General Chat

Oh I bet he was frozen when he came in Mel ,it turned really cold here after lunch .

I got both the cupboards washed out and everything back in so they are nice and tidy .
I really need to have all the stuff out from the cupboard under the sink so might do that tomorrow.

It will be interesting to see what you are making Mel. When will you let us in to the secret?

My kitchen cupboards are well overdue for a clean Mandy so if you’re at a loose end when you’ve finished yours could you do mine please? I’ll provide coffee and cake. That cowl looks cosy; just right round your neck in this cold weather.

Was it a garden centre you went to AnnG? Did you manage to resist the temptation to spend lots of money?

I’m glad your trip to the dentist went well Ann. I hope you find a good home for the books. I managed to sort out a dozen to donate but I really should get rid of more. I don’t like hot, spicy food either but the Turkish food I have had has tended to be herby and flavoursome without being hot. We had one dip that I avoided as my kids said it had quite a kick but the rest was fine for me. It may vary from region to region in Turkey and from restaurant to restaurant here of course. Mandy mentioned cost and quantities. It can be expensive picking individual dishes but the place we went to did a few different “set” meals. We had the family platter for 4 which was £69 but it fed 4 of us for dinner on Tuesday, 2 of us on Wednesday, daughter took dips and bread home with her and we still threw away some bread, rice and bulgar wheat.

My trip to the chiropodist went well. She’s very thorough and very gentle. I’ve had problems with a big toe for some time and she’s done some more work on it and put a dressing on for a couple of days, so I have a good excuse not to shower tomorrow, lol. At the exit to the car park I had 3 cars in front of me so had to wait while they got out but I was lucky. Just as I got to the front of the queue there was a sudden pause in the traffic on the road so I could pull straight out.

This afternoon our neighbour knocked with a couple of raspberry brownies as he’d had a Zoom cooking session with his grandchildren. We’ve just had them with a cup of tea and they were delicious.

I don’t have anything planned for tomorrow so might have to do some h/w now my back has improved. Better have an early night to build up my strength :-D

Oh has been mowing the gras s this morning but said it was too cold togo out this afternoon.

I have done a little glueing and washed up. Oh did three wwashes this mroning and thats been out on the line and has dried quite well.

Morning all,

Nice bright morning after some rain ,the bin lorry woke me this morning with its flashing lights ,next week we should be back to our normal collection day .

Ann thats good the dentist is done and dusted one job out of the way , it's a devil they don't want the books and just as OH had decided to have a clear out too, is there any book swaps near you or would they be of use to some of the schools OH goes to .

Enjoy your trip out Anng don't spend to much :-)

Vera you'll be walking on air later ,hope your not stuck in the car park to long .

Well this morning I decided to give a kitchen cupboard a clean out its a double one so everything came out and then I decided some things might fit better in the other double unit so I have everything out of that one too so now the kitchen looks like a bomb site , my best China is in one so I'm giving that a good wash as I didn't use that at Christmas, how do things get so mucky when just stored in a cupboard.
There's a few bits for the charity shop but most of it will go back in the cupboards until I clear them all out again to wash .

Suns shining but it's raining too .

Morning all,

Bright sunshine here this morning and pc says 4 degrees.

Going to try and do some craft today. I started something yesterday but this is going to be a big project as its all very tiny. Its something thatr may never get finished but I will show things as I go.

Have a nice day out with you friend Anng.

Vera your feet will feel lovely this afternoon after your chiropody session. Hope you get out of the carpark ok.

Morning AnnG and all

Frosty and cold here but looks fairly bright. I’ve got chiropody this morning. It’s market day in town so there will be traffic everywhere and a nightmare to get out of the car park. I’d better get myself moving and get showered.

Enjoy your trip out AnnG.

Good morning all a bit early to see but it does look fairly bright in the sky, PC says 0 degrees and there is a frost although not as hard as the previous ones this week.

I am being picked up by a friend at 11.30 so a fairly late start as she has Zumba first!!!Not sure where we are going although fairly sure it will be a garden centre.

Ann I would try the library, I am sure I noticed our local library mention some second hand books they had been given. If they are in excellent condition surely they could take them. libraries are generally either under funded or not funded at all. I suppose it will depend on the subject of the books and whether fiction or non fiction. And if practical whether outdated or not. It would be good to know they would be giving a lot of people pleasure.

Yes I am watching the pottery throwdown and liked the chicken clock too.

Bet your glad the dentist is over and your pleased with the result. Brave girl.

Evening All,

Yes thanks Mandy and AnnG, all done now. On Monday they took (as Frank would say!) an armful of blood. Back again in the afternoon to get one of my meds reviewed and the dentist today. He was lovely, even offered to help me up and down their very steep stairs, but I was fine and not out of puff with the mask this time. He said the tooth had no decay, so he just built it up with white filling. It must be good glue they use as a whole half of the tooth was gone.

