General Chat

We had a long wait this morning for Colin's check for Glocoma, it says you could be up to an hour for the appointment in the letter but we were there nearly two hours ,anyway just got to wait now if there's anything wrong they'll get in touch if not it could be another six or nine months before he needs to be checked again .

This compost is a mixture of peat and peat free after reading on line but it's not all fibrey like some that dry out and nothing grows in it , most say peat free on the front of the bag but this doesn't ,its a nice dark compost.

I was supposed to have Jake here today but he has a stomach bug so hopefully will be here Friday now. I have given up being surprised when he cancels now!! I just walked round to get my prescription as I wanted to know if it was the last one in the annual pathway, which it was So, after I get back from daughters I need to make an appointment for a blood test

Mel yes you are correct, I am pretty sure that professional growers were exempt from the ban.

But I assume you are looking on line Mel, Mandy was in the shop.

I can't see any potting compost on Roys with peat in!

So does that mean that garden centres and growers are still able to use peat in their compost? No wonder their plants do better than ours who buy the peat free.

Mandy how can Roys sale none peat free compost?

" it is no longer legal to sell peat-based compost to amateur gardeners in the UK. The UK government has banned the sale of peat-based compost in the retail sector starting in 2024. While some peat-containing products are exempt until 2030, the ban for amateur gardeners has been enforced since 2024."

Morning all,

Nice sunny morning and we're off later for Colins eye appointment so it's a morning of waiting to go so can't really get on with anything .
Anng we like Roys compost as its not peat free like all the others ,I think Vera likes that one too.

Looks like chaos in Spain and Portugal with no power makes you wonder whats going on there .

Morning Anng and all,

another bright sunny morning here and at the mo its 11 degrees. Don't ache too much from gardening so may do a bit more today.

Must get my coffee.

Good morning all. sunny and 8 degrees here now. Up early as I slept well and didn't want to go back to sleep. Jake is coming this morning to finish off the small job they started last week when they got rid of all the old pots etc. He will be on his own today. Other than that nothing planned. Strange though even when there appears to be nothing needing doing the time flies when the weather is fine and I can just potter in and out of the garden.

Vera, I hope all goes well for your OH today with his cataract op. So kind of your friends to take you both.
I do have some clothes that are much older than others which is why I have been hard on myself clearing the wardrobes. But even now there are 6 pairs of black trousers that all fit me in the spare wardrobe. Why I have that many I don't know. Most of them are casual styles, only a few really smart ones.
My problem is opposite to yours, I really like shopping hence the overflowing wardobes. I have one more small wardrobe to tackle, one with shelves not rails, so sweaters, long sleeved tee shirts and summer tee shirts.

Mandy, you had a good spend up in roys, good to be able to get all the compost you need in one go. And to have somebody to be able to carry it to the car and into your garden. I do miss those days. Nowadays I have to get a bag as and when daughter is here, unless I buy the very small bags when at garden centres with friends. Luckilt I do have my own compost to boost the shop stuff. Still not happy with peat free compost.
My hanging baskets will have to wait until after I get back from daughters the beginning of June I think. Unless I get an offer to go to a garden centre before I go.

Evening all,

Its been really hot here today ,we went to roys first thing for compost and I did wonder if we would get any as everyone seems to buy it up on a weekend but there was a few bags left and we managed to lift four onto the trolley ,we also needed some slug gel I like that one as its pet friendly ,a padlock for the new box ,some treats for max and I bought some peas to plant in a couple of tubs and that was fifty pound gone .
I pricked out some marigold seedling, Cosmos and Calendula and planted up four hanging baskets and got them on the brackets on the gazebo .

Vera I hope all goes well for OH's cataract op tomorrow ,its very kind of your neighbours to take you both but I know both you and your OH would do the same for them if needed .

Colin has his check up for his eyes tomorrow so we're just off to bed now we're both tired .

Evening ladies

What a beautiful day it has been. I think the temp. got to about 21. I didn't have much time to spend outside but at least 4 loads of washing got dried in record time.

I did get some sleep last night and, although I still have pain in my head and one eye, I don't feel so exhausted and have managed to get on with some jobs.

You put me to shame Mel as you seem to work so hard in your garden and I've had enough after half an hour. I don't know how you manage to keep going but I admire you for it. The chickens must love it when you work like that and they get a barrow load of treats.

I hope your will became clearer on another read through Gwyn. Legal language can be a bit convoluted sometimes but I suppose the solicitors have to dot every i and cross every t.

Your eye test appointment has come up very quickly Annx. I hope OH's scan results come through quickly too. Waiting for results can cause so much anxiety. From all you have said recently, he seems to be doing very well considering all he has been through.

You've been busy going through al your clothes AnnG. I need to do that soon but if I turf out all my old stuff I'll have nothing left to wear!! I'm still wearing tops and shirts that are well over 20 years old. I really do need some new stuff and there's no reason why I shouldn't spend a bit of money on myself but I really hate shopping for me and get quite despondent. I never seem to find anything that fits me and is in a style I like. Perhaps I'm just hard to please.

OH has his first cataract being done tomorrow. I think I mentioned our neighbours are kindly taking us. We're going early and having a snack in Dunelm which isn't far from the clinic, then we'll drop OH off and go for a wander round the shops for a couple of hours before picking him up again to come home. You can imagine how much I will love going round the shops but I will put a smile on my face and be nice as it is so kind of our neighbours to give up most of the day to take us. It's a relief to me not to have to drive back just in case my eyes are a bit iffy.

