General Chat

That sounds like a fantastic meal Gwyn and you struggle to get a jacket potato for that price now! I just checked our catering college menu and prices. I've never been but was told they used to be very cheap but two courses cost £14 and three courses in the evening cost £16 now, so your meal was really good value.

Silly me I should have realised AnnG! I must have been half asleep. lol.

That was nice of your neighbour Mel. It will all go nicely with your meal as you say.

Just had another parcel arrive from my neighbour who is in Spain at the moment. Its a moonpig card, a small bottle of rose' and strawberry and cream lindt chocs which will go down nicely tonight with my fillet steak and jacket tato and a couple of choc for dessert.

What a lovely bright day today.
A bit of sunshine really does lift the mood.

We popped into town to hand in some old electrical equipment for recycling. The place is only open on a Saturday morning now, so a dry, bright day was helpful.
The slow cooker is on for a sausage casserole with shallots, carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms. The cooker will probably be on in a another couple of days for a meal to use up some Thai curry sauce, might be fish or it might be chicken depending on what looks good when we go shopping.
Yesterday we had a lovely meal cooked by the catering students at the college. They send out a menu most weeks and we can choose from a choice of 3 starters, 3 main and 3 desserts. We don't always order, but chose to this week.
Yesterday I had butternut squash cooked 3 ways for a starter, then fillets of sea bass with roasted beetroot and roasted sweet potato wedges, all with a saffron sauce. For dessert, I had a dark chocolate mousse with raspberry core. It was all very good and all for the price of £7.50 in total.

It's good to see that the various medical appointments have all gone well. It makes such a difference if people are prepared to take the time to listen and treat you as an individual and care for your particular needs.

Lovely that the weather was fine so you could get those logs sorted Mandy. A bit of sunshine was a big help too.

I hope Vera's car being returned will provide many more years of safe and happy motoring, once they recover from the bill :-0
While you can safely enjoy the convenience, it does provide so many more opportunities.

Well daughter is watching the Rugby, so I might just do an online jigsaw, before we have our meal.

Pleased that you liked your cards Mel, It is always good to hear as so many people don’t remark on their cards which is sad when people take so much trouble to choose appropriate ones.

I am glad you all found the photos interesting. You can imagine what a long scarf would look like done the same. As those little squares of silk cost people £5 before they were decorated you can see how expensive scarves would be. And more time consuming of course. As it was we had to have two sittings with small squares.

SIDS Ann should be aides the perils of a and s being adjacent.

Mel I know what your cards like as I had one like that from Ann too mine had butterflies popping out ,they are really pretty .

Woods all stacked and it was lovely to be out in the sunshine although it was only 6 degrees it didn't seem that cold .

Afternoon All,

It's a lovely springlike sunny day here after an early frost.

Thanks for the email and pics of your lovely flowers Mel and <3 <3 <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY <3 <3 <3 to you! I'm glad you liked the card and thought it would cheer you up after being in hospital. I love to see Snowdrops in a drift like that where they find their own places. I think you should treat yourself to some pressies. I was nearly in the same position last year and decided that's what I would do on my birthday and at christmas. The inhaler should help you breathe more easily and I suppose you are still recovering from the nasty bout of flu.

I hope Vera and her OH have the car back now. The birthday tea sounds very moreish too. I know what you mean about your OH and driving distances now. I've always been a bit twitchy with the large distances OH would drive in his job, but since what happened last year my imagination is worse so I'm happier he mostly goes with a friend to distant footie matches now.

AnnG what are 'sids?' Now my hearing is borderline in one ear I need to start to understand these things. The silk printing looks more colourful than I expected it to. It is something I had never heard of being done like this so thank you for sending the pics.

It's a good opportunity to stack more wood while the suns out Mandy. It will be good if you can make sure the slow cooker meal will stretch to tomorrow as well! It's nice to have a restful Sunday with less cooking. :-D

I would just like to thank you all for your wonderful cards and the big envelope was from Annx with the most beautiful basket of flowers that opened out.Hard to explain but its beautiful and one I shall be keeping with your others. Vera's was most appropiate with all the wildlife on it and toadstools which I love anyway. I have taken pics of the cards so I can look back on them from time to time. Iv'e had really lovely cards from everyone this year so thank you so very much they mean a great deal to me. <3

Morning all and thanks for the birthday wishes,

Its frosty here this morning and 1 degrees but the suns shining so it will soon burn the frost away.

Just had my coffee so now I am going to open my cards. Yesterday Em gave me a bunch of yellow tulips which are on the windowsill and a parcel arrived from my SIL. she always buys me something which is so nice as thoe are the only pressies I get now.

Glad you liked the snowdrops and good to know Vera's car is now done and Anng's aids are working well.

BBL

Morning all,

<3 <3 <3 Happy birthday Mel <3 <3 <3

I hope you have a lovely day with lots of cards and presents.

