General Chat

That was odd Vera to have the similar problem in two places. At least you got it posted in the end.


No Mel I rarely have Turkey I am not keen on Turkey breast. Same with chicken. I usually go for beef pork or lamb but lamb is my favourite. However that is so expensive it rarely appears on the menu now. I do prefer beef to be pink. If it is cooked too much it is dry and tasteless.

Well at least you know what to expect there AnnG and could choose from the bar menu another time. OH would enjoy the beef crumbly I think as he doesn't like any with blood on it. I don't like beef so would have joined those having Turkey.

OH just passed me an article in The Telegraph about HMRC and online traders. They reckon it will be a gold mine for tax inspectors, so I'm glad I've finished work now as I expect it will cause so much extra work. Mind you, AI use is creeping in everywhere with the people OH deals with in his work, and he's been shown some ways he can use it in his work, so I expect it's inevitable it will be used everywhere before long.

We've both done a bit of clearing, weeding and pruning in the back garden this afternoon and our large garden bin is threequarters full now, so we should have it full for the next collection. At least we are a bit further ahead in the garden at the moment than this time last year.

I've been having trouble with Genes today and have been trying to post on and off since about 8 am. I type the post, press submit and get asked to sign in even though I am already signed in. If I sign in again my post disappears and I have to start over. This is going to be my last attempt.

I couldn't rest last night and was downstairs reading till gone 4 am. I went back to bed and slept for a couple of hours and then got up just after 7. I'm OK today but rather heavy headed. It's been one interruption after another this morning, mostly phone calls, but I didn't get around to serving up our lunch till 3 pm instead of our usual 2 pm on Sundays. No gardening done today. I've just spent best part of an hour doing some banking admin. which was a bit complex moving money around and I had a similar problem to Genes this morning. Every time I put a figure in a box and pressed Next up came a red exclamation mark with instructions to put a figure in the box. I think I did it 5 times before it accepted the figure and let me move on.

Sorry your lunch wasn't as good as you hoped AnnG but at least going out with friends will have broken the day up a bit.

Dear me Mel, you are having a few problems what with the mower and the pump and your leccy going off. At least you seem to be doing well selling your miniatures on eBay so that's good. I did have a giggle at the knicker stories. My OH has shrunk in all directions and I have threatened to make him a false bottom to go in his trousers as some of them now look quite baggy on him. I have persuaded him to let me send one good pair to a charity shop as they are baggy enough to accommodate two of him.

I'm glad you seem a bit better Mandy but be careful not to overdo things. You don't want to slip backwards again.

I am feeling very tired now but I daren't let myself doze off or I won't sleep tonight again. I think I'll just go and sit quietly with a magazine or a crossword. I hope everyone has a restful night.

HOORAY - It posted :-)

My oh always wanted stuff with a roast whatever the meat was. He just loved stuffing and would have eaten a whole platefull for his dinner.

Perhaps you should have had the turkey instead.

Suns closed up for the night now and the sky is whitey grey.

Not done a thing today except cook my dinner which was sausage egg and chips instead of a big breakfast. I just fancied that. It went down a treat. Now I want a nice drink of water.

Walk and bus were fine, an easy trip, five minutes. Lunch was ok, not fantastic, roast beef which had been cooked too long so just crumbled when cut in very thin slices, nice crispy little roast potaties, carrot and brocoli, stuffing? and yorkshire and a spoonfull of mash potatoes as well. We didn't have to cook it and plates were all cleared (2 had turkey.) I think If I went there again I would choose a bar meal off their menu.

Afternoon All,

Sun is blooming here too Mel and it's 12 degrees. Ha ha, OH has had that trouble with his jim jam trousers since he lost so much weight. :-D He's had to tighten his trouser belt two notches as well, so I hope he doesn't forget his belt to those when we go out. He's bought smaller jeans since losing weight so they are ok.

Enjoy your lunch AnnG, it's nice to try somewhere new. I hope the walk turns out to be fine.

Better get lunch now.

I posted the cockerel and other things on Friday got the label from Ebay and she got it yesterday. Super fast delivery she said.

The sun is now in full bloom!

Morning girly whirlies,

Bit misty and grey here this morning but its 10 degrees and pc only says rain coming in three days so perhaps the sun will come out later.

A long while ago I made a tiny chicken crock and I put it on ebay for £7. I don't know how I painted such a tiny item but today I have had a bid on it.

