General Chat

Yes top to bottom. My Mum did it and I did it too when first married. I didn't have a washing machine until I had been married for ten years (including having two babies. I had a baby burco which boiled sheets and nappies and a spin drier and T's RN shirts and collars and sheets all went to the laundry, collected and delivered to the door. first washing machine was a twin tub.
It would be difficult to do (well impossible really) top to bottom now with fitted sheets for the bottom sheet.

Mandy, my Mum did “top to bottom” but that was changing the bedding. The bottom sheet went in the wash, the sheet that had been on the top went on the bottom and you had a clean sheet on the top. There were 3 beds to change and no washing machine so sheets went to the laundry. I doubt if my Mum could have afforded to send more than 3 sheets at a time.

“Sides to middle” was a sewing job. It was usually the middle of the sheet that started to wear thin so you cut the sheet lengthwise up the middle, brought the two sides into the middle and sewed them together, the cut edges from the middle were then at the sides and just had to be hemmed. It gave the sheets a new lease of life but meant you had a seam right down the middle of the bed.

Aren’t you glad we have today’s modern materials and machines? :-D

I also remember having darned socks. My Mum, bless her, was a good knitter but not a good sewer so she didn’t so much darn as what she called “cobbling together”, so instead of a nice smooth darn in my socks I got a rough old ridge.

I remember having to learn to darn in the Brownies. We also had to learn to wash and iron a shirt and wrap a parcel for the post with brown paper and string. We were clearly being prepared to become good housewives. I bet the little boys in the Cubs didn’t have to learn these things. It rankled with me even as a child that we were treated so differently.

I can’t remember now Mandy I am talking sixties. I vaguely remember it was a flat seam that would be down the centre of the bed. But I probably only did a couple of sheets myself.

Turned a lot cooler here now no rain so far but I thought I heard a little thunder this afternoon .

It was make do and mend years ago not like now where so much is thrown away ,I know mum would make herself aprons from her old dresses and turn dads collars on his shirts .

Oh no Ann they never do , yuk , what ever must the sheets be like after a year .

How does the sides to middle work on the sheets ? mum use to do top to bottom I seem to remember .
We've had sheets get a bit thin and Colin has put his foot through it lol

Hope the meat pie turned out ok Mel and you've enjoyed it .

Turned quite dark here now ,we need a nice steady rain but I bet it will tip down and spoil the plants

Annx I used to put sheets side to middle when first married Not sure why they used to wear out then but this one yesterday is the first one I remember splitting for about 50 years. It was actually quite an old one being a fitted sheet it would be a hassle to get anything but rags out of it.

I actually slept really well last night from 11pm to 0630.

I have put photos of Croome on my blog site.

It rained quite a bit during the morning but it was mizzly rain rather than a downpour. It was too wet to sit outside so we sat in our friends' living room with windows open and enjoyed our coffee and a chat and they witnessed our signatures on a form. They were a little bit on edge as their Asda delivery expected about 10 hadn't turned up. It arrived just as we were leaving at 12.15.

Turning sheets sides to middle, now there's a memory from the past. There's always someone glad of all these bits and pieces. We have a friend who also volunteers at a local cats' home and all our group give her old towels for cleaning cloths. They like the towels as they are more absorbent. A couple of us who have regular paper deliveries also save our papers for her and they are used for lining litter trays.

A few days ago we were talking about the Suffolk Punch horses. Today I had a "letter" from the one I sponsored who is at the Suffolk Punch Trust. She tells me that she is being introduced to the breeding programme next year and this year 2 fillys have been born at theTrust which is good news and there is still one foal to be born. It would be good if that's a filly too.

Croome Park sounds lovely AnnG and it's good that you ladies got on well. Will you plan more trips out together?

I'm sorry to hear you are having trouble with your foot again Ann. I hope the sandals with a bit of a heel will help. With your knees and now your foot, walking must be quite painful at times.

I hope you are feeling a bit better this morning Frank and that everyone else's aches and pains are bearable.

The air is getting very heavy and humid again. I almost wish we could have a good old thunderstorm to clear the air a bit. The computer is telling me it's 19 degrees and partly sunny. It feels a lot hotter than 19 degs and we haven't seen any sun all day! Time for a nice cold drink I think.

