General Chat

Evening everyone

It has been another lovely day, cloudy this morning and sunny this afternoon and very warm but I haven’t had time to get outside at all.

You’re still keeping very busy in your garden Mel. It must be hard to keep on top of it with so much ground to cover. It’s good your joints and back are standing up to all the work but I bet you ache at the end of the day. Nice to see the orange tip butterfly. We generally see a few in late spring/early summer but I haven’t seen any this year. There do seem to be quite a few bumble bees about and lots of ladybirds.

Did you manage to get your tum friendly iron tablets Mandy? If they suit you perhaps the doctor will prescribe something along the same lines for you.

Lovely to have a big Waterstones near you Annx. One has recently opened in town and I am hoping it does well and stays. Our only independent bookshop closed as did the book part of W H Smith and we don’t have anywhere else for books, except the charity shops.

I hope your daughter had a good journey and arrived safely AnnG.

Last night I went to the Ladies Club meeting but I wish I hadn’t bothered. There was a lady speaker and what she said was little more than a sales pitch for various products made with Aloe Vera. There was an order form and a pen on each of our seats but I took one look at the prices and decided I could find a better use for my cash. There were about 40 of us there but I don’t think she sold very much.

I was up about 8 am this morning but started by moving all the furniture back in place after the carpets were cleaned yesterday. It wasn’t the really heavy stuff but chairs, bedside tables, and all the million and one bits and pieces we had moved out of the cleaner’s way, including all the things that had been plugged in such as lamps, bedside clocks and so on. When I finished I realized it was 10.30 am and I hadn’t even had any breakfast. I did have more bedding in the wash while this was going on so I got that hung out and turned to the next job – sorting out our paper bill.

A problem arose this week with our papers. For years we have paid for our daily newspaper with an annual subscription which gives us a good discount on the price. We get sent vouchers every 3 months which we hand over to our paper shop and then all we have to pay each month is their delivery charge. This has worked fine for years but then the owners of the paper shop decided that they would not be delivering after 6 April. We had the choice of making other arrangements ourselves, nigh on impossible here, or having a sort of national delivery service based in Stockport take over. We opted for this and everything, including our vouchers, was supposed to be transferred to them. A couple of days ago I received the first month’s bill from them for £98!! I’ll be typing half the night if I tell you the whole convoluted story but suffice it to say that it has taken me hours of emails, phone calls etc to the old and new supplier who apparently couldn’t talk to each other “because of data protection” – what nonsense. I paid the £11.70 that I knew we owed so that we weren’t in the wrong and eventually I got a phone call late afternoon from the new supplier to say they had now found our vouchers in an unallocated file. I was pleased but cross that they hadn’t double checked in the first place when I told them there should be vouchers allocated to our account. It would have saved me a lot of stress and hassle and made life easier for them and the old supplier to whom I had to apologise for more or less accusing him of not transferring them. Grrr. Sorry, rant over but it’s done me good to let off steam.

As to the mouse problem, there is no sign of a mouse in the garage at the moment – no fresh droppings, nothing else chewed. There has been a cat in there as we could see some paw prints on the roof of the car, so I hope it has either caught or frightened the mouse away. I have found somewhere that can supply a couple of seat cushions at a reasonable price though not in the same colour. The current ones are a rather boring dark beige. I’m not bothered about having all the same and this place can do quite a nice deep amber so I think I’ll order a couple of those but not tonight – I am getting far too tired. I should think you’re all tired too if you have read through this lot so I’ll bid you all good night.

Not heard anymore about the fire or the dog but ot seen Em since she told me. I took some pics of the tree coming down and they chipped all the smaller branches and Simon said I can have some of the chippings for a mulch in the garden so that was nice. Janine his wife came down and saw the garden and she bought a dozen eggs off me so that was another plus.

I have just come in from the garden having another scrap along the front of the moss on the tarmac. I want to get this first bit done under the bathroom window and oh's study up to the front door then I am going to start on the edges of the road dwon the garden to the house.Don't some weeding out there and had swept up a nice big pile of stuff from in front of myar and under the bird feeder and while I was up the other end of the bungalow Phil Pheasent came along with his loud voice going whoop whoop and kindly pecked around in the sweepings so now I have to sweep it all up again. He thought it was his birthday I think party all set for him to destroy. He's out there now chucking up so calling his girls to come and see what he's found.

