General Chat

Morning All,

It's only 10 degrees here and dull and has rained a lot during the night. I do hope it stays fine for you Mel.

We enjoyed the Jubilee event on tv last night, but I can't understand why Diana Ross wore a billowing, full length dress when she needed help walking on. My heart was in my mouth when she went down the steps during her performance in case she missed the edge of a step or stood on the hem. We couldn't hear most of her singing due to all the fireworks going off in one of the gardens near us and it was mostly her that I wanted to watch.

I did say it was a small wasp's nest! It was about the size of a golf ball and I think OH thought it was an old one from last year, so didn't really expect there to be any wasps inside it. He wore his leather gloves just in case, which was a good job! Yes it was me that had a bad experience with wasps Vera. I knocked one off my wrist walking up a lane to the car after visiting an open garden. Next thing I was covered in them, stinging me even through denim jeans and saw a swarm in the ditch nearby. The car was a quarter of a mile up this lane and some followed me all the way there. I couldn't run so OH had to knock them off me as best he could with his closed brolly. It scared me stiff as bites and stings always become huge on me and we were miles from anywhere. We called at our surgery on the way home and were seen by a nurse who was a bit dismissive even though wasps were flying out of my clothes in her room. As I expected, I needed to see a doctor after the weekend and she was quite shocked at my 21 stings, was feeling the heat in my arms and worried about sepsis! I had already been taking antihistamines straightaway but I had to double them and have antibiotics. A couple of years later at hospital when saying about my reaction to stings, a doctor said it was an allergic reaction, so I am very careful now and use Deet if visiting open gardens. My mother was the same with insect bites and would get red weals the size of saucers.

Oh vera what a silly driver! That was a costly mistake he made. I presume the fuel would be diesel so not as dangerous as a petrol lake which could explode if ignited. As we used to say at work, 'heads will roll!'.

Lunch is here........BBL.

Morning all. Grey and breezy here and it doesn’t feel very warm. It will be ok as long a the rain holds off. BBL

Morning all,

Its cloudy and I think its going to stay that way all day. Its 12 degrees and I have had an email to say they have set up in the village hall. Its still a bit breezey out there too.

Gosh that could have been nasty with the wasps nest Ann. Vera was right it was you that had all those wasp stings a few years ago. The little nest was probably a wren as they love sheds. Also I think the male wren makes about three nest in different places and the female chooses the one she wants to nest in. The nest are usually moss.

Sounds like you hada nice time on your walk Anng.

And we finished the evening by watching a spectacular firework display from our windows. The fireworks were from the end of the pier.

Ooh that could have been nasty with the wasps, glad he was ok.
Era you couldn’t make it up. I bet that driver will be in trouble

Because it is Jubilee etc we decided to stay around west Bay today and not move the car. So. In law decided he would ,let daughter and I go down. On our own And he would come and find us later. So we walked down and had a coffee before walking around the harbour. We then visited the heritage centre and learnt a lot about west bay that T and I never knew. This centre was not open when we used to visit. SiL eventually joined us so we walked around a bit more before buying pasties from the Cornish pasty shop. These we took to a spot by the beach from where we could listen to a very talented young lady who played Irish jigs and also sung country and Western type songs. We spent a lovely hour there. The weather was mixed today, very breezy mostly cloudy but some sun and the sun is out now. We think it rained over night
We walked. Back up the quite steep road stopping for ten minutes to get our breath sitting people watching. Back then for a cup of tea in The garden.
One thing we have had to contend with today is a little shrew that got indoors somehow
Goodness knows if he is in or out at the moment, could be anywhere.

Gosh your OH was lucky not to get stung when he pulled a wasp nest down Ann. They wouldn’t have been happy and an angry wasp is very likely to sting. Didn’t you have an unpleasant experience with wasps a couple of years ago or am I muddling you up with someone else? I didn’t think the home baking rule came from the EU but I may be wrong. I thought it was introduced here for groups like the WI who were selling members cakes, jams etc to the general public from market stalls all over the country but had no control over the conditions in which the goods were produced. There was a bit of an outcry so they eased up on the rules for things like school fetes. After all people attending know the baking has been done in ordinary household kitchens and can make their own decisions about whether to take a chance on the cleanliness of the baker. As it happens I think my kitchen would pass muster and I do have a hygiene certificate (from years ago so might not be valid now). I also put a list of ingredients with the cakes I baked so people knew what they were eating.

