General Chat

Morning Anng and all,

Its dull cloudy and very wet and very windy here this morning 9 degrees and it says rain coming soon. I think its a bit behind as its been raining since 7am when I got up for the loo. No heating on so I went back to bed.

Had an email from SWW this moring which made me laugh. This is what it said.

Hello,


Our water resources are under increasing pressure

Thank you for everything you’ve been doing to help reduce demand since last summer and save water. The South West remains in drought following some of the driest conditions in nearly 90 years. A continuing lack of rainfall means our reservoirs have struggled to recover to the levels we need going into the summer. As of the 29th March 2023, Roadford reservoir was 63.7% full. For up-to-date reservoir levels, please visit our current reservoir levels webpage.


Now more than ever we need your help to Save Every Drop

To help us maintain and deliver the water you need, we continue to offer a wide range of support, everyday tips, advice and water saving devices that can help you reduce your usage at home with minimal effort and change.

What’s more, if you’re on a meter then any further savings you can make at home will result in savings on your water bill. Using less hot water will make savings on your energy bills too.

Small steps can make an extraordinary difference and we continue to ask everyone to save every drop by reducing their water use.

Thats only the first part but its the bit that made me laugh because there are water leaks evrywhere down here and you see the water running down the roads but they don't mend those leaks. If they read the meters every 6 six months like they should they would detect more leaks to fix and save water. With all the rain we have had lately you can't tell me the levels are down in the reservoirs they should be overflowing.

Moan over..... I have to go up the post van again today as I sold the Easter Treats yesterday so need to post them to Belfast.

good morning all. 9 degrees and a bit grey here at the moment. Nothing planned, if it stays dry I need to get to the post box but other than that there is a fairly long list of bits needing doing before next week when I go away.

Vera, I guess I would not have slept well either after a heavier than usual meal in a strange bed. But you seem to have had a good day out and I hope the meal last night was equally as good. And make the most of that view before you leave it today. safe journey home. :-) :-)

Thank you all for your anniversary wishes.

Dinner last night was good. Tiger prawns for OH, followed by breast of guinea fowl while I had chicken liver parfait with spiced fruit chutney and toasted beer bread, followed by grilled hake with veg including asparagus and a cream and tarragon sauce. Then a light but fancy desert for me and cheese board for OH. The wines were very expensive but we had a very palatable bottle of the house white between us.

OH didn’t sleep well, which is unusual for him, and I had a dreadful night so we were both a bit grumpy this morning. Not a good start to our day but once we’d got ourselves together and gone out we perked up. We had a nice drive around and then went to Snape Maltings and wandered in and out of various art and craft shops, galleries etc and had a short walk across the reed beds by the river. However we didn't go far as the paths you must follow were very boggy from all the rain that had fallen. It was also very windy. After a sandwich we came back here and walked up to look at the scallop shell sculpture on the beach and then back, hoping to go into the medieval Moot Hall which contains a local museum but November to April it is only open at weekends. Next it was a walk up to the parish church. There is a lovely stained glass window which was installed in 1980 as a memorial to Benjamin Britten. OH took a photo and I bought a postcard but it doesn’t really show the depth and intensity of the colours.

We got back to the hotel about 4 pm and had a toasted tea cake and pot of tea. Since then I’ve had a lovely shower and am now sitting up on the bed watching the sea washing up the pebbly beach. It’s very relaxing.

We have to check out at 11 am tomorrow but we probably won’t go home till much later in the day . We want to make the most of our time away.


,

Morning Girls,

Windy wet and very cloudy here this morning and pc says 10 degrees. I am going to attempt to post myarcels today and hope the van turns up, we will see.

Its also library van today so a lot to think about and get done this morning.

Happy Anniversary Vera and hubby for your diamond wedding. May you have many more.

Must get myself ready to try the post van.

Sending very best wishes to Vera and OH hoping you have a very special Diamond Wedding Anniversary today.
I hope the sun shines, so that you can really enjoy your holiday.

good morning all. sort of cloudy bright and dry so far here 9 degrees so not at all as cold as it has been. I think forecast is for rain though.

I hope you enjoyed your meal last night Vera and that you were able to have a good sleep in that big bed. Oh and lovely to wake up to the view of the sea. I would enjoy that. sounded a bit 'brisque' yesterday though. Still, no doubt it blew a few cobwebs away.

