General Chat

No still plodding on with them Mel, 7 more to do .

Mince is nice on a jacket tato too. We had that a\t the Eden project once.

You done all those squares yet Mandy??

Evening all

It's been another very cloudy day ,we did see a little sun this morning when the hairdresser was here but it didn't last long .
I got a load of ironing done , made a sponge for the weekend and hoovered through ,sat after lunch and could easily have nodded off but I kept awake or I wouldn't sleep tonight
It's quite chilly here this evening I have a cardi on .

Oh Vera that beeping must have been really annoying , hope it's all sorted now and you have a quieter night .

Anng its hard work emptying pots and refilling especially if the compost is a bit dry it's harder to get out , they will look nice all planted up.

Oh Mel don't forget to do Tinker ,Taylor, with the plum stones :-) handy bil was there to get the ones you couldn't reach ,why are the big ones always out of reach .

Ann you mentioned you had jacket potatoes, they were talking about jacket potatoes this morning on the news ,I forget how many they said were sold per day but it was a lot, and prices were very high in London 9,50 for one with cheese
We like a jacket potato when we have a salad and usually have tuna on it .

I had said I went up the top to read the potting sheds meter and BIL was walking across the top field with a bag in his hand. He was scrumping plums. He picked the ones I could'nt reach and helped me pick most of the rest. I gave a neighbour about 2lbs and BIL had about 2lbs came down here and weighed them and I had just over 6 lbs. I am just stewing some for the freezer now and its plums and custard for dessert tonight too.

The above post is about the end of the post I lost.

r. Have had somelunch and the suns still shing bright with a little breeze so I am going beck out in the garden to do more sweeping up and cutting down out the front.


Bum lost a long post.......................................................

Vera I wonder if they were the sort of alarms that I had put in by the fire brigade via hearing concern. Mine flash all night every 5 minutes or so but don't bleep if the power goes off they have battery back up. I think I have to go back to the fire people if they stop working.
There is always something isn't there?

I spent most of the morning well from about 10.30 to 12.30 in the garden potting up all the new plants. Sounds easy but two of the very large pots I wanted to use had compost in them that had been added to but not changed for over 4 years and also I wanted to check on the drainage of both pots. I completely emptied them one at a time into a large trug where I checked the drainage then took half the compost and added grit etc to it then topped up with new compost before planting up the Sedums three small ones in one large pot and one large ones in the other. Then I planted up with fresh copost etc three other plants so they are all done now and I just need to sweep up the mess. I have also changed the bed and the fitted sheet is on but I am working up to putting on the rest now.
Ant Tesco will hopefully come around 4 with a large (for me) order.

It is full sun and 21 dewgrees here now.

Good morning Mel, AnnG and all

It’s reasonably bright but not very warm at the moment. I certainly need the wool cardi I’m wearing. I think it will get warmer this afternoon but it’s not going to be a hot day.

Mel, that’s good advice from AnnG. Just do the most essential jobs on your list and leave the rest for another day. You don’t want to put too much strain on your back

Well, my day isn’t going to plan. We are now staggering through another problem. This time it’s the fire/smoke alarms. They were in the house when we moved in and, apart from occasionally pressing a button to test they are working, we have never touched them. There are 3 and they are the sort that are hard wired in. I had a dreadful night and had just fallen asleep when I was woken again by a beeping noise. I then heard OH get up to check so I got up as well. There was nothing burning or smoking anywhere so OH turned off the power but they still kept beeping. They seem to have some sort of built in battery that takes over if the power is cut but OH couldn’t find it to take it out so he had to find a company that could come in quickly. Believe you me, when you have had a high pitched beep going off every 30 seconds for 3 hours you need someone in quickly. Well OH found a fairly local company who said they could get someone here within an hour and he duly turned up. He couldn’t stop the beeping either but when he dismantled one of them it said inside, where it can’t be seen, to replace it by 2016! It’s done well to last this long but was obviously telling us it was no longer working. So our man went off to pick up 3 new ones which he is fitting now. That’ll be another unexpected expense, probably a few hundred pounds.

Oh, at 7.30 am, while all this was going on, the delivery that we were expecting yesterday turned up.

Better go and offer this chap a coffee I suppose. I hope you are all enjoying your day more than we are.

Good morning all, like Mel it is bright and 12 degrees here. and like Mel I want to do a few small jobs in the garden.

Vera that was a busy day. Not often we get asked to go early for appointments but it obviously was a rush for you.

Mel So that you don't start your back off, take that large amount of jobs you have on the list and halve it to the most pressing. Save the other half for tomorrow. :-D

Morning all,

That was a rush around then to get to the appointment Vera its no wonder you took the wrong script with you.

Nice bright morning here and its 12 degrees and pc says sunny. I am expecting BIL today as the thing he ordered arrived and its blocking the garage inside so I have to open both doors to get to the chcikens food.

