General Chat

Thank you for my card AnnG. Like Mandy's, mine arrived today as well. It's good to get it early but Royal Mail makes no sense at all lately. Something sent 2nd class from a distance arrives the next day but something we sent 15 miles by 1st class post took a week to reach its destination. You've been busy with the garden again. We still need to get more done outside but whenever we have time to do anything it seems to be raining.

There's been a strong, bitterly cold wind today and the temperature hasn't got very high at all. At the moment it's about 5 degrees. The wind has blown the leaves all over the place again.

First thing this morning I sorted out a birthday present for our son whose birthday is coming up in a week's time. I couldn't think what to get him, then remembered he's been playing a lot of golf lately with his 2 stepsons and his nephew (our grandson, the new Dad). So I took out a 6 month subscription to Golf Monthly for him.

Then we went into town again. First it was to the post office to send cards to Australia. It's a good job we only post things to them once a year as it was £2.20 postage for each one. After that we went to a shop that specialises in upholstery and renovating sofas etc. They are only open on Fridays and Saturday mornings, otherwise you have to make an appointment. I wanted new seat cushions for my 6 Ercol dining chairs. The original foam cushions are now about 30 years old and have completely disintegrated inside their covers. I have a spare set of covers so took one of these in and asked if they could make cushions to fit and they can. It's not particularly cheap but it would be a great deal more expensive to buy a whole new dining suite. They said to take in the other 5 covers and they will make the foam seats, cover them and fit them inside my nice covers so they will look professional.

Next OH wanted something from a large builders' merchants out of town so we went there. By the time he had got what he wanted it was 12.30 and we weren't many miles from Long Melford so I suggested that, instead of going home, we had lunch there. There are plenty of pubs and eateries so we chose one and had a nice meal, both clearing our plates. A main course, a glass of wine and a coffee went down very nicely and I'm pleased as I haven't got to cook tonight.

Our friend with Covid is still not very well. She tested positive 8 or 9 days ago and we thought her husband may have escaped it but he tested positive yesterday. This is an extra worry for her as he is very vulnerable. He already has a portable oxygen tank that he has to use when they go out and he needs to walk at all but he is usually OK without it indoors. When I texted this morning to see how they were he was using his oxygen supply just sitting in a chair indoors. It is concerning but she will ring either 111 or the surgery for help if he gets any worse.

I'm going online now to try and get ideas for a few more Xmas presents as I still have a lot to get. I was going to write some more cards but my hands are a bit shaky tonight so I'll do those in the morning when I am less tired.

:-D Mandy, now why has that managed to get there when only posted late morning yesterday when other letters and cards take days to arrive or do not arrive at all. You will get sick of looking at it. I can't believe that!!

So far today I have walked down with a couple of books for the charity lady, taken in my hanging basket fuchsia and put it in the conservatory. Put together a chilli in the slow cooker Started to clean off a shelf unit from the Greenhouse which is in the garage, ready to go into the new shed and spent 45 minutes in the garden cutting more stuff down. You would think there was not any more to cut back the number of times I have filled the garden bin but there is still a bit more.

Because I had a broken night's sleep last night I am really weary today. I hope to get around to wrapping more presents this afternoon and I have a Tesco shop due 4-5pm. 2 subs both OK.

Morning all,

Thank you Anng your Christmas card it has just arrived .I opened it and its on the mantlepiece but I might have to dust it once or twice before Christmas lol

Nice sunny morning but I don't know how cold it is as I'm staying In the warm .
Feel about the same this morning really tired even though I didn't have a bad night's sleep

good morning all 8 degrees here and quite bright. Didn't sleep that well last night. Just as well I have nothing planned for today.

I posted my Christmas cards yesterday, hoping to avoid the rush and non delivery of cards. so, if yours arrives too early, pop it on a shelf until a good time to open it. Apologies in advance as this will probably be the time the post is on time.

Mel I have put up a post about selling to sites like Etsy. It probably won't apply to you but you should look into it just in case.

Morning all,

Looks like it may be a nice day today pc says cold weather and 9 degrees and the sun is trying to come up. The sky is a watery blue with a few clouds.

Have to pick up a script at some time today other than that the days mine.

oodness Anng you certainly went around the houses to get home.

