General Chat

Morning all, Evening Kim,

Can't believe I am the first on here this morning. Where is Mel ??

Snow all gone. Temp.up to 4 degrees today, but could be minus 7 or 8 tonight. So watch out for frozen pipes !!!

Ros has feed the birds, so that can tuck in and keep warm. <3 <3

Had an old friend call in this morning. They are of to San Pedro on Wednesday (near to Conrad) they might pop in to see him,

Conrad has used his SOUP Maker. He went to the Supermarket and stocked upwith loads of Veg. He said it's "SMASHING" So I can see him living on SOUP !!!

Well we are fed and watered as they say, So I had better get showered and shaved and Dressed. How ever did I manage when I was at work ??? lol

Now that we have half a month gone already I hope that those hoping to sell property meet with success soon.
May all of you with aches and pains and any form of sickness get well soon.

OH has two wooden benches in the garage which fit perfectly along the side of the greenhouse Ann so we put them in there. We also had some left over worktops from our kitchen so OH cut them to size and put them onto the work benches so we can put Sandra's strawberry plants on it, that way when her plants are watered it won't damage the work bench tops. It got a bit to cold to finish off everything we had planned for today, but OH did manage to take yet more stuff down the tip, unfortunately when he tried to come home the car wouldn't start and he had to get a jump start of the fella at the tip. Luckily the car is ok, OH thinks it might of been the damp weather so he's covered the car now, hopefully we won't have any more problems. I said jokingly that the car must know we are thinking of getting a new one this year, so decided to get it's own back on him and refuse to start just as he was ready to come home :-D :-D :-D

Did you record the whole weeks Stargazing, it's well worth watching? I learnt so much. I won't say anything else as I wouldn't want to spoil it for you Ann.

So you're back into your cooking again Frank, I knew it wouldn't be long ;-) Do you think Ros was hinting for you to make some pancakes for her LOL

Off to watch Casualty now, the one from two weeks ago, we are so far behind with them so need to catch up. Then it's an early night for me.

I'll try and get back on here tomorrow
Night Night

I see you have been busy chatting again !!!

What a pity you didn't get the snow Gill, Sandra would have been a happy little bunny making her snowman.

It started to snow again this afternoon, I thought we were in for a downfall, but it soon stopped.

Dinner was a resounding success this evening. The Yorkshire was just to Ros's liking, she likes the soggy bit in the middle, I love the crispy outside, so we were both happy..

Ros has just had a microwave pancake with sugar and lemon. She said they are no where as nice as I make. WHAT'S SHE AFTER ???

Jane, Thomas seems the type of cat that would have big whiskers, LEAVE THEM ALONE !!!!

Mel, I must have missed the post about your OH. I hope he's feeling a little better now. When Ros did her back in lifting and moving her Mother just before she died. She ended up in Leeds Royal Infirmary having the disc removed. Fortunately we were with BUPA then and had a wonderful surgeon who practiced from there. Your back is so easily damaged, and we still do things we shouldn't don't we ??

I have started to look at flights for visiting Conrad in May/June. What a price they are. I must find out when most children are on half term around that time, as the prices always seem to be higher then. I am also considering flying from Airports that are a bit further away, if that works out cheaper.

Jane I can't comment on your choice of colours for your suite, as I am coloured Blind. Ros has to choose all my cloths and home furnishings.. I can see the main colours, but when it comes to shades I am at a total loss.

Ros bought me a cask of "Old Speckled Hen" for Christmas. I tried to open it tonight, but I can't do it.. I have no idea what I am doing wrong. Will get Tony round to see if he can do it.

Endevour on at 8.00 pm, so I will settle down to watch that before Bed and a read.

See you in the morning

I was thinking of just trimming a quarter of an inch off the whiskers but it seems it isn't a good idea to do it at all as you say with them using them to measure spaces. I can just imagine Hannah with the scissors and the poor cat ending up with designer stubble. Till I looked it up I didn't know that their whiskers fell out or that they had whiskers on their chins. I expect the eyebrow ones and chin ones help them measure spaces top to bottom!! It seems the vet's advice is what you need as you say Jane. I wonder how hairless cats manage without whiskers?? lol.

I've recorded the stargazing progs Gill. How did you get on outside in the garage today? It sounds as if it was warmer where you are. We still have some snow but the road is clear now. I bet Sandra was disappointed you didn't get any. I thought you would at least get some.

