General Chat

No my sister was not on BP medication, she hates having to take any medication as she usually proves to be intolerant of stuff in the pills, not necessarily the medication. She has always had high BP the pill they gave her in hospital took it down from 238;to 185 so they were happy with that. She tried to get a GP appointment and couldn’t, neither did she get anywhere with econsult. So she phoned 111 and they got a doctor to phone her and she now has a supply of the medication.

Hopefully your OH has nothing to worry about. I lose words sometimes although scratching around I can usually manage to retrieve it eventually.

That sounds an interesting place to visit AnnG. I'm glad your sister got home. Is she already on blood pressure tabs? I had a similar thing happen to me at one point. I was already at the hospital for a scan but when they took my bp it was well over 200 and they said they couldn't do the scan unless they could get it down to no more than 180. I was put to bed in a darkened room with a nurse sitting beside me and taking my bp every 15 minutes or so. After about 2 hours it had dropped to 185 and they decided to risk the scan. It was during Covid so OH had to wait in the car park all this time and was getting really worried as I was so long so I think his bp was quite high by the time I reappeared. When I rang the doctor the next day as instructed by the hospital I got an immediate appointment and have been on pills ever since. I hope your sister can get a quick appointment and can get sorted out.

Well, yesterday we went to the memory assessment for OH. We had to ring a bell and wait to be admitted, presumably because it's the mental health unit. We were seen at 1 pm and left the unit at 2.45 pm so it was a long, thorough session. The specialist nurse-prescriber we saw was lovely. I asked if she wanted me to keep quiet or join in the discussions she was having with OH and she said she wanted my input as well but would send me out while he had a few tests. She talked to us about every aspect of his life, physical and mental and made lots of notes, then I was sent out for about 20 minutes while OH did the tests. When I went back she said that the tests weren't bad and he is very borderline. She now has to write a report which will go to the consultant who might ask for a CT scan of his head but might not. Needless to say she is on holiday for a couple of weeks in September and originally said that the first appointment she could give him for the results etc was in October but then she decided to squeeze him in earlier so we have an appointment on 24th September. So, it is wait and see time. Tbh most of the time you wouldn't think there was anything wrong with him, his only problem is sometimes forgetting the word he wants to use or forgetting a name.

I've seen 2 of my neighbours this afternoon and now the window cleaners are here. This house is like Piccadilly in the rush hour today.

Yes sister got home just before 4am as she has fibromyalgia and also secondary breast cancer she is exhausted today and was told the hospital would give her two BP pills to take but then she needs to see a GP. Well I don't know any more at the moment but her GP surgery is like ours and can't see her getting an appointment. As I have been out since 0930 and only just got in, I don't know any more.

OH dear Mel, nothing seems to be going your way lately, that is a pain with the MOT, you would have thought they would have let all their regular customers know about it having been sold.

Vera so luckily, fence paint doesn't usually go off so you will have enough for next time. Hopefully that is the end of that saga.

Just been to Dundrys and had a tour of behind the scenes in what is known as the butterfly garden. so much going on there, from spinning wool, to cooking lunch for themselves, to art, to a large area of 'allotments' with fruit and veg grown, to a wonderful display of Dahlias. And then the recycling. everything that is taken there videos, tapes, CDs tools everything is broken down by students, volunteers etc and then collected by the large recycling firms, pallets are kept and made into bird boxes, bird tables etc. Then there is an open area used as a theatre or social gathering area and a sensory garden, and behind the whole lot a copse of trees where there is a bird hide, we must have been looking around and hearing all about it for two hours. exhausting but so interesting. And so much good done there, none of them are charged for anything and all the disabled people we met, mentally and physically disabled, were so happy and loved to chat. And being holiday time it was apparently a quiet day. And I also bought another Sedem there, really black

It’s cooler again today but feels muggy to me. I wish we could have some proper rain to clear the air a bit.

Sorry to hear about your sister’s BP and her visit to A&E, AnnG. It’s good that the tests were clear and I hope she is home now. That was an expensive taxi fare for her. Last time we had to get a taxi home from our hospital it was £38. If that’s your only way of getting home how on earth does someone on a low income manage?

