General Chat

Yes, I take the flowers off my geraniums as soon as I see buds forming. My mother plants look fine but some of my cuttings aren’t doing as well as usual.

It’s good Cynth has at least got interim certs. She must feel as though she’s been in limbo up till now. She’ll be able to get on with a few things now.

I hope taking your statin at a different time helps with the nausea Mandy. Neither of us take statins so I’ve no experience of them. That’s a natty fingerless glove you made.

What a shame you couldn’t get on your painting course Ann, but you are so good that I’m not sure the leader could teach you much.

You’re right about the cost of bird food Mel. The last big bag of sunflower hearts we bought was almost £30. Maybe I’ll try mixing them with something else. OH doesn’t like me putting out wild bird seed because he spends all his time pulling up the wheat that germinates when the birds drop it. I’ll have to have a look at the price of the wheat free packs.

My cousin and wife arrived about 12.45 and left about 5. It was good to see them and the lunch went down very well. There was lots of chatting and laughter.

We’ve just finished off the lunchtime soup and are now going to have a cup of tea, then I might be going early to bed as I’ve got quite a bad headache now. I won’t sleep yet but will stop using the iPad and will get away from the television.

Cynth will feel better now she can get on with some of the list of tasks to do. It sounds like the funeral will be delayed quite a while though till they have finished their investigations. The photos of bridges sounds interesting and gives plenty of choices. I would enjoy seeing those.

That would be no good then with your tablets if they are that tiny Mandy! lol. I bet you are careful not to drop those on the floor or they would be really hard to find.

I must put a note in the kitchen for tomorrow so OH doesn't get me a morning cuppa as I can't have tea or coffee for 3 days now.

I sorted some tiny drawers and another few shelves in the ensuite cupboard this afternoon and there were lots of creams and medicines out of date. It set OH off going through some of his he keeps in a bedside drawer and we have a full bag to take to the chemist now and another bagful of those that weren't harmful have gone in the dustbin.

I noticed last night that a place had become available on the landscape painting course I did last time. I was tired though and thought I'd decide whether to join this morning and blow me someone had beat me to it. I was so sure no-one else would join as it started today.

Yes take the flowers off the geraniums girls and don't water too much yet. Mine in the shed is dust dry.

Cold chicken and chips tonight.

Yes the new toy and pc are for work up there. We've had the net out nearly all afternoon its been so annoying. He p[lugged something in in the van and put the leccy out. Its on again now or I would'nt be able to post.

Glad you enjoyed your friends company today Anng and something to look forward to with the U3a group later.

Oh thats good Cynth has the certificates so she can get things organised but two to three months is a long wait .

Ann I hope they don't suggest halving my tablet as they are the tiniest tablets I've ever seen ,they are the size of a pin head so tiny and I'm never sure if I have swallowed them as you can't feel them go down .
I noticed my Geraniums are flowering ,do we need to take them off Mel ?

Suns still shining, night's are pulling out now .

Afternoon Ann. Yes had a good chat with my friend. We were going to go to the community centre coffee shop but there was a vaccination clinic on there, they are not usually there on Wednesdays. anyway we just went to her house for coffee, I shall see her again on Friday as it is U3a photographic group meeting. Phots of bridges to be presented this week.

Afternoon All,

I slept well again, but still wasn't up till 9.00am. It's been really sunny all morning, 7 degrees here, and I had a look in the greenhouse to see if my geraniums were ok. Some are still flowering and I gave them all a trickle of water.

I've run out of fat balls the little birds like. The neighbour one side puts all kinds of feeders out, but every day the birds still clear my seeded bread I put out that's gone dry. The Magpies are very clever and take pieces of bread onto next door's roof and dunk it in the wet in the gutter or take it to the little waterlily pot feature and soften it in there. The Blackbirds tend to wait in the bushes and dash and grab what drops from the tray of bread when the big birds flick it out.

