General Chat

Morning All,

Sunny here now and I slept well. The bin men were here at 7am to collect the recycling after not turning up yesterday. (maybe fuel shortage?) Some of the neighbours had taken their bins in so there was almighty clattering as they got them out again and chased after the lorry up the close!

Hope you find some nice plants and craft things today AnnG.

How nice to look out and see a rainbow to start your day Mel.

I'd better get cracking now and have a shower and sort lunch before the class this afternoon.

Enjoy your trip out Anng.

Its 11 degrees here but there's a very chilly wind. I think it could be time to go into long sleeved T shirts instead of the sleeveless ones I have been wearing.

Have a good day out AnnG. Don’t spend all your money ;-)

Doctor rang early this morning. Last week’s blood tests showed nothing worse than a slightly low level of Vitamin D so that was good news. The X-Rays however showed severe arthritis in both hips, particularly bad in the right one. The groin pain is referred pain from his hip. Doctor is referring him to physio and then if physio feel they can’t give him enough help he’ll be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. It’s horrid enough, as some of you will know, but it’s a relief to know what it is.

When they said before that he didn't have arthritis they were looking for the rheumatoid variety to account for the sudden onset on his upper body pain. This presumably is osteo.

Now we just need to find out the results of his latest CT scan for his bladder problems.

I am dressed now but I was up at 7 and was not dressed when you posted Vera. I am off out to a garden centre near Cheltenham today with my neighbour and probably visiting hobbycraft on the way home on the outskirts of Cheltenham.
Just put my winter weight jeans on (only 8 degrees here) and boy are they tight!!! Yes they are a couple of pounds need shifting I think, too much snacking in the afternoons when I am bored.

Good morning Mel and all

Blue skies and sunshine this morning but it’s also very breezy and only 10 degrees. I haven’t decided what to do today but getting washed and dressed might be a good start.. I’ve been up since 7.30 and am still lounging around in my dressing gown.

Morning all,

We have a lovely rainbow over the garden this morning.

Hope you all slept well last night.

That was a big drop in the river level Mel! No I didn't get any craft stuff. I wanted to have a good look round the art stand but 2 members of staff were stood there gossiping so I left it. What I did see that I haven't seen before is some clear PVA and I would have got that only I didn't pick it up and then forgot. I must start painting the lit up winter scene I got. I'm looking forward to seeing your makes and more of those Christmas trees that Mandy made before and of course the surprise she is making! :-)

Sorry your OH is in pain Vera and I hope he has a helpful chat with his doctor. These things are worrying. OH keeps getting neck pain that they say is arthritis but other than paracetamol they haven't any suggestions. I'm giving my geraniums more neglect this winter and see if they do any better.

I agree AnnG, it's what OH said too so I'll see how tomorrow goes. It's a monochrome picture tomorrow.

I hope he gets some answers soon Vera as it must be such a worry to him and you.

Its rained for most of the day here and some has been really heavy. When the asda driver came this morning he told me Tamar Lakes were down by 14' and the fisherman were near the water and not on the banks like normal so I suppose we needed this rain really.

Ann oh was good then not aquiring another book and sticking to his pens he needed. Did you get any craft stuff there?

Yes Ann, I have wondered whether the groin pain and bladder problems are connected. In between the telephone conversations OH is having face to face appointments as well. His last one was last Tuesday when the doctor ordered an X-Ray for his hip and groin area and more blood tests which he had on Wednesday. This lady GP is the one dealing with his various pains which they thought was arthritis and turned out not to be. Another of the GPs and a hospital consultant are dealing with his bladder problems but all the doctors have access to the same information and cross check with each other.

Well, we all have our problems and I am sure something will get sorted out for him eventually.

Ann life is too short to do something that you don't enjoy and are not learning anything useful to you from it.

I think our vaccination centre was ahead of some with the first lot but also I am that much older and I suppose that does have some advantages (not many).

Vera, yes I will stay with him now I on ly changed because the other one left during the lockdown. I actually wonder if he didn't satisfy the boss. He does get rid of them if they don't come up to scratch.

It is a worry about your OH, do you think the bladder problem could be linked to the groin pain? I think he needs a face to face with his GP so hopefully the GP will agree after the phone appointment. He can't 'see' what the problem is on the phone.

Still raining here and only 15 degrees and very windy.

Sorry Ann, I missed you there. Your wall pots will look lovely in the autumn and winter months.

It was dry this morning but we've had a couple of real downpours since lunch. Sun's out again now.

The window cleaner knocked about an hour ago and OH asked him if he would be able to clean off the side wall of our garage. It's painted cream but was stained green from lichens and had lots of other marks on it. The window man said he could do it but it might bring some of the paint off but OH told him to go ahead anyway. We are planning to get all the outside repainted soon but OH thought if we can tidy it up a bit we can leave the repainting till next spring/summer. The two young fellows that operate this company have all the modern equipment with the high hoses and so on, but they are very willing to help out with most jobs and they don't charge the earth. OH said he has done a good job which will be fine till we get it repainted next year and he only charged us £20. He's now doing the windows.

It's good that you got a gentle dentist AnnG. Will you get him again next time? You will be able to tell us what it's like having the flu and booster jabs at the same time. We are having the two together on 11th October.

