General Chat

No Mel it will be son in law. so far today has been frustrating as so much of what they took the extra day to do is outside and it is almost constant drizzle. As usual in England, once the good weather goes the rain doesn't know when to stop. I have just managed to get down to the greenhouse to water the tomatoes. and there was another good handful of tumblers ripe to pick then the rain started again. Earlier we spent half an hour with daughter trying to get through to M&S to register me with their bank as I have a new credit card that needs activating. really annoying, she got through to a 'person' in the end who, when she explained it was for me said she was just going to get something up on the computer, we waited another good five minutes of silence when the phone went dead. so still not got the card activated.

Morning Anng and all,

Absolutely falling out of the sky here this morning and then the suns comes out for a few mins and the winds to the west and then it starts all over again. Its coming down like stair rods at the moment so I don't thinkI shall be doing any gardening today.

Good luck with your lesson on filling the car up Anng but daughter will guide you through it so you'll soon get the hang of it.

Good morning all grey and damp but not raining. Pleased that I only put on one pound in the two weeks away. Must be all the walking used the calories.

Lots of small jobs to do today including a revision lesson on putting petrol in the car. Years since I last did that. there are always lots of little jobs I can't do on my own that get stored up until daughter is here.

I did have to tie up some of the tomatoes that had got away when I was away and sadly my two cucumbers have not survived. so have had to give up on them.
Managed to get most of the holiday washing done yesterday which is one job out of the way.

Vera lovely to see you getting hugs and to see your lovely girls. Yes, your OH does look happy. I had some lovely hugs and cuddles from Inara and a hug from her Dad, her Mum doesn't 'do' hugs, she can't bare to be touched.

Love the Agapanthus such a beautiful blue.

Lovely clear pictures Vera and nice to keep of the first meeting in 21 months.

Rained on and off all day today. I did a bit in the garden but not much. Hoovered a bit and spiders sucked up. Did the wipe down. Had a little play and thats about all.

Vera you can imagine what my garden is like then after two weeks. All the wild flowers have died and will have to be pulled up. The outside tomatoes are out of control but a lot are ripe so have a load picked. My neighbour has been dead heading the petunias and her oh has weeded my brick surface front.. the pots mOstly look good but there is a lot of work needed. The buddlia needs dead heading And the lawn needs cutting but that will have to wait as they had rain yesterday and all afternoon today.

We were surprised that at the garden centre the customers were fifty fifty wearing masks although all staff were wearing them. Up north most people were wearing them so it was a real surprise. I managed to stay well away.

Glad you had a reasonable journey back and are safely home AnnG. Now you can start looking forward to your next visit.

Those gladioli are an unusual colour Mel. I like the sound of them.

Mandy, I hope you have enjoyed having Katie with you. When our grandchildren were younger we always loved having them one at a time.

Well, we had a good journey back yesterday. Son asked a couple of times if we wanted a stop but we decided to keep going while the roads were clear. It was just on 4 hours to get home. When we got back son flew into the bathroom, said goodbye and was gone again. He got to Southampton at 7.30 which meant he had been driving for 7 hours straight.

We didn’t do a lot, just some drives and walks by the river and drinks etc at outside cafes but it was lovely just to be with them all. In the evenings we played family card games etc. I was thoroughly spoilt and wasn’t allowed to lift a finger. Son’s middle daughter works nights but we saw her for a couple of hours in the evening before she went to work and an hour or so in the mornings when she got home. The other two were with us most of the time and it all felt so normal. I can’t wait to repeat it now.

Today has been busy with washing (4 loads), sorting out a Sainsbury delivery for Friday, doing banking and general admin jobs, and trying to tidy the garden a bit more. I couldn’t believe how much deadheading there was to do and we were only gone 4 days.

I’m hoping to sleep a bit better tonight as it’s a bit cooler. I hope you all have a good night.

Evening All,

Lost a post earlier and lost the will to do it again till now! We had some rain during the night so it was YIPPEE! as we haven't had any to speak of for a few weeks and are getting long arms from carrying cans. We've had 3 more good showers today too, so OH has been in and out pegging and unpegging the washing! It's airing in the conservatory now.

The painting wasn't so good today, even the teacher's wasn't, but she thought our paper and brushes we were using can make a difference. I liked the Marcella Wylie style we were trying to copy though so will have another attempt now I am used to handling these special brushes with the paint inside them!

Good to hear from you Frank and that you are ok. How is John now?

I see AnnG and Vera are safely back home again, but their trips away seem to have flown by this time.

Mel I like the sound of the colours of those gladioli and hopefully they will be safe where you have put them. Is the rockery near to your bungalow?

I felt a bit better today after all the heat, so hope to get on with things tomorrow. We have to be up early again to fetch his last item from the chemist that they had to send for. If it isn't raining we may go to one of the quiet garden centres after as they open later.

Hi, ho,e now, good journey traffic heavy around birmingham and we had to do a detour early on before getting on the M6 as there was an accident but mostly the traffic was ok. we stopped for the loo at charnock richard and then for two hours including lunch at Webbs garden centre (where money was spent on all sorts but plants and we had a nice lunch. BBL.

