General Chat

I thought i had another one but when I found it it was also broken on the corner. He was the last one to move the bowl when he wanted to wash a brush out. I had just cleaned the sink too and thought I would do the bowl later.

EDIT typed this way before dinner and did'nt post it.

How on earth did your OH manage to break your washing up bowl Mel? Did you send him to the naughty step?

That was nice having a friend to visit AnnG - a little bit of normality for a change and it probably did you good to have someone to chat to and laugh with.

Mandy, I'm sorry to hear you have a pain in your side and hope it is feeling much better today.

Did you get your jab Gill? Did you have to go far for it or was it at your local GP like ours? I hope you don't have any side effects but, if you do, they won't last for long and it will be worth it to get a bit of protection. OH and I had nothing worse than a sore arm for a couple of days. Did your builders turn up to look at the work needed, and how far did the gas people get with the pipework? It's a lot of work but it's quite exciting getting your new home as you want it to be, and you'll enjoy planning the garden.

Now, where's Frank? I hope he's OK and enjoying all his books.

I've had quite a busy day again. This morning was very cloudy and quite chilly so I got on with some jobs inside. I took the hob of my cooker to bits and gave it a really good clean, not before time. It's quite a big range type cooker and the hob has five burners and a warming plate so it took me a while. When I put it back together one of the burners wouldn't light. I must have taken that burner apart and put it back together 4 or 5 times without getting it going. OH had a go and it wouldn't work for him either so I thought I would have to call someone in. Tonight when I was cooking our dinner I tried again and suddenly it was OK again.

After finishing the hob, I did all the ironing. Then I rang the DVLA about the refund of my brother's car tax and got straight through to the man who had written to me, which was a surprise.

This afternoon OH was walking from the kitchen to the lounge with 2 mugs of tea which he had overfilled so he slopped a bit on the floor. Instead of going back to the kitchen and putting the mugs on the work surface he put them on the hall floor while he went to get a cloth. I expect you've already guessed the rest. Yes, Mr Clumsy managed to knock them over so the hall was awash with tea. Luckily our hall is tiled rather than carpeted so easy to mop up which OH did. He was just going back to the kitchen when I pointed out to him that the tea would have flowed under our big long-case clock and we would have to move it. It doesn't really like being moved but we couldn't leave it so he pulled it out from the wall as carefully as he could and mopped the floor underneath but you should have seen the fluff and cobwebs behind that clock. So out came the cordless vac. and the dusters for a cleaning job. While all this was happening a delivery of plants he had ordered arrived. When he eventually took them out of the boxes one was missing so that meant an email to the nursery.

It has just been one of those days. Life in this household is seldom dull! I am shattered now and might be going to bed early with a book. Sleep well, sweet dreams everyone.

Oh no Mel ,less pocket money for him this week :-D

Hope you got your jab ok Gill and the gas pipes are now in .

Sun's been shining this afternoon but it's still cold out .

AnnG I bet it was nice to have a friend in for a chat ,it will have broken your day up .

No Frank again ,hope he's OK

Oh has broken my washing up bowl on the corner.

Had a friend here for an hour in the conservatory with double doors wide open (It was quite chilly as the wind is up) socially distant by about 1.5 metres for a coffee and chat. It was so good to have a laugh and feel normal, hopefully we will be ok, we have both had our first vaccine dose.

After she left I have just been clearing two large bags of rubbish from down the side of the house so Charles can get there. He did say he would clear it but I thought he would be able to get on more quickly if I did it for him. I can't believe how much real junk was shoved there. T was good at doing jobs but kept everything that should be thrown away. At the moment I have put loads of stuff to be kept in the greenhouse so can't move in there now. one job always creates several others.

Hope the gas pipes are being done now gill.

The gas van is here but the barriers haven't arrived yet so they can't start digging until they're here. I'm glad as OH is still in bed after working nights last night and won't be getting up for about an hour.

I haven't checked if our garden bin was emptied this morning yet. We have to pay for our garden waste to be taken and the council hadn't sent me our permit so there's no sticker on the bin. She did say she's email them to let them know so they would empty it without the sticker and she's going to chase the permit up for me. So I hope they have emptied the bin as I think it's the last of the pampas grass which I'm allergic to.

