General Chat

They were good to eat and we still have some for lunch tomorrow and a couple for the freezer.

Sorry to hear you're not feeling too good this week Anne. Love to you and Ruby. <3 xx

You've been out and about today AnninG. It is a nuisance about all these prescription we can't get easily.

Ann I did'nt know when you went private you had to pay prescription charges. I think thats a bit off.

Morning all,

Brightish at the mo but lots of clouds in the sky and I can see the trees moving a little so I don't think there is much wind this morning.

Safe trip down Frank. Are you taking your laptop? It would be nice to hear from you over Easter.

Winds up now and its very cold.

Good morning all,

Short and sweet, Just to say HI before packing my Computer, so yes Mel. I will stay in touch over the weekend.

I hope you all have a HAPPY EASTER. xxxx

Afternoon Everyone
I hope it is a good journey Frank and that the traffic won't be too horrendous.
Vera,your Brother would have been so pleased to see you for his Birthday.I am sure that would have perked him up :-D.Fingers crossed he continues to recover well even though it might be slower than previously .

Anne ,I hope you are feeling better now after not a good week.Will you have the family with you for Easter?

I must get on the blog AnnG and have a look at your lastest pics from Berkely Castle.

Mel those Pasties really made my mouth water .They just looked so good :-D

Ann ,what luck with your purse and it still having all your cash and cards in. Thank heavens there are still good honest people around :-D
I am glad your appointment went well yesterday. I had forgotten that you would have to pay for prescriptions. What another performance again trying to get meds!!!!!. It does seem crazy that you had to go to 3 Chemists to get what you needed.

It was so foggy last night. I woke at 4 and looked out the window to see the milk float crawling along.How the chap could see where he was going I have no idea. It has cleared now but it is quite hazy.

My Mammogram was all clear :-D Lunch time. I want a Pasty :-S. But think I will have to make do with some toast and Paté.

Afternoon all

Been outside all morning keeping an eye on the workmen next door. I thought there was going to be a fight this morning as the new neighbour and the boss were saying they weren't going to pay for the drive. Apparently one though the other one was paying, so as you can imagine the workmen weren't to happy and the boss of them, an Irish man, was threatening to kill someone and bury them under the sand, then he said he was going to run his truck through the building. Well, to cut a long story short the money problem was solved and they've started the job, but they are 3 to 4 hours behind and say it might not be finished until 8pm tonight. To top it all off the new neighbour has had his camera's fitting and it looks like he can see right into our front and back gardens, then he said he's going to put one down the side, which means it'll go right onto Sandra's bedroom window. The neighbour said it won't go over onto our side but where the two camera's are at the moment they are filming our side. We are so fed up of everything right now.

They put some of the bricks on the path an inch away from our front fence, so I stood and watched them until they had all been taken away and the pallets had been removed, then OH parked our car outside our place so if they need more bricks they can't put them there again, plus he's outside keeping an eye on them and isn't going to let the next delivery put stuff that close to our fence again.

I've tried to read the posts but hardly anything is sticking in my mind at the moment. I did noticed Frank is away to the seaside, have a lovely time Frank, hope the weather is nice so you can have a walk along the beach. We are thinking of taking Sandra to Chester Zoo for her birthday or shopping as she likes that, it depends on the weather and what's going on next door. I think we're just looking forward to a few days with no workmen so we can relax and eat our Easter eggs. It'll be nice not to have the stress for a while.

Love the photo of your pasties Mel, are they the recipe for Cornish pasties? I'd love the recipe if they are.

Sorry to hear you've not been feeling very well lately Anne and hope you feel better soon.
<3 Sending get well wishes from Sandra and I <3

I hope your brother had a nice birthday Vera, sorry to hear he's not recovering as well as expected. I hope things improve for him soon.
<3 Sending get well wishes to him to <3

I've got another migraine so I'm going to have a lie down now and take some painkillers. OH is outside keeping an eye on them. I'm just hoping the new drive isn't slopping our way so we end up flooded when it rains, it's looking like it is, but we won't know till the rain arrives.

I'll try and get back on here later, if not then tomorrow.

