General Chat

Sorry it thought I'd mentioned it earlier, no Sandra is still waiting to complete on her flat, she's getting really fed up now but apparently when she rang the solicitor she was told they're still waiting to hear from the other side about a charge that might have been paid in full as Sandra will need to pay some back to the vendor. It's all taking such a long time just to get an answer to one question, so it's anyone's guess on when she'll be moving. We're giving her some pieces of furniture so at least she'll have something as the vendor cleared the flat after saying she was leaving everything to Sandra.

I'm signing out now as I'm shattered. Sorry to hear you've had a fall Frank and hope you feel better soon.

Egg on toast always goes down well when you don't feel that hungry. I like to have a boiled egg too. Jane used to like a boiled egg if the boys were having soething she did'nt like. I have been thinking about her a lot this week and I don't know why. Even if it was a bit chilly you must have enjoiyed yourself as you wrapped up well and it was nice to see your friends.

Anng I hate it if you have a plaster on and it rolls up a bit on the edge and starts sticking to things you touch. I try not to wear one if I have a cut but sometimes you just have to.

Got on quite well in the garden with my pots today and turfed out a window box thing I had plants a load of Freesia bulbs in and only one came up. WEll when I had it all out (it had a great bunch of violets on the top ) there were loads of bulbs in there so they went into two big pots. Em also bought me a pale green jug from M & S in 2019 and that had freesia to plant in it there were loads in that pot too so the big ones are in one pot.

Had to tax the car today and did it online. Gone up £5 again from the v11 form they sent me. It always happens to me.

Turned really cold here tonight after a resonable day with only a little chilly breeze. Iv'e got the heating on now to warm up.

Gill still has'nt told us whether Sandra has got her flat yet.

It would have been my 52nd wedding anniversary today if I had stayed with him.

Oh dear Frank, not another fall. I hope you are not too bruised and sore. Do you keep a stick or a walker near you so you can use it if you get up in the night? Rest up and take care.

I’m glad OH’s shoulder wasn’t as bad as first feared Gill. It looks as though you might have found a helpful builder at last. Without proper heating and hot water I would have gone barmy by now. You’ve coped really well. Your bit of woodland with the bluebells sounds lovely.

Gosh, Mandy, that’s a long while for Chelsea to have to wear braces but I expect she’ll soon get used to them.

5 of us had a lovely afternoon at my friend’s house but I was glad I wrapped up because it was really chilly in her garden. She had made us up individual trays with a big scone and little dishes of jam and cream, and some lovely cupcakes with fancy toppings. These birthday teas aren’t doing my waistline any good at all. I had planned to have meat pies tonight with various veg but didn’t feel like preparing it when I got home at 5.30. OH said he was happy with a pizza and I got myself poached egg on toast.

I had cod baked with courgettes and baby plum tomatoes, sweet corn, jersey royal potatoes and white sauce (packet)

I have some of those Spanish bluebells in the garden planted by the orevious people I have got rid of a lot but can’t shift them all the roots spread so much.

Back is ok dressing is a nuisance the edge keeps rolling and sticking to my top luckily it is where I can just about reach

Nice to hear from Gill and hear what they have been doing this week. Good too that G's shoulder is better so he can go back to work. Must be lovely to have a bluebell wood at the bottom of the garden. I have a small wooded area and its covered in primroses at the mo and I have bluebells but they are not the lovely wild ones. I bought them iin the market years ago and planted them in the wood and then found out they were the ones that cross with our antive bells. It would be a devil of a job now to digg them all up as they have spread enormously. The rabbits eat them too.

Frank not another fall. You must be more carefull when you are half asleep going to the loo. I hope you soon feel better as your going to have some nice bruises on your back.

Hope the backs ok Anng and not too weepy. It could just be a healing process as you heal from inside out.

Lamb loin chops for tonight with new pots and something??? probably peas and broccoli. Better get the spuds on.

Evening all,
It's been a bit of a chilly day here with sunshine this morning and hail this afternoon ,i did manage to get a few little plants pricked out and i also potted up my Begonias as i could see some shoots on some of them
The runners are going crazy and will soon want to go in the garden but we need to make sure there's no frosts or they will get nipped off .
I have just been out and covered my plants up as we might drop down in temp and have a frost

Ann as soon as i saw your lovely pictures i thought of our Greek holidays with the Bougainvillea and the white washed buildings with the blue paint work ,they are both lovely ,you know i like your trees too with the carpet of blue bells .
I managed to get some Geraniums from Aldi this week ,i bought some Salmon pink and some white ones but they also had the nice red ones too.

