General Chat

Hello, :-)

It is a nuisance that the kitchen fitters will be here at the same time as my sister and her friend, but it can't be helped. I have explained to my sister, and she isn't at all bothered.
I will rig up somewhere to put the kettle, so at least we can have a drink.
We will be eating out mostly.
As you say, maybe I won't be wanted here, so we can go out.
Everything is packed away in boxes, so I only have the worktops to clear now.
I won't have the same storage, so lots of things I don't need can go.

Hello, :-)

It is a nuisance that the kitchen fitters will be here at the same time as my sister and her friend, but it can't be helped. I have explained to my sister, and she isn't at all bothered.
I will rig up somewhere to put the kettle, so at least we can have a drink.
We will be eating out mostly.
As you say, maybe I won't be wanted here, so we can go out.
Everything is packed away in boxes, so I only have the worktops to clear now.
I won't have the same storage, so lots of things I don't need can go.

A new kitchen, how exciting for you Tec, but a nuisance that it is when your sister is there. You should be able to leave the fitters to it though and still go out

Goodnight Tec - sleep well <3

I know marigolds work to keep pests away, but didn't know about basil.

I think you need to buy more orchids :- you can't go to an orchid show and not buy at least one :-D
I've never had one. They look too exotic for me to grow.

Well I promised myself to be in bed by midnight, so I'd best go now.

Enjoy the orchid show both of you.

Goodnight,
Tec :-)

I can just see your living room with no furniture just plants everywhere :-D

I love marigolds too. OH puts them around his tomato plants to keep away the pests. It works and he never has to put any chemicals on his plants. My brother plants basil around his tomatoes for the same reason and that seems to work too.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we are going to an orchid show. I go every year as I love seeing some of the beautiful flowers that put mine to shame. My orchids are just on the verge of bursting into bloom but I think we need some more sunshine. I think I'm going to get more blooms than usual this Spring.

I may sell the furniture to make more space for my plants :-D

I only bought seven more - I could have gone mad :-)

Don't need the chest freezer as I've bought a cabinet one for the kitchen which is adequate for me.

I love marigolds, so vibrant, but so easy to grow, and they last for months on end.

How many more did you buy :-0. They are beautiful but getting rid of your freezer to make room for your plants is a bit extreme :-D

I bought some flowering marigolds although I have I have started some off in a seed tray. I thought a splash of colour would brighten up the front verandah and it sure does.

I think we all take our surroundings for granted, and as you say, we don't appreciate the beauty seen through fresh eyes.
I think my visitors had their heart in their mouth at times, with hair pin bends, track barely the width of the car at times, and shear drops hundreds of feel below :-D
They are from Essex, which is very flat.

But they found the scenery awesome. Looking down on Dolthingy as if we were in an aircraft - cruel of me :-D

The kitchen fitters called tonight to check the job out. They will be here at 8am Monday.
Tomorrow someone is coming for the chest freezer in the back porch. This will give me more space for my streptocarpus plants. I bought more last week :-D

Often it's when we have visitors that we appreciate our surroundings. A few years ago we had visitors from England. It was great to see familiar sights through their eyes.

Hello Sue, :-)

A lovely time of year when Spring is sprung, things showing new life, people stirring in their gardens again.

The ten mile trip into the mountains is rarely seen by the tourists, which is a great shame, but they don't know that road is up there.
At one time we had jets flying below us :-D briefly interrupting the tranquility :-(

Hello friends :-)

I felt like I was on your trip with you and your family, Tec. I could almost feel the warmth of the sun and hear the silence. I'm so pleased you were able to get out and enjoy the day.

We also had a glorious day weather wise. The us was shining all day and it was very much a Spring day. It was good to see some of the neighbours out in the garden.

Another glorious day here - we are so lucky to be having a nice September.

My sister and her OH visited. I took them for a drive into the mountains along single track, with a few passing places. Fortunately we only met two other cars.
Wonderful though it is, there are gates to be opened and shut all the way at short intervals. My BIL is very fit, so he took on that task.
We got high up onto the slopes of Cadair Idris. My visitors were very impressed with the scenery. We stopped at one point, and you can "hear" the silence, broken only by the occasional bleat of a sheep. Later as we came down we stopped by a beautiful lake - not another soul in site.

