General Chat

Good morning all
Up early as daughter is going home this morning and will be off at 0730.
Lovely sunny morning but only 11 degrees so far. Car being picked up for MOT etc later. I have plenty of gardening to keep me occupied. And a load of washing to do as well.
Ann no I don't like being hugged by acquaintances, was never used to it as a child or even as an adult with my parents. I do miss the hugs I got from OH though, especially if it is a frustrating day.
No I didn't get the card activated we gave up in the end, luckily I don't need it. I intend writing to them and then, if I can;t solve it that was I may go into Cheltenham where I think they still have a customer service counter.

Your cues are doing well Mandy and your beans. My beans are now about 4 to 5 inches long so still a bit to go yet but I had 4 toms with our lunch yesterday and 10 picked today though they are small they are so tasty. The courgette has another three on it so they need to be picked soon.

Went for F & C's tonight but the van was'nt there so we have a nice pilchard salad with new pots.

started the bathroom theen left it as I wanted to find my small wire cutters for beading. I thought they were in my big draw so I had that out and chucked loads away and found things I had forgotten I had. Chucked out three lots of battery lights so they will go to the charity shop and a lot of birthday cards I had kept for years. Its now all bck in and so much more room now and all the little bits have gone into a shoe box.

Ann I wonder if the heart wreath and pink door were anything to do with breast cancer?

Mandy you need to get us some pictures of the knitting in the town as we would love to see it. I wonder if Bideford have done it again. Not going there for over 15 months I must have missed quite a lot.

Evening all

Had a day of catching up with jobs that didn't get done while Katie was here, beds stripped and luckily I got it all dry before the showers came ,we had thunder and lightning a while ago but I can see blue sky now .


Vera sounds as if you had a lovely time with the family thanks for the photos shame we couldn't see your face I bet you had a big smile while enjoying that big hug just like your OH.

Ann I think everyone are still wearing masks in the shops and outside in the town too by what I've seen the last week.
I walked with Katie round the town as the crafters have yarn bombed the town again ,theres dream catchers hanging on walls,trees have wrapped with knitted squares and one had big sunflowers on it ,the little bollards have all been covered ,one was like a lighthouse another had knitted lollipops and others had fish ,theres centipedes on the posts and snakes twisted round posts too.
We spoke to a lady who was sewing the squares round the tree and she said its going to take evenings all this week to get it all done ,its really brightened the town and put smiles on faces :-D just what people need .

The runners are growing like crazy I've been giving loads away ,we've had several meals of them ,today I cut five little cues ,the tiny toms are very poor this year but I do have some bigger toms coming along in the greenhouse.,one I see today is now turning orange .

Evening All,

We just had one sharp shower today while we were at a garden centre but it stopped by the time we left. We got there just as they opened and there was no-one around and all the sanitiser and trolley wiping towel was still there. The staff were wearing masks and there was a request board at the entrance asking customers to wear theirs too which was good. I didn't get any plants but did get some sharpie pens in The Works there. Then we called at the pharmacy.

Nice photos of the family Vera and the girls look lovely. Buster will have a lot of hair to shed being the size he is I expect! That's good your numbers are moving in the right direction. Your surgery sounds a lot better than ours.

I hope you manage to get your card activated AnnG and that your rain has stopped so some jobs could get done outside. It's funny you said Inara's mother doesn't like hugs. OH and I don't like being swooped on by just anybody, although we hug each other every day. Both our parents were the same too and when I first visited OH's elderly Great Aunt, I was warned by MIL to expect the 'hug'. She said you only have to bear it for a moment and there's no kissing!! :-D, lol.

Island I have resisted joining one or two courses that use those inktense pens. I won't need to buy any then as I have quite enough craft stuff to store now and am running out of space! I remember doing lino prints at school and will be interested to see what you do with yours.

I saw a really pretty front door while we were out. It was painted a pale pink with a black frame and had a big, heart shaped wreath of pale pink roses with green leaves on it. I expect they were artificial, but it was very effective.

