General Chat

Snap Mel! It is annoying in tv programmes. :-| I make him rewind sometimes. It is getting quite dark now......is it the shortest day today?

That was lucky to discover Liz.........I could do with one of those gadgets that you can transfer records, tapes, cassettes to CD or the computer. We could get rid of a lot of stuff then.

We were both saying that now we have bought virtually all the food........we want to start eating it!!!!! :-0 :-0

I often read the thread but rarely post on here. But I just wanted to say A Happy Christmas to all of you who post on this thread and rarely anywhere else. I hope you will all have a lovely time and then a happy and peaceful new year. :-) :-)

Better LATE than NEVER.

Good afternoon fair folk,

Was up with the sunrise this morning, and Ros wasn't far behind my. I had my shower and shave, breakfast and round the Doctors by 9.15 am another EMPTY arm. and now a nice bruise. !!

Ros was feeling a lot better this morning, so instead of asking neighbour to take me to hospital, Ros did it herself. she also had to pick something up from one of the departments. They kept me sitting around in my GOWN for ages. What a palavor getting that B thing on. They have taken 4 X rays of my knee, and the blokes in there wished me happy birthday for tomorrow. as I had to confirm my D.O.B.

We stopped off at Morriso## on the way home.I picked up a couple of cases of beer. We also bought a small turkey for next week when Lewis is here (our own little Christmas dinner) together with all the veg. and bits to go with the dinner. I also bought a big piece of RIB EYED BEEF. to take to Conrads. If he doesn't want/need it. I will freeze it. I am glad we haven't got to feed the whole family here this christmas, we would never afford the prices. We didn't buy that much but it was still over £120.00

Ros is feeling a bit more herself this afternoon, so she has gone to Martines for a cup of tea and a chinwag. She says she will be fine for tomorrow night. We will decide tomorrow morning. (OR I WILL) ### then the fight begines LOL LOL

Ann which Email didn't you get ???? And how do you know ????

Fitz's trees look good Jane, did you polish off a bottle or two hic hic. ??

Mel, I could only open the owl one. The other had a virous attached to it !! Thats what my computer said

We have added more meat and veg to the stew, and will have that tonight. All this time saving on cooking, I'll think it's my BIRTHDAY !!! Will come back to earth next week. lol lol.

Liz, We all have our own little ways to remember our relatives passings, I think yours is so beautiful, and I am sure it means a greal deal to you. GOD BLESS.

Off for a cuppa, see you later.

Afternoon everyone,

A very Happy Christmas to you too Ann :-) you are very welcome come and join us we don't bite :-D you must have some memories to start us off again.

They are both lovely tree's of Fitz's Jane ,must take a lot of decorations on the big one .
Done all the shopping now ,i just need a Cauli they looked terrible in Tes*o's all brown !!
Will walk to Morrison's tomorrow and see what theirs are like .

Go for it Ann :-D :-D who will know if you start on the food early :-D

Mandy, nThe caulis are A O>K. in Morris###. We bought one this afternoon.

Happy Christmas to you Annin Glos. We have spoken on other threads. Hope you are keeping well.

Do you not go for the frozen cauliflower florets in a bag,also most of the other veg?

I'll have a look tomorrow Frank ,we can walk there as i bet the car park will be busy .
Frank was it the BIG email that Ann didn't get ? LOL

David i try to go for the fresh veg if i can .

Beef Cobbler for us tonight ,it's smelling good .

Thank you. Yes Frank thank you I am well, yes we have met on other threads occasionally. Memories of Christmas past? The following is an extract from my life story, some may have seen it when the whole was put on Genes a few years back.


These days it is the custom to spend a lot of money on Christmas and birthday presents. When I was young we were a lot less mercenary and, of course, we didn’t have television advertisements to encourage us to want the toy of the moment. Also it was war time, everything was in short supply and toys had to be queued for in the shops or, as was more likely, bought second hand.

I was lucky in that my parents always seemed to find books to buy for me at Christmas, I remember always having an annual at Christmas and a Rupert book, later on books by Enid Blyton were favourite and I particularly remember, besides the Five and Seven series a book called Red Roofs. The trouble with books though was that I always managed to read them in a day. And Mum would always say, “you haven’t finished that already?” As well as the books I usually had a jigsaw which I would enjoy doing with Mum.