I'm wondering whether we will see our window cleaner who is due tomorrow. We'll have to be up early just in case. :-S

Hi Everyone

All this talk of snow, we had a tiny bit in the night but it was all gone by 8.30 this morning. I'm glad as OH and I are still emptying the garage. It was colder today than yesterday, so we stopped around 3pm. OH is off work again tomorrow so we'll be back out there again, that'll be three days on the run, but we're almost there now. We will have to leave some things in the garage for now until we can get a shed put up but it's only gardening tools, pots and the lawn mower. We are taking the freezer back to mum's sometime this week. She wants to defrost her freezer so she can use it while her other freezer is defrosting.

Sorry to hear your OH has hurt his knee Mel, good idea to use the walker though, it will certainly help until it's better again.

I wouldn't cut Thomas's whiskers Jane, you wouldn't want him getting stuck somewhere if he uses them to judge spaces ;-) ;-). I didn't know it can be stressful for them. Good idea to keep Hannah away from Thomas though, or he might end up with no whiskers at all LOL :-D :-D
I love the material you've chosen for your new sofa, they are my kind of colours.
You had a lot of snow today, didn't you. Sandra is so jealous.

What a palaver Liz with your taps, thankfully it's sorted now :-)

Hi Frank, nice to see you back. I bet you wished you were still in Tenerife when you saw the bad weather on your return? Glad to hear you had a nice time. Pity about the takeaway when you got home though.

Did anyone watch Stargazing Live on BBC2 last week, it covered Tim Peake's first Space Walk?

Going to get a cuppa now, I'm still quite cold after being outside most of the day, hopefully it'll help warm me up :-) :-)

To be honest Jane, I'd ring the vet and ask them what they advise. I'd never cut face whiskers, but eyebrow ones? It could be ok to snip those if they're really worrying him.
OH took two ibuprofen + two paracetamol every four hours when he slipped his disc, but In the end it was so painful he went to the GP who put him on Diclofenic, Codipar, Amitriptyline, and Naproxen to take at night! Quite a cocktail, but they did the trick!!!
We've still got some diazepam in our medicine cupboard! but I think was from another calamity!!!!
We're watching the skiing! We used to watch it years ago a.d I'd forgotten how much we enjoyed it!
It's got much warmer here again, it's certainly some weird weather!!

I won't do anything Mel ,but will get proper advice from the vet.It is so tempting though lol. I did see something about if whiskers are trimmed or cut it reduces the capability of hunting !!!!!!!..Now that wouldn't be a bad thing :-D :-D

Yes Jane 400mg. He has been out here twice and a little quicker than before.

Time for a COT I think, well tea for me and coffee for him who only ever drinks that or cider or beer.

Good proggies on the tv tonight and yes Call the Midwife, Endeavour, War and Peace Beowulf and the last of Joanna Lumley's Tran Siberian Adventure. O and Still Open All Hours although I don't think it is as good as when Ronnie Barker was in it.

I can hear someone coming down the hall.

I would'nt cut his whiskers Jane, as you say they use them to judge distances of getting through places etc. Must be like someone taking your glasses away and asking youto do something where you have to judge.

It gets dark so quickly. I have only just corned the chickens and done a bit of work on another chick and as I am typeing it is nearly dark. Better go or I shall have to judge some distances missing the worst mud.

Ooh Ann .Bet you weren't best pleased with the deluge of snow in the boot !!!!!.I hope you managed to get most of it out.

Mel has he had a 200mg or a 400mg Ibuprofen ? 400mg is best plus Paracetamol a hour or so after.
I looked up trimming whiskers Ann and it says it can be quite distressful and disorientating .So he will keep them for the time being LOL.
Hannah cut our old Cats whiskers when she was a little girl !!!!!!!...I told her not to have any ideas today LOL

Afternoon All :-D,

We had a couple of inches of snow too but it has melted on the road and is dripping off the trees now. Yes it is a variegated Holly Mandy and you and Mel were right........the Pigeons were eating the berries off it!

Mel, your OH is so good doing what he can to help people. That must have really hurt and it sounds like he probably twisted it badly. Using the frame to take some weight off it will help. What is it they say.......ice packs to take down the swelling then heat to help with the healing. He'll be glad you live in a bungalow! I keep imagining you as a cheerleader with your big pom poms Mel but I see it is Easter chicks you are doing!!! lol. I would have liked seeing the horses too.

