General Chat

Afternoon All,

It's cooler here, 22 degrees at the moment and a gentle breeze blowing. I told OH last night that I was doing a short walk where the ice house is this morning so after his phone appt with the doc he came with me. Following his bone scan his osteoporosis hasn't progressed which is good. Off we went with me intending to walk a third of the way, sit at a picnic table then walk back. We'd just set off when we met an elderly lady with a black spaniel (her friend's dog ) and her own cute little snowy white, Bichon Poodle cross. We had a good natter and then moved on as my knees were beginning to ache. There are 5 seats spaced along the path around the edge and by having a 5 minute sit at each one I managed to walk the full circuit which surprised and pleased me. OH said his hip was beginning to ache as well by then too. Like you Vera, we need to do more walking and intend to start with twice a week for a few weeks and then more often if we can. Then we went to Aldi for some chicken, bacon pasta salads as Asda's subs yesterday were chilli versions and went back along with the mackerel sub that was in a thai green curry sauce! While we were there their black cherries and nectarines looked good, also the mushrooms so we got those and a few other bits. They had a poor selection of laundry stuff and only the plastic pods and bio liquid wash, so I gave those a miss.

I spoke too soon this morning when I said to OH that it made a change to be driving past our Drs surgery instead of turning in. They rang me since lunchtime to book me in for the 3rd tetanus jab, but couldn't book the 2nd MMR one yet as it's too far ahead for their system.

A Buzzard was back perched in the same hedge top last night, but with his back to me again!

As I said in my email Vera, those Heleniums are beautiful, and your big clump reminded me of those clumps you see in stately home borders!

I hope ypu find some nice plants at the garden centre and enjoy using your coupon. It's nice to be able to use these perks we get.

I need to do more HW too Mel and get a wash on to put out tomorrow. It never ends does it! Crikey that's a low water bill! I think ours is about £200 or more a year. What a relief for you though after them asking for so much.

Do any of you do this? I woke this morning and suddenly daren't move in bed as I noticed my glasses weren't at the bedside. One move and I could squash and break them I thought, so gingerly felt around me and on top of the bedclothes......nothing! I then hotched to the side of the bed and peered over at the floor, then spotted them about 6 feet away on the floor near the bottom of the bed. How did they get there?? Good job I didn't stumble across them in the usual semi darkness heading for the toilet.

Enjoy your coffee and cakes Anng and have a lovely day whatever the weather.

Not done much this morning but I have finaly had a water bill and they took the £2000 odd off and now my bill is £22. 54. Thats a bit better is'nt it?

Good morning all, well it says it is 18 degrees here but sitting looking out it has rained so is damp, and dark. And there is a very strong wind coming off the sea. The fruit trees are sometimes almost horizontal. I have gone from one or two layers to two thin ish plus a sweater. It really is more like October. We are going to a Dobbies as I have my birthday offer if two free coffee and cakes.

Morning girls,

A bit dull and dreary here this morning with a very pale grey sky and a bit of wind pc says 18 degrees and partly sunny so I may not be going out there today. Will seehow I feel. Iv'e some washing to do and the house to tidy up and dust and hoover so that should keep my quiet for a while.

Still very warm here, 21 degrees and sunny though the PC says 16 degrees with light rain, but the PC can't quite place where I am so tends to pick a spot in Suffolk or Essex at random. At the moment it still thinks I am at Stansted.

I started out this morning to post a birthday card and then go for a walk. I told OH I wouldn't be much longer than half an hour. However, at the post box I met one of the neighbours from our Close and 40 minutes later we were still chatting. I thought I would ring OH and let him know I would be somewhat longer than I said but he didn't answer either the landline or mobile. So I muttered a few choice words and started out anyway. Then Mr Worryguts wormed his way into my brain and it was, "Suppose he's unwell", "Maybe he's gone into the garden and tripped over" "Perhaps he's fallen on the stairs", so of course I turned round and rushed home. Needless to say, he was right as rain. He'd been in the bathroom when the landline rang and he didn't even hear his mobile. I hadn't left a message on the landline as I was sure I'd get him on his mobile and it didn't occur to him to do 1471 to see who had rung. By this time I needed to start cooking dinner so the walk got abandoned.

I have had a short walk this evening but it was quite warm and muggy. I just did 1.5 miles but I was really dragging my feet for the last bit. I am so unfit these days. I must try and get back to walking more regularly.

Mel, I was going to say the same as Annx. Take some water or a drink of some sort into the garden with you and try to have regular mouthfuls. You do need to keep hydrated.

I haven't done any deadheading yet today and I am getting a bit tired now. I did take a few pics of our helenium but I couldn't get the right angle to really show them off and I'm hopeless as a photographer anyway as I can't see very well and my hands sometimes shake. Anyway, fwiw, I'll send them to you. It might give you an idea of what they look like. It fascinates me that apparently no two flowers have exactly the same colourings and markings. I keep looking but I haven't found two exactly the same yet.

