General Chat

Afternoon All

Glad you are back safe and sound Frank .I bet Harvey wont get a refund for that parking ticket,but it is worth trying. I dont like the sound of that new plane.It sounds far too cramped and uncomfortable . Sorry to hear about Val , the lady who didnt quite make her 100th and Denis too. Maybe now Val is actually in hospital hopefully she can be assessed properly and maybe will get some help at home as Tony seems pretty hopeless .

MSGs affect me too sometimes ,and the effect can happen quite switly too :-S.Poor Gordon is having quite a time of it . Good idea not to atttempt going to the meeting tonight.
Your BP was quite low Ann and slow heart rate .Is the normal heart rate about 80? I cant remember . My BP this morning was 128/85.

AnnG the make of this new BP machine is OMRON(MT Intelli IT ) I have never had to keep a record of my BP .But with it being so high each time I have it taken at the hospital the Nurse suggested I just keep checking before my op. The old machine was the one Chris had when he was a GP.

Fitz rang earlier to say his Brother has died in Thailand. He had lived out there for over 20years .There won't be anyone from here going over for the funeral.
32 years ago today my lovely Dad passed away from MND :-(

It has rained non stop here all day and it is still coming down.I did nt want to go out but had ot go and collect a prescription. Onle half of what I ordered was there :-S :-S. So it will be another journey .What a pain.
Tomorrow I have to go to this Joint School meeting. I think it is just basically a talk from the Occupational Therapy people .We have measured the heights of chairs/bed /toilets so will take the filled in form. I have all the equiptment needed really other than raisers .NHS doesnt supply them apparently so if I do need any I think we can get some from some Mobility shop in town. Fitz said his raised loo seat and perching stool had been delivered from NHS.

That top I wore yesterday is one I have had for many years but hardly ever worn. it is a long tunic top (kee length ) and I wore straight legged jeans with it. Glad you all liked it :-D

I must get on with dinner. Chicken Breasts,and a big tray of Salad Potatoes ,peppers ,mushrooms ,red onions ,and Asparagus .
I also need to turn of the slow cooker as I have done a meal for 3 which will g oin the freezer for after I come out of hospital. Tomorrow I will do a Chicken Casserole and put that in the freezer too.

Evening all, Oh what a horrible day it has been. I am sure it has rained since we arrived back in England. WHAT A WELCOME. !!! Ros has done loads of washing, which I have dried on the cloths horse in the conservatory. I have also had the heating on all day, using the radiators to dry the underclothes etc.

I have only skirted the posts, so will reply to what I remember. We flew with RYAN AIR, to and from Luton. I am considering EASY JET if and when we go again.

Yes that MSG is in almost all Takeaway foods. I can't think that there isn't something more healthy that could be added. It's all about TASTE, Like it or lump it. !!!

I would go bonanas if Ros had that many knickers, You will have to make a donation to a charity that perhaps would pass them to a third world country. I know I must have a sort out with SHIRTS. I can't get anymore on the rail of my walldrobe, and Ros has bought me more for your anniversary.

I can't stop as Ros is busy putting things away (STILL) and I have the oven on with Jacket potatoes, and Tesco ready meals, which I need to check on.

Have a nice evening and try to stay DRY. xxx

We've got thunder and its just started raining heavily.

I have been up the border and oh was mowing the grass. He told me to come down but I stayed a bit longer as I was getting on quite well pulling weeds out and dead stuf which had fallen int othe plants. Two big barrow loads so I must be getting somewhere.

I don't even know what blood pressure I should have at my age now. We have a little monitor that goes on your wrist but its hard to do unless someone does it for you.

Just going to read Jane's post now.

83 pairs of pants has to be a record AnnG :-D :-D I think when I cleared mine out a couple of years ago there were 30 odd .83 !!!!!!! Yes as Frank says those you want to get rid of will be good for the clothing bank .I often see pleas for undies for either the under privileged here or abroad.
It is still pouring here.Thomas is looking very grumpy and unsettled. He has had just a few minutes outside today .Hasnt used his litter tray so maybe he just nipped out for a wee :-D
Frank we aren't going to be dry here until Friday by the look of things :-S

We had a lovely day here today and the washing dried outside on the line and it was comfortable up the border inthe sunshine.

All the lights are on in the house as its so dark.

With the funeral tomorrow I don't think I shall be going shopping as its at 2pm.

Mel who has died? I must have missed you saying.
I have never heard of BP monitor on the wrist. Chris says that is likely to be inaccurate .It needs to be taken with the band around the upper arm.

