General Chat

Afternoon all,

Happy New Year to you too Gwyn I bet you'll hear all about what santa brought the children for Christmas, the children go back here on Wednesday.

Nice sunny day but very chilly I've started to get some Christmas decorations down and my goodness the dust ,I also been sorting out the Christmas China and cutlery and getting all that put away .

I'm having a rest this afternoon still got the owl to stitch and stuff so might have a go at that .

Mel hope your cold is easing a bit ,Colin is still coughing at times but he does seem to be getting better .
I noticed there's a new programme on this afternoon called Make it at Market it's a crafter programme a different craft each day about people turning their craft into a business and also on Friday there's a new lot of Father Brown .

Happy New Year everyone. I hope the coming months are kind to you.

We seem to be having a real mix of weather to start the New Year. The 31st brought very wild weather, with fierce winds throwing rain at the house for much of the day. Yesterday was better, but lots of areas very waterlogged and huge puddles at the side of some roads.
Thankfully there is no flooding in our area and never has been to my knowledge, but that doesn't stop us being in a declared ' at risk' area according to home insurance companies, who charge us to match that :-|
Today is a beautiful sunny day, after a damp, dull start.

So let's take one day at a time and go forward from there.

This week, I will go back into school to hear readers.
I'm sure the children will have lots to chat about, as they settle down to the new term.
On the home front, I look forward to seeing my grandson, who was working over Christmas and the New Year in the Lake District. I haven't seen him since we visited that area in July, so it will be great to spend more time with him.
We've always got on really well and I'm looking forward to his promise of a coffee and cake outing :-D
January is a month of some sad anniversaries and memories in our family, so it will be uplifting to have some happier things ahead of us too.

Mel, That cold is certainly lingering.
It seems that the pre-Christmas virus is leaving many with similar symptoms. All you can really do is rest, keep hydrated and avoid extreme changes of temperature, which seem to trigger a reaction.
Do seek medical advice if you have chest or ear problems though.
I hope you soon feel better.

Morning all

It’s a lovely bright and dry day but quite cold. There’s no heat in the sun and not much of a breeze so I haven’t bothered to hang the washing out.

I’ve been busy this morning. The third load of washing is just finishing, so there’s just sheets and pillowcases to do today, and towels tomorrow. I’ve prepared tonight’s veg and got the ingredients for leek and potato soup in the soup maker ready to switch on for lunch. I’ve had a general tidy round and watered all the indoor plants and now I’m having a coffee before going on to the next job.

Later I’m going to a friend’s for an afternoon cuppa. OH will drop me off and I’ll ring him when I’m ready to come home. I could drive there but it gets dark so early that I can’t risk driving back once it gets really gloomy.

I should think your tulips will be fine AnnG but might be late blooming, so you don’t want to plant them where you have other late spring/early summer flowers. Perhaps try them in a pot this year? None of my tulips or daffs are showing yet, even the early February Gold daffs in the garden aren’t yet through. I do have some muscari in a pot just showing.

I’ve drunk my coffee now so I had better go and check if the washing machine has finished. Enjoy the rest of your day everyone.

Morning All,

Bit brighter here this morning and there is some strips of blue sky among the grey and white clouds. Pc is showing Week Forcast and says 5 rainy days this week partly sunny and its 5 degrees.

A week today since this cold started and still I am coughing and blowing my nose.

My neighbour came down yesterday at some point and left me a box of shortbread and a card in my porch. I did hear anyone come so I expect she walked and saw BIL's car here so did'nt knock. I must ring her today and thank her.

How's everyone else today?? Did you get a better sleep last night?

That was energetic Vera, potting on geraniums Eric. Sound like you will have some good ones this year now.
I am a bit puzzled by the tulip bulbs I had for Christmas. It does say they can be planted in December but I am not sure what will happen planting them in January. And of course I need to be home to plant them.

Grandson and family came for an hour or so this afternoon. Both children full of beans and thus was the first time I have seen fourteen month old crawl. She was full of smiles today and not at all bothered at not really knowing me.

Had BIL here this morning and he brought me some more bird feeders for spares. He only wanted the poles out of the box of feeder bits so I have plenty of spares now if the squirrel takes one away which they have done many times in the past.

Save me a bit of lamb please Vera. I have ordered myself some lamb chops this week.

Fed BIL and he came in as it had started to rain so we had lunch together I just hope I hav'nt given him this blasted cold back. I'm sure thats where I got it from.