OH still hasn't got his new laptop out and didn't fancy doing it today.....so maybe tomorrow Mandy? I think a lot of schools are struggling with all the covid cases in staff and children. Your son sounds like he has a long day and may have to don the dinner lady outfit if more catch covid. :-D OH said at least his online meetings haven't been affected as people can still attend them if symptoms are mild. I hope taking the new statins at night will be better for you. I found splitting my beta blocker with half in the morning and half at night like the doctor suggested stopped me getting indigestion so you might want to ask your doc about that if the night dose is no better. At least it is good there are other options for you though.

I might go out and do a short stint outside now I have seen you have been clearing up outside Mel. It sounds like your OH is making himself very comfortable in the caravan. Is the new toy? and pc to use in there? If they are you might need to get a gong to get him in for meals! :-)

I hope you had a nice chat and coffee with your friend AnnG and I hope Cynth is ok.

I hope your cousin and wife turned up Vera. I was very much fancying your lunch you were going to do. :-)

Vera hope you enjoyed lunch with your cousin.

Mandy, The coroner has not reached a final concusion yet but has released intermediate certificates as they can't really find a cause so there has to be more tests and it could take two or three months. She is ok, or will be now she has the certificates to let her get on with things.
I take my statins at night and T did too.

I have put a few more pieces in the puzzle. :-) :-) :-)

Afternoon all,

We have beautiful sunshine here today ,it did cloud over a while ago and I thought that's the sun gone for the day but it's lovely again now .

Been shopping so thats all put away ,I was chatting to son and he said the same school has so many teachers and staff away they might have to close the school ,he said he might have to do a dinner time slot as a dinner lady :-D
He has to go in in the morning early and then go on a day course and then back into school again in the evening he thinks it will be eight o'clock before he'll be finished

Boots rang a while ago to see how I'm getting on with the new statins, I told her I'm still getting the sick feeling with these new lot but I'm persevering as it's not as bad this time ,she suggested I take one at night instead of in the morning so I'll try that tomorrow, she said if I can't take them there are other things they can give me instead.

Vera hope your cousin and wife have arrived now ,your sure you've got the right day .

Keep ploding on with the puzzle Anng don't let it beat you .
How is Cynth doing do they know the cause of death of the poor chap .

Ann did you get an early night sounds as if you will be busy today helping to get OH's new lap top up and running.

Mel what's OH's new toy .

And they are not cheap are they Vera? I have stopped put them out in a feeder as they go through them so quickly I just add them to the bird seed thye go further then.

Thats another thing I have done this morning fill all the feeders up and boiled mash for the big girls and hoovered the kitchen.

Been in the garden picked up lots of branches that come offd the old ash tree. Rebagged some rubish a cat pulled out of the bin bag and pulled old leaves off the hellibore.

Then I had all the things outdside the back door out and swept all the door mats and now I am going to wash the back door down.

Oh is up the caravan assembling his new toy. Parcel just arrive a refurbished pc to run with the new toy.

Will get lunch in a mo after I have had a sit down to recooperate.

Can you send some sun this way please Mel. I’m getting fed up with looking out on grey skies.

I’m just waiting for my cousin and his wife to arrive. We stupidly didn’t arrange a time, he just said they would come for lunch. Now I’m twiddling my thumbs wondering whether to start heating the soup or put the potatoes on. Oh well, they’ll arrive sometime I expect.

OH has just filled the bird feeders again. Sometimes I think the birds eat better than we do, lol. We seem to be getting a lot of blackbirds lately and they aren’t just feeding from the ground but they hang on to the feeder with the sunflower hearts. All the birds seem to like those and we get through them very fast.

Good idea.

Suns out here now but pc still says 4 degrees and cloudy.

Good morning Mel and everyone. Being picked up by a friend for coffee later. She did call on her way back from swimming to take me to hers but her email to warn me had not arrived so I was not ready. She will come back later.

I prefer to stick at the puzzle on my own for now Mel. may get her involved later.

Morning all just lost a post again.

Dull and dreary this morning and 3 degrees and cloudy on the pc.

