General Chat

my daisies were over about a week ago but they were out reaally early, we had a heavy rain storm one day that finished them.

Still dull and damp here Mel only 13 degrees so quite cold without any sun so I shall stay in and make cards.

Suns just come out here!!!! 15 degrees.

YOu got a bit done then in the garden Anng. If you settle into making cards perhaps the sun will come out and you can go back out.

Had one egg and a broken one. Just about to start the breakfast.

It actually stopped after about ten minutes and, as it had not been heavy I nipped out and made a start on clearing the Michaelmas daisies. got about a third of them cut down and in the garden bin when it started to rain again so I came in and I have stayed in and am making cards.

This waiting for a Great Grandchild is very hard on the nerves you know. Still no news.

Morning early birds and all,

I had a lie in this morning as its dull damp and dire out there. There's a little breeze blowing the dampness all around and under the patio roof. A really miserable day and now its 13 degrees.

Can't plan anything when its wet can we Anng?

Gill you were working very late this morning whatever time did you get to bed? There's always another day you know.

Hope you all slept well or at least got enough sleep to keep you going.

As I finished breakfast I thought I would just pop upstairs and check my PC before going out into the garden. Five minutes on the PC stood up to go back downstairs and it is raining!!

Good morning all 10 degrees so far and still very dark with a clear moon overhead. No baby news yet.

So good to see you on here gill but sorry that you are still having problems with getting people to respond to you. You have worked hard on that ceiling, it must be tiring and dusty work so it is good that you now have a shower to use, do you tie a scarf over your hair to protect it? I can't believe that you were still working at gone 3am. I have to say that I grew up in a three bedroom bungalow where the only heating was two coal fires and a couple of electric. And in our first place when married we had a two bedroom bungalow that's only heating was a coal fire in the living room and no double glazing. plus no airing cupboard and no washing machine, everything line dried whatever the weather, just a small spin drier. We lived there until daughter was 6. Hopefully you will soon find the one person that can do the job to set you off on all the others. Good luck with it.
Good to hear that Sandra is doing well, well done her.

Annx Oh that is lovely that you now have a pair of tiny trees, they will look lovely as a pair, well balanced.

Island, I have not wiped now for about 4 weeks and, yes, I am sure I read that it was not considered necessary. and any one thing taking us back to normality is good for me. I had not realised how much time it had been taking me. I think, if we have been away from the house, that basic hygiene such as hand washing etc is necessary and I do also think mask wearing in shops and on transport is necessary. For one thing I noticed when in town that some shops have the heating up and doors closed. smaller shops seem to still be keeping their doors open. Smaller shops are also more likely to have hand sanitizers available but I guess that is a cost thing with large stores and it is easy to carry our own. Garden centres here do have it available still.

Nothing planned here today, not sure if it is going to be dry enough to get out in the garden. Still some tidying up to be done out there.

Thanks Mel,
I'm signing out so I can get on with some work. I was hoping to have some of the ceiling done by now but I got distracted online so I'll do a bit now as I'm not tired yet and there's only a little bit to do on one side, the other side can wait until another night as I want to make sure any dust has been cleared away before OH is home from work in the morning. Hopefully I'll have the little bit done in an hour or so.

I'll try and get on here more often if it's not to dusty. Take care everyone and keep safe. Night Night <3

Dont stint on the stilts and they are made of plastic so light weight.

Off to bed soon but am going to watch a program first.

Thanks for letting me know about the stilts Mel, I'd heard of them but I've never seen them before, I didn't even know what they were called just that you could buy something to raise the loft boards. Are they made of metal? we need to keep the weight low the last thing we want is the ceiling joists to break lol. The opening for our loft is around 3 foot by 2 foot so the boards should fit through and we already have a light up there. We don't have a loft ladder yet so unless the boards are light it might be a bit difficult to get them up there especially at first when there's no floor to speak of to walk on.

I didn't realise the loft boards slot into each other Ann that would make them more sturdy and less likely to move while they're being screwed down. We only need enough to put some boxes up there for now so that'll help with the cost. We can always add to them over time. At least when all the boxes are out of the way we can finally make a start on some of the rooms, they all need decorating and new floor covering as we've only got floorboards at the moment which makes the place a bit chilly. We'd like a gas fire put in the living room but I'm not holding out any hope of finding someone to do that. as the chimney needs seeing to first as there's a lot of bricks inside where the old coal fire was and I don't know if the fire people do that bit of the job or just install the fire, so that's something else to look into once the living room is empty.

Maybe we were suppose to do all these jobs ourselves, (Not the gas of course) They say everything happens for a reason and not being able to get any workmen might just be because we were meant to do the jobs ourselves. I still want a proper plumber to put the bathroom in though and the kitchen sink, we can do the rest of the kitchen ourselves. At least we have the hall ceiling and gardens to keep us busy for now. I think it might be best to have someone put in the loft ladder too just incase we don't do it properly, I wouldn't want to fall or have OH falling, better to be safe than sorry on that job.

