General Chat

Ann as I said n the email, I thought exactly the same as Vera. you have to accept now that you are very talented.

11 degrees here and sunshine but feel a bit sharp out.

I had a good morning and feel pleased with myself. I caught the bus in to town at 0945 and was in town just after 10am, it was very quiet then once we had got away from the building works where they have narrowed the very wide pavement down to single file. Most people were wearing masks in that bit. I kept mine on outside and inside except when eating. I went to the jeweller's first (H Samuel) and had very good service from a young lady in a mask there. I got a battery for my 'good' watch (50th wedding anniversary present from T), then I bought myself an inexpensive watch for every day. My Vivofit, while still working has lost the little bit of plastic which kept the watch inside the strap so is a bit of a liability as it falls out if I take it off.

B&M next as I don't often get the opportunity and bought a lovely lilac hat for Inara with her initial I on it in silver and some stars with a fluffy pom pom. as it was only £3 I could not knit it for that.

A quick look round the market, only stall holders in their still a bit early. Then into M&S Looking for a particular brand to buy son in law for Christmas, no sign of it anywhere but I did get some liver for dinner with enough to put in the freezer and a pair of trousers for me. I looked at bras but all the non wired ones didn't have a single one in my size. I guess their stock is suffering from delays now..

Had a coffee and scone, starting to get busy but I know their tables are well spaced out

Into Smiths for a local paper (which has gone up 10p and home on the bus, got home about 1230.

Going in there was only me upstairs most of the way then just one young girls fully masked. The bus was early and it was a pleasant gentle ride. coming home, the driver was late ( pick up the bus in what used to be called the bus station but is now the 'Transport Hub'. Because he was late a queue had formed and the bus was quite full. Fortunately I had a seat to myself and the majority were wearing masks. The seats on these buses on our route are quite high so you feel protected (even if you possibly wouldn't be). Because he was late he thought he was at Brands hatch or similar and drove with his foot either hard down on the accelerator or the brake so not such a pleasant journey. This route has brand new bright yellow buses with all sorts of gizmos, USB point in front of you, bell push in front of every seat with a light if needed and as on trains and tubes, the next stop is announced in advance and at the stop.

11 degrees Mel - lucky you, that's positively tropical. It's a mere 7 degs here though it is supposed to get to about 11 degs mid afternoon. There was quite a lot of rain overnight and early this morning but it's dry now and reasonably bright.

I'm pleased you found your netting in the garden and it's good that you got another 2 eggs but a shame that one was broken. I don't know a lot about chickens. Do they lay all year round or do they have a "resting" season?

I've hoovered and dusted the whole of the downstairs and had a general tidy up. I have a couple of friends coming for a cup of tea this afternoon. It might be a bit chilly to have doors and windows open but OH will be upstairs in the study so there will only be 3 of us and we can space out in our fairly large lounge. We're all triple jabbed and one of them tests at least once a week as she has a vulnerable granddaughter. Isn't it difficult deciding how to lead some sort of normal life while staying safe? It's still not bad round here but rates have been rising quickly in parts of Suffolk, particularly in Ipswich. We used to visit Ipswich regularly but we have kept well away since the very first lockdown.

Mower man didn't turn up yesterday but we had an apology from him this morning and a promise to come at noon which he has done. He seemed well pleased as he's got a nearly new mower for nothing.

About 3 weeks ago OH had a letter from the hospital which said his bladder and kidneys appear to be OK, so he was discharged from Urology which was good. However, while checking those they had discovered a problem with his pancreas and his case would be discussed at a team meeting. This was a worry as there was no indication of how serious this was and we heard nothing more. Yesterday OH had a face to face with the GP who was able to explain the problem, tell him that the team meeting had been held a couple of weeks ago and it was decided treatment wasn't necessary at the moment but they would do another scan in 6 months to make sure nothing had changed. This is better than we had hoped but if our GP hadn't been so helpful we would still be worrying ourselves silly

I think I had better go and sort something for lunch. I want it a bit earlier than usual as one of the friends coming this afternoon always turns up really early, even when you give her a time.

