General Chat

Aftenoon All,

I hope your back is ok with the car ride Vera and that it doesn't stop you enjoying your break.

That's quite a job your BIL is doing Mel and I hope your neighbour can fix the mower.

That was annoying about the tap AnnG. Pity it couldn't have been watering the garden! We are as dry as a bone here again so I hope we get more rain soon......it seems to keep missing us.

Partying Mandy! lol. I got a stiff back just from sitting. :-D :-D

Been quite busy what with eating out a couple of days and running errands. It was good to see Fitz and I thought I'd be late as I got stuck on a narrow lane behind a funeral procession, then I couldn't get by a tractor cutting a hedge, then roadworks and a traffic bottleneck in another place. It was about 22 miles away but I still arrived first, which was good, so waited on one of their sofas that had a view of the door! He'd booked a table overlooking the garden which was nice and shady in places. We had a drink outside after our meal so I had a wander around the garden. He said the Rose family are all ok, James works mostly from home I think. He told me that the car his son has can be reversed out of a narrow space without being in it! How marvellous is that when someone parks too close to you! We were there eating and chatting outside for 4 hours and didn't realise all but one of the staff had gone home!! They were very obliging though and not fussed. I had heritage tomatoes for a starter which were very nice and Fitz had a prawn dish but was not so taken with the fact the prawns still had their legs! He had beef medallions for his main course and I had a chorizo gnochi with chicken that was quite, well very, filling. I finished with a raspberry souffle with icecream and he had Eton Mess. I could only see 2 other tables with people dining so it was nice and quiet. I was telling him OH is sorting through his books and he told me he has about 10,000! I told him I wouldn't mention that to OH or he'd be thinking he hadn't got enough yet! It was the first time I'd driven out of the county since before the pandemic so it did me good.

It's quite noisy here today and will be tomorrow as it is the 2 day air show and re-enactment in the next village. It's at the farm where we used to buy our Christmas turkeys. When I drove to the shop this morning, all past where I lived as a teenager for about half a mile they have coned the roadsides off so people can't park and have a free watch. Just 3 houses past where I lived is a long farm drive where a former council chairman lives (the one who chose my photo for his Christmas Card a few years ago). His long garden goes down to the field with the runway for the planes that fly in to the event. They must have fantastic views from there. Most years people climb high up to look from the quarry and I would if I could still get up there.

Yesterday we went to the carvery near the factory shop and used our 30% off voucher so that was good. Again only a few people trickling in as we left. I have made a handy discovery in the same area. Someone has set up a place to bring any craft materials you no longer want eg something you have tried but decided it's not for you. Anyone can take away anything they want to use or to try free of charge and needn't bring something to give if they haven't anything at the time. I think it's a great idea and I've already spotted some watercolour pencils. :-)

Remember I switched my bank to a convenient one not far away last year............well they are closing the branch now. :-S

Morning all,

Really muggy here but it's now clouded over with a nice bit of a breeze .

Oh she'll love looking at the chickens and the fish Mel ,have you got any bubbles that would keep her amused ,I've used fairy liquid and a little bit of wire twisted round when the children were younger .

Your right Ann it doesn't take long to get to forty pound now with your shopping ,prices were going up by just a few pence now its twenty or thirty pence a time .

Safe journey Vera ,enjoy your time away and I hope your back is easier .

I don't think Ann's been on for a couple of days so I hope they are both ok.

We've been to sons this morning to see some little kittens that dil is looking after while her friend has a few days away ,they are only two or three weeks old and the mother cat didn't want to feed them so they are being hand fed several times a day .
There was six but they lost two there is one ginger and white, one grey and white and two black and browny colour .

She 2 years old Anng but SIL says she's no trouble whatever that means.

Pc now says rain coming which is'nt good if BIL wants to try and mend the mower he broke.

Safe journey Vera and hope you have a lkovely break and the back dos'nt hold you back from doing things you want to do.

Good morning Mel and all 12 degrees here, PC says 15 and sunny. Well it is clear so dry and bright not sunny yet though.
Your BiL is being a good help Mel which is good. Be nice for you to see a young one around the house If he or she is very young they will love the chickens.

Mandy in answer to your question, if the order is less than £40 we have to pay £4 delivery charge. I bet it won't be long before that goes up to £50 as it is fairly easy to hit 40 now everything has gone up.

Vera Safe journey wherever you are going and I hope your back doesn't spoil this break, have a lovely time.