Gill, hope the migraine improves. Don't meet trouble before it happens, the drive may look as though it slopes your way but hopefully there is space for drainage before it reaches your property. Our son always says, 'there is no point worrying about something that hasn't happened and may never happen'. He is right you will only give yourself more stress.

I do wonder where the new people found these builders and tradesmen. They don't sound the sort I would want doing anything on my property, they sound very rough and ready if he was talking about killing somebody.

Anne I hope that you feel better soon.

Annx I didn't see yesterday that you had found your purse. That is great news. Strange it was in the shop where you thought you had lost it. I did know that if you have a private dental prescription you have to pay for it. I had one for antibiotics from the dentist which cost me, the next time I mentioned that and he gave me an NHS one.

Jane, Pleased to hear your mammogram was clear.
Is your road shut now?
Frank, have a good weekend, hope the traffic was not too bad. We travel down on Bank holiday Monday, hopefully that day most people will be going North.

Mel good if you are not getting the broken eggs. Glad you enjoyed the pasty rub our noses in it why don't you? :-D :-D :-D

Vera hope your brother is improving. I am sure a visit from you will have cheered him up.

we have been to town today as I had a chiropodist appointment. got a few bits and had lunch in Wetherspoons then came home and were indoors before 1.30pm.

Lots to do in the garden before we go away on Monday.

AnninG love the photos of the castle and grounds. The latest Lady Berkley looks quite young.

Gill you have a nice rest after taking something for that migraine and did you remember the beetroot? Hope it gets done today and you don't have any more worry or the new neighbours for that matter.

Well two lots of washing dried this morning and I hoovered the kitchen and diner then oh came in. We've had lunch but did'nt have the pastys we had raost beef instead. The pastys will go in the freezer. Oh had indigestion last night but he would have cherry pie and custard after his meal so it was two lots of pastry which I never think works well in the evening then he goes to bed!!!!

Love the pics AnnG .You do take some lovely ones :-D

Yes the road is closed now.Its very quiet :-D. But the odd few drivers who think they can get through tend to do a very quick turnaround and race off in a temper :-S.The bin lorry this morning had to be guided by the men in its turn around. But they managed. It did mean part of the turn was in the lane and then backed into the open driveway of the end bungalow . Luckily there are 2 open driveways between the bungalow and the house next door ,so no worry about knocking down walls,gates etc.

Gill, don't go fretting about the drive sloping your way just yet. It might well be fine .This chap (the boss) sounds a real nasty piece of work and a right thug. As for cameras being pointed towards your property is ther not a privacy law or something to prevent this? Your neighbour just needs to keep the cameras trained on his own property. Hope your migraine doesn't last long. All this worry is not doing your health any good at all. Someone suggested you,OH and Sandra having a trip out somewhere over the Easter break .Just to get away for a few hours I think would do you the world of good. It can't be nice for Sandra seeing you so upset all the time,so it could be a little treat for her :-D

No more pastry for OH today Mel :-D. It sounds like he had a double dose last night.
Since I have been remembering to take my Omeprazole properly I don't seem to have the dreadful heartburn now.
I have had no washing to do today. I think I could have really done with doing all the towels .But that will be tomorrow now.
Chris is watering the garden with the hosepipe. We have had no 'real' rain for so long everything is just bone dry. And no rain to come either for the foreseeable .

AnnG, have I missed where you are going on BH Monday? . James will be driving down to Canterbury tomorrow morning. I bet that will be really busy especially the dreaded M25 and the Dartford Crossing.I did suggest he went tonight instead but he might be late in so hes decided tomorrow it is. We will hopefully have a decent drive down to Cheltneham on Sunday. I don't know if you know it AnnG. We are going a pub in Gretton . For the life of me I can't think of the name.It could be the Royal Oak.It over looks the Steam Railway. Well sometimes I think you can just see the train and steam :-D

I have got a Mediterranean Beef Stew on the go.Its smelling quite yummy. I will need to add Butterbeans and Olives in about an hour . I had to use 3 different coloured peppers as part of the recipe. I bought a big bag of mixed peppers from Tesco the day before yesterday and 3 were already gone off :-S :-S

Mandy are the children getting excited about the Easter Bunny? :-D :-D

Evening all,

We arrived safe and sound after a five and a half hour journey. The M 40 was at a stand still when we joined it. At times we were travelling at only 20 MPH. M4 and M 5 very busy. We stopped for two loo breaks and had a coffee and sandwich at one. I was going to have a CORNISH PASTY, but they didn't look that nice and at £4.95 I thought a bit pricey.