Well I better go and corn the chickens before it gets any darker and they go to bed.

Good afternoon all

After all the rain we’ve had recently it’s a dry start to 2023 for us, though the rain is supposed to be back this evening. We didn’t see the New Year in though we might just as well have done as we didn’t go to bed till 11.30 pm and I didn’t turn the light off till 12.30 when the fireworks stopped.

I got a bit of energy and mojo back yesterday and got on with several jobs in the house and then potted on 9 geranium and a couple of argyranthemum cuttings that have rooted. There are some other cuttings that look healthy but don’t seem to have roots yet so I’ll keep an eye on those.

I had a letter on Friday from our doctors’ surgery. I have to make an appointment for a blood pressure check or email them some readings from my home monitor, which is what I will do. I know I’ve said it before but our surgery is very good and keep a good check on their patients.

I didn’t realise you were an Essex boy William. We originally came from South London and Kent but moved to North London, then to two different places in Essex, then to two different places in Suffolk. It would be great if you could write a Suffolk poem. Sadly I’m not on Facebook so won’t see an illustrated version. There are some beautiful places in Suffolk and there seem to be lots of people moving here. Having moved from Essex to Suffolk in 1986 I don’t want anyone else to move here and spoil it!!

Our roast lamb is ready to carve and veg is almost cooked so I’d better get the gravy sorted before OH comes into the kitchen looking for his dinner.

Good morning all on the first day of a new year. Always the thought on this day as to what the year will bring. Hope it is all good or at least not bad. Just as well we don’t know I think.
We stayed up until 22.30 after watching the New year come in on the TV with the fireworks. There were some around here but not many and it was pouring with rain.

I think it is a stay indoors day today and now I had better get dressed. I didn’t get to sleep until way after 3am.

Morning Will and all and a Happy New Year on this first day opf January 2023.

I slept right through last night did'nt get up for the loo at all wwhich is quite unusual for me. Felt fine when I got up and came out to put the kettle on, drunk a glass of water and made my coffee and then the sneezing and coughing started. Siutting here and nose is still running.

Lavenham is a lovely little village with many wonderful timbered building.

Its a bit brighter here this morning and the suns trying to shine but pc says cloudy o its just changed to rain coming so that will make a change I don't think. The poor big girls are paddling around in an inch of mud. 9 degrees and now it says mostly cloudy.

Good morning and a Happy New Year to all GR folk on this thread. We all hope for good health as a must, would you believe I woke up at 5am this morning with chronic backache!. I couldn't go back to bed and rubbed Volterole on my back to ease it. About half an hour later I heard Carmel calling out and I went in the bedroom to find that her right calf muscle was going into cramp! A fine start to the New Year"

As I mentioned Suffolk as a subject for one of my poems I have been doing a bit of research and wishing that on the times I visited the county that I had taken more photos and done more sketches. I find my only artwork is of Lavenham but I'm sure I can do more sketches with the help of an artist friend. My only drawback is that folk on here won't be able to see my illustrated version unless they visit my Facebook site.
It's heading towards breakfast time and an easy day with several ideas for future poems. Have a nice day folks.

Happier New year to all on this thread and hope 2023 will be a good year for all of us God Bless all. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

I won’t be staying up to see the new year in; I leave that to the grandchildren these days. A healthy, happy New Year to you all and I wish you everything that you wish for yourselves in 2023 <3

Thank you Mandy and I too wish you all on here a Happy and health New Year and those that are missing.

Just went out on the patio and had the light on and looked in the pond and there floating on the top was Crazy Fish. Oh thought it was going to die in the summer but it kept going doing all these funny swims up to the top and then going down to the corner again. It did'nt have proper balance and oh said it had something wrong with its swim bladder. I had to reach the BIG net on the roof of the filter shed and lift it off and it weighed a ton without the fish in it. I did managed to get it out and have put in in a bin bag to deal with in the morning. Now why could'nt it have floated to the top during daylight when I could have buried it then.

I have also been told today that the neighbour who lives up the top by where I drive into mine has passed away. they took him to hospital earlier in the week as he had a fall. My other neighbour up the top had keys to his place and called the doc who called an ambulance. His son lives in London and dos'nt drive. Les used to pick him up from Exeter when he came down here so I am not sure how he is getting down here now.

Evening all,

It's been a very wet day here I don't think it's stopped all day, I've been on the go all day as we have the family coming again tomorrow so I've been getting ahead with things ,it was decided that we would have a Beef Cobbler for lunch so I've cooked the beef and will do the topping in the morning.