Ann, hope you are ok you were absent yesterday.

Island, has the frog taken up permanent residence do you think?

Morning all,

Looks extremly wet out thereso it must have rained inthe night.

BIL is coming again today with wife and a sort of grandchild. She is two.

Pc says 16 and mostly cloudy and the local one says 18 and a cloud with rain drops on.

The interesting meal sounds nice and tasty Vera

Ahh now I know where your off too your going to be bopping away at the Sun Down Festival on the Norfolk Show Ground .lol :-D

The meal was nothing special but OK. I had taken a couple of chicken breasts from the freezer this morning so I cubed that and gently fried the cubes till I was sure they were cooked through. I had a few baby potatoes so cut them even smaller and boiled them and then in one pan cooked all the oddments of veg - a large carrot, half a leek, some cauliflower florets and a chunk of white cabbage shredded up. I mixed it all together and poured a shop bought sauce over the lot. It actually tasted better than it sounds.

I'm going to try for an early night tonight as my back is quite sore at the moment and I'm feeling tired. I need to be fit so that I can bop the night away at all the clubs and raves OH will be taking me to. Yeah, right....

Evening all,

Its been a lovely hot day here we've been sitting out relaxing after having the girls here ,they kept themselves busy as I bought some chalk which I made sure would wash off before they used it and they were happy chalking patterns on tge slabs and they played Hop Scotch.
They go back to school on Tuesday here and we're having them again on Monday as son and dil have a training day at school.
I took them into The Works and Katie spotted a knitting book another one with Animals in but these are a bit smaller than the ones in the last book and they have clothes in the book so you can dress them ,there's thirteen different animals to knit its really only the faces that determines which animal it is as the body and arms and legs are all lanky .

Let's hope your bil can get the mower going again Mel you have a lot of grass to cut on your property.

Oh Anng I've gone in the bathroom and found the tap running too ,so annoying .
Good job you checked your Tesco order ,do you have to pay extra if its under forty pound .

Vera you've got me wondering what's going in your interesting meal lol
Safe journey tomorrow and I hope your back behaves while your away ,have a lovely relaxing time .

Where's Ann ? I wonder if she's still partying with Fitz .

I'd love to know what you have in the end Vera. An "interesting" meal made me laugh.

Warm and sunny with a bit of a breeze today. I’ve only put my nose out of the door as walking far or gardening is a no-no at the moment but my back is improving so I’m hopeful of getting around a bit more next week.

I’m all packed, apart from a couple of last minute bits and pieces and I’m showered and hair washed. I‘ve just got to water some indoor plants and move them to a shady area so they don’t dry out too quickly. We won’t leave very early in the morning so I can take my time and haven’t got to rush around first thing.

Island I haven’t tried bamboo textiles myself but I’ve heard good reports of them. They are supposed to be soft and comfortable but I think the jury’s still out on the cost of energy and water needed to turn raw bamboo into a textile and also the possible harm to the environment and human health from chemicals often used in the process.

That’s good that your bil is cutting your grass again Mel. Will he be able to continue doing it for you? You have so much land that it must be nearly a full time job.

I’d better go and see what oddments of veg are lurking in the fridge. If I don’t use these bits and pieces up tonight they will have to be binned and I’m a bit neurotic about throwing food away. I just hate the waste. So OH might get another “interesting” meal tonight ;-)

BIL mowed most of the garden inside and outside the wall but the mower conked out so our neighbo9ur got his tractor and towed the mower back down here by the garage workshop and he may come back tomorrow and see if he can repair it.

Its been a lovely warm comfortable day and I had just brought a plastic box out of the garage to wah out and came in to get my gloves and it started raining heavily so now I am stuck in here when I want to be out in the garden gardening.

BIL is here mowing the grass again.

You really have to check your Tesco orders now. Just went in to add something and realised that my order was showing less than £40 (which it was not before). Checked through the list and two items had been removed and no mention of them doing that either. taken it back up over £40 now but will have to check again On Saturday.

Thats nice its surprising what a bit of paint will do.

yes I know Mel, my thoughts exactly I shall develop OCD, I usually do go back and check the bathroom taps, ever since 1994 when I flooded the bathroom. Luckily I rarely put the stopper in the sink in the cloakroom.

Andy is busy painting, already my black Wrought iron table looks like new.

Morning Anng and all,

We have a bright sunny morning here but pc says mostly cloudy and 16 degrees, the one for where I live says 18 degrees and cloudy with rain.