Jan has a Shepherds pie made and has done cabbage, carrots and peas. That should be ready anytime soon. Will try to catch up on the news tomorrow.

Have a nice Easter everyone. xxx

Evening all,

It's been a lovely warm day so we've got jobs done in the garden ,we've put my little green house up after a bit of faffing about by Colin ,i'd marked all the poles with an A for across and D for down so we just had to work out what went where ,Colin was all for going out and buying another one but i soon worked it out ,i was sure i had taken a photo of the frame last year but i couldn't find it .... i made sure i got one this time .

I hope Frank had a good journey down to Devon, with some lovely sea air he should sleep better .

Ann it's nice to know there are some honest people about ,you must have been so happy to get the purse back with everything in it ,and how kind was the young chap finding you on FB and sending a message he did his good deed for the day.
I'm glad all went ok with your hospital appointment yesterday ,i didn't know about having to pay for the private hospital prescriptions either but what another performance you had trying to get the medication again ,is this medication you will need again ? if so you will know which chemist to try first .

Anne i hope your feeling better now ,was it a bug you had ?

Mel those pasties looked so good all golden brown but i see OH had to suffer for eating two lots of pastry ,they never learn do they ,Colin's just the same .

Lovely photo's AnnG all those Tulips must have looked a real picture .
So are you off to Devon too ? as you said when you travel down on Monday .

Oh dear Gill i hope your feeling better now and the migraine has eased off .
Try not to worry and get so stressed i don't think the new neighbour would like to fall out with you over a fence and as the others have said the drive might be fine and you've been worrying over nothing .
Just enjoy the weekend and eat lots and lots of chocolate :-D

So you have a nice quiet road past yours now Jane ,those bin lorries seem to get bigger and bigger i was watching the one that comes to us the other day and he had to back down the road as there was a van parked where they normally turn.
Yes the little ones are all excited ,i've been hunting for the Easter bags they use to put the eggs in but i carn't find them ,i wonder if they came back here DIL might still have them .

Glad you liked the photos. Yes Mandy the tulips were beautiful some of them especially a really deep but vibrant red. We hope to go back in a month or so to see more of the grounds.

Jane Monday we are going down to stay in Torquay for four days then on the Friday we are going to Dorset for a week to Burton Bradford near West Bay and Bridport.
Enjoy the peace while you can.

Frank glad you got there ok have a lovely time.

Mel, I would suffer if I had two lots of pastry in the evening.

Sorry Jane Gretton :-D I had to look it up as I had not heard of it, I can see now it is slightly off a road we travel on sometimes. The pub looks good, I googled it. Anyway enjoy your meal there.

Evening everyone

What a gorgeous day it has been here, warm and sunny. This morning I had my hair cut, then had coffee with the “gang” and did just a little bit of shopping. We’re going to my daughter for the day on Sunday so I bought a lovely yellow floribunda rose for her to put in her garden.

After a sandwich lunch we went off to a nearby country park. It’s not very big but has woodland and open areas and several ponds. It was really pleasant strolling around. After an hour we drove down the road to Melford Hall. It’s National Trust and we are members so go there a fair bit. Today we just had a look around the small gardens there and then had tea and cake at the cafe. We sat outside and it did get a bit blowy then.

I was quite concerned when I saw my brother yesterday as he looked very pale and tired and is clearly quite weak still. However he was pleased to see us and the other two family members who came as well. His partner produced scones, hot cross buns and cake so the six of us had a little tea party. Today I had a text from brother saying he had enjoyed seeing us and today he managed to walk round the block, so I am hoping that is the start of a proper recovery.

Mel, your pasties look really appetising, much better than the ones in the supermarket. Please can I come to lunch? :-)

Frank, i’m glad you have arrived safely. Now relax and have a lovely few days.

