General Chat

Good morning blowing a hooley out there now and raining. Hope son will be ok driving. He has certainly not picked the right weekend to get away which is a great shame as he works so hard and doesn't have much time to get away with daughter in law.

Gill, I know it is hard and as Annx says you are grieving, but if you possibly can, try and compose yourself and tomorrow contact the social services. I assume as Sandra is Special Needs she will have a dedicated Social worker or team. Ask them to come and explain why the police came and moved Sandra to Michelle's and ask if they were informed. Explain that the police interviewed Sandra without either of you present and that they didn't seem to realise that she needed 24/7 care. And explain that you are concerned that, if Michelle and her partner both get jobs there will be no provision for Sandra and she will be left on her own. Try and remain calm while explaining all this though, I know it is hard but try not to get upset. And try to encourage your OH not to show his anger as that will not help the situation and may make it worse.

I have been thinking about you a lot and of Sandra as the whole situation is very strange. Normally the police are too over stretched to attend domestic situations so I would be interested to know exactly what Michelle told them to make them act.

Hopefully Sandra will have the use of a phone soon and you can put her mind at rest and explain that of course you still want her and that you miss her, But try not to blame Michelle to Sandra as that will confuse her.

I hope the situation will soon be solved without too much animosity in the family. <3 <3

The winds very high here too ann. It has been steadily coming up all evening and oh says its going to get worse.

So mum did'nt know this was going on with Sandra then Gill? You must feel aw2ful but I think you should get intouch with SS and tell them what happened and instill in them that Sandra is special needs and dos'nt understand what has happened really. Did you get the policeman number? as you could get intouch with the police and tell them what has happened and that Sandra needs special care all day. Tell them she dos'nt understand the situation and thinks its just a holiday.

I am so cross about all of this.

Oh dear Gill, you poor thing! Feeling you have lost someone you love will feel like a bereavement and cause a lot of grief, so you are not being silly at all. You must feel so confused with this happening so quickly and cruelly. Don't lose heart though as I'd be surprised if Sandra settles with her sister for long. I still can't believe the Police did it on Michelle's sayso without SS being there and them talking to Sandra as well. It seems your mum was none the wiser about it happening too so maybe she will be speaking to Michelle herself. Try not to worry about Sandra getting upset. It must be upsetting but It may make her want to come home sooner and be back to normal again. A few more days may change the whole situation so hang on in there and look after yourselves.

The beading ladies are having the same trouble with tension AnnG. Practise seems the way forward! I like your bark and Lichen pictures on the blog.

Mel, OH misses his bonfires! lol. The wind has been increasing here the last couple of hours. The old Pine tree on the front is swaying about. I hope it doesn't get really bad as it is very tall now.

Sorry I haven't been on much lately, I'm feeling very down and quite tearful at the moment. OH has been trying to get a job as neither of us have any income now, luckily we have savings which will tied us over until he can find work.

Michelle works part time a few days a week and her boyfriend is looking for work after being made redundant from his last job ages ago. I'm concerned about Sandra being left on her own if he finds work to and may have a word with Social services is that end up being the case.

I was hoping Sandra would of rang me today but she didn't and because of the lack of contact between Michelle and us we haven't spoken for over a year I didn't know what to do about ringing her. Sandra didn't have a phone when she left here but mum told me Michelle is going to buy her one, so I'm hoping Sandra will ring me soon.

I can't seem to stop crying and right now it feels like she's died. I know that sounds silly but that's how it feels at the moment. My mum was as shocked as us I rang her when the policeman took Sandra to the police car for a chat and when Sandra had gone mum burst into tears so I ended up comforting her. Sandra rang us the other day but OH was so angry with them both he wouldn't talk to Sandra, of course this upset her, but I assured her he'd come around and not to take it to heart. I said it might be better for her to stay with Michelle but she burst into tears before I had a chance to finish the sentence. I did manage to finish what I was going to say which was because she'd have a better social life, but if she didn't want to stay she could come back home. Unfortunately she's now got it stuck in her head I don't want her back. It's so heartbreaking. I just want to give her a hug and let her know everything is going to be alright but I can't.

We're not sure when we'll see Sandra again that is down to Michelle and her boyfriend Michael. I'm sure if Sandra decides to stay they'll have a lot to sort out, so I doubt it'll be soon. I did speak with Michelle and she'd like to take me out for a meal on Mother's Day, so that's something, but as she was talking I got the impression she would still have Sandra with her then, so I doubt Sandra will be coming back to live with us again, even if she said she wanted to. All I can do is sit and wait and hope we can see Sandra again at some point.

I don't think the police new Sandra was special needs as when I mentioned it he asked all sorts of questions and then mis understood me and told mum that she had mild learning difficulties. I'm very confused at the moment as no one has been in touch with us not even Social Services, so it looks like it's just Michelle taking Sandra with the police's help. Gawd knows what Michelle said to the police for them to think they needed to be here, it's quite obvious now that Michelle just wanted Sandra with her but went about it in a very cruel way.