I'm hoping to sleep better tonight as it is supposed to be a bit cooler, then tomorrow it's back to 27 degrees. Hope you all sleep well.

Afternoon All,

Same weather here. It was quite sunny earlier but is just mostly a white sky now. The PC says 'rain stopping soon' but it isn't raining and the ground is dry. There's a bit of breeze which is nice and we have a few windows open and the back door.

Thanks for mentioning youtube Mandy as I hadn't thought of that. I did see a video on a health site that explained to grab the heel inside and pull them inside out to the heel before putting them on your foot. The plastic bag sounds good for sliding them on, but I wonder how you remove the bag then? I'll have to have a look.

Vera that does sound a prolific Helenium! I remember planting I think it might have been a Rudbeckia that was a tall one, when we first moved here and it grew taller than described and got very wide, It flowered over and over like you describe your Helenium and was taller than me.

Try and take a bottle of water out in the garden with you on these hot days Mel. You did a lot yesterday so don't overdo it today.

The dinger just went so I'd better serve lunch. The food delivery is this afternoon so I need to wipe out the fridge and make some space in there.

I hope you have a nice trip to Cockermouth AnnG. I remember dad had a customer in Cockermouth and I used to post parcels to them. You sparked a memory!

A few spots of rain but not enough to wet the ground ,we could do with a little as the ground is so dry plus I would have a night off from the watering .

Morning all,

Cloudy here this morning with bright spells and its 17 degrees. Iv'e nothing planned either Mandy just see how the day takes me. May do a bit more to the thug rose may not. I need to waater my beans, toms and sweet peas and feed the girls of course.

Morning Mandy and all

Our weather is much like Mandy’s. The weather app on my iPad tells me it is raining but will stop in 7 mins but there’s no rain here as far as I can see.

I didn’t get out to the garden till 7.45 last night but I managed half an hour of deadheading. We have a large clump of helenium which gets bigger and bigger even though we divide it up every spring and only plant back about half. It blooms all through the summer and into autumn provided it is deadheaded. It is really prolific so I set myself a target of taking off 100 dead blooms each day. Last night I took off more than that and there were still masses to do.

I’ve no plans for the day. If it doesn’t rain I might try and have a walk as I do need the exercise and I’ve got a couple of phone calls to make but I expect I’ll just potter about for the rest of the day.

Good morning all 14 degrees here and complete cloud cover so far. Off to Cockermouth in a minute. Just for coffee and a look round. Hopefully not likely to be as many visitors there.

Morning all,

Another cloudy day for us I think ,it's 12 degrees at the moment and should get to 21 so a cooler day .
Nothing planned for today not sure if we'll see family today as they had a busy week .

Mandy it is a nappy. And she is at pre school and not the only one in nappies.

Ann I looked on u tube and there is tips on how to get the stockings on ,one was to put a plastic bag on your foot so the stocking slides over the bag .

Although it was cloudy this afternoon we went out with our cuppa and sat under the gazebo but the wind was quire chilly so we weren't out to long before we had to come in ,now the suns shining away .

Vera how clever are our OH's ,we don't seem to be able to watch the tele with our eyes shut but they are pros at it lol :-D

Ann yes funny thing I was asking Fred in the flats this morning about the chap who had the heart attack and he said he'd been taken to Papworth, then Addenbrookes and he's now in the NN Hospital, he's had a Tracheotomy and his legs have gone so he's really been poorly ,nobody knows if he'll come back to his flat .
Yes get OH to start flexing those muscles ready to help you on with the stockings lol
I'd have a look on u tube there might be some tips on there on how to get them on easier .


Anng are you sure it's a nappy she has on as it might be a pair of those little training pants they look like a nappy but can be pulled up and down as you would a pair of knickers .
I think they now have to be out of nappies before any nurseries will take them .

Just come in from the garden and another trailer load cut out of the two Rhodos. Between the rose and the brimbles and the fence thats blown down the rhodo's have been pushed forwards and theres a lt of die back on them.

Tired now and bady need a drink.

The stockings are knee high and google says 2 pairs are needed, not just the one pair they put on the prescription. If the chemist hadn't told me to get a prescription I'd have been paying for off the shelf ones that wouldn't fit properly. I found internet instructions how to put them on so I'll see how that goes now you have all said they aaren't easy! lol. The GP never told me how often or how long to wear them, when to get new ones or anything. If I hadn't asked, he wouldn't even have suggested them! My blood tests since I saw him all came back normal so it isn't heart or kidneys and I don't have varicose veins, so I think if I lose more weight, so I can walk round the little park like I used to and not have to sit so much with my bad knees, they may improve anyway. It might be my borderline low thyroid causing it, which also makes it harder to lose weight! I've an appointment to discuss my blood test results with the doc so I will ask a lot of questions. Vera I'm boiling hot a lot of the time and wear cropped or knee length trousers/shorts in this weather so I hate the thought of wearing these knee socks with long trousers all day as well as an overheating wrestle to get them on! At last you had a little rain even if it wasn't much.