If today is your anniversary, Happy anniversary and enjoy reminiscing. Have a great day, nothing planned for today except doing a load of washing.

Hi all

AnnG, your tour sounds so interesting and just my sort of thing. I’m pleased you enjoyed the day.

I hope your water leak isn’t too costly for you Mel. I think I remember you having a nasty leak once before. Are they very old pipes?

We left home this morning in rain but it had stopped by the time we got here. We knew we couldn’t get in to our room till 3 pm but checked in and left our case in reception, then went to the bar for a light lunch. I had cream cheese and smoked salmon sandwiches. Delicious :-). Then we went for a walk. Oh my goodness...the north wind was blowing a gale and was freezing and the sea and beach were completely shrouded in a heavy sea mist. Whose bright idea was it to come to Aldeburgh in March? Oh yes, it was mine.

After about an hour we went back to the hotel and collected our room key. It’s a lovely room just across the road from the sea. The bed is huge and there are enough drawers and wardrobes for a year’s worth of clothes. There’s even a pair of binoculars for our use and a nice box of chocs to enjoy. I’m already looking forward to my dinner. I could get used to this life.

At the moment we are sitting in armchairs by the window. While I’m typing this OH is reading and trying not to doze off. We think we’ll go to Snape Maltings tomorrow. We haven’t been for a few years but there are craft shops and galleries to go into if it’s wet and it’s a nice area for a walk if it’s dry. We might also have a look at Thorpeness and see if there is anything much there apart from the House in the Clouds which is a private residence so you can only see that from the outside.

Just noticed OH has dozed off. I think I might go and wash now, then we won’t be wanting to use the bathroom at the same time.

That sounds a really interesting tour and especially good that you had access to areas that are normally closed to the public.
I would have enjoyed that visit too.

We had a real pea-souper of a morning- not the best for travelling to an early appointment in Canterbury.
I felt sorry for the few newborn lambs we saw on our way home, chilly and damp for them in the open field, but the sun gradually burnt off the gloom.

I noticed in our garden that the bluebell stems are getting quite tall and the flower heads fully formed, so it won't be long until they are out.

Mel, I expect your garden is lovely and spring-like with all your flowers. I wondered if the cold would kill off our forsythia flowers as it started blooming so early before Christmas, but it is flowering full out at the moment, so a lovely splash of colour.
I will take some to the church for their Easter display, which is traditionally yellow and white.

Had a brilliant day in Gloucester. It did rain and we were walking in it for about an hour with stops under cover when we could. Had a really good guide who told us lots of information that none of us knew. But the best bit was, because it was so wet for the last half hour he took us into the antiques centre (If you watch Antiques road trip they went in there last week. But instead of just going to the first floor he took us right up to the fourth floor and into all sorts of places where only staff can go, store rooms and the maids' sleeping and living quarters in the top of the building. To give you an idea how interesting it is:

26 Westgate Street contains beautiful and outstandingly well preserved Tudor roofing and windows, vintage industrial equipment and boasts fantastic views of Gloucester Cathedral.

"No 26" is a historic gem in its own right, adjacent to the bewitching Maverdine Lane, once thought to be the site of the military headquarters of Colonel Edward Massey commander of the defence forces against the King's main army during the siege of Gloucester in 1643 (conventional wisdom now says he was based outside the city walls).

There are four ages of development of Maverdine House. The oldest part of the building dates to 1470. The internationally recognised Tudor part was constructed around 1540. In the late 18th century, these two houses were joined together, extended to the rear, and upwards to the attic. During the tenure of the Winfields in the 20th century, an additional extension was put on the back of the previous extension.

The building has, during its history of more than 500 years, been a merchants town house, an apothecary, a merchants' guild and a clothier. For more than 120 years it was home to seed merchants, the Winfields. For many locals, it is this use that stands out in the memory. In 2000, the building was used as a book shop, then left empty for several years until the Gloucester Antiques Centre moved in in 2015.

The building is so old that the stairs are very uneven and there are higgledy poggedy stair cases, It was a great 90 minutes all together. We then had lunch booked in a restaurant I have not been to before, omelette and chips was excellent. tired now with all the walking and stair climbing.

