General Chat

yes I should have said there was a frost last night, still with us on the roofs.

I have stripped the bed and the bedding is in the wash.

Morning Anng, morning all,

Nice bright sunny morning and it's now 2 degrees but we woke to a sharp frost the car was white .

I've stripped the bed and I'm going up to dust and hoover the bedrooms this morning, I did the upstairs bathroom last week so it only needs a quick going over and then i have some meat to cook to make a nice meat pattie .

Oh Vera I hope you were on time for your appointment, sounds as if it might have been a mystery tour on the bus .

Good morning all only 2 degrees here now so quite a drop again this morning. slept well last night, now need to approach the battle of washing my hair.

Yes Mel I remember two posts a day (luxury!) and I also remember parcels being delivered by lots of students in removal vans. Students riding on the drop down doors of the vans, vans creeping along the road and students jumpimg off with parcels.

I can remember when we had two posts a day. I was young butI can remember mum says it may come in the second post.

Mandy thanks for your lovely glittery card they really sparkly in my kitchen lights. I have put up the last card I sent to oh and do every year since he passed it was one of my favorites and I did send some of this one out to you lot I think. Its a stand out wreath of leaves abd berries with lots of twinkle.

Era K have been on one that missed out a eller short detour of the route. And, when the main bus route out of town was closed, our driver from the bus station zoomed off in what seemed the entirely wrong direction but which actually by a devious route picked up on the correct road. That was exciting hope you actually got where you needed to go.

I have a feeling the big charity collectors, those that set up a table er , have card payment machines. I

I have just read the day's posts but, after another hectic day, I am too exhausted to write much now, especially as I know that I will go on for far too long. However, I will try to find time over the weekend to tell you the saga of my hospital trip today. (Hint: shouldn't a bus driver have a sense of direction?).

Sleep well everyone.

I'm glad you liked the painting Mel and I hope your BIL will like my effort with his photo too.

I think you are right that people may be reluctant to send cards as much in future AnnG, espcially if they are so late getting there. I was shocked at the cost of sending them abroad this year. E cards can't be displayed as Vera says and I think receiving and displaying them can help people on their own and older people still feel connected to others at a time of the year when they may feel more lonely or depressed. Cheerful cards and messages can lift the spirits. OH hates taking them down, so they stay up longer than the christmas decorations.

I thought OH could get me some of a favourite perfume for christmas too, but it's been discontinued!! Luckily a few places have some left so I'll order it myself to be sure it's the right one.

We had our bin collection details for next year this week. No garden bin collection now till the middle of March! I wonder what happens with all the extra bin lorries they won't be using till then?

Off to bed now and I hope you have a better night AnnG.

Edit: Oh Mandy what a shame. I hadn't thought of that, but a lot of charity collections will find the same now I expect.

Oh thats good then Gwyn I hope ours taste good too ,I think Chelsea is the only one who's not keen on Christmas pud , Lewis absolutely loves it and has seconds .
It's Christmas jumper day at school for Lewis next week ,dil bought him a new one and the label on the neck was itchy so son decided to cut it out ,what did he do but cut a hole in the jumper so I had that to sort out this morning .
Son said the children from one of the classes in school had been in The Range singing carols ,they collected 4 pound I felt so sorry for them ,as son said not many people carry cash these days .

What a masterpiece. That makes up for not having one for a long time Annx. Its great.

That's a shame, Ann. I hope they turn up soon.

We had several cards today, but none yesterday or Tuesday, so perhaps we're on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday system here?
I remember the days, when having delivered all his round, the postman would open the post box to take anything back to the office for sorting, to get it on it's way.
This would be in addition to the regular published collection times.

When I used to deliver Christmas post as a student, we always took out 2 full post deliveries a day, so that each morning could start afresh.

Afternoon All,

It was supposed to be a dry day here, but we've had a lot of drizzle and gloom! I took a paracetamol last night and slept well and was up much earlier today. I went to a garden centre and had a coffee and bought some parcel tape and some small stick on hooks I wanted, so I can hang things on the inside of cupboard doors. It was quite busy by the time I left and a big delivery lorry had parked behind me when I left, just like last time I was there. I managed to get out with a few shunts, but there's no rear screen wiper on my car, so I will try and remember to reverse into a space next time. OH walked up to the village to get his orange juice he likes and has been catching up with some work and phone calls since.

