General Chat

Morning all,

Its a nice bright morning at the moment and its 8 degrees and pc says cloudy so I don't think the suns going to last long but we'll see as the day goes on.

Back from Stu's and tonight we had chilli. He was'nt too good tonight very shakey but I asked if he had taken his pills and he told me he took them late so thats why he was a bit odd.

Glad you had a safe journey Anng and hope the legs better tomorrow. I sometimes get the fidgets in my legs in the car if I am a passenger and there's sometimes things on the floor of the foot pan in BIL's car.

Vera that was great you did'nt have to pay anything for the check on the car today and a nice comfy chair and a nice warming coffee too. Makes a change to get something for nothing nowadays.

Annx I have a lot of the Devon Mottoware in the kitchen on the plate rack. I even have the little teapot mum bought me when I was a little girl, it has For a good girl writen on the back. I also had a small cup and saucer but my aunt broke that. Somewhere I have nan's old vase with a windmill on it. She always put daffs in that.

So Anng where would we find the draft button on GR then?

Going to watch a bit of telly now and relax before bed.

Hope you all sleep well tonight night night.

Something that has worked for me a couple of times when I have thought zi have lost a post. I have gone to ‘draft’ and the post I had just written was there.

AnnG, I have posted on the book thread.

Ann you were lucky to get to the tip before the rain came and how good was that getting the parcel before time .

Hope your leg pain eases for you Anng thats a long while to sit in the car if you can't stretch your legs out a bit ,even with a stop or two you then have to ho back to the same position again which doesnt help.

Well Vera that was a nice surprise getting a free check on the car ,it's good to know OH can drive it and not worry ,perhaps they oiled a bit and it's eased or freed something.

Gwyn I see the veg prices have gone down to 5p in Aldi, Lidl and Morrisons now and 15p in Tesco's, Sainsbury and Asda the veg war has started ,I can't think they'll go down much more .

Well with OH's interruptions I ended up posting after Vera and AnnG had popped in! I must check before posting in future as OH often interrupts and wants something!

That was good to know the car is ok Vera and even better there was no charge!

I hope your leg soon recovers from the journey AnnG, but you seemed to make good time and avoided the rain. I sometimes set two alarm clocks these days as I don't trust myself to do it right. :-S

Evening All,

I hope AnnG had a good journey without holdups and is settled in now.

It was dull but dry here this morning so we bundled the old pillows and protectors and mattress protector and cushion pad I made for my window seat in the car and went to the tip before the rain came as we rightly thought few would be there. We went to the shop near there after and got home just before the rain started and before a parcel arrived that they'd given a 27th Dec delivery for, so that was early. We had another few Christmas cards too so they seem to be delivering more days of the week now.

Thankyou Mandy, I hadn't noticed the Greens, so have recorded it now as I enjoy their antics! At the same time I spotted A Tudor Christmas with Lucy Worsley, so recorded that for OH as he likes her and the historical programmes she does. I thought of Mel and her Tudor Man as no doubt Lucy will be dressing the part!

You are lucky to get your appointments through like that Vera. OH has been phoning for a few weeks now to speak to the rheumatology dept to see where he is on the waiting list for his appointment to discuss the MRI results and no-one answers the phone, not even on his secretary's number. It's 9 months now since he was referred back from the private rheumatologist for the treatment and still hasn't had any yet. They haven't even arranged any physio and his free, private physio has run out now. I do wish GR had an 'undo' button at the top like some other sites, so you could get back to what you lose! It happens to us all, so would be so useful. I hope all went smoothly with dropping the car off and getting home again and that it won't be costly to sort out.

Mel you do well with your festive arrangements, but it must be hard to judge what will sell sometimes. I think more people are going over to using the battery candles in decorations now as they are safer and there's been warnings of candle fumes not being good for our lungs. It's a good job you spotted your coffee isn't it or the mug might have broken as well! I'd never heard of Devon Mottoware, so have learned something today as I had to look it up. I hope you have a nice meal tonight and has he got you a spare wheel yet?

Hello all we left in the dark, but dry at 0725. We stopped for the loo at Stafford and for coffee at Charnock Richard, then at Tebay. For some stuff from the shop and we got here at 1.15. It was dry all the way but very dull.

Soon unpacked and had lunch and settled in. Leg is a bit painful from being constructed in the car hopefully it will ease. Hoping for a good sleep tonight as I woke around four then lay waiting for the alarm to go off. Which it didn’t so it was a good job Ibwas awake. I must have set it wrong. :-S

Tesco have been and everything is put away. They didn’t have any Bramley apples but everything else was fine. Everything is still going up in price; I expect you are all finding the same. 2 pears were £1.24. At this rate we’ll be living on potatoes and cabbage soon.

