General Chat

Morning All,

Sunny and less humid today which is nice.

I see now about the window Mel and the risk of glass going in the pond. :-)

I went with OH to see the doc about his blood test results this morning and the inflammation has gone down so it looks like it was to do with the bug he had. He has to provide a second sample and send it off this time, just to be sure, as she said his tummy is still sore when she pressed it and he still has a bloated tummy. The doctor made my day, as she said she thought she'd met me before and asked where I worked!! I never thought I'd be asked that when I was over 70!! lol

I called in the chemist next door to collect my prescription and it was one thing short so it was a good job I checked while I was there. Another trip back there on Thursday to collect it. :-S To think years ago I was hardly ever at the doctors or chemist!

AnnG it sounds like you have another nice day planned with your friends, good weather for it too.

I must pack my bag for the tie dyeing session tomorrow. I'm putting rubber gloves in too, in case she doesn't have any for us, as some sites on the internet say to use them or your hands will be all colours for a few days.

Between us we have watered all the pots and the beans and greenhouse so now we are having a carvery at the old manor. No idea what we'll do after!

Some big changes for Tony then Frank. At least she will be better looked after there I would think. If she doesn't come out and has been discharged there from hospital he might get help with funding. I wonder how often he will visit her?

I suppose you must start to think you are old when your children are getting older. Having not had children I think old age has snuck up on me as I've always seemed the same age (to me!) without having children around to watch grow up. The aches and pains have made me realise it more lately though. lol.

Hi all, Still no change in the weather. Dull and grey, they did say we might get rain later.

Carolyn finally came for Ros at 12.45. She bought with her another BIG BAG of Broad Beans. |So I have podded a load for Ros. I have also done a lot of peas and carrots. I had forgot I had peas in the bottom draw. We all know the old saying "like two peas in a pod" Well I podded three on the trot, and all three only had two peas in them ;-) ;-) ;-) I have peeled the Potato's, and put some mint in the peas and carrots, I have put parsley in her B.B I might do some cabbage when Ros gets home. She has told me to leave the pie, as she would do it. I have got all the meat and kidney into a dish with the funnel in the middle, The pastry is on the board, ready for madam.

Yes Annx, the old aches and pains certainly catch up on you when you try doing things. I know it gets more difficult for both of us, I keep telling Ros to get some help around the bungalow, with a bit of cleaning and ironing. Oh NO. I don't want anyone poking around, especially if you don't really know them. !!!

How are you feeling this afternoon Jane, comfortable I hope. <3 <3 Has Janice been and gone. ?? That's a long way to come just for a couple of hours. Bless her. She certainly cares for you. xx How's Fitz coming along. A little better I hope.

I see one of out little eateries has 30% off their main meals this week, so that might be a trip out, one late afternoon.

Being up since 4.45 this morning, I am wondering why I feel so tired. I don't want to doze now, or I won't sleep tonight.

Back to my book for a while, then I might do a bit of watering.

A little question for you all. When you are typing a word, does the spell thingy decide to finish the word, but not the word you are typing. Mine does it all the time. !!!!

That CRAB is repeating on me, So I thing I will dig out the gaviston.

Janice and Larry have been and gone. It was so nice ot see them even if it was just a flying visit :-D They have gone home with a big bag of Broad beans and some Cucumbers .
Their new little dog arrives on Saturday . Poor thing has to travel from North Spain ,down through France over the Channel to wherever the drop off point is. There is a truck load of dogs all coming to new homes. If only they knew they are coming to have a better life :-D.

Ann, is this the first time you will be having a go at Tie Dying? Rubber Gloves sound a really good idea :-D

I had a long sleep on the settee again this afternoon so have managed ot miss a lot of the Tennis. It is quite dark here and the air is so still.I keep finding those horrible little thunder flies tickling my skin :-S :-S Irritating little blighters.