I can hear thunder and more rain now.

The forecast said dry this morning and light rain this afternoon. As it was a bit breezy as well I washed a king size duvet cover and had it on the line by 10 am. 10.15 the heavens opened and I got soaked just running out to bring it in. I was not happpy.

Then I did a load of ironing and spent ages with a lint roller and various brushes trying to remove Buster’s hair from my clothes. For those of you who don’t know Buster is my son’s English Bull Mastiff. He’s 9.5 stone of solid muscle and is as soft as marshmallow. You couldn’t find a calmer dog. Everyone loves him. It takes ages to walk through town because everyone wants to make a fuss of him from little children to old men. Sadly, like lots of big dogs, they are not a long lived breed and he is already seven and a half so may only have a year or so left.

Doctor rang this morning after checking my latest bp figures and feels I’m moving in the right direction so I have to send him figures in 3 months and he’ll look again. I am so impressed with our surgery over the last 18 months or so. It is a big practice so there are several doctors but they cover a huge area and are very oversubscribed. I think the moaners find it difficult to accept a different way of working but I’ve never had to chase the surgery up, the docs phone you if there is anything to be said and if you need a face to face appointment you get one quickly.

OH has just brought a lunchtime sandwich in so I’d better eat it now.

Hi Island nice to see you posting between work.

I have just scrubbed my little loo and am about to tackle the bathroom now if I have the energy. I have a nasty mouldy patch over the front door on the ceiling |I want to do as well. I think its from all the washing I dry on the rad there. Its somewhere I can't really reach so will see how I go.

Morning all

I've been busy catching up on things which were not possible to do in all that heat - remember that? Now it's dull and damp again. We've had some huge downpours over the last couple of days with some distant rumbles.
I'm a bit behind with posts and emails but have enjoyed the photos.

I've treated myself to a couple of arty things in the hope of getting my mojo back - like I don't have enough stuff already! Inktense pencils, half price from hobbycraft and two lino printing blocks. I haven't lino printed since art school, many moons ago, but as this is soft easy cut stuff I thought I'd have a go. Watch this space LOL

It's great that Anng and Vera have managed to get away and see family - a good time had by all I see.

What a blimmin pest. You were lucky to get to speak to a real person anyway as it always seems to be an automated reply which is annoying in its self. Its stopped here for the mo so I am going to attempt to get out and feed the chickens.

No Mel it will be son in law. so far today has been frustrating as so much of what they took the extra day to do is outside and it is almost constant drizzle. As usual in England, once the good weather goes the rain doesn't know when to stop. I have just managed to get down to the greenhouse to water the tomatoes. and there was another good handful of tumblers ripe to pick then the rain started again. Earlier we spent half an hour with daughter trying to get through to M&S to register me with their bank as I have a new credit card that needs activating. really annoying, she got through to a 'person' in the end who, when she explained it was for me said she was just going to get something up on the computer, we waited another good five minutes of silence when the phone went dead. so still not got the card activated.

Morning Anng and all,

Absolutely falling out of the sky here this morning and then the suns comes out for a few mins and the winds to the west and then it starts all over again. Its coming down like stair rods at the moment so I don't thinkI shall be doing any gardening today.

Good luck with your lesson on filling the car up Anng but daughter will guide you through it so you'll soon get the hang of it.

Good morning all grey and damp but not raining. Pleased that I only put on one pound in the two weeks away. Must be all the walking used the calories.

Lots of small jobs to do today including a revision lesson on putting petrol in the car. Years since I last did that. there are always lots of little jobs I can't do on my own that get stored up until daughter is here.

I did have to tie up some of the tomatoes that had got away when I was away and sadly my two cucumbers have not survived. so have had to give up on them.
Managed to get most of the holiday washing done yesterday which is one job out of the way.

