General Chat

Glad you’re feeling a bit better Mandy and it’s good to get ahead but don’t overdo it. You need time to recover.

Oh Ann, what a faff with your scan. Walking backwards and forwards won’t have done your knees any good at all; and your poor OH having to wait when he wasn’t at his best. Never mind, at least it is done now

I just went out to the garden to top up the bird feeders before it got too dark to see and it is still drizzly and everywhere is soaking wet.

OH put Windows 11 on his computer a little while ago and wanted me to do mine. I was quite happy with Windows 10 so I quietly ignored him. He’s just come down from the study and told me he’s done it for me. Just what I need - something else to get to grips with :-|

My back has been giving me gyp today and I couldn’t think why but I reckon it was due to doing the tree yesterday. I was up and down the steps and stretching and reaching out. So I am just going to put some heating on in my bedroom and sit on the bed with a couple of pillows and a wheat bag behind my back. I’ll watch something on iPlayer. I might even doze off.

I'm glad your feeling better now Mandy and getting things ready beforehand That is a lot to cook for Christmas Day.

That was not nice having to be at the hospital for 2 hours Ann. It sounds like they were not very organized and did you have to walk all that way back and forth or did they put you in a wheelchair? Was this for your knee??

Its not brightened up at all today and now its time for it to start getting dark.

I had an egg this morning again but it was left outside just by the pop hole in the mud!! so needed a good wash.

Afternoon all,

What a dull old day it is, it was very foggy first thing but that's gone and its just a drizzly day ,at least it's cheerful inside with the Christmas lights on .

Ann that was a long time for your appointment that's good you got it done so you don't have to go back again ,your poor OH having to look for the loo though I bet he thought you'd never get done ,now I suppose it's wait for the results to come through .

Mel what a beautiful sunset you had and all your wreaths and arrangements are so lovely .
No wrapping even started here I just haven't felt, like doing any ,today I do feel a little better I'm not coughing as much and have more energy.
I did get the bacon round the sausages and got those in the freezer, also got the sausage meat stuffing in the freezer and made my Yorkshire puds and they too are in the freezer.
This year I'm cooking ahead again ,I watched Mary Berry and she cooks every thing the day before and just reheats .
I parboiled the spuds the day before last year and this year I'm cooking them on Christmas eve so I only have to crisp them up again like Mary said ,it will be so much easier as I have to cook for nine and each year they get bigger they eat a bit more and I spend most of the time in the kitchen .

Oh here comes Colin with a nice cuppa .
BBL

Afternoon All,

Foggy/misty here today and only 1 degree! It is like that painting Mel and feels really chilly. I was awake from 4.00am and we had to be up early anyway to go for my scan. To cut a long story short, it wasn't where I expected and there were no signs till nearly there after a long trek to the other end of the hospital and an empty waiting room once there without a soul including in reception. I waited 20 minutes, till my appointment was due then trekked back to the main reception again and they phoned someone and said to go back! The person who was waiting for me then said they checked every few minutes (they didn't!) . They took me to the scanner unit outside. With having allergies and knowing the injection could cause problems with heart and thyroid I wasn't happy about having it, so the chinese man said he would ring the radiologists to see if it was really necessary. No phone reception in the scanner unit so he had to go outside several times but got no answer. In the end he scanned 2 other people then ran to the other side of the hospital to find someone, but failed. Then their system went down so he had to do everything manually. He said I could make another appointment if I wished for during this week, but I decided to go ahead as he told me my thyroid and heart issues were not the kind to cause a problem as well as having no reaction to iodine on my skin in the past. He also gave me the lower dose they give to kidney patients and I was fine, but all this took 2 hours and poor OH got an attack of the trots while he waited in the carpark, so had to keep finding toilets!!

I do that sometimes when I am slow getting through my bread AnnG and it defrosts very quickly too. I went to Workington and back in a day with OH once (one of his footie matches) and I was exhausted by the time we got home, so it's good your daughter will have an overnight stay with you. I hope you have a good journey tomorrow and a nice break. I shan't be up before you go!

It's the wipe down this afternoon, so I'd better make some room for it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ to Island. <3

Are you all ready for the big day?