My Sister has had a house check today as they are hoping to get a rescue dog (from Spain) .I am sure they will pass with flying colours.
I think it has actually stopped raining at the moment but it is pretty windy . We are still on a yellow alert :-S

Good evening everyone

Another wet, cold, horrible day. It was pouring when I got up, rained non-stop all day till about 5 pm, stopped for a couple of hours and then started again. When I had to pop into town this morning I had to drive through a lot of standing water. I am holiday organiser in chief in our house but the one job I always get OH to do is give the garden and pots a thorough water before we go away. He's even got out of that this time as there is definitely no watering needed.

I bet you wish you were back in Spain Frank. You did have a horrid journey home. I detest Ryanair, but have flown Easyjet several times with no problems. Perhaps I've just been lucky. This time we are flying to Austria on Easyjet but are coming back on British Airways. I hope Harvey can sort out his parking charges but I wouldn't hold your breath. In fact I was amazed that Luton give 45 minutes free. I think that might be quite unusual. How lovely for Harvey to have a new little kitten - I am very jealous. I am also sorry to hear you came back to so much bad news.

I hope your OH is feeling a bit better now Ann and can get to the source of his trots. They can be quite debilitating and make you feel very tired. Two different doctors have now told me to drink Coca-Cola when I've been bad. Let the fizz die down first. Apparently it contains the sugars, salts and minerals that your body needs to replace what you have lost. Keep an eye on your BP. Is it normal for it to be low? My OH's always gets taken a couple of times because it is low but that is normal for him. I bet your angel will look terrific when you have finished it. You must send us a photo.

Poor little bluetit Mel. These things happen sadly. Sorry to hear you have a funeral to go to. I hope everything goes as well as can be expected.

I am also sorry to hear about Fitz's brother Jane, You all seem to have sad news today. I expect you have been thinking of your Dad as well. I hope you have lots of happy memories of him. That was a really nice family photo at the Ivy Brasserie. It's good to be able to put faces to names. I loved your top as well.

AnnG, 83 pairs!! That seems a touch excessive. I've just been looking at the pictures on your blog. You have a very pretty garden and the new handrail looks just right.

Well, we are off to Gatwick tomorrow. I got a decent deal for a night in a hotel and 15 days parking. We thought we could have an early dinner at the hotel and then try to get to bed fairly early as we have to be up at silly o'clock to check in for our flight to Vienna. I think we should be able to log in to wi-fi OK so I'll keep up with your posts even if I don't have time to add much myself.

Morning All

What a windy rainy night!!!! It is still foul :-S

Have a lovely time in Austria Vera.I hope the weather is better there than it is here right now :-D

Back later this afternoon.

Morning all,

I have just got Echo to turn the kitchen light on as I could'nt see the keyboard its so dark in here this morning.

Rained most of the night and everywhere is wet wet wet and the Homeserve men are here. I was still in bed when they arrived but they hav'nt turned the water off yet but they must be doing something as the pressure has gone down in the taps.

The funeral is of a man who used ot live in our village and did a lot of work for the Friends of St Mary's church, which is our little church next to the big house. They lived here many years and he wants to be buried with his mother in our churchyard. He was a lovely man but they moved to be nearer thier daughter. The funeral is tomorrow not today!! I got muddled.

They are down here at the mo, the water men.

Vera I hope you have a good time in Austria and we shall want to hear all about it please.

Morning Jane and Mel, morning all

It's pouring with rain here and looks like it's been raining all night, so that'll save us a job of watering the garden, I've just watered the greenhouse plants so that's the gardening done for today.

Have a safe journey Vera, I'm looking forward to hearing all about Vienna. You timed it right getting away from the awful English weather.

Good luck with your water leak Mel, I hope they sort the problem out soon for you and you're not without water for to long. Hope the funeral goes as well as it can do tomorrow. How nice that he wanted to be buried with his mother, they must of been very close.

83 pairs of pants is a lot AnnG, giving some of them to a Charity is good idea.

What type of puppy is your sister having Jane? It's good that checks are done isn't it, there are so many horrible people out there who have animals and don't look after them well. Janice is going to love having a new member of the family. I'd love to see a pic if you take one. I didn't realise how many things you need to think about when having your op, especially the height of things and needing different aids to help. Sorry to hear about Fitz's brother, hope he's okay.

How are you getting on with your Angel Ann, did you decided to do it in another colour in the end. I'd love to see a picture when it's finished, it sounds beautiful.

I've found a tree match for OH's tree who is helping me fill in some gaps, so hopefully I'll be able to add some more people for him today. It's a good hobby to have on wet days like this. :-)

Good morning all, Oh what another horrible day.I am sure it rained all night, and as Jane said, it's still pouring down here.

Ros has gone to the Nurse for a Diabetic check up. Then on to have her nails done, she is going to call in at Val. B. to drop off a little present, as a thank you for watering the greenhouse and pots etc.