At least everywhere is insulated and we have hot water and central heating now so it's not all bad and we won't have to spend another winter in the cold and because we got those on a grant it didn't cost us anything as it was all free. When the surveyor came he couldn't believe there had never been any heating in the place just two coal fires. I felt sorry for the woman who lived here for over 60 years like that, although the reason there was no gas metre or gas is because she was frightened of gas and had the metre taken out, but still it must of been very cold to live here without heating and only one small electric heater in the kitchen.

One day I'll come on here and be able to tell you everything is done and we're no longer living in one room. At least it cosy even if there are a few boxes in here lol :-D :-D :-D

Well, I'd better get back to the hall ceiling, thanks again for all your advice.

Isdland my neighbour is a man called Phil he's Em's dad.

Gill you don't need other joists on top of the existing ones. Oh bought plastic 3" high stilts which you screw onto the joists and the boards go on top of those. Wood will cost more and add a lot of weight to the ceilings. You put the stilts down and the boards on top of those.
Look on here this is just one type but take a good look around for the cheapest price.

Loft insulation spacer, raised storage boarding, loftlegs, stilts, loft legs (60)

Tis nice to hear from you Gill. Your nearly there with the ceiling keep going it will soon be done. You can buy polystyrene coving if thats what your looking for to match the bathroom.

Oh did out loft boards ontop of the lagging and they were and I think they were two by eight so you should be able to get them up there if the opening will take two foot wide.

Hi Ann, Sandra is settled into her place nicely now and told me her social worker said she doesn't need her anymore with her coping so well. I'm so proud of her.

She lost her purse the other week so rang the bank and the water people as her cards for them were in her purse, no one had to tell her to do it which is why I think her social worker thinks she can manage on her own now. I'm still here if she needs me, in fact she rang me at 11.20pm the other night as she had fell asleep and left the hamster cage open, her hamster had got out and she couldn't find her. I managed to calm her down over the phone as her dad was in work so I couldn't go to her and after half an hour she found her pet in the kitchen under the cooker, I said to put some food down and call her name, she did this and her pet came straight to her.

Sandra said sorry for ringing so late but I said she can call me anytime and not to worry about the time. The last thing I want is for her to be upset or anxious and rather she rang me, no matter what time it is.

Yes OH did do well, he said he knew what he was doing but I think he only had a rough idea and didn't want to worry me, I'm so pleased the toilet is fixed as it's the only one we've got. At least we know it'll last until we can have a new one put in.

It looks like we might have to put the loft boards down ourselves but we'll need to raise the joists by adding more on top of them in the opposite direction as we have lots of loft insulation which goes well above the original joists, this is why we wanted a proper joiner to do the job, but with having no luck getting a joiner we'll probably end up doing it ourselves. At least doing these jobs ourselves it's saving us money like you said.

I'm not bothered about Christmas this year with this place needing so much doing to it, so being on my own won't bother me and OH will be here during the day as he works nights and has Christmas Eve and Boxing Day off so it won't be to bad.

I had to smile when you said you use old credit cards to scrape the filler in with, I use a wall paper scraper ;-)

Going to watch Strictly now then get back to the hall ceiling as OH has just gone to work and I've watched enough programmes off the planner to clear space for the F1 tomorrow.

Hi Gill,

So nice to hear from you and hear how you are getting on........or maybe not as well as hoped! It is a shame you have been let down by so many workmen. They seem to lose their manners too and not let you know. It sounds like you are nearly finished with the scraping of the ceiling which is good. Then out will come the filler! I used to use old loyalty or old credit cards to scrape the filler in with. Less to sand off then. It's worth looking in places like B&Q at their coving as you might be able to get a close match to the bathroom.

It is a good idea to board the loft yourselves as it is holding you back from doing the rest now. We got our packs of boards and they were small enough to manoeuvre through the hatch and slot together. You just need to screw down each corner then. Unless you are going to do it with actual floorboards, you don't need a joiner. A local handyman/ odd job man should be able to do it. Your OH did well fixing the toilet.....a bit of money saved too!

Christmas is a lot of hype for one day really so it will come and go before you know it. Some of us still pop in here so you can always join us if you aren't painting! :-D

I hope Sandra is ok in her flat now and has sorted everything out.

Hi all me again :-D

Still busy scraping away at the hall ceiling I've almost finished but the last bit is proving to be more difficult than the rest, or is it I'm getting slower with being fed up of the job. Once all the paint has been scraped off I'm going to fill the holes and then paint it properly. I need to copy the coving where the new bathroom wall is, not sure how hard that's going to be or even how I'm going to do it but I'll have a go and see what happens.

OH has fixed the toilet today, it wouldn't flush and the plumber never turned up. We're getting used to workmen not turning up now and have decided to try and do some of the jobs ourselves. It's the first time OH has had to fix a toilet so he's chuffed with himself and we now have a working toilet again.

