General Chat

Nobody else has been on so perhaps they are all having trouble with the Error page.

Iv'e never seen it so quiet...............................

I had the same problem the first time I tried to get onto Genes Mel.

Just had the electrician here he said we need a new kitchen light as the builder got it wet which is why it buzzed and flickered, something to do with the transformer, which is why it didn't trip out as it has it's own way of cutting out, so that's another £50 to pay out now. He's also going to do us a quote for a socket in the hall and moving another socket in the living room to make space for the new doorway, the old doorway is going to be used as a way of getting to the under stairs cupboard, once the staircase goes in as we'll lose the hall cupboards when the bathroom is extended and I need a cupboard for the hoover, coats etc...

The grant fella said we should get everything on grants with no work ever being done on this place, his only concern was the loft insulation because there is a bit in there, but OH thinks it might be covered by a top up insulation. I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens when the surveyor arrives. Hopefully it won't be to long to wait.

We're also having a quote off the electrician tomorrow for an outside socket and light, so we're getting there, slowly. I need a kitchen plan so the electrician can put our sockets in the right place, he just surface mounted them when the re-wire was done as we didn't have a kitchen plan, so that's the next thing I need to sort out.

Going to get something to eat now before OH has to go to work, he's got an extra night's overtime this week.

Had the error page and not been able to get on here and it looks like nobody else can either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Done all the ironing.

Morning Anng and all,

Extremly windy here and that fine rain with it lashing against the bedroom window and I did'nt get up tilljust after 10am.

Gill I did mention once before that you could get some grants on your property but I am very pleased for you that you could well get something and lets hope its the dearest thing if not all.

My plan for today is feed the chickens and then do the ironing. There a pile of it again and I may try to sort out the uti room a bit as everything just gets bunged in there out of the way. I have two bin bags full of clothes togo to the charitiy shop and two boxes of books too.

Good morning all, very windy here so I have just been out and chopped off the last high branch of the blackberry. I love blackberries but hate this bush and intend to try and get ris of it later on this year. For now it is cut down quite low and I doubt if it will produce blackberries but they are hard to kill.

Gill that is great news, I think we all thought that you should be elligible for grants but I thought you had looked into it. Whether you will get grants for all those things I am not sure but any help at all would be good.
Good too that th electrician is coming to check the light for you. It may be that water from the plaster actually got into the fitting which would have been a bit careless of the builder.

Daughter and son in law are coming today but no idea what time, although she said she will be here in time to come to the nurse with me.

And I have a Tesco delivery due this morning as well. :-)

Oh dear Mandy what a thing to happen, I hope you're not to sore after your fall.

I rang the electrician today and he's coming here tomorrow afternoon to look at the kitchen light, so I can't use it until then. He's the fella who did our re-wire before we moved in so the kitchen light is only three months old. We both think it's the damp plaster on the ceiling that caused the light to play up, but hopefully it'll be fixed soon.

We have some good news though, OH came home with a phone number a workmate gave him about government grants so I rang it today and the fella thinks we'll be able to have cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, underfloor insulation, a new boiler and central heating all for free. How good is that? Plus he said it should all be done within a month. He's doing the paperwork and passing it onto the council tonight then we'll get a phone call to let us know when the surveyor will be here. If he's right and we do qualify for the grant it'll save us thousands of pounds, so I can stop worrying about us not having enough money to make this place a home then.

I've just watched the sewing bee I recorded, but because I didn't fall asleep until around 6am this morning I'm shattered and can hardly keep my eyes open, so I'm going to bed now. I'll try and get back on here tomorrow and catch up with the posts. Hope you all have a good night's sleep. Love the pic you sent Mel.

O Mandy thats not what you needed first thing in the morning a hard bump on the botty and hurting your wrist and ankle as well. I hope you don't ache too much in the morning wehn the bruising come out more. Mind how you come down those stairs tomorrow morning.

In between doing the chickens and lunch I hoovered the kitchen and did a bit outside. Repotted 4 violas and another plant and a achillia I bought last year. Its a red one and Ithought the bees will like it. After lunch I cut all the dead out of the rose bush at the end of the decking where the little plastic greenhouse is and tie in the bit that could have blown against the plastic and cut the end off as it was across the gap to the oil tank.

Put anything that can blow about away as we are forcast high winds tomorrow. Its bin day and oh said it would'nt stand a chance up the top so he took it over to the bonfire and lit it.