Frank, I showed Janice the pics of the Kittens. She just loved them :-D They have just one more week before having the Grandchildren for 5 weeks during the days.I think the only week day they will have none is Tuesdays.
I need to stand up and move around a bit as it feels like I am sitting on a brick(right buttock) :-S I also need to do my standing up exercises .

It's gone quite dark here now as well Frank and we've put the light on. Ros is lucky you do so much cooking. :-) OH will put a salad together for me and would do cook and mash potatoes and parsnips with boil in the bag fish in sauce when he lived on his own, but hasn't advanced much since then! lol He will prepare all the veg and wash up what won't go in the dishwasher though. His saving grace is doing the ironing. :-)

We talk about having a cleaner come in occasionally because I find it an effort now and have to do it in short stints and and just never get around to all the jobs I used to do like washing all round inside where the windows and doors open, but I know what Ros means about strangers poking around. Mum had a cleaner when she ran the home for the ladies, but she found a gem of a lady, so hardworking. She always had her marigolds on and one day mum told me that it was because she hated people seeing her withered arm. Mum was good with her as she grew up with a leg iron as a child herself and was conscious of people staring.

You set me off with your lamb and I got some of the thick Barnsley chops when we called in the farm shop today. I also got some nice fresh veg and some of the gooseberry yoghurt I like.

:-D :-D Ann you better start training OH in cooking skills for when you have your knee done :-D :-D I think Chris is thinking himslef lucky tonight with James doing the cooking.He is just starting a Beef Strog(from scratch). None of the pouch sauce I use.

Frank, I often find words I have typed come up as something really different .I have to re read what I have typed all the time.Otherwise it might look like a lot of gobbledygook. :-D.

Just looking around my lounge and it looks a little like a flower shop. One vase has the most wonderful Sunflowers :-D

Jane I've tried, but I'm sure he thinks he knows best and can just get a cookbook out once I'm out of action. I know I will get an interrogation when he has to do more things and then the blame if things go wrong! He hasn't a clue what multi tasking we women do automatically and about the timing of different things in cooking.. He believes you should focus on one thing at a time which he does in his work and works well with that, but not in the household. I can picture the meat being ready before he even thinks to prepare the veg!!! lol I think I shall have to prepare and freeze a few casseroles and send him to get me a take away carvery from down the road when the time comes.......that or hire Frank!!!!! :-D :-D. This will be the first time I've done tie dyeing Jane so I'm looking forward to seeing how things turn out.........hopefully it won't just be fit for dusters!! :-0

Evening everyone

Belated thank you for the pics Mel and Frank.

I’ve noticed a few dragonflies in the garden this year but have never seen one so newly emerged. Great that you got a photo of it. I like the reflections pictures too. You certainly have a good eye. How many koi do you have? We had 20 that were only 3” long when we got them but were all at least 12” when we had to rehome them. I was quite upset when they went. I couldn’t believe how attached I’d managed to get to some fish!

Frank, those kittens are adorable. They look real little characters and I can see them ruling the roost when they are a bit bigger. I bet they’ll have Harvey at their beck and call.

I hope you have a better night tonight Jane. Did you enjoyJames’s dinner? My OH isn’t a bad cook at all but his timing is a bit iffy and he can’t do anything else at the same time. He seems to think you have to stand and watch the cooker. He will willingly hoover if I ask but wouldn’t think of doing it himself and as for ironing, forget it. Our son is an excellent cook and irons his own shirts so I didn’t make too bad a job of training him :-D

I hope the tie dying goes well tomorrow Ann. I would like to see a picture of the finished article.

I hope you enjoyed your day out AnninG. We had several outings booked for the next 2 or 3 weeks but I don’t think we’ll be making any of them. OH is being very good about doing his exercises and is definitely improving but there’s a way to go yet.