Came in cos I needed a cuppa and I had a couple of ginger nuts too to dunk in the tea.

I have a nice piece of smoked haddock for tonight with a jacket pot and broccoli so a nice easy dinner.

Afternoon All,

Another warm, sunny day here and 20 degrees. Yes you were right Mandy about my poor old knees and our backs recovering and hubby had to rest up with a paperwork day too. We went to Waterstones on the retail park yesterday morning and had the nice coffee and bacon buttie deal at the Costa in there. OH had done a bit more weeding on the front in the morning but jumped at the chance to go and look at some books and of course he bought one while we were there. I hope you manage to get some tummy friendly iron tablets from Holland and Barrett today. Your DIL's cats reminded me of the gory finds Jane would have with Thomas's gifts!

I read about the fire online Mel and it was bad with needing firemen from so many firestations. I wonder where the poor dog is. If no-one has picked it up it is likely it may have made it's way back to the farm. The thatched pub we used to pass that burned down has only just re-opened and must have taken nearly a year to rebuild. It was listed though and that can hold things up getting plans passed and permission.

So you are going to have a new view with the Ash tree down. It took us a while to get used to without our Fir tree and the neighbour's Fir tree, but at least we don't worry about the wind now. It's years since I saw an Orange Tip butterfly.

At last your painting is finished now AnnG and I bet it looks good and you must be pleased it's finished now. Good news that the baby is better and it must have been such a worry for Jake and his family. When I had pneumonia the first time before I was school age, the advice then was to have a fire burning day and night and I was lucky that penecillin had recently been discovered. I remember the doctor visiting to give me the injections in my derriere. I was too weak to sit up and when I was first able to go outside my legs were like jelly.

Oh no Vera, not you with mice in the garage now! The little blighters chew all sorts and they even chewed through a thick polythene lid on a container of birdseed here. What a shame they have spoiled your set of garden chair cushions. I do hope you will be able to get some more that match. When I moved to my previous house, it had a sagging, timber garage, and as we had kept and bred canaries and budgies at our old place, we still had part filled paper sacks of their birdseed which we put into the garage. After getting a bit straight after a few weeks, we decided to put the birdseed in one of the spare bedrooms, as the whole bungalow was to be gutted and nothing would spoil. Well I unfolded to top of one of the two bags and several mice were scurrying around on top of the birdseed!! We made a quick exit outside with the bags again and took them down the tip in our little trailer we had. After over 20 years, and since having the roll up garage door, we haven't had any this last year, but we used to end up with a row of traps along the inside of the garage door. It was funny when workmen needed to plug tools in inside the garage and we had to warn them about their toes and the traps!! :-D

OH has weed killed the drive while my car wasn't there this morning. I was late watching TV last night as I started watching the film, The Beekeeper, so I was up late again this morning. Lunch was a make do affair, some old baking potatoes turned into oven baked chips, so as not to waste them, with fresh salmon, mushy peas, bread and butter with a banana afterwards. I must be up early tomorrow for my covid jab.

There having the big ash tree down by my drive in and its going to look very strange out there now. I am going to go and take some pictures.

Morning all,

Not so nice here today its very cloudy but I think they said the sun should get through by this afternoon.
Off to do some shopping later as its haircut day tomorrow.
We've seen a few butterflies there was a cabbage white flying about yesterday and there's been several ladybirds too on ths plants .

Morning all,

Misty moisty orning here this morning but pc says mostly sunny and 10 degrees. I meant too say when I went round tto corn the chickens the other day I saw two Brimstone butterflys and I think they call them an Orange Tip. It was mostly white with a black body and orange tips on its wings. I looked it up and the males have the tips on their wings.

I think the sun is just trying to peep through.

good morning all, it looks as though it will be a nice day, 11 degrees already. Yesterday it went up to 20. I am sure that there are still some weed needing shifting so that is probably the job for today. Daughter arriving later. :-)

Mandy that will be good if ou can get some tummy friendly iron tablets but the doctor should know about those and why not prescribe those for you?
Yes it must be terrible to have everything go up in smoke all the family photos and things you cannot replace that hold so many memories. When the doctors house caught fire in Shebbear years ago he lost all the photos of his first wife and all the momentos. It must be very hard on those left behind.

Got the two sacks of chickens food in the bins and have left the new bin out with nothing round it as it has some easy chewing bits round the top where the lid fits on. I did notice that the corn bin which has been ok up to now has some chewing on the corner so thats standing on it own now too.