Mel, what are you like? Mind you, if you are going barmy, so am I. I put a wheat bag in the microwave the other day and set it for 1 minute 30 seconds. After about 3 minutes I wondered why it was taking so long and found I’d set it for 13 minutes. It was so hot I could barely touch it. I reckon after 13 minutes it would have exploded. Enjoy your meal at Stu’s tonight.

I expect Colin’s sister was pleased to be able to spend a couple of hours with you and your coffee sponge sounds very moreish. Invite me to tea please.

I hope AnnG has arrived safely and didn’t have to contend with much wind and rain. It’s been awful here, gusty wind and rain all day and so dark, even at midday. The computer is saying that the rain is stopping in about an hour. I hope it’s right.

Well, we had a good result with the car. Lookers are a big Volvo company and they also do Honda and Range Rover among others and they have several showrooms and workshops. When OH looked up where we had to go it turned out to be the place our side of Colchester so the easiest to get to. When we got there the receptionist said we needn’t get a taxi home as it would be looked at this morning so we could wait and help ourselves to some coffee. There was an excellent coffee machine with real china cups in a cupboard underneath so we both got ourselves a large coffee and sat in 2 big armchairs and waited. We also got talking to another couple doing the same so that helped pass the time. A lovely young man came and asked OH what the clutch felt like and what was worrying him about it and then went away to check it. After about an hour he came back and reassured us that our clutch should be fine for us to drive. It is an old car with an old clutch but there was no damage or serious wear on it. He suggested we just monitor it and if it seemed to be getting worse they would have it back in. In fact, on the way home OH said it felt different and better and we wondered if they had tightened something up anyway. They certainly gave it a good going over and we know they also drove it. The best part of all was when OH collected the car key back and went to get his credit card out, they gave him an invoice and there was no charge. They had done it for free. I expect their computer records showed that we always have the car serviced with that company but it was still a pleasant surprise not to be charged for their time. So no taxi to pay for, no mechanic’s time or new parts to pay for and a lovely coffee and comfortable chair while we waited. Can’t be bad!

Well, I’ve given myself an easy time tonight by getting Tesco to include a ready meal in their delivery but I’d better go and put the oven on to heat up as I’d like to eat about 6.30 pm tonight. Sleep well tonight everyone. I’m hoping for a repeat of last night – I slept from 12.30 to about 6.30 and I’ve felt much livelier today.

I ended up with about three quarters of a mug of coffee in the end and did'nt bother to top it up.

9 degrees and I have just been up the shop to take what I made today. I did a large candle arrangement and another posie as they seem to sell. There was still the two candle posies down the shop.

Going to Stu's tonight so I better start getting ready after wshing up as Iv'e not done todays yet. I like to work in the shed while its light I can wash up when its dark and put the light on.

Iv'e also put three likttle Devon Mottoware plates on Ebay and that takes me ages.

Going to get myself a drink now, Ribena I think hot.

Oh no Mel that was a mess to clean up did you get a full cup or end up with the half a cup.

Oh Vera that's not like you to lose a post ,perhaps you were in a hurry as you had your tesco delivery coming .

We had nearly two hours with Colin's sister and ended up with a late lunch , when we left hers the rain was coming down and it hasn't stopped since , got a nice coffee sponge cooking in the oven and a cup of tea waiting to be drunk .

Just wrote a bit of a post, clicked back a page to check something and it has disappeared. My own fault for not doing it on Word and then doing a c&p. Memo to self: must practice what I preach! I won't post more now as I am expecting a Tesco delivery at any minute but will probably bbl.

Morning girls,

Yes Mandy hope Anng and co ltd have a safe journey and don't get many holdups on the way.

Just had to wsh the microwave as I put my coffee on for 50 secs and thought it was a long while and it had boiled over, I had put it on for 50 minuets so I lost half of it on the plate. Now I know I am going barmy.

Its really dark here this morning 9 degrees with a moderate rain warning. I really need the lights on.

Hope you all slept well or got enough to be able to get on with the day.

Morning all,

Dry here but very dull I think we should get rain later .

Anng will be on her way ,hope they have a safe journey with no traffic hold ups .

Yesterday was a busy day I don't know where the day went ,today we're off out again to see Colin's sister so that will be the morning gone .