AnnG it must be very awkward to see how your back is with the stitches ,i hope the soreness has eased a little and you can soon have the stitches out ,it was good of your friend to look at it and dress it again for you .

Oh dear Frank you just seem to be feeling a little better and down you go again and just as you were thinking of having a go on your scooter too .
You rest up and get yourself better so you can go to Devon ,as Mel said it would be nice if you could take your scooter as you could have a nice ride down to the sea front .

Gill have you asked the neighbours if they know where the boundries are ,they must know where they were before they took the extra land ,is it the neigbours next door or the ones that back on to yours that have taken the extra land .
Thats good you now have a builder to take the chimney down ,hopefully you won't have to wait to long and then you can get your boiler in and have hot water ,you must really miss hot water in the taps .

Son had to take Chelsea this week to have her brace fitted ,she has a top one it has to be on for seventeen months then she has to have a bottom one for seventeen months and then the top again for seventeen months so it's a long time ,she had a day off school after having it done as it was a bit painful but it seems to have settled a bit now .

First of May tomorrow ,first of May petticoat day ,second of May stinging nettle day ,boys would try and see your petticoat and stinging nettle day boys would try and sting your legs with nettles .

Vera i hope you enjoyed your chat and tea with your friends and it wasn't to cold to sit out ,you need a wind break like we use to use on the beach ,i think i might have taken a hot water bottle :-D

Yes I think you are right about us all being behind because of the late frosts. there have been years when we have gone to Tenerife in April for a month (I think it was actually only once as it was usually May), that year the baskets were all outside grouped together on the patio.at the beginning of April.

There's not much else you can do then is there AnnG. Even if you could bare your back a few hours indoors the dressing is still covering it so that may not help either. I understand the frustration as knees set me back outside and inside. :-S Hopefully you will soon be able to catch up with things. I think with the cold weather many are behind with their garden plans.

Oh dear Frank, I do hope you have not done any damage. Have you got a stick or walker by your bed, maybe you should use it in the night when you get up. Ros must be careful or she will hurt her back as well lifting you. You can call the paramedics to help lift you if Ros can't manage.

Annx I really have not done much that I shouldn't, not lifted anything heavy or stretched. Actually friend says it is not anything I have done, it is just because it is in a place that doesn't get exposed to the air this time of year. I did -very carefully and without lifting anything when heavy fill a couple of baskets a bit at a time on the greenhouse bench and planted two petunias in one (they were beginning to suffer in the small pots) and a tumbler tomato in the other bigger basket. They will stay there on the bench until I can lift.

It is all extremely frustrating I now wish I had waited another month before going to the doctor who sent me to the hospital. Not being able to do the garden as I want to really drags me down.

I didn't see your post till now Frank. So sorry you have had another fall and hurt your back again. What did you slip on I wonder, not one of those mats I hope as you should really have taken any of those up. I hope it soon improves with rest in good time for your trip to Devon.. Just as you were going to be trying out your scooter too.

Afternoon All,

What a drag it was getting up at 7.15am but it paid off with only 2 other couples at the garden centre at 8.00am. I suppose they hadn't room to do it any other way, but it was a one way system with no room to pass anyone with your trolley so it wouldn't be a place to go when it's busy! I got all sorts there but still no mini cues. We came home, dropped them off and put charity shop stuff in the boot and then dropped that off on the way to another garden centre and got a few more geraniums. Now I need to plant the wall pots and take stock of what we have.

When we first set off before 8.00am we we concerned to see an emergency ambulance parked further along at Jean's old bungalow. The couple who live there moved in over a year ago and have made lots of improvements, but the man was recovering from a stroke at that time. When we got home the ambulance was gone but there were two other vehicles in their drive. They have now gone so goodness knows what had happened and I hope the man is ok. I am assuming it was for him.

Thank you for your nice comments about my pictures, especially the bluebell one as I got frustrated with that one! I enjoyed doing the Bougainvillea and really like doing the pen and wash pictures. Vera, I think making your daughter's wedding dress makes you skilled at sewing! :-D It is sunny here but very chilly so you will need your thermals on to see your friends. Three of our Friday zoom gang are meeting in the garden of one this afternoon. Brrrrr!!

