dark enough to see the lights in Southsea.
I particularly remember the rising sun on the cafe and in the Rock Gardens loved to see the squirrels seemingly jumping through the trees.
I don't think we had a TV at that time, so it was just enchanting to me.

Mel I have the same memories of the lights and fountain and waterfall when I was a child in Southsea rock gardens on the common. It was magical to me to watch the fountain because it changed colour. Innovative I think for the time which was late forties, early fifties. And there were lights all along the front too. we would drive there, probably in our old Austin 1n around 1948 it would take about 40 minutes to drive there, not much traffic. then, on the way home we would have a bag of chips.

I too thought you were'nt going to the 70th Frank. What changed your mind? My first husband was born in Southend. I remember going to Southend with mum and dad as a child to see the fairy lights. I think that may be the reason I like lots of lights in the garden and my fairies. We use dot go each year from when I was really small. It took about two hours to get there from where we lived. I can still see some of the pictures in my mind of the lights and waterfalls, big flowers all lit up and mushroom houses in a group, I loved it as it seemed really magical to me.

Hope you enjoy your carvery.

So AnnG t is all set up to lay the new slabs then and we shall need to see a picture when its completed.

Gill the land will go with my potting sheds and the center garden behind them. The potting sheds are one big long building with nothing in it yet. Just two places fro the drains to go out and they had a new roof when I moved down here in 1991. Its also horticulural land as AnnG said and the two cottages at the front of the land have their tanks soak away on the field. Oh owns the field I only own 20 yards in front of the potting sheds.

Pleased you had a good sleep last night Gill. Makes you feel so much better.

I went down the shop this morning for my paper and I bought some sauages too. When I paid Ann I had given her two old pound coins which I had'nt noticed but she did. I only pay for the fish and chips on a Wednesday with notes so must have been given them by him in my change as I know he gave me £3 something in change. I shall have words with him next week. I felt such a fool.....

Afternoon Frank. Oh I thought you were not going to the 70th celebrations. Still it will be a nice break for you. Long time since we were in south end but we were looking at it last night on a catch up of Michael Portillos railway journeys and it looked much improved and a nice place to visit.
Pleased that you haven't got to return to the hospital about your eyes.

I read in the paper last week that many of the stomach upsets such as Norovirus can be put down to take away places and cafes because councils are not doing as many health checks. maybe instead of complaining which will probably have no effect, I would not go there again. I am sure once before you were ill after eating chinese take away.

Hope you enjoy the carvery today anyway. :-)

Afternoon all, I hd a phone call this morning from the Hospital, to say, I no longer need to see the Dr. regarding my eyes, so I won't need to go today.

Ros went to get the Chinese last night, as I was waiting for Jonathan to come and change some downlighter in the kitchen. He did them in no time, and was off home within 5 minutes.

I had KING PRAWNS Hong Kong style and Ros had her Beef in Black bean sauce. As I was eating mine I felt they were a bit chewy, Later I was as sick as a PIG. I can only put it down to the prawns, so words will be had with the takeaway next week.

I am not the best FAN of Ant and Dec, but last night I thought they were insulting my intelligence, with the RUBBISH they were doing. If thats what they call entertainment, they can keep it.I went off to bed at 8.00 pm The radio was total RUBBISH also with horrible RAP TYPE of Music. So I laid for a couple of hours and came back out to the lounge. Ros went into bed,and left me reading my book, which I did until after 1.00am

Simon has booked a SEA FRONT B & B for the four of us, when we go to Brian and Shelia's 70th birthday celebrations. for the 14th March. We will spend the Sunday in Southend and the Cockle sheds at Leigh on Sea. We are leaving here at 1.00 pm on the 14th, so might have time to call in to see me Sister Mary and SIL Fran, at Woodford Bridge. The party doesn't start until 7.00 at a local GOLF CLUB. So should leave us enough time.

We also had the rain in the night, but now we are looking at a bright sky. with the sunshine.

Starting to get Hungry, so looking forward to the Calvary at 3.15 pm, I haven't read the posts but assume you are all well. I will post again tomorrow. xxxx

good afternoon all. We were not up very early this morning but OH cooked us a bacon, egg and toast breakfast We then went to the Range, the one nearest to us which is Gloucester, we wanted some slate chippings and some sand (or whatever for filling in the cracks between the patio slabs to stop the weeds. OH went out side to look and was disgusted with the state of it out there, all split bags and not tidied up so he didn't buy anything. I got an A4 storage box, a shallow one like I wanted for £2.99 and four topper sheets, I needed a couple of male type ones. We then drove back to our local garden centre which gave my car a bit of a run as the battery sounded sluggish when OH started it earlier. He got his slate and sand there. so that was OK
Sun and showers here today.
Driving around in this area our roads are horrendous. Does anyone else have really bad pot holes in their area roads?

Vera, oh dear, not a good day yesterday, wonder what upset your tum? Are you prone to those problems?
And then the dishwasher, any idea what caused it to flood. Ours is getting on a bit now but so far seems OK. Like you we have had a dish washer since the eraly 80s, would hate to be without it now. You get so used to it don't you?

Mel enjoy your quiet day.

Gill you seem as busy now with just two of you as you were with three. Do find time to rest. Did you have something nice for lunch?
I would think the land Mel is selling would be green belt of horticultural use only. Building your own house sounds a good idea, especially if you have some expertise but it is a hard job to undertake.

Annx I was wondering the other day if people still used thimbles. I am sure I still have mine somewhere.
Yes I think we will be pleased with the little arbour when OH changes it to slate. Our blue seat down the garden really needs changing (it is about 20 years old) but it is a lot smaller than the ones being sold now so they wouldn't fit in the space.

Jane hope you are gradually feeling better and will be able to join us soon.

Mandy hope you are all ok, probably exhausted after having the girls there.

Morning Vera and Mel, morning all

Had a good nights sleep last night. I had to force myself not to sleep during the day yesterday which worked and helped get my body clock back to normal again.

We had the same weather as you last night Mel, it rained for ages and I think most of the night to as our garden is full of water this morning. Luckily it's stopped now and the sun is out, so hopefully all the water will slowly drain away during the day if it doesn't rain again. OH asked how much you'd like for your land you're thinking of selling, he said he'd love to build his own house, that way it'd be just as we'd like it. I'm not sure as it seems a big job, but it might be worth looking into I suppose.

Oh dear Vera, you had a day and a half yesterday, lets hope today is a better one. Could you get your dish washer fixed, it might be cheaper than buying a new one? I hope your tum is better today.

I need to change the bed, do some hoovering and sort out Sunday lunch, although OH might sort the lunch out, while I do the other jobs. One load of washing has already been done and is drying on the radiators at the moment as I still haven't got around to buying a new dryer yet. Mind you it's saving us a fortune on the electric so I'm in no rush to buy one at the moment. With having the heating on anyway it doesn't cost us anything to dry the washing, so win win.

Yes Ann, OH has his induction tomorrow and has been told he'll be given some shifts on the same day, with a bit of luck the shifts will start on Tuesday, if not then hopefully the following week.

Well, I'd better go and get the bedding in the washing machine, it won't do itself.

Morning Vera,

Very windy and wet here this morning Vera. It started last night with rain and wind and carried on all through the night.

Just getting myself together to go up the shop for my paper and a loaf if they have one.

Hoping to get onto the clay today after the big breakfast then nothing more to do so should be a good day.

See you later.