General Chat

I couldn’t open the picture but could the video.

Evening All,

It rained most of the night and pretty much all day here! It suits me for a day or 2 though, I feel better when it's cooler and the garden needs it. Some of the roads were flooded when we went out for lunch. You are right that it's easy to forget the greenhouse Frank, so parched compared with outside! I'm like Ros when it comes to jewellery.......you can't have too many things and you want a change now and then. :-D I wish you could have plain cauliflower sometimes at a carvery, they all seem to just do cauliflower cheese now, which I like, but which is far more calories! I like it with gravy or with fish, but wouldn't choose to have it with sausages. The textures wouldn't go together for me, but then I rarely fancy sausages. I think seeing what goes into them when I visited an abbatoir put me right off. What I do like that OH finds strange when we eat out and he can never fancy is when you get ratatouille with a carvery, I love the tomato sauce with it mixed in the gravy but he hates the idea. We are a funny lot foodwise aren't we!! lol. Wasn't the video great and so funny ......and what a good sport that man was! Thanks for forwarding it Jane.

I have finished framing my little pony picture and finished the other earring so now have a pair.......I wore them with the bracelet today. :-) I also framed the 2 fused glass coasters I made and have put them on the hall drawers for now, but want to put them on the wall behind above the glass birds, then it will be all glass together there. :-)

I'm glad your migraine has gone Gill. I think you could be at the age for these things at the moment as fluctuating hormones don't help.

How long do you have to use the raised seats for Jane? It sounds like you enjoyed your meal out and it must be nice to go out when you can't just hop in your car just yet. We keep asking, but is Fitz managing ok on his own at home and recovering well too?

Gill I know just what you mean about it being nice and quiet. We don't see many children here, as they have all grown up apart from Mrs O's little grandson. OH said he was outside looking bored again the other day, while she was sweeping the drive and ignoring him. Round here as soon as it's fine, out come the mowers and strimmers and hedge trimmers, usually at the crack of dawn while you want to sleep. I can't remember mowing mum and dad's lawn as often as seems to happen these days. At least the electric mowers are a bit quieter though. I see there are even rechargeable ones now which would be good without the cable faff. Any noise then sets the dog off next door, but not the new one the other side! :-S

Morning all

Bright and sunny outside so OH and I are going to make a start on the screening down the side of the bungalow. The gas workmen are making a noise so no one will notice our bit of noise. OH's going to buy the wood in a minute, we're going to use the wood we got off the builder for the in fill bits.

I haven't slept all night so how much use I'll be I wouldn't like to say. I was just dosing off around 4am when I noticed a lots of red flashing lights at the window, so I looked out and it was a taxi taking the new neighbours, I assume, to the airport as he put two suitcases in the boot and they got in the taxi, so I assume they went on holiday so now they won't see us doing the screening. I think he might of had something to say about it if he'd been here as he seems the type.

So we're going to be very busy trying to get the framework done today as the weather isn't going to be very good for the rest of the week.

I loved all the pics you sent Mel, you did a grand job with all your crafts.

You have been busy Ann, I bet that little pony looks really sweet. What a pity you can't enter him in a local show he would be sure to win a prize. Not many places have show these days do they? Or maybe it is just that they don't advertise them outside of their area. I did not our village (which is these days too big to be a village, more of a suberb), had a show run by the horticultural society but that is probably supported by the part of Churchdown that considers itself the 'real' village, inas much they call themselves Churchdown Village.

gill good job the neighbours are away as you can do the screening in peace. good luck with getting it done.
It is bright and sunny here too so I think I might dead head the roses, another job that needs doing. that is when I have dressed and had breakfast. OH has gone to golf, he left my tea at about 0715 but it was an hour later when I woke up again, I had gone back to sleep after he got up. I didn't sleep that well, kept waking up every hour or so. Anyway, better get dressed and have breakfast and the washing will be finished as well, I nipped down and put a load in when I woke up, made another cup of tea and came back to bed. :-D

Morning all,

Brightish day today with lots of clouds but blue sky showing here and there.

I had a lie in this morning so now I am all behind like a ducks tail.