I’m just going to pop a card across the way to a neighbour whose birthday is tomorrow and then I must tidy up the kitchen a bit before I read a chapter or two of my book. Have a restful night everyone. Sweet dreams :-)

Evening all

I had a terrible nights sleep last night it was so hot and I wasn't feeling very well, my nose was blocked and my chest felt tight so I got up and took something for it and had a cuppa, I finally got to sleep around 5am only to be woken by the noise of the builders across the road around 9am. They are taking the tiles off the roof and throwing down a massive plastic shoot going to the skip, so you can imagine the noise that made. Of course I couldn't get back to sleep so got up. I've felt so tired all day but have managed not to sleep in the hope I have a better nights sleep tonight.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CONRAD. Hope he had a nice day. It was my mum's birthday today to. Hope you get all the loose flags sorted soon Frank.

I did notice you had a slightly better nights sleep Jane, hopefully you'll sleep a bit better again tonight. That was nice of Janice and Larry to visit.

Good idea to take rubber gloves Ann, the last thing you need is colourful hands ;-) Can't wait to see a picture if you take one.

I've not caught up with all the posts as I had problems getting on the Internet, Google kept crashing so I'd better send this incase it happens again. Hope everyone is okay.

Another good day on the last day of the get together. We met up with our six friends at Croome Court NT. it took us about 45 minutes to get there so not bad really. We had coffee first then split up with four of us going together and the other four splitting into twos as we all wanted to look at different things first with the two who like walking wanting to walk to the house and we four travelling in the visitor transport up to the house as we were with our friend who has trouble walking. We were really lucky because on the short journey our driver gave us a potted guided tour. And told us which parts were interesting. The house is mainly empty with a few interesting bits and pieces around. It was inherited in 1751 by a man called George William who became the 6th earl of Coventry. Then as now it was a Country home. The earl employed Capability Brown tand Robert Adam to redesign the house and large grounds.The site was oin war time the home of RAF Defford and some of the buildings are still there in use as a restaurant, reception, and an RAF museum. It was a full day, in the house there were a couple of beautifully decorated rooms and one room taken over by an embroidered guild from Worcester. After the war the family fell on hard times and sold thee house which was turned into a Catholic school for boys run by nuns. A room is devoted to stories about the school by previous pupils.
In 1979 the house was sold to Hare Krishna followers, then it was sold to property developers and finally the parkland was acquired by the NT in 1996 when it was out of control and overgrown but because of repair costs are unable to buy the house, buildings and large walled gardens. The walled gardens were bought privately in 2000 and are only open certain days at a fee of £5. In 2007 the Nt Trust leases Croome Court from the Croome Heritage Trust and is still to be restored although is structurally sound and watertight.

We enjoyed the visit looking round the house then going for lunch before walking part of the parkland to the lake and by the mock river in the afternoon. We all left at 4,15 us to go home, four to go back to the hotel in Tewkesbury and two to drive back to Devon.

The weather was not as sunny as forecast but was pleasant for being outdoors. And we were glad to be NT members as the entrance fee was £13.50.

Sounds like another good trip out today then Anng. Glad you enjoyed it.

Our wether has been hot hot hot here today and I nearly wilted when I cam e out of the building society as it was so lovely and cool in there. One lady came in and said gosh its cold in here! There was an old lady at one of the desk doing something, not sure what as I could see her in the reflection of the glass in front of me. She kept doing something on a pc type thing I think and then looking all around to see if anyone was watching her. I looked over my shouder at her and she saw me and gave me a funny look and then I turned back and she kept on looking around. It was a bit suspicous.

I did that first down the quay and then went up to Lidl for some bits I like from there and then down to Morrisons again. Got in totally hot and unpacked al the stuff had a quick drink of water and did the chickens.

My back and left hip is playing up now and my fingers and toes ache. I am going to have a nice shower and bed I think so see you all in the morning.

Whacked now and hope I sleep better tonight than I did last night.

Morning all,

We have sunshine again but there are some whispy white clouds in the sky this morning.

Slept well last night and it makes such a difference to you. Hope Jane had a better night last night. Bet she was tired again after having Janice and Larry there yesterday for a visit.