Vera lovely to see you getting hugs and to see your lovely girls. Yes, your OH does look happy. I had some lovely hugs and cuddles from Inara and a hug from her Dad, her Mum doesn't 'do' hugs, she can't bare to be touched.

Love the Agapanthus such a beautiful blue.

Lovely clear pictures Vera and nice to keep of the first meeting in 21 months.

Rained on and off all day today. I did a bit in the garden but not much. Hoovered a bit and spiders sucked up. Did the wipe down. Had a little play and thats about all.

Vera you can imagine what my garden is like then after two weeks. All the wild flowers have died and will have to be pulled up. The outside tomatoes are out of control but a lot are ripe so have a load picked. My neighbour has been dead heading the petunias and her oh has weeded my brick surface front.. the pots mOstly look good but there is a lot of work needed. The buddlia needs dead heading And the lawn needs cutting but that will have to wait as they had rain yesterday and all afternoon today.

We were surprised that at the garden centre the customers were fifty fifty wearing masks although all staff were wearing them. Up north most people were wearing them so it was a real surprise. I managed to stay well away.

Glad you had a reasonable journey back and are safely home AnnG. Now you can start looking forward to your next visit.

Those gladioli are an unusual colour Mel. I like the sound of them.

Mandy, I hope you have enjoyed having Katie with you. When our grandchildren were younger we always loved having them one at a time.

Well, we had a good journey back yesterday. Son asked a couple of times if we wanted a stop but we decided to keep going while the roads were clear. It was just on 4 hours to get home. When we got back son flew into the bathroom, said goodbye and was gone again. He got to Southampton at 7.30 which meant he had been driving for 7 hours straight.

We didn’t do a lot, just some drives and walks by the river and drinks etc at outside cafes but it was lovely just to be with them all. In the evenings we played family card games etc. I was thoroughly spoilt and wasn’t allowed to lift a finger. Son’s middle daughter works nights but we saw her for a couple of hours in the evening before she went to work and an hour or so in the mornings when she got home. The other two were with us most of the time and it all felt so normal. I can’t wait to repeat it now.

Today has been busy with washing (4 loads), sorting out a Sainsbury delivery for Friday, doing banking and general admin jobs, and trying to tidy the garden a bit more. I couldn’t believe how much deadheading there was to do and we were only gone 4 days.

I’m hoping to sleep a bit better tonight as it’s a bit cooler. I hope you all have a good night.

Evening All,

Lost a post earlier and lost the will to do it again till now! We had some rain during the night so it was YIPPEE! as we haven't had any to speak of for a few weeks and are getting long arms from carrying cans. We've had 3 more good showers today too, so OH has been in and out pegging and unpegging the washing! It's airing in the conservatory now.

The painting wasn't so good today, even the teacher's wasn't, but she thought our paper and brushes we were using can make a difference. I liked the Marcella Wylie style we were trying to copy though so will have another attempt now I am used to handling these special brushes with the paint inside them!

Good to hear from you Frank and that you are ok. How is John now?

I see AnnG and Vera are safely back home again, but their trips away seem to have flown by this time.

Mel I like the sound of the colours of those gladioli and hopefully they will be safe where you have put them. Is the rockery near to your bungalow?

I felt a bit better today after all the heat, so hope to get on with things tomorrow. We have to be up early again to fetch his last item from the chemist that they had to send for. If it isn't raining we may go to one of the quiet garden centres after as they open later.

Hi, ho,e now, good journey traffic heavy around birmingham and we had to do a detour early on before getting on the M6 as there was an accident but mostly the traffic was ok. we stopped for the loo at charnock richard and then for two hours including lunch at Webbs garden centre (where money was spent on all sorts but plants and we had a nice lunch. BBL.

I’m a bit busy today but will bbl, Mel. Good to see you Frank and know you are OK.

Its good to see you Frank love to you both. <3

Seems its just Frank and I today.

Hope Anng and company get a good journey home.

Good afternoon all, Nothing to report from this end. We are both well. Will try to post more next time. xxx