Yes Mel Jake said his daughter is getting better now

Evening all,

Nice sunny day again ,we took some garden rubbish to the tip and they were quite busy but the queue soon went down and by the time we had emptied our tubs there was only a few cars in there .

Oh no Vera I hope the mouse has gone ,could you just lay a few seeds on the garage floor overnight and see if it takes any then you'd know if its still about .
Dil told me one of their cats had been bringing mice in they had to get one out from under the freezer the other day its bringing it in through the catflap ,they've had birds and a frog brought in .
I hope you've managed to get a couple of cushions to match the others ,every year I gingerly take the cushions for our chairs out of the bags just in case there's been anything in there ,I store our cushions in those big laundry bags in the shed.

Mel that must have been a huge fire with all those firefighters in attendance it must be awful to lose your home like that .

Anng thats good you've had the men turn up at last and got the painting finished I bet it looks good now.

Hope Ann hasn't overdone the gardening and made her knees bad its so easy to do just that little bit more and that is enough to make your knees or your back play up .

Colin washed the car today so I said I would do the inside tomorrow, why does it get so dusty inside its not as if we use it every day to dirty it up .
I might go into Holland and Barrett some time as a neighbour said his wife had tummy trouble from takibg iron tablets and they had some that are tummy friendly .

18 degrees here now but I had'nt looked earlier as I have been trying to wash another bin out for the chicken pellets as a rat ate through the last one. I had patched it up with wood on the outside but it still bit into the bottom of the tape and I had'nt notice as the bin was against the wall.

Done the pond filter and then ASDA arrived with my order which was a bit bigger this week. I put that away and then washed the bin out and left it in the sun to dry so now all I have to do is scoop out half the chicken food in the sack and then lift the rest back into the bin. It s the only way I can do it without hurting my arm and back again. Its also easier on the knees scooping.

Its good Jake and Co came and have now finished the painting for you Anng. You can relax now its all done. Did he say how his little daughter was getting on?

Must clean my glasses as I seem to have all hte dust from the bin on them.

Robbie is still pestering me for worms the minuet I step out the backdoor. He is taking at least four at a time now and five if he can squeeze another one in his beak. When I went up the garden yesterday he flew at me to let me know he was there just like the old one used to and pecked around in the grass where I had cut bits off and then picked them up.

Well I better go and corn the chickens and get the bin filled with the pellets.

they finished in two hours and it all looks good..I am pleased with it anyway. I spent about 45 minutes in the garden this afternoon weeding. Knowing full well that the weed will have grown back when I get back here again. Still it all looks good now except for all the bulb leaves, especially the Camassia leaves. I did take time to sit out in the garden with an ice cream, it is 20 degrees and still sunny with a bit of cloud.

Fingers crossed then Vera. The seat is finished I think and the arbour looks good again. Just the two new hand rails to do now. And Jake has taken the barbecue away to see if he can get it going for himself.

Good that your painting is underway now. It sounds as though the men are getting on well. I think our carpet man must be jet propelled. He won’t stop for a cuppa or anything and reckons to finish about 1 pm. We’ve helped by moving everything we could out of the way so he doesn’t have to keep stopping to shift furniture. I’ll certainly recommend him to our friends.

OH has been in the garage and given all his dust sheets and things a good shake out and checked around and currently there’s no sign of a mouse He hasn’t attempted to chew through the new large polythene sack of sunflower hearts. We’ll just keep checking and fingers crossed that he’s scarpered.

Things are being painted at 90 miles an hour, when they do tyurn up they are fast. I think they will be done by lunch time. They were here as promised at 0930.

Good morning all

At the moment it’s sunny and dry and is supposed to get quite warm later.

That fire sounds terrible Mel. I’m sorry for the dog, of course, and hope it’s safe but I am more concerned for the family. To lose your home and belongings like that must be devestating and could affect them mentally for a long while. I hope they had good insurance at least.

It’s good Jake’s little one is recovering AnnG. He’ll be able to get on now. We’re trying OH’s patent mouse removal first as it worked a treat a few years ago when we had mice in the garage. We have a couple of neighbourhood cats and one of them is often in our garden. OH has left the up and over door open a little bit at the bottom. Jupiter the cat is bound to investigate and if the cat goes in and out a couple of times the mouse will go. At least that’s what happened last time. If it doesn’t work I’ll be out buying mousetraps. I’m about to go to the website of the company we bought the garden furniture from and see if I can still get replacements.