Nice to see William popping in again :-)

I often wonder what happened with Gill too Anng I suppose with having all the work to do on the bungalow and garden she just gave up on posting .

It would be nice to hear how Frank is getting on too .

I don't think we'll be staying up to see the new year in so I'll wish everyone a Very Happy and healthy New year <3 <3

I think I remember William, maybe from when I first came on the thread but also from GR in general. Always good to see “old” members on here, it gets a bit lonely sometimes.
I still wonder what happened to Gill. Sandra did love Christmas. It was very strange that Gill just stopped after we were all always so supportive. Disappointing really. It would have been better if she had explained then we would not have worried.

We did get out to Maryport this morning, it was dry with no wind. We had a coffee and then a short stroll round the harbour. Sadly it was very low tide so not photogenic at all. It rained as soon as we got home at lunch time so in for the rest of the day. I am on my fifth book since getting here, quite thick books too.

Anyway I have a couple of breaks to look forward to now when I get home. One for coming up here, then a week in the Isle of Wight in July and vague plans for October but nothing definite yet. At least it is a start!

So lovely to see you on here again Will. I love your poems so I think one about Suffolk is on the cards now if you can manage it please. I came from Suffolk so would be interested in one from there. I wish you and Carmel a Happy New Year and many more of them. Take care the both of you and sending love and wishes. <3 <3

Its raining here but its not so cold out but pc is saying heavy rain soon so I am glad I have fed the chickens, phil pheasent, the bantam and the wild birds and both Robins have been this morning for mealworms and did'nt fight because my shed one came when patio Robby was away. He came and sang to me while I was out there and it went on for ages. I just have to stand there and listen till he's finished.

Just to say 'Hi to SuffolkVera, yes I eased up with all the caring I had on here but I have always kept on my GR account and still treasure my GR friends.
I think Suffolk is one county I haven't written a poem about even though my native county of Essex bordered Suffolk. Cumria, Scotland, Cornwall and Essex I have done. These were supported from some of the artwork I have in my on-line 'Sketchbook' (also on Facebook). We have such a lovely country and I often wonder why some folk need to go abroad. Of course the answer is always, 'The Sunshine!.' Meanwhile I say abou Suffolk, if it was good enough for John Constable, it is certainly good enough for me.
It's a shame these posting don't have the facility for graphics, it would mean that we could share so much more.
When I started this thread my wife although I was her carer, was still pretty mobile. Three years ago she had a fall and broke her femur which has resulted in a progressive loss of mobility and when we go out, I have to push her in her wheelchair. Still we manage, we have a bigger car so the wheelchair will fit in and in better days, we still manage the occasional day out when the weather and her health are for the better.
Oh, well I've rattled on long enough. Time for a some breakfast. I think a spot of simple cereal's is in order after some of the richer festive fare.
Although this started out aimed at Suffolk Vera, I hope all have had a chance to have a browse. This is my best time, early in the morning with no demands on my time. Bless you all.

Good morning Mel and all that cold is certainly hanging on Mel. But good that the cough didn’t wake you.
It is really dark here this morning, it was like night time aT 0815 when I woke up. Slept all night except for one trip to the loo.

Might go to Maryport for coffee if it is not raining later it would be good to get some air.

Morning all,

Still dull here and not very nice at all and pc says rain coming so thats something to look forward too as if we hav'nt had enough recently of the wet stuff. Pc is saying its 13 degrees and thats quite high. I just wish it would stop raining......

Still got this horrid cold.

Did you all sleep well last night. I don't remember getting up for the loo in the night at all so must have slept right through.

Good morning everyone (oops, got distracted and it's afternoon now)

I had a better sleep last night so was awake and up a bit earlier. Seeing the weather I think I should have stayed in bed. It's not really cold in the more sheltered areas but there is a bitter wind blowing and it is very wet. It's a pretty miserable day altogether.

I've done some ironing and a few other jobs and OH is cleaning the bathrooms for me. I can't complain - he's very good about helping if I tell him what needs to be done. He just never actually sees for himself what needs doing.

I've spoken to the eye treatment centre at the hospital and the lady I spoke to said they are running a week to 10 days late with appointments but she checked and said I was definitely on the list and they would be phoning me with an appointment soon so that's OK.

I hope that cold starts to clear up soon Mel.

I'd better go and find a couple of jobs to do until we have lunch as I can't really be sitting about while OH is doing h/w.