I finished my painting today and have emailed it, except to AnnG and Mandy who have seen it already on FB. I hope your BIL likes it Mel as it is not an exact copy of, but is based on his lovely photo I really like. No the stick has never turned up ....yet. OH is wondering himself now whether it was him that hid it somewhere. I thought those little books the lady made were fantastic and looked so real.

Gwyn OH has been the same with blood tests and repeat blood tests this year and was put in mind of Tony Hancock and his 'armful' they took too. I hope your finger is less sore today.

I decided to check the whether the spare key to my car that was lost would still work. The engineer who came and programmed the new one in may have changed things.Well it doesn't work, could just need a new battery, but the key itself will work anyway so it still works, but just not remotely.

Finding papers is no joke Vera. It is so easy for papers to get mixed up or picked up with others and put away, even with a filing system. I did sympathise with your young son and the present that was the last thing a young boy his age would want, even worse two left hands. Credit to you and your OH though that being nicely brought up he behaved so graciously and politely. I have to ask, what happened to those bloomers? That was good you found a jacket so quickly for your OH. Your friends M & V are not having an easy time, but at least the oxygen means he can go out and visit people for a while. I wouldn't have thought about notifying the Fire people either. Dad had a huge oxygen cylinder for welding in the workshop he rented and I can't remember us ever notifying anyone, but perhaps we should have.

I'm glad the meeting went well and that people helped to put the chairs back AnnG. The Christmas decorations the lady made sound interesting and I expect all the mince pies and shortbread were much enjoyed.

Your lovely card arrived late yesterday Mandy, so thank you! I see everything went to plan yesterday and you just need some salt for the dishwasher now so that's good. Yes I've seen a few with masks on here lately and our A&E in the city was on the news yesterday with the amount of Flu admissions. Many of the ethnic minorities in the city won't have vaccinations so viruses spread more in the city. It happened with covid and I think we had the earliest lockdown then.

Frustrating apparently Christmas cards from my sister and daughter both stuck in the post somewhere. So annoying. People won’t send cards next year.

Lol, AnnG... Yes, I did think of Tony Hancock back in the summer, when I was so frequently tested, at the hospital :-D
They were looking for 'markers' to try and work out why I was having such lingering affects after pneumonia.
The annual review always requires a drop more, as I think they test to see if one of my tablets has an adverse effect on the kidneys.

Just got in and read the posts.

Been up the shop with two more post arrangements I made today so they have 5 up there now and it looks a bit more Christmassy along their windowsill where I put them. Also dropped off Phyis's ring and she was in so she paid me and gave me a card and I had hers but do you think I could find it?

I corned the chickens before I went and just as wqell as Phyl talked for quite a while. She told me she had been to Merry Harrieras on the ring and ride bus. She gave me all the details and thye charge about £14. something for most places but a bit more if you go to Barnstaple or Bideford. They pick you up and bring you back to your door.

I am now going to have a nice cuppa and a biscuit and see what I am going to have for dinner. I have been having the sausage rolls for lunch I made in the week so hav'nt had to make any lunch.

Annx I forgot it was the stick you hid when you went away so that has'nt appeared yet then?

Mandy I need to get a few more decs up and some lights on the garland along the windowsill and my red berries. It looks dreary without them.

Have any of you been watching the miniature programs? I have watched two now but to me they cheat as a lot of the stuff is laser cut so not starting from scratch. But the library lady made 3,000 tiny books.

Mandy I did read that this years jab against the new flu version gives 40% protection. However zI could just as likely see somebody else in a few days giving another percentage so best to just stay away from crowds of people. I think it is mainly said to wear masks when asked to and to edsr them if you have bugs like flu. I am sure they have done this in previous year’s flu outbreaks.

