General Chat

Afternoon.

Happy Anniversary to you both Vera hope you were treated to a nice scone and coffee .

Ann what a shame your having troubling the new blinds ,it's so disappointing when they are not what you expected ,I hope it can be sorted out for you .
Bit naughty the chap taking the blind perhaps he had a home for it .

It's been dry all morning but has just started to rain ,it's a bit on the chilly side too and you notice it after all the nice sunshine.

We called at Roys for another grow bag and a bag of potting on compost ,I also bought a new wind chime with a colour changing light in it .
We then went to have a coffee with son and dil and dil's parent's called too so we had a good chat .

I lkike the Gallo wines Anng. We have their white grenech and their Merlot and sometimes another one thats a rose' which is nice and light but a bit sweet.

I have hoovered the kitchen and then gave the hoover a haircut and washed out the box for the new lot of mealworms thats arrived and done some casting and some plastering.

I am still hoovering up glitter and tinsel from Christmas it seems to appear like the fairies have sprinkled it here and there.

Is'nt it always the same when you need something and that something dos'nt do the complete job you wanted it to. The most important blind is the one giving you all the trouble.

Happy anniversary Vera enjoy it together, even though low key
Referring to another thread and Chardonnay. T and I both stopped drinking it as we found we preferred Suvignon or Pinot grigio and daughter never liked it either (daughter and I prefer a drier wine. However since she discovered that with her various health problems she was better to drink white wine than red, she has experimented a bit and found a chardonnay on Tesco that she likes, I tried it and I liked it. It is not oaked apparently it is Gallo Family produced in in Europe from Californian grapes. (£6)

Oh dear Ann poor OH he does seem to get this more often than most people it must be annoying for him to have to miss meetings.
did you get your walk in?

Morning All,

Misty moisty morning here and its quite thick. Pc says 7 degrees but it dos'nt feel like it with the mist but if there's mist there's no wind!

F & C's night tonight so no cooking for me so thats good.

Happy Anniversary Vera and oh hope you enjoy your coffee out today. Its good you slept better last night Vera so you have some get up and go today.

Morning All,

It's dull here and looks like rain soon so I'm off to get my walk in before it does. I also need to go in the chemist (for lateral flow tests) for the first time since the start of the epidemic as OH has 'the trots' and daren't stray far from the bathroom. He's had to cancel a meeting for this morning and will see how he is for tonight's meeting. :-S

Well HAPPY ANNIVERSAY Vera and I hope you are treated to a coffee while you are out. :-) I was thinking of asking the fitter when he comes if he could swap to cords like our other blinds have. The stick thingy looks less cluttered than cords but it is harder to open the wide window blind with it. I will see what he says.

It is a shame about the building at the back of us and I'm sure they won't put space taking bungalows just behind us when they can fit more houses in. Those of us backing up to the field had to pay more for our bungalows than those opposite us as we had the field view. It will mean over a year or so of noise with the diggers etc and bricklayers, window fitters, roofers overlooking our gardens, so no peace or privacy out there while the building work is being done.

Yes the blinds in 2 rooms work well at keeping the light out and the study one will stop the hot sun blazing through when it is closed. The bigger window one in the bedroom where the van and headlights are directly opposite is the problem one and doesn't fully close so is not so good at the moment!

Glad you slept well AnnG.

I'd better get moving and miss the rain now.

Happy Anniversary Vera and OH...I hope you enjoy your scone later ;-)

Sorry to hear of your neighbourhood problems Annx..
I do hope that there can be a re think about building on the land to the back of your property.
I fully understand that people need homes, but the 'powers that be' seem to have a strange understanding of affordable housing that is often needed to keep an area vibrant. Too many times, young families can not afford to live in their home area without a very hefty deposit.

......and as for squeezing in as many properties as possible, I could hardly believe how many properties have been built not far from here on what was M.O.D. land. Building work is still on-going, but no schools or another hospital in the overall plan, so there are added problems locally because of this.

A busy day yesterday walking with a Year 1 class, so that they could learn more about the geography of our local area. We walked along an old quiet bridle way into the nearest town, then caught a double decker back to school, when we had finished..... some new experiences for some of them.
I haven't been going into school lately, because of Covid numbers, but when they rang to ask if I would go, I felt I could, because we were outside apart from the bus ride, when I wore a mask, as usual.
We were lucky with the weather. It was more chilly than of late and rather dull, but was OK for walking and more importantly, it stayed dry.
This morning is dull and damp with very light rain.

Good morning AnnG and all

Horrid weather here. Thick grey cloud and rain on and off with the promise of sleet later. I slept a bit better last night so I feel a bit more lively today.

We have to go and talk over some financial matters at the bank and OH wants to do that today. I might even persuade him to a coffee out as it’s our anniversary and he forgot as he frequently does. We’ve never bought each other presents or made a big fuss but before Covid we often had a nice meal out. This year I think he was so busy thinking about the family coming this weekend that an anniversary meal got forgotten. I’ll let him off if he buys me a coffee and scone while we’re in town :-)

Good morning all dry so far here and 4 degrees, hoping it stays dry, yesterday was horrid after all the lovely warm sunny weather.Slept well last night anyway.