My delivery arrived just after 11.30 so we went down to the field after that and the numbers had built up quite a bit. There were several people with picnics. The idea was that they would picnic in the middle of the field with the stalls and attractions round the edge, but in fact they all went over to one side out of the wind. The Ladies Group doing tea and cakes inside the hall were doing a good trade with people queuing. We popped in for a cup of tea although we could be home in 2 minutes, but we hadn’t spent any money and I felt we should show a bit of support.

We had one moment of excitement. When we arrived there was a fire engine there and the firemen were dressing children in fireman’s outfits for their parents to take photos and apparently they were due to do some sort of exhibition or display later on. Suddenly the clothes were whipped off the children, the blue lights and sirens came on and the fire engine went dashing off. Someone realized that it wouldn’t get under the bunting and managed to unhook it just in time as the fire engine went hurtling through. It was going so fast that it managed to hit and knock down a post at the edge of the field. The post split the fuel tank which then dumped its contents at the end of the road. So we now have an immovable, badly damaged, fire engine, several stranded firemen and a lake of fuel. What was the terrible emergency that they had to get to so quickly? A couple of miles away someone had got themselves locked in a portaloo! If they had driven quietly and carefully they would have got there in 5 minutes, but I suspect the driver was showing off because he had an audience on the field.

I have a Tesco delivery on Monday and need to get my order sorted out and by the time I have done that it’ll be time to think about dinner. Each day seems to fly by but I’d better get on. As my Mum used to say “This won’t make the baby a new bonnet”.

Afternoon All,

Slept well and it was sunny first thing but is windy and dull here now too. OH has cleared the area where the big shrub was taken out and weeded. I would have hoed and raked it, but he took me in the shed to show me where a bird had built a tiny nest at the end of one of the top shelves. We could only see a small hole about half an inch wide where it could have got in and as OH said how did the babies manage to get out of the shed. He then noticed a small wasps nest on the roof and pulled it off wearing his leather glove. Of course he hadn't thought about wasps being inside the nest and shot out of there with a few following him! I wasn't risking fetching the hoe out of the shed after so will do the hoeing tomorrow. I did plant a few things elsewhere and did a bit more weeding and started pruning a few things that were in the way of the path.

That was a nice, restful start to your holiday AnnG. I remember going to Abbotsbury and seeing the Swans years ago. Now I would be keen to look for dinosaur fossils on the jurrassic coast. I always associate icecream and F&C with the seaside. There are usually some nice icecream parlours with delicious flavoured icecream.

Well you were still in red, white and blue Vera so in the spirit of things! It sounds like you had a good time too. My word you have been busy with the garden and baking too. It was an EU rule about home baked food wasn't it, but now it's been changed. Using your pots is a good way to disguise manhole covers and fill a bare patch of soil. :-0

I hope it doesn't rain for the picnic tomorrow Mel. It would be a shame after your OH has worked so hard to get the field looking lovely for them. We are just getting a small shower here now.

Yes it is Vera. I hope its a bit better here tomorrow but if it is raining and windy like today they will set up the tables in the village hall and if theres a lot of people come in cars they will park on our grass down the side of our road.

I took a lot of pics in the garden yesterday of the flowers up the border and I'm glad I did as the rain ruins a lot of them.

Morning Mel and all

It’s the same here today Mel, grey and a bit windy. It’s not very warm either. Our fete is today 11 am to 3 pm. It’s a bring your own picnic affair but I doubt if anyone will in this weather. I think the Ladies group will do a roaring trade in hot drinks, particularly as they are inside the Community Centre on the edge of the field. I took cakes down at 9 this morning and some of the ladies were there getting set up and the hall looked great with all the tables set up and a long table of cakes of all sorts. I did check the rules online and it’s OK to bake a few bits for a school or village fete but if you are going to sell in a market or as a business from your home you have to be inspected and licensed.

I had an email at 10 am to tell me a delivery I am expecting will arrive between 10.30 and 12.30. I want to go back down to the field and now I’ve got to wait till it comes. I bet it’s late.

Just looked out of the window and there’s hardly anyone on the field yet. I hope it gets busy. It’s so disheartening for the people who put in all the hard work.

Morning all,

Grey and a bit windy here this morning and such a change from the last few days and I suppose its going to be like this tomorrow. Its such a shame when people put in so much work for an event and then the weather lets you down.

Sounds like you had a great afternoon in the end Vera and put the world to right I expect. I had'nt thought about making cakes for events and having your kitchen inspected. I know when I did the markets over 20 years ago the girl who did cakes and pies had to have her kitchen inspected.

Hope the weather is better for anng today and they find somewhere to go thats nice.