I have cleaned the windows in the dining area and washed the windowsills and potted up a cutitng I took in water on the windowsill. Also repotted my little succulant Em bought me years ago which I had in the spare bedroom as it was reaching out of its pot and the mouse had eaten the middle out a bit. I was so pleased with it when I last watered it but now it is in a sorry state but still growing so I hope new bits will come out.

I have been looking for my tapestry material as I wanted to make some more little baskets but do you think I can find it? I thought it was in the box it came in but there are only dolls house papers in those flat boxes. Such a nuisance as when I feel the need to make something a bit different I can't find the gear to do it with. I have found all the moulds for the baskets and got those all out but now I shall have to wait till I find it or buy somew more!! That would be the third lot I have bought as I could'nt find it last time I wanted to make some.

Mandy pleased that you felt better this morning. Not sure it was a good idea to tackle the washing though. Rest is what you need.

that was an exciting end to my shop in town. Had a pleasant look round as I didn't really go in for anything specific. Bought a few bits and had a nice latte and Danish in a restaurant I like. As it wa sunny I also walked down to look at the outside of the cathedral in the sun. I didn't have my camera on me but took a couple of photos with my phone.
Went to catch the bus which was in when I got there and driver ame quite quickly and we all got on at about 1310. Bus closed doors and started to reverse. then driver realised he was not able to get out of bus station onto the road as all traffic was blocked from going the way he wanted. So he pulled back into his slot and let the next load of people onto our bus which made it really crowded. Eventually having checked with the office we drove off and turned in exactly the opposite direction and went on a magical mystery tour around the outskirts of gloucester. that means he had to leave out quite a chunk of the route. We did eventually get back onto the right route but what would normally take 20 or so minutes took me just over double that. Nobody was complaining though. apparently it was to allow the delivery of a huge bridge to a large building complex next to the bus station. I think the bridge will link up a hotel, flats and Multi storey car park. The lorry delivering the bridge was only able to move at walking pace.

morning had trouuble wit erroe page thhis rninng

Did'nt wake till just after 10am. Need too get on andd feed the girsls.

Glad to hear Mandy feels aa bit better today.

Cna

Morning all,

Yes thank you Anng I do feel a bit better ,my head is not so painful but I have lost my voice , I have just put some washing in the machine and it feels like I've run a marathon I'm so tired.
Seems to have clouded up now the sky was lovely and blue a while ago .

Good morning all very grey looking and dark so far but 9 degrees. I think I may go into town as I had intended going Saturday but won't be able to with them doing the shed now.

Yes they are a good team Vera and, I think what is important, they are hungry for work. Jake has a family to keep. And the two work together well too. Jake never walks when he can run!!! I love how, if I mention anything in the garden. He looks at me and says 'is that the next job?' And he doesn't forget either, has it already planned. Luckily, from being on my own and not spending a terrific amount in the last three years I have money saved for just these sort of jobs. And I feel that getting it all sorted now will be a help later on if I get to a stage where I need to sell up and move. Better a new shed than a ramshackle shed and greenhouse. I do know if T was still here the shed would have been left to deteriorate more. Never could get him to admit we needed to pay somebody to do things that he could always have done.

Of course the next big thing will be to get all the stuff back in the shed. That can be done slowly though.

I keep my Christmas list on my computer and have deleted through the year. It does bring home to you how many friends have been lost in the year. The next thing will be cards arriving with sad news I suppose.

Glad you googled that Vera. Interesting though to know that it is not imagination.

Mel. do get a new keyboard, they don't last for ever. Where T was often changing his for a better one (to work with his flight simulators) there were several spares up in the loft the last time somebody went up there.

Mandy I hope you are still improving and are feeling better today. :-)

You do seem to have got a nasty dose of Covid Mandy. It seems to vary so much from person to person. I hope you feel better soon. It can leave you exhausted so you must take it easy. Let the family look after you for a change.

You’ve been busy in the garden again AnnG. You’ll soon have your shed up now. Jake and his father sound good workers. We could do with a handyman like that. I googled the bleach smell as you suggested. I wasn’t worried by it at all but it did seem odd. As you said it appears to be fairly common and seems to be to do with the cold I’ve had.

