General Chat

I had the postman today and he took some cards I had'nt posted and brought me a card and two parcels. One was'nt supposed to come until Dec 28th but it is only for my dolls house so I was willing to wait until then and then it came today!! with another one that is much too big for the dolls house, it was supposed to be an ivy garland but the leaves are huge nearly as big as a 5p. Thats two I have bought from the smae place but I ordered them on the same day so could'nt cancel the second one.

Mandy you be careful when you go out we don't need you falling again and be put back to square one. Thanks for the info about Shakespear and Hatherway as I hav'nt looked at the telly programs this week.

I hav'nt wrapped any presents yet. I have some for Di and I am doing a Christmas Eve box for Em and family. I think the boys are a bit big for stockings now and I don't know what to buy them so they will have money. There are a couple of silly things for them though. Something to make them giggle.

It is a tropical minus 2 now and the sun is lovely. I keep looking out at my climbing rose as the snow has brought it right down, I want to get out and see if it is just the snow or has it broken a branch but I will wait a bit, it won't be too slippery there as it is by the snow on the lawn but I will see later. No post here so far. I think the postman will be hesitant to walk down our road and I wouldn't blame him.

Morning everyone,

Minus 3 here with blue sky and sunshine temperatures should rise over the weekend so I'll get out to shop then I can't risk going out with my wrists ,if I go down to the shed I put my splints on .

Mel before I forget there a new Shakespeare and Hathoway on today after Doctors .

Anng hopefully the temps will be up a bit at the weekend so you can get your cards out.

Vera I hope you've taken your scarf to the hairdressers you'll feel chilly round the neck when you come out .

I have wrapped most of the presents now just a few more to get and wrap ,postman just been with some rat bait we ordered a week or more ago so they are working today

Better get some jobs done now the shower needs a clean and the washing machine is now spinning so the washing will need hanging on the airer.

Just have my coffee then I'll get on .

Good morning

I’m off to the hairdressers shortly for an 11 am appointment. OH has things to do in town so he will drop me off. Like you AnnG our Close is still lethal and we have to be careful just walking from the house to the garage but it’s not too bad on the other roads.

I’ve done a couple of odd jobs and have just been outside to de-ice the bird bath. When I get back from the hairdressers I need to sort out an order for Tesco as I’ve got a delivery on Monday.

Time’s getting on. I’d better get my coat and shoes on. Have a good day everyone and stay warm.

Even oh's big pond has ice on it this morning.

Good morning all. It was minus 5 when I got up but it has gone down now to minus 8. going in the wrong direction. Still ice and frozen snow in our little road, so lethal for us who live here stuck in while others on busier roads can get out and about. I can't even get out to put cards in neighbours doors and of course they are all the same. Only had a couple of cards lately from younger ones in the close.

Nothing pressing to do today so I will have to think about what I am going to do. slep quite well so that is one good thing. Hope everyone can keep warm and stay in if you don't have to go out.

Morning all,

Another sunny morning I think its heading that way at the moment anyway. Clear sky and -6 degrees here and pc says sunny.

Must get this wreath done today for Phyllis up the road and try and do some flowers for mum and oh.

What are you all up to today.

Its -5 here now. Its been a beautiful sunny day but o so cold. I went up the garden and picked some yellow conifer, rose hips, and ivy flower heads or seed heads and a few ivy leaves to put around the flowers. Also picked the holly berries I had covered up with plastic bags. The birds ate the rest. Did a wash today but it did'nt dry so now its on the airer in the hall by the rad.

I have done a load of washing and made some more mixed vegetable soup (clearing old veg from the fridge). And then topped up the bird feeders. They have eaten a full half coconut since Monday. Now catching up with emails and then maybe make some cards.

enjoy your chat Vera.

Only -1 but sunny and blue sky at the moment so it looks more cheerful. We put the little prelit tree up on the low table under the window and I managed to find some small lightweight decorations for it and a small star for the top. It doesn’t look bad but I do miss the big, bushy real tree we usually have. OH tried decorating the window with the lights that normally go on the tree but we didn’t like it and I suggested we could maybe bunch them up somewhere in the room. When I came back in he had somehow bunched and draped them down the stem of a standard lamp. They are a warm, golden colour and the lampshade is a deep gold and it looks surprisingly good. Brownie points for OH.

Just had a phone call asking us round to our friends for a cuppa this afternoon. Normally we walk, 10-15 minutes, but it’s still so slippery we’ll probably go by car.

OH has just arrived with a lunchtime sandwich so I’d better get eating.