We had the deer in the garden yesterday, mum and baby and they must have been in the orchard as we saw them walk across the top of the garden while eating our breakfast. They past the border and went through the big arch.

Mum and dad Blackbird are still feeding the babies. I was surprized to see them under the bird feeder. The babies do pick up bit that fall to the ground but mum or dad also pick at the fat tablet and go and feed them.

Good morning to you all,

Oh I have been at it again. Couldn't sleep, so got up at 11.30 pm. Went to go into the kitchen and tripped. Must have knocked myself out, as Ros came out at 3.00 am and found me behind the door, (she thought I was DEAD) with the trailing plant laying over my back. She managed to help me into the bedroom. I couldn't lie on the bed, so laid on the floor covered over with two fleeces. Ros told me this morning that it took her TWO HOURS to get me from lounge to bedroom. Needless to say, this morning I couldn't get up from the floor, so she rang Tony, who came in and put his arms under mine and lifted me up.

I feel as weak as a kitten this morning, so only had a wash down. No shower in case I fell over again. I have a nice BUMP on my temple this morning. It looks like she has beaten me up. ;-) ;-) So a very quiet day for me today.

Will try to pop back later. xxx

Frank do you think you ought to go and get checked out in case you have concussion. Do you mean you were unconscious for three and a half hours if Ros didn't find you until 3am. If you have a bump on the head I worry that you need checking over.

Mel, goodness that was a late start!! :-D

I did almost an hour and a half tidying up in the garden but eventually came in when it was too hot (21 degrees) out there.

AnninG, Thanks for your concern, I don't feel I need to bother the Dr or Nurse. I just feel tired and achy.


I did manage to get down to the greenhouse, and fed and watered the Tomato's and Runner beans. It has turned out very warm here too. I think my Garlic is ready to be lifted, but that can wait for another day.

Some of the people living down the close, think it's Silverstone Race track, The speed they come passed our bungalow, is downright dangerous . t won't be long before someone either gets knocked down or a car gets hit backing out of their drive.

Cold pork, new potato's and Veg tonight. So not a lot of work involved

Ros has to be at the Hospital for 10.00 am tomorrow. Carolyn will take her. Then Wednesday she is having an MRI at 5.30 pm. I will go with her to keep her company. We might then go on to eat somewhere. As it will be late getting home, and start cooking.

As long as you haven't got a headache or feel dizzy Frank your head must be very hard. Anyway pleased you felt ok enough to water the greenhouse etc.
We do worry about you yousee? :-)

Yes we do all worry about you Frank. You should go around with a cushion wrapped around your head to protect you. Don't you use your stick indoors? I think you should keep it by you all the time Frank.

I have cleaned the little loo and done a load f ironing and made lunch.

Think its pasta tonight with garlic bread. I shall do a cheese sauce for the pasta and put in tomatoes, leeks mushrooms and do some of my mange toute peas.

Much cooler here now and we had a little rain after lunch but not enough really to wet the ground. There is a lso a wind come up and the suns gone now too.

Frank have you one of those walking sticks with four feet? The would be good for you as you can balance on them more than an ordinary one legged stick. Our friend up the top has one as he falls a bit and he lives on his own now since Marg died.

Frank you really should get a check up especially if you're feeling tired, if you were unconscious for that long it shouldn't be ignored, the doctors are there to help and won't mind checking you over. It's better to be safe than sorry. Ros must of had a shock when she found you. I hope all goes well with her appointments.

We gave up with the screening in the end, we bought one size of wood thinking it would be okay to use, only to find out we couldn't open the gate so OH took the wood back and got a slightly smaller size, but that is to thick as well, so now we have ordered some featherboard and will build a taller fence with it. It's arriving tomorrow and they will take the second lot of wood back with them. All we need to do then is ring them for the refund. They know OH down there so it won't be a problem and because we needed 80 lengths of the featherboard they gave us a discount and free delivery. The only problem we have with the featherboard is we'll have to screw it to the existing featherboard and raise it a foot because we have two gates attached to the fence and when next door had his gate done they attached that to the other side of the fence. I'm not sure if it'll work but we'll have a go, at least it's a lot thinner than the second lot of wood OH bought and it will save us putting screening up to, which is a job I hate, as it takes forever to do.