EDIT: Sorry Ann, I forgot to say how good I think your "textures" picture is. I'd be hard put to separate the photo from the picture. It's well up to your usual high standard

One egg and a broken one......same old story. Found the pond filter net and it was'nt very far away just up against my pond.

Morning Anng and all,

We have a little sun this morning but how long it will last remains to be seen. Hope your temp has gone up since you post Anng as its 11 degrees here now.

Think I may make a meat pie for tonights dinner so I better get some meat out of the freezer.

Nothing else planned for today but I must have alook around the garden as we lost a net bag in the wind yesterday. Its what goes round my pond filter and oh put it on the fork handle and I looked at it yesterday when I did the bantams but in the evening it was "gone with the wind."

Good morning all, another dark one but dry so far colder this morning 8 degrees. Trying to make up my mind to go in to town on the bus. I need a watch battery changed The one I am wearing is like a Fitbit but a little bit of plastic that holds the computer part in has broken off so I am worried I am going to lose it and I don't have another watch working. T used to always change most of the watch batteries and I can do it if I can get the back off but the one I want to use I can't shift it.

Pity they couldn’t do the air con today Ann. Still it is not needed at the moment I suppose.

Gosh Vera that is a lot of bulbs, they will look lovely come spring.

Mel hope you didn’t get too wet fetching the F and C
Island hope the meds help not long before your booster then.

Granddaughter in law is being induced on Friday. Baby is affecting her problem back

Annx, after jabs 1 & 2 going so smoothly it seems it has all gone to pot now. Right hand, left hand :-S :-S I got a letter from the NHS re next jab which was very confusing. rang the clinic for clarification and was told they had lots of patients phoning in a panic. "very misleading and badly written letter".
I get new meds tomorrow but I'll wait to have my last jab - I'd prefer to know which is giving me gyp!
I'd love to see your 'boring painting' :-D

We managed our walk, mostly without rain, but very wet underfoot.
I had worn my old faithful Welly boots, so my feet were warm and dry.
In fact, it was really mild and I was quite hot when I reached home, having had to wear a waterproof coat for much of the way.
We were delighted to catch sight of this year's cygnets, all mottled brown and white and almost as large as their parents, who swam majestically in front of them.

AnnG you are right, there were very few trees which had changed colour yet, so June and I hope to take the same walk in a week or two to see the difference.

Vera
How lovely to be able to see your grandaughter on her special day.
When we attended the ceremonies for our 3, the parents were all quite smart. I well remember standing outside Canterbury Cathedral in November and wishing I'd got a warm coat to wear over my 'finery'.

I can identify with Mandy's son, having been on many school trips.
If a child suddenly needs to 'go', when you are perhaps at a distance from a toilet, their adult helper has the dilema of what to do with their other charges, while the needs of the first child are met, so frequent trips are the order of the day.
The staff at the school seem great and it makes for a happy working environment, when they include all the work collegues in their events. It's the same at the little primary school where I volunteered. The caretaker even dressed up for one of the World Book Day events, -

I'm not looking at the DAVIES family tonight, then I won't be tempted to sort out all their children.
A good night's sleep would be preferable!.

How lovely you managed to see your grandaughter walk across the stage Vera. We shall want to see a pic of all those bulbs you have planted inthe springtime. They are going to look great.

The toilet trips made me laugh so much my sides ached but you can't be too careful with little ones.

It came over cloudy and started to rain lightly at 4.30pm just as I went round to corn the chickens. No eggs today!!! Now its chucking it down and I have to go and get the F & Cs at 6.30pm.

Better go and get changed and put all the stuff back on the shelves.

Just had all the things off the room divider in the kitchen and washed all the tuff on it. Now I just have to put it all back.

Well, the teacher loved the boring painting I wasn't happy with and said it was an extremely good attempt. He was talking today though about realism not being as interesting as expressing what you feel about a scene which is opposite to what I try to do, so I feel a bit confused. :-S After half term, which is next week for the class whereas it is half term here this week, we are doing industrial landscapes which sounds interesting and something new for me.

Sorry I got the 'egg day' wrong Mel, I think reading 2 days' posts at once confused me!