I’m a bit busy today but will bbl, Mel. Good to see you Frank and know you are OK.

Its good to see you Frank love to you both. <3

Seems its just Frank and I today.

Hope Anng and company get a good journey home.

Good afternoon all, Nothing to report from this end. We are both well. Will try to post more next time. xxx

Morning all,

Cooler today after the light right last night and really comfortableout there now.

Anng should be on her way home by now so safe journey to you all.

Wipe down day today so getting ready for it and I hope its not toolate today but it says on the tracking that the order is being prepared not out for delivery which tells me they are very short staffed. Maybe because the kids are on holiday and some staff are off.

We had a little rain earlier on but its dry now and was'nt enough to doany good. did'nt even wet the ground.

No HW got done after all as I got lost in the garden on the rockery bit and dead headed and dug out a couple of passed Foxgloves and a dock and some couch grass that got in the rockery. Cut some of the old leaves off the thing that flowers in the spring. Anng has one but the name escapes me and rearranged some pot plants where the foxgloves were.

I bought two Gladioli from the lady up the road for 50p each. Thought they were going to be red and was disappointed but a flower came out today and they are a rusty colour with a mauve center and are lovely. I was going to put them in the bnorder but the deer may eat them so I put them n bigger pots and put them on the rockery where they look nice and I can see them.

Forgot to tell you I had two eggs today and a broken one. Yesterday I had three egg and no broken one. Hip hip Hoorah :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D That has to be a first for a long while 5 eggs in two days.

Enjoy your 'all sorts' with Katie Mandy! It sounds like you and Max will need a rest when she goes home! :-D I bet she will be wanting a bracelet!

That is a good journey for your son Vera. At least you got to see them all though and have had a nice time.

AnnG, we always stick our washing in plastic carrier bags too. That was quite a good walk you did today. It has been very tiring, hot and sticky here today and we've had no energy again.

The workers are still hammering and banging next door to Mrs O's. We can see now what they seem to be doing. The entrance (with a canopy over) to the bungalow is down the side next to Mrs O's fence. They are builidng a timber lean to from the front of the bungalow down the side and enclosing the canopy over the front door. They did something similar down the other side of the bungalow. At the moment it is all just unpainted sheets of plywood so I wonder how they will finish it.

Mel, the class will be tomorrow morning. Yes much HW needed here too!

Afternoon all,

Just a quick one as Katie came on Sunday and is here until tomorrow so we've been busy doing all sorts .

Mel, lovely to see you in your gongalongs :-D and those pies look really good .

Safe journey home Vera and Anng

Hav'nt got on my hands and knees yet been clearing the fridge out ready for tomorrows delivery. Dettoled all the work surfaces inthe kitchen and done the pots for a pot salad tonight. Next do some waldof salad and then may go out inthe garden but its so hot here even though the sky is coloudy and theres a bit of a breeze.

Sounds like you had a nice walk today Anng.

Just back from a 2.5 walk along the prom at Maryport, tide was out and there were lots of wild flowers everywhere really lovely. and the sun was out for half the walk, it then clouded over when we sat in the harbour area for a coffee but now we are home the sun is out again. Not hot today though.

Yes packing is easier to go home as I take a large carrier bag and just throw all the washing in that then just a few bits to pack, not a lot of stuff not worn so I got it about right this time.

Probably leaving here 0800 tomorrow .


Safe journey. Era, sad to cut your stay short by a day bout obviously the easiest way to do it.

Good that you have been picked up for the course Ann. Look forward to the photo.

Hope if you can get down to the HW Mel you can get up again!

Mandy, Gill and Frank, hope you are all ok.

Just done some watering myself Ann. Enjoy your class today and we shall need to see the results as usual please.

Morning All,

Fireworks last night at 11.00pm but at least they weren't for long and no big bangs.
I took a while to nod off but we were up early to get to the factory shop 17 miles away for when they opened . We took my car to give it a good run and OH got 5 plain T shirts he wears around the house, some blue and some white for only £20 and I got a top for £12. We also got some batteries we needed and some plant feed. The staff were all masked and their screens were still up. Then we called in the chemist to get our scripts, but they needed to order something OH wants, so we'll be out again tomorrow to collect it. A lady with a baby and even her little boy were busy masking up before they went inside,so it seems most are continuing with the rules despite not having to which is good.

Well I'm so fed up with them saying every day that we'll have rain and none appearing, except for those few spots we had. that I'm putting the washer on, We noticed when we were out how brown the grass is everywhere as we haven't had rain for ages now and even the water butts are about empty.

The art teacher I like is doing a class online tomorrow painting flowers with water brushes. It was full when I tried to enrol before, but I put my name on a waiting list and it came up for me to join a few days ago, so I need to find and get out what I will need later.

Make the most of your last day AnnG, the packing is quicker for going home I find as creases don't matter so much!

Yes I expect Mandy is seeing the grandchildren now they are off school.

I hope Frank is ok and feeling a bit better and that his poor friend in hospital is improving.

Hopefully Gill now has someone to do the new bathroom wall.

Better go and see what we can have to eat for lunch next and see what wants watering.