The insulation men never turned up when they said they would and when the boss rang me he said he thought it was the following week, so that had to be booked in again and the job has now been done. They forgot to insulate under the bathroom floor so all the floors are insulated now. We need to have the loft boarded, but when I rang a joiner he said he'd get back to me but never did, surprise, surprise so we're thinking of doing it ourselves.

We're still living in one room as we can't do anything about the boxes until the loft boards go down and we can't have the bathroom plastered either or it might crack when the loft is done, although we are seriously thinking of taking a chance with the plastering as we need a new bathroom and kitchen put in. We haven't got a kitchen and can't have one put in until the pipework leading to the bathroom has been done as it sticks out into the kitchen where we want a cupboard putting. So at the moment, apart from the hall ceiling I'm doing we're at a standstill.

OH has been doing a bit more in the front garden clearing it of everything ready for next spring when we're hoping to make it pretty but he can only do that job when the weather is dry and we've had lots of rain lately, plus he works so doesn't have much time.

I don't think we'll be having a Christmas this year, I can't get to our Christmas tree and even if I could we've got nowhere to put it. OH is working Christmas day so there'll only be me here, so it's not really a problem. I'm just glad I don't have small children anymore or I would of felt terrible not being able to put any decorations up.

We've been in contact with someone to arrange for a new back door as ours is wooden and single glazed, it lets the drafts in but there's an eight week delay on the door arriving so that can't be done until next January. The fella is coming here on Monday to try and fix our front door as it's sticking, we're just hoping he turns up and doesn't let us down like all the other workmen have.

Love the emails, another great painting Ann and I love the sculpture Island, you are both very clever. I liked the story you told us Island ;-) ;-) it made me smile.

OH has gone to sleep for an hour or so, he's on night's tonight and I'm going to catch up on a few programmes off the planner now, I'm running out of space and need to record the F1 tomorrow as the qualifying and race are both on the same day, so I need to make some space to record them. I hope you are all keeping well.

Afternoon all
Gosh Vera, those beans were a bargain – they would last us a good while too but storage would be a problem. There is a Farmfoods not too far from us so I’ll have to see what bargains they have next time we’re over that way.

Cissie and Ada, aka Les Dawson and Roy Barraclough were very funny, I’ll see if there’s any on youtube and hope I won’t be disappointed. They don’t make shows like that anymore

AnnG We (ahem He) stopped wiping the shopping down months ago. I’m sure I read it was no longer deemed necessary but it’s up to individuals I say. What happened to the virus getting in through our eyes? That went quiet quickly.
I only have the photos of the clay head. I do have a poly head though which I could build up with das :-D LOL

Mel, there was me thinking Phill was a neighbour. I had visions of you at the window in your neg-leg and some bloke came rushing over :-O

Annx I didn’t know craft items and ‘don’t need’ went together LOL At least that’s what I see on FB groups. :-O I need to set about using up my stuff, most of which made it’s own way to me especially fabrics and haby through work. I wish I had the motivation to get stuck in!

Afternoon All,

A good sleep, but wasn't up till 10.00am. Today has been mostly dull and a bit chilly. OH has gone to a local match and did offer to take me to the bead sales that have started up (2-3 a year) at Dunchurch this morning. I have enjoyed going in the past and have always got there just as they open (best choice then as well) anyway. It is held in a sports hall at a tiny sports ground and doors are always open and it is a tall and airy hall. Thinking about it, it is usually held on Sunday, not Saturday, so it would be busy with youths playing and watching on the pitch just in front today and probably more people would go on a Saturday, so I decided not to go. It's not as if I need anything really, but it is good to be able to actually see what you buy. Maybe next time.

Did I say I managed to find another tiny Christmas tree online like the one I already have that I covered in icicle ornaments? I shall unpack it today. I have 2 matching small oak cupboards in the lounge, so one for the top of each now. I might eventually make some of those beaded stars to go on this one, only smaller, or it might be more icicles. They look pretty with the white lights and with the decorations tied on firmly they are quick to just put up. I struggle to decorate the big tree now and it takes ages to do, so we haven't put it up the last 2 years and this way is still decorative, but easier.

Ouch Mel, I can imagine Phil's hard peck! Chickens are bad enough. You and Vera are lucky to have/have had Pheasants in the garden though. Did you collect their discarded tailfeathers? Percy and Phil have got a good little routine going there!

I'd better get going now and have a look in the greenhouse! Then finish my Asda order.

Vera, you and AnnG are going to have lovely Spring displays with all your bulbs!

I was thinking of Les Dawson too but forgot to post it.
Nice little outing for a Saturday morning Vera and got a nice stock of beans too.

No eggs yet today maybe later.

I must go up the shop for the paper now.

Yes I was Vera, just wouldn't come to me, too much rubbish in my brain pushing what I want to know out. I am sure my memory is worse since covid and lockdowns.