I have prepared the evening meal, lamb steaks, roasties and parsnips, Carrots and peas, and sweetheart cabbage. Followed by an Apple Crumble, and custard.

As Ros is outlaw morning I have got the ironing board out, and will iron my shirts, hankies, T shirts, and Pillow cases. That will just leave Ros all her tops etc to do as and when she wants to. More than likely she will do those this afternoon.

Conrad had been saying he would arrange for a PUPPY t be sent over to us from Spain. NO WAY said Ros. Do the dogs still have to go in Quarantine for SIX MONTHS, like they use to. ?? Do you know what type of dog Janice is having Jane.Poor Thomas, stuck indoors, how will he manage without his BUNNIES lol

Vera, I do hope you have a nice holiday. I have never been to Austria or Switzerland. Those people who have, had said what beautiful Countries they are. Glad you got a good deal on parking, for the time you are away.

Mel, with all this rain how on earth can OH still be doing all this mowing. I do ike to see his lawn, with all those lovely stripes up and down. I still get them on my back lawn, but not as good as when I had the petrol mower with blades, rather than a electric rotary that I have now.

I must try to get down to look at my veg patch. I doubt I will be able to tell the veg from the weeds. It's beenoverthree weeks since I have seen them.

I doubt you will be out gardening today folks, the way this weather is, but anyway have a nice day, whatever you do. I will get on with my Ironing now. Might get back later, xxxxx

Frank we had a lovely day yesterday till the evening when it fell out of the sky. Thats why oh wanted to mow because we know we have rain for the next three days at least.

The men have been in and said the leak is down here by the bungalow but they can't hear it. They have dug a deep hole a little way away from the house where we had a leak before.

Afternoon all,

Wet Wet Wet here again ,i heard it in the night and it was really beating on the window in the night it woke me up
We were going shopping today but have decided to do it tomorrow ,it was hair cut day today ,the lady that comes has said she's not sure if next time she will be able to do it as she has been called up for Jury service so i booked a cut just before she should do it .
I haven't been on here for a day or two as i have had a funny muzzy head so i have given the lap top a rest ,i think i will book an eye test i might need some new glasses as i'm now due a test .

Jane that's a lovely photo of you all and i too love your top .

Safe journey Vera and have a lovely holiday .

Have to go my head is beginning to ache ,i'll get Colin to read the posts to me and give my eyes another rest for a day or two.

Afternoon All,

Tipping it down here so it was another no show for the window cleaner. It looks like it has set in for the day. The wind was terrible during the night and has blown over at an angle one of Mrs O's posts on her new fence and there is tree debris and leaves on the road all up the close.

OH has been ok since yesterday evening but not wanting to eat. I then got it too and was visiting the white friend last night. We are both much better today and have just risked a bowl of soup with a roll. It's either something we both ate or a bug he has passed to me. I'll remember your tip about the coca cola Vera as I was thinking about getting some hydrating sachets from the chemist. I knew you could use coca cola for cleaning toilets!! :-D

I hope you have a lovely time in Austria Vera. It is the country we have always said we would like to go back to. The scenery is beautiful and the air so fresh and clear. Friendly people, friendly children and cleanliness everywhere.

Sorry to hear about Fitz's brother Jane. So he and I have both lost a sibling in the past few months. I remember his brother had been in hospital a little while ago and was wanting to get out! I must admit I find it hard to understand why people rescue dogs from abroad when our own rescue centres are full of lovely dogs needing homes and so many having to be put down after a short time if no-one takes them in. I've seen where some rescue homes have dogs from abroad too. How does that work I wonder? Do they swap some of our dogs? Either way surely the cost of transport could be better spent on leaving the dogs in their own countries. Perhaps there is more to it than I know?

I seem to accumulate lots of pants too AnnG and don't dare count them! I buy more then find 'spare' packs squirrelled away elsewhere.

We’re all packed, had some lunch and will be leaving in a little while but goodness knows how long it will take us to get to Gatwick with all the problems with sinkholes etc. As we are not flying till early tomorrow at least I won’t be panicking about missing the flight.

Just looked up the weather in Austria for the next couple of weeks. At the moment it is 32 degrees in Vienna and should stay hot. Next week at Zell am See it is likely to rain at some point every single day we are there :-P

I hope you get your fuzzy head sorted out Mandy. Do see the doc if it isn’t your eyes causing the problem.

Have a nice afternoon everyone.

Missed you there Mandy as I didn't send my last post straightaway. Sorry you haven't felt well either and it could be your eyes as you say. I hate those banging headaches and the computer makes things worse so it is best to give it a rest as you say, Maybe it is just glasses you need.