Once that's all gone I can go into the garden and make a start on taking the hedge down that runs right down the middle of the back garden. I don't want to leave it much longer incase birds try to nest in there as I wont' be able to take it down for a while then. I think there might be two apple blossom trees next to each other so it'll be nice to find out once we can walk around the garden. The hedge is stopping us getting to the other side of the garden at the moment.

I'm hoping the two builders will turn up today then we should have their quotes. I was hoping to get a few quotes but that might not be possible with no one answering their phone or getting back to me when I leave messages. So fingers crossed someone will turn up today and we can hopefully make a start on some of the jobs that needs doing.

I'm having my first vaccination today, not looking forward to it, but it's better than catching the virus.

I saw the two horses again this morning, it's so nice to see them everyday. They were both out together yesterday but at first glance because one was behind the other it looked like there was a six legged horse in the field lol.

Meant to say where's our Franky Boy? Hope he is ok and enjoying his new book. <3

You rest up Mandy we don't need you out of action if you go and do something silly. Let Colin do the heavy jobs and mind with the hoovering as you use a lot of muscles doing that. <3

All wiped and put away.

Morning all,

Sun keeps trying to peep through the clouds but it's really chilly out so nothing will get done outside today .
Just got the usual things to do a bit of hoovering and dusting and meals to get ,my side is still a little painful so it will be easy jobs for me and Colin will do some of the other jobs I can't.
I made a shepherds pie yesterday and there's enough for today so just need some veg done to go with it .

Hope Gill gets her gas pipes in today with no problems, that will be one job of the list .

Time for coffee so BBL

Shopping arrived just as I posted so now I am on the wipe down.

Come over cloudy now a bit out the front sun still out the back but the winds bitter.

Cleaned the sink and done the work surfaces with anti bac. Fed the wild birds and chickens. Put lots of stuff away and am just having a sit down before I start again.

Only two subs today and one is the same stuff but in two smaller containers and the other is a tin of potatoes instead of baby potaoes.

Oh is out in the garden fiddling with his big sprayer for the lawns as far as I know or doing soemthing else.

it is cloudy and a bit misty, no sun and 8 degrees here.

Morning Anng and alo,

We have sunshine at the moment and the thermometer is reading 16 degrees! can that be right? The skies blue with white clouds so I hope its going to be a nice day.

Shopping comes this morning so Big Wipe down for me today then perhaps back in the garden if it dos'nt turn too cold.

Well todays the day Gill's gas pipes go in. Hope everything goes smoothly and they get the job done quickly for her without too much mess.

Our scripts should be at the shop today too so I may go down there to pick those up.

No, I know it is ok for you to have them Mel but Not for us with near neighbours. For us the garden bin is a god send, I know it sounds expensive at almost £50 but that is less than a pound a week and normally saves a trip to the dump.

god morning awake early again, actually woke before 5 this morning and only dozed since then, difficult to know what the weather is like today it is 3 degrees out there but looks a bit grey. I think it is going to be cloudy according to the weather forecast. Have a U3A friend (she is the president of our U3A at the moment) calling round for a socially distanced chat this morning. I will let her into the back garden I expect and both will wear masks.

Ann I never have one during the day and only when the wind is'nt blowing. Its mostly dry stuff so not a lot of smoke and we have got about 5 acres and a big field next door before the big house. It dos'nt go anywhere near Em's as its 2 acres down from her house.

Bed a bit earlier tonight then Ann. You were up late last night for you posting at past 11pm. Have we seen your Daffodil, snowdrops and primrose?

Forgot to say I treated myself to 6 little violas on Saturday. The lady who sells plants outside her house has started again. She is asking for pots and trays and I can help her there so must get some ready for her for next Saturday. I have a stabel full from when I had the nursary.

Vera I shall have to count oh's koi as we lost a couple last year. We lost the biggest one and one of the first ones I bought oh. It was Big Bertha. They hav'nt all got names but we have Gilly who we had at about 4 inches long and with a turned out gill and |Blue who was the very first one I bought oh but he has'nt grown much. It was the 18 5 inch ones that have grown the most. We also have Gobby a yellow one and Daisy because she has an orange daisy on her side and Tangy who is a lovely tangerine and white one with smooth skin but she's a bit strange and dos'nt always feed well. Then there's Baby Blue who has also gone a bit strange and spends a lot of time nose down to the bottom of the pond. Sometimes it jumps right out of the water about three times or lays on its side on the bottom. Then we have an orange one who jumped out of the swimming pool we had them in when oh made their pond deeper. She had lost the colour on her sides in patches where she hit the tarmac road so I call her Patches. I found her and had to pick her up and get her back in the pool. I did'nt think she would live but she did. There's other too without names. I shall have to count them tomorrow and see how many we have got now.