Berona - I think the average class size here is around thirty. There is also a lot of unrest and dissatisfaction among the teaching profession here too.
I think there has been a change in attitude towards teachers since I was at school in the 40s/50s.
In those days teachers were highly respected, almost revered. It seemed to be a vocational profession. Our teachers really did care that we did well and progressed in their subject - seemed to take it as a personal affront if we didn't.
I think that modern senior schools are too big, and the curriculum too crowded.
Teachers no longer have time to spend time with those who are struggling.
Sadly, too many children are leaving school unable to express themselves in writing, and numerically incompetent.
Grammar schools have all but disappeared - a great mistake in my view.

Hello Everyone. Absolutely gorgeous day here to-day. Sounds like you are all having good weather too - so pleased that we can all enjoy the same weather at the same time.

Sylvia. Interesting to learn your problems with school teachers. It reminded me that when I was at school, we had 48 students per room. Teachers took home loads of work to mark - and enjoyed high respect for their profession. These days, they are wanting less and less students per room - (co-ed these days) and more holidays - less hours and more wages and go on strike now and again to get these 'wants'. Then - when they get more time off (4 terms now - no longer 3) - in spite of them saying they are overworked - many of them go out and get extra jobs during their holidays - or have second jobs whilst they are working. Some say it is because they don't get enough money - but they are not 'poorly' paid. Many of them say it is not good for the students - but I also remember that we did all right in my day.

Tec - take it easy. Enjoy your family visiting you - and let them help wherever they possibly can. I'm sure they all want to do something to help you Let them!

Linda - I hope things settle with Esme. You worry me with all the travel you do and not always being able to sleep as you want to sleep. Please take care of yourself.

Hello, :-)

Just a flying visit - very late.

I have been really very busy today.
Had a phonecall at lunchtime to say they are coming to start fitting the new kitchen on Monday. The fitter is coming tomorrow to make some detailed measurements.
That sent me into panic.
I have been collecting empty boxes for a while, so set about emptying all the cupboards and drawers. What a job :-(.
Amazing how much stuff we have, and I had already got rid of some.
Much of it will not be needed, and I won't have the same amount of storage in the new kitchen.
Anyway, as I didn't have time to sort out everything, I've boxed it all up, and will decide when I see what storage I have.
I've put all the boxes under the stairs out of the way.
It was quite a job, but I finished it all eventually this evening.

The timing is unfortunate. My sister and her OH are visiting tomorrow, and I want to take them somewhere. Then on Monday my other sister and her friend are visiting for three days. Fortunately they are staying in a local B&B, otherwise it would have been very awkward with no kitchen.
I was hoping to go places with them, but can't now with the fitters being here.
I have contacted my sister to explain, but she said they will make the best of it, and said she didn't care if I was living in a tent, so long as she gets to see me :-D.

On Friday I will clear everything off the worktops, except for essentials.

My daughter said I was to contact her as soon as I heard from the kitchen fitters, so that she could come to empty the cupboards. Unfortunately she has badly hurt her back, so I am not going to tell her, in case she struggles to get down here to help.
The two hour car journey wouldn't do her back any good, let alone dragging boxes about.

Well, as I am quite shattered I am off to bed now,

Goodnight everyone,
Tec :-)

Goodnight Linda - hope you get a good night's sleep <3

It didn't go so well because the main carer was late, so the manager who Is also being trained in the feeding had to give her breakfast. Esme doesn't know her, plus it was incredibly noisy this morning, so she cried during most of the feed and threw it all up at the end. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow, although we have to leave early again for another hospital appointment.

I am tired,so I am going to sleep now.

Have a good day

Hello Linda - it was 22 here yesterday. How was Esme's morning in nursery today? You must be shattered - you will definately need your holiday.

Good morning Sue it is still very warm here, it was 22 today The warm weather is supposed to be lasting for a while yet

Good morning everyone :-)

I'm sorry that your grandson is having some issues, Sylvia. I wonder if he is on the Autistic Spectrum?

As Linda said - Aimee has a full time support teacher. She is funded by the department of education but to start with Aimee needed some supervision in the playground and the school funded the extra time. Every year there is a funding meeting and the school prepare my daughter for the comments that will made regarding Aimee's development. They need to downplay every achievement :-(

It is a lovely sunny morning here and the birds are making quite a racket. I think Spring has sprung as we have baby lizards in the back yard.