Zubes and Winter Mixture - mention of those brought back a few memories. I used to like Winter Mixture.

I went through my Christmas card list this morning and deleted a few people we have lost during the year. That’s always a sad thing to do. I then started to get a few written but my tremor started so my handwriting was all over the place. Instead of the 2 or 3 lines I usually write I just put something like Love and best wishes from....... I managed to do a dozen cards so it’s a start. I also typed a letter to a cousin in Australia and managed to get it to print on airmail paper.

This afternoon I have thoroughly dusted and vacuumed all the downstairs and given some tic to the indoor plants. Now I must go and sort out dinner. Meat pie tonight.

They are certainly hard workers Anng and you were really lucky to find them.

I have just hoovered the kitchen and dining area and sucked up all the cobwebs I can see. No doubt there will be more by the morning that I spy but when its so dark they are hard to detect. When the sun shines I can see them all. Quite a few spiders went up the hoover too, those long leggity beasty that do a little dance if they see you coming near them.

I am still having trouble with my keyboard not typing when I press the keys. I have put new batteries in it thinking it was that but its still not typing always and then a long line of n's comes out or other letters. May have to see if BIL can fit me a new one. Or I may have a gremlin in the works.


Salad tonight as I cooked lots of new pots yesterday so I can have a nice tato salad with it.

Just heard from Jake he has just messaged me he has been up to Worcester today and found a firm that will make an 8X8 shed (a 10X8 was £700 more as it would need more base as well so I am staying with the 8X8). He can collect it on Friday and they can put it up on Saturday. I am pleased with the speed they have done all this, I expected to be waiting until next year. I guess it is also helping them as work might be a bit slow this time of the year in gardens and Christmas is coming. (and four children!!!)

Yes I used to like them too, supposed to be for coughs I think but we ate them to keep warm. like 'winter mixrure' remember those?
Really dark here but still dry.

No you can't Anng. I still have roses flowering on the wall and down here at the house on the box hedge.

Its turned really miserable here now and I have that very fine rain that seems to get everywhere.

I don't know why but at lunch time I was thinking about Zubes Mum used too buy those and I loved them. They came in a round tin that I think was orange with a diamond pattern behind the word Zubes.

That is the bottom of the garden tackled as much as I can until the leaves of neighbour's tree finish dropping. always annoying as most of the leaves fall into my garden. Anyway just spent 45 minutes cutting back a Berberis that I that we had cut right down a few years back and tidied up a couple of bamboos in pots. I thought I had lost them in last year's frosts but they seem fine again now.

Better think about lunch I still have some very tiny tomatoes to use up smaller than cherries but very sweet. I had a really big crop of them but I don't think I will grow those next year as they are so fiddly to pick. Still can't complain at still using home grown tomatoes on 22 November.

Its lovely to hear from you Mandy and I hope you are now on the mend. It sounds like you had a nasty dose of covid and it must have been from the supermarket if thats the only place you've been. It just shows you its still about and catching unexpected people out. Hope your eyes stop aching soon. I think they dsay 10 days of nastyness till you start to feel better. Sending love and wishes to you both for a speedy recovery. <3 <3 <3

Sounds like you got a really bad dose Mandy. Have you had your jabs? I hope you are now on the mend and will soon be back to normal again. and don't forget to get fluids into you. <3 <3 <3

window cleaner has just been, I have done some admin bits on here, it is chilly out but I have some stuff to take down to Irene for charity 9stuff cleared out of the wardrobe). so I might do that now.

Morning all,

Feel a little better today but I have been bad .

When we rang 111 for some advice on Sunday they thought it best I was checked out by the ambulance crew they checked me over and asked if I had tested for covid I said no as I hadn't thought of covid as I was coughing and being sick
Luckily we had tests so we both did one and we both tested positive.
Oh hasn't been that bad just a tickily cough but I have had such a bad head and ache all over and yesterday a dicky tummy ,my temperature has been sky high so I've had a fan on me .
The only place we've been to last week was the supermarket, we've not had anyone round not even the family so it could only have been in the supermarket were we caught it .

Hope everyone's OK I haven't read any posts as my eyes hurt .