Thank you for reminding me about Red House Stables Anne. Decades ago they did Christmas 'Mince Pie tours' of the area in a stage coach. I always wanted to but I never got to go on one!! I've made a note to make a visit as I didn't know they had a museum now. I would enjoy it and it's close to Chatsworth where we sometimes visit.

Jane, I would be seized up too after all those steps! I would just trim Thomas's whiskers and eyebrows. Our Siamese we had was always singeing his whiskers on the Parkray fire by going too close to the hot door. Hannah's very disciplined going to the gym straight from the train. I would have just wanted to get home and flop!

Shame about the meal last night Frank. Tonight's will be fine though now the 'chef' is back in town!! :-D

I learned something this morning I won't do again with my car! I wasn't using it today but decided to clear the snow from the front and back screen in case if freezes solid tonight and will be harder to clear off tomorrow. I'm so used to hatchbacks I just lifted the boot lid to get my scraper out of there and whooosh, a great pile of snow from the roof and and the sloping back windscreen, slid straight into the boot!!!! I had to use a dustpan to scoop the worst up and then brush what I could into the dustpan. :-S

I think OH said it's Call the Midwife tonight. :-)

I have given oh one Ibruprofen with a drop of orange juice as he won't drink water apart from in coffee. Then a bit later he wanted a coffee so thats him kept quiet for a while.

I forgot to say I like the colour of the new suiet Jane and lots of colours are going to go with it so a good chioce me thinks.

I am making some Easter Chicks like I did years ago from a pattern in Womans Own I think. The only thing is it is trial and error at the moment to do with sizes of the card and the amount of times you wind the wool on the card. I have made two so far and they don't look right so am now on the third!!!!! :-S

Well the snow seems t obe melting very swiftly now.I think we must have had about the same amount as you Frank.It was nice to see.I did think about making a snowman but it wouldn't have lasted very long so i didn't bother :-D(good excuse lol)

Mandy I must apologise for calling Lewis ..Luke yesterday when I wished him a belated Birthday...I think James and I had been talking about his friend Luke so the name must have stuck.

Oh Mel it sounds like OH has done a proper job on his knee :-S.Is he able to take anti inflammatories?That walking frame will certainly help him move about and keep some of the weight off the knee.

I have a bit of a query .You know I took Thomas to the vets last week because of him scratching at his ears all the time?The vet could find nothing wrong.....WELL I think we might know the cause..........HIS WHISKERS AND EYEBROW WHISKERS !!!!
They are so long that they actually curl into his ears !!!!!!!!! Now I know you are not supposed to trim Cats Whiskers as they need them to judge the width of something so they can get through.But I am wondering if it is safe to just take a little bit off.Or should I ring the vet tomorrow and get advice?Poor old Thomas it must be so irritating :-(Having something tickling your ears all the time must be awful.

Hannah got away ok.Wearing her Gym Gear as she is going straight to the gym off the train.Silly thing.She just had her coat on over the top and was complaining how cold it was.Still the train would have been warm and then its just a short walk to the gym .
I will see her next in a couple of weeks when we go to see Eddie Izzard in London.

I feel like I have seized up today.Calves and hips .All those steps on Friday I think.

Frank how disappointing to get a wrong order like that and then to find it inedible :-S :-S..Not good.Still it seems like you have had a good feed this morning :-D
I can see you are going through your emails LOL lots of pings coming through from you on email here :-D

Afternoon all

Nice and sunny here with blue sky, we had a sharp frost first thing and it's still hanging about were the sun hasn't touched it.

Your poor OH Mel twisting his knee like that ,it's handy you having the frame as that will help to keep the weight off his knee ,i suppose it's just a case of resting it and taking pain killers, i hope it soon eases for him.

We have hard water here ,the kettle soon gets scaled up but the other day i tried the tip of boiling a little white vinegar in it and leaving it to stand a while and it worked a treat ,you just have to give it a coupe of boils after to get rid of the vinegary smell but it soon goes .
Much cheaper than buying those little sachets that you put in the kettle,the last time i used one of those i had a coloured kettle and it boiled over and took all the colour off the kettle !!

What a shame about your meal last night Frank ,i'am sure you will enjoy your roast tonight .

