General Chat

There is a beautiful full moon here.
We had Inara and Senua for a couple of hours. They were really hyper, no wonder Mum wanted 2 hours without them

Afternoon all,

Thank you Mel's BIL for letting us know how things are going with Mel , I hope she's beginning to feel better and can get home soon .

No frost here this morning but it's so chilly with the wind ,we do have some lovely sunshine and last night had a beautiful sun set .
We went shopping this morning just for a few bits incase the weather turns bad ,milk ,bread etc .
I have been trying to get the house straight again ,there's all the China and bigger dishes and cutlery to be sorted and put away and then tomorrow I'll start on the Christmas tree .

Good afternoon All. It was sunny but windy and cold first thing, then the wind dropped but now it is cloudy and the wind has come up again. We have made yet another trip to a supermarket, Morrisons this time to top up the food cupboard As food has gone up this year, I dread to think what the cost of my stay will come to. I always pay a third of the bills and this time that includes feeding the young family.

This afternoon we have the teogfeat granddaughters for a couple of hours.

BIL, many thanks for letting us know about Mel and thank you for all the support you give her. I hope she makes a speedy recovery and is back home soon.

Thanks for the update on Mel Rob. I hope she's feeling better and will be home as soon as well enough. Thank you too for all you do to help her!

Thank you for keeping us in the picture. I hope she continues to improve and will be able to go home soon.

BIL Thank you for letting us know.

I'm sure Mel is anxious to get home, but hope she accepts that she has to be well first.
Thank you for all you do to help her.
Get well soon Mel <3

BIL here. Mel is still in Hospital and cannot access this site in hospital. Mel will ressume services when she is released from hospital which hopefully will be in a few days.

My goodness Annx, those fireworks let off by idiots sound quite frightening. I believe the rules about buying and letting off fireworks have just changed but there are always a few who manage to get round the rules. All I heard round here was a few subdued bangs around midnight so I was happy with that. I went to bed just before 11 pm and read for an hour, then I watched the London fireworks before switching off the light and going to sleep.

It's been quite bright today but bitterly cold with an icy wind. The computer is telling me that currently it is 4 degrees here but feels like -8!! I think that might be exaggerated but it certainly feels below zero. There was the most beautiful red sky here a little while ago and I wished I had a camera handy. It would have made a lovely photo.

I haven't been able to get motivated to do anything much today. I slobbed around in my dressing gown till turned 11 am when I managed to rouse myself enough to shower and wash my hair but all I seem to have done since lunch is set up a Sainsbury delivery for Saturday. I hope I can get myself moving tomorrow as my to-do list is getting longer and longer. I keep crossing off 2 things and adding 4. After I filled my jam pots yesterday there was just a spoonful or two of jam left over so I put it in a small bowl and tried some on a bit of bread earlier. It's fine. It spreads well and now it's cold it doesn't seem quite so sweet.

I hope Mel is beginning to feel a bit better.

Stay warm and sleep well tonight. "See" you tomorrow.

Happy New Year to you Gwyn and Mel and to Will and Elizabeth. <3 <3 <3 <3

A lot of the fireworks here went off early then it went quiet for ages till a few were set off that frightened us to death. They were like military bombs going off and shook the bungalow rattling a mirror. They weren't for celebration, they were just idiots wanting to frighten people. A few years ago the same thing happened in the village and it was found they'd been setting of fireworks only intended for major events. The poor animals and wildlife! At midnight they only lasted about half an hour.

Lamb for lunch so I'd better check on it and put something out for the birds. We are watching a recorded Agatha Christie later.

2026 Happy New year to those I missed last night I am hoping it will be a year of contentment and good or reasonably good health for us all. Long May GR continue so that we can meet daily on here and also welcome occasional visitors.

I am not long up showered and hair washed, but I didn’t get to bed until 1am and lay awake for a while then. We watched the soaps and then watched Bodyguard which we had never seen, the the New Year show with Ronan Keating who was surprisingly good. At 12 we stood In The doorway and watched fireworks out over Workington..

I hope Mel is starting to feel better now. If you look in Mel, a happy new year. <3

Morning all,

Happy New Year to you to Gwyn <3 and everyone on the thread .

Ths fireworks woke me but they didn't last long and I soon dropped off again ,got the family here again for the day so must get on .