Sounds as though there was a bit of a lack of communication over the MOT Mel. Hopefully it will pass with flying colours when it’s tested on Tuesday.

You are nearly there with your crochet squares Mandy. I agree with Annx; you must have flying fingers. I’m looking forward to seeing a picture when it is finished.

I said that the speaker for our meeting on Monday was on the programme as TBA. That was me having a senior moment. I had looked at September instead of August. The August speaker was someone from the Wish team, a charity connected with the West Suffolk Hospital, but at the last minute she contacted the lady who books our speakers to say she couldn’t make it. Our booking lady did very well as she turned up with Beetle Drive forms and dice and we just turned it into a social evening. We were down on numbers anyway with only a dozen or so of us there so we had the Beetle Drive till our half time tea break and then chatted about club matters and other things. It was quite a pleasant evening and I got a pair of gardening gloves in the raffle.

The last couple of days have been like Casey’s court here (who was Casey? I’ll have to google). Yesterday morning the big builder’s merchants rang to say they couldn’t get hold of the fence paint we wanted so OH went online himself, found somewhere in Colchester that could supply it and would deliver this week for just £4 so he ordered 25 litres. Then in the afternoon it was OH’s assessment at the memory clinic. More of that later.

This morning there was a ring at the doorbell and there was our original fence painter with 25 litres of paint he had sourced for us. OH was pleased to see him alive and well but of course queried why he hadn’t responded to our emails etc. It turns out he never received them and he was amazed when we showed him what we had sent. Apparently, BT have just converted his area to this new digital phone system and it looks as though it has messed everything up. He has now given us a gmail address which he uses for personal rather than business emails so that’s another way of getting hold of him if things go wrong. So…….he is now reinstated as fence painter and should start next Wednesday and OH has left a message on our substitute’s phone to tell him nicely that we won’t need him after all and we now have 25 litres of paint here and 25 on the way!

While all this was going on our Tesco delivery driver rang to say he was just down the road so could he possibly come to us nearly an hour early. I said yes and normally I would be pleased to see them early but I had painter going up and down to the study with OH to check things on the computer, Tesco driver going in and out of the kitchen with the crates of groceries and me, not knowing if I was coming or going. I think I need to lie down in a darkened room now.

OH has just called that lunch is ready so I’ll post this and try to come back later to tell you about our Memory Clinic visit.

Took my car round to Stu's and his dad has sold the mot centre to his brother so he has to go to Torrington now to get the cars MOT'd. It now has to go on next Tuesday. What a bum. Thats now thrown me for the rest of the day and I was getting on so well. :-(

Morning all it grey here today and its 15 degrees.

Cars in today for it MOT so I shall feel isolated again today till I get it back.

Don't think it rained int he night and its dry this morning so far. Hope you lept well and that Vera is ok as I don't think we heard from her yesterday.

The keys on this keyboard are zizzy and make a noise as I type and the wheel on the mouse clicks round rather than a smooth turn and its also very very small. More suited to a childs hand.

Good morning all. 13 degrees here at the moment and grey but it is only just five to seven so early. I am up early as being picked up at 0930 to go on the visit to the nursery/garden centre.

as I was going to get to bed last night . I went on Facebook before switching off the PC and saw that my sister had just said she was at QA hospital with high BP. 213/92 I think it was. anyway chatted to her while she was waiting and having tests until she told me to go to bed at 11.15.. Last message was that all tests were clear. (ECG, blood test, X-ray). So I did go to bed. Can't find a message yet to see if she is home. (Taxi there cost £19 she was told by 111 to go to A&E.)

Ann, yes my leg improved with walking around. And no I have not tet put the plants in as I need some cactus type compost and some grit to mix in for the Sedems. I am going with our garden group tomorrow to the small garden centre nursery where we are being shown round the centre used for all sorts of things called The Buterfly garden. If you remember we had a talk at U3a a while back. Got to leave here at 0935. Hopefully I can get the compost then.