I keep looking at my big ash tree and I think I am going to have to pay to have it down. It is badly affected by the fungus and is'nt showing any signs of leaf yet. It alsoo has that spindley growth up the big branches. Its going to cost me a lot of money I think. Oh could'nt do it now. He's just not good on ladders anymore. When I think how he used to go up the ladder and do all sorts of jobs and he has been onthe top of one of the highest firefighters ladders there is.

Love the fat rain Island I shall have to remember that one. You should see the surface of oh's pond when it comes down like that its like a torrent with all fat bubbles on the top.

So well into The Pact last night I watched the next one on Iplayer so now I have seen four!!!

Well oh has gone to bed after a shower and I think I may just go in the shower now too and then watch a bit of telly before bed.

Poor you Mandy. What a good job you didn't fall right down the stairs. I hope your wrist and ankle aren't too sore. My back has improved quite a bit, thank you, but I still can't lay down very easily so am trying to sleep half sitting up on pillows.

I think you're being a bit optimistic if you think there's any hope of a rain-free day Island. If you find one, can you send it over here please. When it first started raining I kept saying silly things like "It's doing the garden good". Huh! There's now been so much of it that it's ruining the garden.

That's a pity about your clematis and blackberry AnnG. Is there anyone locally who could help you fix the netting? You really ought to be careful of your back and not be hammering and stretching more than absolutely necessary.

Well, we got out this afternoon. The road closure was supposed to be along a stretch of the A134. As we were approaching the area I could see various covered up boards which looked to me like diversion signs and then we saw the closure notice. Well, the chap who told us about it was half right. The road is closed for the whole week till Saturday, but only overnight from 8 pm to 6 am so we shouldn't have any problems taking our friend to and from hospital.

OH said he thought we would go back home through Long Melford so I suggested that we stop at the garden centre there. It's not my favourite but I was happy to go there. To my surprise he OFFERED to drive on to Bury St Edmunds and go to Dobbies there.

Of course the sun was shining on the way and as we arrived it started raining so we wandered round the outside plant area getting decidedly damp. They didn't have much that I wanted but I got a couple of pretty nemesias and a nice birthday card for dil. As we started back the sun came out again and I got another shock, which was OH actually suggesting that we stopped off at the Long Melford garden centre as well. Guess what.....as we arrived, so did the rain. So we had another wet wander around and found some pots of million bells on offer. I had been looking for something to put in two pots that already each contain a yellow argyranthemum. I thought there was too much earth and stem of the yellow plant showing so wanted something to cover it a bit. They only had two colours of the million bells, purple and sky blue, which appears to be a fractionally lighter shade of purple :-S Anyway I bought 6 pots of the "sky blue" one so I came home a happy bunny.

The postman had come while we were out and I was even happier when I saw a letter he had brought me. It was from my consultant at the hospital who said that my scan last week hadn't shown up "any abnormalities of concern". He is still phoning me in June to discuss a "plan for treatment going forward". Not sure I like the sound of that but overall it's good news.

We've had our dinner, a chicken and veg stir fry with noodles, so I'd better go and do a bit of clearing up in the kitchen. I hope you all have a good night.

Evening all,

Mel i like the Dragons eggs :-D they look good in the nest.

What a day it started off with me nearly falling down the stairs I always bring down the two mugs we have our first cuppa in and my glass that i have for my water so I had them in my left hand and i hold on to the rail with my right ,I was holding on but some how my foot went one way and down i went luckily as I went down I sat down if you know what I mean still holding on and still holding the mugs but I scrapped my ankle and pulled my wrist .

We have sorted out the other blind so thats good and we've got the garden table out and put that in place and I've planted up three more hanging baskets.
We had F&C today at lunch time so nice and easy.

Oh my goodness Gill it must have scared you when you smelt the burning smell ,you've done the right thing taping over the switch until you can get it checked out .

AnnG thats a shame the rain and wind have brought the Clematis down have you got any twist ties they might hold it up i use them a lot in the garden to hold things to the trelis I've got some that can be opened up and used again.

Vera did you get to a garden centre after your diversion trip that was a good idea to check out the route and see how long it would take to get there and it was a little ride out .
How is your side where you pulled the muscle, hope its a bit easier now.

Island i like the 'fat rain ' :-D i take it was extra large drops of rain.

Well I'm liking the dragons nest Mel :-D

All I've done outside today is check the seedlings in the shed and they're coming along nicely. I potted on the runners yesterday, now I need a torrential rain-free spell to harden them off. I might have to build a little canopy for them.
and a look at the taddies feasting on cucumber slices in the pond with their waggie little tails. We'll have to keep a look out for little legs.