Morning all,

Slept like a log last night and up once for the loo and back to sleep right away afterwards. This morning it very dark and misty moisty just like Ann's picture of the man walking up the snowy road and the background of her snowman.

I have a few more presents to do up today and then I am finished.

Hope Daughter arrives safely Anng and you have a good journey tomorrow if I miss you in the morning.

Good morning Vera and all, foggy here and 3 degrees, hope it is not like this tomorrow. No Vera thank goodness it is tomorrow we go and hope to leave about 0730.

slept quite well and went back to sleep at around 6 and woke at 0815. don't want to do that tomorrow either.
Daughter will be here early afternoon so I too had bettter get moving with shower and hair wash. BBL :-) :-)

Good morning all

5 degrees and supposed to stay more or less the same all day and overnight. It’s also very misty and damp looking.

Yes, AnnG, I do the tree decorating on my own. OH is in charge of lights and then I do the rest. It’s on a low table but nearly touches the ceiling so we had to take a few inches off so that I could put a star on the top. As for all the letters we had about Avian flu, they all came from the same department and were identical in every way. Is it today you go to your daughter’s? If so, have a safe journey and a lovely time.

How did the pudding making go Gwyn? Years ago I used to make several for different people using an old wartime recipe of my Mum’s. I used to do them several weeks before Christmas and everyone had a stir. I still have the recipe, a very battered “pull out” section from Woman magazine on Christmas food. It says things like “If you can persuade the family to go without bacon for a while you could use the rations to get a piece of gammon for Christmas”. Those were the days ;-)

I’ve been up a while but I haven’t had breakfast or showered and dressed yet so I’d better get a wriggle on. Have a good day everyone.

Will you do the tree baubles on your own Vera? Or will oh 'help'? I always preferred doing it on my own. Bushy trees are nicer than sparse ones if you have enough decs.

That was a waste of money on communication Vera. I assume they all came from different departments.

Pleased you found your wreath anyway, sounds like it is a year for losing them. Maybe you could have a look and see if Ann's has magicked itself over to you.

Ann I eat very little bread. I leave the loaf in the freezer and take the bread out as I need it slice by slice. One loaf lasts ages. I don't have potatoes/chips with every meal but do have them quite often. I won't have any tonight, I have a sirloin steak which I will have with mushrooms, tomatoes and probably an egg. I have never cooked leeks in the microwave, maybe I will try that, but it is not the cooking, it is the quantity. I invariably have to have any veg two days running. and not sure how much goodness is in warmed up or fried veg.

I am halfway through the packing but there are so many bits and pieces to take when going for three weeks.

Morning All,

It's only 5 degrees here but the fog has gone. Mr O's van hasn't been here for a couple of days now and they had a food delivery this morning, which we've never seen them have before, so with his wife wearing her mask and not inviting her MIL inside we wonder if he is isolating? He has a company van which I expect would be needed for someone else to do his job.

How is the packing going AnnG? I stopped having potatoes when we used to go out for carvery lunches a few times a week as my blood sugar levelchecks tended to be a bit high. Even OH has joined me in not having potatoes most of the time now and just has extra veg instead with most meals. We have a jacket potato with salad sometimes and rarely F&C, but will have roasts on Christmas Day! I often do extra veg for just me in the microwave to add to a soup. A chopped up leek and peas are quick to do and add to my Weightwatcher meals as well. A small wholemeal loaf lasts me a fortnight, wheres OH gets through a large loaf a week.

I forgot to say that I had a card and note from Fitz yesterday. It looks like, covid permitting, that we MIGHT consider a visit to Luton Hoo for a meal in the late Spring. A lot could happen before then though, so we'll have to see nearer the time. It would be lovely to meet up with him again though, but strange for Jane not to be with us. :-(

Fancy you getting an egg as soon as you decide to get some Mel. They must have read your mind! I hope your earrache soon goes and that you keep the cold wind out of them with a hat. It seems odd to see a bumble bee in December.