OH fell asleep earlier and decided to stay in rather than go to a match today. I think it surprised him how tired he felt after this mornings's little jaunt. He has coughed less today and it seems more like a cold now.

I used to change my sister's nappies when I was 9 years old, the terry sort using a big curved safety pin. At first they had the soft muslin nappies. My brother was switched to the disposable ones that came in later. I think his were called Paddi Pads. What a great invention they were! Because they were disposable though, at work, we would often find used ones left by mothers in our waiting room. Yuk.

The Brill sounds nice AnnG and I've never seen it for sale anywhere. I just asked OH if he'd had it and he thought not. He said he had Mullet once and hated it! Like Mel says, the bacon buttie won't be a regular thing and the skinny latte was less calories (damage limitation!) and was to make sure I don't start to develop a taste for the non skinny ones!!

Your beans are coming thick and fast now Mandy. We have a chicken, bacon and leek pie defrosting in the fridge for tomorrow to have with just veg. Did you hear anymore about the chap who had a heart attack and whether he's home now? It sounds like I'd better tell OH to get some chest expanders ready to help with the socks! :-D

Mel I bet you are pleased with all you have done with the garden lately. It's satisfying to get things back under control and they often produce more flower again after some cutting back.

It's the 34th anniversary of when OH and I became a couple today. :-D

The Brill was very nice, neither daughter or I had had it before. It is a large flat fish, quite meaty in texture and delicate flavour a bit like plaice. Daughter cooked it in the oven with a drop of white wine and basil and dill there are a lot of recipes on line to follow.
It is about 16/17 degrees here a strong breeze and sunny.
Not gone far today just locally for a coffee then to pick up some bits in Asda.

I used to have a terrible problem getting on the compression type stockings that we wore for long distance air travel so I hope your stockings are easier to get on Ann.

Afternoon all

22 degrees at the moment but that is cooler than it has been. It's been overcast all morning and we have just had a short, sharp shower, but not enough rain to do much good. The sun is just trying to break through.

I've got on and done various odd jobs this morning and have had a good dust around while OH did some bathroom cleaning. It clearly exhausted him as he is now watching the Olympics with his eyes tightly closed and his head drooping on his chest.

That poor old man at your surgery Annx. Surely a nurse could have fitted him in somewhere even if they explained to him that he would have to wait till she was free. So you are all measured up for your stockings now. Will you have to wear them all the time? I wouldn't fancy them in the hot weather we are having at the moment but they might keep you toasty warm when autumn comes. I'm glad your OH is feeling a bit better but it might be a good idea to give a football match a miss for this week.

I don't think I have ever had Brill AnnG. Was it nice? As to the little one still in nappies at nearly 3, I don't like to see it but mothers do seem to be generally more relaxed about this sort of thing these days. Also, in our day children were in terry nappies and could get very sore with nappy rash and, of course, we had to wash them, so we wanted our kids to be out of nappies quickly. Modern disposable nappies are easy on the child and the mother so they don't feel the same pressure to toilet train. It is irritating to our generation but you are right not to say anything. Just bite your tongue - I've had to do that many a time, lol.

Gosh Mel, you do keep so busy in your garden but I expect you are beginning to see the difference you are making now

Time for a spot of lunch and I can hear noises from the kitchen so I think OH is preparing it. I'll watch a bit of the Olympics after lunch and then maybe do some more weeding and dead heading.

I had this ready by 12.30 but got distracted and forgot to post it I seem to having more and more of these senior moments lately.

Yes it is very thorny and there's still lots to cut back. BIL did help with the beech tree as that was getting in the way of him mowing down by Prickerly Bottom. Can I come to dinner tonight please as it sounds really good.

We had quite a bit of rain last night so everything looks well dusted and watered this mroning.

Its 18 degrees now and I have done the shop run and now its back out in the garden I think.

Ann I hope you get on ok with your stockings when you get them and as Mandy says you will need oh to help you get them on. I have enough trouble getting my socks on sometimes but don't think I could cope with stockings. Glad oh is a bit brighter today so maybe the cold is on the way out. Its a good idea to go to a match nearer to home when he's not 100%.

I don't think a bacon buttie could hurt once in a while and who can resist the smell of bacon cooking?

Afternoon all,

Still muggy indoors but a bit fresher out with quite a breeze so I got some weeding and dead heading done also got the bedrooms hoovered while it's cooler too.
Picked some more runners and gave a chap some in the flats next door we'll have ours with some chicken,bacon and leek pies, new potatoes and carrots.

Ann thats not to long a wait for the stockings to be made ,then the struggle starts as I think they are a devil to get on ,you'll need a bit of help from OH .

Anng did you enjoy the Brill ,don't think I've ever tried one but you couldn't have had any fresher fish then straight from the boat.

Mel still busy in the garden ,that must have been a big rose if you've filled a trailer already ,is it very thorny ,watch your fingers.