I'd done more sorting (and found the thick red fleece jacket!), so after we got home today, we took 5 more big charity bags full of clothes to the charity shop. OH asked a lady at their back door where we took them if they take books and she said no at the moment as they have so many. Typical, just as he was going to part with some!! I'll do some ringing of other charity shops including the dogs' home one and see if they are taking them. I did wonder if one of the local libraries might be interested as his books are always pristine.

I think it's hard to get the perfect position to do a jigsaw as the light does cause that sheen so you can't see them properly like you say. My best spot is under the overhead light on the dining table, but it's a no no as OH has his laptop and work there. What are the pictures like in both of your jigsaws? I like to get the edge done first if I can too.

Your meal sounded good Vera. I have never tried Turkish or Greek food. Is it very spicy or hot as I am not a fan of spicy food?

Your cowls are lovely Mandy and I like the silver grey colour. You are quick at crochet aren't you, on the 3rd already!

You are having some vivid dreams Mel. I was always told having cheese at night makes you dream. Is it true? I still haven't done anything with my clay, but don't have much space in here at the moment as it is all brushes and paints on the tops. Are you watching the pottery prog? I loved that chicken clock one made the other week.

We had it cold Anng with salad and potatoes and there lots left for sandwiches and a meal for tomorrow night .

We've started our jigsaw puzzle too ,all the edges are done and I find I can only do a little at a time because it makes my back ache as I stand and lean over the table because if I sit down the light from the window shines on the puzzle and I can't see it as well.

,Dil wears her cowl when she walks to work and said its lovely and warm .
I should have put the one I made for myself beside it when I took the photo ,mines a mixture of bluey greys and I'm now doing another one for myself in a Green.

Thanks for photo Mandy.

Gammon sounds nice, eating it hot or cold?

I decided it was time I put the porta puzzle to good use. So far, as well as unpacking it I have sorted out all the straight edge pieces. Just started on the sky,myopic of puzzle but the light went and in the dining room where the puzzle is, I need some light from a window in the lounge plus the overhead dining room light on.. I think I might be doing this one at Christmas. I also found I developed an ache across my shoulder.


Afternoon Island.

Afternoon all,

Been shopping today as it was such a nice dry clear day tomorrow should be frosty so thats a job out of the way ,only problem was the traffic ,I went early so caught the school traffic and they also had the road up so there was traffic lights and coming home we were held up right through the town .

Vera it sounds like you had a lovely meal and chat with your family must have bucked you both up having a good catch up .
The food sounds good we have a Turkish restaurant and takeaway in town and I'd love to try it but have no idea on what to order and how much you get ,I did look at the menu and mains seem to start at about 15 pound each so time you add some sides it would get a bit pricy .
We loved the food when we went to Turkey and Greece .

Anng you must have needed the sleep ,I find if I nod off again like that I wake up with a muzzy head .

Hope Ann got on ok at the dentist if it was today and the blood test went OK too .


That was a strange dream Mel and talking of fairies has OH had a go at mending your poor fairy that got blown over .
I've crocheted DIL another cowl or I think they are more like a collar really as they are not as baggy as a cowl and just fit nicely round the neck this one is in a light silvery grey ,I did remember to take a photo this time .

I have roasted a piece of gammon for tonight and coated it in honey, mustard and brown sugar, it does look good .

Poor Island sciatica is nasty so hope it soon eases off for you .

I wish Frank would pop in and say high we do miss him on here.

Very quiet on here again. I wonder what Mandy is making at the mo?

Morning All,

Not a very nice morning here as its dull and dreary again 6 degrees and very cloudy.I never seem to plan anything for the day I just go with the flow as it were. I never know what oh is going to do so I work around him.

I have been wanting to make something with my new poly clay but can't make my mind up as to what!! If I see soemthing that inspires me I can get on and do it plus the pther thing is the lounge is so cold I don't want to be in there so it means bringing all the stuff out into the kitchen and having to put it away when meals are ready.

Had another funny dream last night. Dreamt there were lots of cars parked in the garden and people everywhere. we had had another caravan parked up the garden but the fella had left it right infront of the south facing boarder. Then I came down the garden and a friend or relly was dressed as a fairy reciting something from a Shakesbere play and was having trouble with her wings blowing in the wind so I took them from her to take indoors and a little girl came up to me and admired them . I asked her if she would like to try them on and she said yes. I tied them on her but they were a bit big so I stood her on a table in the corner to take a picture of her and then I woke up.

Good morning. This is getting to be a habit, took ages to get to sleep then woke for the loo at 3.45, back to sleep until 6am then fell asleep again and woke at 0858. Had a shower and washed my hair and dressed/dried hair. But having a ginger tea and I think breakfast will be coffee time. Good job I have nothing planned for today.

vera your evening sounds lovely, a real pick me up for you. Great to be with the 'children', bet there were lots of laughs. And the food does sound nice. I have not been to Greece but have been to Cyprus and do like Greek food. We have a Greek restaurant in Gloucester but I have only been there once. Never been to Turkey, daughter loves it there. I don't think we have a Turkish take away anywhere here. A good find for you, no doubt that won't be your last visit.

