General Chat

That is weird Anng. Did you wake before the meal came?

I have washed out bird feeders and chicken bowls and drinkers and the suns still shining and its12 degrees.

I had a really weird dream goodness knows where it came from. I was with daughter and SiL and on holiday at some sort of place like a down market Butlins. We were all sitting at a long table waiting for a meal that never came, there were lots of people there. daughter went to challenge the woman in charge and she said something like 'you just have to wait for it'. Weird.

Morning all,

Another bright and sunny morning here but pc says mostly cloudy and only 9 degrees.

Got up in the night for the loo and could'nt get back to sleep again. I must have dropped off eventually as I had a funny dream about the washing machine man coming and mum got out of the van!! Then the sun woke me up and the man with the chainsaw over the back who is thinning the trees. He's been at it for a couple of weeks now taking lower branches off and cutting some right out. He starts about 8am so its like an alarm clock for me and time to get up if I have overspept. I am very concious of not being dressed if the man comes.

As soon as I read my post Mel I realised what I had done, I am forever hitting either the O or the I in the opposite to the one I want. the trials of being a touch typist. Yes easily done and good to have a laugh.

Glad you had a lovely lunch Vera and afternoon as well, and glad that OH's was OK. It is always sad when a 'good' restaurant gets a new chef that is adequate but not brilliant. It just shows how much depends on the head chef.

I find these days, Vera, that even going out for lunch and a long chat can be exhausting. Our brains and bodies are just not used to it any more.

It looks grey out there again but it stayed dry yesterday so maybe it will today. I have the photography meeting to look forward to this afternoon.

Ha ha ha ha ha I have only just read it and it made me laugh too..... :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

Glad you had a chickle Anng. See we can all do it.

Yes, I had a chuckle at that line of Mel's post too. I guess she meant willing but it did read funny.

The rain eventually stopped but it has been grey and cold all day and the app is telling me there is more rain on the way..

It's a good job I was nearly ready when I sent my last post as OH had been asked to give me a message and got it all back to front. Our friend J was picking up 3 of us and OH seemed to think I would be the last. In fact she was here at 11.30 as I was the first pick up. Luckily I only had to put on my shoes and coat.

It was a really nice lunch - just 6 of us today. I had Stifado which was very nice but not nearly as full of tomato as I have had before. The staff were very obliging and it was a good meal. Afterwards we went back to the birthday girl's house and had a cup of tea with more chat and the opening of cards and presents, and after about an hour we had yet more tea with lots of cakes. All in all it was a lovely afternoon.

OH and the other chap went to a pub we have always liked in the past. OH said the food was fine but it wasn't extra special the way it used to be. Apparently there has been a change of chef.

I have had an easy day but I feel really tired. I feel like snuggling up in bed with a hot water bottle but I know that would be silly because I will fall asleep and then be wide awake at 11 pm. so I'll try to keep going till at least 10 o'clock.

Mel, I have had a chickle at the first line of your last post, not quite sure what was on your mind when you wrote that!!! :-D :-D

That great Anng for you to have found such a helpful willing couple of chaps to do the heavy work for you.

Hope Vera has a nice lunch and chat and that the birthday girl likes her presents. Yes it is nice for men to have time together too. OH used to love having a chat with Phil on a friday when he was doing his garden and oh was mowing the field outside the front. Phil is Em's dad.

Suns still mostly out here but there are clouds passing over. Its 15 degrees.

hope you have a lovely time with your friends Vera and a nice lunch too. And hope your OH enjoys his too, such a good idea for the men to go out together as well.

Yes, Jake was a good find. Just by being on the local Next door site (which is rubbish a lot of the time but paid up here. Andy used to be good but he was a bit unreliable and didn't really know what he was doing, very willing but really quite bossy about what he 'knew' I wanted done. Jake listens, repeats what I say, then takes me to the spot and asks exactly what I need doing and then does it (at speed). He seems to work well with his father as well who is also a grafter and I had two of them working today. The big plus is that they take away all the cuttings.

It's wet, wet, wet. Again!!! The local paper has several pictures of the floods round here and we are supposed to be in the driest part of the country. It's pretty chilly this morning as well.

Your Jake sounds a treasure AnnG. We could do with someone like him.

I hope your washing machine man turns up soon Mel.

I am being picked up just before 12 to go to friend's birthday lunch. We usually just have a main course and then go back to the house for coffee and either desserts or cakes. OH is going to pick up the husband of one of the ladies and take him out to lunch somewhere. This chap has serious health problems and isn't allowed to drive and is reliant on his wife. He gets on very well with my OH so it's good for them to have "man time" together when we ladies are out.

I have showered but need to dress and tidy myself up so I had better go and do that now. I hope the weather stays dry for the rest of you.