Mel, I laughed at Malcolm Moth as I'd been thinking of him/her as Miranda Moth

I hope your electrician gives you a quote that's acceptable and that he turns up to do the work Gill. You will be wanting to get ahead before the winter sets in. It's a good idea to get new doors if you can. You don't want any of your warm air going out and cold air coming in. If you can't manage to get new ones could you put up a curtain pole with some sort of heavy curtain in front of the doors? Perhaps you could make one out of an old bedspread or something similar. You can often find them in charity shops. It might not look glamorous but you want to keep as much heat in as possible.

I hope Island's absence isn't due to ill health or other problems. I'm sending a cyber ((((hug)))) in case she needs one <3 Maybe she is having internet problems or, heaven forbid, she has just got fed up with us.

I'm still quite concerned about OH. He is OK in himself in that he doesn't feel ill and he's eating well but he's still having bladder problems and the pain in his groin seems to be getting worse again. One of the doctors treating him has booked a telephone conversation with him tomorrow so perhaps we'll find out a bit more then.

I think it is time for an afternoon cuppa and a cake. Yesterday our neighbour brought us in some cupcakes which were quite spicy and topped with a very sweet creamy mixture. At a guess I'd say it was marscapone mixed with icing sugar and a flavouring of some sort. It was a bit sweet for our taste but I'm not complaining. We are lucky that he is still cooking on Zoom with his grandchildren and giving us some of the things he cooks. Last week we had Ghanaian Shortbread. That was quite spicy too but very nice.

Afternoon All,

Blustery and wet here too although no rain at the moment (it is now raining). I just got annoyed as a big carpet van has turned up opposite at Mrs O's and he drove up our drive close to OH's car on his right and right up behind my car at the side of our bungalow to reverse across into her 2 car width drive. If Mr O can do it in his big Water Board van without encroaching on our front why can't they? :-S

That's good the electrician got in touch and should be coming Friday Gill. With winter here soon, you want to get the inside ready for you to decorate etc. and make it feel more like home. The things outside won't grow so much in winter but on fine days you could start to dig out what you don't want. Did the electrician contact his joiner he knew for you?

I bet you are glad that appointment is over AnnG! Some dentists are much more gentle than others. Mine at the moment is a nice, gentle Africanchap with dazzling white, perfect teeth to die for. No wonder he is always smiling. :-D

I got a couple of heathers to go with the Violas in the front wall pots yesterday. We were the only ones at the garden centre with it not being good weather so it was more relaxing. OH got some pens he wanted from The Works in there and yes, Mandy, I caught him moseying through some books, but he didn't get any. We noticed 3 garages had no fuel on the way there. Silly people, but hopefully it will die down in a few days. Now I'm being pestered by people I got quotes from to buy an electric car to avoid the fuel shortages!!

We haven't heard about our boosters yet either but it isn't 6 months since our second jabs yet. Your tiger bread sounds lovely Mel. Do you use a breadmaker? My online course started last week and is not promising. The teacher uses cartridge paper, but I can't seem to blend colours on mine and if I add more water the paper peels off! :-S The teacher wants us to use big sheets of paper which I am not doing and seems to create impressions of things rather than anything accurate, as do those in the class who held up their work. OH doesn't like what he does either and has said why carry on with it if I won't enjoy it. He has a point so I may just do this week's class and then decide.

Bad enough Mel, very uncomfortable and because it lasts so long I get so I need to breath and swallow so have to stop him for a second, Young lady wielding the ironmongery in my mouth was quite good, only nearly choked me once. Mouth just about back to normal now though so just had a cup a soup.

Pouring here now and very gusty.

So it was'nt as bad as you expected Anng. I am pleased he was gentle with you. All done and dusted now till 18th Oct when I hope you see the same person.

That's the dentist done went in 15 minutes late but he is very gentle and thoughtful. I think I told you that his Mum was my dentist when we moved here she was lovely. The one I had last before this one was not at all gentle or empathetic, very nice but a bit of a bull in a china shop and he made me nervous of having this deep clean Next appointment 18 October. He wore a black rubber type maske under a normal NHS mak and a visor over the top. that, I think is for his protection but would be for mine as well. His little assistant only wore a normal mask.

It was sunny when I walked round, raining when I came home. Tomorrow, out with Cynth to the Webbs garden centre at Cheltenham and then back via Hobbycraft Cheltenham I think. Still raining, good job I decided to kill time before I went by cutting down a few more rambler branches. Still a few to go before I get it to the level I want, I don't want a repeat of last winter where it was huge and blowing all over the place It is all beginning to look quite nice now even though it is a bit drab with its winter coat on. I do still have some bulbs to plant, red tulups and purple Alliums and I want to get some white tulips and some more tete a tete.daffs.

Done the wipe down and got soup ready for lunch and baked the tiger bread so its nice and crusty. Brought the washing in and fed the wild birds.

Wonder what Ann is up to today. I can't remember when her new course is.

Well I hoe it goes well for you Anng and it dos'n t hurt too much at least tomorrow it will all be over but I know from past experience that your teeth don't feel right after a deep clean.

So flu jab and booster together then. we hav'nt even heard about ours yet.

Half way through the big wipe down but just having a liottle break.

O I meant to say this morning Malcom Moth is back on the loo door.

Mel it is the dreaded deep clean on one side of my mouth. several injections as he will clean right under the teeth.

I have got my booster jab booked plus flu jab on Friday at 2.30pm.

Morning Anng and all,

Raining.............what else is there to say and its going to be like it all week . They say Wednesday will be thye best day but I am not banking on it.

Gill I hope he comes this time and you can get yourselves a bit straight for the winter months.

Good luck with the dentists today Anng hope nothing needs much work.

The big wipe down for me today and I have six subs.