Probably a good idea to not put a tree up this year, you have made an effort and got some bits around, just do what you are comfortable with. It is your first Christmas on your own and I do know how that feels, Just relax, eat what you enjoy and let it pass by. I am sure, also that making the wreath for your OH's grave will evoke many memories. <3

Iv'e got 4 magpies and two black birds (crows?) and the buzzard up by the top arch. The buzzard is sitting on the fence looking into the top garden and the magpies and black birds are in the tree above waiting for rabbits I think. I have taken some pics.

Morning Anng and all,

I slept really well too and got up at 9.20am !! Its sunny and bright here too this morning with a clear blue sky and its -2 degrees. Everywhere is covered in frost and the deer is in the orchard eating apples with the blackbirds.

I have a wreath to make this week for a lady who has had one from me for years now and I also have to do the flowers for mums grave and oh's.

Still not put the tree up and I don't think I will this year but I have my ceilig lights on and my card strings and other bits and bobs. If the weather clears up and the frost goes I may have a trip to Bideford and have a wander around Morrisons later and may get a chicken crown. I have a nice big piece of gammon too so I won't go hungry.

Good morning all, had a really good sleep of about 8 hours last night. And getting a bit excited here as there is pale blue sky instead of solid grey and some sunshine :-) :-)

BUT the temperature here at the moment is -11 degrees yes you read that right minus eleven degrees. Apparently it went down to -12 overnight.

Not doing anything today so might do a bit of card making, the birthday card box is getting low.

Pleased you got home safely in the end Vera but do be careful.

BIL came today very unexpectedly and brought me £18 worth of diesel and put it in the car for me. He did'nt come in as he was full of cold and I did'nt have my hug either. I think he is now coming next week.

Good that you may have sold the laser cutter Mel.

That lunch sounded good AnnG. What a shame you needed blankets to keep you warm

More snow Mandy! That’s just what you don’t want. Our Close is like a skating rink still as the little bit that did thaw has frozen over again. You are lucky to be getting post. I think Royal Mail are on strike today and tomorrow and they seem to be concentrating on parcels rather than letter post anyway.

Once we got out of our Close and the next bit of road our journey to Southend was fine and took the usual hour and a half. We decided to start for home earlier than we usually do when we go there in case everything iced over again and we wanted to avoid the rush hour. Well, there was so much heavy traffic and everything moving slowly that it took us just over 2 hours. Never mind, we got back safely.

Evening all,

Brr another cold day ,I gingerly walked down the front path to see what the road was like round the car but it was like a sheet of glass where it had thawed yesterday and froze again over night so I gingerly walked back up and we left it until about one o'clock when there was a good thaw ,didn't have to scrape the car as it had all melted so off we went to Tesco I had read that it took some people near.y an hour to get off the car park yesterday but we sailed in but when we came out it was another matter ,it didn't help that there was traffic lights for road works further down the road and by then we had snow !! It was great big flakes coming down .
I suppose it took about twenty minutes to get off the car park and then we got held up by the road works but we got home safe and sound .

Oh Mel thats good you've sold the Lazer cutter ,how are the girls doing in the cold weather I bet they keep in ,do you get as many eggs when it's cold does it put them off laying .

Ann thank you for your Christmas card ,we seem to have been getting our post most
days ,some yesterday and again today.

Anng that sounded a very tasty lunch you had and the others too I could just eat some of that pudding :-D
Shame you got seated near the window though where it was so cold .

We had hair cuts yesterday and mine was blown dry and looked good when I went out today but coming out of Tesco's I hot covered in snow and now its all flat to my head :-(

Well, good that it is sold anyway.

Back from lunch now and trying to warm up. It was freezing in the restaurant, it is an old pub and hard to heat, a couple of us were in the window and it was really cold but they did give us a couple of blankets which helped. And the car park was a sheet of ice.

The meal was lovely. I had slow roasted pork belly, pancetta and savoy cabbage, roast potatoes, port soaked raisins and mustard reduction followed by Warm treacle sponge pudding with clotted cream. This was all delicious, beautifully cooked and presented. And so much of it. The sponge was a thick slice and the top was covered in syrup that had sort of gone a bit like toffee and served with a biscuit type crunch, cranberries and a slice of peeled orange and we think there was orange in the sponge, it was lovely. Everyone else's looked nice too, four had turkey and one had venison cottage pie with rosemary and stilton crust and red cabbage. Two had starters instead of sweets They both had double baked Worcester Hop cheese souffle with cream and nutmeg. That looked good too. (2 courses £25, 3 courses £33) This was the Christmas menu

I may have just sold the laser cutter but he wants it after Christmas.

still minus three here mel, there was a glimmer of sun that lasted all of five minutes.