I'm so sorry I haven't read your post I just can't concentrate at the moment so I hope everyone is okay. I skimmed through the bits you ask me questions on so hope I've answered them all and I'm so sorry for being so down. Hopefully things will be better soon. I know for a social life it's best for Sandra but I miss her dearly and just want to give her a hug. We always hugged each other every day and I really miss that. It's so quiet here now. :-( :-( :-( :-(

4 more texture photos on blog.

When I have those 80 litre bags to move I walk them so I don't have to lift them. We have two sack barrows and if I can find one I use that.

Cleared out a lot of cardboard boxes this afternoon and burnt them over where I have a little bonfire before the wind comes up.

Good luck with the crochet this afternoon AnnG.

ooh it has come over dark now and we seem to have lost the lovely sunshine we had earlier. OH was watching rugby but he seems to have his pinny on now and is hoovering downstairs. He has also done the small bit of ironing that was waiting.
I have started again and managed a chain and a second row of crochet. Slow job though and not sure why I am bothering except I don't like to be beaten.
OH was coughing just now. I told him if he was in a 'danger' area they would have taken him in for testing. However, he always has a bit of a cough.

Afternoon all,

Lovely and sunny here today ,the calm before the storm ,i charged up the torch today just in case the power goes off .

Gill i hope your ok and you've heard some thing from Sandra ,i'm sure she will soon want to be back home when the novelty of being with her sister wears off and i'm sure she will miss her mum and dad too ,do let us know how things are with you as we all worry about you <3

Lovely photo's of the moon Jane ,you could say today i have been to the moon and back :-D
We had a new security light put up a while back when we had the trouble with the pool and ours was a good twenty years old too.


OH's cough is still lingering in see Ann but at least he has the footie on the tele to keep him amused ,i saw the fat quarters in Aldi there was childrens ones, pepper pig and tinker bell etc ,i bought some of the random multi coloured wool from there i thought it might be nice to use for the crochet butterflies but i've tried it out and made a crochet heart and now i'm doing a bird and it's turning out to look quite pretty .

AnnG keep trying with the crochet i'm sure you'll soon get the right tension as Mel said don't pull the wool to tight ,make sure you use a marker for the rows too so you don't lose a stitch ,it's easy to miss a chain and then before you know it it's tapered in on the sides .

Oh goodness Frank that a big bag of compost to move ,why don't you just get them outside and leave them until you can get some help you'll hurt yourself if you try to do it .

I think i have pulled my side leaning over the table doing the jigsaw ,i spent quite a while on it yesterday trying to finish it off so i think i over did it ,Colin finished it this morning and has now started another so i think i'll give it a rest for a while and leave it to him .

You'll need to get the Gazebo anchored down well Mel with the wind thats coming ,i think i would take it back down completely you've only just got it so you don't want to lose it

I had a few birthday cards come today so they are on the side ready for
Tuesday :-D

That's the errands done, but it was a squeeze to park in front of the Co-op and the penny dropped why today. They have closed the other Co-op the other end of the village and everyone is having to come to the remaining one now. This is in the next village as trying to park anywhere near the one in our village is impossible, especially at the weekend. :-S

Jane when you said you were lying on a pillow to see the moon I thought your new hip must be miraculous if it could spring you back onto your feet again........then I read that James hauled you back up! :-) That was good you managed to get to see it before it moved on.

OH is still waking me up even though we are in separate bedrooms with wardrobes and the ensuite between us! It's a real bark he has and I have said to him that I keep hearing the Hounds of the Baskervilles! :-D It isn't a good idea to make him chuckle though as it sets off more paroxysms! We had fresh salmon, broc, peas, leeks and green beans, mash for him with a bacon and mushroom sauce (packet) for lunch. He's getting a bit too fond of all this home cooking though, keeps praising it, so I hope he isn't expecting it to carry on as it is sooooo time consuming and I can't get on with more enjoyable things! He has started worrying about his car not being driven for a week now, so I will pop out in it tomorrow unless he feels up to it. He looks better today and the spasms are getting less frequent, so fingers crossed he will carry on improving as he has a busy week next week. He is glued to footie on the telly now like Frank. :-)

Oh Frank those bags sound a bit big! Like AnnG says, we are the same and only get smaller bags these days because of moving them up the garden, even in the wheelbarrow.

I see you have been potting things up Anng like Vera. I used to love buying pots of seedlings from the village nursery and bringing them on. It was cosy in the greenhouse on a sunny day and lovely to watch the new growth. That was when the garden was perennials and bedding plants before we changed it to make it less work. You have set me off now with your things for the charity shop and I need to see if anything old I have would do for some fabric to use for any of the craft class projects so I'm going to sort some drawers in the bedroom next. Then I shall do some more stitching of my applique as I never quite got it finished.