Got the meat cooking for a nice meat pie tonight. We only have pastry on the top and very thin so it should be nice and tasty.

I started to clear out some books just before lockdown and they are still in the boxes waiting to go to the hospis shop. Two big bin liners of clothes too in the uti room I have to get past if I want to put soemthing in the dryer. I have to get the pipe out the window and the ironing board is in the middle of the room.

Afternoon All,

We had a lie in this morning as the heat made us so tired yesterday. That's a good idea to get more use out of that old sheet AnnG. I'm sure they will appreciate it. We had the new fitted sheets come for the new bed this morning. I had said to OH the other night that we have some new ones in the cupboard that won't fit the mattresses on either bed now and like Mandy mentioned I had decided to make pillowcases with them once I get my machine out. They are duck egg blue like the new ones so will go together well. I remember when I was young cutting sheets that were worn in the middle in half and sewing them back together with the worn bit to the outsides. Money was short and it made things last longer. I used to cut the best bits of worn towels to make face flannels too. I can't imagine youngsters doing it these days. Did you see that study done by a bed manufacturer that found one third of people only change their bedding once a year!! Yuk.

My foot is still giving me gyp so I've found some sandals that have a small heel which seems to help a bit. Another day catching up with painting I think, HW will have to wait although I did clean the ensuite sink this morning.

We had chicken breast quarters from the farm shop today with a few chips, peas and a cauliflower bake.

The Works we went to is very open in part of this garden centre Mandy. No-one else was in there or I would have left it. Like you we wouldn't have chanced it. We sped through and yes more BOOKS!! He keeps saying he is going to have a clearout soon! lol. The garden centre just down the road has a big Works but we know it is busy there so went to this one a few miles further out.

I hope you enjoyed your coffee morning Vera.

Mandy I have to admit looking at the good ens and thinking I would have made pillow caes and pram sheets out of that. Then I remembered I have a drawer full of pillow cases so put that out of my mind.

Just planted up the plants I bought on Monday. Seemed a lot when I bought them but they don't go far when it comes to planting out. Still got loads of gaps in the garden.

Hope you get the washing dry Mandy as it should if its as warm as it is here.

Morning all,

I think we had a little rain in the night the road looked damp when I got out for the loo just after two ,never heard any thunder or saw any lightning,I just nipped up to boots for my tablets and there was just a few spits so I took a brolly but didn't need it
I stripped the bed and have the bedding in the wash ,don't know if i should hang it out or not as the sky looks so grey but I don't think it would take long to dry .

Oh Ann not more books :-D I'm itching to have a look in our Works but it's only a small shop and really tight for passing other people so I haven't chanced it yet .

Vera you might be glad to sit out in the garden with your friends this morning as its so
muggy ,enjoy your coffee and chat.

Anng your friend will probably be glad of the old sheet as sheeting makes nice cleaning rags ,I can remember if mum had a split sheet she would make pillow cases with the good bit :-)

Right off to hang this duvet out its brightened up a bit now .

Morning Anng and Vera and all,


Grey morning here and we had a tiny amount of rain in the night but nothing to write home about. I could hear a few drop falling on the patio roof when I put something in the bin last night.

I hope you enjoy your visit to friends today Vera and as you say it will be nice to be able to go inside for a change. Enjoy your coffee.

Anng I am sure you neighbour can put to use some cleaning cloths if she helps in an animal centre as they always need stuff.

No plans for me today so I shall just muddle along and do what I feel like. Must cook a dinner tonight htough. Maybe meat pie as I have been fancing one of those. Oh won't eat shop bought pies so I always make my own.

Good morning all

We had rain during the night and heard a few distant rumbles of thunder but the forecast storms seem to have missed us. It’s very grey out there so plenty more rain to come I reckon. We are going to friends for coffee this morning and would normally walk but I think we might be taking the car rather than risk a soaking.. At least we no longer have to sit in their garden but can go indoors.

Otherwise we have no plans for the day.

good morning all. Despite the weather forecast we had a short shower of not very much rain at 10.20 last night then nothing as far as I can see all night. So it looks like watering again this morning.
I slept really well last night from 11 until 6.30am, must have been all the fresh air.