Nice to hear from you Gill and I hope Sandra enjoyed her birthday. It will be a battle to clear your garden quickly just now as everything is growing fast, but each bit done is a bit less to do as you say. It's good your hubby is healing quickly now and that this latest builder is finding a date for you. It does sound more promising at last! Woodland at the bottom of your garden with bluebells is something I would love too and, as you say, you can 'borrow' it for now and see what happens in the future.

That's good you have nearly done your pots Mel and done some sweeping up. How many strawberry plants do you grow? I fancy your toast party too, we must have one I think!

I hope your back heals without needing to see the doctor AnnG. Difficult I know but you will have to try to do less or they may leave the stitches in longer.

OH has decided to go to a match about 40 miles away tomorrow. He rightly says he needs to start to get used to driving longer distances before we go to Cornwall. We took my car this morning and I noticed my arms getting a bit tired by the time we got home. OH was a passenger pain as usual and started telling me his 'best ' way to go, then arguing against my reasons for not doing! He got short shrift and me saying it was my car, I was driving and deciding the route, he wasn't helping, just distracting me, I didn't do it to him in his car and did he really want to WALK! :-D It seemed to do the trick, but he will no doubt need reminders another time.

Better get on and finish my other homework that has to be in today. The sun's shining again now.

Hi to you all,

Just to let you know I had a very BAD FALL DURING THE NIGHT. I went to go to the toilet and slipped. My legs went in the air and I came down on the small of my back.. I'm in a lot of pain and resting it. It took Ros and I over an hour to get me back into bed


Speak again soon. xxxx

Hi all, just a quick post before I go out in the garden again, it's so overgrown it's taking us ages to clear it. I think it's going to take most of this year to complete the clear out.

All we got off the solicitor was an ordinance survey map with the outline of our boundaries but with the neighbours taking some of the land at the back of their gardens, which are at the side of ours. it's difficult to work out where the shape of our boundaries are compared to the map we were given. It doesn't help with there being no measurements to guide us, so we've decided to clear the whole lot and not put a fence up, it'll make our garden look bigger but so long as we don't put benches or sheds on the bit at the bottom we won't accidentally find ourselves using land that doesn't belong to us. It's a woodland with bluebells so should look pretty once we've got rid of the nettles and rubbish. At least it'll be pretty to look at, at the moment it's covered in rubbish everyone else has dumped there, which isn't very nice to see.

On a positive I've just spoken to a builder who has done us a quote for the removal of the chimney in the kitchen and the coal fire in the living room. He's going to check his diary and get back to me with a start date. I just need him to keep to his word now and do the job. I've lost count of the amount of builders I've spoken to over the past few months, so with a bit of luck this one will do the job then we can move onto other jobs that need doing, like a boiler and central heating and the bathroom extended with a double walk in shower. Once those jobs are done we can start decorating and buying some carpets, then it might start looking like a home.

OH is feeling much better now and is going back to work tomorrow as his sick note runs out today. He's doing a bit of gardening and seems to be coping okay with it. He thinks he pulled a muscle, not torn it, with it healing so fast.

Well, I'd better go and help him before the rain that's forecast arrives. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to get through all the jobs that need doing, we were working in the garden until quite late last night, but at least each bit we do is a bit nearer to it being finished.

I hope you are all keeping well, sorry I haven't had time to read all the posts yet. I'll try and catch up with them when I can. Love the paintings you did Ann, you are so clever.

Morning Mel and Vera. Yes the wind is a cutting one although I have not actually been out onle been to the door first chatting with my neighbour and then unloading the shopping. Not sure it is helping my back that though. Apparently when Joanne dressed it this morning it was seeping a bit, not infected though, tried to get an appointment at the surgery but just got an automated reply and an instruction to use econsult and they will get back on the next working day. So I will leave it and hope all is well.

Have you got a windproof padded coat that you can put on this afternoon Vera? and maybe gloves so that if your hands are warm that helps. did you see the pub that was hiring out hot water bottles to all their customers> enjoy your afternoon anyway.

Make sure you wrap up well for the garden visit to your friends as it can get colder inthe afternoons and especially if there's that wind.

Was hungry so came in for toast Oh wanted it too so we are having a toast party .