I know what you mean about what you wear depending on where you are going Island. Dark tops for the garden centre as I get mud and compost on my top, when we ate out I liked a multi coloured top, so my spillages didn't show! I hope the new meds are soon ready to collect.

I had a chuckle at your son's comment about the toilets Mandy! lol. Shame you couldn't get the seeded bread. White bread, apart from a french stick, doesn't agree with me either, but we only had wholemeal when I was a child, so white bread seemed tasteless after that.

Well OH is annoyed. He got an NHS text this morning to say to book his booster jab. When he rang the surgery to do it an hour later, they said they hadn't any appointments left at the Racecourse and to ring back next week?? :-S They booked mine, so why is the NHS telling people to book when there are no appointments for some reason?

Vera your pots and barrel are going to be so colourful next Spring. That was good you managed to see your grand daughter online. I hope they turned up for the mower.

We had rain overnight but it was a lovely morning with quite a bit of sun and a warm breeze. Then about 1.30 it came over very dark and the thunder started and then the rain fell down. After a while it stopped and the puddles were just starting to dry up when the heavens opened again. Now it’s sunny again.

This morning I planted up 5 pots with mini tulips and I probably have another 5 to go but I might have to buy some more pots of a suitable size. About 7 years ago I started with 6 bulbs of 2 different kinds and they have just expanded. I must have about 40 of one type and slightly less of the other now. I cleared a couple of troughs and gave them a good wash out and filled a half barrel ready to plant up with full-sized tulips. The trouble is the more I do in the garden, the more I see needs doing

Mel, the hosta I wanted left is a smallish one with a fairly dark, ribbed leaf. It’s called Devon Green. There is another one in the garden so I might divide that in the spring and plant a bit of that back in. The one I really wanted out is a big plant with huge leaves and it is taking up half a bed. It’s right in front of a big choisya and a cornus and next to a crabapple tree and it’s just too much. That was good to get 2 unbroken eggs. I enjoyed WDYTYA with Judi Dench as well. At the beginning it took me back to my schooldays as they were talking about her first major part as Ophelia in Hamlet in 1957. I was 15 and just starting my A-level studies and we were “doing” Hamlet so a group of us went to see it at the Old Vic. I remember that Judi Dench was very good but as teenager girls our group were all more interested in John Neville playing Hamlet. We all fell for him completely. When I look back Judi Dench was only 19, not much older than us. Btw Mel, I think the man that was there was Judi’s grandson, not her son. I remember they said he was 24 though I thought he looked older.


Daughter texted me a photo of granddaughter in her cap and gown taken an hour before the graduation ceremony and I suddenly wondered if the uni might be streaming it as, because of Covid, a lot of events are streamed now. Yes, it was being live streamed. I didn’t see all of it as it was on at an awkward time but I watched long enough to see my girl walk across the stage and doff her cap to the vice-chancellor. I was surprised at how scruffy some of the guests, presumably mostly parents, were and quite a number of the students were very overweight.

I hope your U3A meeting went well AnnG.

Oh dear Gwyn, are you joining the ranks of poor sleepers now? There’s a few of us on this thread now who don’t seem to get much shuteye at times. I have every sympathy with you over your Davies tribe as I know what it’s like to try and follow a common name. My ancestors are Smith or Stone! “Granny Smith”, my great grandmother, had a dozen children and trying to sort them all out was a nightmare. I hope you managed your walk. Some of the trees are looking beautiful now and others have hardly changed colour.


What a shame you couldn’t get your seedy bread Mandy. I laughed at the number of toilet trips your son had to make. If you don’t have all the loo breaks lined up ready there is always one little one who can’t wait and wants to go at just the wrong moment.

When we moved from our old house we left our big petrol mower for our buyers and bought a little electric one for this house. It only got used 4 or 5 times as we decided to take up all the grass. It’s languished in the garage ever since, collecting dust and taking up room. At last OH decided it could go and put it on Freecycle. Someone was supposed to be collecting it at 4 pm today but so far is a no-show. OH is getting a touch uptight about it so I need to go and make a few soothing noises. I hope you all sleep well tonight.