I saw a fox in the orchard last night. A very tatty one and much bigger than the baby I saw sniffing around the hog pen.

Morning Mel, morning all

It's lovely and sunny today, I was going to go out and buy some plants but have decided not to bother now as I've found lots to put on OH's tree so I want to get on with that. To be honest I don't really need anymore plants I just wanted a bit of colour which will happen soon anyway with other plants I have, so I'm going to save my money, it seems silly to spend for the sake of it when it's not that necessary now.

Your day trip sounds wonderful AnnG and very informative, pity about the weather being cloudy, but at least it was dry.

So you've seen another fox Mel, we had one once in our garden a few years ago, it did seem strange seeing it as it's not normally something you see around here. I've not seen it for a while though, so I don't know what happened to it. Pleased to see you had a good nights sleep, hope all your aches and pains have gone now.

Hope you had a better nights sleep last night Jane and things are getting easier for you, it doesn't help if it's to hot either. I've left our bedroom window open for the last few days both day and night and it's made such a difference, it's bliss to be able to have a good nights sleep, the only problem is the builders noise from over the road waking us up early, but it's like an alarm so I don't over sleep, so not all bad.

Good luck with the tie dying today Ann, remember to take your rubber gloves, I can't wait to hear all about it later and see a pic if you take one.

The new neighbours next door are a bit funny and don't speak very often and when they do they make it short and sweet then walk off without saying goodbye......very strange. I guess some people just keep themselves to themselves. He's not very pleased with his new gate as it's warped in the south facing sun and the post they put up against his bungalow is moving around as they didn't anchor it to his property properly. They are having furniture delivered at the moment. OH asked him when he's having the big gates done at the end of his drive and was told "When he's saved up enough money" The people who did the side gate were supposed to come back and fix it but they never turned up. OH told him we have three bolts on our gate to keep it straight, he didn't think to do that so will probably need a new gate now. Thankfully it's on his side and not attached to our fence which is where he had a bit of a fence put between us and his gate so when they fix it, if they ever do, it won't disturb our fence.

OH is watering the garden, even though he does it in the evenings, by the morning it needs doing again. Going to take another look at his tree now. I have someone helping me and he's made up a tree for me to copy, he's very quick so it's going to take me a long time to go through it all as I like to check everyone is correct before putting them on my tree. I've found a lot of Bio's for some of OH's rellies in America, so I'm going to go through all them today. That'll keep me busy.

OH is looking forward to his bath later, he said he's going to stay in there and have a really good soak. I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since his op, it's gone really quick.

Gill are you finding that the compost you have used is like fluffy grass cutting and bit of composted green stuff. I have bought 4 bags this year and two were from Waitrose and thats awful. Its so fluffy it drys out in a few hours i n the sun. I think its because its all peat free. Westaways has some John Innes in but thats not so good as it used to be either.

Good morning Mel and all,


Nice morning here, with a little sunshine and a cooling breeze.

I was in bed by 9.00 pm last night, didn't read, and the radio presenter played such horrible THUMPING MUSIC, I turned it off and settled down. One trip to the loo through the night, and slept till 8.45 am. Slept like a log. This morning I am feeling a bit like a ZOMBIE, not knowing what I am doing. The shower didn't really wake me up, and there was no way, that I was going to turn it to COLD.!!!!

You certainly have found some nice places to visit AnnG. That was nice of the driver to give you some insight as to the history of the house. I have never joined the NT, but I think I would, if I was interested in old houses and grounds. Plus we both would struggle to get around.

Those kittens go to work with Harvey, some days. The family that he has worked for for the last FIVE YEARS, bought one of the kittens from Florences litter. So thew three of them are locked in a room, with their baskets, dirt trays and toys. They play and sleep and Harvey goes to fed them during the day. I think this is why they are not very PEOPLE FRIENDLY.

Vera it's a shame that you could go to all the events etc, but with OH not up to it, it's not worth the risk. It is nice to hear he is making progress though.