Very chilly here this morning but I can't see any frost ,we might have a few showers ,I don't know if they meant snow but last night when I let Max out it was a bit sleety

Anng thats good your aids are working well for you , Colin's are the best ones he's had , they get them tuned in on the computer with no waiting ,when he thought one wasn't working as well they just took it and tuned it in again .

We are going out to stack a bit more wood while the suns shining , I need to get the braising steak and veg in the slow cooker first ,hopefully there will be some left for tomorrow.

:-D Happy Birthday, Mel :-D

I hope you have a lovely day.

It would have been my grandfather's birthday today too <3

Really chilly out there today, but no frost, snow or rain for us.
I think the sun might even be trying to shine.

Hopefully, I'll bbl.

Good morning all. -1 out there but there didn't seem to be a frost on the roofs. Feels colder indoors as well. slept quite well last night. Not dressed yet.

Nothing planned for today except Tesco delivery at 3-4pm


Vera it did make such a change to have somebody really interested in what I thought, how I coped with tinnitus, etc. Actually there was a different procedure. When I received the booking confirmation, there was a form to fill in, It was a sort of health form concentrating on hearing mainly but also general health. I noticed that he referred to the form as he asked me questions, it seemed to give a more in depth consultation, he was definitely very thorough. I do suspect he was more senior in position than the previous young man I saw. But he was also technically able, the testing equipment was a lot more complicated, while still using the same headphones etc, but giving him more answers via the computer. The sids certainly worked well with the TV last night as I had to turn the TV down.

Yes the craft side of the meeting appealed to everyone. I chose not to do it as I wanted to be able to watch them all.

Rosalind had photos on her lap top of how it is at home (Ontario. The snow is so deep and crisp and white, so pretty but it stays like that until late spring now


<3 <3 <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEL <3 <3 <3

Thank you for the email Mel. There is a spring after all. lovely flowers.

Your audiology man sounds really helpful AnnG. It makes such a difference when you get an appointment with someone like that. I’m pleased you have new aids and got there and back without getting wet. Your U3A meeting sounds as though it was really interesting. I would have enjoyed that even though I have 2 left hands when it comes to arts and crafts. What a kerfuffle over your other hospital appointment. It looks as though no-one has bothered to make a note on the appointment system that you can’t get to Tewkesbury. Front line staff are usually good and I think in an emergency the NHS are wonderful but the day to day administration that keeps everything running seems to have gone completely to pot.

That was good of your hairdressers to credit you with your gift card amount Annx. I think some places would have said you had to use it this month or lose it. It’s good that OH’s eye is a little less red now. Having to do the drops every 2 hours must restrict him a bit. Can I come to lunch please? Salmon with asparagus and other veg would suit me down to the ground.

Mel, I am glad your appointment went well and I am sure an inhaler will make things easier for you.

At the moment I feel I am running on the spot and getting nowhere fast. With all the different appointments and things happening and no car at the moment it’s a bit of a nightmare trying to fit everything in. I’ve just managed to book a delivery from Sainsbury’s for tomorrow afternoon, Monday afternoon there’s a club meeting that I particularly want to go to and Tuesday there is a birthday lunch with a friend and everyone back to my house after for desserts, cakes and tea/coffee.

As our birthdays are only 6 days apart this lady and I always shared our birthday lunch between our two dates but that idea seemed to fall to bits a couple of years ago. When J booked her lunch for Tuesday I told her I wouldn’t do a separate one a few days later as it would all be the same people and they would have to give up two days and pay for two meals within a week. Instead I said as I had more space than her I would have our friends back here and would provide some dessert and cakes. She agreed and has asked me to do a trifle. I did intend to make everything but I have now put cakes on my order for delivery tomorrow. I hope they have a long best before date or can go in the freezer till Tuesday. I will get a trifle made even if I am doing it at midnight the day before and I have a home made cheesecake in the freezer and plenty of cheese and crackers for anyone who doesn’t want sweet stuff. I don’t think there will be many of us here but it is a birthday “do” so I can’t just give them a cuppa with a biscuit.

This morning OH got a phone call from the Volvo workshop to say the car was finished and they had test driven it and all is fine. The chap that rang said he would email us the invoice and once we had paid the car would be ready to come back. We asked for account details to send the money by bank transfer as being the quickest way. His email duly arrived and I got it paid around lunch time. He then tried to rustle up a couple of drivers to bring the car back but his drivers were all in different places so he told us to ring Volvo Assist, our breakdown cover, and they would organize a taxi to pick us up and drive us to the workshop. So OH rang them and guess what……..they told him again that his cover had expired. They couldn’t tell him when or why it had expired and we haven’t been charged for the recovery vehicle they organized to take the car to the workshop. So, OH got back on the phone to the man who had told us to ring Volvo Assist. He couldn’t understand it at all but said he would look into it and in the meantime book ourselves a taxi and we will be reimbursed the cost when we arrive. By then time was getting on and OH said that by the time we had found a taxi that was free immediately and he had driven us the 12 or so miles to where the car is, it would be too dark for him to drive back. So the upshot is that a local taxi man that we have used several times before is picking us up at 9 am on Monday. I don’t really need to go with OH and I can’t really afford the time but, though it sounds silly, I don’t really like him going any distance in the car on his own, though he is a perfectly good driver. At our age you never know and I’d rather be with him than sitting at home worrying. Stupid, aren’t I.

