General Chat

Morning All,

Another sunny morning but both of us have back twinges after the bit we did in the garden yesterday. OH has also been carrying his briefcase and laptop to meetings too, so is being careful with his back today. He is off to a match this afternoon.

I'm off to the shop shortly and need to do a wash when I get back and get the pork chops for tomorrow out of the freezer. I'll see what I will do after that.

I like that AnnG about seeing where your brain goes! It's a good idea to keep busy and keep your mind off the hospital visit. Have you got a lift to take you? It will be good to get it sorted before you go away.

That was good you sold the cockerel Mel. It only needs one person to bid and it sounds like it will fit in nicely with her things.

fog gone sunny but 3 degrees.

Morning all,

No mist here Anng but Ithink there must have been a frost earlier as there patterns on my car windscreen. Its 7 degrees here and very sunny.

BIL is coming again today so I need to get showered and dressed.

Nothing planned for today.

I sold the Cockerel in its crate along with other things to a lady who has a Tudor house with a market outside. She was the first and only bidder although there were 9 people watching it.

that mist is now thick fog. The joys of living in the Severn Valley.

good morning all. a bit misty here this morning and 4 degrees. I think it is supposed to go up to 14 later. I may go into town on the bus. anything to take my mind off the hospital visit next Wednesday. I sort of feel I should be doing some more on the garden so I will see which way my brain goes after breakfast.

Yes a couple of hours in some garden centres is like spending a day in town shopping.

I have noticed though that annual plants, bedding, basket plants etc all tend to be identical in the large garden centres.

The tyre repair kits have an expiry date on them usually Mel which might be why it didn't work. Like I said to you before I won't use mine as you can't repair the puncture after using it. It's a temporary repair and you are forced to buy a new tyre. I just got a spare wheel instead. It's a pity Bill didn't think to ring the breakdown people first isn't it, but he may have panicked.

That was lucky you spotted BIL was filling the wrong car before he'd emptied all the diesel into it!!

I agree it is nice visiting the bigger garden centres when you want to have a day out AnnG. I do the same and it's like a gift shop, clothes shop, card shop. shoe shop, ironmongers, furniture shop, aquariums and cafe rolled into one and you can have a break with a drink and meal or snack as well. Round here though, there is only this one that is a proper nursery. and has unusual plants. The others just don't have room anymore to carry the same extensive range of plants.

O and I meant to say when I drove through the village by the bus shelter there's a new Cake Safe opened today. Its open till 7pm and has fairy lights round it. There a calulater inside and a metal cash box fixed to the wall you can paid by cash or phone. Lots of choice and some in plastic tubs with sealed lids. Most £3.50 some £3.00 I bought a chocolate browny with cornflake nest on top with three cadbury choc eggs in the middle Even a plactic fork sealed in a bag if needed. I only ate half as it was quite large and shall have the rest later.

I hope she does well, the lady in front of me said she is a local mum who child goes to the school and she makes smashing cakes.

Went to the doc for the foot doctor and it was his half day and he had gone by the time I went in at 12.45pm. As I went in there was an elderly man standing by his car and he had a puncture, he'd looked in the boot and there was no spare just a bottle of liquid rubber and a pump. I told him what it was and he had no idea how to use it so I tried to help him. So we opened the bottle of rubber and the pump which were both in poly bags got all the leads and connecters out and put them all together via the picture instructuions on the pump. Managed to get the rubber solution in the tyre but would the pump pump the tyre up???? NO. I rang Stu to see if he could come down and help but he was'nt acvailable and James could'nt leave the garage. By this time the man had told me he was disbetic and needed to eat at 1pm and take insulin. I went into the surgery to see if Kate, Stu's ex wife was still there but she had left as it was her birthday. I thought she may have known how to do this thing. So back out I go to Bill who had already rung his sister for her tocome and pick him up but her and hubby were in Launston. In the end he told me he had fully com cover and rang them us for breakdown assistance and they said they would come and bring a new tyre.

I had asked him where he lived and was going to run him home if he was local but he lived in Ashwater which is not really local to me. I had to go and get diesel as I was nearly out so knew I had enough to get me to Hatherleigh. In the end he was told the recovery people would take an hour to get there so what I did was offer to take him down the pub in the village so he could get something to eat to which he agreed. He even asked me if I would like togo with him and he'd buy me a drink. I declined. Came back home and rang Hatherleigh garage to make sure they had diesel and they had so off I went to buy some. It was 1.79 something a litre. BIL said it was 1.59 in Sainsburys to which I then replyed thats to far to go. He had brought down a can of diesel for me and he was putting it in my car when I happened to look out of the wind and had to bang like crazy on the window as he was putting it in my old car!!!!! He stopped but he thinks it was just under half the five litres that accually went in my fresh car. Anyway it got me to the service station and I got some fuel.

Now the day has gone and I hav'nt done a thing. :-( Another lovely day wasted.