Island I fed the chickens and went over the side to throw away three broken eggs and noticed the branches oh cut off the evergreen tree laying in a perfect cup shape so I could'nt resist putting the dragon eggs I made in it and taking a pic. He he he...

Oh is working on the vast mower deck and I have had STRICT instructions not to go round there as its balanced and may fall. I went to try and tie my sweet peas up as we are going to get winds in the next couple of days and he told me I was too near it!!!

This morning I have at last split my varigated grass. It had'nt looked too good on one side and its been in this pot for years. Ann has one can't remember its name but I think it starts with an H. I cut it into three bits and potted them up and picking up the last weedy bit toput ina small pot to give it a chance I looked at the compost and found two vine weevils which did a quick exit to the bantams run. I hope there's no more in the other bits.

Enjoy your diversion trip Vera and hope you got into the garden centre (or two).


Strange weather here, really brilliant sun one minute heavy shower the next, the rain has been so heavy this week with wind as well that it has brought down a large clematis and blackberry which were attached to the fence. Luckily the fence stayed up. I think it should have been cut back and pruned but I have not been able to get out there to do it after having the minor op on my back and told not to lift or stretch. Well I have cut it back now and filled the garden bin. Lucky it happened today. No doubt I have killed the clematis, although fingers crossed it will survive, it is a bit of a thug. Just have to work out how to re-attach the plastic netting stuff to the fence. It is quite heavy weight stuff and I think T had not used strong enough attachments.

Dragons nest Mel?
Care to
elucidate? :-D

Lovely photos of a very happy baby. What joy he would have brought to Jane.
Thanks for those Mel.

Crikey Mandy and Gill! Top of the night time fears - smell of burning and fire lam going off, each without the other. I hope you both get sorted before nightfall today.

After a sunny start we've just had heavy fat rain. I'm glad I didn't put the beans out for the day.

Your email made me smile Mel. Have just replied to it. It is very sad that you are estranged from your son. I have been really surprised at the number of people on these boards who seem to be in a similar position and I feel for you all. Like AnnG I can't imagine what it would be like not to be on good terms with family members.

Gosh Gill, that was a scary moment for you last night. Tube lights do hum and buzz when they are failing so I expect it was just the tube reaching the end of its life. It's good that Sandra has got her flat at last. 8 months is a long time for the paperwork to be processed. Still, she is there at last and getting all her bits and pieces together. It's an exciting time for her.

It's strange that you had a fire scare the same night Mandy. Why do these things always happen at night?

We woke up to rain again this morning. It's dry at the moment but very grey looking. OH has just told me that we are going for a drive this afternoon. It's not really for our benefit but he has just heard that part of a road near here is closed for road repairs. He wants to check out the best way round it as we are taking a friend to hospital for a procedure on Friday and don't want her panicking about being late if we are diverted all round the houses. So he wants to find the best route round the roadworks and work out how much extra time we should leave.

I think I might go and get a bit of lunch ready so we can get out early this afternoon. Then, once he has sorted out which way to go to the hospital, I might be able to persuade OH into a garden centre visit.

Its so good you have nice neighbours to water your things while you are away.

Have just sent a picture of what I found in the garden this morning when feeding the chickens. We also had two deer over the back when I arose this morning. Hav'nt seen one for a few days. I know they have been in as I have hoof prints inthe border.

Oh Mel, I can't bear the thought of not speaking to my son. Sad for you.

B right here but rain clouds around. got neighbour coming in for acoffee and to check where watering things are, next door are away the same time as me.

Morning anng gill and all,

I think oh must have been using my pc as my keyboard is in the wrong place. I keep pressing wrong keys and funny things come u p.

Not a bad morning here with some sun and blue sky with large fluffy white and grey clouds.

My sons 52nd birthday today so Happy Birthday to you even though we don't speak.

Good morning all, slept ok but woke early, which seems to be the norm these days.

Gill, that was a bit scary wasn't it? If it is a strip light (with a florescent tube) in your kitchen, they do tend to buzz before they give up the ghost. so next time the switch is operated it may well not come on. I have two short tubes over my work top and one stopped working some time back and that buzzed before it stopped working. which reminds me I should be looking for a replacement. I suppose it could be a coincidence that it happened after the plastering was done. If the tube was there when you moved in you won't know how old it is so you need to get a new one now I expect. But you may be right and the damp affected it.