I should have a day to myself today as BIL should go back to work today. I never know when he takes days off but he came on Thursday this week which is the day he usually leaves work for home in the evening. I bet he had the week off as it was forcast nice weather.
Anng enjoy your lunch and I hope the walk to the bust stop dos'nt feel too far. Ha ha ha. :-D

Good morning allm2mdegrees here, it was just 1 degree ten minutes ago. I couldn't see a frost but there may have been one earlier. A warning to people to not plant ot young plants yet.

I am out to lunch today but, unusually have to get the bus as the friend who usually drives decided she was taking the bus. the 'minus' for me is that it entails a walk to the bust stop as the one nearer me doesn't go in the right direction. We are going for sunday lunch to somewhere we have not been before. Have to leave here about 1205 for the bus at 1224.

That made me laugh about my knickers falling down as I had a very old pair of jim jam bottoms on today and when I came out of the bathroom what happened ? yes they fell to the floor and I doubled up laughing. It put me in mind of an old chap who rang at Okehampton church one eveing. He was on the tenor (the biggest bell) and his trousers dropped to the floor whilst he was ringing and there was nothing he could do about it till the ring finished.
Another funny thing that happened to a friend of mine was she wad walking along Colchester high st when a pair of knickers dropped down her trouser leg she just shook them off and walked on. They must have been in there when she undressed the night before and she put fresh ones on but did'nt notice the pair in one leg of her trousers. She said she felt such a fool.

I think it was me that that got confused AnnG as your post was clear when I read it again. It's good anyway that Bon Marche do 25" lengths! Yes I was glad The Works stores will still be open. We both like to browse there too......me the art things and OH the books.

I'm off to bed now. OH has already gone. He had a good journey to the match and was there quite early, so he went for a walk around the village and said his legs ached a bit tonight as he walked around the ground a couple of times too.

Yes I saw that about the works, just shows people like to browse in their type of shops I am pleased that they are keeping their stores.

The 25 inch length trousers are not M&S they are Bon Marche. I probably confused you.

Vera a shame about Granddaughter developing a cold but sensible not to bring it to you and OH. Must have been lovely then to have a call from your other granddaughter.

You really must try and not get carried aw2y doing the garden to help your head and back. Hope the gardening will help you sleep tonight.

Mel hopefully when your body adapts to your life style change hopefully your weight will stabilise. I am still chuckling about Ann’s consolation.

I see The Works are stopping selling online, although you can still see what they have on their website. Sales will all be through their shops.

The soil at my last house had a lot of clay, especially where a sewer pipe to an estate beyond a playing field at the back of us had been buried deeply through our garden. We never knew about it till we wanted to build a brick garage (naughty solicitor hadn't found out when we bought). I used to try modelling with it! First OH brought dozens of bags of mill waste he bought from where he worked to improve it, but it never was very good like it is here. We are trying to get our garden bin filled to put out next week too Gwyn and I think it is half full now so we are getting there.

Yes it's the same every Spring as you say Mandy! We always feel we could do a bit more and then wish we hadn't. :-S I hope you haven't set your back off either.

I did suggest to him a while ago that OH could use one of our small wheeled holiday cases (we have one each) as I used to use one at work to help my back. It was still heavy when you had to go upstairs at places though which he has to do sometimes and he does tend to walk fast, even now, and I could imagine the wheels falling off bumping up the kerbs!! He's mostly emptied his briefcase now, but even empty it's heavy. He seems more keen on getting a lighter one if he can. I think we need to look at what's available, even a manbag might do.

AnnG I haven't fancied much that M&S have had this year. It's good they stock trousers in 25" length though which is what I have. I tend to wear my old stuff round the house, unless expecting visitors or workmen. It always reminds me of a schoolfriend whose parents moved from a modest semi to a quite grand detatched house that the front door opened onto a big hallway with a fancy staircase winding up the walls. She told me her mother once opened the front door in her cleaning clothes and the person asked to see the lady of the house!! lol. That was good getting a refund and still keeping the goods.

What a shame No1 granddaughter has a cold Vera and won't be able to see you. Sensible to keep away though as your OH has only just got better from the nasty infection. It was good you had a video face to face chat with the Hong Kong granddaughter. Is all going well with the shows she is in? It must be a great experience and building her confidence. Sounds like you may need a rest now to help your back and head.

It's not been a good week for you has it Mel! Still at least you know with a few extra pounds put on your knickers are secure and won't fall down. :-D What makes your leccy keep going off, as I've never heard of it happening to anyone else and have you managed to speak to the water people yet?