I meant to say Vera that your description of copy and pasting is exactly how I do it albeit not these days in word as I no lunger have it. I think Mel is relying on highlighting what she has typed in the Genes reply bos to be able to paste it if it disappears but that sometimes it disappears before she catches it. Much better to do it as Vera says Mel.

Ann I do like the smaller garden centres, nurseries but I also prefer thos when they add a small cafe. For me, having a quick look round then having a coffee/tea while thinking about what I have seen is all part of a lovely relaxing day out. I so miss being able to do that as neither Cynth nor my other neighbour who takes me out really enjoy garden centres. Cynth does sometimes but she buys all her plants on line and Louise has a lawn and nothing else, she is not a gardener. At least both son and daughter are happy to visit garden centres.

Afternoon All,

Nice and sunny here so we both did another 15 minutes tidying and weeding outside and came in before we started aching much and came to a standstill anyway. We went out to the garden centre in the sticks to look at their slate chippings as they have some green ones we want to have in the front garden. It was nice to visit what I call a proper, old fashioned nursery with no cafe that has many more varieties of many more plants. I was tempted, but resisted till we have made the garden easier or I would only have to move things again. They had runners and sweet peas and other veg seedlings too.

There has been some concern about effects of these proton pump inhibitor drugs for many years and it was known that they reduce absorption of things needed for health like calcium and magnesium from food. OH has taken them for years and since his cardiac arrest the doctor has doubled his to protect his stomach lining because of all the other tablets he has to take as well now. Although there can be problems with them, there can be a risk from acid reflux if you don't take them, which is changes in the base of the esophagus called Barrette's esophagus which can progress to the esophageal cancer that our dear friend Jane had.

There are things you can do yourself to reduce the indigestion like no large meals that increase pressure in your stomach, not have meals high in fat, especially in the evening and not within a few hours before lying down. Smoking makes it worse, as does caffeine, alcohol, chilli and other spicy foods. Also you need a nutritious diet if all of the goodness doesn't get absorbed.

You were busy early to be done ready for Jake's arrival AnnG and it sounds like they have done well and worked hard which is good. Getting things done does cost a lot nowadays as you say and, like you years ago I thought nothing of doing the garden and even painting the fences and building our water feature, but now I consider it pay back time and what money we saved then can be used to pay someone to do the things we find difficult now! :-) It's a bonus that things get done quickly too.

Oh Vera you are having a difficult and stressful time with what's going on and not feeling good either. I hope you manage to eat today and are beginning to improve now. Don't worry about commenting on posts as we all understand and just want you to be feeling better soon. You do copy and paste exactly the same way as me (when I remember!)

Keep up the no smoking Mel, it is so much better for you and will give you more money in your pocket too.

annoying about the Omeprazole Mel but I too have read all sorts about long use of it so, if you can persevere try and do without it and try gaviscon if you actually get indigestion, don't just take gaviscon in case. If you have the burning in your throat try a glass of cold water. Defintely try to do without Omeprazole though.

Good to see you hovering on the edge of the land of the living VEra. I hope a further day with screens off limits will help you to recover completely.
glad that you like the photos.

Mandy that is annoying if your haor actually needs cutting, still not long to wait.

Jake and his Dad have finished now and gone and it all looks very clean and tidy out there. I know it is a lot of money to pay out and, if I was younger I would do half of it myself. But no way could I clear it in two half days like they can they both work flat out and both have tidied up really well too.

I have spent the time they were here clearing out and sorting two jewellery boxes.Quite a few pieces for charity so they can go to Irene Most of the rest will probably not be worn by me but are kept for nostalgic reasons. Like the two silver charm bracelets. most of the stuff in both boxes is non expensive. Anything worth anything is locked in the safe (and therefore never gets worn.)

Good morning all

I am sort of back in the land of the living though not right yet so I am limiting my screen time. I managed to eat most of my dinner last night which was good as I have been struggling to eat much. My back has also improved a lot in the last couple of days. It has been a stressful few days as our dear friend who is just receiving palliative care now was moved from hospital to a specialist nursing home on Monday. At first he seemed to rally a little but then quickly deteriorated. His sister is with him and there are constant emails going back and forth between us as I try to support her, having been in the position of losing a much loved younger brother myself. The difference between us is that, because of Covid and lockdown, I (and AnnG with her lovely T.) weren’t able to be with our loved ones.

I have managed to read all your posts but won’t comment on them now, except to thank AnnG for the photos she sent. The garden you visited looks lovely.