Ann, wasn't that lucky that someone found your purse and was honest enough to hand it in. You must have been so relieved, and well done the young man in the shop for tracing you. Good to see someone with a bit of initiative.

Anne, I am sorry you haven’t been feeling too well and I hope you are beginning to feel a bit better.

AnnG, I haven’t had a chance to look at your Berkeley Castle pics yet but you do always take good photos. You definitely have a good eye.

Gill, you really are having a horrid time lately but hang on in there. Those awful builders will be finished soon and everything will be a lot calmer for you. I know it’s easy for us to say but try not to get too stressed or you will be getting more migraines. And I hate to say it but it might be best if you go very easy on the Easter eggs. Many people with migraine find chocolate is very bad for them. I hope you have a stress and migraine free Easter.

Good that your mammogram was clear Jane. That’s one less thing to worry about now.

Mandy, I had a smile at your hunt for your Easter eggs bags. I used to do Advent bags for my grandchildren. They were small cloth drawstring bags. Every year they would get 24 little bags each. Parents would give them back to me but the following November I would have to hunt everywhere for them and when I eventually found them I never seemed to have 24 for each child and would have to rapidly make a few more. Happy days :-)

Mel, have you just removed a post or am I going mad? I am sure I saw a post from you about Melford Hall, went to answer it and it had gone :-S

I think you may be muddling Melford Hall with Kentwell Hall, which is just across the road. I don’t know about the mistletoe as we haven’t been there for a long while, but they do still do the Tudor reconstructions. It’s still privately owned and not cheap to visit but seems to be popular with tourists.

Vera yes I did when I realized I was thinking of Kentwell Hall. When I lived in suffolk my son went on a visit there with the school.

I have just had a look at the Hall on the pc and its nothing like it was when I went there before I lived in Suffolk and come to think of it they may have lost the big trees with the mistletoe in in the storm of 1987.

It was very run down when I went there with my cousin who lived in Long Melford at that time. I remember seeing it in The Witch Hunter General on the telly.

Morning all,

Hope you slept well Frank with our Devon air. We have lovely sunshine this mroning and it looks, as I hav'nt been out there yet, a nice calm day with it.

I must do up the boys little present I have bought them for Easter today and hope I have a few more eggs so I can give Em a dozen this week.

I have taken Chucky out for the last three night and she has spent those all on her own in the old house. I have still had broken eggs as their shells are soft on the end as the hens are getting old now. Its a shame I did'nt have a few more when Loraine was clearing out her flock. She told me I should have more than two and she was right. I have lost one since I got the new ones and I know two of the old omnes arn't laying. One had a BIG bum which happens a lot when they get to the ripe old age mine are and one just looks like she is cold all the time. Big Bum has been better since I gave them bread soaked in olive oil and is eating like a horse.

Hope Gill feels better this morning and I know Sandra is looking forward to her Easter Eggs. Lets hope she and the family have a quiet Easter with no worry and they can enjoy the peace and quiet. <3

Morning all

Lovely and sunny and very warm considering the time of day. OH is painting our front fence, he started it yesterday so he had a reason for being outside, but it was really to keep an eye on the workmen. We've just spoken to the new neighbour and he said he's having a security company keep an eye on the place over the weekend as the drive isn't quite finished, they are coming back on Tuesday when they can get the rest of the bricks they need. I spent over an hour yesterday brushing up all the sand that had collected in a dip they'd made between our drive and theirs, so that's all cleaned up now. It was very fine sand they brush over the bricks so we didn't want it blowing around and possible going down our grids. We ended up with a full bucket of sand, so we put it next door with the rest of the sand as it's not ours.

The new neighbour has just been telling us that they doubled the price for the drive so it ended up costing 16K, the boss called the police as the neighbour was refusing to pay it. The neighbour said it was included in the quote the boss had given him. The police agreed with the neighbour once they saw the written quote so the boss ended up paying the full 16 thousand pounds in the end.

We are looking forward to the next few days as no one is going to be here so it'll be nice and quiet, not to mention no stress. I fell asleep on the sofa yesterday and when I woke up my migraine had gone, I think they are being brought on by stress more than anything. Yes, Mel, I'm eating Beetroot, I think I'll know if it works properly once I have a normal life again. The neighbour is hoping he'll be in by the middle of May now, but his wife doesn't want the boss anywhere near the place so he might have to get other people in to finish everything off. So that's where everything is up to at the moment.