Did he go to the toilet when he got home Mandy? LOL :-D

I've always based whether to wear something smarter (best jeans) on how far I have to go. I'll go to diy and plumbers merchants in scruffs though - got to look the part LOL
Otherwise I change into sofa loafers when I get home - don't want to wear out the best jeans with all these social whirls :-D

Annx I've got stacks of photos to scan. I made a start on the very old photos a few years ago but need to reorganise them. I was pleased to 'inherit' the old printer/scanner to have in my art room - so much easier. Huh! it isn't playing ball. I'd rather like a flat bed scanner.

I usually change my clothes before shopping and back into old things for doing any jobs .

Went to tesco still no seeded bread I find that one suits me better than the prepacked sliced seeded ,I get terrible indigestion with white bread.

I had to smile I asked son how he had got on with the littleones trip and what did they see he said "the toilets " :-D he said it was toilet when they arrived story time outside then toilet then see Dippy then toilets, walk round then toilet dinner time then toilet another walk round then toilet before coming home :-D

Good luck with the photos Ann. Its a horrid job but lovely when its done. I never thought about doing that but I don't think I could face it now.

Done one wash and the suns still out at the moment.

It was yesterday |I had the two eggs but none today so far. They enjoyed their chinese meal this morning though.

It's all change isn't it Mel! That's good 2 eggs today and none broken.

We fetched OH's car earlier but they only did the service, MOT and fixed the warning light. I think special equipment is needed for the aircon. It passed the MOT but it needs to go in soon for work on the brakes. So about £250 lighter today and more bills to come. He will be wishing he'd swapped it at this rate.

We had a really heavy downpour and thunder and lightning while we had lunch, but it's stopped again and the sun is out now.

Going to scan some more photos till my course starts. I have two 1 ft cube size boxes to do from before I had a digital camera. It doesn't sound many but the boxes are crammed full.

You popped in before me Ann. I do that change to go up the shop and change back when I get home and then I change when I go for the F & C and so on.

I forgot to say I had TWO eggs yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and none broken. Little ones hav'nt laid yet and I think they maybe going to wait until thed spring when the days get longer.

I enjoyed Judy Dench last night too. She's such a lovely lady and was'nt her son like her father?

Morning Anng Mandy Gwyn and all,

We have a little sunshine here this morning but the sky is grey out the front of the bungalow and the suns out the back.

Enjoy your meeting today Anng and I hope the weather is kind to you.

Gwyn I would give up on the Davies too as I have tried to help people inthe past with Welsh names and got in a muddle then so goodness knows how I would get on now I am older. Good luck. :-) Iv'e been having the Error page too.

Morning All,

I was awake till after 2.00am and the alarm woke me before 7.00am so I shall be a zombie after this afternoon's class and then the Hospital online teams meeting tonight!

It started throwing it down as I set off to the city to give OH a lift back from the garage. You couldn't see lane markings on the road or the humps with all the water. We are hoping he will get his car back by lunchtime, otherwise it will be tomorrow. On the way back I called for fuel, so that is topped up now and will last quite a while. The garage was the quietist we have seen it with the children off school which means a lot of parents will be off work too.

We like seeded bread too Mandy and I imagine the Tesco one they bake themselves in store would be extra nice and fresh. :-)

Hope ypu don't get a soaking going to your meeting AnnG. It's stopped raining here now and the sun is breaking through.

I see you didn't sleep well either Gwyn and it sounds like you had worse weather during the night than we did. Maybe you had the DAVIES family going round in your head! Isn't it amazing what we find out about our ancestors and the lives they must have lived with such big families. I have said to OH that they must have been at church all the time what with all the christenings, family weddings and then sadly funerals for the little ones that didn't didn't survive childhood illnesses. We take so much for granted these days. I watched WDYTYA last night and Judi Dench had some surprises!

Better get straight and tidier in here for my course this afternoon. I got changed when I got back from the garage, then I need to change again to go back with OH for his car. I'll change again for lunch as I'm bound to spill something on me if I don't, then change again for the class!! lol.

Good morning Mandy and Gwyn.
Gwyn hope you manage to get your walk. The trees don't seem to be changing much yet, I think they care confused by the mild weather. In this area anyway.

Sun is shining here at the moment but there are puddles everywhere.