Sometimes David, if you just have a cold (not flu), sweating it out can shorten the life of the cold.

All this dreadful news about the coronavirus that is killing people and sickenining a

great many more brought back a childhood memory.

My late Father was a hard worker and worked out doors all his life.

He was rarely sick and when he was it was the flu. I recall he'd sed me to the shop to

get him a strip of Aspro tablets and a couple of Beechman's Powders. He'd take to


his bed and sweat it out, and it worked every time.

Sadly such a cure no longer works.

Good afternoon all. we went out for the paper and to post a packet that needed weighing. We are so lucky to still have a local post office but on Saturdays they seem to only keep one counter open, today I was (when I got there)6th in the queue. By the time I came out there were 9 in the queue. Unfortunately one man in front of me handed over forms so i knew that was going to take a while, Passport I think. Anyway we also took a large box of stuff to the charity shop, several reasonably good towels, a jacket I had never worn M&S a short one, 6 small pyrex dishes and a fruit set. (i.e. a decorative green glass bowl for fruit or trifle and five matching small dishes - I broke one years ago) These were a wedding present so 60 years old but we never ever use them. So a few more bits gone.
We then went to the community centre for coffee and shared a traditional pasty (I have a third OH has two thirds).

When we got back I potted on the 16 tots into 3" pots which are now in the heater in the conservatory.

Thanks for the photo Jane, yes the same moon that was in Gloucester, beautiful isn't it?

Mel, another couple of goes and you will get it right. Not sure I can say the same for my crochet but will have another go this afternoon.

Annx My OH coughs in his sleep which doesn't wake him up but disturbs me, even though I don't have my aids in because it is not the actual cough that wakes me but when he coughs he shakes the whole mattress.

Frank, I hope you are not going to try and lift that compost. Have you got a sack barrow trolly thing? That is the only way that OH can lift things like compost. But He only ever goes for bags that are less than about 40 litres these days. Did Rose realise how big the bags were?

gill if you look in let us know that you are OK as we are all worried about you. I don't think we need to worry about Sandra because she is off on an adventure with her much loved sister so it will be fun for her until the novelty wears off and she doesn't get the attention she is used to.

GOOD MORNING to you all, Sorry, Afternoon.

Iffy sort of night last night, a lot of coughing and sneezing. I also trouble Ros when I STOP BREATHING . She nudges me, and I start to breath again.Madam ordered TWO big bags of Compost from QVC. which was dumped on the front door step by the delivery person. As they were in a big box, I was unable to move it. So I tried to roll it into the kitchen, but the Box came apart. So I moved one at a time into the conservatory. I now have the job of getting them to the bottom of the garden, by the greenhouse. They weigh quite a lot, as the bags have 80 litres of compost in each.

I have got a joint of Lamb out of the freezer for tomorrow, so I will cook for a change.

What a to do with SANDRA. Gill, all we can do is hope and pray that S.S. get this sorted out and she's back with you soon. What on earth was on her Sister mind to ring the police in the first place. I think LEEDS is a fair old way from where you live. Is your car up to drives that far ?? I am thinking of you my love. xxxx

Jane someone needs to get their act together. You can't be messed about with your treatment dates. Is there anyone you can TALK too about this. Likewise I am thinking of you also. Lol lol In fact I think of ALL OF YOU. and trust you are keeping well. and warm in this changeable weather, watch out for tonight and TOMORROW. We are in for some dire weather.

Off now to watch the lunchtime football, before Ros comes home. Then I will change stations, as I know she HATES football.

Morning All

I have just got back from Corby . James and I went to see the BIG MOON . The one you saw Ann in Gloucester Cathedral.It is quite something isnt it. I lay on the floor on a cushion to see it from underneath :-D. Good job James was there to haul me up again otherwise I woud still be there :-D :-D
I only knew it was there as it was on the local news last night and it is the last day today so I am really glad we got to see it.

It is a grey day here.Lull before the storm I think. There is nothing worse than being kept awake by someone coughing.Chris often coughs in his sleep and it drives me nuts .He also does the stopping breathing thing sometimes and like you Mel I wait for the next breath. I give a poke sometimes :-D
Last night I dreamt about Sandra a lot.I think it is on all our minds .I just hope Gill that she is ok and happy for now with Michelle.I hope you are managing to sleep and are keeping your strength up by eating little and often.

One of James's friends Jake is coming soon to put up a new security light on the front of the house. Our old one packed up a week ago.It did well as it must have been up for a good 20 years.I have my Bouef Bourginion cooking so hope the electric is not going ot be off for too long.Maybe Jake will be able to keep the kitchen leccy on.
I am going to have to dust as I can see a really thick layer on the TV stand and screen. It is next to the Woodburner and always seems to attract the dust.
I will send a pic of the Moon.