Our carpet cleaner said he would be here at 9 am and at 8.55 the doorbell rang. He’s hard at work now and seems a nice, cheerful fellow. I’m quite impressed so far.

As it’s supposed to stay dry I think I’ll get some bedding in the wash now. I got clothes and towels done yesterday, though it was too wet to hang them out. There’s all the bedding for 3 beds to be done still so I’ll get on with that and then it will be time to make Stan the carpet man a cuppa.

Mornig all,

Pc says 11 degrees and mostly sunny but I hav'nt seen any yet its just grey sky.

I don't know anymore about the fire than what I put up but I think Em told me it was a woman who lived there with perhaps two of her three sons. Don't know if it was a working farm or not. All I will say is that it was a beautiful day and I was out in the garden and I thought someone had a bonfire and was cross because the washing was out and it was a lovely day. It must have been the fire. When I next speak to Em perhaps I will find out about the dog. It must have been some fire with all those firefighter there. I don't know if it was a tiled house or a thatched one.

Better get on as BIL may come today to do the mower if it stays dry.

Good morning all 10 degrees here at 0715 and so far dry.

I am hoping it will stay dry as Jake has contacted me and should be here today. his little one is on the mend now, she had pneumonia. I am assuming this is the same as my baby great granddaughter (step) had a few weeks back, it appears to be an infectious virus among children.Her mum messaged me to say she was better now but that it was very worrying at the time.

I am proud of my youngest grandson who has just completed a marathon in M Keynes (not sure if Sunday or yesterday), in 3 hours 46 minutes.

Mandy good to see you have your energy back and were able to work on the garden yesterday, hope that you continue to feel better.

Oh Mel, that was a huge fire then. It says a farmhouse, Is it a working farm? How sad and awful for them. I hope the lady is better now from the smoke inhalation.

Vera, I foresee a few mouse traps in the garage. what a pain though. A shame and an expense as no doubt you will need to buy replacements. annoying as well because it is not always possible to get exactly the right sizes.

We got the heavy rain as forecast this afternoon so no chance of getting my washing dry outside.

I had to smile at Max having a sulk, Mandy. Animals can be so expressive can’t they. One of our cats would literally turn her back on you if she was cross. She would sit right in the corner of the room with her face to the wall and refuse to turn round.

I forgot to say in the earlier posts that on Saturday I decided to get the seat cushions for our garden chairs out of the garage where they live in the winter. They are up high on top of a tall cupboard. I can just pull them down standing on tiptoe and stretching right up with my arms. I pulled the top one down and ...eeek...a mouse or mice had chewed right through the covering and into the middle of the cushion and there was cushion filling and mouse droppings everywhere. We got all 6 down and 2 had been demolished and it had just started on a third. It had only made a tiny hole in the cover on that one so I think I’ll be able to patch it but the other 2 were only fit for the bin. I now have 6 lovely chairs and only 4 seat cushions and a mouse/mice loose in the garage. I am not happy :-|

A house blaze in a remote location prompted a massive fire service response. The large house fire in Shebbear, between Great Torrington, Hatherleigh and Holsworthy, in North Devon, was reported at 10am this morning (Saturday May 4).

A spokesperson for the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said that three engines from Torrington, Hatherleigh and Holsworthy were first called to the incident.

The spokesperson said that while on route fire control increased the response with a further fire engine, aerial platform ladder and a water carrier due to the remote location of the incident.

The spokesperson said: "When crews arrived they confirmed the property to be well alight and immediately requested a further two fire engines and a further water carrier due to limited water access."

Woman taken to hospital

A woman has been taken to hospital after being treated for smoke inhalation. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said:

Six pumping appliances attended, water bowers, aerial ladder platform and other specialist appliances.

The large farmhouse was fully involved in fire and was severely damaged and partially collapsed. Crews used breathing apparatus and water jets to extinguish the fire and prevent it spreading to a nearby barn.

A woman was taken to hospital after being treated for smoke inhalation. Accidental cause.

40 firefighters at the scene

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that some 40 firefighters have been at the scene today to bring the large house fire under control.

The service said the crews are from nine stations in North Devon. A spokespoerson said it first sent three fire engines, then mobilised an additional fire engine, aerial ladder and a water carrier because of the remote location of the property.

Six fire engines and four special appliances have been involved.