EveningAll,

It's been overcast here all day again and less hot which suits me fine. We popped to a garden centre first thing as I wanted a ball of wool and a birthday card. We had poached eggs on toast while we were there, then called at the big Co-op on the way home. Then I went to the carwash in the village, dropped OH off there and he walked home to get some exercise while I did an errand after the car was done.OH has gone to a match at Rugby with his friend this evening.

That was sad about your friend needing urgent surgery Vera. I hope she makes a good recovery. As you say it happens more and more as we get older and even the people on tv we remember from years back seem to be getting less. I hope your OH got on well at his assessment and like you say, a lot of us get more forgetful as we get older so it may just be that and he will be reassured. I always had trouble remembering names of people I was introduced to doing my job and now I struggle to remember the names of some people I worked with as does OH, but he worked with far more than me. We often get in the car to go out and have to get out and go back and make sure the front door is locked and we are both more forgetful about where we have put things.

Glad you slept well AnnG. I always like getting back to my own bed after being away. I hope your leg improved once you were up and on the move again. I expect you have been putting your new plants in the garden.

Gawd something just came through the letterbox and it's a warning that there's a planning application to further extend the travellers site that's between here and the village. It is the site that was started without planning on a Bank Holiday and had to be applied for retrospectively, originally for about 5 caravans. I've lost count of how many there are now and there's been trouble there so people want to stop any more extension. I must admit I hadn't noticed the application.

Mandy your crochet hook must have wings, the speed you get things done. I suppose single crochet stitches to join the squares would leave a ridge, but it might be attractive, but you can experiment with what's best. I'm looking forward to seeing it too.

Well done for linking the new keyboard to your PC Mel. It gives you a bit of confidence to have a go at things when you get some success. You think of some interesting miniatures to make and the little Pheasant's with actual feathers must look great.

I'm off to bed now as it's late for me so I hope everyone has a good sleep tonight.

My keyboard and mouse froze today and I managed to get the new one BIL bought me years ago and did it all by myself. :-D

Mandy, garsen looked no different to before I went away. Plants in pots are all fine, no loses.
gosh that blanket will soon be completed.

Afternoon all,

Overcast here but quite warm and the sun has been trying its best to shine through the cloud , some of the clouds are very black but I don't think we should get rain .

Only one more square I think Mel ,I shall have to send a photo so you can see what they look like .
Ann I'm not sure yet how I will join all the squares, might sew them together or might crochet them together.,sewing will give a neater join ,crochet will leave a ridged seam .

Went to tesco for a bit of shopping came home and son had messaged to say he'd found a television for us ,we had been saying we should get a new one as this one we've had quite a few years ,still works fine but just had it a while ,anyway he's bought it and is coming round later to set it up so we'll have to have a lesson on how to use it .

Anng how was your garden while you were away ,we're your plants OK after the heat .

I picked another lot of toms this morning ,they are coming thick and fast how ,I also picked ...........wait for it ......12 cucumbers lol so dil will be going home with some of those and two big bags of toms , that's 70 cucumbers I've picked so far.
I've given a lot away to neighbours too.

Raining here nice light rain in biggish spots. Better than the fine stuff. 20 degrees now.

Iv'e had a making morning. I am trying to make a hanging pheasent for a dolls house. Thrup my female pheasent has supplied the feathers as she's been preening herself on the patio and leaving me cast offs.

Pleased you slept well Anng. I don't think I am going to get my order so I shall have to go up the shop for milk. Its a £1 dearer in the shop in the village.

Wonder how many squares Mandy has done now?

Good morning all, once I got to sleep I slept well and only got up once. Leg is painful this morning after travelling yesterday. 17 degrees and grey here, wish that meant rain but I am sure it doesn't.

Hope you get a delivery mel.

Well I will have to see how I get on next week with my order Annx. Missed your post there.

Hope everyone had a good night. I did'nt drink my water last night with my meal and I got up three times for the loo!

Morning girls,

Dull and grey but dry here at the mo and its 16 degrees and pc says rain starting soon.

Woken up with another gnat bite on the side of my right leg at the top. Thats the trouble when you fling the covers off because you are hot.

Well I wonder if I will get a delivery today, personally I don't think it will come so I may have to go shopping as the car goes in for MOT tomorrow, more expense! Iv'e had enough this month anyway with one thing and another.