I will be glad when this week is over ................Iv'e just put the washing on the line and fed the big fish and noticed their pump is not working again so now I have to go and hang out the shed window and grab the robe with the pump on it and give it a jiggle about and see if I can get it going again....... It did this to me the begining of the week.

I had a quick look round M&S, nothing there to tempt me, had a coffee (because I was due a free one) in the usual cafe plus a pastry and a very quick look in TK Max. It was very busy in town, even at 1030 it was full of young teenagers. I think that must be due to the fact the new part of Gloucester Uni is now open and there are I think, a lot of student accommodations in town. No bad behaviour just a lot of laughing and talking, brightened the town up. I ended up in Bon Marche and bought another pair of the lightweight pull on trousers I wear around the house and locally (25 inch). so that was my lot, my legs were tired by then so I unfolded my stick and made my way back to the bus hub. I was home just after half twelve.
Tesco took me by surprise. Door knocked at 2pm, my slor 3-4pm. Mr Tesco asked if it was ok if he was early. so that was well out of the way before time. He did ask if it had inconvenienced me at all which it had not. And, he nooticed that the raspberries were dated tomorrow, and I noted something else the same so I have had over £5 refunded but kept the goods.

Sorry to hear that you have got mower trouble again Mel. Is the mower under guarantee or will it mean more expense for you?

I know exactly what you mean about the clay soil Gwyn. Our last house was on London Boulder Clay and, like you say, it was either a bog or dried out and cracked open. The good thing about clay is that it is generally fertile so provided plants have got good strong roots when you plant them they usually grow well. We often grew plants on in pots for a couple of years before putting them out in the ground.

No.1 granddaughter is down from Edinburgh for a couple of days and staying with daughter and they were coming for Sunday lunch tomorrow but rang this morning to say granddaughter had woken with a streaming cold and doesn’t want to risk infecting us, particularly as OH has only just got over a nasty infection. We appreciate her concern but are disappointed not to see her. However I did have a nice surprise yesterday - a video phone call from granddaughter no.3 in Hong Kong It was lovely to chat face to face for half an hour.

I have slept quite well this week until last night when I couldn’t settle at all. Then as it was dry and bright this morning I decided to risk doing some gardening. I won’t bore you with all I did but I was out there nearly 2 hours. I feel I achieved something but, although I was careful, I think I overdid it a bit so I’m lying on the bed again. Back’s OK, just a bit twingey, but my head isn’t good. I am going to try and have a little snooze now.

Afternoon all,

Lovely warm sunny day here it was very very foggy first thing but it soon cleared .
I have a couple of loads of washing on the line and I should think its all dry with the sunshine.

Anng hope tye mist learned so you could get into town .

Mel that was good you've sold the cockerel sounds as if it was just right for that ladies market with the tudor house.

Gwyn hope you can get the ivy cut back so you can fill your garden bin ready for the emptying this week our bin goes out tomorrow ready for Monday morning and we got our grass cut last Wednesday and it was a lot longer than we realised so the poor mower struggled a bit but we got it done .

Ann we never learn do we ,when we start the gardening in the spring we all seem to get the twinges as we try and do to much ,I lifted the mower out of the shed and got the boxes with the green house bits in off a shelf in the shed and now my side keeps twinging .
Would one of those small pull along cases help OH ,he could pull it instead of carrying his bag and laptop , one of those small ones you can take on the plane ,you can get pull along bags too .

BIL has been mowing the top field and came down about half an hour ago and said the new mowers drive shaft has gone. Its now parked in the garage and he will ring to have it collected which means I can't go out if I wanted to cos I don't know when they are coming and it also means I shall have to push it up the ramps into his high van.

MEN!!!!

A lovely morning here and now about 9 degrees.
The sun has been shining since early morning, certainly it was full-on before 7 a.m, when I went to put the kettle on for a morning cuppa.

That sounds a good home for your cockerel, Mel.
What's the nexr project or is your garden making you too busy now?

I remember those mists AnnG from when we lived in Swindon Village near Cheltenham. I hope you enjoy your trip to town. I will be thinking of you on Wednesday.
I have an outpatient appointment at Canterbury and I've just realised that is the day that all the big-wigs and important guests will be descending on the city for the installation of the new lady Archbishop. The hospital is not to near the cathedral, so hopefully it won't affect us.

Garden bin will be collected this coming week, so I need to tackle the ivy etc. in the back garden to justify collection cost.
Daughter says she will gave the grass it's first cut, now that we have had a few days of better weather and it's had a chance to dry out. We are on heavy clay and it's either like a squelchy bog or like last summer, dry with huge deep cracks :-0