Second try.

Morning Ann and all,

We have beautiful sunshine and blue blue sky here this morning but they predict gale force winds coming in this evening.

I typed the last post three mins after Ann's morning post. Don't know where it went.

Poor ann being kept awake with G's coughing. Oh snores but I don't mind that as I know he is still alive then. Its when he dos'nt I worry and have to wait for him to take his next breath and he can hold his breath for ages and ages.

Usual shop this morning and Em's with the eggs and then we are going to strap down the gazebo.

My post has gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




t if he dos'nt it keeps me awake cos I wait for him to breath. He holds his breath for ages sometimes

Morning All,

A bit of weak sun here at the moment and no frost.

Mel I could do with a decent workspace and some tables too. All I have is a tiny, two foot, fold up table I use in the lounge. Our lounge is big but I don't think 'Mr Tidy' would be impressed if I put anything bigger in there that was messy with my stuff. I really need to clear the study and put another shelf in there so there is more worktop available, but 'Mr Tidy's' books are creeping into that space! :-S I'm really unsure whether we need another place, an extension or garden room! lol.I still think a good clearout is what's needed first and then reassess, but I need to be more disciplined as I seem to have other things to do all the time. :-S Yes it must be an experimental time with your clay, a bit like when you cook food in a new oven.

OH still has this awful cough and woke me 3 times last night and I didn't get off to sleep for ages anyway so feel like a zombie again today. I looked on the internet last night and apparently lots of people have it and say it is really bad and can last weeks!! They say there's not much you can do at this stage other than sit it out unless you get feverish or it gets worse. :-S

I hope Gill is ok......it must be so upsetting for her to not have Sandra around and be worrying if she is ok. I hope she can get to speak to her.

Shower next and errands to do!

Funny you shoudl say you had liver and bacon because I was only thinking of that today. Oh dos'nt like liver so it has to be just me. I have bought the ready meal ones in Morrisons a couple of times but youcan't beat home cooked. It used to be a Saturday dinner wehn I ws young.

I had the lychnis plant come up in this garden for a couple of years but it disappeared but I did see that Em's mum had it in her garden last year and thought I would ask for some seed but forgot!! It was only the dark pink one but a good plant for a border.

Oh went in the hot tub this morning for 20 mins. Its now lowered and tomorrow we are ging to strap it down some more with the winds forcast.

I did a bake of clay this evening but I think I should have done it a bit longer. Its still a bit trial and error at the moment. As they were thinner pieces I did them for less time but I think next time I will do them for the 30 mins instead of the 20 mins I did these for.

Oh has ordered me two work tables and we are going to clear the lounge out and put them up in there in the corner. The lounge is huge so they shoudl fit in ok but there's lots of stuff in there to go up the loft so I think at last I may get some stuff put away and chucked out.

I will have another go tomorrow Mel. I find holding the wool doesn’t come easily to me. The book I got is very good as it explains with diagram and words. Maybe I am too old to learn.

Jane what a pain about the scan, that is inexcusable. When all of you really need to know the results. When will they rescan? I meant to say I was pleased to hear you enjoyed the facial.

Ann x Although I like whole meal I can’t eat it, it upsets my stomach so when I do have bread I have 50/50. But I don’t eat a lot of bread anyway.

We had liver, bacon and onions tonight with baby potatoes and gravy with tinned chopped tomatoes in. It was ‘yummy’.

That's poor Jane when your ongoing treatment depends on the scan results. I hope they get all of you who were missed booked in soon. We were only talking this morning about Hospitals. One friend has been waiting since before Christmas for a follow up appointment, OH was referred to the Hospital last September for tooth extractions and is still waiting for them to send a letter instructing his dentist. Another friend's hubby had an appointment for exercises yesterday (arranged 3 months ago) and the Hospital rang an hour before the appointment to say they didn't think he would be able to manage them so not to come!! :-S

Vera there is a pale pink Lychnis called 'Angel's Bush' but I never had those. The pink Michaelmas daisy does sound your best bet for autumn flowering as you suggest. I had a quite tall one years ago in a strong, mid pink colour. The good thing was that it never seemed to get that mildew that a lot of them do. There's the wonderful bonus of all the beautiful butterflies to watch too with Michaelmas daisies. :-D You are doing well with your Penstemon cuttings. What colours do you have? Glad I'm not the only one that seems to always get in the queue with 'hold ups'.

I popped in Aldi this afternoon as I'd been told they had some new fat quarters so I got 2 packs of those and some very thick wool which I will need for the peg weaving in a couple of weeks. They also had lots of interesting little kits. Some wool felted animal ones, clay jewellery ones and others.