I'm pleased you found your purse Ann, what a worrying time for your though, it must of been a relief in the end and nothing missing, it's nice to know there are honest people around.

I'm glad to hear your mammogram was clear Jane, I know when I had one when I found a lump, those few days waiting for the results wasn't pleasant, so now you can relax knowing all is well.

You must be so concerned about your brother Vera, at least he managed a walk which is good. It sounds like you had a lovely day with him. Yes, I've heard chocolate isn't good for migraine sufferers so I won't be eating to much of it. We don't have treats very often so a small amount will be nice.

What lovely photo's you've taken of Berkeley Castle AnnG, it looks a wonderful place and very pretty. Love all the red and white Tulips.

I'm going to have a good go at OH's family tree today, I managed to find a match on Genes and he's given me access to his tree, so that's going to be helpful, he's also been sending me images of various marriages and baptisms which is nice. He sent me an image of a marriage yesterday and when I looked at it the woman's sister's marriage was above , so I ended up with two marriage images and dates I didn't have. I should be able to concentrate better now it's quiet next door, so hopefully I'll be able to do quite a bit for OH. He's looking forward to seeing what I can find.

My washing machine has just finished so I'll go and peg it out while the weather is nice and there no dust around.

Morning Mel I missed your post, yes I'm feeling much better today, OH and I were in bed before 10.30 last night and had a really good nights sleep so that's helped.

Sorry to hear you're still having broken eggs. Hope Chucky is happier in the old house, do you think she may go back with the other's in time?

I forgot to mention before, a card arrived for Sandra yesterday so I put it to one side thinking it was a birthday card. I mentioned it to her and she said it might be an Easter Card so I carefully open the flap of the envelope to take and look and she was right it was an Easter card off her aunt and uncle. Sandra had made them a lovely card for Easter and they thanked her for it. It's in pride of place on the fireplace now. Good job she mentioned Easter or she'd of ended up with an Easter card on her birthday. :-D

Good morningMel, Gill, and all.

I slept like a log last night. After dinner, we all sat in the lounge and the girls watched their Emerdale for an hour. Then we went onto catch up and that programme from SPACE TO EARTH What a interesting nd informative programme it was. There are others to follow I believe, so will keep my eyes on it.

It's such a beautiful morning here. The kitchen door is open and I have been sitting outside in the sunshine,

The girls are going to a BIG garden centre later, it's the same place where we buy the Christmas Turkey, and the meats I think I will pass on that, and go for my walk down the sea front, and round the Harbour.

My Easter present from Conrad and Jane is a book by Vera Llynn about her war time memories. Should be interesting, as I like those sort of things.

So you sorted the greenhouse Mandy. Colin is like me, if the thing looks/is to difficult to do, just leave it to someone else to do. ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

What a lovely thing that young man did, finding you on FB and returning your purse with all the contents still in it. It proves there are some well bought up, honest lads around. That took me back to LONG LONG AGO. I walked passed a Telephone box in the village where I lived and there was a WALLET. It was full of the old WHITE FIVERS. As the Police Station was just up the road, I took it there and gave my details. Later that day a knock on our door produced a very well DRESSED Gentleman, who asked to speak to me. Mum thought I had been up to mischief and the Man was coming to sort it out. When I went to the door he PATTED THE TOP OF NY HEAD, and produced a WHITE FIVER. My reward for handing in all that money. I think I am right, that a fiver in those days, was like a weeks wages for a lot of men. Thinking back I don't remember, having af that money to spend. lol lol.

HERE's A LAUGHT TO START YOUR DAY. ROS did herself some toast and marmalade and sat in the sun to eat it, Jan called her indoors, and within seconds the toast was gone. THE SEAGULLS HAD BEEN DOWN AND PINCHED IT. lol lo. That will teach her to leave food outside, unprotected.

All showered and shaved, fed and watered. Now thinking of going for my walk. I can then come back and relax wth either my current book or start my new one.

Catch up with you all later. xxxx