I misread Vera and thought you said your OH was UP the tree!! lol. It sounds a nice bushy one and will keep you busy with the baubles for a while. My OH was in the loft again and came down with 2 wreaths but not the lit up one for the front door. Just like a man he asked me where it was and I replied 'how would I know, when you put it up in the loft?' He decided to put the wreaths he did find on the inside doors, but brought a woven wood one with a bow on to ask which way up it went. Well when a bow has the ends hanging down from it it's pretty clear that the bow is at the top. What is he like. The little tree looks nice now and the lights on it work which is good. I'm glad I sent the ones I got to go with it back now as they weren't as realistic.

Gwyn, how nice to make a Christmas Pud! I have only ever made a couple I think, many years ago. We found we never had room after lunch, so I buy a small one each now and we often have it on Boxing Day.

I hope Mandy is ok and getting better.

It wouldn't dry here Mel as it's wet again. Sorry to hear you've got earache again. I hope it clears up soon. I've had to start using the olive oil spray in my ears again today as I am going to the health centre to have them cleared of wax next week and you are supposed to use the spray for 5 days before you go.

OH has put the tree up this morning. It's quite large and very bushy which is nice but it more or less covers the front window in our lounge and takes a bit of the light. Good job the other end of the room has big, double patio doors so there is still plenty of light coming in. OH has put the lights on the tree but I haven't decorated it with any baubles yet.

He has found the missing garland and the wreath now. The garland is a bit past its best so he has hung it in a sort of loop with the wreath in the middle.

Just to add to everything else, yesterday we had a letter from the council to say there is a case of Avian flu locally and we are in the 3km exclusion zone. It told us what we had to do if we kept birds ourselves or if we found a dead swan, goose or duck or a bird of prey. All good sensible advice. Today we got two more identical letters so, to notify us, they have used 3 sheets of paper, 3 envelopes and 3 lots of postage, plus an employees time printing, folding etc. That doesn't sound a lot but multiply that by the number of houses in a 3 km circle and the wastage is enormous. No wonder the council keeps putting up our council tax. The letter also said that if you kept birds you should go online at a certain address or complete the form attached to the letter. Not one of the letters had the form attached! Doesn't it just make you despair?

OH has just called that lunch is ready so I am going to go and enjoy my sandwich, cake and cuppa :-)

That's interesting Mel.
My daughter and I saw a huge bumble bee last Monday. It was very mild and the bee was busying itself in a garden in Canterbury, when we walked past.
There are a lot of summer flowers still out around here and I have self-sown marigolds in my garden that flower virtually all year, so I hope the bees found something to feed on.

I hope your earache is better soon, - such a horrible pain.
Would it be worth ringing the out of hours doctor to get some medication to help before the holiday shutdown?

Oh has just been outside and saw a big bumble bee. I don't think we have ever seen one in December before. I have had a couple over the last few weeks but the wind is bitter today. He said he dos'nt know why it should be flying around today with this high cold wind.

The washing is blowing nicely so lets hope it drys.

I had an egg this morning. I think they know when I am going to buy eggs as they did this before when I bought some.

Morning Anng and all,

Very grey here now but it was brighter earlier on for a bit and its 8 degrees here so on;ly 1 degree warmer than Anng.

Have to go up the shop for the paper today and I must rememebr butter and I think I should buy some eggs as I don't lilke being without over Christmas and mine hens hav'nt laid for a few days now. I have 5 but four of those go on Sunday breakfast so to be safe I think I shall get half a dozen.

Have my dratted earache today in my left ear. Had it yesterday too and thought it would go over night but it has'nt. Had it in the week too. Must put my hat on today and keep it warm. I used to get earache when little and mum would take me to the docs to which I was given that HORRID thick pink stuff in a brown bottle that was supposed to taste like strawberry but it did'nt. I can remember the smell of it to this day. I suppose it was penicillin.

Then I shall be doing up a few more pressies and putting the stuff on the tree.

Good morning, colder today 7 degrees. still very dark outside. Still only3 days to the longest day then we start moving forward.

Slept quite well again but woke up early. a bit of a clean up today and also, I think starting to pack.