When I was about four or five my Mum queued up and bought me a china dolls’ tea set. The pictures on it were of Pinocchio and our daughter still has it today. Dad made me a dresser to put it on and a small table and chair so that I could play tea parties. I remember having lots of fun with it. Another favourite present was the second hand dolls pram that I had one Christmas, a miniature version of the real thing, plus a doll to go in it which my Mum dressed for me.
Other favourite presents were a huge dolls’ house made and fitted out by my Dad with working lights, decorated with wallpaper and with fitted carpets and curtains, a farm house with lead animals, a large solid wheeled tricycle, I do remember being disappointed that it didn’t have pump up tyres but it was all they could find, this was probably in 1948 (this was in the time before young children had two wheeled bikes).

Then there were the scooter, a large one with a brake, a handcart made by my Dad to use in the garden – I used to pretend it was a milk cart - and a doll’s cot with drop down sides, again made for me by Dad. Looking back, the strangest present was a doll that I had, she was lovely and I think our daughter may still have her, but I was eleven years old. I have a photo of me with the doll and my sister with hers. I can only think that they bought it because they wanted us both to have the same. I daren’t tell my friends at High School!

As I got to my early teens the presents would be items like a satchel for school, a music case (I was learning the piano at the time), handbags, clothes but always books. I do remember two fountain pens I had as presents. One, when I started High school was a very small Conway Stewart in a green mottled case, the second, when I started work, was a ladies Parker. The Parker I still have which makes it 56 years old.
:-) :-)

EVENING ALL

thats my shopping done..People were still comming into the charity shop to get the last bargains..

We need more clothes now and coats.

nearly all the christmas items have gone......I was also sorting threw clothes this morning as we are shortstaffed..The things we had to discard,,,,because they have to be perfect to sell on ...such a shame.

Im just about to start dinner .spag bol at least the mince is out of the freezer now..


Ann in Glos a happy christmas and new year to you..Ithink our paths have crossed at one stage..

It took me ages to read all the fun emails today. I also think Frank's been in my den here. I was just looking at the 'Cup Sizes', got half way done when my mouse froze up for want of a new battery! Cruel or what LOL.

Been in to Coventry on my own today flashing the old bus pass. A friend was here with Carmel. I rang Carmel to say I was on my way home about 12.40pm with two items left to shop for. I got to the Trinity Street bus stop to wait for the 12.55pm No 20. When it arrived we all piled on. The bus bus just stopped there, no explanation, people were getting on, people were getting off. Two No 20's, came in and left us behind. At 1.10pm I got off and caught the 48 instead, the No 20 was still there. By the time I got off the 48 at turned 1.40pm, Carmel was ringing my mobile to see where I'd got to! I wonder what that was all about????

Yesterday we were both at our doctors at 8.40am. He was very good with both of yet there was one time we didn't care for him. When you go in he always asks "What's happened now?" - and it makes you feel like a naughty child. Anyway, Carmel had to hop up on the couch to have her tummy examined and her head sort of went over the pillow hanging slightly backwards. When she sat up to get up she went all dizzy. I think it was because of the position of her head, but anyway, the doctor rushed off to get her a drink of water and wouldn't let her go until she felt OK. I think we'll call him Doctor Santa in future.

Jane, I loved the Christmas tree photos and what a loevly fireplace, or ingle, I think you call them. That looked real Christmassy. Thank's everyone for all the emails today, they were lovely and made me forget the silly bus incident.

Never mind WILL. We will all get to your age sometime LOL LOL

Oh Anninglos, What a lot of happy memories you have from childhood, I wish I could say the same. If you couldn't eat it or wear it, you never got it !! That went right on through my childhood. The first and only present I can remember from my Mum was £10.00 for my 21st Birthday to buy an overcoat. I think this is why I love everything about Christmas now. I have always done everything (within reason) to satisfy my childrens desires for christmas presents, even if it ment I didn't get anything myself.

One year there was a toy called CATIE COPY CAT. I searched all over Inc, Notts, Leics, Beds, Bucks, as well as Northants. On the Christmas Eve I traveled over 80 miles to get one that hadn't been pick up by the person who ordered it. They said their policy was that if an order wasn't collected by Noon they would let it go to anyone on the WAITING LIST. On the Boxing day my son broke it. !!! Oh HAPPY MEMORIES.