I slept very well last night it must have been the glass and a half of Merlot I had last night. I want to do something in the garden today back permitting. Finish off sweeping up the leaves and rubbish round by the garage door and cut some weed down. then do the front of the bunaglow. I hav'nt cut the ladies mantle down yet and I bet its sowed its self everywhere.

I'm late on parade today. It seems to have been a day of dashing about. It has been much cooler, thank goodness, and has stayed dry. It looks as though it is going to be a cooler night as well so hopefully I won't have to have the fan going all night.

Thank you for the Butterfly Garden info and picture AnnG. It was interesting to see how it started and how it has expanded. I am sure it is doing a lot of good for a lot of people.

I'm glad you enjoyed your evening Mel. A nice meal with good company always seems to cheer us up. I don't know a lot about swallows . Lovely to have new eggs in the nest but is it usual to lay a clutch this late in the year? Will they be mature enough to fly off to warmer climes when most of the swallows leave?

Today I went to our Thursday coffee meet on my own as OH stayed home for a delivery that never came. When I got back we had a bit of lunch and I put some old clothes on to do one or two grubby jobs and then divided a load of meat I had delivered yesterday into 2 portion sizes for the freezer. I was just finishing that and thinking I would tidy myself up for my hospital appointment when the phone rang. It was the hospital asking if I could go early. They wanted to see me in about 40 minutes time and it takes at least 30 minutes to drive there. so it was a very rapid wash and change, leap in the car and go.

The eye treatment centre is in a separate building at the back of the hospital so OH dropped me at the door and went off to park. I usually have to go upstairs for my appointments but my letter specifically said downstairs. There was no-one around and the reception desk was closed but there was a notice saying to check in upstairs so upstairs I went. I checked in and was asked to take a seat. I pointed out I was supposed to be downstairs but was told I was being seen upstairs. At that point I wondered if OH would ever find me again.

After a few minutes someone called my name and I went in to see the specialist cataract nurse. Lots of tests, flashing lights and questions. Later she asked if by any chance I had brought in my last prescription which I had. She then asked if I had always had a lazy left eye. Well, it's hardly a lazy eye - without my strong glasses I can't even see across a small room with that eye so I just said I have always had very poor vision in that eye. She looked puzzled and looked again at the prescription and then suddenly said that it wasn't my name on the form. Oops - I had had a very senior moment and taken in OH's last prescription. Nurse disappeared and came back with yet another machine that was held by both my eyes and flashed lights etc till a clear picture showed and that apparently gave her the info she needed. I felt very stupid! She then said OK, you can go now but she hadn't given me any information so I had to ask what the next step was. Apparently I will get a letter in 2 to 3 months, hopefully with a date when they will at least deal with the cataract in my bad eye. In the meantime I have to go to my normal check up appointment in September..

OH had found his way upstairs and was waiting for me when I came out. We came home, had a cup of tea and went out again into town to get something to eat as it was already 6.30 and I didn't feel like cooking by then. We both had a very large grilled salmon fillet with baby potatoes and pan fried mixed veg and a glass of wine. It was delicious.

After 2 fairly hectic days I am hoping tomorrow will be a bit calmer and I can actually do some h/w and get a bit done in the garden.

Had a lovely evening with Stu, Martin and Samantha we did'nt mix the chilli but mine went first and only half of Stu's one but we had beef dripping chips and two kinds of rice and a glass and a hl;af of Merlot which went down very well. Samantha also made a plum and apple crumble andwe had that with custard. My plums and I think she had put a bit of cinnamon in it. It was delish. Always nice when someone else makes it. Good food good company and leets of laughs. A great night all round.

Change of plan I am taking the chilli round to Stu's as he has his friend there staying the night he's done chilli too so we are going to put it altogether. See you later if I'm still awake.

Evening all,

Typed a post this morning then whoosh it was gone so gave up .

Anng the butterfly garden sounds lovely, a place to revisit I'm sure ,thank you for the photo .
Hope your sister is feeling better today.

I seem to be all behind with commenting on the posts for a day or two and then losing a post doesn't help so I'll post this and hopefully start afresh tomorrow .

I see I am missing my avatar in my early post wonder if it will re-appear.
I did a bit of PC admin but the morning just disappeared as I was up late. I have done a bit of ivy cutting and sorted a pot for and planted one of the large new sedums,taking a bit odf care and hoping I have got it right as they are £10 a time. After lugging compost perlite and crocks, gravel etc around and then transferring the very large plant from one pot to another one I didn't have the energy to tackle a second one. Not helped by the temp going up to 20 and the sun being fully out so I have come indoors.