Vera I hope the car can get you to the garage ok and it's an easy fix with no waiting for parts ,as you say not what you want just before Christmas.

Mel your doing well with your floral arrangements this year ,your mum's crackers must have sold well as they sounded really special much better than shop bought that have the usual bottle opener ,little playing cards etc.

Ann there's a new Christmas with The Greens tonight ,channel 5 eight o'clock, Jean's helping with a yarn bombing and taking donkeys to a hospice .

Right better drink my tea then get on .

I did another big candle arrangement this afternoon but nearly finished it when it came over rather dark and I don't have lights in the shed. I shgall have to have another look at it in the morning.

I did up a parcel and went down the shop to post it and noticed there are only two small candle posies on the windowsill so the two posies without candles have gone so I am going to do two more without candles. People either don't want the candles because they have children orthye want them for graves. Still now wreaths down there I wish I had made some.

Just having a well deserved cuppa and then I shall do more pressies up.

Your mum's crackers sound great Mel.You must have inherited her talent as she sounds as though she was good at crafts too.

You are all packed up and ready to go then AnnG. I hope the weather is kind to you while you are away. Safe journey.

Mandy, I have suggested to one of our club organisers that if they are short of a speaker for any meeting in the first half of next year we could have a social evening with the quiz and game that we were going to have at Monday's tea and the Secret Santa presents we have all bought etc.

Annx, I remember you saying what a performance your OH had with hospital appointments and trying to get through to speak to them. We seem to be very lucky with the Eye Treatment Centre at the West Suffolk. The phone usually gets answered pretty quickly and appointments come through promptly. I saw the doctor on Friday afternoon and she said she wanted to see me again after I'd finished this course of drops. I got the appointment on Monday morning for 16th January.

We now have another problem. When we got home yesterday OH said he was worried about the clutch on the car. He didn't want to risk driving to daughter's on Christmas Eve and breaking down and getting stranded. Part of the way is on a busy A road, in fact it's the road to Stansted Airport and traffic on Christmas Eve is bound to be heavy. So this morning he rang the Volvo place near Colchester that we use for all our servicing etc. They will take the car in tomorrow morning but can't collect it as they usually do so OH has got to drive it there and hope it doesn't give up on him on the way. I've decided to go with him, rather than sit at home worrying if he's OK. The car will have to be left so we will have to try to get a taxi home. We could do without another big expense just before Christmas. Of course, when I had to cancel our dental check ups because of my cateract op, I remade the appointment for tomorrow morning. So we had to ring them and cancel yet again. Now we are booked for the end of January.

I've had a little break and a cuppa now so I'd better get back to some jobs. Keep warm and enjoy the rest of your day.

yes I didn't get the error message but it was very slow loading reply.

Kept showing error message so corrected now AnnG!

Stuttering a bit this morning Ann. Wet here and 7 degrees now. We have just been to the garden centre for coffee and daughter wanted bird seed as she has run out at home. The cafe was packed, we got the last table at 10.30 when we went in for coffee. lots of large groups. Quite festive. Some tables already reserved for afternoon tea. Had to chuckle at a couple of elderly men who just pushed all the tea things out of the way and sat at the table for their coffee. Stupis reserving tables at that time for the afternoon.

Car is all packed up now while the rain was not too bad and tomoprrow it will be dark when we go off. Just my case to go in as that sits on the back seat.

Morning All,

Drizzly here, but we were up early and took both cars to have a coffee and bun down the road as OH needed to carry on to the dentist for his appointment shortly after. I carried on to the big Co-op afterwards and got all the shopping I needed.

Vera I doubt you will need anywhere near as many drops as OH. He kept having to go to the hospital as they didn't send him promised appointments or answer the phone and then decided he hadn't been treated vigorously enough at the start and had to bring out the 'big guns' and step up his treatment. It sounds like you had a good day yesterday and we are having Salmon today!

AnnG I expect the 'children' were enjoying a good rest this morning, but you were good keeping quiet so as not to disturb them. I wish OH was as quiet when he gets up early. I was up early this morning but he managed to knock the soap dish off the wall having his shower which landed on his toe and made it sore, then left the light on when we went out! What next I wonder?

Mel, we had no frost here, but heavier rain is due this afternoon and the fields were already still flooded by the packhorse bridge down the road this morning. The bungalow near it that has 3 acres at the riverside is up for sale again after just a year. I don't think they can have realised the floods go into their short garden some years and the field unuseable most of the winter. Your mum's crackers sound as if they were fantastic! I hope you get your candle arrangement done.