It’s been quite a nice day today – warm in the sun but with a nip in the air when the sun went and hid. At least it has stayed dry.

I’m glad you had a good journey AnnG and arrived safely. It sounds as though you have had a pleasant start to your break with being able to take your time and listen to the band. I hope the weather is kind to you while you are away and you have a really enjoyable time.

£2 a dozen sounds very reasonable for farm eggs Mandy. I paid £1.29 for half a dozen in Roy’s this week and that was for large eggs that were free-range and reasonably local. Have you had a good day with Katie and Lacey or have they exhausted you?

Are you getting used to the new car yet Ann? I’m sorry to hear you knocked your foot and set your bad knee off again. I hope it is easier now. No, I haven’t heard from granddaughter yet but I think son would have let me know if there had been any problem. She won’t want to use her phone too much because of the problem of keeping it charged. Living in a tent she doesn’t have electricity on tap, as it were. Son bought her a solar charger which should help.

I hope it doesn’t rain down your way on Sunday Mel. It would be such a shame if the picnickers have to go to the village hall after all your OH’s efforts to get the field mown and looking nice. The pot you planted up sounds pretty and colourful.

Well, the last couple of days have flown by. I can’t even remember what I did yesterday morning except that I was busy till lunchtime. Then it was a quick shower and next door at 3 o’clock for their afternoon tea. I chickened out of my very bright red, white and blue outfit but wore a more subdued version of trousers in a more muted shade of blue, a white blouse and a slightly darker red cardi. We had a lovely afternoon. We were all there by 3 and stayed till 6.30 pm. I think we might all have stayed longer but by then the garden was in shade and the wind had got up so it was getting a bit cold.

In the evening I had just sat in front of the television to watch the beacon lighting programme when a friend rang and was on the phone for over an hour. I haven’t seen any of the Jubilee programmes yet, apart from a little bit of the Trooping of the Colour which I watched on iPlayer this afternoon.

This morning we both set to getting all our plants into the garden or pots. Yes, Ann, we did go back for the pink Argyranthemum and bought 3, but then we went to our local garden centre and saw some other pink ones that I liked better, same plant but different variety. I ended up buying 3 of those as well. I’ve put one in a pot by the front door, where I have a couple of other pots. OH has planted the other 5 in a bare patch in the garden. A couple of nice dark pink antirrhinums have gone in the garden too and most of the other stuff has been planted in pots but the pots are on the garden. 3 of the smaller pots nicely cover a big manhole cover which, would you believe, is in the middle of the main bed and there are 3 big pots on a patch of bare earth where winter plants have died down.

I was tired and achy after bending so much and moving heavy pots around but after lunch I did a couple of household jobs and then made a batch of blueberry muffins as our Ladies Club are doing tea and cakes at our village fete tomorrow. I’m not helping on the day so thought I’d better cook something for them. I thought at one time that you weren’t allowed to sell food made in your own home unless your kitchen and washing facilities had been inspected and certified by Environmental Health but we were assured some while ago that it is OK. I might ask again when I take the cakes down in the morning just to be on the safe side.

I am feeling shattered now so I think I will get a drink and sit down with the paper and the crossword for a little while. I hope you all sleep well tonight.

Glad your there safe and sound and the traffic was'nt too bad. Makes a long journey nicer when you can stop off somewhere to give yourselves a break.

I have washed out one of my big brannan pottery pots and planted it up with one of those nice geraniums three buzy liz and some mixed coloured lob. Looks nice even though I say it myself. I have another one I want to wash out and plants so thats a job for another day.

Its been a lovely sunny day and I went up the top on the mower to see how oh had mown the lawns for Sunday. It looks realy lovely but I think it is going to rain on Sunday which is a shame.

Been making some moulds over the last couple of days too so I can make some more things for Brew Cottage and the potting shed.

Hi

Good journey down traffic was quite light we stopped at Bridgewater for coffee and loo and then drove on to Barrington Court where we spent two hours looking at the gardens and listening to a military band on the lawn The Wessex Brigade band I think. All very colourful and very English.

We then drove on to Burton Bradstock where Tony and I used to stay getting there about 2.45, warm and sunny and beach crowded. Had a. icecream and sat in the sun then drove to our accommodation, which is very nice, got here at 4pm.

Love Ann xx

Yes we would always meet up every year in the spring for a meal together. He suggests we do that again somewhere local if we don't get to Luton Hoo. I need to look through my wardrobe as you can't go to Luton Hoo in any old thing can you. Fitz tried to pour a second glass of wine last time and the waitress scurried over to take the bottle from him as they do all the serving!!