I think Ann has the dentist today and had blood test yesterday so hope all went well with the bloods and good luck with the dentist Ann.

Good morning all

Still dark out but it doesn’t look foggy this morning and I think it feels a touch warmer.

We had a lovely evening. Son arrived at 5.30 and daughter at 6 pm. Our food was a great success and enough to feed an army! AnnG, Turkish is a bit like Greek. It’s different enough to seem foreign but not too spicy. I was expecting 4 cold appetisers with some bread, some rice and salad and some chicken and lamb cooked in different ways. We had all that in extremely generous helpings but there were another 3 cartons of dips/sauces and a dish of couscous that I didn’t expect. We ate our fill and there was loads left. Daughter took all the leftover appetisers, dips and bread back with her and the rest of the meat and the salad are in my fridge. Very good value for money.

Daughter left at 11 pm and texted at midnight to say she was safely home and son left at 6.30 this morning to drive back to Yorkshire. I saw him off, then came back to bed with a cup of tea but I’ll get up in a minute as I’m not going to go back to sleep.

I’ve no particular plans for the day so I’ll just see what I feel like doing as the day goes on.

Vera enjoy your time with your son and daughter, nice to see them both together and I hope the mist/fog doesn't come down too badly. Enjoy your Turkish. Not sure what that would be having not been to turkey but a platter sounds a nice idea.

The day seems to have gone quite quickly, I suppose I have got a few smaller jobs done which helps to pass the time.

I think I have said that I don't wipe my Tesco orders at all. But we must all do what we feel is best as you say. It does save a lot of time I have to say.

A heavy frost and very murky first thing, then it brightened up a bit during the morning. The sun didn't last for long :-( It's been really cold as well.

We seem a bit thin on the ground today. I've been busy all morning but don't seem to have much to show for it. I think it's because I've been doing all those odd jobs that I've been putting off for a while, silly things like descaling the kettle and the veg steamer, doing some minor sewing jobs and a bit of general tidying. I also spent a bit of time on the phone with a couple of incoming calls and I sorted out a takeaway to have tonight when son and daughter are here. I decided to go for Turkish. I didn't want pizza or fish and chips and I don't like Indian. Chinese was a possibility but our nearest Chinese takeaway isn't very good so we would need to go a bit further afield. However we have 2 Turkish places in town that we have been meaning to try. One will deliver but has an enormous menu and no set meals. I thought by time the kids arrive and work their way through the menu and get our meals ordered we wouldn't be eating till pretty late, so I've gone for the other one. They do a nice looking family platter for 4 so we've ordered that for OH to pick up at 7 pm. I have no idea what time they will get here. Son said he would ring when his meeting finishes and he is on the way. He thought that would be late afternoon but there's no word from him yet. Daughter said she would come straight from school so could arrive any time from 4.30 to about 7 pm as she often doesn't leave school till around 6 pm.

You had a bit of a to-do with your Asda driver Mel. I suppose they have off-days sometimes. Like you, I'm still wiping nearly everything down and have now got it down to a fine art but, if I'm honest, I don't think it is really necessary. I do plenty of hand washing and cleaning surfaces and if you never get exposed to germs you never build up any immunity. Still, as we've said before, everyone has to make their own decisions and what's right for one is not right for another.

It's getting misty again which I don't like, particularly as my daughter will have to drive the 25 miles back to her place late at night. No sense in worrying about her getting home when she hasn't even got here yet. I've just realised that my hands have got cold sitting in the study typing this. I think it's time to make a cuppa. I'll end with a quick wave to everyone who pops in from time to time. I hope you are all well ~~~~~~~~~~~~

EDIT I forgot to say Mandy that I love the picture of Max and the biscuits. How could anyone resist him? He is such a gorgeous dog.

It cold here too and no sun just cloudy sky and no wind to blow them away. pc is saying 7. Its the air thats so cold and it really gets into you.

All wiped down and put a way lots of subs. The driver asked me if he wanted me to put the shopping in the plastic boxes and I said yes please. He then asked me if I had covid and I said no. I asked him why he had'nt got a mask on and he said he was in the fresh air so did'nt need to wear one and why had'nt I got one on. He was really quite stroppy. I thought oh was going to come out for a mo but he did'nt and when the driver had gone I told him and he said I should have called him. Oh said it was probably because we have still isolating on the order. He would'nt take my plastic bags back and told me they had'nt done that for 2 years but the driver took them last week! and they are a larger store which it has on the plastic to take them too. OUr recykling won't take plastic bags now either so I said to him they will have to go into the envirament then. I was so cross.