Jane i like your choice of material for the new suite very nice .
What does Thomas think of the snow ? will he go out in it ?

Ann i meant to ask is that a Variegated Holly with all those lovely red berries on ? it's a wonder the birds haven't stripped them all off the tree.
The other day the pigeons were eating the berries on the Honeysuckle it was quite funny watching them try to hang on to the flimsy branches .

We have finally finished the puzzle ,family came this morning and the children put a few bits in ,but i just finished it after lunch.

Oh dear Mel, Your poor OH, and poor you!! I remember when OH slipped a disc how painful and debilitating it was for quite sometime. Not good!! Is he putting on cold compresses? or just taking pain killers? Hope the knee feels better soon.
Have just been for a walk and my goodness it's cold and damp. It was raining earlier, but at least that has stopped, but it's a miserable day that's for sure!
We're having home made soup for lunch, then beef, roasts and leeks (with a white sauce!) for supper. Watched BBC iPlayer on the TV last night. Makes quite a difference on a big screen after watching it on my Kindle!

Morning all from a very snowy Northants, Evening Kim,

We have about two inches of snow here , and it looks like staying.
Neighbours have been out clearing their drives. I'm still in my dressing gown, and I don't think I will bother clearing anything as we are not going out.

It's been MANY MANY years since I did St. Pauls. I worked quite close to it so would pop in from time to time, the same with the Guild Hall.

The meal last night was a dissaster. I ordered King Prawn Sweet and Sour and then gave me Chicken, which I would hve eaten but it was like biting into PEBBLES so over cooked. I rang and complained, and he promised a Credit. But thats not the point when you are hungry and looking forward to your meal.

I see Ian has been busy Liz, what a job it intails. All's well now I hope.

Did you get SNOW Gill ?? I bet Sandra is overjoyed if you did.

Thanks for MISSING ME. It's nice to be loved. xxx

Roast leg of pork with all the trimming this evening. As I didn't enjoy my meal last night I did myself a BIG BREAKFAST this morning. Eggs, Bacon, Sassage, toast and tomatoes. That will see me through. !!!!

Morning all you lucky lot who have a smattering of snow.

Not a sign of one flake here and not even hail. It is quite warm, well it is indoors but I hav'nt ventured out yet to feed the girl. shall do that after I post this.

Poor oh has really hurt his knee climbing out the digger. Its not like our digger as you can step down onto the tracks to get off ours. This one you can't reach the tracks because the body of the digger goes over them. He should have swung it around a bit so he could reach the track. He can hardly walk on it now and he is a BIG man. I asked him if he wanted my walking stick I keep incase mum needed it but he said no but when I went to bed last night he asked if the frame was still here from when mum used it and I said yes and got him that and he has used that to get the weight off his knee.

I wonder if Gill has the snow? if they have Sandra will be pleased if there is enough for her to build a snowman. That would make her day and a nice ending to Christmas.

I can't believe how January has flown by. We are over half way through it now!!

Made another pom pom yesterday on the big one but I hav'nt finished it yet.

We have had a very light smattering of snow here the first in over two years it's only laid on the roof tops and grass as the ground is still very wet, I hope Sandra is now able to have her snowman Gill.

We also have hard water in this area, I always use too much washing up liquid when we visit Hastings as the water there is just the opposite.

Glad to hear you enjoyed your holiday Frank how nice not to have to worry about cooking and the meals being so cheap plus the lager as well. Back to reality now with the cold weather here at last

I'm the only one up at the moment I think Becky must be enjoying the peace and quiet, Richard never gets up early at the weekend unless he's going out like yesterday. They had both seen the Star Wars film before but it was to take Becky as she hadn't and the cinema near Reading has reclining seats and plenty of space between them more comfortable than the one in Bracknell but we will get a new one soon as it's part of the regeneration plan, I don't know if the current one will stay as it's a different chain and their not touching the part it's on.

Ann have you visited the carriage museum in the Peak District ? It's very close to Chatsworth House, they have a very interesting display plus the horses of course
as they are often used in period dramas,

Must get on with the prep for the Sunday roast now before sitting here for too long

No snow here! but very cold damp and raw.
Ann, I use that Viakal spray a lot particularly in the shower cubicle, as the hot water causes a lot of limescale. Mind you the taps need doing pretty frequently too, it's a real pain!
More peaceful day hopefully!