Mum came to visit and bought a present for Sandra, three solar flamingos, she is thrilled with them. I'm going to try and put them in her bedroom as the solar part is on a wire so can go on her window sill, that way she'll have them lit up in there at night. If it doesn't work then we'll put them outside, but I think she'd prefer them in her room if it's possible. Mum said she had a present for me but forgot to bring it and wouldn't go back for it, so I don't know when I'll get it, or if she'll remember as she has problems with her memory.

I didn't sleep a wink last night with the taxi's brake lights shining in the bedroom window, I ended up doing more of OH's tree through the night until OH got up then I've been working in the garden and putting the wood we got off the builder behind the tall conifers where we store things, so now I'm absolutely shattered, I'm hoping I can stay awake until bed time otherwise my body clock will be all over the place.

OH has just got back from the dentist. they couldn't take the tooth out as he has an infection. He didn't even know he had the infection, so he's on antibiotics now and has to go back to the dentist on 20th August.

The gas man has been here looking at our gas meter and told us that it might have to be moved outside, it's all free but they will have to take up part of our patio and drive to gain access, then someone else will come around to sort out the gas connection indoors. He did say if they can get the pipe to the meter where it is then it won't need moving. I hope they don't have to move it, but I guess we'll find out on Wednesday when they turn the gas off.

So all in all not a good day. Do you ever have days when nothing goes right? OH can't even park our car down the drive and has had to park it over the road in the neighbours drive. Luckily they are doing one side of the road at a time so their side isn't being done until next week, when he'll park his car on our drive. It's a good job we can help each other out ,as we weren't told we wouldn't have access to our drives.

Sorry for the moan, let's hope tomorrow is a better day.

25 degrees here and sunny at the moment, did a quarter of an hour dead heading the front garden as the brown bin is out there ready to be put out for tomorrow. Hardly get another leaf in there now. That bin is well worth the money as it is holding at least two trips to the dump worth.

Just one of those days then gill? Although a good one for Sandra with her flamingoes.

I am struggling to picture what you are intending doing. What is featherwood and how does it differ from your screening. It is probably me but I am confused, I thought you had already put screening up, is it not high enough? Is this on the side of the new neighbours?

What are the gas people actually doing? I know they are working in this area laying new pipes but not sure they are moving meters. Ours on this estate are all outside anyway.

Afternoon All
AnnG I think it must be about the same temp here now.Its really quite hot.I have just finished a load of ironing which hasnt helped but it is done now.
I can hear a Deer and it sounds like it is next doors garden.I think it is a Muntjack.They can 'bark' for ages!!.

Thanks for the pics `Mel. It was nice ot see everything you entered and the Horses head is a cracker.When did you do that? You should do some more like that.

Crikey Frank,what a tumle you must have had to knock yourself out like that !!!!!!
Any headaches ,double vision or vomiting and then you really need to get seen.What a fright for poor Ros finding you like that.I do reckon that some kind of walker is a good idea especially for in the night. You take sleeping pills so you are quite likely not to be a stable on your pins at nighttime when you are wandering about.

Someone was asking ifRos took Statins.If she is I dont think Grapefuit is meant to be eaten .

Gill you are going ot be exhausted tonight after your disturbed night last night .It sounds quite a job to do your fence .Fingers crossed the Featherboard will be right.(I have no idea what Featherboard is :-D ) The Solar Flamingos sound really good .I can just picture Sandras face when your Mum gave them to her. I wonder what your present is.
Strange OH didn't feel an infection in his tooth. Maybe it has just started and luckily the Dentist has spotted it in time. The antibiotics should work swiftly if it is just a mild infection now.

Ann I think you must have misse my posts when I have said how Fitz is doing. I know how easy it is. I often realise I have missed many.
He is doing ok. But seems to be getting quite a bit of pain. It can't be from the new hip joint so I reckon it has to be his back. Remember he had the major op on his back ?
He has his appointment in a week ( I think a week) to see the Consultant who did his hip so he will tell him .They may need to take another look at his back again :-S
Other than that he is quite good spirits I think . He will be 5 weeks post op on Wednesday and me on Thursday and I will be taking these socks off at the end of the week even though it might be a few days sooner than I should.