Ann it is not the lock the key unlocks it and locks it. It is the actual door mechanism the is jammed. Charles will look at it on Wednesday. I just have to hope I don’t need to get to the boiler or fuses.

Pleased that your pictures stood up well, but then we knew they would.

Mel I could not be doing with bonfires, too antisocial in small gardens..

Gill, well done on finding prospective builders etc.

Well things seem to be progressing a bit better so that is good Gill. Let's hope it leads to some quotes for you. If so, don't forget to ask them if they have mates who do plumbing, electrical work etc. and write their details down. It was a good idea for your OH to speak to the plasterer when he saw his van too. Why not get your OH to get some earplugs from the chemist? It would help him sleep through any noisy work in the future. Tomorrow your gas pipes will be in so that's a start! Good for you sticking to your guns with the BT lady. I bet they do get commission if they get you to change. It's a good saving you got and will help to pay for other things instead.

AnnG, try some oil in the garage lock first as it may free it. Use cooking oil if you can't find the right stuff or it's locked in the garage. Pour some on the key to get it into the lock.........silly question I know but I take it you checked you were using the right key this time? What a nuisance it happening now. Yes it does seem troublemakers attend these events that are nothing to do with them. I still wonder about people who think it is a good idea to have a non-socially distanced protest about lockdown during a pandemic though. It's good you got your wild flower seeds scattered.

On the subject of the virus, OH walked up the close to the postbox at the top end to post a letter for me earlier. There is a bend and then a straight bit with no houses before the junction at the end of the close and the bend hides our view around the bend. OH spotted no less than 3 facemasks that had been thrown in the road. We see the odd car parked there at times, usually a carer in their uniform when they are too early to make their visit to someone in the old folks bungalows the other side of the junction opposite our close. I can't say it is them but no-one else parks there except those of us in the close if we need to move our cars off our drives for any reason.

I bet your shed looks smart now Mel with it's paint like OH's. I still wonder if Vincent will be decorating it later. I see you have been busy inside and out and both you and Vera have been clearing moss. I must seen if my pots have any that needs turfing out. I noticed my stripey Camellia is in flower today so will see if I can get a pic tomorrow.

Vera has been busy too I see. How nice that you get these baking deliveries from a neighbour and what a good idea to connect with his grandchildren like that! I hope your new neighbours are nice and fit in well. I think I have had my fill of tech this last week! lol. I even got black ink up a fingernail changing the black ink in the printer today and OH is making noises for me to find him some options for a new laptop as his is so slow and freezes and he has seen how bright my screen is compared with his!

I think we have got quicker with the wipe down too Mandy. You get into a routine of the best way after a while which is good. Pity we can't change how often we have to do it though! Are the children liking being back at school now? I bet it has helped DIL have a break to get thjings done while they are there.

The gallery of our paintings was interesting to see how differently we all did them! Someone did a good one of the Clematis that I ended up using as scrap paper with mine. Mind you she just did 3 big flowers whereas I tried to do the whole trellisful. I did spot my Daffodils, Snowdrops and Primrose. I still haven't done my Poppies yet. I thought my pictures stood up pretty well which was good to see as it isn't a beginners' class.. This was just the Flora class, so I will be more interested to see the Landscape ones as she is doing a gallery of those on Wednesday. :-)

Off to bed now. I hope Frank is ok.

I wish someone would drop cake of to us on a weekly basis. It must be good to find out what you have each week and he dos'nt seem to repeat himself.

I cleared up the stuff I had swept up and all the dry grass oh had dropped off the spikey thing that he has been going over the lawns with. He will leave it and it makes me annoyed cos if it rains it sticks to the grass and then I get yellow patches where its been.

Had a bonfire and got rid of that lot. I am afraid a green bin would'nt be any good in this garden.

Gill you're getting things going now so thats good. Hasve you heard anything about Sandra's flat?? We are all dying to know how she is getting on.

Must look at the veg. I asm running a bit late......... :-(