General Chat

Good morning all

Yes, it was hot and sticky Mel, I didn't sleep too badly but woke early with thoughts of the dentist at 10am so i am up but not washed/dressed etc,

well done your granddaughter Vera, but what a rush for her parents to get organised. good luck to her.

I hope your OH's pain eases enough for him to enjoy the day out.
Yesterday was too hot for me to spend much time out in the garden but I managed to pull a few weeds up, not that there was room in the bin so they are in a weed bucket in the greenhouse. (to save unlocking the shed).

Congrats to your granddaughter in Yorkshire Vera. That was a nice surprise I hope they can find her suitable accomodation in time. Such short notice.

Hope you get some sleep tonight as I think its going to be a hot sticky one.

Ann, your garden is still looking lovely and colourful. I shall be coming to you for advice next year as loads of our plants grow very tall and I want some more low growing colour. I love the pretty pink front door with its flowers. So, OH is getting a new car. I am very jealous as our car is now 13 years old and OH has decided it will “see us out”. It does have dual zone air con but I can never get the hang of how it works. We can set different temperatures for the driver and passenger sides but the air coming out from the two sides must get all mixed up together in the car surely. We are fine in the summer but in the winter OH likes to keep the car warm and not wear a coat while driving. I prefer to keep my jacket on but have the car a bit cooler.

Mel, your OH has done a sterling job on that mower. It looks like new.

Hasn’t it been hot today? I spent an hour gardening this afternoon and didn’t put a hat on so I came in with a headache. It was my own stupid fault. I detest hats of any sort but I should know better and wear one when gardening. I have several sun hats so there’s no excuse.

The last couple of days have been busy. Yesterday I thoroughly cleaned and disinfected the toilets, shower and basins that the boys had been using. They had been double jabbed and are sensible lads but I’m trying to lead some sort of normal life while taking extra care. I also washed all the towels and bath mats they had used. Today I did 4 loads of washing including quite a lot of bedding. There’s just 2 sheets and a duvet cover left to do this week.

OH is having quite a bit of problem with the pain in his groin but apparently hasn’t even mentioned that to the doctor. Men!! He can walk, albeit more slowly than usual, but the pain builds up and then he has to sit for a few minutes when it subsides and he can start again. It is also keeping him awake at night a bit. However, he did ask if I would like to go to Anglesey Abbey tomorrow to make the most of the weather before it changes. There are some shady walks there and places to sit down so he should be OK.

One of my granddaughters in Yorkshire, the 19 year old, is another aspiring “star of stage and screen” and sent an audition tape to the Institute of Contemporary Theatre. They came back and said they wanted to do an interview with her online which took place today. The result is that she has been offered a place on a degree course (B.A. Hons in Performing Arts), not for next year as she expected, but to start A WEEK TODAY! It’s in Manchester and son and dil have to find her suitable accommodation, get together everything she will need and get her settled in next weekend. Just finding accommodation at an affordable price will be difficult as Manchester has a big student population and most halfway decent rooms will be taken. She is very excited and we’re very proud of her.

I think I am going to take myself to bed with my book now. Sleep well everyone.

Afternoon All,

Yes it is hot here too! We were up early to go to the farm shop, but I had a restless night as I couldn't remember my new pin number for my new bank debit card. I need it in case my credit card gets rejected at the hairdresser tomorrow if I get that pin wrong! Anyway, I have found it now, written and jumbled up with other numbers I recognise. We called at a cash machine on the way home and OH got his pin wrong twice before he remembered it! It's with hardly needing them since the pandemic.

OH was about to change his car when covid struck and wanted the newer model of what he has, so we went to look at one then while we were suitably dressed for going out rather than in our scruffs! The deciding factor was sweltering in his car going to the farm shop, as he hadn't told me the aircon was playing up when he went out to footie on Saturday. I had been looking online the past few weeks as you can buy a car they will deliver free and disinfected and take away your old one. He wasn't fussed about a test drive in the present circumstances as enginewise it is the same as what he has, but with an extra gear. Dual zone aircon decided the model too as we are so different heatingwise. Now I need to find him the cheapest deal!

It was strange seeing all the new buildings that have been built in the city since covid, as were the smart docking stands with the new e bikes that are being trialed!

More washed and dried today........where does it all come from?

Mandy you have been busy today. I had to smile about the vinegar as I can imagine OH doing just the same as yours! lol. I have to leave the bleach bottle on it's side above the sink and under the tap to stop him rinsing it straight off as well. You'd think he'd smell it. I hope your son gets sorted with his tooth

Yes the mower looks like new now Mel. All he needs now is a uniform for when he mows 'her ladyship's' lawns! :-D ;-) It's a shame the hose split on the washer, but at least that can be replaced.

AnnG we have neve regretted having the gravel, although the slate chippings grow less weeds , don't need tp be so thick a layer and are easier to walk on than gravel, although that beds down after a while. I have started to buy taller pots now as there is less bending to do to deadhead them then.

Same here Anng and I am not going up the border in this heat.

27 degrees here too.

27 degrees out there now, too hot for gardening so I have been catching up with a bit of adming.

Afternoon all,

Beautiful day really hot in the sun .

I've stripped the bed and got the bedding on the line ,hoovered all the bedrooms and dusted ,hoovered through downstairs then gave the hoover a good clean out, put some vinegar in the kettle to descale it and stood the vinegar bottle beside it because last time I did it Colin forgot and used the vinegar mix to make coffee.

Ann your garden looks really pretty and I like the pink door .

Wow Mel OH has done a fantastic job on the mower looks like a new one .

Spoke to son all the children went off to school ok this afternoon he's off to the dentist, he might have to have a tooth out , he went last week because he had tooth ache and they gave him antibiotics .