A little at a time with the jigsaw Anng and it will soon be done. Perhaps Cynth would like to help you if she comes for a coffee.

What a good tip Gwyn. I’ve been thinking that I might start doing jigsaws again. I haven’t done one for years but I used to enjoy them.

Our garden looks a bit of a mess at the moment as we’ve left quite a lot of dead stems and foliage on plants to help protect new shoots coming from underneath. The blackbirds aren’t helping - they keep digging in the earth in my pots and throwing it everywhere.

It’s been quite a busy day today. First thing I rang the friend who has recently lost her husband. She is nearly 90 but until very recently you would have put her at 70. She had some mild dementia but the loss of her OH has really made her dementia 10 times worse. It was a very difficult call as she couldn’t stop crying and in between sobs was telling me things that I knew were wrong. Thankfully she has some family living nearby and they are looking after her well.

After that I tackled the ironing and a couple of other jobs. After lunch OH and I went to our nearest supermarket. I only go if it’s really necessary. I’ve got a delivery on Friday but my cousin and his wife, who we haven’t seen for 3 years, are coming to lunch tomorrow and I needed some bits and pieces. It wasn’t busy and everyone seemed to be masked. I’m not sure whether my visitors are expecting a light snack or a full blown meal with wines etc so I’m going for something in the middle. We’re having soup with crusty bread, followed by cold gammon, vegetable quiche, baby potatoes and salad. I haven’t done a pud but if they want something they can have cheese and biscuits or cake. I cooked the gammon for us to have hot for our meal tonight and it was one of the best we’ve had for a long while so I hope it’s as good cold tomorrow.

As you’ve all said, it hasn’t warmed up all day and I’m feeling just a little bit chilly now. The trouble with underfloor heating is that it takes so long to respond if you turn the thermostat up or down. I think I’ll go and find a thicker jumper.

Keep warm and sleep well tonight.

Oh clever you Gwyn! I had never thought to sort the jigsaw pieces like that to make them easier to find. I thought it was freezing when I went out earlier, but see we are due snow in February now. I sometimes do the timed online jigsaws, at least the puzzle of the day one. Are the bulbs near you in flower now? My Snowdrops are still in bud.

An early night for me tonight I think and see if I can be up earlier tomorrow. Apart from cutting OH's hair, getting lunch and nipping to the surgery I haven't done a lot today. Now his camera on his laptop has started playing up he wants to get his new laptop in action tomorrow, so no doubt I shall be summoned to help.

Gwyn a good tip thank you.

My garden bin has been empty all January, I cut things down ar the end of last year and there has not been anything needing doing so far this year. Ours is collected all year as well. It has been bitterly cold here, much too cold to work outside. And so dark as well.

What a lovely jigsaw picture AnnG, but I can see how it would be challenging.

Are the pieces regular shapes ie. with 2 prongs and 2 insets?

If not, I find it a help once I have colour sorted to then sort all the ones with a prong facing to the top...or 3 pronged pieces etc, so I only only have to look over fewer possible pieces to find a match.

I haven't done an actual jigsaw for ages, but most days complete at least a couple online, setting myself target times to complete them.
I quite like selecting from places I have visited, when choosing on the Search section.

Chilly day today, still but dry, so at least we have been able to put plenty in the garden bin ready for collection next week. Our bin is collected throughout the year, apart from a gap over Christmas / New Year, so once they resumed collections after staffing problems due to Covid, we make sure we put something in the garden bin each fortnight.

And as for the sky! Mel says to follow the stems but even that is harder said than done as they are on both sides and artificial light hides the different shades of the sky.

Gosh that does look a difficult jigsaw AnnG. I see what you mean about the woodgrain and the dog's fur doesn't look easy either. It's a shame Charles is so busy now and not getting back to his local customers. As you say you need to get someone you can trust with them coming inside.

Mandy it sounds like you had a good workout cleaning those tiles and the rest of the bathroom. I'm useless at thinking of presents for these occasions, but would be more than happy with a garden voucher myself! :-D