Afternoon All,

Breezy and weak sunshine here so the washing should dry quickly. I pulled a few weeds while I was outside and then watered the borders but the plants don't all look so good now and I think autumn will be here early this year. We went to Ullesthorpe Court and had tuna jackets with salad for lunch which was about the only thing without creamy sauces. We had a long chat with Sharon who we hadn't seen for ages, but we were the only ones there so business isn't like it was once.

Thank you for the Butterfly Garden details AnnG. It's lovely how it all started and just grew and is so popular now. We have seen very few of the tortoiseshell butterflies in the garden this year, but more of the white ones and the Peacock ones that appeared with the self set Buddliah flowers have disappeared again.

I've just booked my car in for MOT, service and the timing belt change as that's due now the car will be 10 years old. I shall have to dig deep into my pockets with the bill for that lot this time, but it will still be cheaper than the dealerships having it done in the village garage.

Mel, that's a bit clearer now, but Stu's family ownerships sound quite complicated! It will be good that our cars will be checked over for their MOTs before winter. It's nice you have more Swallow eggs, but I hope they will be mature enough before winter comes. We saw the Pigeons with two youngsters being fed near the old Magpie nest so it looks like they did use it. They are all using my little water lily feature along with the Magpies now, so I must make an alternative for them. Maybe if I cover the lily feature then they will use it instead hopefully.

I must see what I have and decide whether to enter anything in the village show that's coming up soon next.

Good morning all, 16 degrees so a bit warmer this morning. Had a strange night, took ages (past 2am) to get to sleep then woke twice for the loo but finally slept until 0845 so obviously had enough sleep all together.

Mel awe more baby swallows I hope. When do they all fly off. There were quite a few sitting on overhead wires driving back from MK. (as well as quite a few red Kites.

Vera, I have to admit that often names of things, birds, animals, plants, flowers etc often just wont't 'surface' If I am on the computer I often type in a 'clue' to google to quickly get the word.

Mel that is a complicated family of Stu's you say Dad 'give' the garages to his sons I hope for Stu's sake it is all tied up legally. But checking the car then taking it on for the MOT is not unusual. What is unusual is family having to wait to get it done. the brother must be doing well with the MOT business.

I forgot to say that when BIL went in the filter shed at the weekend a swallow flew out and he said she was sitting. I went in yesterday and theres 4 eggs in the nest again.

Morning girls,

Quite bright this morning and pc says mostly sunny and 12 degrees. I must admit I too had a cardi on yesterday evening as I felt chilly. YOu'll have to excuse my typing with this new keyboard and mouse It has textured keys and I keep catching them with my nails.

I will try to explain about my MOT. Stu's dad Andy used to live and own the garage Stu now has. Andy has parkinsons too and Stu being the eldest also has it. Andy gave Stu the garage and the two other sons had places as well but Andy still owned the garage in Shebbear that was licienced to do MOT's. The checks are done at Stu's garage and then he would take the cars down to Shebbear to get them tested. Andy has now sold the Shebbear garage to his second son Ian and he is so busy that Stu now has to take the cars to Torrinton for the final cert. I don't have to wait anywhere just for Stu to bring my car back to me and then I run him back home.

Evening All.

lt was a cool and overcast day till this evening when the sun came out. OH took the BP record he was asked to keep and saw the doc this morning. His low BP hasn't changed much since stopping one BP pill and he still gets dizzy if he gets up quickly. He had a thorough check up, everything was fine and he had an ECG to be sure this afternoon and they will contact him if needs be. The doc and the senior partner decided to halve his other BP pill and he's to continue his daily BP recording. This pill lists dizziness in the side effects so hopefully the smaller dose will be better for that.

Your poor sister AnnG, no wonder she was exhausted after all that happening and with other health issues too. At least she had a good checkup though and has some medication now and I hope she is feeling better. Taxis are so expensive too, but there's not much choice when it's urgent.

The butterfly garden sounds lovely and a nice place to go. Your black Sedum sounds interesting. I must get out to more garden centres as it is the time to buy Sedums now.

That's good your fence painter has turned up and is well Vera. It doesn't bode well for the rest of us if BT can mess things up with the changeover. As it was his business emails affected and presumably phone I hope he hasn't lost work. It isn't funny I know but the thought of you ending up with 50 litres of the paint sounded like something connected with Victor Meldrew! Hopefully you or the painter should be able to get a refund on the surplus. At least you areback on track for getting the fence painted before winter. It sounds like your OH had a very thorough assessment and it doesn't sound like it's a concern for now. I told OH a while back that I can't recall the word I want to use sometimes and he said it happens to him and he just uses another word instead.

Will you have to wait at Torrington while they MOT your car Mel? I'm confused. Was the MOT centre at Stu's dad's garage and has now moved to Torrington because Stu's brother is there?

I don’t know what the temp is but I have a thick caddy on and I am chilly