Just sent my solar reading in.

O I had'nt heard that Mandy and yes he was great with dogs. Such a nice man RIP Paul.

Not done much today just can't seem to get into anything. I did clean the loo and wipe the shower round but thats about it. Still can't find that extension lead so may have to take the one down off the patio roof which oh had a wifi thing plugged in for when he worked up the caravan on the laser cutter.

Morning all,

Dull morning here and looks more like rain is not dar away ,not sure how cold it is as I haven't been out yet .

Vera safe journey today and Happy Anniversary for which ever day it is while your away.

Enjoy your tour Anng i'd take a brolly with you just in case .

Mel didn't you have trouble with a leak a while ago, that's a lot of money so I hope they can soon sort it out for you .

Sad news about Paul O Grady dying suddenly I liked him in the For Love of Dogs programme, he did a lit of good work for Battersea dogs home .

Morning Anng and all,

Dull miserable and wet here this morning but pc says 11 degrees and cloudy. Not been outside the door yet.

Still can't find the extension lead I bought oh and he never used for the iron. I shall have to bring it all out into the kitchen and do the ironing there.

good morning all. very grey here and looks like rain. I hope not too much as our group has a guided tour of Gloucester booked and we don't want to get soaked.

I second that too Vera have a lovely break and Happy Anniversary. Enjoy your couple of days andtell us all about it when you get back. Hope the weather is kind to you.

The post van did'nt come today which was a pest as I had two parcels to send off. I even rang the vicar to see if he had arrived late but he said it had'nt been today at all. It is'nt supposed to come on a Wednesday but I am wondering if it will???? If not I shall have to go into Holsworthy.

Some bad news today. I had a call from the water board lady saying my meter had now been read and I have got a leak. The bill for the water is £800 but she is sending people down to see where the leak is and she said not to worry about it. She even gave me her direct line if I have to ring her any time.

Spoke on the hone to my friend Sheila today for 42 mins. She has been in hospital and had a masectomy as her cancer came back after 25 years. Now she has cemo to face. She is our local reader at the church and I wondered why she had'nt been to see me for months as its not like her and now I know why.

Thank you Ann

Congratulations on your diamond wedding Vera and I hope you have a wonderful time away to celebrate.

Evening all,

Just lost a whole post . :-(

Vera have a lovely time away hope the weather is kind to you its been here raining all day and has felt more like winter but could be 17 degrees on Thursday
Sounds as if you've had some lovely gifts from your friends .

Not done much today, did go shopping and bought a few things for dil's birthday next week .

Mel your minitures are lovely as I said I bet they are very fiddly to do .

I have finished Isabelle the Giraffe not sure which one I'll do next ,it might be Mia the panda .

I hope you have all had better weather than us. It’s rained most of the day and, although it has apparently got to 7 degrees, there’s a chilly old wind that’s made it feel colder. OH just took the bins down the road and said even the rain feels cold. It’s supposed to be warmer over the next few days but we’ll be up on the North Sea coast which gets some cold north and east winds.

We are off in the morning for our little 3 day/2 night trip and I seem to have been most of the day getting ready. How can we need so much for such a short stay? As we are staying in a hotel with some special meals arranged I am having to take our normal trousers, shirts, jumpers for the day and “posh” evening wear as well; not that I have much posh stuff these days. The good black skirt and black patent shoes will do for both nights but I’ve sorted out 2 blouses and 2 jackets to go with them.

As we can’t take cards and things with us to open on Thursday and we want to get away sharp tomorrow we’ve just opened the 10 cards we’ve got already. We hadn’t expected gifts but one friend has given us chocolates, another has given us a stone mushroom garden ornament and our close friends M & V have given us a voucher for tickets for our local theatre. People are so kind and generous.

Got interrupted here by the doorbell. It was another friend with a card and a bottle of wine. We are being very spoilt.

As I still have to shower and wash my hair and see what indoor plants need watering I had better get on. Hope you all sleep well tonight.

Good morning all as mel says a bit dull here this morning after the lovely sun of yesterday 7 degrees so not too cold. I had a strange night of sleeping/waking/sleeping and didn't finally wake until 0830.

what a strange swop mel, no you couldn't get 4 meals out of that.