I'm at the computer upstairs and I haven't heard a single sound from downstairs for some while. What's the betting that OH has opened his book and dozed right off over it. I'd better go and investigate. I hope you all sleep well tonight.

DONE IT to the bend where it comes round where I park my car. Gosh I got hot on the last bit but managed a good heaped barrow full and dumped it once again in the chicken run. There lots of daddy longlegs grubs in it and they like those.I just came in for a coffee and think I may have another one now! Think I will cool off with maybe an online jigsaw like Ann or a game of cards.

It seems like we are in the mood for a good clearout AnnG, trousers today and, as you say, it is hot outside now. I wear a cowboy type hat with a broad brim outside in the sun now, but it is sensible for you to shade your nose as you say. When I drove off earlier OH sprayed the weeds that were under my car, but he's not been for a walk today while it's hot.

I've been back in the ensuite and gone through a little, narrow set of drawers and found things to throw out in the bin that's being collected tomorrow. Here and there today I've found enough shampoo bottles to do a herd of elephants, but they were hidden away behind other things I can't squat to see behind now. I shan't be buying any more for ages and it will be better once I get more baskets to pull out.

I'm having a sandwich and doing an online jigsaw for a break now.

22 degrees now. Just spent about half an hour sitting down the endo of the garden reading in the shade. So peaceful listening to the birds.

21 here now, a few clouds but mostly sun. I did pull a handful of weeds for the brown bin earlier as it is bin day tomorow. But it is too hot out there and I am sure somebody said when I did manage an appointment (although not the main man) to not get my nose in the sun so I am trying to stay in the shade and out of the full sun.

I have just bagged up five pairs of summer trousers for Irene. I checked that all my winter trousers fir (i.e. do up) an they do so they have gone into the spare wardrobe now. I still have a narrow wardrobe full of summer trousers.

Yes I had to smile at the joke too Mel. It's good to have a chuckle! :-D How lovely there is a Wren building a nest in the Ivy. Before long you might be able to get a few pics when she isn't sitting or when they hatch. How nice of her to build at just the right height for you. OH's scan was ok as it was just the gel and a probe one. His GP should get the results in 1-2 weeks. My eye test appointment is in the morning! I thought it would be at least a 2 week wait for it.

I nipped to the shop but they'd sold out of my paper as had the newsagent I popped to after. It's most unusual for both to sell out so early.

I've cleaned the cooker hob now and cleaned marks off one of the kitchen walls and the skirting board. I'll finish the two other short bits of wall tomorrow. The rest of the walls are cupboards and tiles.

Gwyn how did we manage to post at the same moment! I hope your reading of the Will is all clear today and says what you want it to. Yes OH is enjoying his walks andI hope we can go to see some gardens together where I can potter around as well with my camera.

I have Angela from next door coming down for eggs in a min so have to stay indoors.

Its 20 degrees here now and not a cloud in the sky.

Mel thank you for the naughty joke, made me chuckle.

It is 18 degrees here now and very sunny so looks lovely through the window. It is garden bin day tomorrow so I did just dash out and pulled a few weeds I had missed I have masses of pinkgeraniums is flower now (Hardy) It is the time of year that one small part of garden shines. The potatoes are all through now, One pot (Jazzy I think) are a lot bigger than the rest. I left my akicante and tumbler tomatoes out last night. the sungol are still too tiny.

I do wish they would'nt keep changing everything it gets so annoying when thigs like that happen. Life changing for some people and so upsetting. Hope G got on ok with his scan today.

I meant to say the other day that my swallows are back. I went in the filter shed and had a look in the Wren's nest and there was nothing in it so I took it out and am hoping the Swallows will repair the old nest as some of it came away with the moss the Wren had put up on top of the mud.

There is another Wrens nest on the trunk of the big ash tree under the ivy thats growing up the trunk. Its very securely tied in and a good place shaded by the ivy leaves and a good food larder all around as the ivy gets lots of little flies and spiders in it. I noticed the Wren going in and out yesterday and when I emptied the wheelbarrow I had a crafty look. Its just at the right height for me to look in and its not lined with feathers yet.

Morning All,

Yes another sunny morning for us! OH has gone to the brand new medical centre for his scan and the other weedkiller has arrived and it's blooming heavy, so it will be good to use some and make it lighter. I have sorted anyrthing that's out of date in medications, creams etc in the ensuite wall cuppboard and thrown some things out and put some shampoos etc in there for now that were in the sink cupboard. It looks really tidy now, so I will take a photo of the inside. I've not lost the plot, as it will need emptying again when the fitter comes and takes it off the wall and I'll never remember how it all goes back otherwise.

We have had a few election leaflets this morning. The suggested new council boundaries suggest we could be included as part of the city which would be awful for us. It would mean higher council tax and the city during the pandemic was locked down for months with high covid rates, partly due to the fact of the culture and lack of takeup of the vaccines by ethnic population which is the majority there now. The city council seem to waste a lot of money (in my opinion) and are anti car, plastering cycle lanes everywhere that are little used. They have criticised any extension of our retail park down the road as it takes trade from the city and I'm sure they would start charging for parking there if it goes ahead.

AnnG I think some of my tiredness is the hay fever effect from the high amount of pollen. I've noticed my eyes and nose being a bit runny in the evenings. I'm the same and can't remember who the villain was in some episodes of Midsummer Murders. Some I haven't seen though. I like that it is genteel and a slower paced life like it used to be.

Well I've just had my eye test appointment confirmed that OH was making for me on his way home, as he needs his glasses adjusting so he should be here soon. I'd better get the kettle on!