When Jake cut back all the roses etc I asked him about other jobs and he said he would call round 'sometime'. I thought that wou;d be the last I heard of him but just after 10am this morning he rang the bell. His Dad was with him and they checked over the drive, decided that it needed more sand which they will do next week. Then asked about what I wanted done in the garden. I told him to reduce the holly tree in size, he then asked about all the stuff covering the conservatory and said he could cut that back which I agreed. And then he pointed out the pyracantha which I had not noticed has really grown high and thick so cut that back too and take out a smallish self seeded holly which drives me mad under the pyracantha. Said they could do it now for £200. so that is what they are doing (and taking all the stuff away. I also asked about the shed. He will quote to demolish shed and greenhouse and erect a new shed in January/February. I have yet to mention power washing the back patio.

Morning all,

No fog this morning but it's really dull and we should be getting heavy showers today.

Anng thats the sort of lunch the grandchildren like and they like cucumbers too they eat it in chunks like sweets .

Off to get shopping and a bag of spuds and eggs for the family before the rain starts .

Morning all on this bright morning at the mo. i wonder how long it will last today? It 10 degres and pc says once again mostly cloudy.

O dn't know when this man is coming to look at the washing machine. Its horrid when you just wait for someone to turn up.

Those little boys of yours sounds as though they have hollow legs. It was a lovely buffet you did for them I expect they put it all away in no time at all. Young Sam next door is eating much more now. He was a picky eater at first but he still won't eat a lot of things but what he can eat or does like soon disappears and he's ready for more.

Good morning all very grey out there but dry so far. Nothing planned for today so probably H/W and card making.

Mandy, as Vera said jake must have worked hard and made a good impression, but what a good employer to recognise that. a good incentive for a new lad to continue to work hard too.

You did have a busy day Vera but sounds like a very satisfying one. and it is always nice to find just the right present for somebody.

Mum and boys got home safely and seemed to make good time. Goodness I was tired though, mentally more than physically as those boys keep up a constant chatter. They are fun to be with for that short while though. Both have good appetites, I do a buffet lunch for them ham sandwich, sausage roll, small tomatoes and slices of cucumber. Strange they have both liked cucumber since they could chew solid food. Oh and extra pieces of ham and cubes of cheese. finished with mini gingerbread men and an apple.

Vera the toilet roll was a very old Andrex one from years ago. we can only use Andrex as all others bock our sewage sytem up. and I used to save the middles to sow seeds in and they are bigger now so you got much more actual toilet paper. Mums been dead 13 years now so it is old.

Well done Jake; he must have worked hard and made a really good impression and it's lovely that the firm have recognised that.

Interesting pictures of the loo rolls Mel but are you sure that they are the same type of roll? The bigger ones look to me as though they might be the maxi roills which are quite a bit bigger than the normal ones. I often buy those.

I was pleased with the shopping we did after OH's blood test. I wanted some de-ionised water which I use in my iron and my steam floor cleaner. I usually get it in Roy's and they had it on offer today so I bought 2 lots which saved me a little bit of money. I also managed to get a birthday present for the friend whose birthday lunch is tomorrow. Our group doesn't spend large amounts on each other and some will give a £10 gift voucher or even just put a £10 note in a card but I try to put a bit more thought into it. I managed to find a nice ceramic oil burner with 3 different fragranced oils in a gift box. It's just the sort of thing the birthday girl will like so I was pleased with that

We got quite busy this afternoon. OH hoovered right through while I did the ironing and a bit in the garden till my back started hurting too much, then I came in and completed my Tesco order and cooked our dinner. I also got several odd jobs done.

It's getting quite cold again now so I shall be taking a wheat bag and a hot water bottle to bed with me shortly. I find my back is less painful if I can keep it warm. I hope you all stay warm and sleep well tonight.

Yes Mandy they do grow fast and the ten year old seems more grown up each time I see him.

Afternoon all,

Very foggy start here this morning ,it took until mid morning before it went and then the sun came out .
We've had another trip to the tip with hopefully the last big lit of garden rubbish ,we had an old rug and the old fan to take too .

Son rang to say Jake had his first wage packet today ,he said they had paid him for three weeks in stead of two because they were really pleased with him ,how nice was that .

Oh no Mel I hope you haven't done any harm to your arm putting the string on the pipe ,I'm sure the chap would have soon done that for you to save you struggling.

Nice for you to see the ex granddaughter and the boys Anng they grow so fast don't they.

Well of course I do Mel, otherwise it would not be the same price.

Ex granddaughter in law has just left. Always good to see them and sad to see them got home but it is nice not to have to keep up constant chat. She had to go now as it takes over 2 hours to get home and her parents are left looking after the two dogs.

But do you look at the amount thats in both bottles to see if you are getting the same amount as in the others.

I have just had the cupboard out under the sink and tied two long pieces of string on the [pipes to the washing machine so he can get them back through if he pulls out the machine. Now my arm is begining to ache again as its a struggle to tie the pipes as they are right at the back.

I have had a walk right round the garden and the top field so think I have done enough exercise for today.