Morning AnnG, Mel and all

Blue skies, fluffy white clouds and sunshine here and it is a beautiful day until you step outside. There is a really cold wind - one of those lazy winds that can’t be bothered to go round you so it goes straight through you. It could be chilly having tea in my friend’s garden today. I think I’ll be wearing several layers.

I hope you manage to find some gloves for OH Mel. It’s really frustrating when you’ve bought something before, then can’t find it when you want to replace it. Been there, done that, got the T shirt :-)

At the moment I am in the conservatory with a cuppa and looking out on our crab apple tree which is covered in blossom. Looks gorgeous. We’ve got 2 ball shaped box shrubs in the garden and OH said this morning that he was going out to trim them but I think he’s forgotten as he disappeared into the study over an hour ago.

I must go and sort out my order for Tesco who are delivering on Sunday morning. I wouldn’t normally have the delivery till Thursday but I’ve got my scan then so I had to bring it forward to Sunday.

Morning Anng and all,

Oh had to do an update for me on the pc. Anng I will send you some sunshine as its a beautiful morning here with a lovely blue sky.

I don't know where this week has gone but I suppose its cos I have been busy all week. It only seems like yesterday I was watching Gardeners World and its on again tonight!!

I bought some gloves for Oh a while ago for when he is doing greasey things and he liked them because they fitted!!!!! Do you think we can find another box the same. I have bought him many over the years and ended up using them myself or giving them away because he has quite broad hands (or fat hands) these ones were just right but we can't find them on Amazon and I think thats where I bought them. It may have been from Stuart though so I may ring him.

How did you all sleep last night? well I hope.

Love to all. Must get on. <3

Good morning all from a grey Gloucester. 3 degrees out there, no rain but very dull.

Friend coming at 0945 to change my dressing and Tesco 11-12. Bedding in washing machine so an early start this morning. Found a crate for some of the shopping so will see if that works better. I suppose it is still easier than trying to pack at the check out with queue waiting behind you.

Hope you did,nt get that migraine Vera and you have done a lot today to be proud of.

As to your pastel and watercolour pics I think they are both wonderful. The bark on the trees in the pastil one is just right you can almost feel it. The carpet of bluebells is just perfect. I love bluebells through a wooded area. The watercolour too with that flowering tree/vine with all its flowers is amazing. Never been abroad so can't say what its like but I see anng said it was like her holidays.

Hope you get your plants tomorrow so you can do your pots.

I am nearlly through my pots now and I had a good sweep up round the strawberry barrow this morning as there was all moss growing on the tarmac. Can't find my Ericaious compost so must have used it all to top the blueberry tubs up so shall have to use some peat which I don't really like using but I have some so that will have to do.

Hope you all get some ZZZZZZ,s in tonight to feel refreshed and ready for tomorrow. Hope its nce for your garden tea on Sturday Vera, fingers crossed. :-D

It’s a funny old day. Grey and chilly one minute, sunny and warm the next. We had a short shower this morning and another one just now but if you blinked you missed them. The rain didn’t even wet the path, let alone the garden.

We really could do with some rain now as everywhere is so dry but I am hoping that it will hold off till Saturday as tomorrow I am going to tea in another friend’s garden. It’s her birthday on Sunday and she planned to have half our group to tea next Tuesday and the other half on Wednesday, but as I have to self isolate next week she has brought the first group forward to tomorrow so that I can go.

I hope they are managing to contain the Indian variant in your area Ann. It makes you realise just how careful we must still be. Your pictures are so good, as always. I love them both but fractionally prefer the bluebells one. I like seeing the artistic work and all the crafts you all do but you are all so clever that you make me feel useless. Perhaps I have a talent for dusting ;-)

It’s good your roof is leak-free now AnnG but a shame Charles couldn’t get all the marks off your carpet. Our conservatory is tiled but so is most of the downstairs of our house. It was how it was built 11 or 12 years ago and the same tiles go right through except for the lounge and our bedroom which were carpeted. We’ve since had a wood floor laid in the lounge.

Did you get out for a ride around Frank? I expect you are looking forward to your trip to Devon. I hope Ros’s sore tongue is recovered by then. Will you take your scooter with you?

I cleaned all the upstairs this morning, made a couple of necessary phone calls and did some small jobs but I don’t seem to have done anything much this afternoon apart from repotting a houseplant that had outgrown it’s small pot. I had a really bad night last night for no reason that I could see so I have been very lethargic this afternoon. I had better move and go and do something or I shall just get heavy headed and end up with a migraine.