Lunch was very nice and healthy, fish with lots of veg, then we had not so healthy sticky toffee pudding and custard (the sticky toffee pud was a substitute by Asda). As there was custard left over, I have done a simple trifle with jelly and fruit and the custard can go over the top when the jelly is set. I must have some sort of cream or carnation in the cupboards to have with it. :-)

I hope AnnG is there now and hasn't got held up with much traffic.

All I've done up to now is lunch and I don't feel like doing anything much so will get on with the food order I think. I'm starting to use up some of the 'stores' we kept during the worst of the pandemic, as it will be good to get some of the space back again. We did pull a few more weeds and did some watering of the pots. Little and often seems to be the way.

Is it really 12 years since you last went to Luton Hoo. You have been since then though to see Jane and Fitz? Its nice to know whats going on with the family and what about James? Will he stay with Chris?

Morning all

Bright and sunny here this morning for a change. No, Mel, you didn't see me yesterday and this is just a fleeting visit today. I'm fine but just having a busy time. I'll try and do a proper post later today.

Safe journey AnnG

Morning All,

Dull and 13 degrees this morning. I slept really well but the worst knee is achey after me catching my foot on something last night, so no walk today. The newsagent is having trouble with the paper boys and girls so OH is walking to fetch his main paper again today. At least he is getting some exercise!

No plans for today and an easy lunch so I may do a bit of planting and pull a few weeds. Even if its only for half an hour, it will get some done. I looked up about my radishes and think I planted them far too close to each other so will check if I have any seeds left to plant again.I also need to get some of the food order sorted and organise the freezers better. Then I can look at my list of jobs! lol

Not sure if I said I had heard from Fitz and that he mentioned about sorting our trip to Luton Hoo again. I can't believe it's already 12 years since I went with him and Jane. From what he said, in a few years Hannah and family will likely move nearer to G's parents and Jane's sister, which they had planned to do before Jane became ill. Chris will move as well but to his own place.

Morning Mel, morning all,

Bit cloudy at the moment but I think it should be a nice day .
We are picking Katie and Lacey up later they are coming for the day so need to get a few jobs done before they come.

Hope you have a safe journey Anng I expect your on your way now .

Morning all,

Bright and sunny this morning and pc says humid now sunny and 12 degrees. I do so hope it stays nice like this for Sunday and it dos'nt rain for them for the picnic so they have to retreat to the village hall.

Nothing planned for today but I may go up the garden if I feel like it and am not too achy.

Did we hear from Vera yesterday?

Hope you all slept well and Anng had a good journey.

Afternoon All,

It's been a good day for the Trooping of the Colour which I watched most of and enjoyed. I went to the garden centre first thing but they had sold so many of the bedding plants there wasn't much choice. OH was convinced they were shut despite their doors to the greenhouse being open and into the shop. He was even more convinced when we decided to leave and the main gate had been closed locking us in the carpark. No customers or staff were around so I went inside and banged on the cafe door till someone came. Apparently sheep had got loose from a field at the back and they didn't want them to get out onto the road so had shut the big metal gate. They opened them then so we could leave.

OH has sorted his car out and put things back in the boot. Yes it does seem bossy AnnG, but I said to OH that all this is leading to the cars that can drive themselves so I expect there will be more bossiness to come. I wish it could park itself between other cars like some can!

Have you heard from granddaughter helping the turtles yet Vera? I would have enjoyed that when I was younger. Yes I sometimes wonder about paintings I see, but I've still a lot to learn just yet. lol. We both have diesels. We are all for electric when it will be less hassle to recharge, the batteries are better and cheaper and we know what effect is all this energy price increase going to have on the cost of a charge too, plus OH and I will need different mobiles if we are to pay for charging by APPS. Secondhand cars are in demand now because people can't get new ones quickly.

I have planted up another pot today and we both pulled a few more weeds out. Next door's dog (the barker!) doesn't sound good at all and really puffs and pants now. He is about 11 years old though, so is an old boy. It hasn't stopped him barking though.

I saw some red flowers on the runners today and a flower on the cues. Not sure what is happening with the courgettes as the tiny first courgettes seem to be shrivelling up rather than growing. Maybe the second ones will be better now the weather is warmer.

Mel that was a good point about the lawn darts and children.

Yes it would be good to see your radishes Mandy. I'm pulling mine up to chuck out tomorrow. Mine were the french breakfast ones. Young Lewis will enjoy his visit to the zoo to see all the animals. There should be some baby ones to see this time of the year too.