I love the rockery type campanula and do have some, one of which doesn't seem to be flowering this year. But I also have at various parts of the garden, the tall type which is mostly self seeded, It is a bit of a nuisance, mostly white and needs staking as it flops because it is tall and thin so doesn't support itself. T used to like it so encouraged it.

Not got anything planned today so more gardening if it is dry and HW if not.

I have to see if my neighbour wants a white fitted double sheet. I may have told you that when I went to straighten it yesterday and pulled it, it ripped as if it was rotten. A large part of the sheet is fine so, she volunteers at a cat shelter, I shall offer it as cleaning rags.

Ann I shall look out for the postman tomorrow or the next day. Can't wait to see they fit me. Thanks for sending them.

I bet the children will love their new clothes Mandy and fancy Lacey being 9, I can remember being 9.

I also got the seven pictures Vera and I can see why you fell in love with the heron he's beautiful. Oh won't have Heron's in the garden as we get the real ones and he chases them away. They come and sit on the frame of the netting on my pond. we often see them fly over the garden as they nest over the back to us in the evergreen trees.

I have the bloue campanula too but not the white one. The pheasents used to eat mine and cut it right back but not this year as Ralph at the big house has'nt put any pheasents down during lock down and I think the fox had most of our females that used to visit. We still have Phil and he's still limping. I threw him some corn today as he was round by the big girls when I corned them.

Took a few pics today while we sat at my pond having a coffee. I was trying to get pics of my little fish as they are growing now but they move so quickly. We've sat there twice today just resting in the sun.

We had F & C tonight so I did'nt have to cook and I went up earlier today as most people come for their orders later on. I was the only one there at just after 6pm so I did'nt have to wait long.

Evening All,

Another good sleep and I'm glad you slept well too Mel. That was quick getting your hip appointment so quickly! Your parcel was posted today so look out for it! :-)

Vera, I threaten OH with the shed sometimes, but I don't think I would get inside ours and the roof leaks a bit now! Sorry your back is playing up! My word I love your Heron! There aren't many garden ornaments that I like but I love him. A great position near the bronze foliage as it enhances his colour. The Campanula are pretty as you say and I must get a shot of ours in the front if it has survived the heat. It has golden foliage. What a splash of colour those Portacula are making too.....beautiful!

You have had a great day AnnG. The grounds sound lovely and it's geat you all got on. I'm fancying a jacket potato now!!

Mandy the clothes for the girls sound great and Lacey 9 years old!!!!! My goodness where did those 9 years go. I think OH has the hose out now, no sign of rain here and the ground is so parched.

We decided to go out early to the farm shop, but that plantar fasciitis was back with a vengeance so I told OH to hold fire while I dressed and hobbled about to see if it would ease up! Well it did at least enough to go out and my sandals seemed to help. There was only 1 other customer and there was a big bucket size of sanitiser with wipes soaking in it that you pulled through the lid and ripped off to clean your baskets/trolleys, also hand sanitiser so that was good. It was nice to get some meat and fresher veg and big black cherries, asparagus and we got 2 of their nice ready meals for today and some of their free range eggs. Then we called at the pharmacy, then went to a garden centre and noticed there were few cars parked so went to look around. I got 6 plants for the wallpots at the front, a rock plant with orange flowers and a type of house leek I haven't got. OH got 2 books from the Works!! and I spotted some soft pastels with colours I don't have so got those. The car R brake light warning came on on the way back so I think a bulb has gone. We'll go out and check when it gets cooler and darker.

Sorry to hear you are getting the shakes Frank, but seeing Lewis will have helped to take your mind off it. I rather like a tidy, trim and well washed beard, which is just as well with OH having one! Any more news on John?

Thanks Mandy and AnnG. It sounds as though you got them all.

I had the same as Mandy Vera.

Vera I got seven photos ,two were of the Heron and five of the plants ,my word i and see how you fell for him he's a beautiful boy .

Glad you had a nice day out Anng sounds as if you had some good company.

Phew still hot ,I've given the tons and cues some water but I'll leave the pots as we should have rain later .