Happy pudding making Gwyn. I can honestly say I have never made a Christmas pudding. for the past 25+ years our lovely neighbour has made one for us. (she makes a lot and gives them to friends every year.) before that I used to buy them, or we would go to daughters where we would have some of one made by her mother in law.

Lovely photos Mel... Thank you for sharing.
A lovely variety of foliage including the almost lime green against the dark other leaves makes them really stand out.

Lovely sunset.... It didn't show itself here today, although it was reasonably mild.

Maybe Christmas pudding mixing tomorrow.
Takes me back to grating carrot as a child to put in the pudding that Mum made.We all used to have a stir, even if not otherwise involved in the preparation.

Vera yes ,other than Christmas Day most of the food at daughters is healthy although her own diet is quite restrictive if, like me you like potatoes, bread etc as she is on a very low car. Diet. Part of my problem is cooking veg for one so that is what my diet is short of.
She will take my BP while I am Up there but she says not to be too worried about my readings which were all three very close at 153/75 apparently the second figure is the important one and is not that high.

I don’t put a wreath on the door as it is composite

You mentioning your door wreath has reminded me I haven't seen ours amongst what OH brought down from the loft Vera. I must ask him. I got a big plastic sucker thing to put ours up with as the top half of the door is a glass panel. It might not hold on a wooden door though. Before I found the sucker, we tied string around the letterbox on the inside and passed it over the top of the door to hang the wreath on. We have lots of squashy rubber round the door though so it didn't damage anything.

Lovely pictures Mel. The wreaths and flowers look so fresh and the sunset is amazing.

We haven’t seen the sun at all today. There was fog this morning, then thick cloud and a little rain this afternoon.

Most of you are ahead of me with trees and decorations. Our tree (a real one) is still sitting outside in a bucket of water. I am hoping to persuade OH to set it up and put the lights on it tomorrow, then I can get decorating with baubles etc. Can anyone tell me how we can have lost a long Christmas garland and a wreath? Our front door isn’t suitable for a wreath really and anyway OH doesn’t want to drill a hole in it, so the garland goes along the top of a wooden side gate. After Christmas it gets hung on a hook in the garage. OH has a vague recollection of moving it because he kept brushing against it. Now we can’t find it anywhere! We also both think we hung a wreath under it last year but neither of us can picture what this wreath was like. I am sure we are both going doolally.

I hope your bp comes down soon AnnG. Your daughter will see you eat good, healthy food while you are with her. I have to do my bp at home - once a month now - and send the readings to the doctor at regular intervals and it’s a real pain. Sometimes the cuff gets so tight I wonder if I’m cutting my circulation off. Is your arm bruised from the blood test?

Mandy, try and rest up as much as possible. It’s exhausting when you are constantly coughing and you want to lose the cold before Christmas. I do hope your OH doesn’t catch it.

My daughter broke up from school today and had planned to go off at the crack of dawn tomorrow for a 3 night break in the Lake District. I rang her to wish her a nice break and she told me that in view of the current situation she had decided not to go. I was very relieved. I didn’t feel I could say she shouldn’t go but was pleased she thought better of it. Because of her job she tests a minimum of twice a week anyway and is triple jabbed. Granddaughter has so far had two jobs, so I feel comfortable going to them for Christmas.

While he was in the garage today OH lifted down a couple of boxes that have sat on top of a unit in there since we moved here and we had no idea what was in them. One turned out to contain lots of paperwork that he had to deal with when his parents died, one in 2000 and one in 2004, so he has started going through it all and has so far dealt with his mother’s documents. Nearly all of it is now for the bin or the shredder but we’ve kept death and probate certs and her will which he says I can keep with my family history stuff in case any of our descendants get interested in genealogy. I can just imagine someone in about 2095 poring over the will and thinking “gosh, so that was great-great aunt ‘s middle name”.

I’m rambling again aren’t I. I’d better stop before I think of something else to write about. I hope you all sleep well tonight.

The different foliage types and colours you use really make your wreaths and flower displays lovely Mel. That was a brilliant sunset. We haven't seen the sun here today. I love those long tailed tits, but they don't hang around long do they!

Yes, it was Mel's suggestion AnnG and he does look better than the previous snowman avatar!