Yes at the bottom it says 'book a slot,' which is confusing when you have a delivery slot with having a delivery pass anyway and you have to scroll down further to get to 'continue' which you don't know till you do it. I don't like that you don't see what's going in your basket like you did before either. I get to the checkout by clicking on my trolley picture at the top. I don't think it's the way you should do it but at least it works!

Ann it seems there are lots of people complaining about the website at Asda and the time I had to wait for someone to answer me I bet they are getting lots of calls. With the last order I made I could'nt get past the continue to checkout as it kept asking me to book a slot. I did find where to ask for a refund while going around the site but I am sure I shall have trouble finding it again in the future. I also had trouble finding where to amend the order. All the calls I made they were saying theres a glitch on the site. When you think of how many customers they have its not a wonder is it? I think a lot of people are having problems. The number I was told to ring comes up as Asda garage!


Its been overcast all day today with a little rain bt not enough to do any good really. Its 21 here now and theres that strange light.

gLAD YOU'RE HOME SAFE AND SOUND AND DONE YOUR WASHING AND ENJOYED YOUR CARDS.

Sorry I was making new files.

The problem I had with Asda is that I had deleted my slot for tomorrow. I don't think I am getting any order tomorrow and I have paid £47.49. Because I delted my slot I booked the same slot for tomorrow but they gave me a charge for a basket and a delivery £8.50 in all. I have a yearly pass so that should'nt have gone on the bill. Anyway many phone calls later they tell me I will have to wait 5 days for my money to be returned. I am interested to see if anything turns up now and it will all be going stright back if it does.

Got my own runners for dinner with a meal for one of beef stew and dumpling and I am doing some mash too. Some for tonight and some for the freezer.

Vera hope the speaker is interesting tonight. Its awful if a speaker is long and boring ruins the evening with friends.

Mandy still quite a way to go then with the blanket. I'm dying to see it when its finished.

I feel like I hav'nt done a thing today and maybe thats because I hav'nt. I did have a go at the little hen pheasent I am making but if I cough the feathers go everywhere so have to hold it till I can turn away. Not sure if its going to be a success or not yet.

Afternoon All,

It's overcast today and cooler which I prefer after all the heat. We had a few minutes of rain that was more like mist and then it stopped. We could do with a few hours of steady rain for the garden though. We went for my belated birthday lunch today at the usual Italian place and had chicken skewers and garlic mushrooms and OH had roast vegetables and I had the house salad and we had some garlic bread between us. We've had the same meal there before and polished it off and a pud as well, but with being used to eating less now neither of us could even finish the main course let alone want a pud! I was pleased to see the most uncomfortable chairs with big hollows in the seats seem to have been replaced, although the one I was sitting on had a wooden bar under my knees that was cutting off the circulation. It's another hazard of being short with short legs.

It's good you got home with just one short holdup AnnG and are already catching up with jobs and your cards. Were there any plant casualties while you were away?

Mandy you have done such a lot of squares! Nearly there now as well as you say. Will you join them with the heart colour wool? I bet Chelsea keeps asking about it too!

Vera have you checked whether the handyman is on FB? If so there might be some clues there as to what has happened. A lot of workmen are on FB now, my bathroom fitter is, as they like to post photos of jobs they have done for people to see. So you have a mystery speker at your group this time. I hope it is an interesting one.

Mel you seem to have had different problems to me with the new Asda website. Mine were more to find things like where to request a refund after the driver has gone. Also I was confused to see that they put a delivery cost in the trolley before you even add any shopping making me think I had already started an order when I hadn't. Also things like offers when you buy two of something showed no reduction in price when I added them, but seemed to get corrected by the time the bill was paid. I told the driver yesterday I wasn't keen on the new website and he told me nobody likes it. Before the pandemic we shopped mostly at Sainsbury's which is less than a mile away and opposite Asda the other side of the road. I was put off Sainsbury's online shopping for some reason then and looking today their delivery pass choices seem overly complicated, but ok to just book a slot. Since we have found we really like some of the things Asda do like the lamb shanks and have carried on.