I hope the journey to Gatwick is better than you are expecting Vera, but at least there's no rush for the flight as you say. It sounds like any enjoying the sun will be in the first week, but hopefully the second week will be better by the time you get there. It's going to be pretty hot anyway! I look forward to hearing about it when you get back! :-)

Yes I'm getting on well with the angel Gill and I did the front of the dress while watching Gentleman Jack. I think mine will be more like a fairy to be honest as I'm doing her in red, white and silver now. She's only a few inches high, but will be nice I think. At least if I get stuck I know I can pop back to see Jenny who runs the courses and she will sort me out! I had a lovely surprise this morning when the postman came. He's brought me a letter and the pattern I wanted a copy of from the lady I met at the workshop. She sent me a lovely card with a note in it and as well as the bracelet pattern she'd enclosed another pattern for the necklace she was wearing and which I also liked. How kind and she won't accept a penny, even for the postage. :-)

I hope the Homeserve people have now found the leak Mel and will soon have it fixed for you. Did they have to dig through the tarmac or is the hole they dug in the soil? I hope it won't make too much mess for you. The man whose funeral you are going to tomorrow sounds like a really nice person.It's good he will be buried with his mother as he wished. When I've gone round churchyards looking for ancestors it is always useful to people in future that are tracing ancestors when other family members are buried with them as you can find children who died between censuses sometimes.

Still raining, so I expect there will be floods next.

Afternoon All,

I expect Vera is on her way now, Safe journey and a Happy Holiday. xx

Been another PIG of a day here, RAIN on and off and so cloudy, you would think it was November.

Had a right old fright earlier. Eos had a Ham sandwich at lunchtime, with some cheese and sliced onion (she loves ONIONS) While he was ironing all her tops. she came over all faint and had to go a lay down. The phone woke her (another nuisance call) When she came out from the bedroom, she thought she was having another HEART ATTACK. then she let out the BIGEST BURB, and felt better. It was indigestion. Thank GAWD. I was ready to dial 999.

I hope you are feeling a little better Mandy. Do you need your eyes testing, or is it normal for you to have these heads.??

By the time these men sort out your leak Mel, It will be Christmas. I thought these detectors they use, find the leak fairly easily.

I haven't ventured out today, so I don't know how my VEG Patch is. Perhaps tomorrow I will walk down the garden for a shock look at the WEEDS. It might be I will ring Barry to come and weed the patch, as I don't think I could lean over weeding for that long.

What marvellous service we have had from the Doctors. I walked up with the repeate Prescriptions yesterday just before they closed at lunchtime, I also ask if they could get my sleepers done for today, as I have run out. I telephoned at 4.30 today, and she said that ALL our prescriptions were ready for collection, so Ros went up and collected them. The receptionist said to Ros, "We don't want Frank awake all night" do we. !!!

Off to see about putting the oven on to heat up, then I can gets the roasts in , followed a bit later with the Lamb Steaks. Enjoy your evening all. xxx

Evening All
As you say Frank it has been another Pig of a day (weather wise) . Chris and I looked like 2 drowned Rats after parking at the hospital and getting down to Outpatient department. What a nightmare parking is at the hospital even though they now have a 2 level car park.The talk was very useful .I cant have a bath for 3 months after the op :-0 :-0. I love my baths . Stripped wash for ages . I just need to work out a way for Chris to wash my hair !!!.There is a lot to take in with all this info.

I have just skipped through the posts so not read properly yet .
Thank goodness it was jus ta big BURP for Ros and nothing more serious Frank . She needs to lay off those Onions !!

Mandy I am sorry you have been feeling all muzzy headed .Not a nice feeling .Maybe having that eye test will help.(more expense if you need new specs! )

So they still cant see exactly where the leak is Mel? I hope they don't have to do much more digging to find it

I have to go now ,as I haven't started dinner yet.

Oh my goodness Jane, strip washes for all that time!!! :-0 :-0 It seems you just can't get the area wet then. I hope it isn't the same for knees. Could you lean over the bath and let Chris lift the showerhead down to wash your hair? Maybe not while you are on crutches though. It's going to be a bit of a game however you manage!

Thanks for the good description of the flowers Gill. I think it sounds like some bulbs I had once called Acidanthera. Have a google of those and see if they are the same.

Dinner sounds nice Frank. That was nice of Ros to give Val B a gift for keeping an eye on things for you.

I wonder how deep the hole is at Mel's now?

Sorry, been out all day from 0830 unti 6.50pm. We were on a coach trip to Cardiff and, although it appears to have rained here all day it stayed dry in Cardiff so we were lucky.

We spent most of the time there in the National Museum and Art gallery of Wales. A fantastic place. Spent a couple of hours there from 10.30 then walked up into town and had lunch in Henry’s then a walk round several of the shops including their big M&S we then went back and saw the rest of the museum and revisited part of the art gallery that we liked.