Cleaned all the kitchen windows and the sills and sink and demoulded some bits inthe corners.

Washing is nearlly dry and now I am going to do some lunch and watch Doctors.

Its now 26 degrees here.

Oh went round the back to clean all those windows and now the pressure washers hose has split so now he's at a standstill.

Yes your garden is really pretty Ann. I need to do some more cutting down but the bin is full until tomorrow and so is the large bucket we use for weeding so it wil have to wait.

Just run my car and moved it from across in front of the kitchen window onto the actual drive. Makes the front look better.

I have been watching Leonardo on Prime and the opening music has hints of Poldark in it. It was the first thing I noticed. Aiden Turner plays Leonardo.

Wonderful colour in your garden Ann. Been waiting for some pics of the garden. It looks a real treat.

washings on the line and I need to clean the window sills in the bedroom of small and tiny flies and suck up some spiders. Trouble with gardening here as if its nice the HW gets left to go and do the garden.

good morning all quite bright here and already 17 degrees. My bedding in the wash and I am showered and hair washed so better go and have breakfast.

Yes Ann it id good to see what works in the garden when trying to change it to make less work. I think probably in the end I will have one part gravelled over and just have tubs there. That will save a lot of work.

Morning All,

Misty moisty morning here a proper September day with fairy hammocks in the box hedge.

Nothing planned for today but I must check oh's scripts to see if they need reordering.

Hope you all had a good nights sleep or as much as you could manage.

It's good to try things isn't it AnnG. I find some plants are too big and don't have much flower for my small garden.

Mandy I can quite see what you mean about the other Scarecrows.........yours was far better, with much more work put into it! :-S It is a shame people keep stealing and spoiling things that people do to cheer everyone up. I wouldn't be surprised if more things disappear from the one here. I enjoyed the first Vera but didn't realise there would only be two. I think All Creatures Great and Small will be starting soon. OH says Patricia Hodge will be Mrs Pomfrey this time as Diana Rigg passed away. I like her and think she will be good playing the part!

No Mel they are not into football at all..

Just going to watch the new Vera ,they've only made two.

Ann I grew two different lots of wild flowers one was lovely poppies and cornflowers the other was pretty but got very tall and leggy I think they were meadow flowers I will probably grow the cornflowers but not the others

Its such a shame when people put their time and money into making these things and then someone goes and pinches them. Must be so disheartening to the makers.

My daisies arn't flowering yet either and the pink ones on the rockery bit are taller than they have been before. The mauve ones up the border are just showing signs of budding up.

Been up the border this afternoon and dug some of the irises out and just put them in where they were before as when I looked at the time it was 20 to 7pm. Came down and am sitting here with a nice cold G & T before soing the scones for tea with jam and clotted cream.

Oh has mowed the orchard and the back field today.

Mandy does Jake support a football team? and Lewis?

Oh it's been lovely and warm here we've had quire a chilled out day just relaxing in the garden, sat and looked st all the jobs we could be doing but they'll get done in the week .

Anng I lost my Michealmas daisies last year never came up at all, I had the purple and the pink,I remember taking a bunch in to the teacher when I was harvest festival day .

Ann I meant to say how lovely all the yarn bombing was what a lot of time it must have taken them as some were really big .
The Dereham Crafters that did our yarn bombing are now doing a snail trail , you have to find which shops have them in their windows their not having them round the town now as a lot of the things they have displaced have been stolen .

Just checked last year they were not out on 7 September last year but were out by 25th September (checking photos.

Afternoon All,

Quite hot here too so a strappy top has surfaced again and there was me thinking I wouldn't be needing one anymore this year!

They were the sort of guests you need then Vera! No trouble and bearing gifts! :-D I hope your OH's pain gets sorted out soon. OH had a hernia repaired a few years before he retired and he's convinced he has another coming the other side now.

Poor you Island, you don't moan on but carry on if it helps as you are in good company with all our aches and pains here! :-) It sounds as if the change of meds didn't help so I hope the clinic can come up with something to help you. That long sleep will have helped after the disturbed nights.

Mandy you are as bad as me then with photos! When I won that cup at the local show a few years ago, I thought I would avoid the group photo but the Council Chairman didn't give up and kept calling me over despite me tucking myself behind people standing around!! lol :-D :-D It sounds like the children loved it and got some nice things for their bags and the zip wire teddies was a good idea. The WHS voucher will be good to spend! :-D

You are getting plenty of blackberries Mel. The one's here over the back fence are all small and mostly seeds so not nice at all. I have lifted and moved the bearded iris rhizomes before and they do have a habit of creeping to where they want to be! Mine were forming a circle with a hole in the middle too. :-S

I went out and through the village past the farm where the airshow is yesterday. There were a few planes passing over including Spitfires and Dakotas but less than usual I thought. They do renactments there and an old boy had managed to upturn an old jeep into the ditch on the road to the village. He wasn't hurt and was just sitting next to it chatting to some people walking to the event. No way could they tow it out on the narrow road while there was a constant stream of traffic queuing to get in. They have had a Lancaster bomber there in the past, very impressive, but I think it was moved from Bruntingthorpe airfield and is not flyable at the moment.

OH had to go to a different match yesterday as the one he had chosen was cancelled due to covid. He said no end of small matches are being called off at the last minute because of covid, so he has to check right up to the time to set off. He said it's silly young men not being careful and spreading it. There was a capacity of 4,000 but only 60 spectators in total where he did eventually go.

AnnG you are doing well getting your garden sorted. Are you not growing a wild flower patch next year? Our 'dwarf' Michaelmas daisies I bought last year (already over 2 foot high!) haven't flowered yet and don't look as if they will for another week or two. I'm still waiting for the Cosmos to flower too. :-S

ERNIE has been kind to me, another £25 prize! :-)