Well our Jane, is still suffering I see. I do hope you get some needed rest, as and when you can. It's good that James, and Chris, are able to fend for themselves food wise. I have to thank my dear old MUM for ll my ability to cook, clean and iron. For all her faults (and there were many) she did teach us all how to cook and clean. I remember one of her favourite sayings was " Look after the corners of the room, the centre will look after itself" Meaning of course, all the dirt and dust would be swept from the corners to the middle of the room where you could then picket up in a dust pan and brush. On those days it was a lino floor covering, with just a hearth rug. ;-) ;-) ;-)

So Mr FOX is nosing around Mel, do you manage to shoot them, before they burry under the chicken run and kill the chickens. How lovely that the swallows have babies. That is something I have never had. A swallow nesting under the eaves of the house.Conrad had them every year when he lived in Edith Weston, which was close to RUTLAND WATER. So that could have been the attraction for them with all the midges etc, that they fed on.

Hows Colin doing now Mandy, I tend to forget about him, and his operation. lol lol

Does anyone hear from Shirl in Canada and Kim in Australia. ?? I do see them on the odd occasion on Face book.


I hope everyone has a nice peaceful day, and no accidents. xxxx

Its great you had a good nights sleep Frank. The fox dos'nt seem to worry the chickens at the moment but you never know what wi ll come in the winter so I shall be shutting them in then. For now I leave the pop hole open at night so they can come out when they want to.

Made a tomato and mozzerella tart for lunch but it was a bit wet but we managed to eat most of it. we usually have pastys today but there were'nt any left in Morriosns yesterday only the new vegan ones. It makes a good lunch as I can get it quickly and have more time for other things.

Its still too hot to go up the border so I shall pot up my cue plant i bought yesterday and clean the bathroom and little loo. Then I shall think I have done something today.

Good afternoon all. Don't know where the morning went and I was not up late. OH went to golf so I used the opportunity to finish his birthday card and make his anniversary card so that is two jobs well done.
Good afternoon all. Don't know where the morning went and I was not up late. OH went to golf so I used the opportunity to finish his birthday card and make his anniversary card so that is two jobs well done.
Frank we love going to NT houses and gardens. The friend who was with us, who can't walk far at all belongs to some national group or other that has mobility scooters at most NT places. He pays £10 a year and for that can phone ahead and have the use of a scooter free. so that is what he did yesterday afternoon. That way he got around the whole site doing the house in the morning and the parkland, lake etc in the afternoon.Our joint membership costs us £90 but we already saved £27 yestrday as the entry charge was £13.50 each. We do manage during the year to get our money back as some car parks in dorset and some in the Lake District are NT.

Jane pleased that you enjoyed Janice's visit and I hope you managed to sleep last night, although it was a bit warm wasn't it. Like today, cloudy sun here but very muggy.

Annx you would have liked the room with the Worcester embroiderers guild work in, very clever. I will put photos on the blog later.

Mel I bet you still have not got up the border, it is not very pleasant out there. very close/muggy.

Vera, shame that you are not able to go to the things you had planned, disappointing for you. However it is good that your OH is still improving.

Gill I am sure that your garden looks good without you buying more flowers. The trouble is, this time of year the plants are dear because they have brought them on. Unless you can find some that are reduced. Gosh fancy that gate warping already.

Photos of Croome on the blog

I just walked up the border and pulled a few weeds and I only went up for my wheelbarrow but gosh it is hot up there and I had to cme down and have a sit in the cool kitchen.

WE still have blazing sun here but there is some white thin cloud in the sky to the north.

Oh has gone out on the mower. He cleared outside the bedroom windw this morning as between us we moved the old dumper belonging to a friend up the end of the back field. Then he moved the old chicken house up to the side of his workshop garage and mowed the long grass that had grown between things he had left there. Looks much better now.

It is quite windy here although the sun is in and out and it is still very close.