Oh My Goodness ,you lot of chatterboxes.I will have to catch up on everything this evening after dinner.

But will just wish Ann A Very Merry Christmas too .Thanks for your wishes Ann.Do keep popping in to see us :-D

Merry Christmas to you too AnninGlos.........our paths have crossed before too. You have some lovely memories there of how Christmas used to be.

Boo-hoo, yes it was the BIG email like Mandy says. They were talking about it and I had to GUESS what it was about! Can someone forward it to me please?

Well, I have had a couple of mince pies..........but OH was eating them at the start of December.......he had nibbles this afternoon as well.

I watched the Christmas Wartime Farm (that I'd recorded) this afternoon. I must say that I'd never heard of AIRGRAPHS before. What a good idea and why didn't they carry on with them after the war I wonder. It showed on there the doll's house furniture, home made out of matchboxes. I can remember making chests of drawers for mine out of matchboxes. I used to get Annuals too, Rupert and the Dandy. I loved the cowgirl outfit I got one year, fringed hat and waistcoat and the lovely gold and white six shooter with caps that smelled lovely when they went 'bang'.

Sent Ann :-D :-D :-D

Thanks Jane........what can I say......oh my!!! :-0 That is a lovely photo you took of Bella.

I was going to nip down the retail park about now to look at some more glasses and fill up with diesel as well, but I've lost the will and feel too tired to bother. :-S

Had to go to the vet's with Ellen's adopted cat Izzy.

It has a very poor coat condition due to parasite infection.
Had 2 injections and given prescription of satchets of stuff for her skin (the cats)

Yes Ann please keep popping in as we are all enjoying your stories.

A very happy Christmas to you too.

I often had the Rupert Annual and The Beano or Dandy book. I did'nt read books as such as a child. I member a big walkie talkie doll one Christmas and I called her Peggy. She had blond hair in plaits (sp) and when you made her walk her head moved from side to side. I still have my Tessy Bear who must be 62 years old now. Then there were the dolls with rooted hair. I had a teenage doll and still have her too but first I had a Rosebud doll I called Diana. these two are somewhere in the loft.

<3 <3 <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR FRANKIE <3
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU <3 <3 <3
HAVE A NICE DAY OLD BEAN ;-)

MERRY XMAS TO YOU ANNIN GLOS--- SEAM TO REMEMBER YOU ON SPANISH EYES THREAD?

WE HAD SNOW TO-DAY ALL GIFTS DONE-FOOD IN --ALL THE MONSTERS ARE COMING ON SUNDAY--AS THEIR PARENTS ARE WORKING XMAS EVE LATER THIS YEAR---- :-| WELL THIS WAY WILL GIVE THIS OLD BODY TIME ON XMAS EVE TO GET XMAS DINNER SET UP NO RUSH ;-)

MEL YOUR LOVELY CARD ARRIVED TO-DAY THANK YOU --OOPS MY BERRIES FELL OF AS WELL <3

FOR ALL WHO ARE GOING AWAY HAVE A LOVELY XMAS AND A SAFE ONE <3

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANK <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Seventy four today and kicking along like a young buck. I have hope you have a lovely day whatever your plans may be.

Hello to everyone and thank you for your cards and all the photos that have been coming through. I must try to get some photos of our tree to send. Lots of wrapping today and OH has just gone off to buy a ham. Yes we leave everything to the last minute.

Son is playing cricket and my daughter is up at Shoal Bay about 1-1/2 hours north of here for 2 days as it is the girl's 18th birthday. They are staying at a lovely resort spa and will be back tomorrow. She did pass her exams, so counting those blessings at least.

Trip to my doctor last Thursday and blood pressure so low and adrenals not functioning so it's been a bit of a struggle lately. We are off to a friend's for Christmas Day, so good not to have to cook a turkey this year. It will be a cold buffet lunch.

I hope everyone is well. Are you having floods at the moment? I have sent Sheila a message, but have not heard from her in a long time. Does anyone have news of her?

I will post again before Christmas Day, but in the mean time stay safe and well.

4.13 pm DST

Many Happy Returns Frank.