Ann the raised loo seats. I dont really know how long I am supposed to use them. I think i could probably be ok without then now but would have to be careful lowering myself.Having then raised makes it easier getting up again .I have to say they are really quite comfy :-D :-D

I took a stroll down the road this morning(the opposite way from the works) and it was so lovely to just look out over the open countryside . I took a couple of pics so you will see the difference from where all the big work is going on To think all this is going to be built on is so heartbreaking :-(

Cottage pies for us tonight (not home made) I want to get in Mandy's pool!!!!!!

Mel, I use my stick quite a lot of the time. To be honest I don't even remember falling over. I must have gone down on my left side, as my left shoulder and hip are both very sore. Ros has said "TONIGHT YOU DO NOT GET OUT OF BED" no matter how long you lay awake. So thats me told ;-) ;-) ;-) The bump on my head is starting to show a bruise. I hope it doesn't make my eye go black, or that will look as though she has beaten me up.!!!!

Ros has just spoken to Lewis. He arrived in France at 9.30 this morning. He's staying for a couple of weeks. Him and Julia are in a Quiz team tonight in the bar. Their friends from Gayton (where we use to live) are down in France now, so they are joining them in the team.

Lewis said to ring Harvey tonight, as he is suffering with toothache, so he is like your OH Gill.

Carolyn can't go with Ros tomorrow, so I will go and keep her company. She also has to make an appointment with the hospital to have her eyes looked at. She will have Martine take her on a Saturday, as she will have to have those horrible drops in her eyes, and won't be able to drive for a few hours afterwards.

It has been very warm today, with a good breeze, so should be more comfortable in bed tonight.

Not hungry yet, so we might eat a little later tonight.

Featherboard is wood that is thin along one edge and fat along the other, you over lap it to make a strong fence. We already have that type of fence but we'd like it a foot higher to block the view from the window the new neighbours put at the side of their bungalow. Sandra doesn't like the fact that they can see into her bedroom and the bathroom and toilet as they are all on that side. She doesn't want a black out blind and the blinds she's got now are quite thin so when her light is on anyone can see her silhouette through them, she has curtains but they are also quite thin, the blinds in the bathroom and toilet are the same but without curtains so she's self conscious about them seeing her.

I've tried to tell her that they don't use that room so won't see her but she's got herself in a state and the only thing that will calm her down is to higher the fence so they can't see. I don't mind doing the job but I've never done it before so I'm not quite sure what I'm doing. I'd rather put the new featherboard over the top of the old one to make it stronger as it's very windy here, especially in the winter and the battens behind it that the featherboard is attached to isn't that good after being there for 11 years, if that broke trying to take the old stuff off I really would be in a mess and OH can't really help me do anything heavy at the moment.

We were hoping to attach a wooden frame to the existing fence and then attach the bamboo screening like we've done in the back but the wood is to thick for the gate to open properly, so it can't be done that way. Using the featherboard would mean the gate will open fully as it's only about half an inch thick compared to the one and half inch the other wood is.

I've just Googled featherboard and I've got the name wrong it's feather edge. Sorry for confusing everyone.

I'm sure I'll work it out eventually and if I can't I had a word with the builder across the road who said he could do it ,but not until September or October and I'm not sure Sandra would be able to cope for that long, it's really stressing her out and it doesn't help if the new neighbours leave their light on at night. I just want to make Sandra feel happier when she's in her room and not to have to worry all the time. The wood's arriving tomorrow so if it's not raining I'll take a look and see if I can work it out so it'll stop her worrying.

I'm getting really tired now and the workmen have just old OH that they maybe working through the night, I hope not as it's really noisy and I don't think another night of no sleep would be good. The neighbour that said we could park our car on his drive has now said he doesn't want the responsibility of it being there overnight incase something happens to it, so we've got to find somewhere else to park as we have no access to our drive now.

Today seems to be getting worse. In a way I'm glad I'm so tired as it's stopping me stressing to much.

Yes it was me asked if Ros took Statins as Frank said she had had gratefruit for breakfast. Thats the thing I miss the most as it was my favorite fruit and I used to eat the red and pink ones and the pink gratefruit squash was the ony squash I drank.