Hope Mel is feeling a little better.

Happy New Year :-D <3

I hope it's a good year for you all.

I'll drink to that Mandy. Another year of friendship and chat will be great. I'm not going to stay up but will stay awake reading or watching something on my iPad until midnight when I expect I'll hear a few fireworks, though they are not usually too bad round here.

Happy New Year to all my regular friends on the thread and to Elizabeth and William and other droppers-in. I wish you happiness, good health and peace in 2026 <3 <3 <3

<3 Happy New Year and Best wishes to all on the thread for a good 2026. <3

Mandy we can never manage to stay up these days and the fireworks have started here, but not many yet.

I hope Mel has started to feel a lot better. <3

Happy new year Mandy <3

Don't think we will be staying up tonight but I expect the fireworks will be going off so will probably wake then

I'd like to wish all my friends on the thread a Very Happy New Year ,here's to another year of friendship and chat <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

It's good to hear that Mel is OK in hospital. Thanks for passing on the news Mandy. I hope the hospital has the bed space to keep her in for a day or two as I am sure when she gets home she will be going out in the cold to see to her girls and will be trying to do too much too soon. Mel, if you get to read this, take things gently and give yourself time to get better.

I ration my chocolates to 2 a day as well. Chocolate is addictive and I know if I don't strictly ration them I will have too many and end up with a migraine. Christmas is the only time I buy any chocolates, just to be able to offer visitors a sweet. Trouble is OH will dip in if they are there so they don't last long enough to be offered to visitors.

I made the greengage jam. It made the amount I expected so I probably took it off the heat at the right time. It seemed very sweet and a bit sticky so I'll have to wait until it's completely cold and then try a bit on some bread or something.

Just as I finished potting the jam my neighbour next door phoned and talked for 55 minutes. I heard about her shopping at Tesco, her shopping at Aldi and a visit to our local garden centre but I still don't know why she rang. Then I had to make a call to a friend who is not at all well. It was good to talk to him but it was another 30 minutes gone. Now I see it's getting on for 5.30 pm and time to start cooking dinner. Enjoy what's left of the day and of the year. I may not be staying up to welcome 2026.

Thanks Mandy. Pleased that you heard from Mel and that she is in the best place. I hope she doesn’t discharge herself before she really should.
Gwyn 2 chocs a day! I do ration myself but it would be at least three. I had two boxes of milk tray one large and one huge. Not opened yet, plenty of celebrations here to pass around.

Afternoon All,

Thank you for letting us know about Mel Mandy. While I was out at the shop there was a missed call on the landline from an unknown number which might have been Mel. I'm glad she's ok and will hopefully soon be home again. <3

The rooftops were white all over this morning, but the frost soon melted. It's still chilly and the PC says it feels like -4 degrees. OH managed a short walk and broke it up by popping in The Works in the warm for ten minutes. Our Co-op, which is normally kept cold, was absolutely boiling when I went in there and I soon took my scarf off and nearly abandoned my basket with having to queue so long as there is only one person serving now. The asian girl on the till had a short sleeved tee shirt on so, as she was on her own in the shop, I suspect she'd turned the heating up. I didn't bother looking to see if they had my magazine in the few they stock now as the magazines are on a shelf that's too high for me to reach now. I did get some salmon today though.

Vera that was good news for your OH too. It's reassuring for him to know he is 'normal' in that regard. I know I'm slower recalling some things now and forget names so not 100% . My word you are cracking on with jobs and getting things done. I must strip the bed and get the thicker throw out ready for the colder blast that's coming at the weekend and next week.

AnnG another positive is that your own house is staying as clean and tidy as when you left it with being away! I suppose everyone else feels like a rest after all the activity, but it's a shame it's so cold for having a walk. It feels even colder with a bit of breeze too. We seem to be lucky this year as they decided to collect both the rubbish and the recycling bins last week and this week instead of just one and alternating them.

Gwyn I wish I had your willpower! Did you say two chocolates or two boxes a day! lol. We didn't buy or receive any boxes this year. OH shouldn't have many ,so he had small bars of his favourite turkish delight instead which don't tempt me and my expanding waistline had to be satisfied with a small box of Ferrero Rocher as I wanted the handy polythene box!