I also wanted to say to Mel a big Well Done for not smoking for 12 weeks. That’s a big achievement and you can be proud of yourself. Did you know there has been a lot online and in the papers recently about the damage that can be caused by taking Omeprazole and other drugs of that sort long term? As I understand it you can feel worse for a couple of weeks after coming off them but, if your doctor says you should come off them, try and stick with it and manage with Gaviscon or something similar. If you really are desperate you can buy them over the counter but they are expensive and you only get 7 tablets in the pack. I am also very confused about how you are still losing posts if you are doing copy and paste. Where are you typing your post? I apologise if I am teaching my grandmother to suck eggs but what I do is go into Word and open a new document. You have probably got Word but if you haven’t you will have some document writing programme. I then type the first sentence or so that I am going to write and then press Save As and give it a name and save the document to one of my files. Then I just type away and every couple of sentences I just press Save. When I’m finished I highlight all the typing I’ve done, right click and press Copy, then go to the Genes box, right click there and press Paste, then Submit as usual. It sounds long winded but it is really very easy and you can’t lose your post because you have it saved. If for some reason it doesn’t go through first time you can copy and paste again. Once you’ve submitted your post you can delete the Word document from your files if you want.

Here endeth the lecture. I’m going to come off the computer for a while now. Have a good day everyone.

Morning all,

Very cloudy here this morning but we might get sun later this afternoon , it was very foggy when I looked out in the night but that's all gone ,not sure if there was a frost .

Anng no, no change on my tablets she just checked my blood pressure which was normal and took the blood .

Thanks Mel I'll try just a little lime in the water this year and see if it helps the setting .
That's not very nice if your going to get the indegestion ,sounds as if you need those tablets ,I suppose they are saving money by getting different tablets .

No haircuts today she rang to ask could she change the day so its next Saturday she's coming now.

head starting Tuesday.

It did'nt even give me time to copy it.

Morning Anng and all,

Bit warmer here than at yours Anng its 12 degrees here and sunny but pc says 3 rainy days ahead starting Tuesday.

Hope you others slept as well as Anng and I.

BIL is suppose to be coming today to do more mowing.

Good morning all Brrr only 2 degrees, no sign of a frost now, might have been one earlier. Sunny and bright so looks like being a nice day. Jake due around 0930. I have washing in the machine and am showered and hair washed and dressed, already feel halfway through the morning. Hope all had a good sleep, I actually slept well last night.

Mandy I said last year to put some lime in water to water the beans cos you said they were'nt setting. I can't remember how much in a watering can now but it was'nt a great deal. I think I had put it on a post I lost so thats why I had'nt answered.

The doc has taken me off my Omeprazole and tonight I have that horrid ache in my throat i get with indigestion. She told me to take Gaviscon but I have tried that before and it did'nt work on me. I am also getting what I call the cheaper pills, spanish ones I think instead of my Teva brand.

Hopefully the blood test will have a good result of your sodium level. Did your tablet review bring any changes?
I am not sure if lime is a good idea so close to planting.

Ann pleased you managed to get some aspirin, it is so worrying about the shortages I have to get my next prescription next week, hoping that is OK.
Yes I thought what a pretty painting that photo would make.

Missed you Mandy! I think farmers put lime on fields weeks before planting and I'm sure dad used to say it could burn plants if too much was put on. It's good to hear you seeming brighter and doing more, but get plenty of rest too. It's good the nurse did your blood test for your sodium level as well as you'll get the result back quicker now.

Evening All,

Another lovely day of sunshine and your photos of the gardenwith the flowers all open in the sunshine are lovely AnnG so thank you for sending them. I thought the one looking through the archway might make a nice painting. It must be nice seeing the garden being spruced up and will be even better once the fairy is back with a working water feature.

I'm glad you are reunited with your bag again Gwyn and it was a good idea to be in the front garden working so you didn't miss it being brought back. I did a little tidying outside today too, twigs, sticks from a Fuschia, some weeds out of the gravel and a few of last years bedding plants that had been missed. A small humperful was enough till my back gets more used to it.

Vera I'm so sorry to hear you have been suffering so much with your head and unpleasant cotton wool feelings in it. I hope it has eased a little today and that you feel a bit better.

We treated ourselves to coffee and a cob this morning, then we called to see if the pharmacy now had the aspirin for OH. A bit worrying when I called to get his meds on Monday that they didn't have any and what's more had no idea when they would be able to get any with the shortages. Anyway they had managed to source some and had them bagged up ready for him. Then we called in the shop and he had a good chat with the nice lady who is back at work after 8 weeks sickness. She has been diagnosed with an inflammatory arthritis similar to OH in her neck and has had awful pain. She said her OH has RA and had to have hip replacement at age fifty-two. Like a lot of us she is waiting for a next appointment.

Mel that was a shame you had a wasted appointment and diesel too. It's best to just ring a garage to ask if they have diesel before you set off to get any, then you won't waste more driving there to see, We haven't noticed any shortages near us yet, but it could soon change in the next week or two. The prices are going up daily it seems and Sainsbury's is the cheapest near to us, a mile away.

It was good to get two loads of washing done and dried outside today and all put away. OH will be late tonight so I think I will go to bed and see if I can read a bit more of 'Entitled'.