Well, I have a couple of phone calls to make so I had better get on. Have a good evening and sleep well tonight everyone.

JUST SENT YOU ALL AN EMAIL Now how did I do that????

I meant to say we did'nt have to wait long at all to see all these apartments today. Had just sat down when Alex came out and called me in a nice jolly young man who joked with us. I dropped the nose clamp on the floor as it was plastic and shot out of my hand when I went to put it on my nose so he threw that one away and gave me a fresh one which I brought home with me. It was also he who weighed me and measured me and then we sat back down in the waiting room for a min or two and I was called again by a very nice clear speaking indian doctor who was very clear in what I have to do and its him who will write to my doctor.

Back we stopped at Tescos on the way home. I had my blood pressure taken, weighed, measured and I have only lost half an inch I am 5' 2" now. Had to blow in a pipe loads of times an see the consultant who is going to write to my doctor and give me an inhaler which I have to go to the nurse at the surgery who will show me the right way to use it. He said so many people don't use them right.

I actually got Em to take some money for diesel today I gave her £30. Not sure if she realized what I had given her. The parking was 3.20 and I paid the 20p. She would'nt let me pay it all. I got some broccoli and acue in tesco so I am having lasagne and broccxoli tonight for dinner followed by an orange or tinned fruit.

I am now going to read your posts and then get a drink. I bought an egg and cress sandwich in the hospital as we left as I had'nt had any lunch.

The U3A meeting and printing of the dried flowers sounded interesting AnnG and I see you had a good result with the audiologist who seemed very on the ball and really helpful. It sounds like it will be quite an improvement in your hearing for you.

Despite the longwinded travel by bus Vera it was good your OH's test results were as good as could be expected and that no treatment is necessary. Did the garage give you any idea how long it would take to fix the car?

After more heavy rain it seems to have stopped again so I'd better see if OH wants a COT with his next eyedrop!

Afternoon All,

I was up at 7.30 am to the sound of rain, but at least it had almost stopped by the time I popped out to the retail park. It's a palaver particularly in the mornings now with our tablet regimes and now the added 2 different eyedrops, one 2 hourly. OH's eye is less red already though, so I don't think he will be on them a long time this time.

I hope you don't get too wet going for your appointment AnnG and that they sort your aids so you can hear better again.

I hope you don't have to wait long at the hospital Mel.

I just had a panic as I found a gift card for my hair for £60 in my purse and it expires at the end of this month. I forgot to use it for my January appointment and it would expire before my next appointment. The trouble is this last time it was one printed on a sheet of paper and not an actual card. Anyway I thought I'd ring them and see if they could suggest anything, otherwise I thought I would add a week or two between a few future appointments to claw the money back. It was an awful phone line despite them ringing me back they sounded more like a clucking hen at their end. Anyway she took the card number and checked my account and then said she'd just added it as a credit so I can still use it next time. I thought that was good service for a regular customer.

Better check lunch now, Fresh salmon with asparagus, mash, carrots, green beans and a bit of cabbage with hollandaise sauce mix made with skimmed milk.

Just back from audiology, It was pouring with rain when I left but eased up a bit as I walked to the main road for the bus and had stopped when I got off the bus so the walk in to the hospital was dry. I was early because of trying to get round the heavy showers but plenty of chairs to sit on while waiting. And a couple of shops to browse.
Anyway, had a very nice man dealing with me today, very knowledgeable, Italian with perfect English (Enrico), in his 30s I would guess. He tested me and said that actually my hearing was not a lot worse than the last test. Then he tested my aids and immediately said 'I am going to replace both'. And (I have not seen this done before on the spot). He actually put together two new hearing aids. And asked me if I wanted synced volume control which I had always had until November, and he also asked if I wanted the loop, which I was not asked last time either. He showed me how to access the loop etc and then printed off directions on everything he had told me. He was really nice, patient and with a sense of humour. And coming home it was dry walking from the hospital to the bus station, rained while on the bus but had stopped when I got off so no wet clothes at all and I didn't need to use the umbrella.

Morning all,

Raining here to and it should last all day.

Anng hope your not hanging about to long in wet clothes and they can get your hearing aid working again or they might decide you need some new ones .

Mel hope you get on OK today with your appointment .

Vera thats good the hospital were happy with your OH but what a long time you had to be there because of the bus timetable at least you had somewhere in the warm to wait .
Ann hope the drops are helping OH's eyes and your foot is easier for walking now .