I missed that post Ann thats why I did'nt know what the others were talking about. It dos'nt sound good and I do hope you can get it sorted but do they work? I'm glad you rang the company and not the fitter. They should make them so you can use them. It was the same when mum had the double glazing they have now bar at the bottom and mum could reach the handle to close the window if it was nice and wide open. Her tum got in the way and now mine does!!

It is so sad that people like you who have enjoyed living with fields and nature close to you have the peace taken away. Sad when they allow building on green belt and agricultural land. I know people need houses and our own houses are built on other people’s’ countryside, orchards etc. But why must they cram in so much and build so close.

Just re-read your posts about the blinds Ann and I see what you mean. When ours are fully open the back edges of the slats are barely an inch from the window frame and I can see that the fitter hung them as close to the window as he could. They could have been 4 or 5 inches further forward. We haven't got the stick thingie - ours has a chain to open and close the slats and a weighted cord to close the slats together and pull them to one side of the window. Anyway it's good that the company have arranged for him to come back and hopefully put them right for you.

Your neighbours sound a right bunch and it's a good job that they have been reported and stopped from building a motor workshop. It would be good if you and the other people round you could find good valid reasons to object to the plans for building on the farmland behind you. A crested newt would be good of course but a badger sett would delay things nicely or maybe you could find a rare orchid. It sounds funny but I know it isn't. The last thing you probably want is a lot more houses behind you.

Yes the blinds do need a bit of space to turn, but the vertical blinds we have in some other rooms fit much closer to the window frames. I think he fits them further away to make his job easier to put the rail up. I decided to ring the company rather than the fitter and they have booked an appointment for him to come back on Thursday. I think he should be able to sort the roller blind ok, but I've noticed the large blind in the main bedroom doesn't close as well as the others, so lets more light in (the one we wanted to blocke the van headlights over the road!) and the adjuster is 'notchy' as you twist it so doesn't seem right. I decided to ring the company instead of the fitter and they have arranged for him to come back on Thursday and will ask him about the old roller blind that has disappeared

What bad luck Vera having to cancel your get together and meal. Your daughter's experience of it sounds a lot like mine as I had the runny nose and sore throat for 4 days before I tested positive. Hopefully you will be able to rearrange it again once your daughter is free of it.

Mel I put about the blinds in my post yesterday. I just hope he can sort them out how I want them as they were too expensive not to be right. Yes when dad ran a business from a house we moved to that had a big workshop, they limited what kind of business you could have. That turned out lucky for you then that your OH got the house.

There's been nothing but trouble since those 3 properties were built at the end of the close. First, one bungalow converted the garage and built another garage and a neighbour said the owner made false teeth and we do see lots of cars going there. Not sure if he is allowed to run a business there. He was keen for the electric gates to be put across the bottom of the close, shutting the new properties behind it. Now it is the house where the elderly Sikh couple live who have 5 grown up sons who roar up the close in their cars. OH thinks 2 of the sons are now living there as their cars are always there. They are the family that sit on the driveway with settees outside and talk loudly till quite late at night in the summer. When the sons make phone calls they walk and stand outside our bedroom window at night talking. There's all this extra traffic on the close, which is private , and we original 4 bungalows were liable for any road maintenance. We have never been notified of any change to that since the other 3 properties were built and their traffic is what will wear the road out.

AnnG, it's good you have managed to get a new bus pass now. You will have to put a cord on it and hang it around your neck! The building plans haven't been submitted for the field yet, but the neighbour said they will soon be digging those channels for the archeologists to investigate. We are less than a quarter of a mile from the old roman Fosse Way and when they built the park and ride further down from us they found 6 roman skeletons. Yes wouldn't it be good if there were great crested newts in the ponds. I expect they would just re-home them but it would hold things up.

Gosh the things some people try to do without planning permission!!. You said there were a lot of cars coming and going a while ago and I bet thats what they have been doing. The people who had the little house out the front of us tried to have a garage repairing cars but the council stopped it as you are not aloud to run a business from there. Its just as well they did as I would'nt have met my other half as he bought it off of those people.

I wish you could find out if there are any great crested newts in the two ponds as they would'nt be able to develope it if there were as they are protected. I have read your posts and can't see where you are not happy with your new blinds or am I missing something?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ to Island. <3

Vera I don’t know if it is just this area. I went into our Borough council site to check where to get replacement passes as the last time everyone had new passes I remembered we got them at the library. It just said participating libraries. Pass cost me £5.
What a shame about your get together Vera. I suppose it could maybe have been worse if the celebration had been held before they knew I imagine maybe the cold lowered her immunity, not necessarily that the cold caused Covid. There are a lot of people with that bad cold. Will you be able to reschedule the get together?

Ann very disappointing about your blinds. Is there a solution?

Have they posted Planning information regarding the building? Surely you have a right to appeal regarding the ponds. What about your local councillors? If the building is as intrusive as you expect can you put up higher fencing to give you some privacy? Strangely I have a bungalow at the back of my house. I can’t actually see into their garden even from upstairs.