Went to bed at 11.38 and was up for the loo while it ws still dark and then woke again and got up at 8.24am. I must have needed that sleep.

Silly girl with the tap you must be more careful in future and go back and check like I have to sometimes.

Good morning all, dry although rain overnight. 15 degrees and very grey. Up early as usually Andy gets here early. One of the joys of living alone. I went into the cloakroom just now and the hot tap had not been turned fully off so had been trickling hot water for at least 24 hours. that is the second time I have done that. So that is water and energy wasted, very annoying but only me to blame.

Well I managed to muck up the asda order today. I was trying to change it to my name and mobile number but it kept coming up for the 13th instead of the 6th. I rang a friend and he came over and sorted it out for me so now I have my own account and the right date of the 6th.

By the time he went I had'nt had anything to eat for lunch and only a rice crispy bar thing in the morning with my tea so I was just about to get something at 3.20pm when the phone rang and it was Aunty Joy so of course talked for another half an hour or so. Finerly got a sandwich at about 4pm and took my pills.

Been out in the garden and got the brimble out of my pond and cut down a few dock fed the chickens their corn and thats about it for today so far. The friend went home in oh's leather coat and he looked good in it and he was very pleased at least I knw he will appreciate it as he works outside with his horses.

Now whats for dinner tonight? can't be bothered to cook much now so I think it will be egg furters and beans.

I did not realise that I only posted once yesterday for some reason I have had to push myself to do things since getting back from Portsmouth, always extra washing to do with being away and then having an extra bed to change and bedding to wash. Yesterday I was out until 1pm with my friend we went to a garden centre and I bought another couple of Sedums and some pansies being sold off 6 for £1. Today I have potted up the sedums that makes five I have now, they do look attractive in pots on the gravel.
Yesterday also my friend took me down to the surgery to make my annual blood test appointment. There was only one date before October available and that is a date that neither Cynth nor my other friend can take me so, either I will be on the bus with a long wait or I will have to try and find somebody else.

Hope lunch went ok Ann.

Vera slowly does it with the packing then. You mention towels, they are bulky to pack. Fortunately both the self catering house we went to in Dorset and the one we are going to in Cornwall supplied towels.

Gwyn It tool quite a while for me to focus my eyes on the castle because it blended in so well with its surroundings.

Mel, you will have days when you simply drift and do nothing, then you will have days when you are energised and get lots done so go with the flow.

Island. I remember seeing Bendy buses somewhere but I think it was Germany somewhere many years ago. And somewhere I have been on a 'double' bus but I can't think where.

Good day everyone

It’s a bright, sunny day and about 22 degrees but there’s a stiff breeze from the north east so a bit of a nip in the air. I had a good night but as soon as I was up at 7.30 I started yawning again and haven’t stopped since. I feel so tired. I think the back pain is pulling me down and reading, writing, computer work is tiring because of the problem with my eyes. I hope I get an appointment soon.

I’ve been trying to get some bits ready for our week away. We are self catering and I refuse to spend a holiday shopping and cooking so I try to take all the basics with me plus enough stuff for our breakfasts and for our dinner on the day we arrive. So I have got that ready though some will stay in the fridge till we’re about to go. I’ve also sorted out our washing gear and toiletries, towels and various sundries. Our tomatoes which didn’t seem to be doing anything suddenly all ripened at once. I haven’t got the time or energy to turn them into sauces but I have frozen 2 bagfuls that can be put into bolognese or into stir fries. So a fairly productive morning but I am now resting again.

Yesterday seemed to be family catch up time. Son rang and we chatted for an hour and he gave me all the news of his family, then one of his girls texted and we had a long text “conversation”, then my daughter rang and that was another long chat. Mel, my daughter is at a secondary school. She’s in school today running some staff training sessions but there are no pupils, tomorrow the sixth form and the new year 7 pupils go in, then the rest of the school start back on Monday.

How did the lunch with Fitz go Ann?

Island, the London bendy buses were withdrawn. I believe they were found to be too cumbersome for London’s narrow streets and there was too much fare dodging.

I hope AnnG is OK. She usually posts first thing in the morning and sometimes during the day as well but we haven’t seen her since yesterday’s early post. Hopefully she is just busy.

Better get off the bed and think about some lunch I suppose. Not sure what it will be. Today and tomorrow are days for using up oddments in the fridge.

EDIT. You all popped in while I was typing and talking to OH. Glad to see you are OK AnnG