Poor you Frank now you'll have a sore shouder for a while and I hope your eye dos'nt go black. I can see Ros will have to tie you down on the bed tonight. Ha ha ha....

Gill the featherboarding should be better than the screening as it wil last much longer. Hope you don'nt have a lot of trouble putting it up.

I put my solar lights on the windowsill during the day to charge up as I have them up the hal and in the bathroom at night with it being so dark here you can't ee a thing if there's no moon. In the shed I have the panels in the window too and that faces west and the lights work ok in there during the summer but not so much in the winter.
I bet she was delighted with her flamingoes. Bless...... <3

Evening All,

Thanks for sending the pics Mel. The horse's head is really good and I'm not surprised you did well with it. The other makes are all lovely as well. Did you use brick stitch for the pretty mistletoe brooch?

Jane that view of the lovely cornfield is so much better than the view you will have of houses. Once the fields go they don't come back. It breaks my heart too seeing what has happened in this area since I was age 15 and all the wildlife that has disappeared. Sorry I missed your posts, I've just looked and missed them again in almost a fortnight but that doesn't surprise me!!! I find I get more back trouble with not quite walking properly because the left knee is worse, so maybe Fitz has been the same with his hip and some physio might help. It must be hard to be as motivated with your exercises when you are at home by yourself as well. So it's 'goodbye socks' soon! lol It does seem ages that you have been wearing them and all through the heat too. As you say with the seat though, best not to jettison that too soon.

Frank now what did I say about you needing a crash helmet! :-0 That was a really nasty fall though so please get off to the docs if you start to get the symptoms Jane mentioned. It's what they told me when I fell backwards on to the corner of the bungalow wall........but I wasn't unconscious like you. What a fright for Ros, I would have feared the worst seeing you there too. I hope she gets on ok having her scan.

Gill, I bet Sandra's eyes lit up as brightly as the light up flamingoes' when she saw them. They were right up her street weren't they? I can understand her feeling that the rooms aren't private anymore and I bet she can't feel relaxed now. One of our side windows looks over the fence to the neighbour's bedroom and, although we are higher, I don't like sitting with the curtains open in the evening, even though it affects the neighbour most. I hope you get on ok with attaching the fencing. What a nuisance having to find somewhere to park your car. You have had a right day as you say, but fingers crossed they don't need to dig up any of your drive. Ours is already outside, but they still knock the door to read it as they don't bother to look down the side where it is. That was a shame they couldn't sort your OH's tooth, but it was good the dentist spotted the infection and is treating it first.

We had a cracking shopping day. OH came with me to the retail park near Grantham this morning as their sale starts today and I had a voucher for a further 10% off. He was chuffed to get 2 pairs of shoes and I got some sandals. He also got an autobiography he fancied for £1.......yes more books lol, but £1 is a bargain. I also got a pair of new dimmable bedside lights with little white glass shades that fit just right and you can pose them just where you want. I've been looking for some to fit the space for ages too. I also got a jewellery box where you choose the layers you want with the type of compartments you want and stack them up on top of each other. I wanted a winter jacket but didn't see anything I liked. We had lasagne while we were there and mine was a vegetable one and very tasty.

Goo morning all,

I will be going with Ros this morning to Hospital as Carolyn is busy.

Didn't have the best of nights last night. Not being able to turn over, each time I tried I got pain down my left hand side which woke me up. My shoulder feels even worse this morning. Feels like the bones have been SCREWED together at the joint.

Barry called at the door last night, asking if I needed him for an hour. YES PLEASE. So lawns and edges all tidy, and he has forked over the boarders too. He also did Tony's

Glad to see you are getting out a little Jane, It must feel nice to have a bit of independence. BE CAREFUL THOUGH !!!!

When we moved in to this bungalow, there was wire fencing down our left hand side of the back garden.It was the original fence put in by the builders. We had Harvey up for a day, to rip it all down, and put up a SIX FOOT Feather Edge fence. Which now you can hardly see,for all the vegetation that Ros has planted over the years.It must be better for the four neighbours, who's back gardens are down that side of our boundary. There houses being in a different road to our close.

Must be off now, to get to the hospital. xxxx