Good that the other family have got stopped. Maybe the council will also catch up with them for running a business from their home.

I agree with you Mel about returning/ being refunded on things you won't eat as it is wasteful in produce and money spent. Just ask for a refund on the site. I have asked for refunds on things on different days and they will still give you it in your bank straightaway. They send an email to let you know as well. I just got refunded over £10 on 2 bxes of Black Magic, sugar snap peas and raisins without having to hand them back, which is just as well as the drivers never ring the bell or knock on the door these days and just drive off after leaving the food.

Well there wasn't good news from a neightbour when OH fetched our bins in earlier. According to the farmer that rents the field at the back of us, the field is being sold for building by the pension trust that owns it! It's an old ridge and furrow field with 2 ponds in it and they teem with frogs and toads in the spring. All the hedges and trees will be destroyed to say nothing of us losing our nice private outlook and it being replaced by family houses overlooking us with lots of noise. We aren't going to bother with extending the conservatory all across the back like we planned and will just replace the sealed units that have gone. :-(

OH also found out what they were doing at the house at the end of the close. Well remember me saying when the 3 properties were built how narrow the road was and sharp turn in front of the house. It turns out they were going to build a workshop to mend cars in in the garden at the back of the house!! It's been reported to the council now and they've had to stop as they hadn't applied for planning permission. It's totally unsuitable, but we thought for some time with all the cars parked in the drive that the sons were running a business there. Whatever happened to our quiet little close.

You asked if I was putting the Rhododendron I bought in a pot AnnG. I'm planting it in the ground as they do quite well here as long as I add ericaceous plant food.

Afternoon all

What a grey, miserable day. It was raining earlier but has stopped now. On the bar at the bottom of the computer screen it is saying 12 degrees and mostly cloudy. No way is it 12 degrees, so I just clicked on it and apparently that is the situation in Ottery St Mary!! According to my iPad it is 8 degrees here with an east wind that makes it feel more like 6 degrees. That sounds about right.

What a shame your blinds aren’t exactly as you would like Ann. It’s annoying when you pay good money for them and don’t get what you expect and it was naughty of the chap to take your roller blind without your permission. We’ve got ordinary vertical blinds in the lounge and blackout verticals in the downstairs bedroom that were fitted last year and have been very pleased with them. They are never going to fit snug against the window as there has to be room for them when they are open but ours are pretty good. If the security light on the side of our garage comes on during the night there is just a narrow rim of light shows round the blinds but the light does shine directly at those windows.

Did you get to the library to sort out your bus pass AnnG? (Just seen that you did) Is it just in your area that you can deal with these things in the library or is it general? I’ve not heard of anything like that in our library but it would be handy. I had an email today to say my railcard expires next month and I am in 2 minds whether to renew it or not. I’ve always had a 3 year one which was just used for the occasional trip to London, but because of Covid and other problems I don’t think I have used my current one at all so it’s been a waste of money.

Tell OH you are in charge of shopping Mel. Of course you should send things back if they are damaged or are not what you ordered and you should certainly be refunded for missing items. You can also email customer services and they will refund you. At least that’s the case with Sainsbury and Tesco.

Well, my year seems to be staggering from one problem to the next, what with my back, leg and sleep problems, gas boiler problems and now the latest. Well over a week ago daughter developed a heavy cold. Because of her work she tests for Covid 2 or 3 times a week anyway but as soon as she felt unwell she started daily testing. It was constantly negative. The cold symptoms have cleared up and she feels fine and today she has tested positive. Her man friend has also tested positive so the chances are that in the next few days her daughter who lives with her will also go down with Covid. That would be bad enough but this coming weekend my son, dil and 2 of his 3 girls were coming down from Yorkshire and we were all going to be together and have a belated family celebration of my birthday. OH had booked a table for 10 at a local restaurant and the Yorkshire crew were staying at ours overnight. I was really looking forward to a lovely meal with my daughter, son and their partners and 4 of my 5 grandchildren but, of course, we have had to cancel.

Hey ho, things can only get better.

Thats good Anng you won't feel so shut in now you can go out on the bus again once it comes.

Dead headed some of the daffs in the orchard and got back ache so came in.

Friend picked me up and took me down so it is ordered now, probably take up to 2 weeks to get to me now. Still raining but not as much, it threw it down midday.

Shame its raining and you can't go to the library Anng perhaps it will stop later so you can go then.

Just finished the wipe down and going to get lunch on the go now as we always have soup today with nice new bread.

I had ordered a savory pastry case but it was smashed to bits and I only just caught the driver to return it. I don't think he will refund me that as the refund for the broccoli has come already. I also told him I did'nt have my lamb joint last week and he asked me for the order number which I gave him but he had put other subs in the boxes by then so I have them anyway and thats when I saw the smashed pastry case. Oh dos'nt like me sending things back and says I should'nt do it but I am not having him pay for things we don't use, eat or like. He's putting up with his sub of his weekly prawns for two prawn cocktail but when he saw the size of them I think he may have changed his mind.

Bless her, The Queen determined to be there what strength she has.