Gwyn you seem to have a lot of blood taken. Thoughts of Tony Hancock :-D

Went into town for my annual medication review.
It was a bit chaotic there as 'the system' was down and the receptionists were having to keep a pen and paper log of who had arrived for their appointment and ask who they had come to see and at what time.
Of course, they couldn't make future appointments either.

When I went into the nurse, she had no computer screen to read my notes, so she didn't even take my blood pressure, but was grateful for the readings I had taken since last weekend, which she said were fine. Just some more blood taken, but what they will test it for is anyone's guess :-S

Yes, Mandy, our trial run Christmas pudding turned out just fine and the same texture as it usually is, so daughter now feels confident in cooking her usual pudding mix in the slow cooker for the family to share at Christmas.

Afternoon all,

It's been a very dreary day but dry the sky is now turning pink its so pretty.

Got the tree decorated yesterday and dishwasher came in the afternoon ,today son came and plumbed it in ,I forgot to get some salt to go in so it won't get used until I do .we had haircuts this morning and after lunch I did a bit more Christmas decorating .
There's a few more bits I need to bring down just bits to stand about .

Oh Vera I had to laugh about the gloves your poor boy did so well to be polite about his present, I wonder if she bought two pairs and they got muddled up ,someone else probably got two righthand gloves.

Ann thats good the car key has turned up ,perhaps you need to have a look in there for the stick thingy that you've hunted high and low for lol he might have hidden that in there too .

I see the masks are coming out again with all this flu about , so glad we had the flu jabs which should give us a little protection.

Gwyn I keep meaning to ask how your Christmas pudding came out ,did you eat this one and make another .

Morning girls just,

Its sunny here today but the temp is only 7 degrees. Iv'e been up the post van with a parcel which cost me £7.80 which I was not very pleased about but it had to be sent.

Vera I did laugh about your strange presents, I expect the gloves were given to her and she passed them on to your son. I wonder if she remembered they were both left handed or jus thought they were a pair of gloves. I can imagine your sons face when he opened the present poor boy.

I found out today who was making the rings for down the shop the last few years when they told me someone else was doing them for them now. Its their daughter in law so you can't blame them really. There'#s none down there today and Keith said he will have to chase her up. If she's not doing them again this year it dos'nt leave me a lot of time to do any. So I am going to do some little arrangements without candles that will go on graves.

Pc is saying rainy days ahead so I better go out and pick some stuf.

O Annx after all this time you or G has found your lost car key you hid before going away all those years ago. Always good for G to have a spare too though. I need another for my fresh cara but I know its going to cost me a lot! How's the painting coming along I am dying to see it as we hav'nt had one from you for ages?

Good morning all wer this morning and 11 degrees. I have nothing planned just a bit of a clear up after yesterdaays meeting.

the meeting went well, thankfully nobody was coughing or sneezing as we were packed into my lounge like sardines. One of our members gave us a demonstration on making little Christmas table decorations using material grown in her garden. - lots of little seed heads which she had painted with 'airfix' type paints. Another member broguht us each little tree decorations she had made from dried orand slices. And we then had a question and answer session as another member had a pack of cards with garden questions on them. We enjoyed mince pies and shortbread with our tea and a good chat as well. And I was lucky as they all mucked in and put the chairs back where they belonged to save me carrying them.

Vera, yes it was good to get that post. However somebody, who gave in and went to the sorting office to collect her mail said there was a heap of 2nd class mail in a corner of the office waiting for sorting. And I know my sister posted her card on the 4th. so we just have to wait and see what happens now and prepare for returning to a large pile when I come back from daughter's
Sounds like your OH is going to be cosy with his nice warm coat Vera.

Ann, great to find the car keys, that is the trouble with cupboards and drawers that we don't use regularly, I can imagine we will all be having a check around now if we have lost anything. since T died I think most of my cupboards etc have been emptied and tidied but a couple over the bed are difficult to reach, I will have a think. Probably get daughter to help sometime when they have a longer stay.
Yes, I too hope there doesn't have to be a further op. However I will be expecting the BCC on my face may be referred early when I come back as it is a bit sore and I don't think it will go until March.